Blog Post Archives

Sleep helps you lose weight

Dr. Spence Pentland / Diet & Nutrition, Dr Spence Pentland, General Health, Lifestyle, Men's Health, Self-Care, Women's Health

Sleep is important for many other things, including reducing your risk of cancer and Alzheimer’s, proper digestion, regulating inflammation, memory, slowing telomere shortening, and the list goes on.

There are 2 stages of sleep; 1. non-REM (which has 1, 2, and slow-wave stages) and 2. REM. Just to keep it simple, they are all important for different reasons.

Over 50% of our gene regulation is governed by our circadian rhythm, i.e.

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Being Fertile Tip #1: boosting testosterone will keep you alive longer

Dr. Spence Pentland / Male Factor Infertility, Men's Health

Interesting meta-analysis I came across today showed that men that increase their testosterone levels not only helps them improve their sperm production, but also helps them lose weight, increase insulin sensitivity (to reduce diabetes risk), and reduce total cholesterol and triglycerides (lowering risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality).

So dive in, do your research, figure out what you can do to increase your testosterone, and things you should stop doing that may be reducing your testosterone.

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Erectile Dysfunction Yinstill Reproductive Health

Do Men Go Through Menopause?

Marni Ross / Male Factor Infertility

Yes, they do! Male menopause also known as andropause is similar to female menopause, however there are some distinctions. For males, it is a more gradual hormonal shift (it can span 20 years) and not all males experience it. The cause of andropause is a decline in the hormone testosterone and a possible shift to estrogen by an enzyme called aromatase. Testosterone starts to increase during the adolescent years and it is responsible for the puberty changes that a male goes through such as increased muscle mass,

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Depression and The Chinese Herbal Formula: Xiao Yao San

yinstill / Lifestyle, PMS, Women's Health

Depression causes feelings of sadness and/or a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed for a period of two weeks or more. It may lead to emotional and physical disharmonies and can decrease a person’s ability to function with everyday work.

Depression symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include the following:

Feeling sad or low mood
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
Changes in appetite — weight loss or gain unrelated to dieting
Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
Loss of energy or increased fatigue
Increase in purposeless physical activity (e.g.,

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On Being Still

Alison / General Health, Lifestyle, Self-Care

Sometimes life can feel overwhelming. This pretty much goes without saying. It really is a wonder that we thrive, that our bodies continue to perform their varied and miraculous functions almost seamlessly through the stress of it all…our hearts continue beating, our muscles contract and release upon constant demand, our hormones continue to be secreted in harmony with our internal physical orchestrations and our perceived external circumstances. Yes, our bodies can (and spontaneously will) walk the tightrope of nervous tension and adversity,

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Estrogen in The Body: A TCM Perspective

Erin / Women's Health

Estrogen is that quintessential hormone of femininity. Also known as oestrogen, it is actually a group of compounds named for their importance in the estrus (reproductive) cycle of humans and animals. It plays an important role in the menstrual cycle and can influence key aspects of fertility. It is used in birth control pills (BCP) and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Imbalances of this sex hormone are associated with some kinds of abnormal cell growth, menopausal syndrome,

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Summer Diet – Eating with the Seasons

admin / Diet & Nutrition

Summer Diet

Summer is a time of openness and expansive abundance. The fresh vital flavors, colors and textures of many fruits and vegetables ripen and so do our senses. According to Chinese medicine, Summer is yang in nature. It is a time of expansion, growth, lightness, outward activity, brightness and creativity. This is why everyone wants to be outside instead of inside, your creative juices are wanting to breakthrough.

Summer is the time for growth,

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Liver – what’s it good for?

admin / General Health, Lifestyle, Self-Care

Taking Care of the Liver

The Liver is one of our largest internal organs and one of the most underestimated organs. It does so much for us, from detoxifying to purifying blood to regulating our metabolism.

Although the liver is wonderful at healing and self-recovery, it does take a great deal of abuse in our everyday lifestyles. Some of the choices can be fairly obvious (like eating non-organic food,

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Hot Flashes: What Are They and What Helps Them?

Erin / Advanced Maternal Age, Women's Health

Hot flashes and night sweats are something we often work with in women’s health and fertility. Sometimes it happens after a woman has taken fertility medications; sometimes it happens gradually or sporadically. It can happen toward the end of our reproductive years, and it can happen during pregnancy. Sometimes the discomfort is limited to a few surges of heat during the day; but some women wake in the middle of the night and have to change their soaked bedsheets.

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pregnancy yinstill reproductive wellness

Sometimes you just gotta say F#%K IT…

Dr. Spence Pentland / Dr Spence Pentland, Self-Care, Stress and Infertility

If you haven’t got there quite yet, then I am sure you have at least thought about it, or see the possibility out there on the horizon. ‘Screw it, I am sick of trying‘. On some level it feels freeing to say and feel this way I am sure, it may even be healing, maybe. Just the thought of being done with the struggle of infertility may seem euphoric. But alas, getting to this place doesn’t come so easily.

Sometimes you just gotta say F#%K IT… Read More »