Female? You must drink milk.

I've heard this line way told to my patients way to often. Yes, milk has calcium. Milk is also one of the more highly-reactive foods for most people. Lactose intolerance aside, dairy can often cause digestive upset as well as eczema, headaches, fatigue, joint pain, and other signs of food sensitivities. There's also a fair body of research showing that milk consumption is not associated with a lower fracture risk but may be associated with a higher mortality rate. Plus, if you feel crappy with dairy in your diet (no pun intended...), is it really worth it? Is there not another way to get calcium in the diet? 

Of course there is. Calcium is neither exclusively found in dairy as some clever and effective marketing would have us believe, nor is bone density as simple as eating more calcium. It certainly contributes to stronger bones but you still need to exercise, eat well, and make sure you're getting enough vitamin D. In the meantime, if you feel the need to detach from the udder, here's some great foods to add into your diet. 

For comparison, 1 cup of milk contains about 350 mg of calcium and 1 cubic inch of cheddar has about 130 mg. 

1. Tofu - 372 mg. Just 3 ounces, or about a deck of cards gives you more than milk not to mention about three times the protein. And no, tofu does not cause cancer. 

2. Sesame seeds - 275 mg per 3 tbsp. Those little seeds are packed! Sprinkle on your salads, add to your smoothie, toss into your stir-fry, or lightly toast and sprinkle on green beans (my personal fave). 

3. Spinach, kale, and the other glorious dark leafy greens - 100 mg per 1 cup of chopped spinach and 135 mg per cup of chopped kale. Swap out iceberg for spinach, or simply add spinach in with it. These are amazing for adding to smoothies, sauces, salads, stir-fries, etc. Also, kale chips. Yes. 

4. Edamame - 100 mg per cup. These also make amazing high-protein snacks especially for late-night snackers. While everyone else is chowing down on the bag of chips, strengthen your bones and muscles. 

5. Almonds - 80 mg per 1 oz, or about 22 almonds. Healthy fats, protein, fibre, AND calcium! Almonds are awesome. Almond milk may be fortified with calcium, since the amount of almonds per cup of almond milk is quite small. 

Bottom line: no, you do not need dairy. 

References:
Calcium content from nutritiondata.com

About a year ago, I came across the typical recipe for homemade deodorant: 2 parts coconut oil, 1 part baking soda, and 1 part arrowroot powder or cornstarch. Some recipes add a few drops of essential oils in, but some of my patients are very sensitive to scents and smells, so I choose to just keep it neutral. This is the typical and popular recipe floating  around the internet and I have no idea who actually invented it. Whoever you are: you are a genius. 

I was fully skeptical about this since, I will admit, I do not sweat roses. I did not throw away my commercial deodorant/antiperspirant at the time because I was sure I'd come back to it. I wanted to do a post on this today to attest to the challenges I've put this homemade deodorant through and also some surprising findings after a year or so of daily use. 

When I started using it, I was biking to work through congested Toronto air and it was summer. Test passed. 
I did a few large talks in front of audiences, one a corporate event with about a hundred people. Test passed.
I run regularly. Test passed. 
I sometimes work in a high-stress, high-paced environment. Test passed.

That's really all the ultra-sweating I can think of doing: exertion sweat, nervous sweat, stress sweat, not to mention daily sweat. All passed with flying colours. Holy crap, this stuff really works!

It's been a little over a year now of zero anti-perspirant use. Armpit pores are wiiiiide open and definitely working better than they have been. What do I mean by this? Sure, I sweat, but it doesn't smell anymore. You must remember: sweating is normal. In the past month, I realized I've been forgetting to put it on in the morning. Normally, I would slightly panic and probably buy a bar of deodorant because surely I could always use a back-up, right? Nope. Didn't even need it. In fact, I sweat less than I ever have and when I do, it's odourless. This is what normal sweating is supposed to be, not pushing sweat out of purposely-clogged pores, or feeding aluminum to the bacteria hanging out in there. 

I am converted and I hope you will be, too. Your pits will thank you.

There are some super exciting things going on around here lately! Like, really exciting! 

