(1737,1,'2013-04-24 20:29:06','2013-04-25 01:29:06','[caption id=\"attachment_1656\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Bromine-Periodic-Table.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1656 \" alt=\"Bromine - Periodic Table\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Bromine-Periodic-Table-150x93.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"93\" /></a> Bromine - Periodic Table<br />Image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nDid you know that everyday you have all sorts of little receptors in your body engaged in an Olympic-level competition?  Of course we aren\'t really aware of it unless it starts to show symptoms.  Once we have symptoms we go to the doctor for treatment.  Here\'s the thing that bothers me - even with appropriate medical treatment if we don\'t reduce the competition going on in our own bodies then maybe we still aren\'t addressing our health in the most optimal way.   And then there\'s this:  how the heck are you supposed to know about this stuff if no one shares this information?!  You aren\'t going to get it from your doctor.  And from your pharmacist? No.  From your government whom you entrust to protect you from these chemicals?  Well partly/maybe - but that depends upon where in this amazing world you live.\n\nSo by now you know how adamant I am about those damn Xenoestrogens competing with our estrogen receptors?  And I\'ve also told you how too much estrogen and xenoestrogens means that your thyroid hormones have to compete for their own receptors.\n\nToday I\'m going to tell you about another competition to be aware about for the best hormone health:\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Bromine VS Iodine</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Bromine is an endocrine disruptor &amp; competes with Iodine receptors used by your thyroid</strong></p>\nSo why does that matter to you?  Here\'s the trouble, <strong>your thyroid requires iodine</strong> in order to produce thyroid hormone and it needs to pull it out of your bloodstream to get it.   In fact, you may have heard of T4 and T3 but did you know what those numbers stand for?  <strong>T4</strong> refers to thyroxine which has <strong>4 iodine atoms</strong>. <strong>T3</strong> refers to triiodothyronine which has <strong>3 iodine atoms</strong>.  T4 has to convert to T3 by getting rid of one iodine atom.  Long story short - it\'s the T3 that makes it\'s way into your cells to affect your entire metabolism!  Every single metabolic process is affected by your thyroid hormone. And that thyroid gland is responsible for activating over 100 cellular enzymes which, in turn, are responsible for a variety of different functions in <strong>every single cell in your body</strong>.\n\nNow imagine if you are iodine deficient - what would happen to your T4 and T3 levels?  It should be clear to you that they absolutely need iodine.   And I shouldn\'t forget to tell you that your ovaries need iodine too (a story for another day)!\n\nNow enter Bromine, which bullies it\'s way onto iodine receptors and can leave your thyroid trying to function without optimal levels of iodine.\n\nNever heard of Bromine?  Well it is virtually EVERYWHERE in our environment:\n<ul>\n	<li>It\'s in your <strong>kids fire-retardant pj\'s</strong></li>\n	<li>It\'s on your <strong>strawberries</strong> - Gee no wonder they are on the <a title=\"EWG - Dirty Dozen\" href=\"http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/\" target=\"_blank\">Environmental Working Groups Dirty Dozen Fruits &amp; Vegetables List</a>?</li>\n	<li> It\'s in <strong>your commercially baked bread</strong> especially if you live in the USA (except maybe California where they would have to label your bread as carcinogenic which prompted most commercial bakeries to stop making brominated bread). <a title=\"KingArthurFlour - Bromate Story\" href=\"http://www.kingarthurflour.com/professional/bromate.html\" target=\"_blank\"> King Arthurs Flour </a>actually educates professional bakers about how to make non-brominated bread right on their website - love that! If you live in the UK or Canada adding Bromine to food has been banned.</li>\n	<li>Its in certain <strong>sugary, citrusy or sports drinks and some sodas</strong> in the form of Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) - even the name sounds disgusting doesn\'t it?</li>\n	<li>Some <strong>cosmetics, hair dyes, perms</strong> (Oh dear, please don\'t let that 80\'s trend come back into style for a whole lot of reasons).  Look for words like Sodium Bromate and Benzalkonium.</li>\n	<li><strong>Mattresses &amp; carpets &amp; a</strong><strong>utomobile upholstery</strong></li>\n	<li><strong>Hot Tub and Swimming Pool Treatments</strong></li>\n	<li><strong>Some prescribed and over-the-counter medications</strong></li>\n</ul>\nWhile you may not be able to live completely Bromine free - there are ways to minimize your exposure &amp; avoid coming into contact with bromine when you can.  <a title=\"Dr. Mercola - Bromine\" href=\"http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/05/Another-Poison-Hiding-in-Your-Environment.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Dr. Mercola\'s article on Bromine</a> has some interesting information about the effect bromine has on your thyroid.\n\nHere\'s an article from the Journal of Clinical Pathology about the effects of <a title=\"NIH - Bromine &amp; Thyroid Function\" href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC501258/?page=2\" target=\"_blank\">Bromine on Thyroid Activity</a>.  The study found an association between high bromine concentrations in patients with high TSH but normal Free T4 levels.  The evidence suggests an association between bromine and thyroid hormone disorder in some patients.\n\nIf you want to read about rat studies<a title=\"Rat Thyroid &amp; Bromine Study\" href=\"http://www.chempap.org/file_access.php?file=52SIa389.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"> this study of rat thyroids</a> showed as long as rats had sufficient iodine, increased bromine wasn\'t a factor in the rat thyroid function.  Where the problem began was when the rat already had an iodine deficiency then the bromine atoms were taken up by the thyroid.\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>MAKING A DIFFERENCE</strong></h1>\nIf you ever wondered if you could make a difference check out this young girl, Sarah Kavanagh\'s victory at Change.org - she <a title=\"Change.org Petition to Remove BVO from Gatorade\" href=\"http://www.change.org/petitions/gatorade-don-t-put-flame-retardant-chemicals-in-sports-drinks\" target=\"_blank\">started a petition aimed at getting BVO out of one of her favorite drinks Gatorade</a>!  She was able to get over 200,000 signatures!  What a hero!  Way to go Sarah!  And now she\'s working on getting BVO out of Powerade - please make a difference and sign her petition - it only takes a moment of your time if you click <a title=\"Change.org Petition against BVO in Powerade\" href=\"http://www.change.org/petitions/powerade-if-gatorade-can-take-crazy-chemical-bvo-out-of-sports-drinks-so-can-you\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.','Bromine: A Bully In the Endocrine Olympics','','inherit','open','open','','1736-revision','','','2013-04-24 20:29:06','2013-04-25 01:29:06','',1736,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1736-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1738,1,'2013-04-24 20:32:18','2013-04-25 01:32:18','[caption id=\"attachment_1656\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Bromine-Periodic-Table.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1656 \" alt=\"Bromine - Periodic Table\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Bromine-Periodic-Table-150x93.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"93\" /></a> Bromine - Periodic Table<br />Image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nDid you know that everyday you have all sorts of little receptors in your body engaged in an Olympic-level competition?  Of course we aren\'t really aware of it unless it starts to show symptoms.  Once we have symptoms we go to the doctor for treatment.  Here\'s the thing that bothers me - even with appropriate medical treatment if we don\'t reduce the competition going on in our own bodies then maybe we still aren\'t addressing our health in the most optimal way.   And then there\'s this:  how the heck are you supposed to know about this stuff if no one shares this information?!  You aren\'t going to get it from your doctor.  And from your pharmacist? No.  From your government whom you entrust to protect you from these chemicals?  Well partly/maybe - but that depends upon where in this amazing world you live.\n\nSo by now you know how adamant I am about those damn Xenoestrogens competing with our estrogen receptors?  And I\'ve also told you how too much estrogen and xenoestrogens means that your thyroid hormones have to compete for their own receptors.\n\nToday I\'m going to tell you about another competition to be aware about for the best hormone health:\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Bromine VS Iodine</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Bromine is an endocrine disruptor &amp; competes with Iodine receptors used by your thyroid</strong></p>\nSo why does that matter to you?  Here\'s the trouble, <strong>your thyroid requires iodine</strong> in order to produce thyroid hormone and it needs to pull it out of your bloodstream to get it.   In fact, you may have heard of T4 and T3 but did you know what those numbers stand for?  <strong>T4</strong> refers to thyroxine which has <strong>4 iodine atoms</strong>. <strong>T3</strong> refers to triiodothyronine which has <strong>3 iodine atoms</strong>.  T4 has to convert to T3 by getting rid of one iodine atom.  Long story short - it\'s the T3 that makes it\'s way into your cells to affect your entire metabolism!  Every single metabolic process is affected by your thyroid hormone. And that thyroid gland is responsible for activating over 100 cellular enzymes which, in turn, are responsible for a variety of different functions in <strong>every single cell in your body</strong>.\n\nNow imagine if you are iodine deficient - what would happen to your T4 and T3 levels?  It should be clear to you that they absolutely need iodine.   And I shouldn\'t forget to tell you that your ovaries need iodine too (a story for another day)!\n\nNow enter Bromine, which bullies it\'s way onto iodine receptors and can leave your thyroid trying to function without optimal levels of iodine.\n\nNever heard of Bromine?  Well it is virtually EVERYWHERE in our environment:\n<ul>\n	<li>It\'s in your <strong>kids fire-retardant pj\'s</strong></li>\n	<li>It\'s on your <strong>strawberries</strong> - Gee no wonder they are on the <a title=\"EWG - Dirty Dozen\" href=\"http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/\" target=\"_blank\">Environmental Working Groups Dirty Dozen Fruits &amp; Vegetables List</a>?</li>\n	<li> It\'s in <strong>your commercially baked bread</strong> especially if you live in the USA (except maybe California where they would have to label your bread as carcinogenic which prompted most commercial bakeries to stop making brominated bread). <a title=\"KingArthurFlour - Bromate Story\" href=\"http://www.kingarthurflour.com/professional/bromate.html\" target=\"_blank\"> King Arthurs Flour </a>actually educates professional bakers about how to make non-brominated bread right on their website - love that! If you live in the UK or Canada adding Bromine to food has been banned.</li>\n	<li>Its in certain <strong>sugary, citrusy or sports drinks and some sodas</strong> in the form of Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) - even the name sounds disgusting doesn\'t it?</li>\n	<li>Some <strong>cosmetics, hair dyes, perms</strong> (Oh dear, please don\'t let that 80\'s trend come back into style for a whole lot of reasons).  Look for words like Sodium Bromate and Benzalkonium.</li>\n	<li><strong>Mattresses &amp; carpets &amp; a</strong><strong>utomobile upholstery</strong></li>\n	<li><strong>Hot Tub and Swimming Pool Treatments</strong></li>\n	<li><strong>Some prescribed and over-the-counter medications</strong></li>\n</ul>\nWhile you may not be able to live completely Bromine free - there are ways to minimize your exposure &amp; avoid coming into contact with bromine when you can.  <a title=\"Dr. Mercola - Bromine\" href=\"http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/05/Another-Poison-Hiding-in-Your-Environment.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Dr. Mercola\'s article on Bromine</a> has some interesting information about the effect bromine has on your thyroid.\n\nHere\'s an article from the Journal of Clinical Pathology about the effects of <a title=\"NIH - Bromine &amp; Thyroid Function\" href=\"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC501258/?page=2\" target=\"_blank\">Bromine on Thyroid Activity</a>.  The study found an association between high bromine concentrations in patients with high TSH but normal Free T4 levels.  The evidence suggests an association between bromine and thyroid hormone disorder in some patients.\n\nIf you want to read about rat studies<a title=\"Rat Thyroid &amp; Bromine Study\" href=\"http://www.chempap.org/file_access.php?file=52SIa389.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"> this study of rat thyroids</a> showed as long as rats had sufficient iodine, increased bromine wasn\'t a factor in the rat thyroid function.  Where the problem began was when the rat already had an iodine deficiency then the bromine atoms were taken up by the thyroid.\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>MAKING A DIFFERENCE</strong></h1>\nIf you ever wondered if you could make a difference check out this young girl, Sarah Kavanagh\'s victory at Change.org - she <a title=\"Change.org Petition to Remove BVO from Gatorade\" href=\"http://www.change.org/petitions/gatorade-don-t-put-flame-retardant-chemicals-in-sports-drinks\" target=\"_blank\">started a petition aimed at getting BVO out of one of her favorite drinks Gatorade</a>!  She was able to get over 200,000 signatures!  What a hero!  Way to go Sarah!  And now she\'s working on getting BVO out of Powerade - please make a difference and sign her petition - it only takes a moment of your time if you click <a title=\"Change.org Petition against BVO in Powerade\" href=\"http://www.change.org/petitions/powerade-if-gatorade-can-take-crazy-chemical-bvo-out-of-sports-drinks-so-can-you\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.','Bromine: A Bully In the Endocrine Olympics','','inherit','open','open','','1736-autosave','','','2013-04-24 20:32:18','2013-04-25 01:32:18','',1736,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1736-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1787,1,'2013-05-21 22:49:40','2013-05-22 03:49:40','I went for a thyroid ultrasound this week just to check the status of my thyroid.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 4 or 5 years ago.  I find it strange that I don\'t really remember when but it was such a non-event in a way.  Back then I didn\'t understand much about hypothyroidism and my doctor was pretty non-chalant about it all.  I remember him telling me my thyroid tests came back and that I needed to take thyroid hormone.  I\'ve learned a lot since then and have come to realize how important it is to treat that beautiful little butterfly shaped gland with plenty of TLC.\n\nI\'ve never had a thyroid ultrasound before and decided it was time to ask for one.  So I spoke with my doctor about it and she agreed I should get it checked out.  I am waiting for the official results but the ultrasound technician said she didn\'t see any nodules but that she could tell I had hypothyroidism.  I had known that the ultrasound could show things like an enlarged thyroid and nodules or masses, etc. but hadn\'t realized that hypothyroidism is apparent due to the size and texture of the thyroid which shows up on the ultrasound.  I knew that had to find out more about ultrasound and thyroid:\n\n<em>\"Ultrasound is not <strong>generally required for the diagnosis of diffuse thyroid diseases</strong>; however, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is primarily a subclinical disease and <strong>ultrasound can detect this subset of patients before they come to clinical attention</strong>, when typical ultrasound findings are present. In addition, <strong>ultrasound has a role in excluding focal thyroid disease and in assessing the size of the thyroid</strong>.\"</em>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<em>\"All patients should undergo an evaluation of the cervical lymph nodes as part of a routine thyroid ultrasound. Enlarged but morphologically normalappearing cervical lymph nodes are common in patients with AITD (particularly Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and can even be the first clue of this diagnosis\"</em>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIt\'s still important to check your neck and you can learn to do it yourself\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Click the link below for the simple instruction sheet on how to check your own neck in the mirror:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Neck Check \" href=\"http://thyroidawareness.com/sites/all/files/AACEneck_LR.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Thyroid Neck Check by www.ThyroidAwareness.com</a></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>\n<em>Sholosh, B. &amp; Borhani, A., (2011). </em>Thyroid Ultrasound Part 1: Technique and <em id=\"__mceDel\"><em id=\"__mceDel\">Diffuse Disease,  </em></em><em id=\"__mceDel\">Radiologic Clinics of North America, 49, 391–416.</em>','Thyroid Ultrasound Shows Hypothyroidism','','inherit','open','open','','1782-revision-5','','','2013-05-21 22:49:40','2013-05-22 03:49:40','',1782,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1782-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1740,1,'2013-05-30 09:10:34','2013-05-30 14:10:34','[caption id=\"attachment_1816\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1816\" alt=\"Baby Teaching ABCs image: Dreamstime\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Baby Teaching ABCs      image: Dreamstime[/caption]\r\n\r\nI will never forget waiting for the hospital elevator with my brand-spankin’ new baby in her bucket seat. It took me an hour to dress her in her new going home outfit. I was beaming with that same sense of pride that all of us new moms share.  In fact I savored that same feeling of wonderment when I prepared to take my second and third babies home from the hospital.\r\n\r\nBut there was something different about waiting for the elevator that first time because I actually couldn’t believe I was getting to take a baby home – a real-live baby!  This crazy feeling came over me - a sudden realization that after battling infertility and two miscarriages I finally had a baby!  My other visits to the hospital had ended in sadness as I learned of my miscarriages or got discharged from the maternity ward with baby-less, empty arms. This time though was different.  I could hardly believe that I was just standing at the elevator about to take this wee infant out the door and no one was stopping me, it was really <i>my</i> baby! A surreal experience indeed. I have often wondered about other women who live through infertility and miscarriages – did they have the same sense of awe at leaving the hospital with a baby?\r\n\r\nEvery woman who has had a miscarriage lives with an extra dose of fear in her while she’s pregnant.  I had that same fear and after two miscarriages I began to advocate for myself.  I learned about my reproductive cycle and learned to understand my own body. I was embarrassed at how little I knew!  Sex ed in health class may have covered this stuff but I don\'t remember it.  Eventually, through research and getting to know my cycles I began to suspect that I didn’t produce enough progesterone each month.  I also learned that in pregnancy a woman’s body becomes a progesterone-making machine, which is when I began to suspect that my progesterone factory was broken.  I faced my third pregnancy with knowledge and challenged my doctor’s suggestion to try a third time before we delve further into my reproductive health problems. I told my doctor that I wanted to take natural progesterone supplements during my pregnancy.  I was hopeful but I wasn’t a believer quite yet, and neither was my doctor. He gave me the progesterone but told me that it was a placebo effect.  But what if I was wrong?  The weight of a successful pregnancy seemed to weigh more heavily on me.\r\n\r\nSo as I stood waiting for the elevator that day with my newborn baby something else happened for me, but I wouldn’t think about it until much later.  That was the day I became a true believer in advocating for my own health.  It would be many years and ups and downs before I truly understood the significance bio-identical hormones would play in my life and the role I would have to take in my own health, but that day; that beautiful, wonderful, life-changing day that I got to take my baby home was the day I learned the power of Advocating for my own health, Bio-identical Hormones and Challenging the status-quo. My newborn baby had just taught me my ABC’s.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table class=\" aligncenter\" border=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">To read more of my related blog posts about Miscarriage &amp; Advocacy:</span><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><a title=\"It Doesn’t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/it-doesnt-always-take-a-crystal-ball-my-explainable-miscarriages/\" target=\"_blank\">It Doesn\'t Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><a title=\"Farewell Dear Ava\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/farewell-dear-ava/\" target=\"_blank\">Farewell Dear Ava</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><a title=\"Missing our Miscarried Babies\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/missing-our-miscarried-babies/\" target=\"_blank\">Missing our Miscarried Babies</a></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em style=\"text-align: center; background-color: #f4f4f4; line-height: 18px;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\r\nThis article was originally published as a guest blog post on <a title=\"Dr. Greene\" href=\"http://www.drgreene.com/\" target=\"_blank\">DrGreene.com </a>\r\n</span></em></p>','My Baby Taught Me My ABC’s: Advocating, Bioidentical Hormones & Challenging the Status-Quo','','publish','open','open','','my-baby-taught-me-my-abcs','','','2013-05-31 11:04:20','2013-05-31 16:04:20','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1740',0,'post','',0),(1763,1,'2013-05-09 09:31:15','2013-05-09 14:31:15','[caption id=\"attachment_1772\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"108\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Single-Rose.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1772  \" title=\"Mothers Day Sucks:  Mothers Day After a Miscarriage\" alt=\" Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Single-Rose-108x150.jpg\" width=\"108\" height=\"150\" /></a> Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing about Mothers Day - sometimes it sucks. It\'s hard after you\'ve lost your own mom but people acknowledge that grief.  