estrogen mood disorder bipolar depression hormones

Estrogen & Mood: Is it Depression, Bipolar Disorder, or “Just Her Hormones”?

Men (and some women) joke all the time about women “going crazy” pre-menstrually or at other times when our hormones are fluctuating, and while I don’t particularly like the idea of describing what happens to us as “going crazy,” science shows that there is some truth to the idea: the time periods when women’s hormones …

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Facing Infertility with Normal Thyroid Function? This May Be Why!

Trying to conceive can be an incredibly stressful experience for all parties involved. It is frustrating to face repeated disappointment when your strongest desires are to have an uneventful pregnancy and a healthy baby. When there are additional physical health conditions involved, trying to conceive becomes even more emotionally taxing. We know that this is …

Facing Infertility with Normal Thyroid Function? This May Be Why! Read More »

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Unexpected Ways Genetics & Inflammation Can Affect Your Mental Health

Have you ever noticed that you’re not quite yourself when you don’t get enough rest? If you’re like me, you are probably more easily irritated or even more emotionally labile when you don’t get quality sleep. Not getting enough sleep can definitely affect your mood and mental health. The reverse is true as well; your …

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Depression vs. Sex: What to Do When Your SSRI Meds Cause Sexual Problems

Serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of drugs commonly used to treat depression. You may recognize the most common SSRIs by their trade names: Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, and the list goes on. If you’re on or have ever been on an SSRI, you’ve likely noticed that sexual dysfunction is a common side effect …

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Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Is There Hope for Lasting Remission?

Let’s talk inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). By that I mean Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC). I mentioned in a previous blog post that I was born and partially raised in Trinidad in the Caribbean. Well, in Trinidad, when it comes to donating and receiving blood, we have a different system. I promise this is …

Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Is There Hope for Lasting Remission? Read More »

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Silver Alert: How to Prevent or Delay Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

My grandmother was my favorite person in the world. She stepped in and took care of me and my siblings in Trinidad while my mom worked immensely hard to secure a better life for us in the US. My grandma always had great advice for me, and I mean ALWAYS. She was a person who …

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A Deeper Look: How Your Stressful Childhood Led to Autoimmune Disease

Is childhood stress really connected to chronic disease? There is definitely a distinct connection between the mind and the body. Ongoing research continues to validate this fact. Some of the most interesting research about this topic, in my opinion, revolves around the connection between childhood trauma and the inflammatory response, specifically the autoimmune response. But …

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thyroid

Primary Hypothyroidism: Why Just Checking TSH isn’t Enough

Thyroid function is quickly becoming an often-discussed topic both in health and wellness circles and among the general population. It seems as though more and more people are experiencing thyroid dysfunction of some sort. Whereas in the past this was not the case, most people probably know someone who has struggled or is struggling with …

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Long-Awaited Help for Individuals with Autoimmune Diseases

Do you have an autoimmune disease or know someone struggling with autoimmunity? Chances are you answered yes. Autoimmune diseases are becoming increasingly prevalent. The cause of autoimmune diseases is still largely unknown; however, physicians and scientists have observed that environmental influences play an important role in their development and progression. We’ve constructed an assessment that …

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To Eat Organic or Not to Eat Organic; That is the Question.

Are you wondering which produce items don’t need to be purchased organic when on a limited budget? Our graphic based on the Environmental Working Group’s list makes it easy! The “Clean 15” are the produce items that were found to have the least pesticides; therefore we don’t necessarily need to purchase the organic varieties of …

To Eat Organic or Not to Eat Organic; That is the Question. Read More »

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