Dr. Sonya Jensen on Woman Unleashed and How Stress Shapes Our Hormones

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Katie: Hello, and welcome to the “Wellness Mama Podcast.” I’m Katie from WellnessMama.com and Wellnesse.com, that’s Wellnesse with an E on the top. And this podcast is all about how stress shapes our hormones and what to do about it. I’m right here with Dr. Sonya Jensen, who’s the creator of “Woman Unleashed,” And she’s a naturopathic doctor with a mission to alter the best way girls perceive their our bodies and themselves. And she has the assumption that girls are the middle of their households and communities, and that by supporting girls, we’re making a ripple impact to assist the complete neighborhood. And I wholeheartedly agree together with her on that. She’s the co-founder of Divine Elements Health Center, The Longevity Lab, and The Health Ignited Academy together with her husband, Dr. Nicholas Jensen.

 

And on this episode, we go deep on hormones and the way stress, trauma, and childhood experiences can form our hormones, the explanation that extra stress and cortisol can take our progesterone and what to do about it, the primary steps of reversing that course of and balancing hormones, her query for meals in life which is: Is this nourishing me?, find out how to shift into parasympathetic and sign to the physique that it’s protected, her 80/20 well being, prime dietary supplements for girls, find out how to enhance your progesterone, and a lot extra. Very fact-packed episode, and let’s be a part of Dr. Jensen. Dr. Sonya, welcome. Thanks for being right here.

 

Dr. Sonya: Thank you for having me. It’s so good to see you this time.

 

Katie: Nice to see you too. You are a requested repeat visitor, and I’m so excited as a result of you’ve a brand new e-book that I simply obtained to take a look at, referred to as “Woman Unleashed,” which we’re gonna discuss as we speak, and I feel there’s a lot on this that’s actually related to girls, particularly… I imply, all the time, however particularly proper now, from the ladies I hear from, and from my very own private expertise, and I feel there’s a lot we will be taught from you as we speak. To begin broad, I’m certain folks have possibly, like, a passing understanding of the connection, however are you able to form of stroll us via how stress, and trauma, and childhood experiences, and even generational trauma can form our hormones and our physique and our blueprint?

 

Dr. Sonya: Yeah. For certain. That’s a fantastic query. And the story actually does start even earlier than we have been born, within the womb, relying on our mom’s well being and simply how she’s perceiving her world, and the hormones that we’re receiving from her give us info on the form of surroundings we’re going to be born into. So that truly adjustments our phenotype and the hormones that we produce, in order that we will really be accepted into this new tribe that we’ll be born into. And from day one, we begin to form of observe the environment, we undergo these experiences that then are imprinted into our mind. So, when, it might be one thing so simple as, as we’re rising up, possibly we didn’t obtain the eye that we wished from our guardian, though they have been doing their greatest. So, it might be a micro-experienced trauma, or it might be a giant T trauma, the place we’ve skilled one thing that has compelled our mind to have a look at its surroundings, to get all of the cues, just like the sights, the sounds, the smells, and prepare the mind to know if we ever really feel this fashion once more, if we ever discover these triggers ever once more, the best way to reply is with our combat, flight, freeze, or please situation, which is our sympathetic nervous system, proper? So, it prompts that nervous system.

 

So, quick ahead, now, we might be in a relationship, or we may simply be doing on a regular basis life, and rapidly there’s a odor. Maybe mother was cooking one thing when our dad and mom have been combating in some unspecified time in the future, and it triggers the mind to form of return to that reminiscence, and our emotional heart holds onto that reminiscence, the hippocampus, all of them form of discuss to at least one one other, after which, once more, activate that sympathetic drive, which then turns off our parasympathetic and people thriving hormones, like progesterone, testosterone, and estrogen, that truly assist us thrive and navigate life the best way we’re required, and the best way we have to for fertility and simply total well being, and if we’re always in that sympathetic drive, it’s actually onerous for the physique to do what must be achieved to ensure that us to really feel wholesome.

 

Katie: Absolutely. I do know I’ve skilled this firsthand, and seen it in the previous few years in my very own life, with… Definitely, I had massive T trauma, and what I’m realizing now’s some smaller ones as properly, that I form of discounted compared to the larger one, however I used to be, for a decade, doing all of the issues “right,” and by the books, and all of the eating regimen and the dietary supplements and the train, and it wasn’t till I handled that different piece and let go of the trauma that every little thing else shifted. And what was superb was I had labored… I felt like I’d labored so onerous attempting to combat my physique all these years, after which after I handled this piece, all these issues obtained a lot simpler and all of the well being stuff resolved itself. And since I’ve began speaking about that, I do know… I’ve heard from so many ladies who have been like, “How did you do it? What were the steps?” And that’s why I used to be so excited to have you ever on. But discuss extra about how the hormones in that scenario are principally inflicting havoc within the physique in all points of life? Because I noticed it and I felt it, and I do know you perceive and may clarify it.

