Progesterone - a serious case of mistaken identity (part 1)

I never like to single out a particular hormone because the truth is hormones never act in isolation. Each hormone is one part of an intricate web of communication. They also never have one single role but rather work on multiple functions and areas in the body.

In the case of progesterone, I want to highlight the importance of this hormone, for health, beyond fertility.

In order to that I also need to make it abundantly clear that progesterone is different to progestin medications given in hormonal birth control and hormone replacement therapies.

Let’s clear up one of the greatest cases of mistaken identity I witness amongst health professional and women.

Progesterone = the hormone created by our body , in large amounts by our ovaries, after ovulation in cycling women, and by the adrenal glands in a lesser amount by women (even if not cycling) and men.
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The body naturally produces progesterone, each month, mainly via the main event of our menstrual cycle which is {insert drumroll}, ovulation. That’s right friends, ovulation, not menstruation, is the main event of this monthly show, that is, our cycle. ⠀
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For ovulation to occur each month, a lot has to come together, to allow this rather masterful event to occur. After all, this event, has the potential to form new life, if that released egg is fertilised. Ovulation, is kind if of a big deal and is now being recognised as vital sign of health.⠀
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Even if an egg being fertilised, is not your goal, ovulation, still results in a nice healthy dose of progesterone each month, for 10-14 days (the lifespan of the corpus luteum, a temporary endocrine organ the body “whips” up, from the ruptured follicle, that then secretes progesterone until either a). the placenta takes over or b) it breaks down, towards the end of the luteal phase, resulting in a decline in progesterone, that results in menstruation). ⠀
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It’s true that progesterone is really important for pregnancy, after all, “pro= for; gestation = pregnancy” but progesterone has other effects in our body (hormones RARELY act in isolation):⠀
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Some of these include:⠀
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- Increasing bone formation ie. builds bone⠀
- Increasing thyroid function (T4), heating things up, and boosting metabolism ⠀
- Promoting sleep ⠀
- Calming the nervous system and stabilising our stress response system⠀
- Modulating the immune system + reducing inflammation (important for autoimmune conditions)⠀
- Counterbalances the stimulating effects of oestrogen on both breast and uterine tissue⠀
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Endogenous progesterone IS NOT the same as progestin medications found in the pill, HRT or hormonal IUD. They are different, structurally and functionally in the body.⠀
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To get the wonderful benefits from our own naturally occurring progesterone, the key questions to ask is 1. “are you ovulating” and 2. if you suspect you are not, “why not?”⠀
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We’ll explore more on progesterone (and how it gets’ mistaken for “progestins”) in the next posts …. ⠀

Was this helpful? Stay tuned as we dive deeper into progesterone + ovulation. If you are interested in working one-on-one to dig into things more deeply and take a holistic approach, you can visit HERE .

* I have been offering my services at a discounted price so that I can continue to accommodate my clients and those needing support through this time. I am happy to discuss this together. Chantel xxx

The Role of Essential Oils PRESENT DAY and FUTURE

I recently had a fellow pharmacist friend reach out to me via Insta to ask if I had some info and insights about doTERRA ClaryCalm essential oil blend for balancing hormones. She had a lady customer come into the pharmacy and ask her about it, as she had read online it could help “balance” hormones.

I’ve reflected on this message for some time as it really is the perfect crossroads of my two words. So I thought I would share my perspective of the role of essential oils currently and where I know this to be heading. I actually think it’s really important to acknowledge.

Firstly, I really respect this intelligent and caring health professional who wrote this. Look at her wording.... Ultimately, she is reaching out because she cares. Instead of being dismissive, she’s remaining curious and seeking answers, so that she can help.

Health professionals like this, are exactly what we need to shape the future of our healthcare in the right direction!

And doTERRA know this, to be true, too.

Now, perspective! Let’s take a look at the current reality.

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I could justify how ClaryCalm, a blend of essential oils, aimed at supporting a woman physically and emotionally during her menstrual cycle, may assist in supporting hormonal balance, based on my own research, experience from customers, reading small sample size human trials with essential oils in this blend, understanding mechanisms of how these particular plant constituents interact in our body to bring about homeostasis, but ultimately right now, that is not the appropriate response for me to take.

