By Dr. Shawna Darou, ND Hair thinning is actually a very common issue that I see in the clinic, and it can be extremely distressing for women. In this article, I will review some of the causes of hair thinning that I test for, and some solutions to get your hair growing again. One important thing to note is that getting the hair into a re-growth cycle can be frustratingly slow, even once you have begun to treat the underlying cause. This is why I strongly recommend lab testing so that we can be confident (and patient) with your treatment plan, as it can take several months to see progress here ..read more

By Dr. Shawna Darou, ND It certainly has been a challenging couple of years, with ongoing stresses living through the pandemic. I find it interesting that everyone I speak to has had different stresses, but it does seem that almost universally, the load of stress has been significantly higher than it was previously. We are very good at coping with stress to a degree – our bodies can mobilize with extra energy, better focus and an ability to do things we would normally find difficult. When stress goes on over months and then years, our stress coping can break down. Years ago, I took a stress co ..read more

By Dr. Shawna Darou, ND Fatigue, or tiredness is the number one complaint that brings people in for naturopathic care. There are many underlying factors to investigate in determining the cause of tiredness. Below is my top 10 list of factors that that can be causing your fatigue. Many of these are missed in a conventional medical work-up, or they are under-diagnosed if you fall at the low end of the reference range. Each year I add to and update this list because fatigue is so, so common. Start with the basics: Before we dig deep, it’s important to rule out (or in) the basic causes of fatigue ..read more

By Dr. Shawna Darou, ND It’s typical to feel the impacts of stress after the stress is over, or when you finally let go and begin to relax. Think about getting sick after final exams in university, or the flu that hits over Christmas holidays. After this incredibly challenging year and a half, I am hearing from many women overwhelmed, exhausted and taking stress-leaves from work. How to recognize burnout: If you’ve been holding a high level of stress for a long time – this can be include emotional stress, overwork, pain, anxiety, increased family responsibility, sleeplessness, and more, some ..read more

By Dr. Shawna Darou, ND Cortisol is an extremely important hormone for women’s health, because all of the hormonal systems are interconnected. A change in stress hormones can impact your thyroid function, blood sugar regulation, weight and body fat distribution as well as your reproductive hormone balance and fertility. Quite simply, when cortisol is out of balance you can feel very unwell – tired, moody, achy, anxious, and it can increase risk of many health issues whether it is too high or too low. In this article I will be discussing the physiological response of cortisol to stress, not th ..read more

By Dr. Shawna Darou, ND Every day in my practice, I hear from women who feel very alone in their struggle either physically or emotionally. My intention is to normalize some of these things, and provide you with insight and resources. Today’s post is certainly close to my heart – I’m in it with you. I’m a self-employed working mom with two kids. I know it’s hard work. I know that… you’ve practically run a marathon before you start work, and what used to be a 30 minute routine now stretches to a full two hours; a sleepless night is common and you just keep going; you crave just 5 minutes of qu ..read more

By Dr. Shawna Darou, ND I’m writing this article because it’s a pattern I see quite regularly, where exercise or nutrition habits are taken too far, and then some type of hormone imbalance develops. This is usually more subtle than an overt eating disorder, where the imbalance of caloric intake and energy burned is more extreme. There can be too much of a good thing, especially when we’re talking about women’s hormones. Everyone’s capacity for training and how hard they can push their nutrition varies. Some people may hit metabolic stress at a very normal or average body fat percentage. The sy ..read more

By Dr. Shawna Darou, ND In challenging times, we rely on our resilience to get us through. The past months have been one of these times for many of us, and now that the acute anxiety has eased up, it’s time to refocus on wellness again. “The definition of resilient is someone or something that bounces back into shape or recovers quickly.” (1) There are so many things we can do to improve our resilience, or ability to bounce back, both emotionally and physically. Here are some starting points: Prioritize the basics: Your basic health pillars are always the the place to start. When your self-car ..read more

Are you in stress hormone overload? Chronic exposure to the stress hormone cortisol can have a profound impact on your health. We are currently living in a time where it is normal to be stressed out most of the time, and where the pace of our lives leaves little time for relaxation and recovery. Most of us are aware that our stress levels are too high, and often a health crisis is what bring it back to perspective again. It is estimated that between 79-90% of all visits to primary care practitioners in North America are due to stress-related illness. One of the consequences of being under a pr ..read more

By Dr. Shawna Darou, ND Acne is one of the most common conditions I see in the clinic, with varying degrees of severity. It is one of the hardest things to live with as an adult, and it often causes my patients to make some fairly radical decisions with medications and hormonal treatments. As with most conditions, my approach as a naturopathic doctor is to first determine the cause. The location of your breakouts is often the first step for diagnosis. Certain areas of the face are are known for digestive disturbances, hormone imbalance, stress and liver function. Here is a summary: 1. Forehea ..read more