When the topic of acupuncture comes up, I often hear the same misconceptions. The idea of using needles to feel better seems out there to a lot of people. Because it’s such a strange concept, it’s easy to get the wrong idea. Let’s discuss some common acupuncture myths and set the record straight, once and for all.

Let’s bust some acupuncture myths

Myth #1: Dry needling is the same as acupuncture

You may have previously received intramuscular stimulation (commonly referred to as dry needling) done by a physiotherapist or chiropractor. Maybe you found it unpleasant because the needle went right into the core of the painful spot. While it works well for some people, it’s not ideal for everyone.

Acupuncturists are trained in intramuscular stimulation, but we also learn other methods to address pain without putting a needle into the sore spot. It’s always a good idea to mention previous experience you have with receiving treatments that involve needles. If you found your previous experience too painful, there are plenty of other options to address your concerns. Healthcare practitioners just want to provide you with the best treatment, whatever that may be in your particular case.

Myth #2: Acupuncture only treats musculoskeletal concerns

Most people I talk to seem to be aware that acupuncture is used for musculoskeletal concerns. But most of those people are surprised to find out that acupuncture is also used to address issues like menopause symptoms, dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps), and dyspepsia (indigestion).

The scope of the conditions treated by acupuncture reaches far beyond the ones I’ve mentioned. If you feel that your condition would benefit from more help, don’t hesitate to book a 15-Minute Discovery Session at no charge to see if acupuncture is the right fit for you.

Myth #3: Acupuncture tries to replace medical intervention

Unfortunately, there is a misconception that acupuncture tries to replace allopathic medicine. Healthcare professionals just want their patients to be healthy, however that happens. Different types of therapies have different levels of success for different types of health concerns. If you’re having a heart attack, please don’t come see me. Go straight to the ER!

Acupuncture is a great add-on to medical care. It’s meant to be an extra tool in your toolbox, not the only tool. By combining multiple different approaches, you get to experience more benefits. I encourage my patients to continue to work with their physician. I’m really just looking to complement the existing care, not replace it!

In my case, I found it extremely difficult to put Crohn’s Disease into remission without medication, especially while experiencing any form of stress. However, once remission is induced, acupuncture can help reduce relapse rates. Accessing a combination of medical and alternative treatments tends to provide the best results.

Myth #4: If the concern isn’t resolved after one appointment, acupuncture didn’t work

Can you take just one pill and be cured of anxiety? Or go to the gym once and be jacked forever? If your answer is yes, please share your secret, because that’s incredible! But all joking aside, the same idea applies to acupuncture.

It’s important to remember that acupuncture isn’t surgery. It probably won’t have drastic enough effects to resolve an issue with one appointment. This is especially true if the issue you’re dealing with is chronic. Give it time, and be ready to commit to a few treatments. If you still don’t notice any changes after a few treatments, then it may be time to consider an alternative.

Myth #5: An acupuncture treatment always involves a ton of needles

How many movies have you seen where a character gets acupuncture at a spa, and they somehow end up with 30 needles in their face? While it’s possible that some acupuncturists treat in that manner, they are certainly not the majority. Unless you’re getting a treatment specific to your face, odds are that you won’t have more than a couple of needles in your face, if at all.

Additionally, a complete treatment doesn’t have to involve massive amounts of needles. Each practitioner treats differently, so this will vary from one person to the next. Personally, I like to keep most treatments under 10 needles, usually averaging 5-7 needles for adults. Once in a while, I add in a few more needles, depending on the technique I’m using.

However, treatments don’t have to involve needles at all! Sometimes, treatments can use other tools such as cupping and gua sha. Or, we can stimulate acupuncture points using a micro-current or a laser.

Myth #6: There is no scientific data to back up acupuncture

That there is no scientific data to back up treatments is one of the most common acupuncture myths I hear from skeptics. Studies using acupuncture to treat a wide variety of conditions have been conducted. Take a look at the studies cited above for just a few examples.

Due to the nature of acupuncture, it’s difficult to conduct studies with a control group receiving a placebo. It’s pretty easy to tell whether you’ve been needled or not. For that reason, control groups in acupuncture studies tend to receive sham treatments. These treatments are done on spots that aren’t acupuncture points. Some people tend to discount results of these studies because of the lack of a traditional control group. However, many studies show a statistically significant improvement in treatment groups, when compared to control groups receiving sham treatments.