 

Dr. Sonya: Yeah. For certain. So, after we take into consideration stress basically, we launch hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to navigate that have and transfer us via that have. But to ensure that us to try this, we have now to close down our progesterone, as a result of progesterone will get transformed into cortisol. So, what’s progesterone? So, if it’s a menstruating lady, for instance, the primary half of your cycle, after you bleed, it’s predominantly geared in direction of utilizing estrogen, after which testosterone once you’re ovulating. So, throughout that first half of your cycle, you could have a bit extra power, you’re feeling a bit of bit extra outward sure, and need to get issues achieved, whereas the second half of your cycle, as quickly as you ovulate, progesterone is meant to shine, and progesterone could be very anti-anxiety, it’s anti-depressive, it’s the one which simply helps regulate our total system. So if that’s getting depleted as a result of this imprint in our psyche and in our nervous system, of all the time being very vigilant and all the time wanting via the lens that we could also be at risk after we’re the environment, we’re always depleting that hormone.

 

So now, we would see irregulation in our cycle, we would see PMS signs, we would see weight acquire due to that. So, when that’s taking place, and we’re not addressing these traumas and these tales, we might be doing all the best issues, we might be consuming all the best issues, we might be taking the dietary supplements, however that upstream issue, that was initially giving the sign, or creating this communication pathway between the mind and the remainder of your physique, that’s what must shift. That’s the factor that we have to unravel and unveil to ensure that us to create a brand new sample the place we will perceive that we’re not all the time at risk, that that is one thing that’s had a maintain of us, however we don’t all the time should be there. We will be within the parasympathetic, after which we will step into motion when we have to.

 

Katie: Yeah. That’s such an vital piece. I spotted after I labored via it that I had most likely been totally on sympathetic for actually years and years and years, and combating my physique, and realizing, in fact, my physique is just not gonna heal and relaxation and digest and sleep properly once you’re in that state. And, that mentioned, I do know it’s additionally very multifaceted, and that there’s a variety of individuality that comes into play right here, however let’s begin broad with how do you begin to determine these components after which carry these hormones again into steadiness?

 

Dr. Sonya: Yeah. For certain. So, within the e-book, I’ve these pause moments. So, typically, we are going to know in our thoughts after we are responding to life not the best way we really need to, but it surely’s coming from this response place. So, we could also be having a dialog with somebody and having this sense within our physique that simply doesn’t really feel like ourselves, and we’re reacting, and we’re irritable, and all of the actions that we’re taking, we could wanna go on this eating regimen and do very well, however there’s all the time one thing that drives us to seize onto that meals that we all know isn’t gonna serve our physique, so, pausing and asking ourself this query of, “Who does this story actually belong to? What are my driving forces? Like, what drives me to make these decisions? What’s the foundation on which I have built my life on, and this lens that I’m wearing?”

 

The extra questions we start to ask, the extra curious we change into of why issues are taking place the best way they’re. So, within the e-book, I additionally lay out this questionnaire the place you get to determine in case you are the duchess, the diva, or the damsel. So, these are these three archetypes that we could have put into our life. We could have captured these roles and put these masks on in an effort to survive our moments. So, for instance, the duchess, she could also be somebody that, you recognize, will get every little thing achieved completely. So, she is on schedule, on level, extra of a Type A. She could also be a CEO. She’s anyone that runs her family, very organized, and simply will get the job achieved. So, that’s such a present. And she additionally has to dwell in additional of that yang, sympathetic state to ensure that her to get that achieved.

 

So well being by no means actually is a precedence. So, on this state, she could not sit down and eat her meals and chew correctly, as a result of she doesn’t have time, proper? Or she is simply on the go on a regular basis, so possibly now she’s coping with IBS, and possibly irregular cycles, and all this stuff, their indicators are displaying up in her physique, however she will be able to’t cease and really have a look at that as a result of if she does, she’ll really feel unraveled and he or she doesn’t have time to really feel unraveled. It’s actually asking your self the query of, “Where am I in that triangle of disconnect,” that I discuss. “What are my driving forces? And then what can I do to support myself in making an alternate decision, so that I can unpack what’s actually going on here?”

 

Katie: Yeah. I positively can resonate with points of that, and I feel, for me, a part of it was a response to that feeling of helplessness and the trauma was to then management each variable, and run every little thing in a really regimented method. And I needed to learn to unpack that, and likewise to seek out gratitude for it, as a result of what I spotted was that mechanism occurred to guard me. My unconscious was doing its job. It was for, such as you mentioned, for security and survival. That’s not a foul factor, but it surely wasn’t a factor I wanted anymore. And so, it was studying to launch that. And I additionally keep in mind in that part worrying I used to be gonna lose my edge, as a result of that was the factor that drove me to get a lot achieved. And I inform girls now, it’s, you don’t lose your edge, you simply get to decide on once you use the sword. And I feel that’s the actually vital distinction.

 

Dr. Sonya: Yes, that id, proper? So, we really feel like we’re gonna lose that id, and there typically will be a variety of grief round that, and an unknown, and that unknown can really feel like a really scary place.

 

Katie: Absolutely. And it’s led to this fascinating discovery. I do know you discuss a few of these issues too so far as childhood stuff, and realizing, like, I had, by all accounts, distinctive dad and mom, and but there have been nonetheless ways in which I wanted to most likely be beloved a bit of in another way than what they have been doing, and with the ability to acknowledge that and work via it with out it being a fault of theirs, there didn’t must be any guilt or blame there, however realizing, like, that was a factor I may, as an grownup, now work via and transfer to a more healthy place with. And then the generational facet as properly, are you able to discuss a bit of bit about that? I do know you’ve talked about it some.

