toxins Archives - Dr. Ashley Damm

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Category: toxins

Environmental toxins impact your hormones

July 26, 2019

Hormones, Lifestyle, toxins

10 steps to reduce your environmental toxin...

I am a naturopathic doctor with a holistic approach and a special interest in the intricacies of the human body. I strive
to understand the why behind symptom patterns as a key to understanding the best solutions and support for my patients.

(c) Dr. Ashley Damm, ND. All Rights Reserved.

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#208-888 W. 8th Ave, Vancouver BC.
V5Z 3Y1

Hours:
Sun: 8-3pm
Mon: 2-8pm
Tues: 8-12pm
Wed: 7-1pm
Thur: 2-8pm

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drashleydamm

Naturopathic doctor @acubalancewellnesscentre
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#208-888 W 8th Ave, Vancouver BC
604-678-8600
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Dysbiosis = an imbalance of your microbiome. 💩
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There are more gut bugs than the total number of human cells on our body! We can’t live without them. They play an important role in maintaining the health of our gut cells, producing certain essential vitamins and are deeply connected to our immune function (among many other things!)
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Good bacteria prevent the build-up of bad bacteria, by outcompeting them for food and resources. Having strong, healthy levels are important for keeping the balance. However, when this balance is disrupted, it results in dysbiosis.
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Dysbiosis may mean that there is more “bad bacteria” compared to “good bacteria”. Dysbiosis can also result when the microbiome residing is in the wrong area. The majority of our microbiome should be found in the large colon. When they migrate up into the small colon, it can cause numerous digestive symptoms.
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This is called Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, or “SIBO”. SIBO is the number one cause of IBS. Symptoms include: bloating, abdominal pain, irregular bowel movements, gas/bleching, etc.
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Testing for dysbiosis may include a breath test to rule out SIBO, and/or a stool test to look at what type of pathogens are present and if there are imbalances. Testing can help determine the best treatment plan for you.
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Chronic bloating and pain are not a normal part of digestion. Check out my recent blog to learn more about SIBO (link in bio!)
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📷: Garlic (allium sativum), common natural antimicrobial used to treat dysbiosis. .
#ibs #sibo #digestion #dysbiosis #bloating #pain #glutenfree #fodmaps #healing #naturalhealth #naturopathicmedicine #functionalmedicine #integrativemedicine #vancouver #yvr

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PMS, heavy periods, cramps, etc. may be signs of an estrogen excess picture. We need to determine WHY this is happening in order to effectively and sustainably treat it.
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There are numerous possible reasons, genetics, environmental toxins, inflammation, nutritional deficiencies and many more. Today I want to talk about one big area - your gut microbiome. 💩
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How does your digestion impact your hormonal health? .
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Your digestive tract is one of the primary ways you detoxify and clear out your hormones. If your digestion is not optimal (irregular bowel movements, bloating, gas, etc.) it will impact your ability to effectively clear out hormones. If the piping is clogged, how can you get rid of things?
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What about the microbiome? When your estrogen is broken down, it’s passed through the liver (to inactivate it) and dumped into the colon for clearance. A healthy gut microbiome makes sure the estrogen stays inactive and can continue it’s journey out (via the stool). An unhealthy microbiome can impair estrogen clearance. They produce an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase which binds the estrogen and reactivates it. This reactivated estrogen can be re-absorbed into the body! 🤯
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Maintaining a healthy microbiome (and digestion!) is essential for maintaining hormonal balance.
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PMID 23259758 .
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#hormones #hormonehealth #digestion #microbiome #guthealth #detox #wellness #health #naturalhealth #naturopathicmedicine #functionalmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #vancouver #yvr

