Megan Rand

Category: Hormonal Health

  • Using a Thermometer to Track Your Hormonal Health

    Using a Thermometer to Track Your Hormonal Health

    Today’s guest blog post is written by Elissa Cohen.  Elissa asked me to edit her At Home Guide to Body Temperature Testing and as I was reading through it I knew that this was something that I would want to share.  She created a very concise guide with step-by-step instructions about how to track your body temperature.  She also includes a chart making your daily tracking easy and gives you the ability to watch for patterns.  Luckily, she agreed to share this resource as well as explain why we might want to track our body temperature in the first place.

     

    [image url=”http://gingernewtrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Elissa.jpg” raw=”true” alignment=”left” margin_left=”0″ margin_right=”10″ margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″ width=”216″ height=”221″] Elissa Cohen is the brains behind the amazing blog – http://www.herestothewholelife.com. She covers topics ranging from food, exercise and recipes to sleep habits and hormonal health. She is a Physical Therapist and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner in training.  She loves helping others make changes toward a healthier life, especially women who struggle with fertility issues.

     

    Check out today’s guest blog post by Elissa —>

     

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    Do you only use your thermometer as a way to see if you have a fever when you are sick? If so, you are way under-utilizing that little thing you keep tucked away in the medicine cabinet.

     

    Your thermometer can be a great way to track the health of your hormones and the overall health of your body.

     

    You see, our bodies are meant to function within a specific temperature range. This is a range in which our enzymes work the most optimally. When our body temperature falls out of that range, those enzymes begin to suffer along with the functions that those enzymes perform.

     

    Measuring and tracking your body temperature can give great insight into the health of your hormones and important glands including your thyroid and adrenal glands. You can also use tracking your body temperature as a way to predict fertility (to either get pregnant, or not get pregnant!)

     

    Most of us have heard about symptoms of low thyroid function: fatigue, thinning hair, constipation, slowed thinking, cold all the time….the list goes on. But did you know that the symptoms of adrenal fatigue can sound very similar to that: brain fog, hair on extremities can be sparse, irritable GI tract, dry skin, poor temperature regulation.

     

    The symptoms of low thyroid function and adrenal fatigue can be quite similar but the adrenal component may be overlooked. And often, if the adrenals are dysfunctional, treating the thyroid will be unsuccessful in the long term because the adrenals can’t keep up.

     

    And maybe you have seen your doctor with symptoms of low thyroid function and blood tests come back negative and so your symptoms are dismissed.

     

    Well, testing your body temperature can be a great start to monitoring your health at home, and may give you some indicators that you need to dig a little deeper. When measured and tracked properly, you can notice patterns that would indicate low thyroid function, low adrenal function, and even if you are sensitive to certain foods.

     

    In my At Home Guide to Body Temperature Testing, you can learn when is the best time to measure your temperature, how to track it properly, and how to interpret the results. I also give you a graph to track a month’s worth of temperatures on to really look for patterns in your temperatures.

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    So, put your thermometer to use and download my At Home Guide to Body Temperature Testing. Sign up for my newsletter at herestothewholelife.com and get my Guide in your inbox!

     

     

  • Wellness Beets Podcast- Hormone Health Q&A

    Wellness Beets Podcast- Hormone Health Q&A

    Episode 27: Hormonal and Adrenal Health Q&A with Megan Rand

    I just love podcasts, so I am always excited when I get to be a part of one!!  The Wellness Beets Podcast, which you can find on iTunes or Podbay, is all about an alternative approach to health. Hosts Alex and Brittany answer your wellness questions, dig into nutrient density, and share tips for offbeat holistic living.

     

    This episode is a Q&A about everything hormonally and adrenally related.

     

    If you’re interested in learning more about hormone and adrenal health, make sure you check out our Free Adrenal Health Video Training Series! And if you’re looking for the full group training experience, check out the details of the Healthy Hormones Group Program here.

     

    They asked their tribe for questions before the podcast to know what their top questions were in the topics of hormones and adrenal health, and here are the questions that we cover in the podcast.

     

    Endometriosis:

     

    @tideandhoney: “I have endometriosis and now am 99% sure adrenal fatigue.  I’m afraid years of ibuprofen use caused leaky gut. Any ideas for pain relief that doesn’t include NSAIDs? Nothing herbal works.  My endo is severe and debilitating on day 1 on my cycle.  I eat paleo and avoid all sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and chemicals.  I take turmeric but it doesn’t help my pain.”

     

    Also with that question from @evelynbuni: “I second the question from @tideandhoney.  But also, what can I do to get better? I’ve done a lot of work with NDs, acupuncture, liver work, etc. and my cycles are not getting better.  My lifestyle, diet, etc have all been addressed for years now.”

     

    Links:

    Saccharomyces Boulardii

    Down There for Women by Katy Bowman

    We mention this post on using NSAIDs and minimizing gut damage.

