Work With Your Period Cravings, Not Against Them

If you think you’re the only one who feels like they could eat a whole bar of chocolate or an entire pizza in one sitting before your period, you’re mistaken. Premenstrual cravings are common. Even those with a “clean” and rigid diet at other times of the month report strong, almost unstoppable cravings around their period. 

Most of the advice around premenstrual cravings feels unsympathetic: “Oh, you’re craving chocolate…try to eat less chocolate.”

If it were that easy, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Attempts to white-knucke your way through cravings often backfire. Allow me to offer a different approach. 

Honour your need for serotonin 

There are many fluctuations that happen before the period and it’s likely not just one neurotransmitter or hormone to blame for cravings. That being said, research suggests that serotonin seems to play an important role in premenstrual cravings. 

Your premenstrual cravings may be linked to a serotonin deficit or altered serotonin activity in the brain. Carbohydrates trigger serotonin production which is why so many women crave sugar, bread, potato chips and pastries before their period. This is also why medications that increases serotonin levels may help with premenstrual food cravings. 

The advice to stay away from all sugar before your period feels unrealistic in light of what is happening in your body. If you can completely switch from your candy, ice cream and chip cravings to fruits and vegetables, that’s great! For many women, that full swap feels impossible. 

Rather than trying to run away from carbs, consuming carbs strategically can help you boost serotonin, satisfy the cravings, and still nourish yourself well. Think of ways you can layer in good nutrition with the flavours and carbs you may be craving. Here’s what I mean:

• Instead of having a chocolate bar that will leave you feeling hungry again in an hour, try a different way to get your chocolate fix. Have whole grain toast with peanut butter and a chocolate spread with some flax sprinkled on top. Is it a perfectly “healthy” snack? No. But it will at least give you some fibre from healthy, whole grain carbs and protein from the peanut butter while still allowing you to have the flavour you’re craving. 

• Instead of having a big bag of chips, consider having a smaller serving of chips and some salted pistachios instead. This way you get some protein and good fats from the nuts while also having a bit of what you’re craving. 

Note: these recommendations may not be appropriate for your dietary needs, so work with a naturopathic doctor or other healthcare provider to help you come up with some individualized ideas. 

Pay attention to emotional eating at play 

If you struggle with anxiety, irritability or low mood before your period, food can act as a source of comfort. Foods that are higher in fat, sugar and salt tend to trigger greater feelings of comfort and pleasure because of the way they impact the brain. That’s why we reach for these foods when we’re experiencing premenstrual mood swings. 

When it comes to emotional eating, your food cravings are telling you that your underlying emotions need extra attention. This is why it’s so important to plan for your premenstrual phase and add uplifting and comforting activities into your schedule. Plan to go out to the movies, take a mental health day off work, go out for dinner—make the time before your period as enjoyable as possible and this may help you manage your emotions without always turning to comfort eating. You might even find that you come to enjoy your premenstrual time because of this.

Take it easy 

There’s no point in being hard on yourself about your cravings. Guilt has been shown to negatively impact our food choices because of the way it demoralizes us. Instead, focus on how you can sprinkle in good nutrients wherever you can. During this time of the month, focus more on what you add to your diet and less on what you take away. 

If you feel like your cravings are dominating your life both within and outside of your premenstrual phase, you may benefit from the 21 day Emotional Eating Journal. To learn more about it, click below. 

4 Way to Use Magnesium to Soothe a Troubled Mind

Natural remedies like magnesium are valuable resources to add to your game plan for improving your mood and calming your stress. Some foods that are good sources of magnesium are nuts and seeds, whole grains, dark leafy greens like spinach, beans and lentils.

A 2015 survey done in the U.S. found that half of the population was not getting enough magnesium in their diet. The percentage is even higher for teens and the elderly. Full-blown magnesium deficiency (the type that would lead to severe symptoms) is not very common but many of us are not getting an ideal amount of magnesium from our diets.

Scientists think a lot of us may be walking around with a “sub-clinical” magnesium deficiency. This means that if we were to test our magnesium levels in the blood, they would most likely be normal, but our bodies may still be begging us to get more magnesium into our systems.

This could be why having more magnesium is helpful for so many different conditions – especially mental health conditions. Here are 4 different ways you can use magnesium to help with your mental health:

1. Reduce Depression – Magnesium plays an important role in many chemical reactions in the brain. It’s involved in the activity of brain chemicals (called neurotransmitters) that are key for a happy mood. Numerous studies have found that magnesium is able to improve mood in depressed patients and can potentially help anti-depressant medications work better.

