Female Friday
Last week, I attended the Integrative Fertility Symposium in Vancouver, BC. It was a comprehensive conference on all things fertility and beyond (including pediatric health and menopause!). I love staying up to date on new research and treatment protocols so I can be better educated at helping my clients achieve their health goals! Plus, it was pretty fantastic reason to visit Vancouver for the first time (not that I needed one!). Once I finish reviewing 4 days of notes, I'm hoping to share what I've learned. So be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for some useful clinical pearls!
There's a lot out this week with respect to women's health, and most of it is a reminder to not let things linger. It's often best to seek help for a problem right away - if you had a splinter, for instance, you'd probably try to get it out of your skin rather than leave it in and let it do it's own thing.
What you need to read this week:
A guy's guide to menstruation, ovulation and conception | I've always wondered how much men know about this (and I don't say that to be rude). Back in 7th grade the boys in my class were kicked out of the portable, so the girls could watch a video about their periods. Fast-forward to Grade 11 or 12 where I reviewed the menstrual cycle for my now-husband in preparation for a religion exam.
Nowadays my husband knows about the importance of ovulation, then menstrual cycle, etc. If your partner doesn't have a clue - this link may be a good starting point.
Paid Menstrual Leave | I get it. We all have those days where it hurts to sit in an upright position. But just a gentle reminder - period pain is NOT normal! What about taking an hour from one of those days and going to visit a ND to take a look at the WHOLE picture of what's going on. You don't need to spend 3 days per month until you hit menopause being in distressing pain - it's not worth it.
PCOS linked to hormonal imbalance in the brain | "Lab tests revealed that removing androgen receptors or ARs from the brain hinders the development of PCOS, whereas eliminating these receptors at an ovarian level still allows the condition to appear."
50 Years since birth control | Another friendly reminder that if you went on the birth control pill to 'cure' your acne (which may be a symptoms of PCOS), menstrual pain (a symptom of PCOS, endometriosis, etc.) those problems will likely still exist once you come off the pill. For women who are wanting to have children in the future - it's best to start looking at WHY those issues exist instead of putting on a bandage.
Fertility Declines with Age | "Maternal age influences the alignment of microtubules independently of the age of the chromosomes contained in the nuclei of each egg" In essence, microtubules are structures in the cell organizing and dividing the chromosomes (genetic information). As we age, it becomes harder for the microtubules to do their job! This is really cool because we previously pinned the blame on the chromosomes themselves!