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Water Retention, Bloating, & Electrolytes: What’s the Deal?

Why do my pants feel snug sometimes? I can't wear my rings sometimes. My weight fluctuates by 4lb ...
brown-skinned woman, Dr. Anne, reflected in a mirror wearing a white shirt with a rainbow heart on it, sitting in a gym room with exercise equipment in the background.

Healthy Heart Habits

Heart health month is officially here, and I'm presenting you with many considerations to support your cardiovascular system ...
outline of a person with their hand on their face

Skin & Skincare: Retinol & Other Retinoids

Retinol. It's an ingredient that is in soooo many skincare products that tout anti-ageing benefits. Is it really ...
brown-skinned woman with black shoulder-length hair (Dr. Anne) with numerous needles in the face.

Facial Acupuncture: Natural Botox or Not?

Facial acupuncture (can also be called cosmetic acupuncture) can be a gentle and complementary way to take care ...
4 circles, one in each quadrant of a white square. Each circle is comprised of an assortment of foods: grains (top left), veggies (top right), legumes (bottom left), nuts and seeds (bottom right)

Fibre Facts: What You Need to Know for Your Hormones & Beyond

Most Canadians are getting around half the amount of the recommended intake of fibre per day according to ...
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What *actually* happens during my period?

Whether you like periods or not, the physiological changes that happen are quite fascinating.Your uterus has 3 layers:perimetrium ...
droplets of blood, 5 per row, over a white square.

Period flow: how much is too much?

How much blood do I lose per period? Quantifying your menstrual blood loss is no easy feat, depending ...
Calcium in scrabble tiles surrounded by seeds, greens, tofu, and cheese

Do I need a calcium supplement?

Calcium is a mineral that we get through our diets. The amount you get is really dependent on ...
Beige clipart calendar with pink squares for days and a wire up through the holes for binding. 5 days have drops in them denoting a period.

Fertile Window: Fertility Awareness Methods for Conception and Contraception

In my last blog post, I covered ovulation signs so you can tell whether or not you're ovulating ...
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Ovulation Signs: How do I tell if and when I ovulate?

If you know my work, you know I'm a big fan of tracking and understanding your cycle.  Figuring ...
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PCOS and Fatigue

Feeling tired is no fun. Fatigue seeps into all aspects of life: fun, cooking, making decisions, work, school, ...
brown-skinned woman with black shoulder-length hair in a black and white sweater with numerous acupuncture needles in the whole face

High Intensity Exercise & Cortisol

Social media readily delivers sooo much information on, well, pretty much anything and everything! This is great in ...
a white square bowl full to the brim with chickpea salad and topped with tomato and basil.

Chickpea and Black Bean Salad

I love a tart, lemony bean salad, and that's what I'm bringing to you. It's packed with fibre, ...
Pink background. In the foreground is an analogue white alarm clock with a small chalkboard clip that says: MENOPAUSE

The Changes of Perimenopause

When I thought about menopause in my 20s, it seemed pretty far away. However, as I progress through ...
Bottom view of the external genitalia. From top to bottom in this illustration is the mons pubis, visible part of the clitoris, urethral opening, the vestibule and vaginal opening, the perineum, and the anus. The labia minora and majora are also visible on each side of the central structures.

Reproductive Anatomy 101: The Vulva

The vulva and vagina are terms that are often used interchangeably. They are, in fact, different from one ...
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Vaginal Dryness

Vaginal dryness can occur at any age, but it is more common as we begin to lose our ...
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Why You Should Track Your Menstrual Cycle

Can I be honest with you? Keeping track of my menstrual cycle was a key strategy that helped ...
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Pelvic Floor: Period Pain, Pregnancy, & Incontinence

Have you heard of the pelvic floor? How about a pelvic physiotherapist? If you have low back pain, ...
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Natural Ways to Improve Egg Quality

Infertility. It's a heavy topic. And it affects more people than you think. It's Canadian Infertility Awareness Week ...
4 layer irregular circles (representing an egg) on the right with a sperm entering. There are many sperm trying to get to the egg in the surrounding space.