Essential oils aren’t regulated by the TGA/FDA, because they fall within the natural health category. Natural health products cannot claim to treat, prevent, cure or mitigate any disease, even if there is scientific research to back it up, because this is the realm of the pharmaceutical industry, which the TGA/FDA does regulate. And we have to respect that (some essential oils are going through TGA approval as I type this).

However, after a five year pharmacy degree I can tell you that the pharmaceutical industry does recognise the power of plants. For the most part, that is how the industry started and exists today (penicillin, aspirin, tamiflu and about another 40% of all prescription medications are derived from plants). We looked to nature and then manufactured a synthetic version, for it to be able to be sold within the model that the pharmaceutical industry exists as today.

Here’s what I know…

Breastmilk, fresh food that grows, light and dark, spring water, plants, humans, animals, all coexist in a world that nature created. Some of us know that there is this intuitive intelligence that exists in all of these things that cannot be truly re- created by mankind. Much of which still cannot be fully understood by science but we know it to be true anyway. I believe that when we focus on being inclusive of that natural realm, our biology tends to self organise in a way that promotes health.

You see nothing in your body works in isolation. When you have a specific target in the body that is needed to bring about a change, you also change other parts within the body. What you do to one part you do to the whole. More times than not, when we focus singularly, in the body, we lose sight of the bigger picture.

Plants, however work differently. When we communicate to the body in the same language that it knows, ie. nature to nature, it creates a synergistic effect (versus mechanistic), allowing recruitment of all body systems to work together, to bring about homeostasis. It seems “woo woo” or “unspecific” or “magically” but what it is, is - intuitive.

So for now I focus on using these gifts of the Earth (Fun Fact: doTERRA, is a Latin derivative meaning “Gift of the Earth), to support my body physically, mentally and emotionally in the realm of lifestyle and prevention and supporting body systems back to homeostasis.

But I excitedly look to the future...

This is where doTERRA has shifted their focus a couple of years ago as they knew where and why this had to shift, if they were committed to supporting health outcomes - and so Prime Meridian health clinics were established. https://pmhclinics.com/

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doTERRA has begun to call on all of the doctors that have a respect of nature and a willingness to learn, and be a part of the solution.

Through these health care facilities we will see a a larger body of doctors and patients being educated on the use of essential oils and as a result of their integration you will see a large body of research through human trials growing. Most health practitioners have very little training in plant medicine, particularly with doTERRA essential oils. We need practitioners to have an understanding of pure plant medicine. Because like my friend elicited in this message, at present they have little idea on how the plants work that they can’t advice their patients effectively and safely, when they are asked.

And yes there is a BIG difference between “essential oils” and doTERRA essential oils. doTERRA have set the bar on quality so high, that they are in a unique position to drive this direction and integration, because of their repeated quality. 54 tests in total for every bottle, 43 in house, 11 are done by a third party, oils go from farmer to you without going through brokers, and perfumists, like other essential oils do. You can read more about these processes HERE.

In the last decade, medical publications of essential oil research has increased by 400% . That is going to continue to explode over the next 10 years, because of the work doTERRA is doing.

This is exciting as we look to a future that is not, them or us, but inclusive of both worlds. At the very least, It’s a conversation of options, “let’s try this first, and if it doesn’t work, we’ve still got this to try, too”.

And that friends, is a future I look forward too, as both practitioner and patient!

Love Chantel

Struggling to get your post-pill period back?

The "Pill” is often used to treat female health problems ranging from painful or irregular periods, acne, PCOS, peri-menopause, hormone imbalance, and of course prevention of unintended pregnancy. 

It is so universally accepted that most women never stop to ask: 1. How does the pill work and 2.  What impact is it having on my own hormone production? Chances are if you have ever stopped to ask this question to your doctor, you come off looking like a crazy person in need of some “hormone balancing”. 

But I think they are valid question that we as women should be asking. Why don't men take contraceptive pills? There are certainly medications that can inhibit testosterone and sperm production. However, I am not too sure if low sex drive and depression as side effects would convince any man.. 

So is the pill actually treating these female conditions AND is its impact on our health as harmless as it seems?