Myth #7: You can take a weekend course to become an acupuncturist

In Ontario, Alberta, BC, Quebec, and Newfoundland, as well as in almost every state in the US, acupuncture is regulated. This means that there are laws in place to determine education and practice standards for acupuncturists. These laws exist to protect the people getting treatment.

In Ontario, to become a Registered Acupuncturist, practitioners must have studied a TCM program of a minimum of 3 years full time (or the equivalent of that, if studying part time). The program has to include a minimum of 500 direct patient contact hours in clinic. Graduating does not guarantee the ability to practice in Ontario. There are 4 national board examinations to pass. Once these exams have been passed, there is an application process that involves submitting a police check, along with a number of other documents. This ensure safe practice standards.

Hopefully I was able to clarify some acupuncture myths for you! Do you still have questions about acupuncture? If so, please book a 15-Minute Discovery Session at no charge.

Whether you want to lose weight, bring your androgen levels back to a healthy level, or support your liver, alcoholic beverages can slow your progress down. But that doesn’t mean that you need to miss out on the social aspects of your life. If your friends are headed out to the bar, there are things that you can do to feel included. If you choose to drink, before leaving, set a limit to the number of beverages you can have. Then, follow these tips to make a healthier beverage selection.

Clear liquor on the rocks

Usually, when my clients try to take a guess at healthier beverage options, they say wine first. But when you take a look at what’s in wine, it’s no surprise that many people react poorly to it. Between the sulphites, the sugar, and the yeast, wine is a recipe for a headache and a bad hangover.

You may be surprised to find that many hard liquors are a better option. I’m not referring to sugar-laden options like Grand Marnier or amaretto. No, I specifically mean clear hard liquors.

Clear liquors are distilled after the fermentation process. As a result, a lot of the symptom-causing ingredients are left behind. And since no sugar is added back in, these options are (relatively) easier on your system. Safe options include:

• Vodka
• Gin
• Some rums
• Unsweetened whiskeys

Whiskey is often forgotten on the list of healthier beverage options because it’s dark. However, the darkness usually comes from the barrels where it’s aged.

Serve these drinks on a bit of ice, or drink straight. But don’t forget to pace yourself!

Healthier mixer options

If you’re more of a mixed drink kind of person, there are ways to keep drinks decently healthy. The important thing to keep in mind is that sugar isn’t a great thing to add to alcohol, health-wise.

Let’s start by finding safe mixers. Then, you can mix and match these mixers with the hard liquor listed above to make drinks to your liking. Healthier mixers include:

• Soda water
• Lacroix carbonated waters
• Zevia
• Iced coffee if you tolerate it well

You may have noticed that tonic water is NOT on the list. I can’t stress this enough. Tonic water is not any better than your average soft drink. A can of tonic water contains 32g of sugar. Soda water, on the other hand, is unsweetened.

The fun thing is that you still have so many beverage options if you want to watch your health. You could have a gin and soda with lime, a scotch on the rocks, or a martini.

You also have the option of not drinking at all. If you want to feel like you’re taking part in the social aspect of having a beverage with friends, you can order soda water with a lime. I opt for this choice often enough myself. It saves me so much money, and no one has to know I’m not drinking!

What do you like to drink when you go out?

If you have Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, you may feel like you have tried everything to feel better, to no avail. It’s true that chiropractic treatments, acupuncture, and massage can all help manage your condition. But, without addressing your nutrition, you may be missing an important piece of the puzzle.

Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and high toxins levels

While there is still a lot to discover about the two conditions, studies are linking them to high toxin levels in the body (1, 2). Though our bodies are built to break down toxins, some people struggle more than others to do so.

Think of a rain barrel. It is meant to collect raindrops. However, there is a limit to the number of drops that it can hold. Eventually it begins to overflow. That is very much how our bodies respond to toxins. When there are more toxins coming in than what our bodies can handle, symptoms begin to appear.

As you probably already know, toxins can come from outside of the body. These toxins include pesticides, harmful compounds in plastic, heavy metals, and the list goes on. However, toxins are also created inside of the body.

High toxin levels from inside the body

There are all kinds of bacteria and other organisms present in everyone’s gut. Some are healthy, some not so much. Ideally, the majority of these little guys should be the healthy kind, keeping the other guys under control. However, it is common to see an excess of the bad guys.