What happens when you\'ve lost a baby no one else got the chance to know?\r\n\r\nLike many other traumatic life events do, when many women who have miscarried speak to each other about their miscarriages, there is a shared camaraderie.  A shared understanding that is known only to women who have been through the horror of losing a baby. I\'ve talked to a lot of mommies over the 15 years since my first miscarriage and here\'s what I think most moms who have miscarried would like you to know:\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff00ff;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b; font-size: medium;\"><strong>We are Moms</strong></span>\r\n</span></p>\r\nEven if we have never carried a baby to term - we had a baby.  It died. Maybe we didn\'t get to hold that baby or hear it call us Mama.  Maybe we weren\'t far enough along in our pregnancy to feel our baby move.  Maybe we were a single mom, struggling to figure out how to manage a pregnancy and a baby.  Maybe part of us was afraid or didn\'t really want a baby when we found out we were pregnant.  Maybe our husband doesn\'t acknowledge our suffering or that he, too, is a parent.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><strong>Maybe it\'s hard for you to understand.  We would like you to try.  </strong></span></p>\r\nWe wish you would acknowledge what we know in our hearts.  We are Moms.  When you don\'t acknowledge our grief it makes it harder.  When you pretend like it didn\'t happen it makes it worse.  Bringing up the baby won\'t make us feel worse - it makes us feel better that you\'ve acknowledge how we feel and that our baby was real and deserves our grief.  You won\'t remind us of the baby we lost - we don\'t need reminding - we think of our babies more than you can imagine. Many of us feel like we suffer twice - once when we lose the baby and then again when no one seems to understand or acknowledge or even worse - tells us \"it was for the best\".\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><strong>Mother\'s Day Sucks</strong></span></p>\r\nMy first mother\'s day came 6 weeks after I lost my first baby - I spent alot of time crying that day.  I felt like I should have been celebrating mother\'s day as a Mommy-to-Be but instead I felt like I was a Mommy-That-Wasnt-Meant-to-Be.\r\n\r\nMother\'s Day is coming - do you know someone who miscarried a baby?  Consider acknowledging a mom who has suffered a miscarriage on Mother\'s Day.  A small note saying thinking of you on Mothers Day or a single flower will let her know you understand that she is a Mom.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table border=\"0\" align=\"center\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">To read more of my posts about Miscarriage:</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"It Doesn’t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/it-doesnt-always-take-a-crystal-ball-my-explainable-miscarriages/\" target=\"_blank\">It Doesn\'t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages</a>     </span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Missing our Miscarried Babies\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/missing-our-miscarried-babies/\" target=\"_blank\">Missing our Miscarried Babies</a></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table border=\"0\" align=\"center\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">To get connected to another mom who has suffered a miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant loss visit:</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://www.mymiscarriagematters.com/welcome.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1775\" title=\"Miscarriage Matters Inc\" alt=\"Miscarriage Matters Inc \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Miscarriage-Matters-Inc-Logo.jpg\" width=\"123\" height=\"73\" /></a></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">It\'s a free service for women AND their families and friends who want to reach out and get connected to a supportive volunteer who understands. </span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> </span></p>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><em>This blog post is dedicated to a special Mom that I have recently come to know - some people in her life don\'t see her as a Mom but those of us who have miscarried our babies know in our hearts and minds that she is a mom.  </em></span></p>','Mothers Day Sucks: Mothers Day After a Miscarriage ','','publish','open','open','','mothers-day-sucks-mothers-day-after-a-miscarriage','','','2013-05-09 09:37:14','2013-05-09 14:37:14','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1763',0,'post','',3),(1741,1,'2013-04-28 21:31:28','2013-04-29 02:31:28','<em></em>\n\nMy Baby Taught Me My ABC’s\n\n&nbsp;\n\nI will never forget waiting for the hospital elevator with my brand-spankin’ new baby in her bucket seat. It took me an hour to dress her in her new going home outfit. I was beaming with that same sense of pride that all of us new moms share.  In fact I savored that same feeling of wonderment when I prepared to take my second and third babies home from the hospital.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nBut there was something different about waiting for the elevator that first time because I actually couldn’t believe I was getting to take a baby home – a real-live baby!  This crazy feeling came over me - a sudden realization that after battling infertility and two miscarriages I finally had a baby!  My other visits to the hospital had ended in sadness as I learned of my miscarriages or got discharged from the maternity ward with baby-less, empty arms. This time though was different.  I could hardly believe that I was just standing at the elevator about to take this wee infant out the door and no one was stopping me, it was really <i>my</i> baby! It was a surreal experience. I have often wondered about other women who live through infertility and miscarriages – did they have the same sense of awe at leaving the hospital with a baby?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nEvery woman who has had a miscarriage lives with an extra dose of fear in her while she’s pregnant.  I had that same fear and after two miscarriages I began to advocate for myself.  I learned about my reproductive cycle and learned to understand my own body. I was embarrassed at how little I knew! I suspected from my research and getting to know my cycles that I didn’t produce enough progesterone each month.  I also learned that in pregnancy a woman’s body becomes a progesterone-making machine, which is when I began to suspect that my progesterone factory was broken.  I faced my third pregnancy with knowledge and challenged my doctor’s suggestion to try a third time before we delve further into my reproductive health problems. I told my doctor that I wanted to take natural progesterone supplements during my pregnancy.  I was hopeful but I wasn’t a believer quite yet, and neither was my doctor. He gave me the progesterone but told me that it was a placebo effect. So what if I was wrong, the weight of a successful pregnancy seemed to weigh more heavily on me.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nSo as I stood waiting for the elevator that day with my newborn baby something else happened for me, but I wouldn’t think about it until much later.  That was the day I became a true believer in advocating for my own health.  It would be many years and ups and downs before I truly understood the significance bio-identical hormones would play in my life and the role I would have to take in my own health, but that day; that beautiful, wonderful, life-changing day that I got to take my baby home was the day I learned the power of Advocating for my own health, Bio-identical Hormones and Challenging the status-quo. My newborn baby had just taught me my ABC’s.','My Baby Taught Me My ABC’s','','inherit','open','open','','1740-revision','','','2013-04-28 21:31:28','2013-04-29 02:31:28','',1740,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1740-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1742,1,'2013-04-28 21:32:19','0000-00-00 00:00:00','I’m not sure when we became suspicious of Mother Nature but I see it in the faces of the people I share my story with. Sometimes the skepticism in the air is palpable. My story does sound a bit like one of those tales that seems too good to be true. Perhaps the cure seems too simple. I wonder if I hadn’t lived through 10 years of hormone hell, would I be one of those people looking sideways today?  A skeptic, who thinks that there is no way a little bit of cream derived from the lowly wild yam could possibly cure someone of such devastating medical problems as infertility, miscarriages, PMS and postpartum mood disorder.\r\n\r\nWhen I tell someone that I refused to just blindly gamble the outcome of a third pregnancy after two devastating miscarriages, and they hear that my beautiful firstborn daughter wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for my own demand for natural progesterone what do they think?   If I share my story about how my obstetrician successfully treated my postpartum anxiety naturally, why do I always feel the need to explain that he is well respected in his field and in fact, is the Chief of Obstetrics at his hospital?  And while I always get the hopeful raised eyebrows from women when I tell them I used to take pain medication for terrible menstrual cramps until my doctor helped me eradicate them completely by prescribing magnesium, it’s not long before I see the skepticism seeping in, as they wonder why they have never heard such a tale before.  I tell them magnesium is Mother Nature’s muscle relaxant but again, the mistrust rears its ugly head.\r\n\r\nI’ve noticed there seems to be a converse relationship between my passion and their mistrust.  The more passionate I get when I describe my “natural” recovery the more I get the impression people think I believe in some kind of “voodoo” medicine.\r\n\r\nI finally realized that in order for someone to really relate to the lesson that took me a decade to learn, either they have to already trust Mother Nature or they have to be at the wit’s end of their own health struggle.  For everyone else I have to first explain my decade long journey using every traditional method to solve my health issues and then, when they see that I’ve sufficiently suffered in my attempts at traditional treatment do I begin to see the belief meter rise.\r\n\r\nOf course, I don’t tell everyone I meet about my friendship with Mother Nature or my success using bio-identical hormones and other natural products. That would just be weird.  But when all the stars line up in a row and I have an opportunity, I take it.\r\n\r\nI cast my vote.  I hope other people will also vote Mother Nature back on the island. Will you?','I’m a Survivor but when did Mother Nature get voted off the Island?','','draft','open','open','','im-a-survivor-but-when-did-mother-nature-get-voted-off-the-island','','','2013-04-28 21:32:19','2013-04-29 02:32:19','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1742',0,'post','',0),(1743,1,'2013-09-04 08:59:21','2013-09-04 13:59:21','[caption id=\"attachment_1982\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"100\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/excuse-me-have-you-seen-my-libido/libido-pic/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1982\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1982\" alt=\"Excuse Me Have You Seen My Libido?\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Libido-Pic-100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a> Excuse Me Have You Seen My Libido?[/caption]\r\n\r\nLosing your libido isn’t like losing your car keys.  First of all, there’s rarely a frantic search for libido like there is with keys.   You don’t get your entire family to help you scour the house for it.  And you certainly don’t ask perfect strangers at the grocery store, “Excuse me, sir I seem to have misplaced my libido, have you seen it?”.\r\n\r\nThe thing about libido is that losing it sneaks up on you.  Life is busy, stressful, tiring and really, fulfilling enough without it.  In fact, at first you may not even notice it’s gone.  And if it’s gone long enough eventually you don’t even care if you ever get it back. Life goes on for you without it. It doesn’t seem like you’re missing much. It becomes a bit of a vicious cycle; you don’t want sex so the idea of boosting your sex drive doesn’t even appeal to you. Why would you care about having more of something you don’t want in the first place?\r\n\r\nOne person who <i>will </i>notice it missing is your partner.  He (or she) might search for it or try to help you find it. Your partner may even go to great lengths to help you.  Your lost libido will definitely matter to your partner.  He will try to get <i>you</i> to care about finding it.\r\n\r\nWhen I embarked on my search to balance my hormones I don’t think I even realized that my libido was missing.  Well ok, maybe I did, just a little – my husband may have mentioned it once or twice.  But that wasn’t what made me seek help.  PMS, now there was something to care about, but my libido, meh. Little did I know that the resounding side effect of balancing my hormones was going to be a tremendous surge in my libido.  I’m not talking just a slight shift here – more like going from zero to 60 in 2.9 seconds.  Trust me, if my husband had known that the side effect of curing my PMS with bio-identical hormones was such an incredible boost in my libido he would have put me in the car and driven me to my hormone doctor himself!\r\n\r\nMost of the conversation pertaining to low sex drive, especially for women, is centered around factors such as stress, fatigue, poor body image, the challenge shifting from mommy mode to sexy-wife mode, needing more attention from their partner, a normal part of aging, and so on.  And while some of it may be true, for the women I know who have balanced their hormones all of those factors become pretty insignificant.  Even when you are tired, have a sink full of dishes, the kids have been driving you in circles all day, or your partner didn’t bring you flowers you will still have the drive to have sex – and not just any sex, incredible sex.\r\n\r\nSo if you accidentally or on-purpose find your libido again, and I hope you do, I assure you that you will wonder how you ever lived without it.  And unlike your keys, it’s something you’ll be sure never to lose again.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table class=\" aligncenter\" style=\"border-color: #6d6a95; border-width: 0px; background-color: #c8c7d0;\" border=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><em>                                            This article was originally published on www.DrGreene.com                                                      </em></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>','Excuse Me Have You Seen My Libido? ','','publish','open','open','','excuse-me-have-you-seen-my-libido','','','2013-09-04 08:59:21','2013-09-04 13:59:21','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1743',0,'post','',0),(1744,1,'2013-04-28 21:33:00','2013-04-29 02:33:00','Excuse Me Have You Seen My Libido?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nLosing your libido isn’t like losing your car keys.  First of all, there’s rarely a frantic search for libido like there is with keys.   You don’t get your entire family to help you scour the house for it.  And you certainly don’t ask perfect strangers at the grocery store, “Excuse me, sir I seem to have misplaced my libido, have you seen it?”.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe thing about libido is that losing it sneaks up on you.  Life is busy, stressful, tiring and really, fulfilling enough without it.  In fact, at first you may not even notice it’s gone.  And if it’s gone long enough eventually you don’t even care if you ever get it back. Life goes on for you without it. It doesn’t seem like you’re missing much. It becomes a bit of a vicious cycle; you don’t want sex so the idea of boosting your sex drive doesn’t even appeal to you. Why would you care about having more of something you don’t want in the first place?\n\n&nbsp;\n\nOne person who <i>will </i>notice it missing is your partner.  He (or she) might search for it or try to help you find it. Your partner may even go to great lengths to help you.  Your lost libido will definitely matter to your partner.  He will try to get <i>you</i> to care about finding it.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nWhen I embarked on my search to balance my hormones I don’t think I even realized that my libido was missing.  Well ok, maybe I did, just a little – my husband may have mentioned it once or twice.  But that wasn’t what made me seek help.  PMS, now there was something to care about, but my libido, meh. Little did I know that the resounding side effect of balancing my hormones was going to be a tremendous surge in my libido.  I’m not talking just a slight shift here – more like going from zero to 60 in 2.9 seconds.  Trust me, if my husband had known that the side effect of curing my PMS with bio-identical hormones was such an incredible boost in my libido he would have put me in the car and driven me to my hormone doctor himself!\n\n&nbsp;\n\nMost of the conversation pertaining to low sex drive, especially for women, is centered around factors such as stress, fatigue, poor body image, the challenge shifting from mommy mode to sexy-wife mode, needing more attention from their partner and so on.  And while that may be true, for the women I know who have balanced their hormones all of those factors become insignificant.  Even when you are tired, there are dishes in the sink, the kids have been driving you in circles all day, or your partner didn’t bring you flowers you will still have the drive to have sex – and not just any sex, incredible sex.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nSo if you accidentally or on-purpose find your libido again, and I hope you do, I assure you that you will wonder how you ever lived without it.  And unlike your keys, it’s something you’ll be sure never to lose again.','Excuse Me Have You Seen My Libido? ','','inherit','open','open','','1743-revision-v1','','','2013-04-28 21:33:00','2013-04-29 02:33:00','',1743,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1743-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1746,1,'2013-04-29 08:29:26','2013-04-29 13:29:26','http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Hormone-Soupbg.png','Hormone-Soupbg.png','','inherit','open','open','','hormone-soupbg-png','','','2013-04-29 08:29:26','2013-04-29 13:29:26','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Hormone-Soupbg.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(1745,1,'2013-04-28 21:33:07','2013-04-29 02:33:07','Losing your libido isn’t like losing your car keys.  First of all, there’s rarely a frantic search for libido like there is with keys.   You don’t get your entire family to help you scour the house for it.  And you certainly don’t ask perfect strangers at the grocery store, “Excuse me, sir I seem to have misplaced my libido, have you seen it?”.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nThe thing about libido is that losing it sneaks up on you.  Life is busy, stressful, tiring and really, fulfilling enough without it.  In fact, at first you may not even notice it’s gone.  And if it’s gone long enough eventually you don’t even care if you ever get it back. Life goes on for you without it. It doesn’t seem like you’re missing much. It becomes a bit of a vicious cycle; you don’t want sex so the idea of boosting your sex drive doesn’t even appeal to you. Why would you care about having more of something you don’t want in the first place?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nOne person who <i>will </i>notice it missing is your partner.  He (or she) might search for it or try to help you find it. Your partner may even go to great lengths to help you.  Your lost libido will definitely matter to your partner.  He will try to get <i>you</i> to care about finding it.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nWhen I embarked on my search to balance my hormones I don’t think I even realized that my libido was missing.  Well ok, maybe I did, just a little – my husband may have mentioned it once or twice.  But that wasn’t what made me seek help.  PMS, now there was something to care about, but my libido, meh. Little did I know that the resounding side effect of balancing my hormones was going to be a tremendous surge in my libido.  I’m not talking just a slight shift here – more like going from zero to 60 in 2.9 seconds.  Trust me, if my husband had known that the side effect of curing my PMS with bio-identical hormones was such an incredible boost in my libido he would have put me in the car and driven me to my hormone doctor himself!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMost of the conversation pertaining to low sex drive, especially for women, is centered around factors such as stress, fatigue, poor body image, the challenge shifting from mommy mode to sexy-wife mode, needing more attention from their partner and so on.  And while that may be true, for the women I know who have balanced their hormones all of those factors become insignificant.  Even when you are tired, there are dishes in the sink, the kids have been driving you in circles all day, or your partner didn’t bring you flowers you will still have the drive to have sex – and not just any sex, incredible sex.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo if you accidentally or on-purpose find your libido again, and I hope you do, I assure you that you will wonder how you ever lived without it.  And unlike your keys, it’s something you’ll be sure never to lose again.','Excuse Me Have You Seen My Libido? ','','inherit','open','open','','1743-revision-v1','','','2013-04-28 21:33:07','2013-04-29 02:33:07','',1743,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1743-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1747,1,'2013-04-29 08:30:49','2013-04-29 13:30:49','http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/HormoneSoup_blogBanner.jpg','HormoneSoup_blogBanner.jpg','','inherit','open','open','','hormonesoup_blogbanner-jpg','','','2013-04-29 08:30:49','2013-04-29 13:30:49','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/HormoneSoup_blogBanner.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1762,1,'2013-04-28 21:31:36','2013-04-29 02:31:36','I will never forget waiting for the hospital elevator with my brand-spankin’ new baby in her bucket seat. It took me an hour to dress her in her new going home outfit. I was beaming with that same sense of pride that all of us new moms share.  In fact I savored that same feeling of wonderment when I prepared to take my second and third babies home from the hospital.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nBut there was something different about waiting for the elevator that first time because I actually couldn’t believe I was getting to take a baby home – a real-live baby!  This crazy feeling came over me - a sudden realization that after battling infertility and two miscarriages I finally had a baby!  