Winnipeg Skin - Winnipeg Dermatology - Winnipeg Acne

Acne - my archnemesis. If you know me at all, you’ll know that I have always been frustrated by my skin since going through puberty. This is totally a sensitive topic for me, so bear with me.

I have literally tried it all and I have had way too moments of completely despising my skin. There have been so many days where I did everything I could to avoid going out in public, and that is (sadly) so debilitating (and unrealistic). Cheers to all my friends that would hang out with me while I had spots of ‘acne cream’ on my face. No matter what I did, my skin was out of control.

My understanding of my skin has completely changed with the help of naturopathic medicine. I had always been told that diet didn’t matter, to just get my stress ‘under control,’ and to stop picking. I truly thought retinol (vitamin A) was the only real preventative measure, and at one point I even begged my dermatologist to put me on Accutane.

Naturopathic medicine has equipped me with control over my skin. And sure enough, my diet has been the most critical factor.

Now, don’t get me wrong. My skin is FAR from perfect, and I won’t lie, I am still thankful for benzoyl peroxide. I just love that I’ve been given more control over my skin, and I love naturopathic medicine all the more for it.

I love talking about acne (acne vulgaris!), so there will be more posts to come.

Curious about how a Naturopathic Doctor can help figure out the root cause(s) of your acne? Book a complimentary meet & greet here to meet Sam and discuss approaches that treat the root cause.

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Hormones Winnipeg - Endocrinology Winnipeg - Acne Winnipeg

Androgen Excess - Acne, Hair Growth & Hair Loss?

Androgens are often referred to as ‘male sex hormones,’ but they’re present in both men and women. When it comes to women, we hear the most about testosterone, DHEA-S and DHT.

Natural Medicine Winnipeg - Period Health Winnipeg

Your Questions: Natural Approaches to Period Cramps?

Birth control is NOT the only option for painful (dysmenorrhea) and/or heavy periods (menorrhagia). And before jumping on a medication or supplement your HCP should always look into potential causes of extreme cramping – ie. endometriosis, fibroids, etc.

Prostaglandins are a major factor in menstrual cramps – once a month (when Aunt Flow comes to town) they cause uterine muscles to contract in order to release the uterine lining (endometrium). Prostaglandins aren’t bad (they are important for blood clots, inducing labour, etc.), but if certain prostaglandins are high in your cycle – this can predispose to more painful menstrual cramping.

Alcohol and Hormones Winnipeg - Endocrinology Winnipeg

How Alcohol Affects Your Hormones

So - the liver is responsible for detoxing alcohol. But it’s also important for metabolizing estrogen. In women, more than one alcoholic drink per day has been shown to increase circulation of androgens (ie. testosterone) and estrogens (1, 2) – this predisposes you to symptoms of estrogen dominance.

Nutrition Winnipeg - Supplements Winnipeg

Your Morning Cup of Joe (or Tea!) and Iron Absorption

Are you taking your iron supplement with your morning cup of coffee or tea?

Telemedicine: Virtual Consults in Manitoba

I’m excited to share that in an effort to increase accessibility to naturopathic care, I am offering virtual consults to individuals who live in rural areas of Manitoba.

Perimenopause: The Shift into Menopause

Perimenopause: the hormonal shift, occurring over months-years, which transitions you into menopause. ‘Peri’ means “around” or “near”, so - you get the point.

Using Food as Medicine to Address Stress

We’re stressed out, right? Well, the increased cortisol produced by stress makes us hungry - hungry for carbs, sugar and fat (and not the good kinds, okay?). If we follow suit and eat like this all the time we start to feel fatigued (and in desperately hoping for a caffeine boost), moody and may even start to find that we don’t think as clearly (some will call this ‘brain fog’). And stress forces our body to utilize a significant amount of nutrients to produce the energy we need to respond - even if our stress is created by sitting in front of a computer all day.

Chilling Out Cortisol

Chronically stressed out? I won’t lie, me too.

But yikes, that eventually catches up to you. Cortisol (aka our stress hormone) is important for our functioning (and our ability to adapt to stress) – but too much or too little can be problematic.

Do you know how to deal with chronically elevated cortisol?

Hair Loss Winnipeg - Dermatology Winnipeg - Hair Winnipeg

Why Am I Losing Hair?

Taking your biotin pretty consistently and still losing hair?

Well, there’s a ton of reasons why your hair might be thinning out. Let’s investigate.

PCOS Winnipeg - Women's Health Winnipeg - Hormones Winnipeg

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) - Emphasis on Syndrome

I’m willing to bet you’ve heard the term ‘PCOS’ before.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). The first thing I want to emphasize: it’s a syndrome – not all signs and symptoms show up in every individual with PCOS.

So, how do you know if you have PCOS?

Acne - How Naturopathic Medicine Gave Me Control

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© 2019 by Dr. Samantha Bell, ND.

The information on this site is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, information and social media, contained on and available through this website are for general information purposes only.