My regulations are changing.
As a licensed Naturopathic Doctor in Ontario, I'll soon be regulated under the Regulated Health Practitioners Act rather than the oh-so-outdated Drugless Practitioners Act. Yay! This is a great thing, but there's a few things that are changing. I've been spending the last couple of weeks nose-deep in an exciting piece of literature: The Compendium of Therapeutic Choices. It's riveting. Even my cat thinks so, as you can see. It has pharmaceutical treatment options for just about every major health condition out there, and I'm learning them all. 

With this new regulatory structure comes new responsibility. I'm required to learn all of these drugs, in far greater detail than our pharmacology classes ages ago, to continue to provide the best care I can. This may or may not result in me being able to prescribe these to you as the actual scope has yet to be finalized. 

What does this mean for you? Hopefully not much will change. All of this studying will allow B12 injections, optimal fertility support, and awesome winter immune support, to name just a few. Another impact is with labs. I'll be limited to Ontario-based labs only, which causes a bit of a blip specifically for my food sensitivity testing. I try to keep my prices (your expenses) as low as I can, so losing lab choice will impact cost and will result it almost doubling of these tests. This one, clearly, I'm not happy about! Access to specific tests (hormonal testing, for example) will also not be possible. You can learn more about these new changes and lend your click of support by visiting here: http://www.oand.org/email-to-target/  In return for helping me help you, there's one big virtual high five coming your way!

It's official! NDI Canada is happening!
I am SO excited for this one! As you may know, I have been involved with Natural Doctors International for quite some time and they are such an awesome organization. We've had this move coming down the pipes for a couple of years now and I'm so excited to announce that NDI is now a registered non-profit organization in Canada! We have our charitable status application on the go, so hopefully soon we'll be able to provide you with tax receipts for all of your awesome contributions to this great cause. To learn more about NDI, check out ndimed.org. 

That's about all I have going on lately. The veggie garden and pollinator garden are also both done and ready to bring some nourishment and happiness this summer!

Thanks for all your support over the last 5 years and here's to many more!

I don't recommend multivitamins, except in isolated cases such as baby making and the very random special circumstance. Either way, they are short-term solutions made for boosting nutrition to meet specific needs for a specific time frame. 

Daily use of a multivitamin long-term is a bit of a hot topic due to recent evidence showing that they not only don't do anything good for you, they may actually do harm. We won't get into the specifics of that controversy here, but instead I'll show you a delicious, whole-food way, to get your entire multivitamin in. The best part: it's delicious and only good for you.

My patients often tell me that a multivitamin is a great way to cover your nutritional bases. As a result, a lot of people end up self-prescribing a crappy multivitamin with low doses and poor bioavailability, meaning the doses of the nutrients in there are quite small and are poorly absorbed. The other issue with these multivitamins is the excellent binders they use, meaning your body can't break it up too well, not to mention the extra ingredients such as FD&C Blue #2 Lake, FD&C Yellow #5 (tartrazine) Lake, FD&C Yellow #6 Lake, Polyethylene Glycol, Silicon Dioxide, and Titanium Dioxide (colour). Sounds delicious and so healthy, right?

Here's a better way: Start your morning off with a smoothie or work it into your day as a snack or your 3pm mental booster. Nutrients coming in via whole food absorb much better and provide lots of fibre as an added bonus. Plus, this nutrient-dense powerhouse smoothie is an amazing substitute for that bagel. 

Here are some of my key smoothie ingredients and why they're awesome substitute for your multivitamin. Cover your bases, indeed! 

Berries: Provide vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, potassium, and manganese.
Spinach: Vitamins A, B2, B3, B6, K, folate, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and magnesium. 
Carrots: Vitamin A, potassium, phosphorus.
Flaxseed: Selenium, magnesium, potassium, omega-3 fatty acids.
Pumpkin seed: Iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, selenium, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, folate.
Unsweetened coconut: Selenium, copper, manganese, potassium, vitamin B6.

I like to blend this with a great mixed-source vegetarian protein powder, though whey is also great if you're okay digesting it. Add some water and blend away! I tend to sweeten with a tab of maple syrup or raw, local honey from just down the street. All natural colour. All natural vitamins and minerals. Pure liquid awesomeness. 

It's spring! Which means time to get some of those super paraben- and phthalate-filled products out the door and spring clean your cleaners!