My other visits to the hospital had ended in sadness as I learned of my miscarriages or got discharged from the maternity ward with baby-less, empty arms. This time though was different.  I could hardly believe that I was just standing at the elevator about to take this wee infant out the door and no one was stopping me, it was really <i>my</i> baby! It was a surreal experience. I have often wondered about other women who live through infertility and miscarriages – did they have the same sense of awe at leaving the hospital with a baby?\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nEvery woman who has had a miscarriage lives with an extra dose of fear in her while she’s pregnant.  I had that same fear and after two miscarriages I began to advocate for myself.  I learned about my reproductive cycle and learned to understand my own body. I was embarrassed at how little I knew! I suspected from my research and getting to know my cycles that I didn’t produce enough progesterone each month.  I also learned that in pregnancy a woman’s body becomes a progesterone-making machine, which is when I began to suspect that my progesterone factory was broken.  I faced my third pregnancy with knowledge and challenged my doctor’s suggestion to try a third time before we delve further into my reproductive health problems. I told my doctor that I wanted to take natural progesterone supplements during my pregnancy.  I was hopeful but I wasn’t a believer quite yet, and neither was my doctor. He gave me the progesterone but told me that it was a placebo effect. So what if I was wrong, the weight of a successful pregnancy seemed to weigh more heavily on me.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSo as I stood waiting for the elevator that day with my newborn baby something else happened for me, but I wouldn’t think about it until much later.  That was the day I became a true believer in advocating for my own health.  It would be many years and ups and downs before I truly understood the significance bio-identical hormones would play in my life and the role I would have to take in my own health, but that day; that beautiful, wonderful, life-changing day that I got to take my baby home was the day I learned the power of Advocating for my own health, Bio-identical Hormones and Challenging the status-quo. My newborn baby had just taught me my ABC’s.','My Baby Taught Me My ABC’s','','inherit','open','open','','1740-revision-2','','','2013-04-28 21:31:36','2013-04-29 02:31:36','',1740,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1740-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1751,1,'2013-04-30 14:45:53','2013-04-30 19:45:53','','Postpartum Planning','Postpartum Planning','inherit','open','open','','postpartum-planning','','','2013-04-30 14:45:53','2013-04-30 19:45:53','',1731,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Postpartum-Planning-.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1752,1,'2013-04-30 14:47:42','2013-04-30 19:47:42','&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1751\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Postpartum-Planning-.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1751\" alt=\"Postpartum Planning\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Postpartum-Planning--150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Postpartum Planning[/caption]\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">When postpartum <i>anxiety </i> (PPA) struck me after my third baby I was already on high-alert for postpartum depression (PPD).   I suspected that I had suffered from some sort of postpartum mood disorder (PPMD) after my second baby – my mood swings were extreme and, in fact, they went into overdrive when I weaned my daughter from breastfeeding at 17 months.  Eventually the mood swings settled into a cyclical pattern of extreme PMS, which I later learned was not at all unusual for someone like me.</p>\nSo when I got pregnant with my third baby I was concerned about a repeat of the dramatic, life-altering mood swings. I confided my fear to my family doctor.  She advised me not to worry because she would put me on anti-depressants as soon as the baby was born.  To be completely honest, the idea of anti-depressants scared me even more than the risk of PPMD.  But the mention of anti-depressants spurred me to action to come up with a preventative plan <i>before</i> my baby was born.\n\n<b>My Postpartum Plan:</b>\n\nI knew bio-identical hormones were used by some doctors to prevent and treat postpartum mood disorders so I visited the nearest compounding pharmacist and asked for a list of obstetricians that prescribed bio-identical hormones.  With that list of doctors in my hot little pregnant hand I picked up the phone to make sure the OB/GYN I wanted was taking new patients.  I asked my family doctor to make the referral.  This particular OB/GYN is the extremely busy Chief of Obstetrics at his hospital so it took some time to get my first appointment but I was certain it would be worth the wait.  At my first appointment I told him my history and shared my fear about postpartum depression.  Like my family doctor, he too, told me not to worry.  But <i>his</i> plan was to put me on progesterone cream as soon as the baby was born.  I breathed my first sigh of relief. I had a plan!  And if those mood swings were going to start I’d be swinging right back with my progesterone clicker!  I felt confident that I was going to be spared the fate I had suffered with my daughter.  In a way I was right – but NOT in the way I expected!\n\nOnce my beautiful baby boy was born I implemented my plan and began applying my beloved progesterone cream.  I was so relieved to have that scrumptious calming cream that was going to protect me from the dramatic mood swings.  And they never came but….you know when you’re watching a movie and you can’t figure out why the actor is oblivious to the impending doom?  Yeah, you got it - there were a few chinks in my creamy progesterone armour:\n\n&nbsp;\n<ul>\n	<li>I didn’t know as much about progesterone back in those days and didn’t realize that the dose my doctor gave me was very small, painfully too small.</li>\n	<li>I also didn’t know much about PPMD – I had heard of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis and I knew I’d had some wicked mood swings but that was it.  Sadly, I had never heard of postpartum anxiety and postpartum OCD.   I never knew to watch out for it.  Neither did my husband.</li>\n	<li>I never bothered to prepare or enlist a single friend or family member.</li>\n	<li>I didn’t know that PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions –  kind of  like a big heart palpitation that can be powerful enough to wake you out of a deep sleep) were related to hormone deficiencies.</li>\n	<li>I didn’t know about pregnancy and postpartum related thyroid disorders OR that I was at risk.</li>\n</ul>\n<b>Looking Back:</b>\n\nI feel like I had the beginnings of a postpartum plan that suited <i>me</i> to a “T”.   Truly though, just a <i>bit</i> more information would have made all the difference in the world:\n<ul>\n	<li>If I had known about PPA then I may have realized that indeed a postpartum mood disorder needed to be considered as a cause of my anxiety.</li>\n	<li>If I had known about the PVC’s being related perhaps I would have told my OB/GYN about them, instead of going to my family doctor who didn’t relate them to my plummeting hormone levels.</li>\n	<li>If I had known that increasing my dose of progesterone would have provided almost instant relief I would have acted quicker.</li>\n	<li>If I had known about postpartum thyroiditis I may have pushed for adequate thyroid testing before, during and/or after my pregnancies.  (Because of my subsequent research I now believe in universal thyroid testing before pregnancy.)</li>\n</ul>\n<b>The Lightbulb:</b>\n\nOne day the PPA light bulb suddenly turned on for me!  I can’t recall why it did, but once I realized that my anxiety was a postpartum mood disorder, everything slowly began to make sense.  I called my obstetrician’s office but I couldn’t get an appointment for 3 weeks – a lifetime for someone with debilitating anxiety.  I don’t know why I didn’t plead with his receptionist for help.  I should have.  I should have gotten in my car and drove to his office.   Instead I called my compounding pharmacist and told her about my dose and my anxiety.  She confirmed everything for me – mostly that my dose was too low.  I breathed my second sigh of relief!  I immediately doubled the amount of cream I applied and by the next day could feel the anxiety begin to diminish.  By the time I got to my doctor I was feeling a bit more like myself with just some underlying anxiety.  My obstetrician tripled my dose and the anxiety drifted away.  I didn’t have to breathe a sigh of relief anymore – I simply breathed.   And oh, the air was sweet.\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I advocate for a multi-faceted, personalized postpartum plan for EVERY mom with EVERY pregnancy.</b></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I believe in universal thyroid testing, including T4, T3, rT3 and anti-bodies (not just TSH) before pregnancy. </b></p>\n<b>Whatever <i>your</i> plan is – I hope you make yours more thorough than I did – even though half a plan was better than no plan at all.</b>','Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?','','inherit','open','open','','1731-revision-4','','','2013-04-30 14:47:42','2013-04-30 19:47:42','',1731,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1731-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1755,1,'2013-04-30 15:32:49','2013-04-30 20:32:49','[caption id=\"attachment_1751\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1751 \" alt=\"Postpartum Planning\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Postpartum-Planning--150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /> Postpartum Planning<br />Image credit: 123rf.com[/caption]\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">When postpartum <i>anxiety </i> (PPA) struck me after my third baby I was already on high-alert for postpartum depression (PPD).   I suspected that I had suffered from some sort of postpartum mood disorder (PPMD) after my second baby but like most women never sought help and was never diagnosed.  My mood swings were extreme and, in fact, they went into overdrive when I weaned my daughter from breastfeeding at 17 months.  Eventually the mood swings settled into a cyclical pattern of extreme PMS, which I later learned was not at all unusual for someone like me.</p>\nSo when I got pregnant with my third baby I was concerned about a repeat of the dramatic, life-altering mood swings. I confided my fear to my family doctor.  She advised me not to worry because she would put me on anti-depressants as soon as the baby was born.  To be completely honest, the idea of anti-depressants scared me even more than the risk of PPMD.  But the mention of anti-depressants spurred me to action to come up with a preventative plan <i>before</i> my baby was born.\n\n<b>My Postpartum Plan:</b>\n\nI knew bio-identical hormones were used by some doctors to prevent and treat postpartum mood disorders so I visited the nearest compounding pharmacist and asked for a list of obstetricians that prescribed bio-identical hormones.  With that list of doctors in my hot little pregnant hand I picked up the phone to make sure the OB/GYN I wanted was taking new patients.  I asked my family doctor to make the referral.  This particular OB/GYN is the extremely busy Chief of Obstetrics at his hospital so it took some time to get my first appointment but I was hopeful that it would be worth the wait.  At my first appointment I told him my history and shared my fear about postpartum depression.  Like my family doctor, he too, told me not to worry.  But <i>his</i> plan was to put me on progesterone cream as soon as my baby was born.  I breathed my first sigh of relief. I finally had a plan that fit with my personal beliefs.  And if those mood swings were going to strike I’d be striking right back with my progesterone clicker.  I felt confident that I was going to be spared the fate I had suffered with my daughter.  In a way I was right – but NOT in the way I expected.\n\nOnce my beautiful baby boy was born I implemented my plan and began applying my beloved progesterone cream.  I was so relieved to have that scrumptious calming cream that was going to protect me from the dramatic mood swings.  And they never came instead I had only ONE mood: debiilitating <strong>anxiety</strong>.  You know when you’re watching a movie and you can’t figure out why the actor is oblivious to the impending doom?  Yeah, you got it - there were a few chinks in my creamy progesterone armour:\n<ul>\n	<li>I didn’t know as much about progesterone back in those days and didn’t realize that the dose my doctor gave me was very small, painfully too small.</li>\n	<li>I also didn’t know much about PPMD – I had heard of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis and I knew I’d had some wicked mood swings but that was it.  Sadly, I had never heard of postpartum anxiety and postpartum OCD.   I never knew to watch out for it.  Neither did my husband.</li>\n	<li>I never bothered to prepare or enlist a single friend or family member.</li>\n	<li>I didn’t know that PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions –  kind of  like a big heart palpitation that can be powerful enough to wake you out of a deep sleep) were related to hormone deficiencies.</li>\n	<li>I didn’t know about pregnancy and postpartum related thyroid disorders OR that I was at risk.</li>\n</ul>\n<b>Looking Back:</b>\n\nI feel like I had the beginnings of a postpartum plan that suited <i>me</i> to a “T”.   Truly though, just a <i>bit</i> more information would have made all the difference in the world:\n<ul>\n	<li>If I had known about PPA then I may have realized that indeed a postpartum mood disorder needed to be considered as a cause of my anxiety.</li>\n	<li>If I had known about the PVC’s being related perhaps I would have told my OB/GYN about them, instead of going to my family doctor who didn’t relate them to my plummeting hormone levels.</li>\n	<li>If I had known that increasing my dose of progesterone would have provided almost instant relief I would have acted quicker.</li>\n	<li>If I had known about postpartum thyroiditis I may have pushed for adequate thyroid testing before, during and/or after my pregnancies.  (Because of my subsequent research I now believe in universal thyroid testing before pregnancy.)</li>\n	<li>Knowing what I know now, I would have hired a postpartum doula.  I recall thinking of it with my first baby but I lived in a remote settlement in Canada\'s Arctic - there are no doulas north of 65°.  By the time I had my third baby, for some reason I didn\'t even think of a doula.</li>\n</ul>\n<b>The Lightbulb:</b>\n\nOne day the PPA light bulb suddenly turned on for me!  I can’t recall why it did, but once I realized that my anxiety was a postpartum mood disorder, everything slowly began to make sense.  I called my obstetrician’s office but I couldn’t get an appointment for 3 weeks – a lifetime for someone with debilitating anxiety.  I don’t know why I didn’t plead with his receptionist for help.  I should have.  I should have gotten in my car and drove to his office.   Instead I called my compounding pharmacist and told her about my dose and my anxiety.  She confirmed everything for me – mostly that my dose was too low.  I breathed my second sigh of relief!  I immediately doubled the amount of cream I applied and by the next day could feel the anxiety begin to diminish.  By the time I got to my doctor I was feeling a bit more like myself with just some underlying anxiety.  My obstetrician tripled my dose and soon my anxiety drifted away.  I didn’t have to breathe a sigh of relief anymore – I simply breathed.   And oh, the air was sweet.\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I advocate for a multi-faceted, personalized postpartum plan for EVERY mom with EVERY pregnancy.</b></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I advocate for universal thyroid testing, including T4, T3, rT3 and anti-bodies (not just TSH) before pregnancy. </b></p>\n<b>Whatever <i>your</i> plan is – I hope you make yours more thorough than I did – even though half a plan was better than no plan at all.</b>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nNOTE:\n<ul>\n	<li>Postpartum Psychosis is a life threatening emergency - if you suspect that you or someone you know is suffering from postpartum psychosis get help immediately.</li>\n	<li>This article contains my personal story and my personal views and which may or may not pertain to others.  It is for informational purposes only.  If you are under medical care or on medication, do not go off them based on information you find in this article. Please seek medical advice from a professional.  This article is not a substitute for medical care. Information on this blog is general as it can not address each individual’s situation and needs.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;','Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?','','inherit','open','open','','1731-revision-7','','','2013-04-30 15:32:49','2013-04-30 20:32:49','',1731,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1731-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1753,1,'2013-04-30 15:30:55','2013-04-30 20:30:55','[caption id=\"attachment_1751\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Postpartum-Planning-.jpg\"><br /><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1751 \" alt=\"Postpartum Planning\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Postpartum-Planning--150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Postpartum Planning<br />Image credit: 123rf.com[/caption]\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">When postpartum <i>anxiety </i> (PPA) struck me after my third baby I was already on high-alert for postpartum depression (PPD).   I suspected that I had suffered from some sort of postpartum mood disorder (PPMD) after my second baby but like most women never sought help and was never diagnosed.  My mood swings were extreme and, in fact, they went into overdrive when I weaned my daughter from breastfeeding at 17 months.  Eventually the mood swings settled into a cyclical pattern of extreme PMS, which I later learned was not at all unusual for someone like me.</p>\nSo when I got pregnant with my third baby I was concerned about a repeat of the dramatic, life-altering mood swings. I confided my fear to my family doctor.  She advised me not to worry because she would put me on anti-depressants as soon as the baby was born.  To be completely honest, the idea of anti-depressants scared me even more than the risk of PPMD.  But the mention of anti-depressants spurred me to action to come up with a preventative plan <i>before</i> my baby was born.\n\n<b>My Postpartum Plan:</b>\n\nI knew bio-identical hormones were used by some doctors to prevent and treat postpartum mood disorders so I visited the nearest compounding pharmacist and asked for a list of obstetricians that prescribed bio-identical hormones.  With that list of doctors in my hot little pregnant hand I picked up the phone to make sure the OB/GYN I wanted was taking new patients.  I asked my family doctor to make the referral.  This particular OB/GYN is the extremely busy Chief of Obstetrics at his hospital so it took some time to get my first appointment but I was hopeful that it would be worth the wait.  At my first appointment I told him my history and shared my fear about postpartum depression.  Like my family doctor, he too, told me not to worry.  But <i>his</i> plan was to put me on progesterone cream as soon as my baby was born.  I breathed my first sigh of relief. I finally had a plan that fit with my personal beliefs.  And if those mood swings were going to strike I’d be striking right back with my progesterone clicker.  I felt confident that I was going to be spared the fate I had suffered with my daughter.  In a way I was right – but NOT in the way I expected.\n\nOnce my beautiful baby boy was born I implemented my plan and began applying my beloved progesterone cream.  I was so relieved to have that scrumptious calming cream that was going to protect me from the dramatic mood swings.  And they never came instead I had only ONE mood: debiilitating <strong>anxiety</strong>.  You know when you’re watching a movie and you can’t figure out why the actor is oblivious to the impending doom?  Yeah, you got it - there were a few chinks in my creamy progesterone armour:\n<ul>\n	<li>I didn’t know as much about progesterone back in those days and didn’t realize that the dose my doctor gave me was very small, painfully too small.</li>\n	<li>I also didn’t know much about PPMD – I had heard of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis and I knew I’d had some wicked mood swings but that was it.  Sadly, I had never heard of postpartum anxiety and postpartum OCD.   I never knew to watch out for it.  Neither did my husband.</li>\n	<li>I never bothered to prepare or enlist a single friend or family member.</li>\n	<li>I didn’t know that PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions –  kind of  like a big heart palpitation that can be powerful enough to wake you out of a deep sleep) were related to hormone deficiencies.</li>\n	<li>I didn’t know about pregnancy and postpartum related thyroid disorders OR that I was at risk.</li>\n</ul>\n<b>Looking Back:</b>\n\nI feel like I had the beginnings of a postpartum plan that suited <i>me</i> to a “T”.   Truly though, just a <i>bit</i> more information would have made all the difference in the world:\n<ul>\n	<li>If I had known about PPA then I may have realized that indeed a postpartum mood disorder needed to be considered as a cause of my anxiety.</li>\n	<li>If I had known about the PVC’s being related perhaps I would have told my OB/GYN about them, instead of going to my family doctor who didn’t relate them to my plummeting hormone levels.</li>\n	<li>If I had known that increasing my dose of progesterone would have provided almost instant relief I would have acted quicker.</li>\n	<li>If I had known about postpartum thyroiditis I may have pushed for adequate thyroid testing before, during and/or after my pregnancies.  (Because of my subsequent research I now believe in universal thyroid testing before pregnancy.)</li>\n	<li>Knowing what I know now, I would have hired a postpartum doula.  I recall thinking of it with my first baby but I lived in a remote settlement in Canada\'s Arctic - there are no doulas north of 65°.  By the time I had my third baby, for some reason I didn\'t even think of a doula.</li>\n</ul>\n<b>The Lightbulb:</b>\n\nOne day the PPA light bulb suddenly turned on for me!  I can’t recall why it did, but once I realized that my anxiety was a postpartum mood disorder, everything slowly began to make sense.  I called my obstetrician’s office but I couldn’t get an appointment for 3 weeks – a lifetime for someone with debilitating anxiety.  I don’t know why I didn’t plead with his receptionist for help.  I should have.  I should have gotten in my car and drove to his office.   Instead I called my compounding pharmacist and told her about my dose and my anxiety.  She confirmed everything for me – mostly that my dose was too low.  I breathed my second sigh of relief!  