When there are too many of the unhealthy organisms, it is common to see digestive issues. Coincidentally, research shows that people who have Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome tend to also have digestive symptoms (3).

These harmful guys release all kinds of toxic substances into our bodies. So, even if you are limiting your external sources of toxins, you may still have an excess of toxins in your body.

With the right nutrition and supplements, the balance of good organisms to bad organisms can be reestablished, and toxins can be properly cleared out. This will help manage symptoms of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome over the longer term.

1. Wallace, Daniel J., and David S. Hallegua. “Fibromyalgia: the gastrointestinal link.” Current pain and headache reports 8.5 (2004): 364-368.
2. Maes, Michael, and Jean-Claude Leunis. “Normalization of leaky gut in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is accompanied by a clinical improvement: effects of age, duration of illness and the translocation of LPS from gram-negative bacteria.” Neuroendocrinology Letters 29.6 (2008): 902.
3. Fatima, G., S. K. Das, and A. A. Mahdi. “Oxidative stress and antioxidative parameters and metal ion content in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome: implications in the pathogenesis of the disease.” Clinical and experimental rheumatology 31.6 Suppl 79 (2012): S128-33.

We need to talk about something serious. And I’m not asking you to converse with me about your humourless uncle. No, I’m referring specifically to the underdiagnosis of menstrual issues like PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) and endometriosis.

According to the Endometriosis Network Canada, it is estimated that 1 in 10 women has endometriosis. The prevalence of PCOS cases is roughly the same, as well. And yet, when we complain of severe menstrual pain, we’re told that we have PMS or dysmenorrhea, and that we should be taking the birth control pill.

This issue is very personal to me. I am one of the 1 in 10.

My endometriosis journey

The teenage years

The first few years of my period presented with the expected mood swings a teenager would experience, and “average” cramps (though it should be noted that average does NOT mean healthy). But a few years in, something started to go seriously wrong. When my period came around, I found myself curled up in pain on the bathroom floor, ready to vomit.

Visits to the doctor informed me that it was “just PMS”. I was prescribed a high dose of painkillers. And I continued to take them until I had built a tolerance, and found that they no longer had an effect on me. I was then told to take the birth control pill to “fix” my symptoms. When I eventually did start taking hormonal birth control, all seemed to be better.

If you’re in my Nutrition for PMS, PCOS & Endometriosis group on Facebook, or if you’ve read some of my previous posts, you already know that I’m not a fan of what birth control can do to the body. Research shows a correlation between some types of oral contraceptives used mainly for PMS symptom management (such as YAZ and Yasmine) and IBS.

The digestive issues and adrenal fatigue

Of course, I did develop IBS. I even had an acute bout of colitis and discovered a bunch of food sensitivities. Did you know that digestive problems worsen menstrual issues? And the birth control that was supposed to help my PMS was worsening my digestion. It’s a vicious cycle!

In my early twenties, I finally came off of hormonal contraceptives after 5-6 years of use. My digestive issues did improve a bit. However, it quickly became clear that the birth control had only been a band-aid solution for my menstrual issues.

Under the recommendations of my Naturopathic Doctor, I made lots of changes to my health. These changes showed varying degrees of improvement on my PMS symptoms. They did, however, help my digestion.

In nutrition school, I learned a wealth of information that I could directly apply to my health. I was in heaven. Once again, my period was manageable. But again, “manageable” doesn’t mean healthy.

After I graduated from nutrition school came the challenge of starting my nutrition practice. Let me say that starting a business is not a stress-free endeavour! The stress of doing two consecutive degrees and running a business pushed me over the edge to stage 3 adrenal fatigue.

The thing with adrenal fatigue is that it messes with the body’s hormones. Many hormones are produced in the adrenal glands, including sex hormones. And when one sex hormone is off, it can easily throw off the balance of the other sex hormones.

It was like I had been transported back 10 years. The pain came back in full force. Once again, I was curling up on the bathroom floor on the worst days of my period. I was unable to be mentally present during social gatherings because I was busy willing the pain to go away.

Testing for menstrual issues

Because my mother has PCOS, I pushed hard to get an ultrasound and some hormone tests done. But when those tests showed no PCOS, I was told it was only dysmenorrhea. As a healthcare professional who works mainly with menstrual issues, I knew that something had to be wrong for my body to react that way. But had I been a layperson, I would have accepted that explanation and continued suffering.