2. Reduce Stress and Anxiety – Magnesium has been found to reduce anxiety is several studies. Of course magnesium can’t change the situations in your life that are causing you stress but many of my patients say they feel a lot more “balanced” and more resilient to stress while taking magnesium.

3. Soothe PMS Anxiety – If you find that your anxiety and mood are worse during PMS, magnesium may be a good fit for you. Studies have shown that it can reduce premenstrual anxiety and I’ve found it to be effective both in practice and personally for premenstrual mood issues.

4. Improve Sleep – Magnesium is a gentle sleep aid. I like to use it to help some of my patients struggling with insomnia. Magnesium does not make you drowsy (hence why it’s fine to take during the day) but it helps you relax, which in turn helps with sleep. I especially like that it doesn’t make you feel groggy the next day like some other sleep remedies.

It’s important to note that the form and dose of magnesium I recommend is different for everyone based on their health history, medications and symptoms. Getting the dose or form wrong can lead to unwanted side effects or a lack of results. I know it can be overwhelming to go to the health food store and see all the options and hear all the opinions about which supplement is the “best”. If you’re confused, talk to a naturopathic doctor. We’re here to help you sort through all that confusion using science, individualized health assessments and our clinical experience.

Take control of your mental health as best as you can. I know this is sometimes easier said than done. Maybe asking a healthcare provider about magnesium will be your first step to reducing your depression, anxiety or stress. If you stay focused, that first step can turn into a revolutionary plan to get you feeling happier, more positive and at peace.   

Surviving the Holidays with PMS

Ever feel like asking Santa for a break from your PMS? The holiday rush and untreated PMS can make for a pretty mean combination. I mean, not only are you busy elbowing through crowded stores, overheating in your winter jacket and negotiating splitting time between different sides of the family – but if you’re doing this alongside PMS, it’s all topped with a dollop of depression, irritability, anxiety, breast tenderness, fatigue and cramps. (Note: If you have a more intense form of PMS called Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), then “dollop” is a major understatement).

Don’t let PMS take away from this glowing, warm, delicious season. As weird as it sounds, I actually enjoy my premenstrual phase. I’ve monitored it closely over the years and have learned to master it. It’s possible to make use of the unique things that are happening to your brain and body during this time and turn your premenstrual phase into a time of incredible peace and restoration. Below are some of my favourite tips on how to do this. 

Reflect, Reflect, Reflect

Because of rising progesterone levels and other hormonal changes that impact your brain and mood, you may feel like being more of a home-body during your premenstrual phase. You may also be feeling more anxious, sad and irritable for seemingly no reason at all. I really like to use this time to journal because I find that I can channel all that overthinking and worrying into figuring out things that have been bothering me over the month and what I can do to improve them. Many women find they’re more sensitive and contemplative during this time so you can use that to you advantage and really dig into solutions for issues that have been coming up for you lately.

Move Mindfully

Those same hormonal changes I mentioned can also leave your body feeling heavy and sluggish. You may find that you retain more water and you may experience breast tenderness and some pretty strong fatigue. Exercise can help you push through this fog. Many women (including myself) find it hard to do vigorous exercise during this time but it’s still important to stay active. I use this time to do more relaxing workouts like slower paced yoga classes or less intense cardio. Staying active while being mindful of your stamina can help relieve that physical heaviness and discomfort that comes with PMS.

Eat an Anti-Inflammatory Diet (Or at Least Try to)

It’s super tempting to give into all your junk food cravings this time of the month but all that junk food can contribute to inflammation which can worsen cramps and brain fog during your premenstrual phase. Try to keep junk food out of the house so you’re less tempted. If you absolutely can’t resist (we’re in the same boat), at least try to increase your fruit, vegetable and healthy fat intake so that you can have more anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory foods in your diet.

Supplements

There are some really effective herbs and nutritional supplements for PMS. Vitex, calcium, magnesium, adaptogens, black cohosh and many other natural remedies are worth considering. But it’s not one size fits all. Certain herbs and nutritional supplements may be completely wrong for you based on your symptoms, blood work, physical exam results and health history. Make sure you get solid guidance before choosing a supplement for your PMS. Your naturopathic doctor can help you with this along with sorting out the root causes of your PMS such as hormonal imbalances and inflammation.