I immediately doubled the amount of cream I applied and by the next day could feel the anxiety begin to diminish.  By the time I got to my doctor I was feeling a bit more like myself with just some underlying anxiety.  My obstetrician tripled my dose and soon my anxiety drifted away.  I didn’t have to breathe a sigh of relief anymore – I simply breathed.   And oh, the air was sweet.\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I advocate for a multi-faceted, personalized postpartum plan for EVERY mom with EVERY pregnancy.</b></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I  in universal thyroid testing, including T4, T3, rT3 and anti-bodies (not just TSH) before pregnancy. </b></p>\n<b>Whatever <i>your</i> plan is – I hope you make yours more thorough than I did – even though half a plan was better than no plan at all.</b>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nNOTE:\n<ul>\n	<li>Postpartum Psychosis is a life threatening emergency - if you suspect that you or someone you know is suffering from postpartum psychosis get help immediately.</li>\n	<li>This article contains my personal story and my personal views and which may or may not pertain to others.  It is for informational purposes only.  If you are under medical care or on medication, do not go off them based on information you find in this article. Please seek medical advice from a professional.  This article is not a substitute for medical care. Information on this blog is general as it can not address each individual’s situation and needs.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;','Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?','','inherit','open','open','','1731-revision-5','','','2013-04-30 15:30:55','2013-04-30 20:30:55','',1731,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1731-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1754,1,'2013-04-30 15:31:11','2013-04-30 20:31:11','[caption id=\"attachment_1751\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Postpartum-Planning-.jpg\"><br /><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1751 \" alt=\"Postpartum Planning\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Postpartum-Planning--150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Postpartum Planning<br />Image credit: 123rf.com[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">When postpartum <i>anxiety </i> (PPA) struck me after my third baby I was already on high-alert for postpartum depression (PPD).   I suspected that I had suffered from some sort of postpartum mood disorder (PPMD) after my second baby but like most women never sought help and was never diagnosed.  My mood swings were extreme and, in fact, they went into overdrive when I weaned my daughter from breastfeeding at 17 months.  Eventually the mood swings settled into a cyclical pattern of extreme PMS, which I later learned was not at all unusual for someone like me.</p>\r\nSo when I got pregnant with my third baby I was concerned about a repeat of the dramatic, life-altering mood swings. I confided my fear to my family doctor.  She advised me not to worry because she would put me on anti-depressants as soon as the baby was born.  To be completely honest, the idea of anti-depressants scared me even more than the risk of PPMD.  But the mention of anti-depressants spurred me to action to come up with a preventative plan <i>before</i> my baby was born.\r\n\r\n<b>My Postpartum Plan:</b>\r\n\r\nI knew bio-identical hormones were used by some doctors to prevent and treat postpartum mood disorders so I visited the nearest compounding pharmacist and asked for a list of obstetricians that prescribed bio-identical hormones.  With that list of doctors in my hot little pregnant hand I picked up the phone to make sure the OB/GYN I wanted was taking new patients.  I asked my family doctor to make the referral.  This particular OB/GYN is the extremely busy Chief of Obstetrics at his hospital so it took some time to get my first appointment but I was hopeful that it would be worth the wait.  At my first appointment I told him my history and shared my fear about postpartum depression.  Like my family doctor, he too, told me not to worry.  But <i>his</i> plan was to put me on progesterone cream as soon as my baby was born.  I breathed my first sigh of relief. I finally had a plan that fit with my personal beliefs.  And if those mood swings were going to strike I’d be striking right back with my progesterone clicker.  I felt confident that I was going to be spared the fate I had suffered with my daughter.  In a way I was right – but NOT in the way I expected.\r\n\r\nOnce my beautiful baby boy was born I implemented my plan and began applying my beloved progesterone cream.  I was so relieved to have that scrumptious calming cream that was going to protect me from the dramatic mood swings.  And they never came instead I had only ONE mood: debiilitating <strong>anxiety</strong>.  You know when you’re watching a movie and you can’t figure out why the actor is oblivious to the impending doom?  Yeah, you got it - there were a few chinks in my creamy progesterone armour:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>I didn’t know as much about progesterone back in those days and didn’t realize that the dose my doctor gave me was very small, painfully too small.</li>\r\n	<li>I also didn’t know much about PPMD – I had heard of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis and I knew I’d had some wicked mood swings but that was it.  Sadly, I had never heard of postpartum anxiety and postpartum OCD.   I never knew to watch out for it.  Neither did my husband.</li>\r\n	<li>I never bothered to prepare or enlist a single friend or family member.</li>\r\n	<li>I didn’t know that PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions –  kind of  like a big heart palpitation that can be powerful enough to wake you out of a deep sleep) were related to hormone deficiencies.</li>\r\n	<li>I didn’t know about pregnancy and postpartum related thyroid disorders OR that I was at risk.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<b>Looking Back:</b>\r\n\r\nI feel like I had the beginnings of a postpartum plan that suited <i>me</i> to a “T”.   Truly though, just a <i>bit</i> more information would have made all the difference in the world:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>If I had known about PPA then I may have realized that indeed a postpartum mood disorder needed to be considered as a cause of my anxiety.</li>\r\n	<li>If I had known about the PVC’s being related perhaps I would have told my OB/GYN about them, instead of going to my family doctor who didn’t relate them to my plummeting hormone levels.</li>\r\n	<li>If I had known that increasing my dose of progesterone would have provided almost instant relief I would have acted quicker.</li>\r\n	<li>If I had known about postpartum thyroiditis I may have pushed for adequate thyroid testing before, during and/or after my pregnancies.  (Because of my subsequent research I now believe in universal thyroid testing before pregnancy.)</li>\r\n	<li>Knowing what I know now, I would have hired a postpartum doula.  I recall thinking of it with my first baby but I lived in a remote settlement in Canada\'s Arctic - there are no doulas north of 65°.  By the time I had my third baby, for some reason I didn\'t even think of a doula.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<b>The Lightbulb:</b>\r\n\r\nOne day the PPA light bulb suddenly turned on for me!  I can’t recall why it did, but once I realized that my anxiety was a postpartum mood disorder, everything slowly began to make sense.  I called my obstetrician’s office but I couldn’t get an appointment for 3 weeks – a lifetime for someone with debilitating anxiety.  I don’t know why I didn’t plead with his receptionist for help.  I should have.  I should have gotten in my car and drove to his office.   Instead I called my compounding pharmacist and told her about my dose and my anxiety.  She confirmed everything for me – mostly that my dose was too low.  I breathed my second sigh of relief!  I immediately doubled the amount of cream I applied and by the next day could feel the anxiety begin to diminish.  By the time I got to my doctor I was feeling a bit more like myself with just some underlying anxiety.  My obstetrician tripled my dose and soon my anxiety drifted away.  I didn’t have to breathe a sigh of relief anymore – I simply breathed.   And oh, the air was sweet.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I advocate for a multi-faceted, personalized postpartum plan for EVERY mom with EVERY pregnancy.</b></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I advocate for universal thyroid testing, including T4, T3, rT3 and anti-bodies (not just TSH) before pregnancy. </b></p>\r\n<b>Whatever <i>your</i> plan is – I hope you make yours more thorough than I did – even though half a plan was better than no plan at all.</b>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNOTE:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Postpartum Psychosis is a life threatening emergency - if you suspect that you or someone you know is suffering from postpartum psychosis get help immediately.</li>\r\n	<li>This article contains my personal story and my personal views and which may or may not pertain to others.  It is for informational purposes only.  If you are under medical care or on medication, do not go off them based on information you find in this article. Please seek medical advice from a professional.  This article is not a substitute for medical care. Information on this blog is general as it can not address each individual’s situation and needs.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;','Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?','','inherit','open','open','','1731-revision-6','','','2013-04-30 15:31:11','2013-04-30 20:31:11','',1731,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1731-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1756,1,'2013-04-30 15:40:57','2013-04-30 20:40:57','[caption id=\"attachment_1751\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1751 \" alt=\"Postpartum Planning\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Postpartum-Planning--150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /> Postpartum Planning<br />Image credit: 123rf.com[/caption]\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">When postpartum anxiety(PPA)struck me after my third baby I was already on high-alert for postpartum depression(PPD). I suspected that I had suffered from some sort of postpartum mood disorder(PPMD) after my second baby but like most women never sought help and was never diagnosed. &nbsp;My mood swings were extreme and, in fact, they went into overdrive when I weaned my daughter from breastfeeding at 17 months.&nbsp; Eventually the mood swings settled into a cyclical pattern of extreme PMS, which I later learned was not at all unusual for someone like me.</p>\nSo when I got pregnant with my third baby I was concerned about a repeat of the dramatic, life-altering mood swings. I confided my fear to my family doctor. &nbsp;She advised me not to worry because she would put me on anti-depressants as soon as the baby was born.&nbsp; To be completely honest, the idea of anti-depressants scared me even more than the risk of PPMD. &nbsp;But the mention of anti-depressants&nbsp;spurred me to action to come up with a preventative plan before my baby was born.\n\n<b>My Postpartum Plan:</b>\n\nI knew bio-identical hormones were used by some doctors to prevent and treat postpartum mood disorders so I visited the nearest compounding pharmacist and asked for a list of obstetricians that prescribed bio-identical hormones.&nbsp; With that list of doctors in my hot little pregnant hand I picked up the phone to make sure the OB/GYN I wanted was taking new patients. &nbsp;I asked my family doctor to make the referral.&nbsp; This particular OB/GYN is the extremely busy Chief of Obstetrics at his hospital so it took some time to get my first appointment but I was hopeful that it would be worth the wait. &nbsp;At my first appointment I told him my history and shared my fear about postpartum depression.&nbsp; Like my family doctor, he too, told me not to worry.&nbsp; But <i>his</i> plan was to put me on progesterone cream as soon as my baby was born.&nbsp; I breathed my first sigh of relief. I finally had a plan that fit with my personal beliefs. &nbsp;And if those mood swings were going to strike I’d be striking right back with my progesterone clicker. &nbsp;I felt confident that I was going to be spared the fate I had suffered with my daughter. &nbsp;In a way I was right – but NOT in the way I expected.\n\nOnce my beautiful baby boy was born I implemented my plan and began applying my beloved progesterone cream.&nbsp; I was so relieved to have that scrumptious calming cream that was going to protect me from the dramatic mood swings.&nbsp; And they never came instead I had only ONE mood: debiilitating <strong>anxiety</strong>. &nbsp;You know when you’re watching a movie and you can’t figure out why the actor is oblivious to the impending doom?&nbsp; Yeah, you got it - there were a few chinks in my creamy progesterone armour:\n<ul>\n	<li>I didn’t know as much about progesterone back in those days and didn’t realize that the dose my doctor gave me was very small, painfully too small.</li>\n	<li>I also didn’t know much about PPMD – I had heard of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis and I knew I’d had some wicked mood swings but that was it.&nbsp; Sadly, I had never heard of postpartum anxiety and postpartum OCD.&nbsp;&nbsp; I never knew to watch out for it.&nbsp; Neither did my husband.</li>\n	<li>I never bothered to prepare or enlist a single friend or family member.</li>\n	<li>I didn’t know that PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions – &nbsp;kind of&nbsp; like a big heart palpitation that can be powerful enough to wake you out of a deep sleep) were related to hormone deficiencies.</li>\n	<li>I didn’t know about pregnancy and postpartum related thyroid disorders OR that I was at risk.</li>\n</ul>\n<b>Looking Back:</b>\n\nI feel like I had the beginnings of a postpartum plan that suited me to a “T”.&nbsp; &nbsp;Truly though, just a bit more information would have made all the difference in the world:\n<ul>\n	<li>If I had known about PPA then I may have realized that indeed a postpartum mood disorder needed to be considered as a cause of my anxiety.</li>\n	<li>If I had known about the PVC’s being related perhaps I would have told my OB/GYN about them, instead of going to my family doctor who didn’t relate them to my plummeting hormone levels.</li>\n	<li>If I had known that increasing my dose of progesterone would have provided almost instant relief I would have acted quicker.</li>\n	<li>If I had known about postpartum thyroiditis I may have pushed for adequate thyroid testing before, during and/or after my pregnancies.&nbsp; (Because of my subsequent research I now believe in universal thyroid testing before pregnancy.)</li>\n	<li>Knowing what I know now, I would have hired a postpartum doula. &nbsp;I recall thinking of it with my first baby but I lived in a remote settlement in Canada\'s Arctic - there are no doulas north of 65°. &nbsp;By the time I had my third baby, for some reason I didn\'t even think of a doula.</li>\n</ul>\n<b>The Lightbulb:</b>\n\nOne day the PPA light bulb suddenly turned on for me!&nbsp; I can’t recall why it did, but once I realized that my anxiety was a postpartum mood disorder, everything slowly began to make sense.&nbsp; I called my obstetrician’s office but I couldn’t get an appointment for 3 weeks – a lifetime for someone with debilitating anxiety.&nbsp; I don’t know why I didn’t plead with his receptionist for help.&nbsp; I should have.&nbsp; I should have gotten in my car and drove to his office.&nbsp;&nbsp; Instead I called my compounding pharmacist and told her about my dose and my anxiety.&nbsp; She confirmed everything for me – mostly that my dose was too low.&nbsp; I breathed my second sigh of relief!&nbsp; I immediately doubled the amount of cream I applied and by the next day could feel the anxiety begin to diminish.&nbsp; By the time I got to my doctor I was feeling a bit more like myself with just some underlying anxiety.&nbsp; My obstetrician tripled my dose and soon my anxiety drifted away. &nbsp;I didn’t have to breathe a sigh of relief anymore – I simply breathed.&nbsp;&nbsp; And oh, the air was sweet.\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I advocate for a multi-faceted, personalized postpartum plan for EVERY mom with EVERY pregnancy.</b></p>\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I advocate for universal thyroid testing, including T4, T3, rT3 and anti-bodies (not just TSH) before pregnancy. </b></p>\n<b>Whatever your plan is – I hope you make yours more thorough than I did – even though half a plan was better than no plan at all.</b>\n\n&nbsp;\n\nNOTE:\n<ul>\n	<li>Postpartum Psychosis is a life threatening emergency - if you suspect that you or someone you know is suffering from postpartum psychosis get help immediately.</li>\n	<li>This article contains my personal story and my personal views and which may or may not pertain to others. &nbsp;It is for informational purposes only. &nbsp;If you are under medical care or on medication, do not go off them based on information you find in this article. Please seek medical advice from a professional. &nbsp;This article is not a substitute for medical care. Information on this blog is general as it can not address each individual’s situation and needs.</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;','Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?','','inherit','open','open','','1731-autosave','','','2013-04-30 15:40:57','2013-04-30 20:40:57','',1731,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1731-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1757,1,'2013-04-30 15:33:53','2013-04-30 20:33:53','[caption id=\"attachment_1751\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1751 \" alt=\"Postpartum Planning\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Postpartum-Planning--150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /> Postpartum Planning<br />Image credit: 123rf.com[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">When postpartum <i>anxiety </i> (PPA) struck me after my third baby I was already on high-alert for postpartum depression (PPD).   I suspected that I had suffered from some sort of postpartum mood disorder (PPMD) after my second baby but like most women never sought help and was never diagnosed.  My mood swings were extreme and, in fact, they went into overdrive when I weaned my daughter from breastfeeding at 17 months.  Eventually the mood swings settled into a cyclical pattern of extreme PMS, which I later learned was not at all unusual for someone like me.</p>\r\nSo when I got pregnant with my third baby I was concerned about a repeat of the dramatic, life-altering mood swings. I confided my fear to my family doctor.  She advised me not to worry because she would put me on anti-depressants as soon as the baby was born.  To be completely honest, the idea of anti-depressants scared me even more than the risk of PPMD.  But the mention of anti-depressants spurred me to action to come up with a preventative plan <i>before</i> my baby was born.\r\n\r\n<b>My Postpartum Plan:</b>\r\n\r\nI knew bio-identical hormones were used by some doctors to prevent and treat postpartum mood disorders so I visited the nearest compounding pharmacist and asked for a list of obstetricians that prescribed bio-identical hormones.  With that list of doctors in my hot little pregnant hand I picked up the phone to make sure the OB/GYN I wanted was taking new patients.  I asked my family doctor to make the referral.  This particular OB/GYN is the extremely busy Chief of Obstetrics at his hospital so it took some time to get my first appointment but I was hopeful that it would be worth the wait.  At my first appointment I told him my history and shared my fear about postpartum depression.  Like my family doctor, he too, told me not to worry.  But <i>his</i> plan was to put me on progesterone cream as soon as my baby was born.  I breathed my first sigh of relief. I finally had a plan that fit with my personal beliefs.  And if those mood swings were going to strike I’d be striking right back with my progesterone clicker.  I felt confident that I was going to be spared the fate I had suffered with my daughter.  In a way I was right – but NOT in the way I expected.\r\n\r\nOnce my beautiful baby boy was born I implemented my plan and began applying my beloved progesterone cream.  I was so relieved to have that scrumptious calming cream that was going to protect me from the dramatic mood swings.  And they never came instead I had only ONE mood: debiilitating <strong>anxiety</strong>.  You know when you’re watching a movie and you can’t figure out why the actor is oblivious to the impending doom?  Yeah, you got it - there were a few chinks in my creamy progesterone armour:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>I didn’t know as much about progesterone back in those days and didn’t realize that the dose my doctor gave me was very small, painfully too small.</li>\r\n	<li>I also didn’t know much about PPMD – I had heard of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis and I knew I’d had some wicked mood swings but that was it.  Sadly, I had never heard of postpartum anxiety and postpartum OCD.   I never knew to watch out for it.  Neither did my husband.</li>\r\n	<li>I never bothered to prepare or enlist a single friend or family member.</li>\r\n	<li>I didn’t know that PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions –  kind of  like a big heart palpitation that can be powerful enough to wake you out of a deep sleep) were related to hormone deficiencies.</li>\r\n	<li>I didn’t know about pregnancy and postpartum related thyroid disorders OR that I was at risk.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<b>Looking Back:</b>\r\n\r\nI feel like I had the beginnings of a postpartum plan that suited <i>me</i> to a “T”.   Truly though, just a <i>bit</i> more information would have made all the difference in the world:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>If I had known about PPA then I may have realized that indeed a postpartum mood disorder needed to be considered as a cause of my anxiety.</li>\r\n	<li>If I had known about the PVC’s being related perhaps I would have told my OB/GYN about them, instead of going to my family doctor who didn’t relate them to my plummeting hormone levels.</li>\r\n	<li>If I had known that increasing my dose of progesterone would have provided almost instant relief I would have acted quicker.</li>\r\n	<li>If I had known about postpartum thyroiditis I may have pushed for adequate thyroid testing before, during and/or after my pregnancies.  (Because of my subsequent research I now believe in universal thyroid testing before pregnancy.)</li>\r\n	<li>Knowing what I know now, I would have hired a postpartum doula.  I recall thinking of it with my first baby but I lived in a remote settlement in Canada\'s Arctic - there are no doulas north of 65°.  By the time I had my third baby, for some reason I didn\'t even think of a doula.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<b>The Lightbulb:</b>\r\n\r\nOne day the PPA light bulb suddenly turned on for me!  