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
📍Vancouver, BC
👩🏾‍⚕️Hormones, Digestion, IV’s and more.
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“Fertility diet” . . 🍋There’s a lot of in

“Fertility diet”
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🍋There’s a lot of info out there about fertility supporting or boosting foods. It can feel overwhelming because it feels like there’s a new super food every other day.
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🍋I keep it simple. Our goal is nutrient dense foods. We use something similar to the Canada food guide, and tailor from there: 50% vegetables, 25% protein, 25% whole grain/complex carb and a healthy fat with each meal.
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🍋Usually this means an increase in your daily vegetable intake or diversifying your vegetables intake. Vegetables are jam packed with nutrients, antioxidants and more.
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🍋From here - we may tailor further. I look at your health history, medical conditions, inflammation, digestion, energy, hormone balance, skin health, lab work etc. - and make tweaks from there.
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🍋This may mean reducing inflammatory foods for your body, better supporting blood sugar, hormone balance or detox pathways etc.
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🍋Sometimes we may run a nutrition assessment or other labs - rule out Celiac disease, food sensitivities or a micronutrient panel to customize even more.
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🍋Finally, we talk about resources and examples - how to implement these changes so it doesn’t feel overwhelming! I don’t believe nutrient-dense foods means taste or satisfaction needs to be compromised.
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#nutrition #fertility #fertilitydiet #fertilityfoods #ttc #ttcjourney #ivf #ivfsupport #lifestyle #health #wellness #healthyliving #prevention #holistichealth #naturopathicmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #naturopath #integrativemedicine #functionalmedicine #vancouvernaturopath #diet #hormones #hormonehealth #womanshealth #vancouver #vancouvernaturopath #yvr #naturopathvancouver

“What do my labs mean?” . . 🩸Part of a fert

“What do my labs mean?”
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🩸Part of a fertility work-up often includes blood work - assessing hormone balance and ovarian reserve. Patients often bring their labs with them to discuss and interpret. This is something I encourage you to do with your healthcare provider.
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🩸A blood test is a snapshot of what’s going on in the body, at that specific moment. As we know, our hormones are constantly fluctuating; there are different high and low points in our hormones at different times in the month, and also at different times in the day.
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🩸Blood tests are also measuring what is in the blood! This may not be a true representation of what’s in the tissue, or what is active.
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✨Therefore, what you see in your lab results is just ONE piece of the puzzle.
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🩸Because hormones fluctuate so dramatically through the course of a cycle - testing on the RIGHT days is super important for proper assessment. This is something your doctor should tell you - and if they don’t, ask!
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🩸Fertility labs are also interpreted based on your chronological age.
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✨A thorough and complete assessment utilizes not only blood work, but also your clinical picture: history, family history, symptoms, physical exam etc.
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What do I look at when assessing labs?
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🩸First is assessing for red flags - clear imbalances, deficiencies or excesses that need to be further worked up or addressed.
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🩸If this is all clear, then we look at your blood work within the context of your WHOLE health history - are things looking optimal? Do things look out of balance, and explain some of your symptoms? Does your treatment plan need to be adjusted?
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🩸We review all of this information together. Finally, we discuss monitoring and when/if re-testing is needed.
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#hormones #hormonebalance #womanshealth #fertility #menopause #perimenopause #labtesting #testdontguess #reproductivehealth #fpcos #thyroid #menstrualhealth #pms #rootcause #naturalhealth #functionalmedicine #naturopathicmedicine #vancouver #yvr #naturopathvancouver

Preconception workup 🌿 . . The general recommen

Preconception workup 🌿
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The general recommendation for fertility is to seek out support after 6 months if >35years or after 1 year if <35 years of age. However, I often recommend checking in with your naturopathic doctor or health care provider, preconception, to get a baseline assessment. In our appointments, the goals for the preconception generally focus on:
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1️⃣Education
🔹quick overview of the changes of 🔹hormones through the cycle
🔹Identifying your “fertile phase” and optimal window to time intercourse
🔹Methods to optimize egg quality and sperm quality
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2️⃣Balance and imbalances
🔸Digestion & nutrition - how are you fueling your body, and are their signs of nutritional deficiencies? Are there issues with absorbing your foods?
🔸Sleep - are you getting optimal sleep, feeling rested and restored?
🔸Hormones - any signs of imbalance? Irregular cycles, pain, pms etc.
🔸Any other imbalances or concerns coming up for you?
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3️⃣Labs - if indicated, we may run some tests. This can help a helpful tool to gain a sense of what’s going on in your internal environment, and start supporting it. More on this later.
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We end the visit with a plan, and address any questions. ✨
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#health #wellness #fertilty #ttc #ttcjourney #hormones #hormonebalance #reproductivehealth #womenshealth #menshealth #hormoneimbalance #menstruation #menstrualcycle #periodpain #periodpower #naturopath #naturopathicdoctor #vancouvernaturopath #functionalmedicine #prevention #holistichealth #vancouver #yvr #naturopathvancouver