Once I found out I didn’t have PCOS, I continued to try to figure out what could be wrong with my body. My symptoms were suggesting endometriosis. But endometriosis is a condition which is a bit tricky to diagnose because it doesn’t show up on blood tests or most ultrasounds. It requires a laparoscopy, which involves filling the abdomen with air, and inserting a camera through an incision near the navel.

Diagnosis or not, I want this issue taken care of as soon as possible. I am currently on an anti-inflammatory diet, I started acupuncture a few weeks ago, and now I’m looking into also doing pelvic floor physiotherapy.

Last week, I finally went in for my physical. I brought up my concerns with my menstrual issues. As someone who doesn’t automatically choose conventional medical interventions, my concerns don’t always get taken as seriously. My doctor told me that since I am not looking to conceive in the next 6 months and I don’t plan on going back on hormonal birth control, there’s no point in looking further into my menstrual issues. But upon doing the actual physical portion of the appointment, she was convinced.

An optimistic future

I received a referral for a gynecologist so that we can discuss my options. Endometriosis is one of those conditions that, when left untreated, can get worse. But I am choosing alternative treatments that focus on bringing balance back into my body, rather than simply dealing with the symptoms. Bringing balance back into my body will also reduce my chances of having ovarian cancer, since endometriosis puts women at a higher risk.

After struggling for 13 years, I’m finally starting to get answers. Sadly, this is not out of the norm. In Canada, it takes an average of 7 to 9 years of complaining of symptoms to get a diagnosis.

Will I be able to reverse my endometriosis? Who knows! But I certainly won’t give up until I do. And not only will I fight for my own health, but I also plan to help as many women as I can along the way.

Do you struggle with menstrual issues? Click the button below to join the FREE Nutrition for PMS, PCOS, and endometriosis group on Facebook.

In last week’s post, I talked about how we’re surrounded by hormone disruptors called xenoestrogens. These hormone disruptors can be your worst enemy if you struggle with PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, or infertility.

Main sources of xenoestrogens include plastic, pesticides, and parabens (preservatives for cosmetics and household products). Thankfully, there are all kinds of things you can do to reduce your exposure to these hormone disruptors.

7 Ways to Reduce Your Exposure to Hormone Disruptors

Switch to glass

Are you drinking out of plastic bottles, or storing your food in plastic containers? The softer the plastic, the more it leaches into your food and water. Consider using mason jars. They’re great storage for soups, curries and stews. They can also double as a water bottle, so no need to buy a fancy bottle!

For more solid foods, consider getting glass storage containers that can also double as oven cookware. If glass is too heavy for your needs, try stainless steel containers.

Use cloth produce bags

How many produce bags do you use per grocery trip? As your produce sits in these bags, it picks up some of the unwanted particles in the plastic. Try bringing your own cloth or mesh bags to the grocery store. As an added bonus, it’s also more environmentally friendly.

Buy organic

Pesticides are one of the worst offenders, when it comes to hormone disruptors. The best way to avoid or reduce pesticides is to buy organic. But when that fails, refer to the EWG’s Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen to decide on which produce you can safely eat conventional, and where you really should invest in organic.

Make your own hair products

Think of all the products you use on your skin and scalp. Between shampoos, conditioners, soaps, hair gels, deodorants, facial cleansers, moisturisers, night creams… Without even discussing makeup, you may already be using a wide variety of products that are less than friendly to your hormones.

The good news is that most hair products can be made quite easily with natural ingredients you just may already have in your home. Try recipes for flax hair gel, facial cleanser, or shampoo. If you want to make your hair care routine easier, you can also try the baking soda and apple cider vinegar method.

Switch to cleaner makeup

Most people know that clean makeup brands exist. The challenge is figuring out which brands of natural makeup actually make products you’ll want to use. There’s no way I’m going to walk around looking like a raccoon because my natural mascara can’t stay on all day.

Some of my favourite brands include Pacifica, Mineral Fusion, and Earth’s Beauty. And trust me, I’ve tried A LOT of different brands of natural makeup.

Clean with vinegar and essential oils

Rather than spending lots of money on cleaning products that are completely loaded with hormone disruptors, you can easily make your own for much cheaper.

All you need is water, white vinegar, and essential oils. Using these three ingredients in different concentrations, you can make cleaners for most surfaces.

