Have you ever wanted to learn about your hormones but didn't know where to start? No matter who you are, there's probably something you can learn about your body in the DUTCH Complete Test. This test, by a lab out of Oregon called Precision Analytical, is a urine-based test which looks a variety of hormones in your body.

This test might be for you if...

• You notice you're more tired than usual
• Your sleep is poor
• You are losing your hair and your thyroid is OK 
• You have a family history of breast cancer
• You have symptoms of low hormones like hot flashes, loss of muscle mass or low libido
• You have trouble losing weight

This test uses some pretty amazing technology to tell us not only how much of our sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA) the body is making but also how it is breaking those down and clearing them from the body. The test also looks at adrenal hormones cortisol and cortisone (helpful for energy, sleep/wake, healing and recovery), nutritional status of some vitamins, levels of neurotransmitters and melatonin levels. This test is appropriate for men and women.

When I took the test I was surprised to see how low my progesterone was (happens with stress!) and also how low my melatonin was (explained why my sleep was so bad). Using the results from the DUTCH Complete Test I have been able to help many patients (not just myself :) get their hormone health back on track.

If you're interested in learning more - visit the test website or contact me to schedule a visit so I may order it for you. 

A few years ago I wrote a blog post called "Your Solar Rockstar: Vitamin D3" and I think it's time to revisit it. Below are my current feelings on the importance of vitamin D for your health and vitality...

Vitamin D is one of the most important nutrients you may be lacking in right now. Vitamin D3 (the active form of vitamin D) is actually considered a hormone which is produced naturally in your body through a complex process. UV rays interact with cholesterol in your skin to produce a compound which is then activated further by the liver and the kidneys - and, voila! Active vitamin D3 is born. Dietary sources of actual vitamin D3 are scarce, so our body's own production of this vitamin/hormone are key! The unfortunate thing, however, is that there are many risk factors for being vitamin D3 deficient.

Risk factors for Vitamin D3 deficiency:

• Living north of the 35th parallel (basically north of Southern California on the west coast and north of Georgia on the east coast)
• Living in a highly polluted environment
• Skin with high amounts of melanin
• Avoiding sun exposure (covering up, using sunscreen or spending most of your time indoors)
• Gut diseases that cause poor nutrient absorption (gallbladder disease, IBD, SIBO, Celiac disease, etc)
• Liver or kidney disease
• Taking some drugs (such as anticonvulsants and corticosteroids) which reduce vitamin D3 levels
• Older age
• Obesity

Do any of these risk factors apply to you? 

If we are low in Vitamin D3, what are the risks? In severe deficiency, a condition called rickets in kids and osteomalacia in adults may develop. In both of these conditions, there may be seriously debilitating issues with bones and muscles. In less severe deficiencies, the effects are undoubtedly more frequent, far-reaching and, frankly, unrecognized.

Here are just a few conditions which are linked to Vitamin D3 status:

• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• Fatigue
• Painful periods
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Cancer
• Osteoporosis
• Back pain
• Frequent colds and infections
• Eczema
• Vitiligo

Here's a list of the best ways to improve your vitamin D3 status naturally:

• Spend time in the sun - 5-15 minutes in the sun 2-3 x per week in short sleeves and t-shirt (without sunscreen).
• Improve your gut health - work on improving your ability to absorb nutrients through your gut overall.
• Get tested - the first step may be to get some data about where your levels are.
• Eat food rich in vitamin D - Mushrooms, salmon, sardines, cod liver oil.

In my practice most of my patients, when tested, come back with suboptimal vitamin D3 levels. What is optimal? I consider 60-80 ng/mL optimal - whereas many lab normal ranges are around 30-100 ng/mL. Many of my patients who were told they had "great" vitamin D3 levels were still at risk for some of the vitamin D3 deficiency-related diseases mentioned above.

If you're at all concerned about your Vitamin D3 level, talk to your healthcare provider about getting a blood test. The best way to avoid suboptimal vitamin D3 levels and the accompanying risks is to get tested.

If you have more questions, please reach out to me! I'd love to help you.

Estrogen is pretty amazing. It feminizes the body, makes skin and hair softer, encourages accumulations of fat in the body and helps prepare a body to hold a baby. Excessive amounts of estrogen in your body, however, may cause many unwanted changes. The condition, called estrogen dominance, is primarily a concern for women but imbalances can occur in all people.

Symptoms of too much estrogen/ estrogen dominance:

• PMS - premenstrual syndrome
• Weight gain
• Cyclic headaches/migraines
• Moodiness - teary, sensitive
• “Brain fog”
• Water retention

There are a variety of natural supplements and lifestyle changes which can help reduce your body’s burden of estrogen and decrease these symptoms of estrogen dominance.

• Wild Nettle Root: Nettles contain compounds which are estrogen blockers and using them regular can decrease your production of estrogen.
• Chrysin: Produced by some plants and found in bee propolis, chrysin may block estrogen and boost testosterone.
• Maca: A member of the crucifer family of plants, maca comes from Peru and boasts adaptogenic properties and may  help balance hormones.
• Chia Seeds or Ground Flaxseed: These fiber-rich seeds are used to help improve the health of the colon and improve the quality of bowel movements. Another great benefit is to assist in clearing excess hormones, including estrogen, from the body.
• DIM: Diindolemethane is a phytochemical from cruciferous vegetables shown to be protective against hormonally-related cancers. This supplement helps the body clear estrogen.