I can’t recall why it did, but once I realized that my anxiety was a postpartum mood disorder, everything slowly began to make sense.  I called my obstetrician’s office but I couldn’t get an appointment for 3 weeks – a lifetime for someone with debilitating anxiety.  I don’t know why I didn’t plead with his receptionist for help.  I should have.  I should have gotten in my car and drove to his office.   Instead I called my compounding pharmacist and told her about my dose and my anxiety.  She confirmed everything for me – mostly that my dose was too low.  I breathed my second sigh of relief!  I immediately doubled the amount of cream I applied and by the next day could feel the anxiety begin to diminish.  By the time I got to my doctor I was feeling a bit more like myself with just some underlying anxiety.  My obstetrician tripled my dose and soon my anxiety drifted away.  I didn’t have to breathe a sigh of relief anymore – I simply breathed.   And oh, the air was sweet.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I advocate for a multi-faceted, personalized postpartum plan for EVERY mom with EVERY pregnancy.</b></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I advocate for universal thyroid testing, including T4, T3, rT3 and anti-bodies (not just TSH) before pregnancy. </b></p>\r\n<b>Whatever <i>your</i> plan is – I hope you make yours more thorough than I did – even though half a plan was better than no plan at all.</b>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNOTE:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Postpartum Psychosis is a life threatening emergency - if you suspect that you or someone you know is suffering from postpartum psychosis get help immediately.</li>\r\n	<li>This article contains my personal story and my personal views and which may or may not pertain to others.  It is for informational purposes only.  If you are under medical care or on medication, do not go off them based on information you find in this article. Please seek medical advice from a professional.  This article is not a substitute for medical care. Information on this blog is general as it can not address each individual’s situation and needs.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;','Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?','','inherit','open','open','','1731-revision-8','','','2013-04-30 15:33:53','2013-04-30 20:33:53','',1731,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1731-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1758,1,'2013-04-30 15:36:53','2013-04-30 20:36:53','[caption id=\"attachment_1751\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1751 \" alt=\"Postpartum Planning\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Postpartum-Planning--150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /> Postpartum Planning<br />Image credit: 123rf.com[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">When postpartum<i>anxiety</i>&nbsp;(PPA)struck me after my third baby I was already on high-alert for postpartum depression (PPD). I suspected that I had suffered from some sort of postpartum mood disorder (PPMD) after my second baby but like most women never sought help and was never diagnosed. &nbsp;My mood swings were extreme and, in fact, they went into overdrive when I weaned my daughter from breastfeeding at 17 months.&nbsp; Eventually the mood swings settled into a cyclical pattern of extreme PMS, which I later learned was not at all unusual for someone like me.</p>\r\nSo when I got pregnant with my third baby I was concerned about a repeat of the dramatic, life-altering mood swings. I confided my fear to my family doctor. &nbsp;She advised me not to worry because she would put me on anti-depressants as soon as the baby was born.&nbsp; To be completely honest, the idea of anti-depressants scared me even more than the risk of PPMD. &nbsp;But the mention of anti-depressants&nbsp;spurred me to action to come up with a preventative plan <i>before</i> my baby was born.\r\n\r\n<b>My Postpartum Plan:</b>\r\n\r\nI knew bio-identical hormones were used by some doctors to prevent and treat postpartum mood disorders so I visited the nearest compounding pharmacist and asked for a list of obstetricians that prescribed bio-identical hormones.&nbsp; With that list of doctors in my hot little pregnant hand I picked up the phone to make sure the OB/GYN I wanted was taking new patients. &nbsp;I asked my family doctor to make the referral.&nbsp; This particular OB/GYN is the extremely busy Chief of Obstetrics at his hospital so it took some time to get my first appointment but I was hopeful that it would be worth the wait. &nbsp;At my first appointment I told him my history and shared my fear about postpartum depression.&nbsp; Like my family doctor, he too, told me not to worry.&nbsp; But <i>his</i> plan was to put me on progesterone cream as soon as my baby was born.&nbsp; I breathed my first sigh of relief. I finally had a plan that fit with my personal beliefs. &nbsp;And if those mood swings were going to strike I’d be striking right back with my progesterone clicker. &nbsp;I felt confident that I was going to be spared the fate I had suffered with my daughter. &nbsp;In a way I was right – but NOT in the way I expected.\r\n\r\nOnce my beautiful baby boy was born I implemented my plan and began applying my beloved progesterone cream.&nbsp; I was so relieved to have that scrumptious calming cream that was going to protect me from the dramatic mood swings.&nbsp; And they never came instead I had only ONE mood: debiilitating <strong>anxiety</strong>. &nbsp;You know when you’re watching a movie and you can’t figure out why the actor is oblivious to the impending doom?&nbsp; Yeah, you got it - there were a few chinks in my creamy progesterone armour:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>I didn’t know as much about progesterone back in those days and didn’t realize that the dose my doctor gave me was very small, painfully too small.</li>\r\n	<li>I also didn’t know much about PPMD – I had heard of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis and I knew I’d had some wicked mood swings but that was it.&nbsp; Sadly, I had never heard of postpartum anxiety and postpartum OCD.&nbsp;&nbsp; I never knew to watch out for it.&nbsp; Neither did my husband.</li>\r\n	<li>I never bothered to prepare or enlist a single friend or family member.</li>\r\n	<li>I didn’t know that PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions – &nbsp;kind of&nbsp; like a big heart palpitation that can be powerful enough to wake you out of a deep sleep) were related to hormone deficiencies.</li>\r\n	<li>I didn’t know about pregnancy and postpartum related thyroid disorders OR that I was at risk.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<b>Looking Back:</b>\r\n\r\nI feel like I had the beginnings of a postpartum plan that suited <i>me</i> to a “T”.&nbsp; &nbsp;Truly though, just a <i>bit</i> more information would have made all the difference in the world:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>If I had known about PPA then I may have realized that indeed a postpartum mood disorder needed to be considered as a cause of my anxiety.</li>\r\n	<li>If I had known about the PVC’s being related perhaps I would have told my OB/GYN about them, instead of going to my family doctor who didn’t relate them to my plummeting hormone levels.</li>\r\n	<li>If I had known that increasing my dose of progesterone would have provided almost instant relief I would have acted quicker.</li>\r\n	<li>If I had known about postpartum thyroiditis I may have pushed for adequate thyroid testing before, during and/or after my pregnancies.&nbsp; (Because of my subsequent research I now believe in universal thyroid testing before pregnancy.)</li>\r\n	<li>Knowing what I know now, I would have hired a postpartum doula. &nbsp;I recall thinking of it with my first baby but I lived in a remote settlement in Canada\'s Arctic - there are no doulas north of 65°. &nbsp;By the time I had my third baby, for some reason I didn\'t even think of a doula.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<b>The Lightbulb:</b>\r\n\r\nOne day the PPA light bulb suddenly turned on for me!&nbsp; I can’t recall why it did, but once I realized that my anxiety was a postpartum mood disorder, everything slowly began to make sense.&nbsp; I called my obstetrician’s office but I couldn’t get an appointment for 3 weeks – a lifetime for someone with debilitating anxiety.&nbsp; I don’t know why I didn’t plead with his receptionist for help.&nbsp; I should have.&nbsp; I should have gotten in my car and drove to his office.&nbsp;&nbsp; Instead I called my compounding pharmacist and told her about my dose and my anxiety.&nbsp; She confirmed everything for me – mostly that my dose was too low.&nbsp; I breathed my second sigh of relief!&nbsp; I immediately doubled the amount of cream I applied and by the next day could feel the anxiety begin to diminish.&nbsp; By the time I got to my doctor I was feeling a bit more like myself with just some underlying anxiety.&nbsp; My obstetrician tripled my dose and soon my anxiety drifted away. &nbsp;I didn’t have to breathe a sigh of relief anymore – I simply breathed.&nbsp;&nbsp; And oh, the air was sweet.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I advocate for a multi-faceted, personalized postpartum plan for EVERY mom with EVERY pregnancy.</b></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I advocate for universal thyroid testing, including T4, T3, rT3 and anti-bodies (not just TSH) before pregnancy. </b></p>\r\n<b>Whatever <i>your</i> plan is – I hope you make yours more thorough than I did – even though half a plan was better than no plan at all.</b>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNOTE:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Postpartum Psychosis is a life threatening emergency - if you suspect that you or someone you know is suffering from postpartum psychosis get help immediately.</li>\r\n	<li>This article contains my personal story and my personal views and which may or may not pertain to others. &nbsp;It is for informational purposes only. &nbsp;If you are under medical care or on medication, do not go off them based on information you find in this article. Please seek medical advice from a professional. &nbsp;This article is not a substitute for medical care. Information on this blog is general as it can not address each individual’s situation and needs.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;','Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?','','inherit','open','open','','1731-revision-9','','','2013-04-30 15:36:53','2013-04-30 20:36:53','',1731,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1731-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(1759,1,'2013-04-30 15:37:28','2013-04-30 20:37:28','[caption id=\"attachment_1751\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1751 \" alt=\"Postpartum Planning\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Postpartum-Planning--150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /> Postpartum Planning<br />Image credit: 123rf.com[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">When postpartum<i>anxiety</i>&nbsp;(PPA)struck me after my third baby I was already on high-alert for postpartum depression (PPD). I suspected that I had suffered from some sort of postpartum mood disorder (PPMD) after my second baby but like most women never sought help and was never diagnosed. &nbsp;My mood swings were extreme and, in fact, they went into overdrive when I weaned my daughter from breastfeeding at 17 months.&nbsp; Eventually the mood swings settled into a cyclical pattern of extreme PMS, which I later learned was not at all unusual for someone like me.</p>\r\nSo when I got pregnant with my third baby I was concerned about a repeat of the dramatic, life-altering mood swings. I confided my fear to my family doctor. &nbsp;She advised me not to worry because she would put me on anti-depressants as soon as the baby was born.&nbsp; To be completely honest, the idea of anti-depressants scared me even more than the risk of PPMD. &nbsp;But the mention of anti-depressants&nbsp;spurred me to action to come up with a preventative plan <i>before</i> my baby was born.\r\n\r\n<b>My Postpartum Plan:</b>\r\n\r\nI knew bio-identical hormones were used by some doctors to prevent and treat postpartum mood disorders so I visited the nearest compounding pharmacist and asked for a list of obstetricians that prescribed bio-identical hormones.&nbsp; With that list of doctors in my hot little pregnant hand I picked up the phone to make sure the OB/GYN I wanted was taking new patients. &nbsp;I asked my family doctor to make the referral.&nbsp; This particular OB/GYN is the extremely busy Chief of Obstetrics at his hospital so it took some time to get my first appointment but I was hopeful that it would be worth the wait. &nbsp;At my first appointment I told him my history and shared my fear about postpartum depression.&nbsp; Like my family doctor, he too, told me not to worry.&nbsp; But <i>his</i> plan was to put me on progesterone cream as soon as my baby was born.&nbsp; I breathed my first sigh of relief. I finally had a plan that fit with my personal beliefs. &nbsp;And if those mood swings were going to strike I’d be striking right back with my progesterone clicker. &nbsp;I felt confident that I was going to be spared the fate I had suffered with my daughter. &nbsp;In a way I was right – but NOT in the way I expected.\r\n\r\nOnce my beautiful baby boy was born I implemented my plan and began applying my beloved progesterone cream.&nbsp; I was so relieved to have that scrumptious calming cream that was going to protect me from the dramatic mood swings.&nbsp; And they never came instead I had only ONE mood: debiilitating <strong>anxiety</strong>. &nbsp;You know when you’re watching a movie and you can’t figure out why the actor is oblivious to the impending doom?&nbsp; Yeah, you got it - there were a few chinks in my creamy progesterone armour:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>I didn’t know as much about progesterone back in those days and didn’t realize that the dose my doctor gave me was very small, painfully too small.</li>\r\n	<li>I also didn’t know much about PPMD – I had heard of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis and I knew I’d had some wicked mood swings but that was it.&nbsp; Sadly, I had never heard of postpartum anxiety and postpartum OCD.&nbsp;&nbsp; I never knew to watch out for it.&nbsp; Neither did my husband.</li>\r\n	<li>I never bothered to prepare or enlist a single friend or family member.</li>\r\n	<li>I didn’t know that PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions – &nbsp;kind of&nbsp; like a big heart palpitation that can be powerful enough to wake you out of a deep sleep) were related to hormone deficiencies.</li>\r\n	<li>I didn’t know about pregnancy and postpartum related thyroid disorders OR that I was at risk.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<b>Looking Back:</b>\r\n\r\nI feel like I had the beginnings of a postpartum plan that suited <i>me</i> to a “T”.&nbsp; &nbsp;Truly though, just a <i>bit</i> more information would have made all the difference in the world:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>If I had known about PPA then I may have realized that indeed a postpartum mood disorder needed to be considered as a cause of my anxiety.</li>\r\n	<li>If I had known about the PVC’s being related perhaps I would have told my OB/GYN about them, instead of going to my family doctor who didn’t relate them to my plummeting hormone levels.</li>\r\n	<li>If I had known that increasing my dose of progesterone would have provided almost instant relief I would have acted quicker.</li>\r\n	<li>If I had known about postpartum thyroiditis I may have pushed for adequate thyroid testing before, during and/or after my pregnancies.&nbsp; (Because of my subsequent research I now believe in universal thyroid testing before pregnancy.)</li>\r\n	<li>Knowing what I know now, I would have hired a postpartum doula. &nbsp;I recall thinking of it with my first baby but I lived in a remote settlement in Canada\'s Arctic - there are no doulas north of 65°. &nbsp;By the time I had my third baby, for some reason I didn\'t even think of a doula.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<b>The Lightbulb:</b>\r\n\r\nOne day the PPA light bulb suddenly turned on for me!&nbsp; I can’t recall why it did, but once I realized that my anxiety was a postpartum mood disorder, everything slowly began to make sense.&nbsp; I called my obstetrician’s office but I couldn’t get an appointment for 3 weeks – a lifetime for someone with debilitating anxiety.&nbsp; I don’t know why I didn’t plead with his receptionist for help.&nbsp; I should have.&nbsp; I should have gotten in my car and drove to his office.&nbsp;&nbsp; Instead I called my compounding pharmacist and told her about my dose and my anxiety.&nbsp; She confirmed everything for me – mostly that my dose was too low.&nbsp; I breathed my second sigh of relief!&nbsp; I immediately doubled the amount of cream I applied and by the next day could feel the anxiety begin to diminish.&nbsp; By the time I got to my doctor I was feeling a bit more like myself with just some underlying anxiety.&nbsp; My obstetrician tripled my dose and soon my anxiety drifted away. &nbsp;I didn’t have to breathe a sigh of relief anymore – I simply breathed.&nbsp;&nbsp; And oh, the air was sweet.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I advocate for a multi-faceted, personalized postpartum plan for EVERY mom with EVERY pregnancy.</b></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I advocate for universal thyroid testing, including T4, T3, rT3 and anti-bodies (not just TSH) before pregnancy. </b></p>\r\n<b>Whatever <i>your</i> plan is – I hope you make yours more thorough than I did – even though half a plan was better than no plan at all.</b>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNOTE:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Postpartum Psychosis is a life threatening emergency - if you suspect that you or someone you know is suffering from postpartum psychosis get help immediately.</li>\r\n	<li>This article contains my personal story and my personal views and which may or may not pertain to others. &nbsp;It is for informational purposes only. &nbsp;If you are under medical care or on medication, do not go off them based on information you find in this article. Please seek medical advice from a professional. &nbsp;This article is not a substitute for medical care. Information on this blog is general as it can not address each individual’s situation and needs.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;','Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?','','inherit','open','open','','1731-revision-10','','','2013-04-30 15:37:28','2013-04-30 20:37:28','',1731,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1731-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(1760,1,'2013-04-30 15:38:36','2013-04-30 20:38:36','[caption id=\"attachment_1751\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1751 \" alt=\"Postpartum Planning\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Postpartum-Planning--150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /> Postpartum Planning<br />Image credit: 123rf.com[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\" align=\"center\">When postpartum anxiety(PPA)struck me after my third baby I was already on high-alert for postpartum depression(PPD). I suspected that I had suffered from some sort of postpartum mood disorder(PPMD) after my second baby but like most women never sought help and was never diagnosed. &nbsp;My mood swings were extreme and, in fact, they went into overdrive when I weaned my daughter from breastfeeding at 17 months.&nbsp; Eventually the mood swings settled into a cyclical pattern of extreme PMS, which I later learned was not at all unusual for someone like me.</p>\r\nSo when I got pregnant with my third baby I was concerned about a repeat of the dramatic, life-altering mood swings. I confided my fear to my family doctor. &nbsp;She advised me not to worry because she would put me on anti-depressants as soon as the baby was born.&nbsp; To be completely honest, the idea of anti-depressants scared me even more than the risk of PPMD. &nbsp;But the mention of anti-depressants&nbsp;spurred me to action to come up with a preventative plan before my baby was born.\r\n\r\n<b>My Postpartum Plan:</b>\r\n\r\nI knew bio-identical hormones were used by some doctors to prevent and treat postpartum mood disorders so I visited the nearest compounding pharmacist and asked for a list of obstetricians that prescribed bio-identical hormones.&nbsp; With that list of doctors in my hot little pregnant hand I picked up the phone to make sure the OB/GYN I wanted was taking new patients. &nbsp;I asked my family doctor to make the referral.&nbsp; This particular OB/GYN is the extremely busy Chief of Obstetrics at his hospital so it took some time to get my first appointment but I was hopeful that it would be worth the wait. &nbsp;At my first appointment I told him my history and shared my fear about postpartum depression.&nbsp; Like my family doctor, he too, told me not to worry.&nbsp; But <i>his</i> plan was to put me on progesterone cream as soon as my baby was born.&nbsp; I breathed my first sigh of relief. I finally had a plan that fit with my personal beliefs. &nbsp;And if those mood swings were going to strike I’d be striking right back with my progesterone clicker. &nbsp;I felt confident that I was going to be spared the fate I had suffered with my daughter. &nbsp;In a way I was right – but NOT in the way I expected.\r\n\r\nOnce my beautiful baby boy was born I implemented my plan and began applying my beloved progesterone cream.&nbsp; I was so relieved to have that scrumptious calming cream that was going to protect me from the dramatic mood swings.&nbsp; And they never came instead I had only ONE mood: debiilitating <strong>anxiety</strong>. &nbsp;You know when you’re watching a movie and you can’t figure out why the actor is oblivious to the impending doom?&nbsp; Yeah, you got it - there were a few chinks in my creamy progesterone armour:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>I didn’t know as much about progesterone back in those days and didn’t realize that the dose my doctor gave me was very small, painfully too small.</li>\r\n	<li>I also didn’t know much about PPMD – I had heard of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis and I knew I’d had some wicked mood swings but that was it.&nbsp; Sadly, I had never heard of postpartum anxiety and postpartum OCD.&nbsp;&nbsp; I never knew to watch out for it.&nbsp; Neither did my husband.</li>\r\n	<li>I never bothered to prepare or enlist a single friend or family member.</li>\r\n	<li>I didn’t know that PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions – &nbsp;kind of&nbsp; like a big heart palpitation that can be powerful enough to wake you out of a deep sleep) were related to hormone deficiencies.</li>\r\n	<li>I didn’t know about pregnancy and postpartum related thyroid disorders OR that I was at risk.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<b>Looking Back:</b>\r\n\r\nI feel like I had the beginnings of a postpartum plan that suited <i>me</i> to a “T”.