This is what I asked myself about 5 years ago, after being on it for over 10 years. You might be surprised by what I learnt to these two questions.

THE PILL

The oral contraceptive pill is the most commonly used form of contraception amongst females of reproductive age. In the case of combined oral contraceptive pills (COC), they contain a synthetic progestin (eg. levonorgestrel, dienogest, drospirenone) and a synthetic oestrogen (ethinyloestradiol). In the case of the mini pill, or progesterone only pill, it contains just that a progestin like levonorgestrel or norethisterone. 

The plethora of different COC pills (eg. Yasmin, Laila, Levlen, Yaz) usually reflects the different progestin combination with ethinyloestradiol. These different progestins have different properties and hence some are chosen for more specific purposes. Eg. cyproterone has greater anti-androgenic properties meaning that it suppresses androgen production more strongly and is often used in conditions associated with greater androgen production like acne, PCOS.

How does the pill work?

Before I answer this question let’s do a little dive (apologise it turned out to be a "not so little" dive. Feel free to skip ahead to the summary) into the complex world of female hormone secretion that occurs during the ovarian cycle. 

So that we are all on the same page let’s simplify some terminology and get some perspective happening.

Meet ….. 

The hypothalamus = Think of this guy as the big brother to the soon to be introduced pituitary gland. Located in the brain, he is the controller. His primary goal is to maintain homeostasis in the body. He gets messages and feedback from hormones and the nervous system and speaks to the pituitary gland. The function of the hypothalamus is to secrete releasing hormones and inhibiting hormones that stimulate or inhibit production of hormones in the anterior pituitary. P.S. The only thing making him male is me. 

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The anterior pituitary = is also located up stairs in the brain and is responsible for secreting hormones that communicate to other endocrine = hormone producing glands that regulate a wide variety of body functions, including the release of sex hormones from the ovaries. 

Now that we have some basic understanding of the who’s who in this hormone regulating world let's have a look at the complex interaction of hormones at play during our cycle.

Use this visual to guide you. 

1. On day 1 of the cycle (this corresponds with the first day of menstruation), rising levels of Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus stimulates an increase in the production of Luteinising Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) by the anterior pituitary. 
2. FSH and LH stimulate follicle growth and maturation in the ovaries and oestrogen secretion. As the follicles enlarge they produce more oestrogen within the ovaries.
3. The rising oestrogen levels in blood exert a negative feedback (that is an inhibitory effect) on the anterior pituitary, inhibiting the release of FSH and LH, while simultaneously, prodding it to synthesise and accumulate FSH and LH. Within the ovary, oestrogen output continues to rise. 
4. Although the initial rise in oestrogen inhibits the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, high oestrogen levels have the opposite effect. Once oestrogen reaches a “critical” blood level it exerts positive feedback on the brain. 
5. The high oestrogen levels sets a cascade of events into place. There is a burst like release of accumulated LH (and to a lesser extent FSH) by the anterior pituitary about mid cycle (ovulation). 
6. This LH triggers ovulation at or around day 14. Whatever the mechanism blood stops flowing through the protruding part of the follicle wall and within 5 minutes, that region of the follicle wall bulges out, thins and then ruptures. Shortly after ovulation, oestrogen levels decline (probably reflecting the damage to the dominant oestrogen secreting follicle during ovulation)
7. The LH surge also transforms the ruptured follicle into the corpus luteum, and stimulates this newly formed endocrine gland to produce progesterone and oestrogen almost immediately after it is formed.
8. Rising progesterone and oestrogen blood levels exert a powerful negative feedback effect on the anterior pituitary release of FSH and LH. The corpus luteum also releases inhibin (a hormone) which enhances this inhibitory effect. Declining levels of FSH and LH inhibit the development of new follicles and prevent additional LH surges that might cause additional eggs to be ovulated. 
9. As LH levels fall, the stimulus for luteal activity ends, and the corpus luteum breaks down. As goes the corpus luteum so do the levels of oestrogen and progesterone. 
10. This sharp drop at the end of the cycle (days 26 to 28) end their blockade of FSH and LH, and the cycle starts again. 

Pretty full on right?! And guess what? That’s only half the story. These hormones also exert their effects on the uterus lining (endometrium) and affect a whole host of other bodily functions. 

