Ever think that menstrual cramps are just a fact of life? That every woman has them? And even if they don’t, that you are just one of the unlucky ones? I call BS! Cramps are actually a symptom of an underlying problem. They can be cured (more or less – and may be especially problematic … Read more
I recently posted an article on the relationship between a paleo diet and menstrual cramps (also find more info on this relationship in my book here), but it is important to understand what menstrual cramping is in and of itself. What are menstrual cramps, and where do they come from? Why are they so painful, … Read more
Neurotransmitters: Exciting and Inhibiting Gamma-Amino-Butyric-Acid, or GABA, is the chief inhibitory neurotransmitter in the human brain. Along with serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, glycine, histamine, and norepinephrine, among dozens of other neurotransmitters, GABA regulates brain function. Different neurotransmitters are in relationship with different types of receptors, and these receptors signal excitation or inhibition. For this reason, neurotransmitters … Read more
A lot of women who have PCOS try the paleo diet to help them overcome the PCOS. The majority of them see great, quick results. Paleo helps them achieve greater weight loss, improve their insulin sensitivity, and regain their fertility. Paleo also reduces inflammation, enhances the nutrient content of the diet, and helps balance hormones. … Read more
Neuropeptide Y is one of several neuromodulators involved in regulating feeding. These include classic neurotransmitters such as serotonin, GABA, or dopamine, molecules derived from fatty acids like endocannabinoids, and neuropeptides. (All of which I will discuss at length eventually.) Every neuromodulator can be classified as orexic or anorexic. Orexic cells drive feeding. Anorexic cells do … Read more
The literature on sleep and obesity is becoming dense. Lots of things happen to people when they sleep. One of them has to do with appetite regulation, so many researchers are coming to believe that sleep plays a dominant role in today’s vast American Overfeed. This hunch is supported by striking correlations. In 1960, a … Read more
There is a hell of a dichotomy occurring in the Paleo blogosphere this month. 99 percent of the time I am pleased as Pooh stuck up a honey tree, nestled in my esoteric corner of paleo-feminist rage, but every once in a while I wish more people could hear what I have to say. Today … Read more
I’m going to pick up here where I left off on my last post. There, I covered the role that exercise and energy deficits play in HPA-axis-induced amenorrhea. Here, I cover the effects of psychosocial stress, and also how the two kinds of stress play off of each other. Hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA) typically results from … Read more
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis (you can read an introduction to it here) is one of the leading contributors to poor reproductive health. The pituitary gland tells the reproductive organs what to do, and the hypothalamus tells the pituitary gland what to do. If the hypothalamus puts up a stop sign, then sex hormone levels fall. … Read more
Pregnenolone steal is not a term commonly used by medical professionals and doctors. Yet if described to them, they would happily admit that it is a real phenomenon that affects millions of people. In fact, it affects every person (and especially every woman, since female hormones are more sensitive than male) who has ever been … Read more