I'm a huge fan of products that work. Period. I can confidently say that absolutely yes, all of these work. These are all staples around my house. Because. They. Work. Even the deodorant. Pinky swear. 

Hair Rinse - Apple cider vinegar. 
This is amazing and has literally saved me from shaving my head after moving to the country and discovering ultra hard well water which turned my hair to straw. Until apple cider vinegar came along. 
How I use it: Steep chamomile tea over night (just leave it in the pot) so that it's super strong. Mix 2/3 tea with 1/3 apple cider vinegar. Pour all over your locks for shiny, soft, gorgeous hair. And no, you will not smell afterward. 

Face wash - Honey.
Oh honey, this is delicious. This sounds quite sticky and involved, but it's actually quite awesome and simple. A good friend of mine recommended this gem and I must say, it's lovely. 
How I use it: Slather. Rinse. Admire. Welcome the compliments. 

Face scrub - Coconut oil and brown sugar. 
The brown sugar provides a great exfoliant within a highly nourishing base of coconut oil. I recommend this if you have oily skin to help down-regulate oil production. Sounds counter-intuitive, but if you're constantly stripping oils from your skin, it will try to make more. 
How I use it: Mash 1 tbsp coconut oil with 2 tsp brown sugar. Work gently in small circles over your skin and rinse off. I'll admit I ate the rest. 

Deodorant - Coconut oil, baking soda, arrowroot powder.
I was skeptical of this more than anyone, and here I am preaching the wonders of this amazing, armpit-loving deodorant! Odours are neutralized and skin is softened. Most importantly, no pores are unfairly plugged!
How I use it: Mash together 2 parts coconut oil, 1 part baking soda, and 1 part arrowroot powder (you can also use cornstarch) until smooth. Store in a little glass jar. Apply as you would a little bit of moisturizer. And no, it is not gross to actually touch your armpits. 

House cleaner - Water, vinegar, lemon juice. 
This. Cleans. Everything. I tend to make this a bit stronger than most for no reason at all. Grease, counters, showers (especially those with hard water) - you name it! 
How I use it: Half water, half white vinegar, then add in about 2 tbsp of lemon juice for freshness. Store in a spray bottle as use as you would any other all-purpose cleaners. 
Bonus: When you need a super scrubbing power, I mix baking soda with water and top off with a little elbow grease. 

We often think of antioxidants as awesome for our health. They're great for our hearts and our skin. They're also extra great for our ovaries and sperm, which means they're super awesome for makin' babies!

Oxidative stress causes free radicals. These are little molecules that go around bumping into the cells nearby and causing them damage. It's a bit more complex on a biochemistry level, but you get the point and it's not a good one. Stress, high blood sugar, and smoking are probably the worst offenders when it comes to oxidative damage. I've talked a lot about stress in previous posts, so I'll give my spiel on smoking here: don't smoke. (That's the whole spiel.)

Unfortunately, we're all subjected to free radicals as our body normally does produce some, and the environment we're in doesn't often help. Here's where antioxidants come to the rescue! They sop up those free radicals bumping around and prevent any damage they can cause. We get a lot of these from an oh-so-healthy diet, rich in brightly-coloured fruits and veggies. These will help you age gracefully and keep your cardiovascular system in tip-top shape (with healthy exercise, of course). 

How does this all hinder fertility? That super space-age-looking blob in the picture is one of your mitochondria. These are the little powerhouses of energy that help each and every cell function. As we age, these guys don't work as well. All of those free radicals damage the DNA production that your mitochondria are in charge of. This is pretty serious when trying to make a whole new person. DNA integrity is of the utmost importance! Damage here will not allow a cell to replicate. 

Ladies, your ovaries love coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). This is a major mitochondrial antioxidant. Higher levels of CoQ10 in the ovary result in higher quality eggs and better pregnancy and IVF outcomes. Same with zinc, another great antioxidant, though speak with someone before supplementing as it comes with some risks. 

Gents, your sperm love zinc and selenium, and vitamins C and E. These are awesome antioxidants that help prevent defects in motility and morphology. They also help preserve the sperm's DNA and protect it from any free radicals flying around. 