 

Dr. Sonya: Yeah. So, you recognize, talking to what occurs after we’re within the womb, form of begins from our mom’s story, after which, particularly as girls, we positively carry seven generations earlier than all of the tales which have been handed down. As we all know, life-style will get handed down, tales get handed down, and actually, the facility is held within the storyteller, and infrequently, what occurs as these tales are being handed down on how we’re alleged to behave, how we’re alleged to look, the conditioning that we obtain from a really younger age has been occurring for generations and generations, and it actually isn’t till we change into aware of the truth that we’ve been residing out these situations, reasonably than from our truest essence, from who we actually know we’re on the core, we then get a possibility to unravel and heal even issues which have been handed down from earlier than. Like, many traditions will converse to when you heal, you heal seven generations earlier than and 7 generations ahead.

 

And this has been mapped out in genetics. So, as we begin to change, we begin to change the lineage, and we begin to change the story we’ve been carrying on our backs for thus lengthy, so we don’t go it ahead. And typically, should you simply pause and begin to acknowledge and observe, for instance, even our dad and mom, if we begin to observe them, with out emotion, and begin to perceive that they have been doing one of the best that they may with the data that they had, identical with their dad and mom and the dad and mom earlier than, it takes away the maintain that a few of these tales could have on us, or these beliefs, and we will begin to actually perceive that, “I can give myself permission to release this. It’s not my duty to hold onto this, but if anything, it’s my duty to heal all of the traumas and the stories” that, you recognize, as collectively, as girls, that we stock too, from many, many generations in the past. You know, many generations in the past, girls weren’t protected to even specific themselves and their energy. And so, that in itself will get embedded into our genetic story and into our DNA, so then we navigate and tiptoe all through the world from that place. So, the second we acknowledge that what actions we’re really residing out as we speak essentially aren’t ours to do, it creates extra freedom as properly.

 

Katie: And I wanna go deeper on the possibly the stress aid and the interior work facet, however earlier than we do, one factor I’ve observed, it looks like particularly possibly in trauma survivors or individuals who have a few of these patterns, particularly as girls, is sort of an undereating, under-nourishing, which the factor I observed in myself, is that I used to be that form of pushed, duchess kind, and I didn’t make time… And I used to be additionally attempting to deprive myself, as a result of I used to be attempting to, like, be a sure measurement and look a sure method, and there have been a variety of tales intertwined with that. And after I actually began monitoring it, I spotted I used to be drastically undereating, and I had type of educated my physique cues to not have pure starvation anymore, and this can be a factor I’ve heard now from a variety of girls which have simply actually, like, not consuming sufficient nourishing meals. Is that one thing you see as properly?

 

Dr. Sonya: Oh, on a regular basis. And even via my very own private expertise, after I was 13, I went via anorexia. And I converse to that within the e-book as properly, and simply not having management of my outdoors world, meals was the best way that… I used meals as punishment, as a result of on the subject of our tradition, meals is how we join, proper? Like, feeding folks is, like, primary precedence. Doesn’t matter who it’s, anyone walks into our, you feed them. And I spotted afterwards that I used to be utilizing it virtually as a weapon in direction of my household, as a result of I wasn’t answerable for my life, that I felt, at the moment. And once you begin to perceive that relationship with meals, and simply nourishment in itself, like, nourishment isn’t simply meals, it’s the conversations that we have now, it’s what we watch. It’s who we let into our circle of belief. It’s all of these issues.

 

So, the query that I all the time typically seed in girls is asking your self, “Is this going to nourish me?” as quickly as we’re making a choice. So, if it’s a choice… Even for fasting, for instance. I’m an intermittent quicker now, and I train on fasting, and but, I’m all the time asking myself that query, “Is this fast going to nourish me, or is this going to deplete me?” So, as you begin to marvel about that, and change into interested by that, you begin to perceive why you’re making the choice that you’re, why you’re selecting the connection that you’re. What are you receiving from that? Are you receiving love and connection, or are you giving of your self and never in a position to say no and don’t have boundaries, since you really feel that’s the one method that you just’re gonna really feel like you may belong, or really feel accepted? So, it simply opens up this door to marvel of your self, and extra self-discovery.

 

Katie: That’s a stupendous query. And I’ve heard it mentioned that “boundaries are how I can love myself and someone else at the same time,” It’s a stupendous reframe. And I’d love to speak extra now about how, like, possibly the practices we will incorporate into our lives that assist steadiness hormones, extra on the notice, and possibly meditation facet, getting extra into that parasympathetic.

 

Dr. Sonya: Yeah. That parasympathetic drive is so, so vital on the subject of altering that communication in your hormones, as a result of as we all know, hormones are simply communicators, proper? So they’re gonna reply to their surroundings. So, one stunning method of adjusting the indicators in that surroundings will be via meditation. And meditation can look in another way for everybody. It might be a stroll within the woods, and that’s meditative. It might be placing on a fantastic tune and dancing, and that’s meditative. It might be sitting for only a few minutes, and simply being in gratitude for all times this morning, or as we speak. So, it’s the second we step into that house of marvel and reverence of ourselves, and that getting actually tuned in to that coronary heart house, is after we can begin opening up that connection inside ourselves. And the second we make that call to attach, we will’t return, proper?