In case your getting caught up in the numbers and the days, a normal menstrual cycle length is anywhere from 28 to 35 days and is compromised of 3 main phases. 

1. Follicular phase. This starts on the first day of bleeding and can last for 7 to 21 days 

2. Ovulation. This lasts for 1 day. Yep 1 day!!! 

3. Luteal phase. Which should last exactly 14 days. 

Ok so to go back and answer the original question which in case you had forgotten was how does the pill work, well quite simple, it inhibits all of the above. 

The pill delivers a constant does of oestrogen and progesterone like compounds into the blood for usually 21 days thereby sending a message to the pituitary to inhibit the release of FSH and LH. The inhibition of these hormones prevents the development of follicles and the mid-cycle surge of LH and ovulation. Hence, there is no egg to be fertilised ergo preventing pregnancy from occurring.

That means, often women take a decade or more of synthetic hormones all to prevent this one day a month from occurring. Now I am not saying that the pill isn't a good idea at times for some people. I am all for giving people informed consent and letting them decide what is best for their life. I am just alluding to the idea that there may also be other options. 

The pill bleeds that occurs when you stop the active pills are not the same as natural menstruation. The abrupt withdrawal of the synthetic oestrogen and mostly the withdrawal from the progestin induces a withdrawal bleed. They have been coordinated into a 28 day pattern to seem natural however they could just as easily be every 55 days (or any arbitrary number) if formulated that way. 

The intricate cyclical mechanism described above, simple does not occur when you are on the on the pill. Let me repeat, if you are taking hormonal contraception and it is doing its job then you don’t ovulate and you don't have a natural period. 

Why might this be a problem?

The big overarching problem to me is that the pill makes our natural, biological menstrual rhythm obsolete. Human biology organises it’s structures to achieve rhythm (eg. heart beat, circadian rhythm, etc). The natural hormonal signals, that are mapped to our monthly cycle rhythm, are critical to female health. If we lose this rhythm we lose normalised function. Period (punt intended).

Other problems include:

• The hormones contained in the pill are similar but not the same as your own hormones produced inside your body. Hence, their effects are not the same either. For example, ostradiol is a natural oestrogen whereas ethinyloestradiol is a synthetic oestrogen. Progestins are a group of molecules similar to pregesterone but are not the same as natural progesterone. 
• Our sex hormones don’t just effect our period and fertility. The affect other important areas in our body. 
  • Mood: oestrogen has a mood boosting effect through it’s influence on serotonin, oxytocin and dopamine release. Progesterone acts as your natural anti-anxiety hormone via it’s effects on stimulating GABA
  • Metabolism: Oestradiol positively affects how insulin works in our body and therefore helps us to convert food into energy. Progesterone influences thyroid function and increases metabolic rate. 
  • Healthy bones: oestrogen stimulates bone formation and prevents its breakdown
• When you stop the pill your natural cyclical production and communication between your brain and ovaries needs to be established. This can happen quickly and effortlessly for some and more often than not women feel better, have improved mood, less headaches and find it easier to lose weight.  
• However, for others this can take some time and the length of time depends on so many other factors including: your hormonal status before you went on the pill, how long you have been on it, your nutritional status, liver health, gut health and more. 
• During this time you are not getting the effects from the synthetic hormones nor your own natural hormones. This can leave a gal feeling pretty shitty. Symptoms can include:
  • Think a flare in sebum production resulting in working skin (sometimes enough to make you question if coming off it is worth it)
  • A surge in androgens (think testosterone) which if you had PCOS beforehand this can flare symptoms up
  • No ovulation and hence non of the positive effects of oestrogen and progesterone
  • Painful PMS symptoms 
• If you were placed on the pill for a medical reason, and the underlying causes were never addressed, then this medical condition is likely to recur once stopping. 
• Not only does the pill suppress ovulation, it also suppresses testosterone production. As you may already be aware of, testosterone isn’t only important for males, it is also important for females - think libido, mood, bone health, and energy. 
• In addition, the pill increases thyroid and sex hormone binding globulin, which bind to the available thyroid hormone and testosterone in the blood rendering them unable to do their jobs. Unfortunately, SHBG remains elevated even after stopping the pill and may never return to normal levels :(

What's a gal to do if she has come off the pill and still has no period?