     

    Skin Issues:

     

    @mweyers23: “My skin has been freaking and breaking out especially on my back more and more over the past 2 years.  It almost seems hormonally related? Are there tests I could have done to see if everything’s in order or not? I do suspect I have some more mild leaky gut issues.  I guess i just don’t understand the hormonal side of things and want to learn more.”

     

    @tideandhoney: “Can we also discuss skin issues with adrenal fatigue? I have a red rash that comes and goes throughout the month of my face and it’s so frustrating! Not acne, just red patches.  I never had this previously. I would also like to hear comments about adrenal fatigue and estrogen dominance.”

     

    Supplementing:

     

    @gourmetcavegirl: “My hormones were basically non existent. My doctor have me Hormone Protect and then also prescribed me progesterone for the last half of my cycle. I feel amazing when I take it.  My libido is back, I sleep better, my mood is better. How can I keep this feeling at the beginning of the month?”

     

    @healthandbeing: “What’s your take on progesterone to balance low progesterone levels and balance hormones versus trying a nutrition and supplement approach.  Also, I have been prescribed 50 mg and am wondering, if I do decide to take this and go this route, is that too small a dose? I have read that if you take a low dose,  it can actually have the effect of lowering your levels as your body might start producing less progesterone in response to a low dose.  I’m being followed by a great doc and I know you can’t give medical advice but am wondering what your experience has been with these issues and if you can offer any thoughts.  I have AF, Hashimotos, low progesterone, leaky gut, and MTHFR.”

     

     

    Did you enjoy this podcast?

    If so, please leave a review for us in iTunes and subscribe to get the latest episodes!

    We are super grateful to you for helping us get the word out!

     

  • Your Brain and Stress; Neurotransmitter Basics

    Your Brain and Stress; Neurotransmitter Basics

     

    Many people are becoming aware of the term adrenal fatigue and are starting to suspect that this might be something they are dealing with. But this term can be misleading, because more often that not, it is not as simple as supporting the adrenals to have your fatigue, inflammation and hormonal imbalances disappear. The adrenals gland themselves are often working just fine, but the communication channels and feedback loops might have become disrupted. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that deliver important and vital messages from the brain and the adrenal gland. These tiny messengers help you respond to stressors and if they become imbalanced, all sorts of symptoms will start to pop up because the correct messages are not being sent. Once I started looking at a neurotransmitter panel in conjunction with an adrenal/hormone panel, I saw a big shift for my clients. The combination of their hormone and neurotransmitter results helps to put the puzzle together as to where the breakdown is in the chain.

    What happens with our neurotransmitters during stress?

    In time of acute stress or when you are in a constant chronic state of low stress (not just mental/emotional stress but also hidden internal stressors such as food sensitivities, bacterial overgrowth or heavy metal toxicity) neurotransmitters can become depleted. Just having a thought or being scared will alert your brain to alter hormone and neurotransmitter production in response. The neurotransmitters are a part of the stress response cascade. Think about how often we are bombarded with negative imagery and high stress situations in our fast-paced lifestyle. By looking at the levels of different neurotransmitters as well as their relationship to each other, such as the ratio between serotonin and dopamine or norepinephrine and epinephrine, we can see how well your body is adapting to stress.

    We have both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters and some play both roles depending on the situation. Since our body likes to remain in balance, we also function optimally when our excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters are balanced. For example, stimulants such as caffeine push dopamine into the synapse and dopamine acts as an excitatory agent, which improves our focus. You know how you have your coffee and then feel pretty productive for a while? Feeling productive is great except there is a price we pay for that focus. Your body must now send in some inhibitory neurotransmitters to reign in the excitatory neurotransmitters. Serotonin and GABA come to the rescue. This is not necessarily a problem, because this is one of the ways that our amazing body stays balanced, but when we abuse ourselves daily by artificially forcing productivity with excess caffeine consumption, we eventually end up depleted in serotonin and GABA. Among many other functions serotonin is important for a stable mood and GABA is nature’s valium-like substance, you can see where we end up without these precious resources. You always have to ask… is this short-term benefit of being able to focus and have energy worth the long-term risk of an instable mood?

    Here is an example of the neurotransmitter testing results that the Healthy Hormones Group Program will have access to. These are just clues to get an idea of the bigger picture because your neurotransmitter levels will change throughout the day. Testing and then retesting after a period of time after trying a protocol or therapy will help us to understand how your body is reacting.

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    Here is a quick explanation of the neurotransmitters that we will be looking at during the next Healthy Hormones group program:

    Serotonin – This is considered the master neurotransmitter and helps to keep balance between the excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters. Adequate levels is necessary for a stable mood.

    Dopamine – Key player in reward-seeking type of behavior such as pleasure, satisfaction and focus. Dopamine also influences muscle control and gastrointestinal motility. Really low or high dopamine levels is correlated with memory issues.