 

So, we will actually step into that house of being extra in our yin, which is a girl’s pure state, as a result of we do carry yang and yin inside us. We have a masculine female facet, and we have now that feminine female facet as properly. But recognizing that usually, we step into the yang, to get issues achieved, to be of significance on this planet as we speak. So, to counteract that, to ensure that us to be in our softness, and likewise in our energy on the identical time, issues like meditation, issues like yoga, issues that offer you pleasure, are going to activate that oxytocin. They’re gonna activate that response in your physique, that will help you really feel settled and grounded in your self. So, no matter that appears like for you, possibly it’s artwork. Right, it might be something, however any time your focus is in simply that current second and also you’re not future-projecting or residing previously, in melancholy, or anxiousness for the longer term, everytime you’re in that current second, no matter exercise you’re doing, maintain on to that, and produce that up as part of your each day behavior, and non-negotiable.

 

And my non-negotiable is my morning routine. So, typically, that’s motion, as a result of I’m in my thoughts a lot. I’m very a lot that Vata structure, on the subject of ayurvedic medication, so I’m typically in my thoughts, I’m a worrier, I’m all the time pondering. So to ensure that me to really feel grounded, I’ve to step into my physique, so my meditation is motion. And so, my morning is nonnegotiable. And, you recognize, working with a variety of mothers, too, with younger children, and, I imply, you’ve six. I solely have two, and even two is quite a bit to deal with generally, however generally it’s behavior stacking, proper? So, possibly they’re doing one thing and I’m cooking for them, and I’m doing, like, calf raises on the identical time, simply to carry consciousness to I’m nonetheless in my physique, I’m nonetheless proper right here, proper now.

 

Katie: Yeah. I’d love to listen to some other elements of your morning routine as properly, or, possibly, 80/20 high-value issues that folks can do to include. Because I do know that was an element I confronted in my very own restoration, was that I had indifferent from my physique, and I needed to, like, re-learn to be in my physique and hearken to my physique.

 

Dr. Sonya: Yeah. When I realized about how my thoughts capabilities, that basically helped assist me too. So, my thoughts seems to be for the unfavorable. It seems to be for the holes and the gaps in a situation, as a result of it’s defending me due to my big-T trauma. So my thoughts is used to its surroundings and understanding what’s going to go unsuitable. So, for me, my morning observe, and my non-negotiable, is gratitude. So, waking up and simply being grateful for waking up. It’s so simple as that. And then as quickly as I put my toes on the bottom, being grateful that I can really feel my toes on the bottom. And then going to the toilet, I’ve really integrated now Mel Robbins’ excessive 5, so, giving your self a excessive 5. Because the second we have a look at ourselves within the mirror, we have now all of this stuff occurring in our thoughts, our to-do lists, all of the issues we’re not good at. “Oh, my goodness, I have bags under my eyes,” like, all this stuff begin to present up. But the second you honor your self in a bit of little bit of reverence with that prime 5, it adjustments what your thoughts goes to do subsequent. It adjustments the way you’re referring to your self.

 

And then I transfer into having my massive cup of water with a bit of little bit of lemon, after which transfer into my observe, whether or not that’s motion with yoga, or a HIIT train. And then I’m doing a sauna, chilly showers. That’s a giant a part of my observe as properly. Again, something that’s gonna carry me into my physique is what I would like for myself. And then, because the day goes by, too, I’ve moments that I seize. So, for me, having a cup of tea is a second for me, and it reminds my thoughts and my psyche that I’m making myself a precedence, and that I’m vital. So it might be so simple as having a cup of tea, a cup of espresso by yourself, studying one thing, simply discovering these little moments all through the day can create a profound impact for the remainder of your life, actually. So it doesn’t should be this grand occasion, this large spa day, which, I imply, I really like. Love my spa days, however actually, you are able to do little issues each single day that begin to create large adjustments, and helps you change into increasingly more of the observer of you.

 

Katie: Yeah. I really like these. I’m a giant fan of gratitude observe as properly, and likewise, yeah, massive one is non-negotiable going outdoors as quickly as attainable after waking up, and getting daylight. So, typically my motion, or my studying, or no matter is outdoors. There’s a lot cool analysis on that mild hitting our eyes within the morning, and triggering these sure receptors in our eyes that basically are good for hormones and serving to with sleep in a while, and I positively discover that correlation after I don’t do it. I see that lack that. When it involves hormones, I additionally hear from a variety of girls who wrestle with hormone-specific issues, whether or not or not it’s PMS, or sizzling flashes, or endometriosis, or PCOS. Do you’ve any ideas for particular, whether or not physique or thoughts, balancing these?

 

Dr. Sonya: Yeah. So, after I was talking to the duchess, and the opposite two archetypes are the diva and the damsel. So I’ll give an instance of the damsel, for instance. The damsel often seems to be at every little thing as half empty, and he or she’s the one that may’t say no, proper? She’s volunteering, she’s doing every little thing for her household, as a result of, once more, that’s how she obtained significance and that feeling of being vital and belonging. So typically, this lady could have thyroid points, as a result of she’s not in a position to voice her opinion and converse her fact, and he or she could even be rising issues inside her physique like cysts, as a result of the counter polarity of not with the ability to say no is resentment, as a result of she’s not likely doing it from a spot of true service, she’s doing it from a spot of depletion. So typically, after I discover a lady has, you recognize, cysts on her ovaries, and once more, in Chinese medication, ovaries and resentment are additionally correlated… Anger is correlated to the liver.