Keep in mind, these aren't designed to offset those cigarettes and there really isn't enough antioxidants in the world that can do so. Reduce that level of damage by managing stress (breeeeeeeeeathe), don't smoke or be around smoke, and keep that blood sugar stable. Pump in the berries and veggies. 

Love your mitochondria. 

References:
Abad C, et al. Effects of oral antioxidant treatment upon the dynamics of human sperm DNA fragmentation and subpopulations of sperm with highly degraded DNA. Andrologia. 2013 Jun;45(3):211-6.
Buhling KJ1, Grajecki D. The effect of micronutrient supplements on female fertility. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2013 Jun;25(3):173-80.
Grieger JA, Clifton VL. A review of the impact of dietary intakes in human pregnancy on infant birthweight. Nutrients. 2014 Dec 29;7(1):153-78.
Ko EY, Sabanegh ES Jr, Agarwal A. Male infertility testing: reactive oxygen species and antioxidant capacity. Fertil Steril. 2014 Dec;102(6):1518-27.
Mori R, Ota E, Middleton P, Tobe-Gai R, Mahomed K, Bhutta ZA. Zinc supplementation for improving pregnancy and infant outcome. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Jul 11;7.
Singh AK, Chattopadhyay R, Chakravarty B, Chaudhury K. Markers of oxidative stress in follicular fluid of women with endometriosis and tubal infertility undergoing IVF. Reprod Toxicol. 2013 Dec;42:116-24.
Uriu-Adams JY, Keen CL. Zinc and reproduction: effects of zinc deficiency on prenatal and early postnatal development. Reprod Toxicol. 2010 Aug;89(4):313-25.
Grindler NM and Moley KH. Maternal obesity, infertility and mitochondrial dysfunction: potential mechanisms emerging from mouse model systems. Mol Hum Reprod. 2013 Aug; 19(8): 486–494.

Probably the most incorrect thing to say to anyone trying to conceive: just relax, it'll happen. 

This is an incredibly stressful time, especially if you've been trying for a while. Unfortunately, with chronic stress comes a domino-effect on your hormones and this can impact your ability to become pregnant. Which, of course, is a stressful thing to hear. Which, of course, doesn't, help. So how do we interrupt this cycle? 

Understanding what's going on in your body is always step one. What actually happens to your hormones when you take deep breaths? How does that impact your ability to become pregnant? Well, like most stress-worsened problems, it all comes back to that jerky cortisol. 

Cortisol is your stress hormone. It increases during your fight-or-flight mode, which is likely going all the time. It's made in your adrenal glands which sit right on top of your kidneys. These glands not only produce cortisol, but also your estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. The problem is that these aren't all made separately: cortisol is actually made from progesterone. Progesterone is what sustains a pregnancy and keeps that little egg going! So, if you're stressed out and your body thinks it's in danger, cortisol takes the front seat in terms of hormone production and progesterone levels can suffer. 

This is when chronic stress really starts to alter the periods. Your cycle may lengthen or take a while to really get going (i.e. spotting) which is a good sign that your progesterone might be a bit low.  

But wait! Unfortunately, there's more. When cortisol is too high, it can inhibit your thyroid hormone production which usually makes people feel quite crappy since your metabolism and internal thermostat drop down. When thyroid hormones are too low, this can interfere with ovulation. A great way to see if your hormones are affected by your thyroid is to do basal body temperature tracking. First thing in the morning, roll over and take your temperature. Write a big neon post-it note on your nightstand to remind you. Get a thermometer with a last-temperature memory so that you can still roll over and doze off without having to write down the number or remember. Monitor this across the entire cycle and chart it. There's tons of apps that help you with this, and makes it quite clear to see how your thermostat's doing. If all is well, you should see a prolonged spike in temperature over 2-3 days, or, ideally, over the rest of the cycle. That's the happy spike of ovulation!

So, just in case you've gotten a bit stressed out, take 5 deep breaths. Right now. Separate your shoulders from your earlobes. And just like that, you've dropped your cortisol levels down, given your body time to make some progesterone, and helped your thyroid to function and get you ovulating! There's a wonderful TED Talk by Amy Cuddy on how your body language can drop your cortisol levels...channelling your inner Wonder Woman will also help you do all of those things! As will long walks. And massages. And acupuncture (unless you're terrified of needles, of course). And guided meditations. And epsom salt baths. And yoga. And laughing. 