• Try not to panic, it can take some time. However, also don't be complacent. Whilst it might seem like a nice idea to not have a period for a year, the reality is, that your period and your ability to ovulate each month is a sign of not just good fertility but also good health. Remember these hormones don't just benefit fertility but also a host of other things in your body. 
• Ask yourself, what were your periods like before you went on the contraceptive pill? If you never had a regular or proper period before you went on the pill, then the likelihood of the pill being the cause of your lack of period now is low. You will need to work with a doctor or practitioner to establish the underlying cause of your irregular or absent periods.
• If on the other hand you had normal periods, you may be experiencing a type of post pill ammenhorea or post pill PCOS. Both of these conditions are rarely treated unless fertility is the goal, which in my opinion is simply not good enough. Regardless of whether having a baby is our priority, all women should have the right to optimal hormone balance, don't you think?

I hope this provides you with “the other side of the story” so that you can make an informed decision and appropriate action for your own health. 

Reestablishing a healthy monthly hormonal flow can do wonders to your physical and mental health. If you need help getting your post pill period back, then please reach out.

Why trying to get your pre-baby body back is failing you

A few months ago, I had the honour to present at FILEX 2017 in Sydney which is the biggest fitness and health conference in Australia. The presentation was titled, The Motherhood Fat Trap. I also had the pleasure to present it with a real life mum and fitness professional, Kylianne Farrell of The Movement Room who brought her knowledge and experience to the discussion. 

I wanted to follow up that presentation with this blog as I know that it is an area where a lot of women struggle. It is kind of no wonder, with images and tag lines like this one...

This isn't your life.

Getting your "pre-baby body" back is something that brings huge emotional distress to women. More times than I would like to witness it robs precious moments of joy, happiness & connection with their partners as they celebrate the gift of a new life but battle internally with living inside a body that has changed.

Words like "hate", "disgusting", "fat", "wobbly", "gross", "dimply" are often used to describe what they now see. 

Here is my heartbreak with this

1. An under appreciation of the metabolic changes that occur post birth which are not in your control

Harvesting a child and feeding it is a very energy demanding process. There are metabolic changes that occur to accomodate metabolising "for two" during pregnancy and in anticipation for the demands of breastfeeding. 

These changes include: increase in insulin resistance, increased visceral fat, increased insulin, increased circulating lipids. 

Now let me make sure you get this, these things happen to ensure you have enough energy to grow and feed your baby. It's a good thing. 

It is hypothesised that breastfeeding may play a role in mobilising these accumulated fat stores and kind of "resetting' maternal metabolism. That isn't to say that if you don't breastfeed you will keep these fat stores forever. However, some studies show that the longer a women breastfeeds the more completely accumulated fat is offloaded. 

This is an area of grave debate and there are numerous individual cases where women who breastfeed lose body fat easily and women who don't breastfeed lose body fat easily. The point is that the demands of having a child and feeding it are high, from an energy perspective. We have innate mechanisms that ensure a mother will have enough energy stored to feed her child (these mechanisms were in built to make sure our species survived, well before the option to feed children formula existed). 

Fun Fact: Studies of lipolysis (the breakdown of lipids) and LPL activity (an enzyme involved in fat breakdown) in fat biopsies also show regional deposition of femoral fat (thighs) during pregnancy and mobilisation of these stores during lactation. Whilst I cannot promise a thigh gap post pregnancy if you breastfeed  (nor should this ever be on your #goals of things to achieve), it may be that accumulation of fat in this particular area, happens for an intelligent reason. The authors in this study, noted that long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids are concentrated in lower body fat, and they speculate that fat from this region is preferentially mobilised in lactation to support infant brain development. Fat around the thighs = healthy fat for babies growing brain!!!! Again, it's a good thing! 

You know how things look a little "well less defined" than before you had a baby? Let me introduce you to the hormone, relaxin. You can thank this guy for making your musculosketal system (bones, ligaments, muscles, joints, connective tissues including skin), a little more "relaxed" to accomodate housing a child and getting it out of you. Relaxin, levels peak during the transition of the first and second trimester and then again at birth and remain in a womens body until breastfeeding stops, but at lower levels. So try to relax about your softness, the shape will come back with time. 