&nbsp; &nbsp;Truly though, just a <i>bit</i> more information would have made all the difference in the world:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>If I had known about PPA then I may have realized that indeed a postpartum mood disorder needed to be considered as a cause of my anxiety.</li>\r\n	<li>If I had known about the PVC’s being related perhaps I would have told my OB/GYN about them, instead of going to my family doctor who didn’t relate them to my plummeting hormone levels.</li>\r\n	<li>If I had known that increasing my dose of progesterone would have provided almost instant relief I would have acted quicker.</li>\r\n	<li>If I had known about postpartum thyroiditis I may have pushed for adequate thyroid testing before, during and/or after my pregnancies.&nbsp; (Because of my subsequent research I now believe in universal thyroid testing before pregnancy.)</li>\r\n	<li>Knowing what I know now, I would have hired a postpartum doula. &nbsp;I recall thinking of it with my first baby but I lived in a remote settlement in Canada\'s Arctic - there are no doulas north of 65°. &nbsp;By the time I had my third baby, for some reason I didn\'t even think of a doula.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<b>The Lightbulb:</b>\r\n\r\nOne day the PPA light bulb suddenly turned on for me!&nbsp; I can’t recall why it did, but once I realized that my anxiety was a postpartum mood disorder, everything slowly began to make sense.&nbsp; I called my obstetrician’s office but I couldn’t get an appointment for 3 weeks – a lifetime for someone with debilitating anxiety.&nbsp; I don’t know why I didn’t plead with his receptionist for help.&nbsp; I should have.&nbsp; I should have gotten in my car and drove to his office.&nbsp;&nbsp; Instead I called my compounding pharmacist and told her about my dose and my anxiety.&nbsp; She confirmed everything for me – mostly that my dose was too low.&nbsp; I breathed my second sigh of relief!&nbsp; I immediately doubled the amount of cream I applied and by the next day could feel the anxiety begin to diminish.&nbsp; By the time I got to my doctor I was feeling a bit more like myself with just some underlying anxiety.&nbsp; My obstetrician tripled my dose and soon my anxiety drifted away. &nbsp;I didn’t have to breathe a sigh of relief anymore – I simply breathed.&nbsp;&nbsp; And oh, the air was sweet.\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I advocate for a multi-faceted, personalized postpartum plan for EVERY mom with EVERY pregnancy.</b></p>\r\n<p align=\"center\"><b>I advocate for universal thyroid testing, including T4, T3, rT3 and anti-bodies (not just TSH) before pregnancy. </b></p>\r\n<b>Whatever <i>your</i> plan is – I hope you make yours more thorough than I did – even though half a plan was better than no plan at all.</b>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nNOTE:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Postpartum Psychosis is a life threatening emergency - if you suspect that you or someone you know is suffering from postpartum psychosis get help immediately.</li>\r\n	<li>This article contains my personal story and my personal views and which may or may not pertain to others. &nbsp;It is for informational purposes only. &nbsp;If you are under medical care or on medication, do not go off them based on information you find in this article. Please seek medical advice from a professional. &nbsp;This article is not a substitute for medical care. Information on this blog is general as it can not address each individual’s situation and needs.</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n&nbsp;','Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?','','inherit','open','open','','1731-revision-11','','','2013-04-30 15:38:36','2013-04-30 20:38:36','',1731,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1731-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(1764,1,'2013-05-01 21:54:42','2013-05-02 02:54:42','Like many other traumatic life events do, when women who have miscarried speak to each other about their miscarriages, there is a shared camraderie.  A shared understanding that is known only to women who have been through the horror of losing a baby.\n\nHere\'s what we think you need to know:\n\nWe are Moms.  Even if we have never carried a baby to term - we had a baby.  It died. Maybe we didn\'t get to hold that baby or hear it call us Mama.  Maybe we weren\'t far enough along in our pregnancy to feel our baby move.  Maybe we were a single mom, struggling to figure out how to manage a pregnancy and a baby.  Maybe our husband doesn\'t acknowledge that he, too, is a parent. Maybe you don\'t understand.  We would like you to try.  We wish you would acknowledge what we know in our hearts.  We are Moms.\n\nMother\'s Day is coming - do you know someone who miscarried a baby?\n\n&nbsp;\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>This blog post is dedicated to a special Mom that I have recently come to know - maybe you don\'t see her as a Mom but those of us who have miscarried our babies do.  </em></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>','Mothers who Miscarry are still Mothers','','inherit','open','open','','1763-revision','','','2013-05-01 21:54:42','2013-05-02 02:54:42','',1763,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1763-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1767,1,'2013-05-02 10:56:33','2013-05-02 15:56:33','http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/bg_HormoneSoup1.png','bg_HormoneSoup1.png','','inherit','open','open','','bg_hormonesoup1-png','','','2013-05-02 10:56:33','2013-05-02 15:56:33','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/bg_HormoneSoup1.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(1771,1,'2013-05-09 07:51:47','2013-05-09 12:51:47','Like many other traumatic life events do, when many women who have miscarried speak to each other about their miscarriages, there is a shared camraderie.  A shared understanding that is known only to women who have been through the horror of losing a baby. I\'ve talked to a lot of mommies over the 15 years since my first miscarriage and here\'s what I think most moms who have miscarried would like you to know:\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff00ff;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b; font-size: medium;\"><strong>We are Moms</strong></span>\n</span></p>\nEven if we have never carried a baby to term - we had a baby.  It died. Maybe we didn\'t get to hold that baby or hear it call us Mama.  Maybe we weren\'t far enough along in our pregnancy to feel our baby move.  Maybe we were a single mom, struggling to figure out how to manage a pregnancy and a baby.  Maybe part of us was afraid or didn\'t really want a baby when we found out we were pregnant.  Maybe our husband doesn\'t acknowledge our suffering or that he, too, is a parent.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\">Maybe it\'s hard for you to understand.  We would like you to try.  </span></strong></p>\nWe wish you would acknowledge what we know in our hearts.  We are Moms.  When you don\'t acknowledge our grief it makes it harder.  When you pretend like it didn\'t happen it makes it worse.  Bringing up the baby won\'t make us feel worse - it makes us feel better that you\'ve acknowledge how we feel.  You won\'t remind us of the baby we lost - we don\'t need reminding - we think of our babies more than you can imagine. Many of us feel like we suffer twice - once when we lose the baby and then again when no one seems to understand or acknowledge or even worse - tells us \"it was for the best\".\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><strong>Mother\'s Day Sucks</strong></span></p>\nMy first mother\'s day came 6 weeks after I lost my first baby - I spent alot of time crying that day.  I felt like I should have been celebrating mother\'s day as a Mommy-to-Be but instead I felt like I was a Mommy-That-Wasnt-Meant-to-Be.\n\nMother\'s Day is coming - do you know someone who miscarried a baby?  Consider acknowledging a mom who has suffered a miscarriage on Mother\'s Day.  A small note or a single flower will let her know you understand that she is also a Mom.\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\nTo read more of my stories about Miscarriage:\n\n<a title=\"It Doesn’t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/it-doesnt-always-take-a-crystal-ball-my-explainable-miscarriages/\" target=\"_blank\">It Doesn\'t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages</a>\n\n<a title=\"Missing our Miscarried Babies\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/missing-our-miscarried-babies/\" target=\"_blank\">Missing our Miscarried Babies</a>\n\n&nbsp;\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>This blog post is dedicated to a special Mom that I have recently come to know - some people don\'t see her as a Mom but those of us who have miscarried our babies know she is a mom.  </em></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>','Mothers Day Sucks: What Mothers Day After a Miscarriage Feels Like','','inherit','open','open','','1763-revision-4','','','2013-05-09 07:51:47','2013-05-09 12:51:47','',1763,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1763-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1772,1,'2013-05-09 09:03:10','2013-05-09 14:03:10','','Single Rose',' Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo','inherit','open','open','','single-rose','','','2013-05-09 09:03:10','2013-05-09 14:03:10','',1763,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Single-Rose.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1773,1,'2013-05-09 09:24:42','2013-05-09 14:24:42','[caption id=\"attachment_1772\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"108\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Single-Rose.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1772  \" title=\"Mothers Day Sucks:  Mothers Day After a Miscarriage\" alt=\" Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Single-Rose-108x150.jpg\" width=\"108\" height=\"150\" /></a> Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo[/caption]\n\nHere\'s the thing about Mothers Day - sometimes it sucks. It\'s hard after you\'ve lost your own mom but people acknowledge that grief.  What happens when you\'ve lost a baby no one else got the chance to know?\n\nLike many other traumatic life events do, when many women who have miscarried speak to each other about their miscarriages, there is a shared camaraderie.  A shared understanding that is known only to women who have been through the horror of losing a baby. I\'ve talked to a lot of mommies over the 15 years since my first miscarriage and here\'s what I think most moms who have miscarried would like you to know:\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff00ff;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b; font-size: medium;\"><strong>We are Moms</strong></span>\n</span></p>\nEven if we have never carried a baby to term - we had a baby.  It died. Maybe we didn\'t get to hold that baby or hear it call us Mama.  Maybe we weren\'t far enough along in our pregnancy to feel our baby move.  Maybe we were a single mom, struggling to figure out how to manage a pregnancy and a baby.  Maybe part of us was afraid or didn\'t really want a baby when we found out we were pregnant.  Maybe our husband doesn\'t acknowledge our suffering or that he, too, is a parent.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><strong>Maybe it\'s hard for you to understand.  We would like you to try.  </strong></span></p>\nWe wish you would acknowledge what we know in our hearts.  We are Moms.  When you don\'t acknowledge our grief it makes it harder.  When you pretend like it didn\'t happen it makes it worse.  Bringing up the baby won\'t make us feel worse - it makes us feel better that you\'ve acknowledge how we feel and that our baby was real and deserves our grief.  You won\'t remind us of the baby we lost - we don\'t need reminding - we think of our babies more than you can imagine. Many of us feel like we suffer twice - once when we lose the baby and then again when no one seems to understand or acknowledge or even worse - tells us \"it was for the best\".\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><strong>Mother\'s Day Sucks</strong></span></p>\nMy first mother\'s day came 6 weeks after I lost my first baby - I spent alot of time crying that day.  I felt like I should have been celebrating mother\'s day as a Mommy-to-Be but instead I felt like I was a Mommy-That-Wasnt-Meant-to-Be.\n\nMother\'s Day is coming - do you know someone who miscarried a baby?  Consider acknowledging a mom who has suffered a miscarriage on Mother\'s Day.  A small note saying thinking of you on Mothers Day or a single flower will let her know you understand that she is a Mom.\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\">To read more of my posts about Miscarriage:</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"It Doesn’t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/it-doesnt-always-take-a-crystal-ball-my-explainable-miscarriages/\" target=\"_blank\">It Doesn\'t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages</a>     </span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Missing our Miscarried Babies\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/missing-our-miscarried-babies/\" target=\"_blank\">Missing our Miscarried Babies</a></span>\n\n&nbsp;</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<table border=\"0\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\">To get connected to another mom who has suffered a miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant loss visit: </span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Miscarriage Matters\" href=\"http://www.mymiscarriagematters.com/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Miscarriage Matters</a> </span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\">It\'s a free service for women who want to reach out and speak to a supportive volunteer who understands. </span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"> </span></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><em>This blog post is dedicated to a special Mom that I have recently come to know - some people in her life don\'t see her as a Mom but those of us who have miscarried our babies know in our hearts and minds that she is a mom.  </em></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>','Mothers Day Sucks: Mothers Day After a Miscarriage ','','inherit','open','open','','1763-revision-5','','','2013-05-09 09:24:42','2013-05-09 14:24:42','',1763,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1763-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1774,1,'2013-05-09 09:26:26','2013-05-09 14:26:26','[caption id=\"attachment_1772\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"108\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Single-Rose.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1772  \" title=\"Mothers Day Sucks:  Mothers Day After a Miscarriage\" alt=\" Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Single-Rose-108x150.jpg\" width=\"108\" height=\"150\" /></a> Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo[/caption]\n\nHere\'s the thing about Mothers Day - sometimes it sucks. It\'s hard after you\'ve lost your own mom but people acknowledge that grief.  What happens when you\'ve lost a baby no one else got the chance to know?\n\nLike many other traumatic life events do, when many women who have miscarried speak to each other about their miscarriages, there is a shared camaraderie.  A shared understanding that is known only to women who have been through the horror of losing a baby. I\'ve talked to a lot of mommies over the 15 years since my first miscarriage and here\'s what I think most moms who have miscarried would like you to know:\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff00ff;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b; font-size: medium;\"><strong>We are Moms</strong></span>\n</span></p>\nEven if we have never carried a baby to term - we had a baby.  It died. Maybe we didn\'t get to hold that baby or hear it call us Mama.  Maybe we weren\'t far enough along in our pregnancy to feel our baby move.  Maybe we were a single mom, struggling to figure out how to manage a pregnancy and a baby.  Maybe part of us was afraid or didn\'t really want a baby when we found out we were pregnant.  Maybe our husband doesn\'t acknowledge our suffering or that he, too, is a parent.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><strong>Maybe it\'s hard for you to understand.  We would like you to try.  </strong></span></p>\nWe wish you would acknowledge what we know in our hearts.  We are Moms.  When you don\'t acknowledge our grief it makes it harder.  When you pretend like it didn\'t happen it makes it worse.  Bringing up the baby won\'t make us feel worse - it makes us feel better that you\'ve acknowledge how we feel and that our baby was real and deserves our grief.  You won\'t remind us of the baby we lost - we don\'t need reminding - we think of our babies more than you can imagine. Many of us feel like we suffer twice - once when we lose the baby and then again when no one seems to understand or acknowledge or even worse - tells us \"it was for the best\".\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><strong>Mother\'s Day Sucks</strong></span></p>\nMy first mother\'s day came 6 weeks after I lost my first baby - I spent alot of time crying that day.  I felt like I should have been celebrating mother\'s day as a Mommy-to-Be but instead I felt like I was a Mommy-That-Wasnt-Meant-to-Be.\n\nMother\'s Day is coming - do you know someone who miscarried a baby?  Consider acknowledging a mom who has suffered a miscarriage on Mother\'s Day.  A small note saying thinking of you on Mothers Day or a single flower will let her know you understand that she is a Mom.\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\">To read more of my posts about Miscarriage:</span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"It Doesn’t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/it-doesnt-always-take-a-crystal-ball-my-explainable-miscarriages/\" target=\"_blank\">It Doesn\'t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages</a>     </span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Missing our Miscarried Babies\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/missing-our-miscarried-babies/\" target=\"_blank\">Missing our Miscarried Babies</a></span>\n\n&nbsp;</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">To get connected to another mom who has suffered a miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant loss visit: </span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Miscarriage Matters\" href=\"http://www.mymiscarriagematters.com/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Miscarriage Matters</a> </span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">It\'s a free service for women AND their families and friends who want to reach out and get connected to a supportive volunteer who understands. </span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> </span></p>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><em>This blog post is dedicated to a special Mom that I have recently come to know - some people in her life don\'t see her as a Mom but those of us who have miscarried our babies know in our hearts and minds that she is a mom.  </em></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>','Mothers Day Sucks: Mothers Day After a Miscarriage ','','inherit','open','open','','1763-revision-6','','','2013-05-09 09:26:26','2013-05-09 14:26:26','',1763,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1763-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1775,1,'2013-05-09 09:29:35','2013-05-09 14:29:35','','Miscarriage Matters Inc Logo','','inherit','open','open','','miscarriage-matters-inc-logo','','','2013-05-09 09:29:35','2013-05-09 14:29:35','',1763,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Miscarriage-Matters-Inc-Logo.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1778,1,'2013-05-09 09:36:50','2013-05-09 14:36:50','[caption id=\"attachment_1772\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"108\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Single-Rose.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1772  \" title=\"Mothers Day Sucks:  Mothers Day After a Miscarriage\" alt=\" Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Single-Rose-108x150.jpg\" width=\"108\" height=\"150\" /></a> Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo[/caption]\n\nHere\'s the thing about Mothers Day - sometimes it sucks. It\'s hard after you\'ve lost your own mom but people acknowledge that grief.  What happens when you\'ve lost a baby no one else got the chance to know?\n\nLike many other traumatic life events do, when many women who have miscarried speak to each other about their miscarriages, there is a shared camaraderie.  A shared understanding that is known only to women who have been through the horror of losing a baby. I\'ve talked to a lot of mommies over the 15 years since my first miscarriage and here\'s what I think most moms who have miscarried would like you to know:\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff00ff;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b; font-size: medium;\"><strong>We are Moms</strong></span>\n</span></p>\nEven if we have never carried a baby to term - we had a baby.  It died. Maybe we didn\'t get to hold that baby or hear it call us Mama.  Maybe we weren\'t far enough along in our pregnancy to feel our baby move.  Maybe we were a single mom, struggling to figure out how to manage a pregnancy and a baby.  Maybe part of us was afraid or didn\'t really want a baby when we found out we were pregnant.  Maybe our husband doesn\'t acknowledge our suffering or that he, too, is a parent.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><strong>Maybe it\'s hard for you to understand.  We would like you to try.  </strong></span></p>\nWe wish you would acknowledge what we know in our hearts.  We are Moms.  When you don\'t acknowledge our grief it makes it harder.  When you pretend like it didn\'t happen it makes it worse.  Bringing up the baby won\'t make us feel worse - it makes us feel better that you\'ve acknowledge how we feel and that our baby was real and deserves our grief.  You won\'t remind us of the baby we lost - we don\'t need reminding - we think of our babies more than you can imagine. Many of us feel like we suffer twice - once when we lose the baby and then again when no one seems to understand or acknowledge or even worse - tells us \"it was for the best\".\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><strong>Mother\'s Day Sucks</strong></span></p>\nMy first mother\'s day came 6 weeks after I lost my first baby - I spent alot of time crying that day.  I felt like I should have been celebrating mother\'s day as a Mommy-to-Be but instead I felt like I was a Mommy-That-Wasnt-Meant-to-Be.\n\nMother\'s Day is coming - do you know someone who miscarried a baby?  Consider acknowledging a mom who has suffered a miscarriage on Mother\'s Day.  A small note saying thinking of you on Mothers Day or a single flower will let her know you understand that she is a Mom.