The best part is that all of these tools are already in your medicine cabinet, be sure to make time for them. 

References:
Walter KN, et al. Elevated thyroid stimulating hormone is associated with elevated cortisol in healthy young men and women. Thyroid Res. 2012;5:13.

Maruo T, et al. A role for thyroid hormone in the induction of ovulation and corpus luteum function. Horm Res. 1992;37 Suppl 1:12-8.

The prenatal vitamin: when you shouldn't just be buying what's on sale. 

I talk with a lot of my moms-to-be about why they're taking a prenatal to begin with. Mostly, they heard it was a good idea and need the folic acid. There's a lot more to a prenatal than just folic acid and if you're trying to get pregnant, now's a good time to pick one up. 

You can check out my head-to-head comparison of 7 different brands over in the downloads section, and see how yours compares. Want yours on the list? Just let me know!

Dose: 
Are you getting enough of what's needed depending on your baseline nutritional status, age, and general health status. A lot of prenatals are quite low doses with the exception of a bit more folic acid and iron. Maternal blood volume will nearly double by the end of the pregnancy, so definitely more iron will prevent anemia. Anemia will make you tired, and you're going to need all the energy you can get when that baby comes!

Folic acid helps prevent defects in the neural tube, spinal cord, and body structure. This helps prevent chromosome abnormalities such as Down Syndrome, congenital deformities such as cleft palates, and thus reduces risk of miscarriage. Risk of these problems increases with maternal age, so if any of you baby-mamas-to-be are over 30, you may need more than the standard 1 mg. 

Bioavailability: 
This refers to how well your body can absorb and assimilate the nutrients you're giving it. This matters most with the B-vitamins and minerals. 

Back to that important folic acid! There's a fairly large subset of people who have a genetic problem with the activation of folic acid. This  genetic defect shuts down methylenetetrahydrofolate-reductase, which is the enzyme that turns regular ol' folic acid into 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF). Ladies, 5-MTHF is where the magic happens. This same enzyme activates vitamin B12 into methylcobalamin and low levels of both of these vitamins are linked to infertility. You need B2 and B6 in this big reaction so those Bs certainly are important! Definitely add an ND to your fertility team to see which forms and doses of these are right for you. 

With minerals, I like to use magnesium as a good example. Magnesium hydroxide (aka milk of magnesia) is a laxative. It's designed not to absorb, but to stay in the bowels and  cause you to poop. Magnesium bisglycinate, on the other hand, may cause a slightly looser stool in high doses, but often it doesn't affect the bowels too much even then. Why? Because it's absorbed and doesn't come out the other end in large amounts. The same is true for all minerals. They must be bound to something, and that something will determine its bioavailability. 

Antioxidants:
Oxidative stress is a major cause of DNA mishaps. Antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, selenium, zinc, and coenzyme Q10 soak up all of these damaging free radicals. Research shows a shorter time to pregnancy, much better egg quality, and greater success with IVF treatments with antioxidant supplementation. Where can you find all these? In your awesome prenatal!

And a quick note for the fellas: research shows antioxidants preserve the DNA integrity in sperm and make it easier to fuse with the egg. And if that sperm isn't getting into that egg, you bet there isn't going to be a baby! 

And the other stuff:
Ah, those 'non-medicinal ingredients'. They're non-medicinal, so they don't matter, right? WRONG! 

I'm always a glass-half-full kinda gal, so I always say that those not-great prenatals really do have great binders! Your gut, however, needs to break all that apart and get those nutrients out in a quick manner so having a well-bound vitamin isn't the best thing. Many also have harmful chemicals such as BHT and sodium lauryl sulphate among their long list. 

An honourable mention here goes to red dye... because a pink prenatal must make a... prettier... baby? I got nothing. 

It's almost spring! Happy March to all and I'm happy to bring one of my most favourite topics around to the blog this month - fertility! Spring fever tends to bring a lot more people into the clinic for this very purpose, so it seems fitting. Plus, I've had the most awesome privilege of working with some of the top-notch (and nicest) fertility gurus around and I'm more than happy to share some tips to help boost your baby-makin' abilities! 