PCOS Fertility, PCOS Infertility

I know it can be alarming to get a PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) diagnosis. As soon as you ...
blue pill bottle with the label chaste tree vitex agnus-castus on it

Chaste Tree for PMS

Premenstrual Syndrome -- PMS -- can get in the way of life. Buuut, it doesn't have to. Don't ...
2 small glasses filled with purple smoothie topped with berries and a straw sticking out.

Hormone Friendly PMS Smoothie Recipe

If you're looking for a smoothie recipe that makes for a great breakfast, is plant-based, and packs in ...
hand holding a head with cogs in the brain. The word PMDD is beside it.

Natural PMDD Solutions

PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) can be a debilitating condition. I didn't realize just how debilitating until I started ...
2 pics stacked: top is acupuncture needles on a wooden bowl, bottom is a cup of ginger tea with fresh ginger and lemon beside it

Endometriosis Natural Treatment Options

As March, Endometriosis Awareness Month, comes to a close, going over some treatment options for endometriosis seemed like ...
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How is endometriosis diagnosed?

Diagnosing endometriosis can be really difficult. Since March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, let's talk about why that is ...
brown-skinned person clipart in a teal shirt and pink underwear with hands over the lower abdomen

What is endometriosis?

Endometriosis... a condition that affects ~6-10% of menstruators of reproductive age. March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, so this ...
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PCOS and Heart Health

PCOS increases multiple risk factors for cardiovascular disease. And since February is Heart Health Month, this is the ...
clipart of a brown-skinned woman in a black dress looking at clipart of broccoli, blueberries, milk glass, beans, wholegrain bread, and olive oil

Pregnancy Nutrition Dos & Don’ts

To eat or not to eat. I get A LOT of questions about what to eat (and not ...
green circle with the words PCOS FAQ Part II in the centre

PCOS Frequently Asked Questions (& Answers!) – Part II

For PCOS Awareness Month in September, I did Part I of this series. I answered a lot of ...
pregnant belly with an arm at the top and bottom

Exercise in Pregnancy

It's common for people to read conflicting information about exercise in pregnancy. Even apps that are designed for ...
medium-skinned woman in bed holding her abdomen

What’s the Deal with Menstrual Cramps?

Menstrual cramps, called dysmenorrhea in medical speak, is one of the most common period problems across the world ...
pink background with a pouch spilling a blister pack of oral contraceptive pill. White tablets are scattered on the pink background as well.

PCOS & The Pill

The oral contraceptive pill is often prescribed to PCOS patients who are not looking to get pregnant (now ...
PCOS FAQ in a magenta circle

PCOS Frequently Asked Questions (& Answers!) – Part I

I answer questions about PCOS on a daily basis in my practice. PCOS patients make up the majority ...
egg and sperm clipart

Fertility Considerations for those with PCOS

A lot of PCOS patients who reach out to me are alarmed when their doctors give them their ...
people in a gym in a squatting position

Should I sync my workouts to my menstrual cycle?

There's a lot of information out in the world these days. You can sync your exercise regimen to ...
glass bowl filled with chips

How to Prevent Evening Crashes & Cravings

While there's nothing wrong with snacking (on (salt & vinegar!) chips), there's a common pattern that can be ...
clear bowl with salad containing lettuce, onion, tomato, cucumber, parsley

Fresh Summer Salad

I haven't posted a recipe in a long time. Since it's getting warmer here in Ontario, I thought ...
uterus, fallopian tubes, and vagina in pink on white paper with a the side of a blonde child looking at it

Reproductive Anatomy 101: The Vagina

The vagina is often confused with the vulva (which is the anatomical structure I'll be covering next). The ...
the outline of a brain in black and white with splotches of paint on the right side and math on the left. There is a magenta rectangle with the acronym PMDD in white on top of the brain.

Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)

PMDD stands for premenstrual dysphoric disorder. It is a kind of PMD (premenstrual disorder), i.e., a disorder that ...
the word "progesterone" in bold hot pink letters with 3 shining starts beside it

Hormone Highlight: Progesterone

Progesterone is made in the ovaries, corpus luteum, placenta, and the adrenal glands. The main way we make ...
clipart cartoons of fruit, a lady on a massage table getting a massage, a person doing yoga on a yellow mat, and 3 colourul capsules

Period Pain Relief

Let’s face it, having your period can be a real pain - literally! Cramps, abdominal and body pain, ...
The word "estrogen" in big block glowing letters in pink

Hormone Highlight: Estrogen

Estrogen is a hormone that often gets a bad rap, but it is a hormone that is super ...
white background with a magenta circle and a diagram of the uterus and ovaries in white

Reproductive Anatomy 101: The Ovaries & Fallopian Tubes

The ovaries are paired organs that are the size of golfballs in your lower abdomen. They connect to ...
the outline of a brain in black and white with splotches of paint on the right side and math on the left. There is a magenta rectangle with the acronym PMDD in white on top of the brain.

The Ins & Outs of the Hormonal IUD/IUS

The hormonal IUS (IntraUterine System), like the copper IUD, is a T-shaped device that is inserted (by a ...
A diagram of the uterus + fallopian tubes + ovaries + cervix in pink with a white-skinned and blonde-haired mother daughter duo looking at it

Cervical Mucus — What is it Good For?

Cervical mucus is the discharge that we see during the menstrual cycle that is produced by the cervix ...
T shape with magenta coil around the vertical part of the T. The words "copper IUD" are beside it in green.

How Does the Copper IUD Work?

The IUD (IntraUterine Device) is pretty cool -- a small T-shaped device that's inserted (by your doc) into ...
red background with rows of white period pads laid out

Reproductive Anatomy 101: The Uterus

I thought it was about time that we review some anatomy related to the menstrual cycle, and we're ...
Clipart sun (yellow hollow circle with rays around it) with the words vitamin D in the centre

Vitamin D in Pregnancy & Fertility

Vitamin D plays an important role in pretty much all the systems in our bodies from the immune ...
pelvis of a brown-skinned woman in white underwear holding in front of her a red flower in a menstrual cup

The DOs & DONTs of Cycle Tracking

Your menstrual cycle is a vital part of your physiology. It tells you/us that your body has adequate ...
Black and white doggy on a leash in the foreground with the bottom half of a walking person in the background outdoors

Non-Exercise Activity & Its Importance for Health

Exercise -- we all need it for our health. However, when I talk to patients, it's not as ...
magenta background with "PCOS does not equal infertility" in white on top

PCOS and Fertility

A large percentage of my patient population is PCOS patients. And a large population of my PCOS patients ...
Blue gloved hand with a test tube full of blood in the foreground beside a tray of 4 blood-filled test tubes

Lab Tests for PCOS

September is PCOS Awareness Month and I thought this month's blog posts should be all about PCOS. PCOS ...
red background with rows of white period pads laid out

Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

Your heavy menstrual bleeding deserves attention. You may have normalized it. Your doctor might have normalized it. The ...
red background with 3 speech bubbles. The text in the bubbles: (1) string of punctuation marks for an expletive (2) blah (3) period

Menstruation & Mindset

We all carry some of the values, beliefs, and opinions that we’ve been exposed to throughout our lives ...
white square with a red horizontal streak in the middle. On the streak is the acronym PCOS in white, underneat the word misdiagnosed in black

PCOS or Hypothalamic Amenorrhea?