2. Accidental or intentional undereating and or undernourishing

Yes, you read that correctly. I said, undereating ie. not eating enough overall calories to support the basic requirements for your body to function. Undernoursihing refers to a lack of adequate nutrients (like protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins). Both over the longer term signals to the brain famine/starvation and to kick into survival mode. 

I once had a new Mum reach me out and tell me that she didn't eat anything but coffee (which need I remind you, isn't food), for two days straight due to the new demands placed upon her of being a Mum. She ended up in hospital on a drip!

This may be more on the extreme end, however the majority of Mum's that I speak to are under eating and or undernourishing their bodies. Sometimes it is purely accidentally due to the demands placed on them and lack of support and awareness. But sometimes it is a diet or restrictive mindset due to desperately wanting to lose body fat.

All species including humans have a primary goal in life - to survive and reproduce to avoid extinction. Lack of nutrients and calories over a prolonged period can trigger your stress response, leading to increased stress hormones, like cortisol, and a slowing down of metabolic rate through effects on thyroid hormone production. 

*** Note that the calorie requirements in breastfeeding go up by an additional 500 calories per day, so that's about one extra meal. 

The consequences of being in survival mode span well beyond fat loss resistance. 

Thyroid hormone not only effects weight regulation it also controls memory, concentration, mood, body temperature, intestinal motility, hair and nail growth, energy levels and more. 

Elevated cortisol can lead to redistribution of fat to the midsection, immune suppression, reduced healing, fluctuation in blood sugar levels and cravings, sleep disturbance, gastrointestinal upset, low libido and more. 

The worst thing a women can do in this scenario is eat less or exercise more to kick start fat loss. The opposite would be true and this can be really hard for women to get their heads around. Your body needs to know it is safe, well fed, and nourished in order to function and let go of excess body fat. 

3. Not recovering properly

One of the biggest take home messages from our presentation was this concept that the "fourth trimester" should really be treated like an athlete and the post birth phase as a recovery process from a major event (with or without any injury sustained). 

This means that in order to even consider performing at life there must be a recovery plan in place whereby you are building the body back up. That means eating enough food to support overall calorie needs for you and if you are breastfeeding for your growing human, replacing nutrients that have been used up more readily during pregnancy, supporting tissues to heal, sleeping when you can, and having a team of people around you to support and allow you to recover - physically, emotionally and nutritionally.

Throwing yourself back into the game and expecting to perform at peak level, despite your recent major physical and emotional event would be considered crazy in any sport. Yet as a mum it's kind of expected.

Having a recovery strategy in place sets the foundations for achieving fat loss down the track. 

4. Sleep is a critical missing piece of this puzzle

Of all the post pregnancy stories I hear, the lack of sleep and quality sleep is probably the thing that scares me the most. 

And when it comes to fat loss it can be a big missing piece of the puzzle. A single night of sleep is associated with an increase in insulin resistance, increased inflammation, changes in hunger hormones, emotional instability, increased calorie intake (and usually not of the meat and veg kind but rather the highly, palatable, energy dense kind). 

I am well aware that most Mum's cannot do a lot to improve this, being aware of the effects it has on you however can be empowering to make better decisions when you inevitably will be affected by the effects of lack of sleep.

Having ready to go healthier snack options, pre-made meals, removing all tempting foods out of your house and getting a nap in whenever and wherever you can is super important. 

And going easy on yourself, not trying to always push through it and give in to the tempting allures of 3 cups of coffee per day - because hey, a woman needs her sleep!

5. Thinking too big or too small when it comes to exercise

Too big = Feeling like you have to go and do a HIIT session three time a week

Too small = no time for anything anymore. 

Aim for something in between, minus the HIIT for now, don't do that yet. Remember we want recovery first which will ultimately set the foundations for fat loss moving forward. Go for a walk, not on the treadmill but outside, with or without baby. Find a group of women and a trainer who specialises in post natal training. Think of it as an investment into being an amazing Mum.