\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">To read more of my posts about Miscarriage:</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"It Doesn’t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/it-doesnt-always-take-a-crystal-ball-my-explainable-miscarriages/\" target=\"_blank\">It Doesn\'t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages</a>     </span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Missing our Miscarried Babies\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/missing-our-miscarried-babies/\" target=\"_blank\">Missing our Miscarried Babies</a></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">To get connected to another mom who has suffered a miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant loss visit:</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://www.mymiscarriagematters.com/welcome.html\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1775\" title=\"Miscarriage Matters Inc\" alt=\"Miscarriage Matters Inc \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Miscarriage-Matters-Inc-Logo.jpg\" width=\"123\" height=\"73\" /></a></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">It\'s a free service for women AND their families and friends who want to reach out and get connected to a supportive volunteer who understands. </span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> </span></p>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><em>This blog post is dedicated to a special Mom that I have recently come to know - some people in her life don\'t see her as a Mom but those of us who have miscarried our babies know in our hearts and minds that she is a mom.  </em></span></p>','Mothers Day Sucks: Mothers Day After a Miscarriage ','','inherit','open','open','','1763-autosave','','','2013-05-09 09:36:50','2013-05-09 14:36:50','',1763,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1763-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1777,1,'2013-05-09 09:30:43','2013-05-09 14:30:43','[caption id=\"attachment_1772\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"108\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Single-Rose.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1772  \" title=\"Mothers Day Sucks:  Mothers Day After a Miscarriage\" alt=\" Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Single-Rose-108x150.jpg\" width=\"108\" height=\"150\" /></a> Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing about Mothers Day - sometimes it sucks. It\'s hard after you\'ve lost your own mom but people acknowledge that grief.  What happens when you\'ve lost a baby no one else got the chance to know?\r\n\r\nLike many other traumatic life events do, when many women who have miscarried speak to each other about their miscarriages, there is a shared camaraderie.  A shared understanding that is known only to women who have been through the horror of losing a baby. I\'ve talked to a lot of mommies over the 15 years since my first miscarriage and here\'s what I think most moms who have miscarried would like you to know:\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff00ff;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b; font-size: medium;\"><strong>We are Moms</strong></span>\r\n</span></p>\r\nEven if we have never carried a baby to term - we had a baby.  It died. Maybe we didn\'t get to hold that baby or hear it call us Mama.  Maybe we weren\'t far enough along in our pregnancy to feel our baby move.  Maybe we were a single mom, struggling to figure out how to manage a pregnancy and a baby.  Maybe part of us was afraid or didn\'t really want a baby when we found out we were pregnant.  Maybe our husband doesn\'t acknowledge our suffering or that he, too, is a parent.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><strong>Maybe it\'s hard for you to understand.  We would like you to try.  </strong></span></p>\r\nWe wish you would acknowledge what we know in our hearts.  We are Moms.  When you don\'t acknowledge our grief it makes it harder.  When you pretend like it didn\'t happen it makes it worse.  Bringing up the baby won\'t make us feel worse - it makes us feel better that you\'ve acknowledge how we feel and that our baby was real and deserves our grief.  You won\'t remind us of the baby we lost - we don\'t need reminding - we think of our babies more than you can imagine. Many of us feel like we suffer twice - once when we lose the baby and then again when no one seems to understand or acknowledge or even worse - tells us \"it was for the best\".\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><strong>Mother\'s Day Sucks</strong></span></p>\r\nMy first mother\'s day came 6 weeks after I lost my first baby - I spent alot of time crying that day.  I felt like I should have been celebrating mother\'s day as a Mommy-to-Be but instead I felt like I was a Mommy-That-Wasnt-Meant-to-Be.\r\n\r\nMother\'s Day is coming - do you know someone who miscarried a baby?  Consider acknowledging a mom who has suffered a miscarriage on Mother\'s Day.  A small note saying thinking of you on Mothers Day or a single flower will let her know you understand that she is a Mom.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table border=\"0\" align=\"center\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">To read more of my posts about Miscarriage:</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"It Doesn’t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/it-doesnt-always-take-a-crystal-ball-my-explainable-miscarriages/\" target=\"_blank\">It Doesn\'t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages</a>     </span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Missing our Miscarried Babies\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/missing-our-miscarried-babies/\" target=\"_blank\">Missing our Miscarried Babies</a></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table border=\"0\" align=\"center\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">To get connected to another mom who has suffered a miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant loss visit:</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://www.mymiscarriagematters.com/welcome.html\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1775\" title=\"Miscarriage Matters Inc\" alt=\"Miscarriage Matters Inc \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Miscarriage-Matters-Inc-Logo.jpg\" width=\"123\" height=\"73\" /></a></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">It\'s a free service for women AND their families and friends who want to reach out and get connected to a supportive volunteer who understands. </span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> </span></p>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><em>This blog post is dedicated to a special Mom that I have recently come to know - some people in her life don\'t see her as a Mom but those of us who have miscarried our babies know in our hearts and minds that she is a mom.  </em></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>','Mothers Day Sucks: Mothers Day After a Miscarriage ','','inherit','open','open','','1763-revision-8','','','2013-05-09 09:30:43','2013-05-09 14:30:43','',1763,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1763-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1776,1,'2013-05-09 09:30:28','2013-05-09 14:30:28','[caption id=\"attachment_1772\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"108\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Single-Rose.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1772  \" title=\"Mothers Day Sucks:  Mothers Day After a Miscarriage\" alt=\" Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Single-Rose-108x150.jpg\" width=\"108\" height=\"150\" /></a> Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo[/caption]\n\nHere\'s the thing about Mothers Day - sometimes it sucks. It\'s hard after you\'ve lost your own mom but people acknowledge that grief.  What happens when you\'ve lost a baby no one else got the chance to know?\n\nLike many other traumatic life events do, when many women who have miscarried speak to each other about their miscarriages, there is a shared camaraderie.  A shared understanding that is known only to women who have been through the horror of losing a baby. I\'ve talked to a lot of mommies over the 15 years since my first miscarriage and here\'s what I think most moms who have miscarried would like you to know:\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff00ff;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b; font-size: medium;\"><strong>We are Moms</strong></span>\n</span></p>\nEven if we have never carried a baby to term - we had a baby.  It died. Maybe we didn\'t get to hold that baby or hear it call us Mama.  Maybe we weren\'t far enough along in our pregnancy to feel our baby move.  Maybe we were a single mom, struggling to figure out how to manage a pregnancy and a baby.  Maybe part of us was afraid or didn\'t really want a baby when we found out we were pregnant.  Maybe our husband doesn\'t acknowledge our suffering or that he, too, is a parent.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><strong>Maybe it\'s hard for you to understand.  We would like you to try.  </strong></span></p>\nWe wish you would acknowledge what we know in our hearts.  We are Moms.  When you don\'t acknowledge our grief it makes it harder.  When you pretend like it didn\'t happen it makes it worse.  Bringing up the baby won\'t make us feel worse - it makes us feel better that you\'ve acknowledge how we feel and that our baby was real and deserves our grief.  You won\'t remind us of the baby we lost - we don\'t need reminding - we think of our babies more than you can imagine. Many of us feel like we suffer twice - once when we lose the baby and then again when no one seems to understand or acknowledge or even worse - tells us \"it was for the best\".\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><strong>Mother\'s Day Sucks</strong></span></p>\nMy first mother\'s day came 6 weeks after I lost my first baby - I spent alot of time crying that day.  I felt like I should have been celebrating mother\'s day as a Mommy-to-Be but instead I felt like I was a Mommy-That-Wasnt-Meant-to-Be.\n\nMother\'s Day is coming - do you know someone who miscarried a baby?  Consider acknowledging a mom who has suffered a miscarriage on Mother\'s Day.  A small note saying thinking of you on Mothers Day or a single flower will let her know you understand that she is a Mom.\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">To read more of my posts about Miscarriage:</span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"It Doesn’t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/it-doesnt-always-take-a-crystal-ball-my-explainable-miscarriages/\" target=\"_blank\">It Doesn\'t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages</a>     </span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Missing our Miscarried Babies\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/missing-our-miscarried-babies/\" target=\"_blank\">Missing our Miscarried Babies</a></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">To get connected to another mom who has suffered a miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant loss visit: </span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Miscarriage Matters\" href=\"http://www.mymiscarriagematters.com/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">Miscarriage Matters</a> </span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://www.mymiscarriagematters.com/welcome.html\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1775\" title=\"Miscarriage Matters Inc\" alt=\"Miscarriage Matters Inc \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Miscarriage-Matters-Inc-Logo.jpg\" width=\"123\" height=\"73\" /></a></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">It\'s a free service for women AND their families and friends who want to reach out and get connected to a supportive volunteer who understands. </span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> </span></p>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><em>This blog post is dedicated to a special Mom that I have recently come to know - some people in her life don\'t see her as a Mom but those of us who have miscarried our babies know in our hearts and minds that she is a mom.  </em></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>','Mothers Day Sucks: Mothers Day After a Miscarriage ','','inherit','open','open','','1763-revision-7','','','2013-05-09 09:30:28','2013-05-09 14:30:28','',1763,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1763-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1779,1,'2013-05-09 09:31:15','2013-05-09 14:31:15','[caption id=\"attachment_1772\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"108\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Single-Rose.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1772  \" title=\"Mothers Day Sucks:  Mothers Day After a Miscarriage\" alt=\" Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Single-Rose-108x150.jpg\" width=\"108\" height=\"150\" /></a> Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing about Mothers Day - sometimes it sucks. It\'s hard after you\'ve lost your own mom but people acknowledge that grief.  What happens when you\'ve lost a baby no one else got the chance to know?\r\n\r\nLike many other traumatic life events do, when many women who have miscarried speak to each other about their miscarriages, there is a shared camaraderie.  A shared understanding that is known only to women who have been through the horror of losing a baby. I\'ve talked to a lot of mommies over the 15 years since my first miscarriage and here\'s what I think most moms who have miscarried would like you to know:\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff00ff;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b; font-size: medium;\"><strong>We are Moms</strong></span>\r\n</span></p>\r\nEven if we have never carried a baby to term - we had a baby.  It died. Maybe we didn\'t get to hold that baby or hear it call us Mama.  Maybe we weren\'t far enough along in our pregnancy to feel our baby move.  Maybe we were a single mom, struggling to figure out how to manage a pregnancy and a baby.  Maybe part of us was afraid or didn\'t really want a baby when we found out we were pregnant.  Maybe our husband doesn\'t acknowledge our suffering or that he, too, is a parent.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><strong>Maybe it\'s hard for you to understand.  We would like you to try.  </strong></span></p>\r\nWe wish you would acknowledge what we know in our hearts.  We are Moms.  When you don\'t acknowledge our grief it makes it harder.  When you pretend like it didn\'t happen it makes it worse.  Bringing up the baby won\'t make us feel worse - it makes us feel better that you\'ve acknowledge how we feel and that our baby was real and deserves our grief.  You won\'t remind us of the baby we lost - we don\'t need reminding - we think of our babies more than you can imagine. Many of us feel like we suffer twice - once when we lose the baby and then again when no one seems to understand or acknowledge or even worse - tells us \"it was for the best\".\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><strong>Mother\'s Day Sucks</strong></span></p>\r\nMy first mother\'s day came 6 weeks after I lost my first baby - I spent alot of time crying that day.  I felt like I should have been celebrating mother\'s day as a Mommy-to-Be but instead I felt like I was a Mommy-That-Wasnt-Meant-to-Be.\r\n\r\nMother\'s Day is coming - do you know someone who miscarried a baby?  Consider acknowledging a mom who has suffered a miscarriage on Mother\'s Day.  A small note saying thinking of you on Mothers Day or a single flower will let her know you understand that she is a Mom.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table border=\"0\" align=\"center\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">To read more of my posts about Miscarriage:</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"It Doesn’t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/it-doesnt-always-take-a-crystal-ball-my-explainable-miscarriages/\" target=\"_blank\">It Doesn\'t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages</a>     </span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Missing our Miscarried Babies\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/missing-our-miscarried-babies/\" target=\"_blank\">Missing our Miscarried Babies</a></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table border=\"0\" align=\"center\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">To get connected to another mom who has suffered a miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant loss visit:</span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http://www.mymiscarriagematters.com/welcome.html\"><img class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1775\" title=\"Miscarriage Matters Inc\" alt=\"Miscarriage Matters Inc \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Miscarriage-Matters-Inc-Logo.jpg\" width=\"123\" height=\"73\" /></a></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">It\'s a free service for women AND their families and friends who want to reach out and get connected to a supportive volunteer who understands. </span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> </span></p>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e41a8b;\"><em>This blog post is dedicated to a special Mom that I have recently come to know - some people in her life don\'t see her as a Mom but those of us who have miscarried our babies know in our hearts and minds that she is a mom.  </em></span></p>','Mothers Day Sucks: Mothers Day After a Miscarriage ','','inherit','open','open','','1763-revision-9','','','2013-05-09 09:31:15','2013-05-09 14:31:15','',1763,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1763-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(1782,1,'2013-06-05 13:42:24','0000-00-00 00:00:00','[caption id=\"attachment_1842\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/?attachment_id=1842\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1842\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1842\" alt=\"Thyroid Ultrasound\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/thyroid-ultrasound-HS-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Thyroid Ultrasound          image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nI went for a thyroid ultrasound this week to check the status of my thyroid.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 4 or 5 years ago.  I find it strange that I don\'t really remember when but it was such a non-event in a way.  Back then I didn\'t understand much about hypothyroidism and my doctor was pretty non-chalant about it all.  I remember him telling me my thyroid tests came back and that I needed to take thyroid hormone. At the time I didn\'t have a clue what TSH or T4 or T3 was, let alone what a thyroid nodule or Hashimotos was.  I\'ve learned a lot since then, including that I wasn\'t alone.  Most women who tell me their doctor says that their \"thyroid tests are normal\" have no idea what that even means or which test(s) they\'ve had done.   Even many women who have been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder don\'t always understand what\'s going on with their thyroid.  Since that day, I have come to realize how important it is to treat that beautiful little butterfly shaped gland with plenty of TLC - tender loving care - even if you don\'t have thyroid disease!\n\nI\'ve never had a thyroid ultrasound before and decided it was time to ask for one.  So I spoke with my doctor about it and she agreed I should get it checked out.  I am waiting for the official results but the ultrasound technician said she didn\'t see any nodules but that she could tell I had hypothyroidism.  I had known that the ultrasound could show things like an enlarged thyroid and nodules or masses, etc. but hadn\'t realized that hypothyroidism is often visible due to the size and texture of the thyroid which shows up on the ultrasound. I knew that had to find out more about ultrasound and thyroid and here\'s some of what I found:\n<h3>USE of THYROID ULTRASOUND DIFFERS AROUND THE WORLD:</h3>\nIn North America the gold standard for thyroid testing is the TSH test alone.  Many women I speak to from North America (and the UK actually) have to educate themselves, visit their primary care physician several times and insist upon getting tests other than just TSH and even then they struggle to find answers unless they are a \"textbook case\" (whatever that is in thyroid disorder!?). The guidelines surrounding thyroid disorder in North America are rigid compared the other countries around the world.  Did you know, that in the Czech Republic, for example, a thyroid ultrasound is part of the initial diagnosis process of primary care physicians?!  In addition to the ultrasound it is standard for a Czech doctor to check TSH, free T4 and thyroid antibodies to complete the initial thyroid picture.\n\nAnd while The American Thyroid Association recommends only complicated hypothyroid patients be referred to an endocrinologist, in Europe, once a patient has been diagnosed they are very often referred to an endocrinologist who will help them manage their thyroid disorder for their lifespan.\n\nIn North America, radiologists read our thyroid ultrasounds - send them to the doctor and we wait until we have our next appointment to get the results.  In much of Europe a patient\'s thyroid ultrasound will be performed by the endocrinologist in his/her office.  And let me tell you, I once saw a Canadian OB/GYN who had his own ultrasound device and did his own prenatal ultrasounds in his office and let me just say it was the cat\'s meow!\n\n<strong>Read on and you\'ll get a glimpse into some difference in thinking about thyroid disorders:</strong>\n\nHere\'s some American references to the Use of Thyroid Ultrasounds (from 2011):\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em>\"Ultrasound is not <strong>generally required for the diagnosis of diffuse thyroid diseases</strong>; however, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is primarily a subclinical disease and <strong>ultrasound can detect this subset of patients before they come to clinical attention</strong>, when typical ultrasound findings are present. In addition, <strong>ultrasound has a role in excluding focal thyroid disease and in assessing the size of the thyroid</strong>.\"</em></span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em><sup>\n</sup></em></span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em>\"All patients should undergo an evaluation of the cervical lymph nodes as part of a routine thyroid ultrasound. Enlarged but morphologically normalappearing cervical lymph nodes are common in patients with AITD (particularly Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and can even be the first clue of this diagnosis\"</em></span><em>Sholosh, B. &amp; Borhani, A., (2011). </em>Thyroid Ultrasound Part 1: Technique and Diffuse Disease,  Radiologic Clinics of North America, 49, 391–416.&nbsp;\n\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The New York Times Health Guide on Hypothyroidism (reviewed by Harvard MD\'s) has this to say:</span></strong>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><i>Ultrasound.