 

When we begin to have a look at these situations, and perceive that what’s the emotional cue that’s creating this totally different communication inside your physique, and begin resolving that, then the physiology additionally follows. So, endometriosis is a large one for thus many ladies in as we speak’s world, and infrequently, the query I’ll seed for that lady is when in your life did you not really feel protected in your surroundings or in your house? Because at that second, the uterine lining, that endometrium, is attempting to go away. It’s attempting to go away its house as a result of it doesn’t really feel protected there. So what can we do to carry extra security into your life, to carry extra steadiness into your life, so that you just really feel safe in your self, and never on the lookout for it from the skin world?

 

So, after we begin to create these correlations, these aha moments occur for girls, they usually begin to form of unravel that story that possibly they’ve been holding on to, after which we will have a look at the physiology, too, and say, “Okay. Well, this is how your body’s been responding, so your progesterone’s lower, your estrogen maybe is dominant, your testosterone is also low. So how can we support that with things that we know we can do with the herbs, and the food, and the nourishment from that aspect, but also, how can we unveil the story that you’ve been carrying for so long, and how can we unravel that to now serve you, so that you can understand the gifts from that story, and it’s not controlling you, but instead, you get to use that story, and have strength to navigate your world?”

 

Katie: That’s stunning. And I feel it’s, such as you mentioned, it’s a small, intentional observe, and that consciousness goes such a good distance. I additionally am a giant believer in that we’re a lot the product of the questions we ask, whether or not it’s internally, via our personal unconscious, or externally to others, and I feel anytime we will quiet for a minute and take note of that, we see the outcomes time and again and over. I additionally hear from a variety of girls who, particularly after the final two years, are very overwhelmed, and battling motivation and power, and so I’d love to speak about methods we will begin rising power to even have the motivation to do these inventive issues and to do these practices which are useful.

 

Dr. Sonya: Yeah. That’s a fantastic query, as a result of I do discover you must work in your physique first earlier than you may go into your psyche and have a look at all these feelings. Because in case your physique is drained, there’s no method you’re gonna be capable of deep dive into your story and what you’ll want to unravel. So, some issues that you are able to do each day is intermittent fasting is a superb observe to get up these vitamins inside your physique which are already out there to you to feed your mind. So, doing a bit of little bit of fasting, nourishing your physique with meals that’s gonna nourish your hormones. So, for instance, the primary half of your cycle, you wanna nourish your physique with extra wholesome fat. The final half of your cycle, you wanna nourish your physique with wholesome carbohydrates. So feeding your mind and your thoughts goes to make an enormous distinction on how you might be responding to life, as a result of now we’re creating extra power. We’re creating extra gas inside your system.

 

Understanding if there’s stuff in your surroundings that may be making a sluggish surroundings in your physique and decreasing power, so, is there toxicity in your meals? Are you not consuming natural? Is there toxicity within the merchandise that you just’re utilizing? Is there toxicity in what you’re cooking with? So, going from room to room, I discover, simplifies every little thing, so we will do away with what we will management, after which detoxifying our interior selves, in order that we will make room now for that therapeutic to occur, and dealing with somebody to form of do a deeper dive is de facto vital, and there are such a lot of issues that you are able to do simply at house, like a castor oil pack routine, dry brushing routine, when you’ve got entry to a sauna, infrared sauna. So, all the time ensuring we’re attempting to empty that bodily bucket, in order that we have now time and house to now go into our emotional bucket and begin emptying the tales out from there.

 

Katie: Yeah. And I really feel prefer it’s form of a self-perpetuating cycle. When we begin doing the bodily issues, we have now extra motivation, then power, that we’re in a position to do the interior work, and likewise then, that makes us extra motivated to do the bodily issues. Whereas backwards, too, if we get in that form of overwhelmed cycle after which we’re not doing the issues, then it’s more durable to do it, and it form of goes backwards. But I feel you’re proper. Like, the newborn steps make the large distinction, and it’s what can we begin sustainably, that isn’t going so as to add to the overwhelm, and that’s gonna slowly enhance our bandwidth to have the ability to add in additional, it looks like.

 

Dr. Sonya: Because it’s very easy to enter this mindset of, like, “I’m failing.” Right? When we attempt to go on this different monitor, the place we’re doing all the best issues and actually placing a lot on our plate, as a result of we actually wanna sort out what’s taking place, but when we simply do these small steps and have these small victories. So I encourage girls to make success lists. Like, even writing down issues you recognize you’re gonna get achieved that day. I’m gonna bathe. So I’m writing that down on my listing. I’m gonna brush my tooth. I’m writing that down on my listing. It’s simply that act of checking that off, and that reassurance within the thoughts and the mind that sure, I can get issues achieved. And that additionally doesn’t outline me, that, all of what’s taking place is a journey. So the extra we deal with what we will do and we will have management over, we’re in a position to let go of what we will’t management.