With all of my patients, I address the diet and lifestyle first and foremost, so let's start with that today to get a good foundation. Stay tuned for prenatal multi evaluations, an entry on the different forms of folic acid, we'll get to know your mitochondria, and, of course, everyone's favourite stress hormone: cortisol! It's going to be an exciting month!

Now then, for preconception care, I generally recommend the following rules:

1. No processed food. Take a cooking class and buy 10 new cookbooks if necessary. White sugar, brown sugar, processed fructose (HFCS, agave), artificial sweeteners, trans-fats, additives, and preservatives are all off the menu. If it was invented, it's off the menu. 
2. Model your diet after the Mediterranean Diet. There's good evidence indicating this model increases outcomes for pregnancy, especially if you're going through IVF. Grains can stay in, so long as their whole ('whole grain' cookies don't count) and don't constitute a huge proportion of the diet. Whether or not grains are right for you is a difficult answer. If you have PCOS, try taking them out. Once pregnancy is confirmed, you'll want to limit your fish and seafood intake to once per week, with absolutely no sushi. If you're getting really hungry, evaluate your protein and fat intake as these will both enhance satiety since they take longer to breakdown in the body. Pay attention to your energy levels as this will be a good indicator as to whether or not your body has enough to spare to make a mini-you.
3. Eat regularly. Skipping meals can lead to blood sugar and cortisol dysregulation. Since the ovaries are sensitive to both of these, keeping healthy snacks on hand such as nuts and seeds can prevent blood sugar dips and spikes, not to mention top you up with healthy fats. Cortisol is our stress hormone, which causes blood sugar, blood pressure, and adrenaline to increase. Think about it: if your ovaries are guessing whether or not it's a good food day, or if they think they're in danger, why would they want to try and make a baby? 

These guidelines represent a portion of the picture and we might chat about specific recommendations for you depending on what's going on. Let's go into what else you can do, outside of the diet.

1. Sleep well. Disruption of your circadian rhythm such as in shift work can have a negative impact on your fertility. Melatonin and cortisol patterns certainly do impact hormone levels, and you need optimal functioning of this sleep-wake cycle to keep your ovaries in tip-top shape. If you're in shift work, talk to your ND about possibly supplementing with melatonin and how to find a dose that's right for you.
   
2. Track your temperature. Monitor your BBT and other fertility signs over the course of a couple of months to really get to know your cycle. This is helpful information for us, in addition to your lab work, to get a good handle on each phase of your cycle, whether or not you're ovulating, and if there are any other glands such as your thyroid which may be involved. Keep a thermometer beside your bed so that you can grab it when you wake up. Tip: buy one that has a last-reading memory in it so that you don't have to write it down right away. Fertility friend is a great site for tracking, and there are lots more out there! You may get a whole new perspective on what your "pretty normal" is. 
3. Exercise. I feel like a broken record, but I'll say it again: move your body! Exercise has been shown time and time again to regulate cortisol levels, improve stress and mood, and correct insulin resistance. Keep it at a level that you're used to, or if you're new to exercise, keep it light to moderate. 
4. Try acupuncture. There's conflicting evidence on whether or not this improves pregnancy outcomes, but we do know that it's effective for anxiety, stress,  depression, and reducing cortisol. Some studies show an increase in pregnancy outcomes specifically, some don't. There's also some studies showing benefit for PCOS and endometriosis, and it is traditionally used to regulate menstrual cycles and induce ovulation.  
5. Stop smoking. Like, yesterday. There isn't a cell in your body that likes oxidative stress, least of all your ovaries. If you're a smoker, I recommend being nicotine-free for at least 3 months before trying. 

These may seem basic, but they really are the foundations of getting you as healthy as you can be in order to make an ultra awesome healthy baby. Stay tuned for the nitty gritty on prenatal multivitamins!


References:
Vujkovic M1, de Vries JH, Lindemans J, Macklon NS, van der Spek PJ, Steegers EA, Steegers-Theunissen RP. The preconception Mediterranean dietary pattern in couples undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment increases the chance of pregnancy. Fertil Steril. 2010 Nov;94(6):2096-101.

