Periods, PMS, and Planning for Pregnancy - Guest Blog from Dr. Chanel Cressman

http://www.urbanwellnessstudio.ca/

Many of my patients come to me for hormonal support; from issues concerning the regulation of their menses, decreasing PMS symptoms, coming off of birth control, to preparing for pregnancy. All of these issues relate to the health of our hormones.

Regulating hormones can be a tricky business. From estrogen and progesterone balancing in the ovaries, to the impact of cortisol and stress, to the overarching function of the thyroid and its role in metabolism – these all play a role in how our periods play out. Deciding where to begin and how to positively impact these concerns is where the ‘art’ applies.

As an ND, I am lucky to have many tools for addressing hormonal concerns. From supplementation, to diet and lifestyle support, there are many roads to choose from. However, I often utilize Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture in these cases.

TCM has been established for over 1000 years and was developed through the examination of live human beings. As such, the TCM perspective offers solutions that meet both the physical and mental/emotional concerns of a woman’s cycle. As any woman suffering from PMS could tell you, pre-menses can be an emotional time. So addressing both the physical as well as the emotional symptoms is a must.

If you’re interested in learning more about TCM or how acupuncture works, drop by the clinic for a free 15-min consult!

Chanel Cressman BSc, ND

Urban Wellness Studio

40 Francis St South

Kitchener, ON N2G 2A2

(p) 519.603.0545

(f) 519.603.0551

http://www.urbanwellnessstudio.ca/

Getting the Most out of Summer while Looking After You.

Summer brings longer days, warm nights, barbeques and backyard get-togethers, outdoor markets, and blooming gardens.  Some people have the benefit of vacation time during the summer months or a more relaxed work environment. However, for many, summer can be just as busy and demanding of time and energy as the rest of the calendar year. Though your responsibilities may not lessen with the coming of warmer weather it might be beneficial to take ten minutes to think with purpose and intention about how you allot your time, attention, and energy this summer. Your goals need not be overly complicated, and in fact, the summer might be the ideal time to focus upon attainable goals. For example:

If you are in school this summer you might focus upon thinking thoroughly about how you will approach a major assignment as soon as it is assigned.  Commit to genuinely exploring and thinking critically about the topic as opposed to completing it as quickly as possible (at the last minute!) just to get it done.

If you have children you might focus on playing outside with them more or working outside while they play nearby.  You might also consider fostering an interest in the natural environment by picking one topic to explore together (even for thirty minutes) and conduct research on—e.g. ant colonies, the influence of different weather systems upon regional weather, invasive plant species.

If you are attempting to respond to multiple demands and handle multiple projects at work, you might consider carving out an hour or two to tackle a piece of work that facilitates all of the others—e.g. Making a skeletal outline of your responsibilities, prioritizing them, and then skimming through and sorting emails according to your deadlines.

If you are grappling with issues in your personal life that seem to be taking over your thoughts, you might consider giving yourself permission to take a daily ‘vacation’ from the issue. This vacation is merely an amount of time where you focus your thoughts upon something else in your life—e.g. exercising for half an hour and tuning into how your body feels with each of your movements, or look up You Tube videos of a favourite comedian, or for an hour, listen to music closely and try to focus upon hearing all of the lyrics or all of the instruments involved.

Whether your summer will be filled with relaxation and leisure pursuits, hustling to fulfill multiple roles and meet various expectations—or a combination of both—the summer of 2014 might provide you with a wonderful chance to approach your life with a new sense of intentionality, and hopefully, Bliss!

By Bliss Specialist Heather