    Norepinephrine– Important to the fight-or-flight response and also helps to make epinephrine.

    Epinephrine– Also known as adrenaline which we all know well. Epinephrine prepares the body for fight-or-flight by increasing your heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate so that you can run away or fight off the danger. This will also elevate your ACTH which raises your cortisol

    GABA– Nature’s valium-like substance which also helps regulate muscle tone.

    Glutamate– Important for memory and learning but can be damaging in excess leading to depression, seizures and damaging nervous tissue. This is often seen high for those with PTSD but you also have to watch that you are not accidentally consuming glutamate from MSG or DSG sources in food.

    Histamine – Helps to control sleep-wake cycle, energy production and memory recall. This reading on your lab is a window into inflammation and the higher the number the more mental fogginess, allergy symptoms and irritability you might be experiencing.

     

    If your neurotransmitters are all trending low in conjunction with low cortisol levels, than this is a sign you are in a chronic state of stress and are now in the tired and “burnt-out” phase.  At this point you will need a good amount of support to return to a healthy level.

    Ready to find out what is going on at a sub-clinical level before symptoms occur? Ready to get to the root of why you can’t seem to kick the anxiety or get your energy back? Come join us for the Healthy Hormones Group Program!!

  • Hormone Helping Coconut Chips

    Hormone Helping Coconut Chips

     

    As Alex of Dig Primal and I have been working on the content for our Healthy Hormones Group Program for the last few months, my favorite part of the process is that I get to learn the tips and tricks that she uses too! We all have different tools that we pick up along the way and I think that it is important to have a really varied toolbox for my clients. Each person that I work with is so uniquely different in their bio-individual and genetic makeup that often a suggestion that works amazingly for one person will leave another feeling sick. A supplement that gives me energy though the roof might cause you to fall asleep at your desk. That is all a part of the puzzle!! I love learning lots of different options, recipes and suggestions so that we can find the perfect combination for each person.

     

    Alex shared this recipe with me for Hormone Helping Coconut Chips and I can’t get enough! I love incorporating coconut flakes into my diet for a lot of reasons. For one, they have an amazing composition of healthy fats, protein, and fiber. Not only does this combination of macronutrients help keep you full longer after meals (which also helps prevent unhealthy snacking you weren’t actually intending), but fueling your body with such balanced caloric intake is great for the hormonal system. Additionally, the fatty acids found in coconut products directly play a role in healthy hormone synthesis so their presence in the diet greatly increases the success of all your other hormone-helping interventions; after all, it makes sense that if you don’t have the building blocks to create hormones, no amount of adjunctive therapies are going to help your cause in the long term.

     

    The spices found in this recipe work through a variety of mechanisms to help the endocrine and adrenal system along. Since glucose metabolism is a huge problem in people with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal dysfunction (which is often simply referred to as “adrenal fatigue” but is actually an incredibly limited way to look at the problem since it encompasses so much more than the adrenals…no wonder people have a hard time treating it on their own!), the cayenne, turmeric, and cinnamon are in here to help with the proper use and balance of sugar in the body.

     

    As an added bonus, cayenne pepper and turmeric are incredibly effective in tempering the inflammatory response in the body due to stress, high glucose levels, and underlying hormonal imbalances (see how they all work off each other??), incorporating these spices into meals regularly can be really helpful.

     

    Ingredients:

     

    • 2 cups coconut flakes
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 tablespoon ghee (replace with coconut oil if you can’t tolerate dairy products)
    • 5 tablespoons raw honey

     

    Steps:

     

    1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
    2. Place your coconut flakes into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
    3. Add in the cayenne pepper, ground turmeric, and ground cinnamon to the coconut flakes and stir well so that all the spices are well distributed (trust me when I say that you do not want a big bite of cayenne pepper down the line).
    4. Place the tablespoon of ghee (or coconut oil) into a small bowl and microwave it until the ghee has melted.
    5. Add the honey and vanilla extract to your melted ghee and mix them all together.
    6. Slowly pour your honey, ghee, and vanilla extract mixture of the spice-dusted coconut flakes. Mix it all together until everything is evenly distributed.
    7. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and evenly spread your coconut flake mixture over the entire area. You don’t want big clumps so take a few moments to spread it all out over the entire baking sheet.
    8. Bake in the oven for 5-7 minutes.
    9. Take out and let cool.
    10. I stored mine in a glass tupperware container.

     

    Want to learn more fun and delicious recipes that can also help support your adrenal glands and balance hormone? The Healthy Hormones Group Program is starting Sept 15th!!!

     

    [image url=”http://gingernewtrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Healthy-Hormones-Group-Program-Logo.png” raw=”true” alignment=”center” margin_left=”0″ margin_right=”0″ margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″ width=”244″ height=”103″]