 

Katie: Yeah. That’s a fantastic reframe. And I, for a very long time, managed every little thing on my telephone, simply because expertise is such part of our life now. And I’ve not too long ago switched again to a planner, not for calendar stuff, however for my each day process listing, and for gratitude, simply because there may be, such as you mentioned, one thing that’s actually useful about that tangible crossing one thing off a listing, and likewise, to me, writing out what I’m grateful for, it simply helps cement it, and helps me, like, actually internalize it much more. And it looks like for girls particularly, like, journaling, and even simply drawing, one thing like that, is a really useful observe to, like, you mentioned get the interior, and begin processing it, and assist it get out.

 

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I additionally hear from a variety of girls who appear to have pores and skin points, and it looks like this may positively be hormone-related as properly. Do you’ve any particular ideas for skin-related points?

 

Dr. Sonya: Yeah. So, on the subject of the pores and skin, it truly is your liver that’s talking, proper? So, typically, girls could have cystic pimples earlier than their interval, and that’s typically as a result of estrogen dominance, and since the liver possibly is congested. So, like I used to be talking to the castor oil packs. You can do castor oil packs. You wanna detoxify, and also you wanna ensure that your intestine is transferring. So, wholesome bowel actions each day. So that might be merely including one thing like Triphala to your nighttime routine. That’s a powder that has three ayurvedic herbs in there, you could put in heat water after your final meal. So, that may actually serve you. Having some ghee and, like, golden milk earlier than mattress, that’s additionally gonna serve your intestine, and the butyrate in your intestine. Making certain you’re having issues like floor flaxseed, chia, hemp, like, fibers. Prebiotics are additionally gonna assist that as properly, as a result of, once more, you’re simply amplifying that wholesome micro organism in your intestine, in order that the estrobolome, which is a bunch of micro organism in your intestine, have the capability to work with the liver to detoxify these extra estrogens from the surroundings and out of your physique.

 

So the extra you try this, the much less your bucket fills up each day, and has to make use of your pores and skin to secrete these toxins out of the physique. Because should you see your self as a bucket, as, you recognize, the physique, and we fill it up each day with totally different toxicities, we have now these emunctories and pathways of elimination that assist assist decreasing that load. So, that’s your intestine, your lymphatics, your kidneys, your mucous membranes. But if any of these are clogged up, your pores and skin being the most important organ, it’s simply straightforward to push issues out of the pores and skin. So in an effort to assist the pores and skin, you must assist your lymph, your intestine, your kidney, so simply ensuring issues are flowing and transferring each single day.

 

Katie: And for people who find themselves simply beginning… I do know we’ve touched on most likely a number of of them, however what could be a few of possibly, like, the 80/20, you recognize, 20% of issues that give the largest bang on your buck in case you are overwhelmed and also you solely can do child steps, the place could be a number of the greatest beginning factors?

 

Dr. Sonya: Yeah. So, waking up and having that lemon water motion is gonna enhance your lymphatic move. Dry brushing, if you may get a dry brush and simply use that, and giving your self a therapeutic massage with some sesame oil, that’s gonna be supportive. Your first meal, if it’s a smoothie, you may put in these fibers, and that in itself will begin simply motion to occur. And in your nighttime routine, you may put in simply that teaspoon of Triphala, and possibly a castor oil pack, so a bit of little bit of castor oil over your stomach, and a sizzling water bottle and a towel. It might be so simple as that. And that might be your each day routine, simply to form of get issues transferring.

 

Katie: And then, I’d love to the touch on sleep as properly, as a result of it looks like at any time when there are hormone points, typically, sleep points go proper alongside with it. And then, we all know from the analysis, sleep is among the most core, foundational issues for all points of well being, and in over 500 episodes of this podcast I’ve by no means had anybody say high quality sleep is just not vital. It appears to be, like, one of many issues each knowledgeable can agree on, and it appears, clearly, a fall-down level for lots of girls, and mothers particularly, for heaps and many causes. Any ideas for bettering sleep?

 

Dr. Sonya: Yeah. Sleep is so vital on the subject of our hormones and our circadian rhythm. And simply going again to that progesterone piece, progesterone, GABA, and melatonin are greatest pals. So, when melatonin is low due to our excessive cortisol, it’s going to have an effect on progesterone. When progesterone is low, it might probably’t activate the receptors within the mind to obtain GABA. So then GABA is gonna be low, which creates extra of that wired drained feeling within the night, and doesn’t actually permit the physique to settle down earlier than mattress so we will have a restful sleep. So, sleep is so vital. So, having a sleep routine is de facto vital, and actually, going to mattress earlier than 11:00 p.m. So, that’s additionally key, since you don’t wanna carry up your cortisol after 11:00 p.m., as a result of your physique thinks you’re awake. So that’s gonna mess up your circadian rhythm.

 

So, earlier than 11:00 p.m., you wanna be going to mattress, and also you need a routine that truly, you recognize, removes the blue mild. So possibly having crimson mild blockers on should you’re watching one thing, however actually, placing away expertise as rapidly as you may after dinner, studying one thing, having that gratitude observe, one thing, once more, to form of carry your out of your thoughts and into your physique, so you may launch the day, and transfer into that dream state and extra of a peaceful and relaxed method.