Toledo E, Lopez-del Burgo C, Ruiz-Zambrana A, Donazar M, Navarro-Blasco I, Martínez-González MA, de Irala J. Dietary patterns and difficulty conceiving: a nested case-control study. Fertil Steril. 2011 Nov;96(5):1149-53.

Reiter RJ, Tamura H, Tan DX, Xu XY. Melatonin and the circadian system: contributions to successful female reproduction. Fertil Steril. 2014 Aug;102(2):321-8.

Johansson J, Redman L, Veldhuis PP, Sazonova A, Labrie F, Holm G, Johannsson G, Stener-Victorin E. Acupuncture for ovulation induction in polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2013 May 1;304(9):E934-43.

Domar AD, Meshay I, Kelliher J, Alper M, Powers RD. The impact of acupuncture on in vitro fertilization outcome. Fertil Steril. 2009 Mar;91(3):723-6.

Paulus WE, Zhang M, Strehler E, El-Danasouri I, Sterzik K. Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy. Fertil Steril. 2002 Apr;77(4):721-4.

Happy (belated) Valentine's Day! I hope everyone had a chance to get out there and spread some love. 

Last week we covered food. I get asked so often if there's something natural people can take to fix the cholesterol or the insulin resistance or the blood pressure. Today we'll go over the three magic bullets to keep your heart healthy. Unfortunately, you have to do some work and they don't come in pill form. Hey, why not stand up while you're reading this? 

1. Stress less.
We have two modes of our nervous system. Our sympathetic mode is our fight-or-flight response when cortisol production ramps up, adrenaline gets going, blood pressure increases, blood sugar increases, and we're prepped for fighting or running for our lives. Except these days, we're fighting traffic, deadlines, grocery lines, etc. This leaves our parasympathetic system (aka your rest-and-digest response) struggling to get your body repaired and fuelled properly. It's hard to repair all of that vascular damage from consistent high blood pressure when, well, you don't get a good change to repair it. 

Signs you're over-stressed: you're reaching for coffee when you're tired, you're reaching for the sleeping pills because you can't sleep, you're slathering the cortisone cream on your eczema, you have IBS, your hair is falling out, your periods are wonky, you're having a smoke at any time... to name just a few. 

Breathe. Don't sweat the small stuff. Practice gratitude. Leave earlier. Ask for help. Quit smoking. 
Sloooooowwww doooowwwnnn.

2. Eat well. Not sugar. 
Sugar, especially fructose, gets metabolized into the bad cholesterol in your liver. This clogs arteries. Sugar is pro-inflammatory. This oxidizes cholesterol in your arteries. This creates a perfect storm for a heart attack and some really bad times. These clogs also create a perfect storm to throw a clot out into your circulation and cause a stroke. Again, really bad times. 

Eat whole, real food. Can you pronounce that ingredient? Is it from a package? Will it go bad? Ask yourself all of these questions when prepping for meals. I get it - you're busy. You're tired. It's been a long day. That's okay. Please know that there are really easy swaps and excellent, tasty choices out there to keep you risk for heart disease low, you just need to know where to look for them. Talk to a nutritionist or a licensed ND about what easy swaps you can make. You don't need to overhaul anything. If you'd like a place to start, eat more fibre by adding an extra 2 servings of fruit or veggies each day.

3. Move your body. 
Sedentary lifestyles put you at a high risk for cardiovascular problems. Set an alarm in your phone to do a lap or two around your office every hour. Get exercising. It doesn't have to be running an hour a day - do something slow and relaxing if you're predisposed to anxiety or stress. Yoga is just as effective as other exercise for reducing cardiovascular risk. Get out the door, walk for 10 minutes, then turn around and come back. Get some buddies on your team and do it together. The point is you just need to move your body. 

Did you stand up while you read this? High five to you! 

I know these seem quite obvious and we've all heard them a thousand times. Unfortunately, there's no lazy way around these 3 magic bullets, but they are proven to work again and again. Now get out there, take some deep breaths, grab an apple, and move! 

References:
Yang Q, Zhang Z, Gregg EW, Flanders WD, Merritt R, Hu FB. Added Sugar Intake and Cardiovascular Diseases Mortality Among US Adults. JAMA Intern Med. 2014;174(4):516-524.


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