Drink clean water

Did you know that tap water only filters out certain contaminants? Several thousands of contaminants could potentially be in the water. The City of Ottawa (where I live) only checks for 300 contaminants.

While some decent filters like Mavea and Santevia exist, they still don’t manage to filter out all contaminants. And don’t waste your money on a Brita filter, because it doesn’t do much that your city’s filtration system doesn’t already do. That is, if you live somewhere where the water is safe to drink.

To ensure that you have access to really clean water, consider installing a reverse osmosis filter in your home or choosing distilled water. However, make sure that you’re remineralizing that water, or you may end up with mineral deficiencies.

Disclaimer: The provided links may be affiliate links. Opinions are all my own. Any money received through these links will go back into this website to support the hours of work that go into weekly posts. Thank you for your support.

How do you reduce your exposure to hormone disruptors? Tell us in the comments!

When dealing with hormonal issues like PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, or infertility, it’s normal to feel like your hormones will never be normal again. In fact, regulating hormones now is harder than ever (speaking from experience). We are constantly surrounded by hormone disruptors called xenoestrogens.

Xenoestrogens are molecules that look like estrogen to our bodies and our cells. Some of these affect our bodies by stimulating the production of more estrogen. Other types of these hormone disruptors pretend to be the estrogen produced by the body.

In simpler terms, they can worsen conditions with PMS symptoms.

How exactly, you ask? PMS and other related conditions becomes worse as a result of high levels of estrogen, or too much estrogen in relation to progesterone (called estrogen dominance).

Sources of xenoestrogens

These far too common hormone disruptors can be grouped into 3 main categories: plastics, parabens, and pesticides. The 3 P’s make it easy to remember! However, keep in mind that this isn’t a complete list of xenoestrogens.

Plastics

Look around your house right now. How much plastic do you see? It’s in food storage containers, the lining of food cans, water bottles, cosmetic bottles, the bags for your produce… Grocery store meats and many vegetables are pre-packaged in plastic. The softer the plastic, the more of these hormone disruptors you’re picking up (I’m looking at you, saran wrap!).

BPA studies have linked it back to cancer, hormonal and reproductive issues in males and females, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and the list goes on. As a result, many companies have started producing items made of BPA-free plastics. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but these plastics aren’t any better, unfortunately.

Parabens

Next, think about the products you use on your skin and around the house. Look at your soaps, shampoos, makeup, face creams, bathroom cleaners, window cleaners, and so on. Unless you’re buying really clean brands or making these from scratch, you’re likely exposing yourself to parabens. These are preservatives for the products that are being absorbed into your body from your skin.

Some parabens can be recognized on ingredient lists because they end in -paraben. However, there are variations that make it harder to recognize. If you’re unsure of how clean your products are, check out the EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database.

Pesticides

Finally, we have pesticides. You probably know that if you eat conventional fruits and vegetables, you’re ingesting all kinds of pesticides. You can find out which vegetables and fruits are the most contaminated by having a look at the EWG’s Dirty Dozen list.

Most people know that they can reduce their pesticide intake by buying organic produce. But did you know that tap water is also loaded with pesticides? Distilled water and reverse osmosis are the two safest ways to avoid hormone disruptors in water. However, ensure that the water you drink has been remineralized.

How do you avoid xenoestrogens? Tell us in the comments!

With motivation being renewed in January, many people decide to exercise, lose weight, or do a cleanse. For those suffering from PMS, PCOS, digestive issues, and other health concerns, it often seems like the perfect time.

While cleanses should be conducted in the spring and the fall, sometimes right away is better. After all the junk food that tends to be consumed over the holidays, it may feel nice to reset the system.

I’m not a big supporter of most boxed cleanses since many of them are too harsh. Others depend on strong laxatives to flush the bowels without supporting the body overall. I’m a fan of using whole foods, (i.e. unprocessed foods) to regain health. Read on to learn which foods to include in your cleanse.

7 foods to include in your new year cleanse

1. Beets

Beets contain phytonutrients that help support the liver. They help digestion, and support the gallbladder and the kidneys. When we think of detoxification, we often think of the liver. The kidneys are an extremely important piece of the puzzle, however.

The role of the liver is to turn fat-soluble toxins into water-soluble toxins. Once the liver has done its job “modifying” a toxin, this toxin still needs to come out of the body. The kidneys then need to ensure that the toxin is escorted out of the body.