According to the Rotterdam diagnostic criteria for PCOS, you have to have 2 out of 3 of: irregular ...
6 scoops of ice cream and sorbet (chocolate, vanilla, berry) arranged alternatingly in a circle on a white plate with frozen strawberries in the centre

Peach & Berry Sorbet

There’s nothing like having some juicy fruits on a hot summer day… except for having those fruits in ...
the letters P, M, & S in the centre in white over a left to right gradient of hot pink to burgundy

Food & Nutrition for PMS

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) affects most menstruators at least some point in their lives. You may notice that you ...
woman sitting on a terrace or balcony with city buildings in the background. The woman is sitting cross-legged with her eyes closed -- one hand is on her chest and one on her abdomen

Move for your Period Pain

This blog is for you massage-loving menstruators who may experience menstrual pain. Connective tissue manipulation i.e. massage has ...
white dish containing golden-brown loaf beside green orchid leaves on a table

Chickpea Loaf

This is an easy hormone-healthy recipe you can have for breakfast, as a snack, or as a side ...
pink calendar sheets with a positive pregnancy test on top

Fertility & Infertility FAQs

It’s Infertility Awareness Week in Canada and in this post I’m answering some of the common questions that ...
the words gut health in the centre with 2 green leaves on either side

The ABCDs of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)

IBS stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The main symptoms associated with IBS are called ABCDs: Abdominal pain, Bloating, ...
picture of leafy green veggies with a liver icon on top in translucent red. there's text on top that says March is Liver Health & Nutrition Month

Fatty liver, Insulin, & PCOS

It’s liver health month and it’s nutrition month in Canada, so I’m combining those 2 topics in this ...
picture of a small glass containing layers of pudding, jam, chia seeds, and blueberries with coconut on a wood table

Berry Chia Pudding

This is a quick and easy hormone-healthy pudding recipe you can have for breakfast, as a snack, or ...

Insulin: Let’s Talk About Blood Sugar Regulation & Heart Health

It's February, which means it's heart health month. So, this post is all about cardiovascular health, and more ...

Spicy Hari (Green) Chutney

Spicy Hari (Green) Chutney This is a chutney most South Asians or those of South Asian descent are ...

Burrito Bowl

Burrito Bowl Burrito and burrito-like bowls are staples at our place. You can add whatever you'd like or ...

Anti-cramping Anti-inflammatory Juice

Anti-cramping anti-inflammatory juice This is a great juice to bring down inflammation, support your body’s detox pathways, and ...

Thai Cold Fresh Rolls

Vegan Thai Cold Fresh Rolls These aren't particularly hard to make, but they do take up a bit ...
lentil salad

Chana Daal Salad

Chana Daal Salad This lentil salad is one that my mum makes during Ramadan very often. I love ...

Kachoomar Salad

Kachoomar Salad This is a super easy Pakistani-style salad that I love. It's usually served with a variety ...

Vegan Mushroom Risotto

Vegan Mushroom Risotto I LOVE mushrooms, especially enoki (the really thin white ones) and oyster mushrooms. If you ...

Red Lentil Soup (Masoor Daal)

Red Lentil Soup (Masoor Daal) This is my go-to recipe when I don’t know what to cook or ...

Mexican-Style Stuffed Mini Peppers

So, these peppers were the other appetizers that I made a few times over the holidays along with ...

Collard Green Taco Rolls

I had a few potlucks to go to over the holidays and I made these and stuffed peppers ...

Roasted Baby Potatoes

Roasted baby potatoes - they are delicious and go well with so many dishes. These will make a ...

Cauliflower with Chickpeas

If you like cauliflower and chickpeas, this recipe is definitely for you. I'm always trying to make simple ...

Chickpea Shakshuka

I had a lot of chickpeas lying around and I was looking to create a chickpea recipe that ...

Dairy-free Chocolate Chip Waffles

We received a waffle maker from my parents recently (I think they want us to make them waffles ...

Avocado Fries

Wondering what else you can do with avocados apart from making guac, chocolate avocado pudding, avocado toast, avocado ...

Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge

Are you to try out this recipe for some delicious fudge that is dairy-free and not sickeningly sweet?!Ingredients:- ...

Portobello Mushroom Caps with Arrabbiata Sauce

I love mushrooms - button, enoki, maitake, shitake... I love eating them and I also use a lot ...