And better yet, start moving before you plan to become pregnant and during. The same is true for nutrition. 

6. Being unrealistic with your expectations

The reality is, your body after birth is different to your body prior to birth - need I remind you that you housed and gave birth to a little human, of course it is different now. 

The truth is, you are different too and your life is now different. And that is ok.

You have been through a life changing experience. You cannot and shouldn't expect or compare yourself to the life nor body you had before.

Nor should you compare your body to someone else's post baby body.

Focus on what you have right now; on what your body is capable of; that you are here to experience this amazing time in your life; and that it is the small steps you do everyday that make the biggest impacts on your health outcomes. 

It's not a time to do it all on your own. "It takes a village to raise a child". Ask for help, connect with people, speak about your struggles, and find time to nurture yourself. The only way forward is to go through it, one day at a time. 

I hope this gives some insight into the complexity of fat loss post birth and gives you some areas to focus on that you may have overlooked. I wrote an ebook, Healing Post Birth - A Nutritional Perspective that goes into a little more detail about how to optimise nutrients to promote healing after birth.

If you feel you need more support in your post birth healing please feel free to reach out.  

STRESS AND M.I.A. FEMALE SEX HORMONE

The female body – such a delicate and exquisite thing! From our boobs and bums to our ever complicating thought process we have men both begging for more yet so perplexed. It is our complexity that is both our greatest asset and for most our greatest health hurdle.

For centuries females have been the carer of many – from family to community. Gathering, preparing, sacrificing are inherent to our nature. This has extended into modern day living – only now external pressures are far greater. The end result is a society of burnt out beautiful women.

The chronicity of stress is the real enemy. Our bodies are more than equipped to deal with acute bouts of stressful situations and this is of course of benefit when dealing with a stressful situation such as running from danger or preparing for a presentation. Our pupils dilate, our heart rate increases, digestion is slowed, blood flow increases to our skeletal muscles, our blood glucose rises – we are focussed, sharp and ready to handle the situation at hand and conserve energy away from non vital survival activities like digestion, reproduction, repair, growth. But living in a state of chronic stress has devastating effects on our body and is the root cause of most women’s health complaints.

The problem for a female is two fold (well it is never that simple for us but for the purpose of me working on my simplicity lets say its twofold) –

1. Our inherent nature to care for others before ourselves
2. Our intricate hormonal set up that makes us sensitive to the effects of chronic stress, be it perceived or actual.

Let’s look at the first point shall we –  1. Inherent nature to care for others before ourselves.

Far too often we put the need to keep others happy above our own; be it children, partner, family, friend, boss, work, strangers, society. We care to please; avoid letting people down; avoid hurting people often at the expense of our own happiness and health. We then put further pressure on ourselves to perform a certain way, to look a certain way, to behave a certain way and then beat ourselves up when we cannot achieve ALL we set out to. It is no wonder we feel exhausted at the end of each day! And that is just considering the emotional stress we put onto ourselves (fear, worry, anxiety, lack of purpose).

This leads to mental, emotional and physical exhaustion -. And worse we become so disconnected from who we really are. Each of us are so intricately and uniquely designed, not to deal with the chronic onslaught of expectations, pressure, self hatred, bitterness and judgement that we engage in . But rather a desirable trait to be caring and nurturing. What I have discovered is the ability to care for another comes from the ability to care and appreciate oneself. This is not selfishness. This is caring for another. Caring so much you want to be the very best version of yourself. You want to be vibrant, fun, energetic, full of life, kind and present for the people you love the most.

To all women, I urge you to start looking after yourself, really looking after yourself. Start finding time to nurture yourself. Ask for help. Change your circumstance. The longer you leave it, the further your disrupt your delicate hormonal network and your inner light. The one that only you hold and have the ability to control how bright it shines.

Point number 2. Our hormonal set up.

Let’s look at this somewhat complex scenario that goes on when we are exposed to chronic stress in the diagram below. Take note of how integrated and complex the whole system really is and know that this understanding is just the tip of the iceberg.

