Posts about heart health | Dr. Emina Jasarevic, Naturopath Kelowna

Heart Health & Cholesterol – What women (and men) NEED to Know.

February 16, 2024

The Gender Gap Cardiovascular disease (CVD) or Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the…

Why do I have allergies?

Seasonal allergies occur when your immune system overreacts to normally harmless airborne particles. An allergy is an abnormal hypersensitivity to these airborne particles or environmental antigens called allergens. An allergen can include pollen from trees, grasses, weeds, and ragweed, as well as cat or dog dander, dust and moulds. Exposure to an allergen leads to overactive B cells that in turn produce excess Immunoglobulin E (IgE). IgE then triggers the allergic symptoms by activating mast cells (cells that line the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat) that produce histamine. Common symptoms include: runny nose, sinus congestion, headache, fatigue and itchy eyes.

Will I have to change my lifestyle and/or diet?

Most likely yes, although in some cases it might just be temporary to rebalance your digestive health.

How do I know if I have allergies or just a cold?

There are several symptoms to consider to ensure that you have allergies and not a cold:

You are sneezing in rapid, repeated sequences
Your nose, ears and throat (especially the roof of your mouth) are itchy
You do not have a fever or achy muscles
Your mucosal secretions are clear and runny
Your symptoms are lasting longer than 10 days

If you’re still not convinced, naturopathic physicians – commonly referred to as naturopaths – can perform skin or blood tests to confirm whether you are allergic to something.

Estrogen & Progesterone

Estrogen and progesterone are the two dominant female sex hormones produced by the ovaries, as well as the adrenal glands. In a healthy woman, these two hormones are in balance. Estrogen helps the uterine lining develop and is important for ovulation. Estrogen levels normally peak just before ovulation, and then slowly drop off in the second half of a woman’s cycle.

Progesterone is known as the relaxing hormone in the body. It maintains the uterine lining and is necessary for embryo development. Normally, progesterone levels start to rise just before ovulation, and peak around day 21. If a woman does not become pregnant, progesterone levels fall, the uterine lining is then shed and a period begins.

Common conditions occur under the umbrella of “estrogen dominance”, when there is significantly more estrogen than progesterone creating health issues such as PMS, migraines or headaches, anxiety or low mood, food cravings, digestive issues, and weight gain.

Estrogen dominance also exists in men, when there is significantly more estrogen than testosterone. This becomes an issue when “aromatization” occurs whereby the body prefers conversion of testosterone to estrogen. In aromatization, men may develop more breast tissue, abdominal weight gain, reduced libido, reduced sexual function, and difficulty maintaining lean muscle mass.

These important hormones are the primary players that shift as women enter into perimenopause. To learn more about how these hormones fluctuate during this time and how you can support your transition through pre-, peri- and post-menopause, click here.

“Begin with little things daily and one day you will be doing things that months back you would have thought impossible.”
– Swami Satchidananda

“The art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician.Therefore the physician must start from nature, with an open mind”
– Paracelsus

“I believe that the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you.”
– Joyce Meyer

“There is more wisdom in your body than in your deepest philosophies.”
– Friedrich Nietzsche

“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
– Paulo Coelho

“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin. ”
– William Shakespeare

A fit body, a calm mind, a house full of love. These things cannot be bought – they must be earned.”
– Naval Ravikant

“I don’t count my sit-ups; I only start counting when it starts hurting because they are the only ones that count.”
– Muhammed Ali

Dr. Emina jasarevic, nd | Naturopathic physician

heart health

Heart Health & Cholesterol – What women (and men) NEED to Know.

FAQ

Why do I have allergies?

Will I have to change my lifestyle and/or diet?

How do I know if I have allergies or just a cold?

Estrogen & Progesterone

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