Turmeric Steamer with Cinnamon & Moringa

This steamer is anti-inflammatory and makes a great replacement for your coffee/latte in the morning. Ingredients: - 1 ...

Chocolate Raspberry Cashew Pudding

If you haven't tried my blueberry lemon cashew mousse, you should! It is delicious. If you're more of ...

Cauliflower Mash

This cauliflower mash is easy to make and goes well on the side anywhere you'd use potatoes. Plus, ...

Karahi Vegetables

This is a very common southeast Asian dish that is usually made with chicken. To make with chicken, ...

Blueberry Lemon Cashew Mousse

This mousse is creamy and dreamy. It's gluten-free and dairy-free. I hadn't made it in a long time ...

Granola bites

These granola bites are gluten-free, dairy-free, and are nut-free as well - you could make them nutty if ...

Black Bean Soup

I love black bean soup - it's nutritious, hearty, and has a bit of a zing. The ingredient ...

Oatmeal-Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies

These chocolate chip cookies are crispy on the oustide and soft on the inside... given that you don't ...

Dairy-free Chocolate Zucchini Loaf

This is a great way to treat yourself while having some veggies this holiday season! Ingredients: - 1 ...

Dairy-free Parmesan-like Topper

Lactose-intolerant? Dairy-free for your digestive or skin troubles? Vegan? Try out this nut, seed, and nutritional yeast based ...

Colourful Kale Salad

This is my go-to salad for big gatherings and it's always a hit. This is what you need: ...

Gluten-free Potato Cutlets

These potato cutlets can be used instead of homefries at brunch, go really well with some fresh juice ...

Tofu Scramble

This tofu scramble is great on its own, in a burrito, with some brown rice or quinoa, or ...

Iron-boosting Tea

I see a lot of patients (and people in my life) who are low in iron and they’re ...

Fibre-rich Smoothie

A lot of people shy away from smoothies thinking that they'll taste like dirt, but making a delicious ...

Hazelnut Milk

This hazelnut milk is easy to make and tastes delicious (this is what I say about pretty much ...

Raspberry Sauce

Looking for something sweet to have this weekend? Make this raspberry sauce to have on its own or ...

Quinoa Tabouli

This tabouli recipe is quick and easy and makes for a great lunch 🙂 - 1 cup cooked ...

Immune-boosting Anti-inflammatory Tea

There's a pretty nasty bug going around here and I was unfortunate enough to be bogged down by ...

Super Easy Lip Scrub

With the fall and winter come dry, chapped lips. Forget purchasing a lip scrub - make your own ...

Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce

This sauce goes really well with the cold fresh rolls in the picture - you can look forward ...

Watermelon Smoothie

Here's a recipe for a nice and refreshing drink for these hot summer days: - 1/4 medium-sized watermelon ...

SWEET & SPICY CHICKPEAS

Here's an easy snack recipe for the whole family! - ¾ cup chickpeas - dried (this is equivalent ...

Zucchini Chips

These are delicious. The first time I made them, I only used 1 zucchini; after they were cooked, ...

Chocolate Almond Butter Cups

Who needs Reese's Peanut Butter Cups when you can make your own peanut or almond butter cups that ...

Tandoori Tofu

This is one of my favourite tofu recipes courtesy of my favourite cook - my mum. We made ...

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Here''s a recipe that is great for breakfast, a midday snack, and/or dessert! This pudding is creamy and ...

Creamy Avocado Lime Dressing

Want to add some pizzazz to your salad? If you said yes, then pair this avocado lime dressing ...

Homemade Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate is easy to make and a great comfort drink especially on cold winter nights (like we've ...

Macaroon Brownie Bites

Forget store-bought brownie bites, date balls, and granola bars. This quick and easy recipe is all you need ...

Flourless Brownies

These brownies are quite dense and go very well with (vanilla) ice cream! - 1 (~16 oz) jar ...