Meagan McLaren, Naturopathic Doctor

Fasted training hits differently in a female body and the “benefits” we’ve been sold don’t really hold up. 👀

The research shows:
✅ Fasted exercise ↑ fat oxidation during the session
❌ No long-term benefit for speed, power, or endurance
🤝 Same fat loss whether fasted or fed .. it’s the calorie deficit that does it

No shame if you love it, and if it feels good for your body, then keep doing what you love 😊.

But if you’re working out fasted for the “benefits” ( weight loss, performance goal ) the science for women doesn’t back that up 💛 ( and I’ll say this is very different than time restricted eating, which has great benefits and is a whole different conversation).

General education only, not personal medical advice. Talk to your own healthcare provider before changing your approach.

A mammogram is a low-dose X-ray used to detect breast cancer before symptoms appear. This is what we call screening, and it works.

🔬 Multiple randomized controlled trials show 20-30% reduction in breast cancer death with regular screening in women aged 50-69
🔬 Pan-Canadian data shows 40% lower breast cancer mortality in screened women
🔬 Early detection leads to earlier, less invasive treatment and improved quality of life

Screening recommendations:
🇨🇦 Ontario: every 2 years from age 40 to 74
🇨🇦 National (CTFPHC): every 2-3 yearsfrom age 50-74

Higher risk (family history, BRCA, prior chest radiation)? Your plan may start earlier, talk to your doctor.

Check your provincial breast screening program, book your appointment, and bring a friend. 💗

If you spot mid-cycle every single month, that’s a pattern and patterns usually have a reason.

Here’s what’s supposed to happen: after you ovulate, your body produces progesterone. Progesterone’s job is to keep your uterine lining stable until your period comes. When ovulation doesn’t happen properly, your body doesn’t make enough progesterone, the lining becomes unstable, and you get spotting in the middle of your cycle.

So what stops ovulation from working properly?
Your thyroid. An underactive or overactive thyroid disrupts the hormone signals your brain sends to your ovaries, meaning ovulation can get skipped or incomplete.

Prolactin. This is a hormone best known for milk production, but when it’s too high in someone who isn’t breastfeeding, it essentially tells your brain to pause your reproductive hormones and ovulation stalls.

Low progesterone. Sometimes ovulation happens, but the second half of your cycle is too short or weak to produce enough progesterone to keep the lining stable.

If those hormones all look fine, the next thing to look at is physical, things like fibroids, polyps, or adenomyosis, which can irritate the uterine lining and cause bleeding on their own.

The point is: recurring mid-cycle spotting has a cause. It’s not just “your cycle being weird.” It’s worth getting looked into.

I get asked about vaginal estrogen a lot, and it’s one of the most misunderstood topics I come across. So let’s chat about it!

The first thing I always clarify: it’s not the same as HRT.

What is vaginal estrogen?
Low-dose. Local. It works in the tissue where you apply it, not systemically the way a patch, pill, or gel does.

What is it for?
Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM): vaginal dryness, burning, painful s*x, urinary urgency, and recurrent UTIs. Common. Underreported. And very treatable.

Why is it different from HRT?
Because absorption stays local, you don’t need progesterone with it, even if you have a uterus. And it won’t address hot flashes or night sweats. That’s systemic HRT’s job. Some people need both.

The forms;
Cream, tablet/insert, or a ring you replace every three months. Options include bioidentical estradiol and conjugated estrogen, all work locally. What you use comes down to your provider and your lifestyle.



Educational content only, if you are curious about vaginal estrogen speak to your provider!

I find this concept so fascinating, and I talk about it very frequently in clinic called energy availability & your brain is constantly monitoring it.

When carbs drop too low, your brain does something really logical, it starts rationing. It keeps the essentials running (heart, lungs, survival) and quietly dials down anything it considers a luxury.

Your reproductive hormones? Luxury.

Estrogen, progesterone, a healthy cycle… the first to go.

And the long-term picture matters too. Chronically low energy availability affects bone density, cardiovascular health, and hormonal resilience as you age.

Your cycle is one of the earliest signals that something’s off.

It’s not about eating more carbs. It’s about eating enough of them, consistently, from real sources so your brain gets the message that everything is okay.

Think like; Sweet potato, oats, sourdough, rice, etc.

A luteal phase under 11 days means ovulation happened, but it wasn’t clean.

If your period keeps arriving early, or you feel like your cycle is just off, this might be why…

The luteal phase is the window between ovulation and your period. It should be at least 11 days. Shorter than that? It’s one of the first signs of ovulatory dysfunction, meaning the follicle that released your egg may not have developed its best, which means the corpus luteum it became isn’t making enough progesterone.

This is not your fault. And it’s not just “a short cycle.” It’s a signal worth taking seriously. 💛

This can be caused by many, many things including but not limited to; Chronic stress, undereating, thyroid disease, elevated prolactin, and insulin resistance.

General education only, not personal medical advice. Always work with your own provider.

Dr. Meagan M

A HUGE misconception when coming to see an ND, is one will get a laundry list of supplements.

Supplements can be helpful for some things, but oh goodness … by no means are they THE ONLY way forward. There are always so many routes of support and the route that fits best in your life may be different than others!

One beautiful benefit Naturopathic Doctors have is TIME.

Time to understand your values, help you walk through all the possible ways forward and collaborate on a route that best aligns with your goals and your values - if that’s naturally great, if that’s medication also great! You always have the power to choose and our role is to share all the information to help you decide 💛.

Let’s talk about something that gets a lot of women told to wait when they shouldn’t be.

You’re in your mid-40s. Your cycle is still there but unpredictable. You’re not sleeping. The hot flashes have started. Your mood is all over the place. But you have heard if you’re not menopausal yet, hormone therapy is not in the table.

.

Here’s what the evidence actually says.

The Menopause Society, the International Menopause Society, and Health Canada all state that hormone therapy is safe and appropriate for symptomatic women under 60, or within 10 years of menopause, which means perimenopause is well within the window. In fact, research suggests this is exactly when it’s most beneficial.

You don’t need to have stopped having periods to qualify. You need symptoms that are affecting your life.

The conversation about hormone therapy doesn’t start at menopause. It starts when your quality of life is suffering.

NOW, HRT is not the ONLY means of support and there are many other options! Chat with your HCP if you are curious what means of support would be the best for you!

Your body is growing a human and it is strong. 💛

One of the most powerful things you can do during pregnancy is keep moving. The research is clear, regular movement reduces the risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, and caesarean section.

Here’s what the evidence supports:

🚶‍♀️ Walking: accessible, effective, and safe right up to delivery
🏊‍♀️ Swimming: gentle on joints, amazing for the third trimester
🏋️‍♀️ Strength training: best for GDM prevention and building resilience for labour
🧘‍♀️ Prenatal yoga; mental health, pain management, and labour prep
💪 Pelvic floor work: every single day, no exceptions

The ideal programme combines all of the above, tailored to your trimester, fitness level, and how you’re feeling day to day.

You were made to move. 💛

⚠️ Always check with your healthcare provider before starting or continuing exercise during pregnancy. Some conditions may require modification or restriction. This content is educational and does not replace individualized medical advice.