PMS is especially annoying around this time of year when all you want to do is enjoy the holidays and connect with loved ones. We talk about PMS as if it’s the norm and there is nothing we can do about it but that’s just not true. Do what you can to own your premenstrual phase and reclaim that week of your life and your holidays!

What Does “Holistic Medicine” Even Mean?

The word “holistic” has become more popular over the years. The use of the term skyrocketed from the late 60s on. We associate it with concepts like “all natural”, “traditional” and maybe even “spiritual”. But what does this term actually mean? Why do naturopaths and other health care providers use the word?

Holistic medicine means you consider the whole person when treating a patient. But even that definition may sound a little vague. When I diagnose and treat I consider many factors that are important to health. I don’t just treat a symptom. Below, I’ll use an example to better explain what holistic means.

Case: Digestive Complaint

Say a patient comes to me complaining of a troublesome gut. Bloating, constipation, cramping – the whole package.

If I was only treating the symptoms and not being holistic I would give them a digestive aid and a laxative or stool softening remedy and call it a day.

But I don’t stop there. I treat holistically.

First, I would consider why the digestive system is out of whack in the first place. Is the gut bacteria off? Are certain digestive enzymes less than optimal? Is the peristalsis (the motion of the stomach, intestines etc.) dysfunctional?

I would analyze the diet. I'd look for any eating habits that could be interfering with digestive health. If the patient is not eating right, I figure out why. Is it because they don’t know how to? Do they need help figuring out how to eat right with limited time? Do they have cravings that lead them away from eating right?

I would also consider other health issues that could tie into the digestive issue. For example, the patient might have strong PMS symptoms and hormonal imbalances. These can worsen the digestive issue. Are their supplements contributing to the issue? Are their medications contributing?

Then I would dig into mental health. This has a huge impact on many conditions including digestive health. Are stress levels high? Is there some anxiety or depression? Is there emotional eating?

I even look into lifestyle factors that may seem unrelated to digestive issues. Optimizing factors like sleep quality, exercise level and hydration can improve many symptoms.

I gather all this information and use it to form a holistic treatment plan. The plan treats the whole person. It addresses so many factors in their life that are related to the symptom they need help with.

It rarely makes sense in healthcare to look at just a symptom, treat that symptom and ignore everything else that is going on in a person’s life. If the holistic approach sounds interesting to you, don't hesitate to book an appointment or free 15-minute consult.

Hormone Testing with a Naturopathic Doctor

Hormone testing can be helpful in guiding treatment plans in some cases. It can tell you which hormones are higher than ideal, which ones are lower than ideal and which ones are normal. This can tell me which herbs, nutrients, dietary and lifestyle changes to recommend. Sometimes it’s obvious what needs to be worked on and we can skip testing. Sometimes it’s not as clear and testing provides guidance.

Cases that I may use hormone testing for are:

- Periods that are irregular and difficult

- Menopause that isn’t responding well to my usual treatments

- Challenging PMS cases

- Difficulty losing weight when there is a suspicion that hormones are involved

- Major fatigue, brain fog and other symptoms when there is a suspicion that hormones are involved

There are different ways that I test hormones. One way is the usual blood test that most family doctors do as well. Another other option is to test saliva. There are pros and cons to both.

Blood Tests

Blood hormone tests have been accepted by the medical community for longer than saliva tests. There is a good amount of research supporting them.

Some MDs and NDs have raised concerns about only relying on blood tests for hormones. Sometimes blood test levels and saliva levels line up with each other. Other times I find that patients with normal blood test levels have saliva levels that are not ideal. These saliva levels often match with the symptoms the patient is experiencing.

Saliva Tests

In order for hormones to enter saliva, they may need to travel into cells/ tissue first. This may not be the case for hormones in the blood stream. Some think this means saliva better reflects the levels of hormones that are actually acting on your cells/ tissues. I won’t be able to explain all the biochemistry here. You should know that research on saliva testing is still ongoing. Opinions on it may change in the future.

Insurance Coverage

It used to be that tests run by naturopathic doctors were not covered by insurance companies. Lately, more insurance companies have been covering testing. The only way to know for sure is to contact your insurance company and ask.

If you need some help managing your hormones book an appointment or free 15-minute consult today.

What’s Your PMS “Type”

Important note: this article outlines a concept that is not supported by current evidence. I included it here for informational purposes only.

