The postpartum time is a tumultuous period for women’s hormones, to say the least. You just grew a tiny human, which consumed a lot of your body’s resources. As you heal from delivery and begin nursing, the demands are even higher. Mix in the stress of adjusting to a new routine, having little time for yourself, and sleep deprivation, and …
How Coffee Affects Your Health and Hormones
The love for coffee runs long and deep for so many of us. I am a coffee lover, too, so I get it. Aside from enjoying the morning ritual, research points to many health benefits of coffee, ranging from brain health to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. These associations appear to stem from coffee’s antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. …
How to Lose Weight During Perimenopause
Weight gain is a common symptom that women experience during perimenopause. Even when diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors remain the same, the number on the scale and the waist measurement can creep up. This change can feel frustrating, unexpected, and impossible to change. However, the root of perimenopause weight gain may be in the natural hormonal changes during this …
Can I Get Pregnant During Perimenopause?
I’ll jump straight to the point: yes, some women can get pregnant during perimenopause, but others will have a hard time becoming or staying pregnant because of. Perimenopause encompasses the years leading up to menopause or the cessation of your period for at least 12 months. During perimenopause, hormonal shifts cause irregular menstrual cycles, making it more difficult to predict …
What Does DHEA Do And When Should You Take It?
When talking about cyclical hormones, estrogen is the star of the show, but did you know you need DHEA to make estrogen? DHEA is the most abundant steroid hormone in the body and is required for both estrogen and testosterone production. If DHEA levels are low, you might notice low libido, fatigue, and other symptoms of low sex hormones. Low …
When Does Perimenopause Start and How Long Does It Last?
Perimenopause, the transition between reproductive years and menopause, signifies the beginning of hormonal changes lasting from a few months to several years. While it won’t last forever, it can seem like an eternity if you’re experiencing symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, irregular periods, and mood swings. Even before you reach perimenopause, your body gives you hints that things are …
What Diet Is Best During Perimenopause
Perimenopause, the time in life when a woman or person with ovaries begins to transition away from reproductive years to menopause, is not talked about enough. So many women come to me confused about their changing bodies—periods are suddenly irregular, the weight creeps up, and their mood is all over the place. They are entirely unaware that these are typical …
Symptoms of High or Low SHBG Levels, and How to Change It
Hormones are central to health. They can either act like the conductors of an orchestra, leading to a harmony of health and well-being, or they can create a cacophony of chaos. Women’s health experts primarily focus on estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, but they aren’t the only hormones at play. Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is a hormone that sits in the …
Why Is My Vagina Itchy? How to Relieve Vaginal Itching
Chances are, you’ve experienced itching “down there” at one time or another in your life and may have some questions: Why does my vagina itch? What causes vaginal itching? How do I get rid of vaginal itching and prevent it in the future? And is vaginal itching normal? These are important questions and ones that I address fully in my …