The Hormone Repair Manual, written by naturopathic doctor Lara Briden, is a comprehensive guide to understanding and managing the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. The book covers topics such as the four phases of perimenopause, the role of testosterone and insulin in weight gain, and treatment protocols for symptoms like night sweats, insomnia, and heavy periods. It also provides advice on how to speak with your doctor about hormone therapy, including natural progesterone, and discusses risk reduction for osteoporosis, heart disease, and dementia. The manual is backed by evidence-based research and real-world patient stories, aiming to help women navigate this period of life with natural treatments and lifestyle changes.
The Period Repair Manual is a comprehensive guide written by naturopathic doctor Lara Briden. It provides advice and tips for women of every age and situation to improve their menstrual health using natural treatments. The book covers topics such as how to come off hormonal birth control, what a normal period should be like, common period problems, and how to talk to your doctor. It includes treatment protocols for issues like PCOS, endometriosis, and perimenopause. The second edition features insights from Professor Jerilynn Prior, over 300 new references, and an additional chapter on perimenopause and menopause.
There’s a bit of a misunderstanding in the health world that endometriosis is just a hormone problem, but this line of thinking is incomplete. Hormones can absolutely contribute to the endometriosis picture, but they are not the cause of endometriosis. And part of treating endometriosis should include strategies to support the hormones, though that’s not where the support should end.
Today on the show Erin speaks with Dr. Lara Briden all about endometriosis and why it’s such a complex thing to treat. Tune in to hear Lara dive into the immune side of endometriosis, epigenetics, gut dysbiosis, and how all these things can be interconnected. Erin and Lara also discuss testing options and strategies to treat endometriosis, plus and natural remedies you can try at home and lifestyle factors to consider. This episode is important to hear if you’ve been struggling with endometriosis or suspect you might have it, have been diagnosed with IBS but think there may be more going on, or if you’re a practitioner looking to deepen your understanding on the complexities of endometriosis.
In this episode:
-Lara Briden is kind of a big deal [2:50]
-The misunderstanding with endometriosis [4:02]
-Looking at endometriosis as a disease of immune dysfunction [7:25]
-Lara’s philosophy towards women’s physiology and women’s health [8:57]
-What is endometriosis? [13:26]
-Retrograde menstruation [16:20]
-Autoantibodies associated with endometriosis [20:31]
-The link between endometriosis and GI dysfunction [21:47]
-The importance of the immune cells macrophages [23:14]
-Focusing on bacteria as part of endometriosis treatment [25:30]
-The overlap between SIBO, IBS & endometriosis [28:54]
-Epigenetic involvement in endometriosis [31:11]
-Visceral sensitivity [37:52]
-How hormones like estrogen & progesterone can impact endometriosis [39:41]
-Why the pill isn’t always the best option for endometriosis [44:34]
-Progesterone resistance, and what it means for endometriosis [46:26]
-Testing options, natural remedies and treatment strategies [48:46]
-The role nickel allergy plays [55:13]
-The regulating effects of vitamin A [59:20]
-Reducing endometriosis lesions [1:00:22]
-What to know about taking iodine [1:01:49]
FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/219-endometriosis-hormone-gut-immune-health-lara-briden
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