 

And, sure, so it’s gonna be issues that folks can use, like melatonin and CBD, and plenty of herbs, that may be actually useful. But what you actually wanna perceive is, first, what are the issues that I’m doing, ranging from the purpose after I get up to the night, as a result of as quickly as we get up, we’re preparing for sleep. So, all of the habits, all of the issues that we’re consuming, ensuring that we’re maintaining a healthy diet fats in our final meal, in order that our glucose isn’t driving up, and likewise rising that cortisol, not permitting melatonin to do its job. So these are some issues you could simply form of observe about your self, and have virtually, like, a sleep journal, to know, “Okay. What are some things I can incorporate into my life that will increase that quality sleep?” And, you recognize, many individuals have Oura Ring. My husband’s obsessed along with his Oura Ring, and you may simply have a look at your knowledge and perceive, “Okay. When I eat this dinner, this is affecting my heart rate variability. It’s affecting my parasympathetic nervous system.” And all that knowledge is gonna present you what you may or can’t do within the night that’s gonna assist deep sleep for you.

 

Katie: Yeah. I’m additionally a giant fan of my Oura Ring, and likewise, the Chilipad has been a game-changer for me for sleep. But the Oura Ring, particularly, you’re proper. You begin to see the patterns, and it’s studying issues like regardless of how a lot I might imagine I prefer to drink wine at evening, my deep sleep doesn’t fall after I drink wine at evening. And I’ve realized some useful issues, and if I eat sufficient protein in the course of the day, my deep sleep loves that, and it’s helped me be taught myself in that method. You’ve additionally talked about progesterone a number of occasions, and the way vital it’s. Is that one thing you’d suggest supplementing with, or if not, what are the methods to assist type of naturally increase that with out utilizing some form of exterior complement?

 

Dr. Sonya: Yeah. So, I typically use bioidentical hormones with girls if it’s wanted. So getting examined is de facto vital, doing all your DUTCH take a look at to acknowledge the place your progesterone is at, as a result of typically, low progesterone may seem like regular progesterone however low estrogen. So, simply these nuances, to know them, getting examined is vital should you’re gonna go down the route of utilizing progesterone. Other herbs that may actually assist your progesterone are herbs which are gonna act extra like adaptogens, so will assist assist that decreasing of your cortisol. So, ashwagandha is a stupendous one which you should utilize. Chaste tree is a stupendous herb that’s gonna enhance LH but additionally enhance progesterone in your physique. So, these are just a few issues you could make the most of. But on the subject of meals, wholesome carbohydrates like yams, and beans, and lentils, and these sorts of issues are gonna assist your progesterone as properly, together with these each day practices that we spoke about, the meditation, the gratitude, and simply actually engaged on that vagal tone and that parasympathetic state is gonna feed into your progesterone, as a result of it’s gonna reinforce on your physique and your thoughts that you just’re not at risk. So, the extra we work on that, the extra assist your progesterone will really feel.

 

Katie: Yeah. And it’s one other a kind of constructive suggestions loops, the place as you get higher sleep and as you nourish your physique, then this stuff enhance they usually proceed to need to enhance. Also, realizing, in fact, there’s a lot bio-individuality with this query, I’m curious if there are any dietary supplements that you just discover, on common, very useful for girls, clearly with the caveat work with somebody who is aware of what they’re doing. But any that you just see form of recurring which are useful for girls, particularly?

 

Dr. Sonya: My favorites are chaste tree, magnesium. DIM and I3C are actually nice as a result of they’re gonna assist assist that liver detox, which can then assist your progesterone to rise, after which ashwagandha is my favourite adaptogen, together with rhodiola, is one other favourite of mine, that may actually be supportive, only for that nervous system. And then, once more, understanding your neurotransmitters, so GABA will be actually supportive for girls as properly in that final half of her cycle. GABA and a bit of little bit of melatonin, to simply assist that progesterone drive.

 

Katie: And in fact, as girls, we have now far more fluctuating hormones than males, which I feel is definitely…is usually a large benefit, as a result of we get these pure adjustments all through the month. Are there any issues to pay attention to associated to our cycle, so far as possibly other ways to work out or nourish our our bodies in another way in numerous elements of the month?

 

Dr. Sonya: Yes. I really like this query. So, I typically converse to the seasons of a girl’s life, the seasons of the environment, after which the seasons of her cycle. So, you recognize, there’s 4 totally different phases within the cycle. There’s once you’re bleeding. So, what do you wanna do once you’re bleed? Because that’s such a time of cleansing, it truly is a time of reflection. So, you will be journaling then, you will be detoxifying feelings, and actually form of uncovering a number of the issues that possibly you have been holding on to for the previous month. So, right here, you most likely gained’t be that hungry, so having extra, like, soups and stews, and simply actually nourishing meals, the extra coloured meals, like purple and, like, deep and wealthy colours, since you wanna feed that iron in your physique, as properly, and simply form of replenish that.

 

And then as you step out of that part and also you go into your follicular part, that is the place estrogen is gonna begin to rise. So, how will we feed our estrogen? So, wholesome fat like avocado are gonna assist that. Here can be the place you could possibly most likely do extra HIIT train. There’s extra motion. You might be a bit of bit extra aggressive along with your routine, as a result of you’ve the capability and the power to try this. Soon as we step into ovulation, testosterone begins to rise. So, fasting is a bit of bit simpler earlier than that. Not a lot throughout ovulation, but additionally recognizing that that is that one time in our cycle the place testosterone will go up. So, typically, libido will probably be a bit of bit greater.

