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Archive for the ‘hormones’ Category

How to Build a Hormone-Balancing Meal

Posted on: April 4th, 2025 by TouchStone Health

By Melanie Reidl, Naturopathic Doctor

Many of my patients struggle to know how to eat in order to support their hormones and metabolism. The food you eat consistently truly impacts whatever hormone-related health issue you are experiencing, from fertility challenges to perimenopausal concerns, fatigue to weight management. 
Here are the steps to building a simple hormone- and blood sugar-balancing meal:

1. Non-Starchy Veggies / Greens  – Load up your bowl/plate with a combination of any type of non-starchy vegetables (bonus points for the dark leafies like kale!) Cruciferous vegetables contain powerful hormone detoxifying ingredients, and leafy greens provide my favourite mineral, magnesium, amongst many other vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and insoluble fibre!

2. Protein – Add a ‘hand-sized’ serving of high-quality protein (ie leftover chicken, fish, and/or hard boiled eggs) to stabilize blood sugar & insulin and regulate hunger.

3. Complex Carb / Fibre – Add approximately a ‘fist sized’ serving of quinoa, root vegetable, or beans/legumes to pump up the fibre content to keep you satiated, provide a steady stream of energy for the day, and to feed your microbiome.

4. Healthy Fats – Add a homemade olive oil based salad dressing for a dose of good mono-unsaturated fats, and if you wish, add some slices of avocado or raw nuts or seeds as well. Healthy fats help to regulate blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and regulate hunger.

Pro Tip 1: Prepare a larger batch of protein in advance (ie Triple the amount of protein you prepare at Sunday dinner) to ensure that protein is always available when meal time rolls around! 

Pro Tip 2: Make sure that you keep your fridge + pantry stocked with healthy essentials (ie a variety of fresh or frozen veggies, eggs, canned chickpeas, extra virgin olive oil) 

Now you know the basic steps to creating an easy, hormone-balancing meal that creates a strong foundation for the treatment of most of the women’s hormone health conditions that I see. Bon Appetit!

MY NOT-SO-PERFECT JOURNEY TO MOTHERHOOD & FERTILITY AS WHOLE BODY HEALTH

Posted on: October 17th, 2024 by TouchStone Health

By Dr. Melanie Reidl, N.D.

I am blessed to now have two beautiful girls, but I do remember being on the other side. The uncertainty, the doubt; the fear of it not happening. For me, it actually happened when I was hoping to conceive my second child.

Around the time that I was wanting a second baby, my menstrual cycle had disappeared. My body was showing numerous signs of hormonal chaos. I was extremely anxious about my health, about not being able to conceive again. 

My anxiety led me to (in hindsight, prematurely) set foot in the world of reproductive endocrinology (a fertility clinic) & had a host of tests done to understand what was going on with my reproductive health. 

In the end, nothing was truly wrong with me. However, I did a DUTCH hormone test at the time as well, and my Cortisol levels were 2X the normal morning limit. My CORTISOL was basically suppressing my reproductive hormone signalling, so I wasn’t getting normal hormone release in order to ovulate & menstruate. 

Several months later, after a comprehensive approach to Cortisol reduction & hormone balancing, my cycle came back and I conceived quickly (again, I am fortunate that it was relatively easy for me).

I share my story because I know how stressful & emotional it can be to struggle when trying to have a baby.

In the end, I learned a lot about the importance of whole body health, how all systems of the body impact fertility, not just the reproductive system.

Digestive health, mental health, hormone health, immune health – ALL of these are important and require assessment & individualized treatment. 

I don’t believe in ‘UNEXPLAINED INFERTILITY’. If we dive deeper into whole body health, there absolutely are answers & solutions. 

My Secret to Sustainable Weight Loss & Optimal Body Composition

Posted on: September 30th, 2024 by TouchStone Health

By Dr. Melanie Reidl, Naturopathic Doctor

So many of us would benefit from a paradigm shift when it comes to weight + body goals. 

Yes, I know most of us care about aesthetics. And that’s fine (although I would encourage the focus to be more on overall health!)

But guess what? You’re more likely to achieve those aesthetic goals if you focus on parameters relating to overall health + longevity. 

Below are the labs + items I monitor when working on weight/body goals with patients:

???? Fasting Insulin + Glucose + Cholesterol Panel + HA1C
???? Thyroid Panel
???? HS-CRP (inflammation marker)
???? Waist:Hip ratio
???? % Lean Mass + % Fat Mass
???? Muscle Strength (lbs/kg lifted)
???? Protein + Fibre intake
???? Sugar, Refined Carb + Alcohol intake
???? Symptom Assessments (ie energy, mood, sleep)

Improvements in these items reflect positive changes to your physiology/ biochemistry, which will facilitate your weight loss/body goals. 

Focus on MUSCLE, METABOLIC, and HORMONE HEALTH, and you will feel better, achieve aesthetic goals, and improve overall health + longevity. 

— 

4 Ways to be Proactive to Optimize Your Fertility

Posted on: September 12th, 2024 by TouchStone Health

By Melanie Reidl, Naturopathic Doctor

Whether you are currently TTC (trying to conceive) and have yet to achieve a healthy pregnancy, or are planning to TTC within the next year, these 4 items are key! ????

You absolutely *DO NOT* need to wait an entire year before having some basic testing done to see if your fertility is being impacted by things such as: suboptimal metabolic health, thyroid function, hormone dysfunction, or nutritional status factors.

Here are 4 things you can do *NOW*:

1 – SCREENING BLOOD WORK

2 – CYCLE/HORMONE/HEALTH ASSESSMENT

3 – DIET & LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS

4 – INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPLEMENTS

In some cases, there is a true reproductive pathology (ie low ovarian reserve, low sperm count, severe endometriosis) that may require intervention from a fertility clinic.

