Yep, we're going there. In this episode I am discussing a reddit thread that claimed there were 10 things they wish they knew about their vagina prior to becoming an adult. I talk about 10 things I find important & talk about things you may only think about but have never said out loud. You may want to grab some headphones for this one. 

Lets get into it! 

Welcome to the hormone hub podcast, I am your host Dr. Laura Pipher and I am a naturopathic doctor helping you take your hormones from chaos to calm. in this episode I am talking about  - What is a real period  - What is the difference between a "real" and "fake" period and why does it matter - How long should your period last and how heavy should it be - What causes heavy bleeding - When should you worry that your period is a medical emergency - is spotting a concern and what are the causes?

Join the hormone hub free community here - https://the-hormone-hub.mn.co/feed

Im your host Dr. Laura Pipher & I am a naturopathic doctor who helps you take your hormones from chaos to calm. Over my years as a practitioner I have worked with many women, and found that there are so many gaps in the knowledge of our own bodies. My purpose here is to educate about hormones and women health, talk about the things that make us feel comfortable, answer your questions, help you feel empowered about your healthcare decisions and hopefully give you some entertainment.

Have you ever been told your #thyroid is "fine" but you suffer from #fertility concerns, fatigue, weight gain, constipation, dryskin, hairloss, muscle and joint pain, or insomnia? ⁠ ⁠ 

Have you actually had your ENTIRE thyroid panel evaluated to make sure you are within the OPTIMAL range, rather than just putting you into the "normal" category? ⁠

 ⁠ It is important to understand lab reference ranges. References ranges are usually established by collecting results from a large population and determining from the data an expected average (mean) result and expected differences from that average (standard deviation).

 This means that just because you fall "within the range", things may not be working optimally for YOU. ⁠ ⁠ Looking for more insight on your thyroid labs? Listen to this episode to get everything you need to know ! ⁠

Can your thyroid ACTUALLY impact your other hormones?  

Could it be the cause of period problems and infertility?   

Watch this video as I deep dive into the importance of having your thyroid adequately evaluated and explain the most commonly seen thyroid concerns.   Have you joined the hormone hub yet? 

What are you waiting for?

 Join here- https://the-hormone-hub.mn.co/

Do you suffer from #PMS? ⁠ ⁠

Did you know that there are different types of PMS with different root causes which will impact your treatment plan. ⁠ ⁠ 

PMS A- #Anxiety ⁠ Possibly due to #estrogendominance and is dominated by feelings of anxiety leading up to your period. ⁠ ⁠

 PMS C- #Cravings ⁠ Can be due to #bloodsugar imbalances and lead to those hard to control cravings that let you know your period is coming. ⁠ 

⁠ PMS D- #Depression⁠Can be low #estrogen levels & excess breakdown of neurotransmitters or high #testosterone levels. ⁠ 

⁠ PMS H- #Hyperhydration ⁠ Symptoms include: Weight gain, breast tenderness, swelling- can be due to poor #stress management, #magnesium deficiency, excess estrogen ⁠ ⁠

 ** You also may have a combination of types as well ** ⁠  I am breaking down these types and discussing my top tips ! ⁠

Have you been told you have fibroids? ⁠ Will they impact your fertility?⁠ ⁠

 That depends on a few different factors!⁠ Learn more in this video. 

 Have you joined my free community? join here - https://the-hormone-hub.mn.co/

Suffer from period problems? 

 This is some of the bloodwork I will recommend when we are evaluating hormones, but the majority of the time my patients are not being told when to go for these tests in order to get the most accurate information as it pertains to their cycle. 

 Whether you are evaluating for fertility, period problems or wondering if you are peri menopausal, testing at the RIGHT time in your cycle is critical to creating a treatment plan for your concerns.   Check out my latest video to understand WHEN you should have your bloodwork done and WHY.

Do you track your ovulation? ⁠ ⁠ 

did you know? 

EVEN if you aren't trying to conceive, this information is CRITICAL to understanding your overall hormone balance. ⁠ ⁠ In this video im chatting all about tracking your ovulation ⁠and why its important for EVERYONE (far beyond fertility)   

Don't forget to join the hormone hub community for more!  ⁠https://the-hormone-hub.mn.co/

I hear this ALL the time when I talk to my patients who are taking birth control. "My period is very light, comes every 28 days, is a lot less painful"   I also hear the other side of the coin "My period doesn't come every month, my mood & acne is worse, etc".  

Well heres the thing- your period on birth control is actually NOT a real period. Whether it is light, heavy, comes every month or is associated with worsened acne only tells us how the synthetic hormones are making you feel.   The truth is, we don't have any clue about how YOUR hormones are working because birth control shuts off the communication between the brain and the ovaries. 

This means you aren't ovulatiing or cycling your hormones, and the "period" you experience is just a withdrawal bleed from discontinuing your synthetic hormones.   

Questions?  Join my free Hormone Hub members community & start balancing your hormones so you can focus on what matters! https://the-hormone-hub.mn.co/