 

Then as we step into our luteal part, and progesterone wants nourishment, this can be a time the place your physique desires you to be extra inner, so slowing down. Maybe now you focus extra on yoga, or going for a stroll outdoors, consuming these wholesome carbohydrates, journaling a bit of bit extra, actually reflecting on life itself, and, like, what’s working for you, what’s not. Saying no extra to outdoors issues, and dealing on it from that perspective, and likewise understanding that your libido right here will go down. You know, typically, there’s this false impression that I ought to really feel the identical all through the complete month, however as a result of our hormones ebb and move like that, it’s vital to know that your libido could also be excessive at one level each cycle, however then it begins to go down, particularly should you’re not on the capsule, proper, you’re gonna actually acknowledge these ups and downs, and infrequently, this can be a problem in a relationship. But should you perceive your cycle, you may then talk this along with your companion, so additionally they perceive that this can be a time the place, you recognize, I’m gonna be a bit of bit extra inner and focus extra on me, in order that I can step into the following part of bleeding with extra management, and simply with extra steadiness.

 

Katie: Yeah. And I feel libido is a vital level, particularly for girls as properly. I do know I hear from folks about this very often, and particularly libido seeming to go down with age considerably, however I’m wondering if this additionally is de facto, like, tied in with a few of these hormone adjustments, and if that’s the case, what can girls do to assist libido, clearly, realizing it’s nonetheless gonna ebb and move all through the month. But are there issues that basically will help with that?

 

Dr. Sonya: Yeah. For certain. So, even understanding that’s…starting age 25, our testosterone begins to drop. And with each baby, we lose about 15% of our testosterone shops. And what are the issues which are gonna have an effect on testosterone? Insulin goes to have an effect on it. So if there’s any type of insulin resistance in your physique, so, once more, should you’re consuming processed meals, or greater carbohydrates, snacking quite a bit, this stuff are gonna enhance your insulin. So the best way to carry your insulin down is by incorporating that fasting routine that works for you, and likewise rising your wholesome fat, decreasing these grains, which can then assist your testosterone. Working out very first thing within the morning, earlier than 8:00 a.m., on an empty abdomen, additionally will increase your testosterone and development hormone. So that’s one thing you may incorporate additionally, to extend it naturally. And then, doing issues like maca is gonna assist it as properly. So you may actually assist to simply assist that testosterone drive inside you thru a few of these habits, in order that once you go into your cycle, you begin to actually perceive that that is really true lack of testosterone, or is it simply part of my cycle right now?

 

Because after we undergo perimenopause and menopause, you recognize, it’s form of nature’s contraception. Testosterone does naturally go down, however you may form of construct your self up with a few of these habits and resistance coaching and this stuff, to simply assist your system, in order that, you recognize, it helps assist the connection, but additionally inviting issues in your life that offer you pleasure. I discover the extra oxytocin that will get constructed up within the lady’s physique, the better it’s for her to step into having extra libido, as a result of now she will be able to form of make the aware effort. She can form of carry that motivation up, as a result of she’s been filling her cup up. If you’re transferring into that part already depleted, that’s what creates extra of that loss in libido.

 

Katie: That is sensible. And as we get near the top of our time, a number of different questions I like to ask are if there’s a e-book or quite a lot of books which have had a profound affect in your life, and if that’s the case, what they’re and why.

 

Dr. Sofia: Yeah. Yeah. So, Dr. Edith Eger, she wrote the e-book “The Choice,” and that one’s had a extremely profound impact on me as I went via my journey, and simply realizing how a lot of a alternative we actually have in our thoughts, and the true jail, and the true problem is de facto in right here, not a lot within the outdoors world. So, we modify this, we modify our story, and we actually start to alter our lives. So that one, I’ve to say, arms down, has been large for me, and it’s one which I check with on a regular basis.

 

Katie: I’ll be sure that’s linked within the present observe as properly, for you guys listening, wellnessmama.fm. And the place can folks discover you, discover your e-book, and continue learning extra?

 

Dr. Sonya: Yeah. Thank you. So, on Instagram, my deal with’s @drsonyajensen, and likewise my web site, drsonyajensen.com. And you may get the e-book wherever on this planet on Amazon, within the U.S., Barnes & Nobles, and in Canada on Indigo or Amazon.

 

Katie: And any parting recommendation for our listeners as we speak? It might be associated to what we’ve talked about, or one thing fully unrelated.

 

Dr. Sonya: Yeah. Just give your self a possibility to fall again in love with your self, as a result of there was a second in time in your life, once you faucet into that little lady, that little baby, the place she thought she was the bomb, and one thing occurred alongside the best way that took that drive away, that took that have away, and you may shift that, as a result of as quickly as you do, you don’t even know the way a lot energy you’ve in-built you, that you just’re gonna be capable of specific into the world.

 

Katie: That’s stunning. I feel it’s an ideal place to wrap up for as we speak. Thank you a lot on your time and being right here, and for all the work that you just do.

 

Dr. Sonya: Thank you. Thank you for every little thing that you just do.

 

Katie: And thanks as all the time to all of you for listening and sharing your most respected sources, your time, your power, and your consideration with us as we speak. We’re each so grateful that you just did, and I hope that you’ll be a part of me once more on the following episode of the “Wellness Mama Podcast.”

 

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