Lifestyle

• Gain Muscle: Weight lifting helps the body regulate hormones naturally. Work with a trainer and talk to your healthcare provider about finding an appropriate program for you.
• Balance Blood Sugar: Eating a diet high in many carbohydrates and poor quality fats can increase our risk for blood sugar instability and diabetes which can make hormonal imbalance worse. Increase intake of lean protein, green vegetables; eat at regular intervals; get lab tests to check your blood sugar, insulin and A1c.

Be Well,
Dr. Katie
Click here to schedule your appt today.

​
Do you have a satisfying sex life? Do you have a healthy libido and often experience orgasm?

Did you know up to 50% of women experience sexual dysfunction of some kind? That means up to half of all women rarely feel sexually aroused and/or experience few, if any, orgasms. It’s time women stand up and reclaim their territory in the bedroom because we have just as much of a right to experience pleasure as our partners!

What can we do to improve our sexual satisfaction? Thanks to advances in research and understanding of the female sexual response, there are an increasing number of solutions to this predicament.

What kind of sexual dysfunction are you concerned about?

The female sexual response is quite complex and works properly thanks to a delicate balance of physical, psychological, social and emotional states and responses. It’s important to note that although an imbalance may be present, it is only considered a “dysfunction” when it causes distress for the patient, their partner or both.

Issues in any one of these areas can cause a less than satisfying experience for a woman or her partner:

• No Desire - Lack of desire or low libido is common, especially in older women, though it can happen at any age. The body’s lack of hormonal levels, especially decreased levels of testosterone, can lead to less desire. There are many other factors which may contribute to low libido in women of all ages including emotional states (stress, anxiety and depression), substance use, illness, certain medications, thyroid problems and relationship problems. When a woman is well physically and mentally, she will usually have some desire for sex.
  
• No Arousal - Women experience sexual arousal as a combination of physical changes, thoughts and feelings. Normal physical changes that occur for a woman who is sexually aroused include vaginal lubrication, vulvar swelling and increased desire for sex with sexual touch. Women with arousal issues may not experience any or all of these changes. Lack of arousal may be due to lack of blood flow or a lack of nervous system sensitivity to sexual touch.
  
• No Orgasm - “Anorgsamia” is the official term referring to absence of orgasm even in the presence of sexual arousal. While not extremely common, it is surprising to find that up to 12% of women who seek treatment for sexual dysfunction have never experienced orgasm. Although many women have accepted anorgasmia as normal, it is treatable and many have gained their orgasms again with the proper care.
  
• Painful Sex - “Dyspareunia” means painful intercourse. Sadly, this is common for many women. Causes of pain during sex can which are treatable with plant-based hormone therapies include: vaginal atrophy, lack of lubrication, local irritation and being prone to vaginal infections. There are many additional causes of painful sex which should be fully evaluated by your healthcare provider.
  

Your sexual health is important, so don’t hesitate to seek help if you need it! You deserve more!

Be well,
Dr. Disharoon


Click to Schedule a free consult with me today to find out what kind of work we could get done together!

​    “Hormones” get a bad rap as far as I’m concerned. They get the blame for for bad body odor and acne during the teen years, then PMS symptoms and fatigue and weight gain in our 40s and 50s. For each time we blame them for causing us pain and anguish there are a thousand other instances where hormones did great things for our bodies! We can thank hormones for waking us up in the morning, reminding us we’re hungry, keeping our energy steady throughout the day, keeping our moods peppy, giving us our sex drive and motivation… and on and on.

    So what are some clues our bodies be giving us that our hormones are “out of balance”? That’s a tough question, but here are 5 signs that hint toward hormones as that block between you and feeling your best.

1. You’re Always Tired - We can thank hormones from our adrenal glands, reproductive hormones and thyroid for giving us the energy to conquer our day. What happens when one or all of these glands aren’t working properly? We feel wiped out! When that coffee or energy drink habit just isn’t cutting it, it’s time to get your hormones properly checked.
   
2. Can’t Lose the Weight? - I see patients all the time who tell me they “just don’t get it” -- they used to lose weight so easily and now they can’t drop a pound! Well, the difference between weight loss when we’re young and when we’re getting on in years is partly hormones! Our metabolism generally decreases as we age thanks, in part, to our decreasing hormone production and our inability to hold onto muscle mass. Getting hormone levels back to optimal increases our chances of weight loss success.
   
3. PMS & Painful Periods - Most women have no idea that a “normal” period should be virtually symptom free! Mood change, breast tenderness, fatigue, bloating and cramping associated with the start of menses are all signs that estrogen and progesterone (and likely other hormonal players) need some help!
   
4. Do You Get “Hangry”? - Irritability and shakiness when you’re hungry is a sign of blood sugar imbalance and often due to a lack of the hormone cortisol. This symptom may be particularly troublesome at night which can affect your sleep, weight and overall health! Although it’s annoying, it is easily reversed and cured through easy changes to the diet and supplements.
   
5. You Have Zero Libido - TV and movies wants us to believe that women never want it and men always do! That’s simply not true. Sex drive is largely controlled by our hormones, particularly testosterone. Women, just like men, need testosterone for a healthy and satisfying sex life. When our sex drive is low, our hormones are likely also low. Inability to orgasm is another symptom of imbalanced hormones.
   

If you can relate to any of these symptoms, I suggest you do something about it. You don’t have to suffer anymore! The first step would be to see a healthcare provider who will offer proper testing to determine your hormone levels and what kinds of options may be available to you.

Be well,
Dr. Disharoon


Click to Schedule a free consult with me today to find out what kind of work we could get done together!