However, in MANY CASES, the previously mentioned systems are dysfunctional, and it is a matter of determining which systems need targeted support (via diet, lifestyle, supplements, etc).

If you’re currently/soon to be TTC, I would be honoured to support you in your journey! BOOK AN APPOINTMENT

PRECONCEPTION HEALTH BEGINS 3-6 MONTHS BEFORE TRYING TO CONCEIVE

Posted on: July 27th, 2024 by TouchStone Health

by Melanie Reidl, Naturopathic Doctor

Preconception health is *so* much more than just taking a prenatal vitamin (and even that should be looked at carefully!)

At minimum, preconception health begins 3 months before trying to conceive (TTC). Egg & sperm development takes approximately 90 days, so it is a critical window of time. 

As a Naturopathic Doctor, these are the things I review with my patients who are planning/starting to TTC (this applies to both partners): 

  • ️ Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Stress Review
  • ️ Menstrual Cycle Assessment
  • ️ General Health Assessment (ie gut health, metabolic health)
  • ️ Basic Preconception Bloodwork (ie iron, thyroid, fasting insulin & glucose for insulin resistance, vitamin D3, progesterone)
  • ️ Fertility Awareness Method / Cycle Tracking education

There is so much to review & discuss before you TTC to optimize your hormones & reproductive health and therefore your chances of conceiving & maintaining a healthy pregnancy. I hope to be a part of your fertility & pregnancy journey.

Book an appointment with Dr. Melanie Reidl, ND

A Naturopathic Perspective on Postpartum/Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders

Posted on: June 4th, 2021 by TouchStone Health

by Dr. Melanie Reidl, N.D.

The postpartum period can be a transformative, beautiful experience for new parents, however, it is not without a dark side for many. I personally experienced both the euphoric stage of new motherhood, as well as the anxious and depressed state that many women experience. 

Perinatal/postpartum mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD) affect approximately 15 to 20% of new mothers. This may underestimate the prevalence of PMAD; the signs and symptoms may be missed and attributed to being a ‘normal’ part of motherhood, or, mothers may resist acknowledging the signs because of stigma or societal pressures. 

If prolonged and untreated, PMAD’s can be detrimental to maternal health and the child’s development. As such, is important that we work to improve our screening/identification and treatment approaches for this group of women. 

Naturopathic Medicine, with its emphasis on treating root causes and viewing health more holistically, is well suited to support women with PMAD’s. There are many factors or root causes that may be involved in the development of a PMAD, including but not limited to the following: personal history, family history, social support, birth experiences/trauma, stressors, nutritional status, and thyroid/hormonal factors. 

In my experience, the most overlooked factors are nutritional status, stress levels, and thyroid/hormonal imbalances. First, is not uncommon for women to be undernourished during their pregnancy and when a new baby enters the picture. She may have forgotten to take her prenatal multivitamin, have pre-existing nutrient deficiencies, or feel like she doesn’t have the time or energy to nourish herself properly.  

Elevated stress hormones are also common in this group of women. The stress hormone, cortisol, may high be due a variety of factors, including but not limited to: birth trauma, lack of support, financial challenges, relationship stress, and lack of sleep. 

Further, the risk for developing hypothyroidism (an under active thyroid) is greater in the postpartum period. Hypothyroidism may develop due to nutrient deficiencies, prolonged elevation in cortisol levels, and hormonal and immune system changes associated with pregnancy and postpartum. Hypothyroidism is a common cause of depression, anxiety, and fatigue, and must be ruled out in all cases of PMAD.

In my opinion, the treatment approach to PMAD should be collaborative in most cases. Involvement of the woman’s G.P., a Psychologist or Social Worker, and an N.D. would address several facets of the PMAD. In moderate to severe cases medication may be necessary for a period of time. Counselling or CBT is also important to develop healthy coping strategies and to re-frame negative thought patterns. 

My approach as a Naturopathic Doctor would begin with a comprehensive screening of thyroid tests and nutrient levels (ie. Vitamin B12, Iron status, Vitamin D3) in these women in order to better identify and treat any possible physiological underpinnings. Following a careful assessment of patient history and blood work, I work with women to optimize their nutritional status and provide dietary counselling, I encourage healthy lifestyle factors such as exercise, self-care, and mindfulness practices, and provide individualized nutritional or herbal supplement recommendations. 

As an ND who has seen many women with PMAD, in addition to my personal experience, I have developed a deep understanding and empathy for this group of women. They deserve a thorough assessment of their physical, mental, and emotional health, as well as an individualized treatment plan to help them cope, overcome their PMAD’s, and improve their well-being so that they can be more present mothers for their babies and be their best selves.

Pre-Menstrual Syndrome: Acupuncture Can Help

Posted on: February 1st, 2019 by TouchStone Health

by Anna Totzke, Registered Acupuncturist

Most women at some point during their lives struggle with Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS). The symptoms usually appear around 7-10 before the menstrual period is due and disappear when the period arrives. Some women have mild symptoms that they barely notice while others feel a huge change that can have a negative impact during that phase of the menstrual cycle.

PMS Symptoms vary from:

Breast tenderness/swelling

Mood changes – anger, frustration, weepiness, Anxiety, Depression

Bloating

Food cravings/Increase in appetite

Cramping

Headaches

Fatigue

Muscle stiffness/pain

PMS is a sign that your body’s energy is out of balance. Acupuncture can help bring the body back into balance and can relieve PMS symptoms. Acupuncture also helps with stress, and calming your mind.

Please contact Anna if you have any questions: annatotzke@gmail.com.

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