And that’s a wrap 2020 💫 . . This year I’ve

And that’s a wrap 2020 💫
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This year I’ve learned what gratitude means on a whole other level. For life, for health, for our environment, for social interactions and mental health, for human rights and so much more. I have no idea what 2021 will bring; I’ve relinquished all expectations. Whatever comes, approach it first with kindness and openness, and I’m sure we’ll be ok. 🧡
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Wishing you all a happy new year ✨
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With the lengthened restrictions in place- this mo

With the lengthened restrictions in place- this month is really starting to feel heavy. Anyone else 🙋🏾‍♀️
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I’ve been feeling a lot more stagnant this month, and more awareness of fluctuating stress levels. While supplements can help sometimes - I find there’s no replacement to your daily practices.
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Right now these three things are have been a big support to my mental health:
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⛅️Daily fresh air - get out for a walk - put on your rain shoes/boots, rain jacket, umbrella and warm beverage and just go - no second thoughts. It’s rare that you ever feel worse after a walk.
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🧘🏾‍♀️Daily meditation or breath work - If you notice stress has started to impact your sleep - consider a bedtime meditation. If you notice you’re waking up with some anxiety or low mood - consider a morning meditation. I love @insighttimer because it’s got lots of different options depending on where you’re at in the moment.
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🚴🏾‍♀️Daily movement. This one can feel the hardest. I personally find indoor exercises boring - and hard to stay motivated. I’ve had to find creative ways to feel excited about exercise - even though I know all the positive effects it has on my mental health and body. Despite this, I work hard to make this a daily practice - yoga, HIIT exercise, skip rope, I even bought some ankle weights 😂
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I’m concerned about everyone’s mental health over the holidays. I want to make sure you’re feeling supported while following the regulations. If you need some extra support, reach out. If you know someone who needs some extra support, reach out to them. Pandemic fatigue is feeling real and we’re all likely feeling the effects of it - share your resources, tips, and love.🌿
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#stresssupport #dailyrituals #dailyhabits #mentalhealth #pandemic #selfcare #stress #coping #yvr #vancouver #vancity #health #wellness #lifestyle #naturopathicmedicine #naturopath #vancouvernaturopath #naturopathvancouver

I ask about stress in every visit - “How are you

I ask about stress in every visit - “How are your stress levels?”. For some people, it’s a really difficult question to answer. I often will hear:
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▪️”No more than anyone else”
▪️”Its high, but it’s high for everyone, so it’s fine”
▪️”I don’t know”.
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I agree, stress is prevalent in most people we ask. But that doesn't make YOUR stress less important. It doesn’t mean, your stress requires less attention. It doesn’t mean you can’t ask for help.
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Everyday, I see the impact of stress on:
▫️Mental health
▫️Sleep
▫️Digestion
▫️Menstrual health
▫️Energy levels
▫️Libido
▫️Productivity
▫️Immune system
▫️Metabolism
& more.
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Yes, perhaps stress is all around us and some may say inevitable, but 1️⃣recognizing your stress 2️⃣establishing daily tools to manage stress, and 3️⃣asking for support are 3 big steps to prevention, and finding vitality.
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If stress is present daily, your tools to manage should be a daily practice. And despite those, sometimes your body and you need some extra support, and that’s ok too. There are some incredible resources in the naturopathic toolkit to help your body manage stress 🌿
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📸:Big part of my regular stress support is weekly hikes, every Sat morning. 🌲
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#stress #stresssupport #adrenals #adrenalfatigue #hormones #selfcare #adaptogens #mentalhealth #insomnia #sleep #womanshealth #productivity #immune #naturopath #naturopathicmedicine #functionalmedicine #integrativemedicine #vancouver #vancity #yvr #vancouvernaturopth #naturopathvancouver

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