Written by: Laura Mierzwa, Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Culinary Nutrition Expert
NutriChem has been a leader and advocate for Women’s health for over 35 years. What better day to talk about all we have to offer to support you or a special women in your life than on International Women’s Day! Whether you’re the stay at home mamma, the 9 – 5 working mom, the super women business owner, university student or retired women, the key point is that you need to take care of your health.
Did you know? NutriChem’s staff is made up of 90% women!
Women’s bodies experience a multitude of changes throughout all stages of life, many of which can be linked to our endocrine system, better known as our hormonal system. From puberty to menopause and from pregnancy to child birth, female sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone go through stages of highs and lows. This is a natural and normal process that happens within our bodies and should run quite smoothly. Signs of imbalanced hormones may include:
- Irregular periods
- PMS
- Mood swings
- Hot flashes/night sweats
- Fatigue
- Trouble falling or staying asleep
-
Anxiety/depression
Since hormones are influenced by many internal and external factors, it’s important that we support our bodies with optimal diet, correct supplementation, lifestyle changes and, if necessary, bioidentical hormone support. NutriChem offers precision testing to find out exactly what’s going on with your hormones. We look at estrogen, progesterone, DHEA and thyroid markers. Our Naturopathic doctors are licensed to prescribe bioidentical hormone therapy including topical estrogen and progesterone and oral natural dessicated thyroid.
Have a moment for a deep breath? Take it now! Next up is stress.
Whether it’s stress from a negative or positive environment, our body perceives all stressors the same on a physiological level by taxing our adrenal glands. Our adrenal glands, also a part of our endocrine system, secrete “stress hormones” cortisol & aldosterone which are responsible for:
- Regulating hormone balance
- Regulating metabolism and electrolytes
- Controlling the body’s sleep/wake cycle
- Helping with energy and mood
- Gives us a boost of energy (adrenalin) during stressful situations
While we may not be able to get rid of the stressors, the good news is we can support the body to handle stress better. I always talk to my clients about stress management, no matter what issue they have come in for. We can take all the right supplements and eat all the right foods, but if we don’t handle our stress then we will never get to that state of optimal health.
When NutriChem clinicians look at a women’s hormones, we also look at cortisol levels. We check to see if cortisol is either too high or too low, as both can cause problems. Magnesium is a great addition to most women’s supplement regime as it works on supporting the nervous system. If you need something for extra support, our Phosphogabamine is a favourite for acute and chronic stress. Don’t forget to take some time for self care. This can be anything from taking a bath, reading a book, or going all out on a spa day for special occasions.
One of the most important areas, in my opinion, a women’s diet!
What you eat should always be the starting point when looking to change your health. The food we eat has direct effect on sex hormones, stress levels, sleep patterns, skin health, mental health and so much more. The sooner you can find a balanced way of eating that nourishes your body, the more likely you will be to prevent illness and poor health later down the road.
Let’s talk gut health, my favourite.
Our gastrointestinal system, also called the gut, consists of 10-100 trillion symbiotic microbial cells. The bacteria in the microbiome support many functions in a women’s body. It is closely connected to the gut brain-axis, meaning that this bacterial rainforest in the gut strongly influences our overall health.
Digestion, which also happens in the gut, is the process of efficiently breaking down food into absorbable nutrients. The goal of digestion is to extract these nutrients so that they can be used in every function that occurs in our body, from metabolism regulation, energy production, mood balance and satiety. This is all that happens in a healthy, happy gut! Poor mood, hormone issues, fatigue and more appear when gut disruptors make their way into our diet and throw everything off balance. These disruptors take a toll on our blood sugar levels, mitochondria function, balance of healthy bacteria and they cause inflammation in the gut. Depending on the clients’ symptoms, I come up with a personalized nutrition protocol to support them best.
These are just a few key areas that women need some extra TLC. If you’re not sure where to start, get in touch with one of our patient coordinators who will help you along your journey.
Now, raise your glass and cheers to women’s health!
Written by Laura Mierzwa, NutriChem Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Culinary Nutrition Expert
Laura is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Culinary Nutrition Expert. Holistic nutrition is a combination of modern science and time-tested wisdom based on the philosophy that each person has unique nutritional requirements. Laura specializes in working with clients who have digestive issues, food intolerances and autoimmune conditions. If you're unsure of where to start, she will guide you in the right direction to improve your health at your own comfortable pace. She will suit your individual needs through customized nutrition protocols and meal planning.
Laura recognizes the importance of ongoing education as the health industry is forever evolving. Through whole foods, lifestyle improvements and proper supplementation Laura will support you to bring your health back to balance. As a Culinary Nutrition Expert, she is passionate about being in the kitchen creating delicious recipes with ingredients that support optimal health.
Click here for Laura's recipes.
Call: 613-820-4200 to book an appointment with Laura
Email: clinic@nutrichem.com