You have probably heard by now about Cortisol – our stress hormone. It gets a pretty bad wrap however it’s really just doing its job and helping us to survive. Cortisol gets secreted from the adrenal gland in response to stress.
Ideally this process would be short lived, the body would provide us with the necessities to deal with the stress at hand and then things would return back to normal. The issue is when the stress is not removed and the body still perceives it is under threat and directs its resources to producing cortisol to survive.
This process is termed the “Pregnenolone Steal”. In order to supply the body with cortisol it has to steal it from the master steroid hormone, Pregnenolone. Interesting to note is that Cholesterol is the precursor to Pregnenolone. Cholesterol plays some other pretty important roles in the body too.. possibly not the villain its made out to be?

But back to Pregnenolone. Pregnenolone can get converted into Progesterone or Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). DHEA is the precursor to all the other sex hormones (Oestrogens and Testosterone). So when there is a demand for cortisol it diverts production towards the progesterone to cortisol pathway and away from production of sex hormones. Overtime this becomes the preferred pathway and sex hormone production takes a hit.
For post menopausal women, the adrenals become the primary producer of sex hormones. So it is even more crucial to manage stress and find pleasure (stress antidote) to keep this production happening.

For pre-menopausal woman you may be thinking, luckily I still have functioning ovaries. This is a good thing however the system is very integrated. And whilst it is true that the ovaries do produce most of our sex hormones the impact that stress has on the overall production is still very real. The production of sex hormones from the adrenal system is so important for achieving hormone balance throughout the body. The adrenals can respond immediately to fluctuating levels of sex hormones, providing more or less when functioning adequately. High levels of cortisol actually signals the brain to tell the ovaries to reduce production of sex hormones, that is, if it is under stress it is not concerned with harvesting another human being. Also for women, testosterone production is primarily produced by the adrenals and only a small amount via the ovaries – hence stress will have a significant impact of libido, muscle mass, fatigue.

So where does that leave us?

Well in a pretty common situation unfortunately. We get elevated Cortisol which eventually will progress into Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Insufficiency aka Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome AND lowered levels of Oestrogen, Progesterone and Testosterone.

How does this situation look?
• weight gain in waist, inflammatory hormonal fat
• blood sugar swings and cravings
• increased inflammation
• reduced thyroid hormone function
• reduced melatonin and sleep disturbances
• bone loss
• increased cardiovascular disease risk
• reduced memory, reduced mood (tearful, depressed) and reduced will power
• loss of muscle mass, poor muscle tone
• increased risk of infection
• menstrual abnormalities or no period
• low libido, vaginal dryness, incontinence

NOT A PRETTY PICTURE LADIES!!!!

I also want to point out that stress on the body is not just mental and emotional stress. Other stressors can include:
• pain in the body
• intense or prolonged exercise
• inflammatory foods
• food additives, pesticides, herbicides
• drugs, alcohol, caffeine
• blood sugar issues
• sleep deprivation
• chemicals, metals, radiation, electromagnetic fields (iphone etc)
• allergies, over active immune response
• exogenous hormones like birth control and antibiotics
• infected with parasite, bacteria or viruses
We need to realise that what we think, do and feel drives our hormones and hormone balance is so important for our vitality, longevity and overall health. Understanding the effects of stress on our hormonal system is crucial. The simple notion of exercise more and harder and eat less food (both of which can be perceived as further stress) does not hold true and can actually lead to further hormonal imbalance.

The key to getting your hormones back on track is:

1. Recognising you are surviving on stress. This looks like – lack of sleep, feel exhausted when waking, coffee to get you started, rushing around in the morning, barely time to eat let alone enjoy it, disliking your body or yourself and constantly having negative thoughts around this, no time to stop or switch off, tired all the time but pushing through, easily angry or upset, less enjoyable to be around, very little left to give to others.
2. Take action (small or big) to remove those things that are stressing you out. Be brave and know that you are doing it for your health and happiness.
3. Ask for help. Work with someone or at least work with yourself.
4. Give it time. The longer you have been persevering and struggling the more damaged your inside network. It will take time to reestablish normal functioning.
5. It is never too late to invest in yourself.

If there is only one thing you do today for yourself, please spend time to LISTEN TO THIS FANTASTIC TED TALK on “The pace of modern life vs our cavewoman biochemistry” by Dr. Libby!!!! Life changing.

Love

Chantel