Try this recipe for grain-free beet hummus from Chocolate and Zucchini.

2. Parsley

Parsley is a diuretic, which means that it helps you pee. As we mentioned, it’s important to pass toxins out of the body once they’ve gone through the liver. It is also a mild laxative – key word being “mild”. Strong laxatives are a bad idea because they teach your bowels to stop moving on their own.

An occasional mild laxative while cleansing, on the other hand, helps ensure that more toxins are being moved out of the body. When toxins sit in the digestive tract for too long, they can be reabsorbed into the body.

Try the classic Middle Eastern tabbouleh (recipe from David Lebovitz) to get more parsley. You may want to consider using quinoa instead of bulgur, or eliminating the grain altogether.

3. Turnips

Turnips are so underrated when it comes to cleansing. They help reduce mucus in the body. Mucus tends to accumulate in the body as a protective mechanism. For instance, when something keeps hurting the intestinal lining over and over, mucus builds up to stop the injury. However, this gets in the way of proper nutrient absorption.

Turnips are also an awesome food for detoxifying excess estrogen in the body. This is especially important in the case of conditions like PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, and infertility.

Did you know you can make fries out of turnips? Turnips and rutabagas are practically interchangeable in this recipe for Baked & Spicy Oregano Rutabaga Fries on Be The Happy Soul.

4. Dandelion root

Dandelion root helps increase the flow of bile. When you eat fats, bile emulsifies them. Kind of like soap, it surrounds the fat molecules. This allows the body to better digest fats. It is also a mild laxative.

I consume my dandelion root in the form of tea. Traditional Medicinals makes a great tea using roasted dandelion root. This gives it a flavour similar to coffee.

5. Garlic

There is a lot to be said about garlic, but I’ll keep it short and sweet. Garlic helps kill unwanted beasties in the gut, like bad bacteria, and excess yeast. The best part is that it does so without killing off the good stuff, unlike most antimicrobials.

Garlic is high in sulphur, which makes it a great heavy metal chelator. This means that it attaches to the heavy metals, which is a necessary step to remove them from the body.

Enjoy garlic in my Zucchini Con Aglio et Olio (zucchini with garlic and oil) recipe.

6. Arugula

The Standard American Diet is very acidic to the body. The body has mechanisms to balance out occasional consumption of acid-forming foods. However, when it becomes a frequent thing, the body struggles to keep up, and chronic disease settles in more easily. Arugula is a powerful alkalizer, making it a helpful addition to a cleanse.

You can eat arugula in salads, or try it in this variation of pesto from Paleo Grubs.

7. Radishes

Radishes also help support the liver and the gallbladder, while being a diuretic. Just like turnips, radishes help break down mucus. This makes it a cleanse goldmine! The fun thing about radishes is that they come in many varieties. This means that you can get the benefits from eating them straight, adding them to soups, salads, or even roasting them.

My 4-Ingredient Beet Radish Salad kills two birds with one stone (is there a less gruesome expression) by combining both beets and radishes.

You may have noticed that on this website, I gear many posts toward PMS and PCOS. I recently realized I had never really talked about these issues on their own. While most of the menstruating population is familiar with PMS, PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a bit of a lesser known issue.

The two syndromes are often grouped together because they tend to stem from the same roots. In fact, there is a big overlap of symptoms in the two conditions. For instance, acne, mood swings, and cramping are common in both. However, with PCOS, it’s not uncommon to see worse cramps, uncontrollable weight gain, hair growth on atypical places like the face or belly, missed periods, and infertility.

Testing for PCOS

To be diagnosed with PCOS, you must present with at least two of these three characteristics:

1. High levels of androgens, the hormones that males typically produce in higher amounts than females (such as testosterone)
2. Irregular ovulation or lack of ovulation
3. Ovarian cysts

You may have noticed that this means that you can be diagnosed with a condition whose name implies ovarian cysts, without actually having cysts. This is because back in the day, as soon as doctors found ovarian cysts, the diagnosis was slapped on. And you can have ovarian cysts without having PCOS.

Unfortunately, some doctors still jump to a diagnosis as soon as they find cysts without further investigating. And conversely, if they don’t find cysts, some may decide that everything is normal.

Before anything can be determined, a hormonal panel should be carried out through a blood test or saliva test, and an ultrasound should be scheduled to look for ovarian cysts.