If you think about it, a difficult period can cast a shadow over half of your adult life (before menopause). One half of your month may be perfectly fine. You almost forget about any period woes. Then, a week of uncomfortable premenstrual syndrome hits. Then comes another week of cramping or heavy bleeding. Some people have irregular periods or prolonged PMS/ bleeding. For these women even more than half of their month is difficult.

Whether your PMS symptoms are “in your head” or very much physical, they should be treated. First, because they make it hard to make the most out of life. Second, because it may be your body trying to tell you that something is out of balance.

The concept of different types of PMS was popularized by a medical doctor named GE Abraham in the 80s. He was well known for his research in women's health. He was also a big believer in the power that nutrition plays in premenstrual syndrome. Below I’ll mention his four different types of PMS. It may be interesting to see which category you fall under.

PMS – A

The “A” here stands for anxiety. If you have this type of PMS you’re anxious and irritable before your period. This is the most common type of PMS. These women may have higher than ideal levels of estrogen, and sub-optimal progesterone.

PMS – B

This is the bloating type of PMS. If you have this type, you retain a lot of water during your PMS. You feel swollen, bloated and breasts feel more painful and full. Adrenal hormones may be off balance here.

 

PMS – C

This type of PMS is associated with food cravings (especially for sweets). Appetite may be high. You may also have symptoms of dips in blood sugar. This includes headaches, fatigue, racing heart and feeling shaky. Low prostaglandin levels have been blamed for this as well as nutrient deficiencies.

 

PMS – D

“D” for depression. You feel low mood when you experience this type of PMS. You may also have brain fog and feel tearful. This type has been associated with low estrogen and high progesterone.

Many women have symptoms that show up in different categories and don't have one type of PMS. However, some women find GE Abraham's categories make sense for them. I will say that I’ve seen many of my patients’ PMS symptoms improve with herbs, nutritional support and lifestyle changes. The protocol varies depending on the symptoms they’re experiencing.

If you’re ready to take back your month book an appointment or free 15-minute consult today.

Common Causes of Fatigue

Fatigue is one of the most common complaints I hear about. When I ask patients to rank their energy on a scale of 1 to 10 most people hover around 5 and would like to see their number go up. Fatigue could be a symptom of a huge range of causes from mild to serious. Today I’ll talk about some of the common causes that I see.

The Basics

Some causes of fatigue are simple to spot on a blood test. Examples are:

- low iron

- hyperthyroidism

- hypothyroidism

- low B12

Another basic cause of fatigue is poor sleep quality. This includes issues falling or staying asleep. This is an area that I like to work on with any fatigued patient.

Hormonal Health

Hormone fluctuations or imbalances can lead to fatigue. Some common examples are thyroid dysfunction, menopause and premenstrual syndrome. Other cases are more subtle. You may have completely irregular cycles or painful cramps but no specific diagnosis. Sometimes getting hormones back in balance can help with fatigue in these cases.

Adrenal Health

Naturopathic doctors talk a lot about a type of fatigue called adrenal fatigue. I like to call it burnout. The adrenal glands produce the "stress hormone" cortisol. The theory is that being stressed and busy all the time can push the adrenals to work too hard. Eventually they get overtired and you feel that as an energy crash. With adrenal fatigue, you feel tired but wide awake at bedtime. You feel irritable, frazzled or depressed. Your gut may be acting up and you may be experiencing cravings and weight gain. You also may find that you get sick all the time – or every time you’re on vacation.  There’s more to the theory but I’ll dig into it in a future article.

Gut Health

Poor gut health can contribute to fatigue. This includes diarrhea, constipation, bloating, heartburn or anything else that involves the gut.  A healthy gut means better nutrient absorption. It also means better elimination of toxins and waste products and improved vitality. Food sensitivities and poor diet have also been linked to fatigue.

Immune Health

Most autoimmune conditions are associated with fatigue. Some common examples are rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto's disease and Graves' disease. Hyperactive immune systems (think allergies and asthma) can also be associated with fatigue. Balancing the immune system is an important part of my treatment plan in these cases.

Mental Health

A less commonly discussed cause of fatigue is mental health conditions. Depression and even anxiety can significantly zap someone of their energy. It's important to address these causes of fatigue when needed. Treating these can improve fatigue more than any quick-fix energy boosting supplement could. 

Fatigue is frustrating and getting a handle on it can improve your quality of life in so many ways. If you need help with your fatigue book an appointment or free 15-minute consult today.