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What brings you joy? And how often do you prioritize those things?
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There is a chronic stress problem. It seems you can’t escape it, it’s everywhere. Deadlines, personal goals, laundry, car troubles, even the loud neighbours stomping above you when you’re trying to sleep. Many of these things are out of your control. What’s in your control is how you perceive the stress around you, and what you do to manage it. .
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I like to use a cup as an analogy. All the stress around you (noise, fluorescent lights, bad vibes, imbalances in health, poor nutrition etc.) fill your daily cup. If you don’t have strategies or tools, DAILY, to empty that cup, it will overflow. When your cup is overflowing, it’s difficult to find balance and health.
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Stress is present EVERY DAY. What do you do EVERY DAY to counter and manage that stress? Sadly, our usual stress management strategies (exercise, meditation, doing something fun with friends), are the first things to go when we feel stressed. This has to change.
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When your car needs a tune-up, you go see a mechanic. When your hungry, you eat. When you’re stressed, your self-care needs to be a priority. Book an appointment with yourself, daily.
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And yes, I talk about this a lot, because it’s just that important. 🤗
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📷: Today’s self-care is painting.
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#stress #stressmanagement #selfcare #health #healing #boundaries #lifestyle #functionalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #naturalmedicine #vancouver #yvr

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I ran out of time today, and had to opt for a quick dinner. I went with spaghetti - bottled pasta sauce and gluten-free spaghetti, easy and fast BUT I added in some fun stuff to boost it up nutritionally: .
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Zucchini - Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Magnesium.
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Garlic - lowers blood pressure, improves cholesterol, antimicrobial properties.
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Onions- lots of antioxidants, high in vitamin C, B vitamins and potassium, great for blood sugar regulation, antimicrobial
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Oregano, dried - many minerals including calcium, potassium and minerals, even dried herbs .
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Took no time at all to add these ingredients (found in the fridge and pantry), allowing me to have a 30-min meal without compromising the nutrition. While I recommend eating with whole foods, not from packages as often as you can, sometimes it’s not an option. This is an easy way to jazz up your meal. 🤗
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#glutenfree #nutrition #healthyeating #vegan #vegetarian #easymeals #30minmeals #foodmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #functionalmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #health #vancouver #yvr

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Hi! It’s been one year since I started this page and I wanted to re-introduce myself 🙋🏾‍♀️
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I’m a naturopathic doctor, practicing in my hometown, Vancouver BC. You can find me @acubalancewellnesscentre . I have an interest in hormones and digestive health, but my true passion is connecting with people, listening to their stories, and guiding them to feel their best. 👩🏾‍⚕️
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I love science - I love to dig into things and understand why things work the way they work. I have a degree in Molecular biology and biochemistry and spent a year and a half working in research, before I found naturopathic medicine. 🤓
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Some fun facts about me: I was terrified of cats, before I adopted 2 😺 I speak two languages ✌🏾I love non-fiction books, but I’ve also re-read the Harry Potter series more times than I can count 📙I love to paint & draw 👩🏾‍🎨 I’ve played competitive soccer for most of my life ⚽️ I’ve traveled to 11 countries ✈️ Hip-hop is my favorite genre of music 🎵
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This page is to educate and empower you, because I believe that you are worth it. You deserve to feel your best, and I’m here to remind you of that. If there’s something you’re interested in learning more about, lemme know! I’d love to hear from you. 😊
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#naturopathicmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #vancouver #yvr #functionalmedicine #natural #healing #wellness #prevention #health

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How is the quality of your sleep? Do you feel refreshed first thing in the morning? How long does it take you to get going?
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Good sleep is foundational for health and prevention. And yet it’s astonishing the number of patients I see who report unrefreshing sleep. We know that good quality sleep is essential in many health concerns. This includes immune function, mental health, cardiovascular health, hormones, and many other things. It’s difficult to see sustainable changes in health if you don’t have a regular, good night’s sleep.
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We are creatures of habit. Our bodies are regulated by an internal biological clock, also known as a circadian rhythm. This rhythm is an important way of letting us know when it’s time for sleep. Therefore, having some form of routine is an important way of letting our bodies know it’s time for bed. The routine you hold the hour before bed is especially important. The practices you hold during this time is known as sleep hygiene.
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If you find you have unrefreshing mornings, a good place is to start is optimizing your sleep habits. Head over to my blog (link in bio) to see my 10 tips for creating good sleep hygiene.😴
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#sleep #insomnia #energy #productivity #functionalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #naturalmedicine #natural #selfcare #health #healing #prevention #vancouver #yvr

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