Root causes

PCOS can develop for many different reasons. While this is still under research, a few possible causes have already been determined.

Insulin resistance

You’ve probably heard of insulin before. It’s that hormone that tells your cells to take in sugar when there’s too much sugar in your blood. However, when insulin has to knock on the cell’s door day-in and day-out, the cell becomes desensitized to insulin. Your body responds by secreting more and more insulin so that your cells can continue to respond.

High levels of insulin actually send a message to your ovaries to produce more testosterone and stop ovulating normally. Those whose PCOS is rooted in insulin resistance tend to be the ones who experience uncontrollable weight gain, acne, and facial hair growth.

Inflammation

Chronic inflammation can also interfere with normal ovulation. Inflammation uses up a lot of your body’s resources. When there aren’t enough resources to go around, the body becomes choosy in how it spends those resources.

Because the reproductive system isn’t needed for immediate survival, it’s the first system to be cut. Your body especially doesn’t want to share limited resources with a second human life. Therefore, your body makes it difficult to conceive.

Hormonal birth control

When stopping birth control pill, many people notice that it takes several months for their period to come back. Others find that their period doesn’t start again on its own.

This happens because when taking synthetic hormones for years on end, your body “forgets” how to get your hormones back on track.

Hormone disruptors

Our environment is loaded with hormone disruptors. Tap water, plastics, cleaning products, and cosmetics all contain compounds that can mess with hormones. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that that’s bad for you.

As hormone levels become wonky, cysts can develop, and periods can become less and less frequent.

Odds are that those with PCOS don’t only have a single one of these factors. All of these factors can combine in different ways to create different types of PCOS. These different types all manifest themselves differently. This can make PCOS particularly difficult to identify in some cases.

Management of PCOS

Typical mainstream treatment of PCOS involves taking hormonal birth control to mask symptoms. However, these symptoms return when coming off the birth control. In fact, quite often, they are worse than before starting birth control methods.

In cases of insulin resistance, many doctors prescribe Metformin, a medication for Type 2 Diabetes.

An often overlooked component of PCOS management is diet. Diet impacts how our bodies produce hormones, and how we react to the hormones in our bodies. Additionally, in cases of insulin resistance, changing the diet can make a world of difference. And finally, while it may not be possible to fully eliminate hormone disruptors from your environment, your diet can affect how your body processes them.

While there is no one-size-fits all diet for PCOS, certain changes seem to show consistent results. Gluten, dairy, and sugar are the most inflammatory components of the Standard American Diet. By eliminating these 3 ingredients, your body is better equipped to do some repairs to reduce inflammation.

In order to keep blood sugar levels stable to reduce insulin resistance, it’s important to eat healthy fats and good quality protein with each meal. And finally, make sure to eat a generous portion of vegetables with every meal. Yes, I even encourage eating more vegetables with breakfast.

Do you struggle with menstrual issues? Click the button below to join the FREE Nutrition for PMS, PCOS, and endometriosis group on Facebook.

I’m sure you’ve heard the tampon horror stories by now. Toxic shock syndrome, carcinogenic bleach, and the list goes on. With more and more people turning to menstrual cups (such as the DivaCup), is it the right move for you?

The pros of menstrual cups

From an environmental perspective, menstrual cups are great, since they’re reusable. You don’t have to worry about filling landfills with all kinds of waste, between the sanitary products themselves, and the packaging for the products.

Another advantage of reusable cups is how friendly to the wallet they are. You can get one for about $40 in Canada. Conversely, a pack of 16 organic tampons runs for about $7. In the long run, you end up saving so much money by making the switch.

Tampons and pad can be a bit of a hassle when you’re on the go. They should be changed about every 4 hours, whereas your cup can stay in for up to 12 hours.

This brings us to the safety factor of the cups. Their Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) risk is much lower than it is for tampons. This advantage on its own is reason enough to switch over.

The cons of menstrual cups

While menstrual cups are great for a bazillion reasons, there are disadvantages associated with using them. For instance they can be a bit messy. If you spend more than 12 hours outside of the house, you may find it difficult to empty and clean your cup.

Some may be turned off when first using their menstrual cup because it may take some time to adjust. It took me a few months to learn how to insert mine properly. But now that I’m comfortable with it, I don’t think I would ever go back.

All in all, I recommend making the switch over to menstrual cups.

Do you use a menstrual cup? What’s your favourite thing about using it?