</i> <strong>Ultrasound has limited value</strong>, but it can visualize the thyroid and specific abnormalities, such as nodules. (It cannot measure the thyroid gland\'s function, however.)</span>\n\nhttp://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/hypothyroidism/diagnosis.html\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n\nHere\'s a reference from the Czech Republic on the use of Thyroid Ultrasounds (from 2013):\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\"Thyroid ultrasound is <strong>crucial in the differential diagnosis of hypothyroidism,</strong> particularly if thyroid antibodies are negative.  It allows us to determine whether the thyroid is present and<span style=\"color: #2c2b2b; line-height: 18px;\"> to visualise the parenchyma*.\" </span></span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><span style=\"color: #2c2b2b; line-height: 18px;\">*Parenchyma: the functional elements of an organ.</span></span><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\"Thyroid ultrasound is an <strong>optimal initial imaging method in the evaluation of thyroid disorders</strong> thanks to it\'s noninvasivity, availability and no radiation load.  <strong>It is widely used not only in the management of thyroid nodules, but also in the diagnostic workup of thyroid dysfunction.</strong>  In a hypothyroid patient, the thyroid ultrasound may lead to cost savings: if a typical autoimmune pattern is present on thyroid ultrasound, the meansurement of antithyroid antibodies is not necessary for the diagnosis of Hashimoto\'s thyroiditis.  Moreover, the ultrasound image contributes to the decision process whether to treat patients with positive antithyroid antibodies who are euthyroid* or have only a mild subclinical hypothyroidism.  Thyroid ultrasound in this setting is especially valuable in case of women who wish to conceive or are pregnant.  In our opinion,<strong> thyroid ultrasound should be performed in all patients with thyroid dysfunction and, in case of young women and pregnant women, also in those who are euthryoid but are positive for antithyroid antibodies.</strong>  Moreover, we believe that if we, the treating endocrinologists, perform thyroid ultrasound by ourselves, we may improve the care of our patients.\"</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">*Euthyroid: normal thyroid function</span>\n\n<em id=\"__mceDel\">Jan Kratky, Jan Jiskra and Eliska Potlukova (2013). The Role of Ultrasound in the Differential Diagnosis of Hypothyroidism, Current Topics in Hypothyroidism with Focus on Development, Dr. Eliska Potlukova (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-51-0970-9, InTech, DOI: 10.5772/54678. Available from: http://www.intechopen.com/books/current-topics-in-hypothyroidism-with-focus-on-development/the-role-of-ultrasound-in-the-differential-diagnosis-of-hypothyroidism</em></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>','Thyroid Ultrasound Shows Hypothyroidism plus more...','','draft','open','open','','thyroid-ultrasound-shows-hypothyroidism-plus-more','','','2013-06-05 13:42:24','2013-06-05 18:42:24','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1782',0,'post','',0),(1783,1,'2013-05-19 20:30:59','2013-05-20 01:30:59','I went for a thyroid ultrasound this week just to check the status of my thyroid.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 4 or 5 years ago.  I find it strange that I don\'t really remember when but it was such a non-event in a way.  Back then I didn\'t understand much about hypothyroidism and my doctor was pretty non-chalant about it all.  I remember him telling me my thyroid tests came back and that I needed to take thyroid hormone.  I\'ve learned a lot since then and have come to realize how important it is to treat that beautiful little butterfly shaped gland with plenty of TLC.\n\nI\'ve never had a thyroid ultrasound before and decided it was time to ask for one.  So me and my empowered self spoke with my doctor about it and she agreed I should get it checked out.  I am waiting for the results, but the ultrasound technician said I shouldn\'t worry.  Although technicians aren\'t supposed to tell you anything because they aren\'t the radiologist responsible for reading the results, she told me she didn\'t see any nodules but that she did see that I had hypothyroidism.\n\n<em>\"All patients should undergo an evaluation of the cervical lymph nodes as part of a routine thyroid ultrasound. Enlarged but morphologically normalappearing cervical lymph nodes are common in patients with AITD (particularly Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and can even be the first clue of this diagnosis\" </em>\n\n<em>Sholosh, B. &amp; Borhani, A., (2011). </em>Thyroid Ultrasound Part 1: Technique and <em id=\"__mceDel\"><em id=\"__mceDel\">Diffuse Disease,  </em></em><em id=\"__mceDel\">Radiologic Clinics of North America 49  391–416</em>','My Thyroid Ultrasound','','inherit','open','open','','1782-revision','','','2013-05-19 20:30:59','2013-05-20 01:30:59','',1782,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1782-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1784,1,'2013-05-19 20:32:31','2013-05-20 01:32:31','I went for a thyroid ultrasound this week just to check the status of my thyroid.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 4 or 5 years ago.  I find it strange that I don\'t really remember when but it was such a non-event in a way.  Back then I didn\'t understand much about hypothyroidism and my doctor was pretty non-chalant about it all.  I remember him telling me my thyroid tests came back and that I needed to take thyroid hormone.  I\'ve learned a lot since then and have come to realize how important it is to treat that beautiful little butterfly shaped gland with plenty of TLC.\n\nI\'ve never had a thyroid ultrasound before and decided it was time to ask for one.  So me and my empowered self spoke with my doctor about it and she agreed I should get it checked out.  I am waiting for the results, but the ultrasound technician said I shouldn\'t worry.  Although technicians aren\'t supposed to tell you anything because they aren\'t the radiologist responsible for reading the results, she told me she didn\'t see any nodules but that she did see that I had hypothyroidism.\n\n<em>\"All patients should undergo an evaluation of the cervical lymph nodes as part of a routine thyroid ultrasound. Enlarged but morphologically normalappearing cervical lymph nodes are common in patients with AITD (particularly Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and can even be the first clue of this diagnosis\"</em>\n\n<em>Sholosh, B. &amp; Borhani, A., (2011). </em>Thyroid Ultrasound Part 1: Technique and <em id=\"__mceDel\"><em id=\"__mceDel\">Diffuse Disease,  </em></em><em id=\"__mceDel\">Radiologic Clinics of North America, 49, 391–416.</em>','My Thyroid Ultrasound','','inherit','open','open','','1782-revision-2','','','2013-05-19 20:32:31','2013-05-20 01:32:31','',1782,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1782-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1785,1,'2013-05-20 09:36:51','2013-05-20 14:36:51','I went for a thyroid ultrasound this week just to check the status of my thyroid.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 4 or 5 years ago.  I find it strange that I don\'t really remember when but it was such a non-event in a way.  Back then I didn\'t understand much about hypothyroidism and my doctor was pretty non-chalant about it all.  I remember him telling me my thyroid tests came back and that I needed to take thyroid hormone.  I\'ve learned a lot since then and have come to realize how important it is to treat that beautiful little butterfly shaped gland with plenty of TLC.\n\nI\'ve never had a thyroid ultrasound before and decided it was time to ask for one.  So I spoke with my doctor about it and she agreed I should get it checked out.  I am waiting for the official results but the ultrasound technician said she didn\'t see any nodules but that she could tell I had hypothyroidism.  I had known that the ultrasound could show things like an enlarged thyroid and nodules or masses, etc. but hadn\'t realized that hypothyroidism is apparent due to the size and texture of the thyroid which shows up on the ultrasound.  I knew that had to find out more about ultrasound and thyroid:\n\n<em>\"Ultrasound is not generally required for the diagnosis of diffuse thyroid diseases; however, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is primarily a subclinical disease and <strong>ultrasound can detect this subset of patients before they come to clinical attention</strong>, when typical ultrasound findings are present. In addition, <strong>ultrasound has a role in excluding focal thyroid disease and in assessing the size of the thyroid</strong>.\"</em>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<em>\"All patients should undergo an evaluation of the cervical lymph nodes as part of a routine thyroid ultrasound. Enlarged but morphologically normalappearing cervical lymph nodes are common in patients with AITD (particularly Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and can even be the first clue of this diagnosis\"</em>\n\n<em>Sholosh, B. &amp; Borhani, A., (2011). </em>Thyroid Ultrasound Part 1: Technique and <em id=\"__mceDel\"><em id=\"__mceDel\">Diffuse Disease,  </em></em><em id=\"__mceDel\">Radiologic Clinics of North America, 49, 391–416.</em>','Thyroid Ultrasound Shows Hypothyroidism','','inherit','open','open','','1782-revision-3','','','2013-05-20 09:36:51','2013-05-20 14:36:51','',1782,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1782-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1786,1,'2013-05-20 09:53:27','2013-05-20 14:53:27','I went for a thyroid ultrasound this week just to check the status of my thyroid.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 4 or 5 years ago.  I find it strange that I don\'t really remember when but it was such a non-event in a way.  Back then I didn\'t understand much about hypothyroidism and my doctor was pretty non-chalant about it all.  I remember him telling me my thyroid tests came back and that I needed to take thyroid hormone.  I\'ve learned a lot since then and have come to realize how important it is to treat that beautiful little butterfly shaped gland with plenty of TLC.\n\nI\'ve never had a thyroid ultrasound before and decided it was time to ask for one.  So I spoke with my doctor about it and she agreed I should get it checked out.  I am waiting for the official results but the ultrasound technician said she didn\'t see any nodules but that she could tell I had hypothyroidism.  I had known that the ultrasound could show things like an enlarged thyroid and nodules or masses, etc. but hadn\'t realized that hypothyroidism is apparent due to the size and texture of the thyroid which shows up on the ultrasound.  I knew that had to find out more about ultrasound and thyroid:\n\n<em>\"Ultrasound is not <strong>generally required for the diagnosis of diffuse thyroid diseases</strong>; however, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is primarily a subclinical disease and <strong>ultrasound can detect this subset of patients before they come to clinical attention</strong>, when typical ultrasound findings are present. In addition, <strong>ultrasound has a role in excluding focal thyroid disease and in assessing the size of the thyroid</strong>.\"</em>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<em>\"All patients should undergo an evaluation of the cervical lymph nodes as part of a routine thyroid ultrasound. Enlarged but morphologically normalappearing cervical lymph nodes are common in patients with AITD (particularly Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and can even be the first clue of this diagnosis\"</em>\n\n<em>Sholosh, B. &amp; Borhani, A., (2011). </em>Thyroid Ultrasound Part 1: Technique and <em id=\"__mceDel\"><em id=\"__mceDel\">Diffuse Disease,  </em></em><em id=\"__mceDel\">Radiologic Clinics of North America, 49, 391–416.</em>','Thyroid Ultrasound Shows Hypothyroidism','','inherit','open','open','','1782-revision-4','','','2013-05-20 09:53:27','2013-05-20 14:53:27','',1782,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1782-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1789,1,'2013-05-23 10:14:00','2013-05-23 15:14:00','[caption id=\"attachment_1794\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DNA-Doctor.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1794\" alt=\"Can our Genes Predict PPMD? Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DNA-Doctor-150x105.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"105\" /></a> Can our Genes Predict PPMD? Image: 123rf[/caption]\r\n\r\nDo I carry the Postpartum Mood Disorder (PPMD) gene?  Did I pass the gene onto my babies?  By the time my 13 and 10 year old daughters have children will they be tested for the PPMD gene?  Could I have passed the gene onto my son who may pass the gene onto his daughters if he has any?\r\n\r\nWhat about women who don\'t carry the gene?  Could they still get PPMD?  Can someone have the gene and yet not get PPMD?  If not, why not?\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">So many questions - yet maybe we are finally going to get some answers:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>There\'s</strong> <strong>exciting news in the world of research surrounding Postpartum Mood Disorder - a small study by John Hopkins researchers uncovered genes that may actually predict women who will get PPMD. Read more here:</strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a title=\"Genetic Predictors for PPMD\" href=\"http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521105256.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Genetic Predictors for Postpartum Mood Disorder</a></span></strong></p>\r\nSo if I knew I carried the PPMD gene would that have changed the outcome?  I didn\'t have many noticeable symptoms when my first daughter was born.  With my second baby it was extreme mood swings and OCD.  By my third baby it was debilitating anxiety  - so if I had carried \"the gene\" would I have been receiving a different level of care from my doctors?  Would I have still just been offered an anti-depressant and nothing else? Would it have changed the fact that I didn\'t even know about postpartum OCD? or postpartum anxiety?  Did this gene also have something to do with my inability to ovulate orr with my severe PMS? Is it going to predict what happens when I hit menopause? Wow...lots to think about.\r\n\r\n<strong>I\'m thrilled with this new research and hope that larger studies will confirm that a blood test could be a useful tool.  It doesn\'t mean we can drop the ball on awareness about all the types of PPMD and all the different options to treatment.  </strong>\r\n\r\nPostpartum Mood Disorder can take many forms including anxiety, OCD (intrusive thoughts &amp; visions), depression, bi-polar, PTSD and life-threatening psychosis. <strong> Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency if you suspect you or someone you know is suffering seek immediate medical attention.</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table style=\"width: 650px;\" border=\"2\" align=\"center\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>Read more of my blog posts about PPMD:                                                     (trigger warning)</strong></span></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/is-half-a-postpartum-plan-better-than-no-plan-at-all/\">Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/screening-for-thyroid-disorders-before-pregnancy/\" target=\"_blank\">Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"My Postpartum OCD\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-postpartum-ocd/\" target=\"_blank\">My Postpartum OCD</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"PPMD: Balance my Body Don’t Shock My Brain\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-balance-my-body-dont-shock-my-brain/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD: Balance My Body Don\'t Shock My Brain</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"PPMD not PPD please\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-not-ppd-please/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD not PPD Please</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Postpartum Anxiety Part 1 – My Heart did Loop-de-loops – I thought I was dying…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-heart-did-loop-de-loops/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 1: My Heart Did Loop-de-Loops - I thought I was dying </a>(trigger warning)</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Postparmum Anxiety Part 2 – I thought I was dying…again…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/postpartum-anxiety-part-2-i-thought-i-was-dying-again/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 2: I thought I was dying again</a>  (trigger warning)</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"The Cruel Joke of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-cruel-joke-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Cruel Joke of PPMD</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"The Happy Mask of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-happy-mask-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Happy Mask of PPMD</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"> </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/screening-for-thyroid-disorders-before-pregnancy/\" target=\"_blank\"> </a></span>','Could a Blood Test Have Predicted my Postpartum Mood Disorder?','','publish','open','open','','could-a-blood-test-have-predicted-my-postpartum-mood-disorder','','\nhttp://www.hormonesoup.com/my-postpartum-ocd/','2013-05-31 11:41:15','2013-05-31 16:41:15','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1789',0,'post','',0),(1790,1,'2013-05-23 09:01:25','2013-05-23 14:01:25','Do I carry the PPMD gene?  Did I pass the gene onto my babies?  By the time my 13 and 10 year old daughter have children will they be tested for the PPMD gene?  Could I have passed the gene onto my son who may pass the gene onto his daughters if he has any?\n\nAnd then, if I knew I carried the PPMD would that have changed the outcome?  I didn\'t have many symptoms when my first daughter was born.  By my third it was debilitating - so if I had carried \"the gene\" the outcome was different three different times.\n\nWhat about women who don\'t carry the gene?  Could they still get PPMD?\n\nSo many questions - yet maybe we are finally going to get some answers.  There\'s exciting news in the world of research surrounding Postpartum Mood Disorder - John Hopkins\n\nDr. Karen Schwarts and Dr. Jen Payne have been talking about genes that turns on or off by estrogen.  Women\'s  tied to actual hormone levels so much as to changes in those hormone levels.”\n\n&nbsp;\n\nIt took me years to discover that I am extremely sensitive to shifts in my hormone levels.    Some doctors believe that there may be gene','Could a Blood Test Have Predicted my Postpartum Mood Disorder?','','inherit','open','open','','1789-revision','','','2013-05-23 09:01:25','2013-05-23 14:01:25','',1789,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1789-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1791,1,'2013-05-23 09:18:55','2013-05-23 14:18:55','Do I carry the Postpartum Mood Disorder (PPMD) gene?  Did I pass the gene onto my babies?  By the time my 13 and 10 year old daughter have children will they be tested for the PPMD gene?  Could I have passed the gene onto my son who may pass the gene onto his daughters if he has any?\n\nWhat about women who don\'t carry the gene?  Could they still get PPMD?\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>So many questions - yet maybe we are finally going to get some answers.  There\'s</strong> <strong>exciting news in the world of research surrounding Postpartum Mood Disorder - a small study by John Hopkins researchers have discovered that there are <a title=\"Genetic Predictors for PPMD\" href=\"http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521105256.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Genetic Predictors for Postpartum Mood Disorder.  </a></strong></p>\nSo if I knew I carried the PPMD gene would that have changed the outcome?  I didn\'t have many noticeable symptoms when my first daughter was born.  With my second it was extreme mood swings and OCD.  By my third it was debilitating anxiety  - so if I had carried \"the gene\" would I have been receiving a different level of care from my doctors?  Would I have still just been offered an anti-depressant and that\'s all? Would it have changed the fact that I didn\'t even know about postpartum OCD? or postpartum anxiety?\n\n<strong>I\'m thrilled with this new research and hope that larger studies will confirm that a blood test could be a useful tool.  It doesn\'t mean we can drop the ball on awareness about all the types of PPMD and all the different options to treatment.  </strong>\n\nPostpartum Mood Disorder can take many forms including anxiety, OCD (intrusive thoughts &amp; visions), depression, bi-polar and life-threatening psychosis.  Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency if you suspect you or someone you know is suffering seek immediate medical attention.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Could a Blood Test Have Predicted my Postpartum Mood Disorder?','','inherit','open','open','','1789-revision-2','','','2013-05-23 09:18:55','2013-05-23 14:18:55','',1789,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1789-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1792,1,'2013-05-23 09:26:36','2013-05-23 14:26:36','Do I carry the Postpartum Mood Disorder (PPMD) gene?  Did I pass the gene onto my babies?  By the time my 13 and 10 year old daughter have children will they be tested for the PPMD gene?  Could I have passed the gene onto my son who may pass the gene onto his daughters if he has any?\n\nWhat about women who don\'t carry the gene?  Could they still get PPMD?\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>So many questions - yet maybe we are finally going to get some answers.  There\'s</strong> <strong>exciting news in the world of research surrounding Postpartum Mood Disorder - a small study by John Hopkins researchers have discovered that there are <a title=\"Genetic Predictors for PPMD\" href=\"http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521105256.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Genetic Predictors for Postpartum Mood Disorder.  </a></strong></p>\nSo if I knew I carried the PPMD gene would that have changed the outcome?  I didn\'t have many noticeable symptoms when my first daughter was born.  With my second it was extreme mood swings and OCD.  By my third it was debilitating anxiety  - so if I had carried \"the gene\" would I have been receiving a different level of care from my doctors?  Would I have still just been offered an anti-depressant and that\'s all? Would it have changed the fact that I didn\'t even know about postpartum OCD? or postpartum anxiety?\n\n<strong>I\'m thrilled with this new research and hope that larger studies will confirm that a blood test could be a useful tool.  It doesn\'t mean we can drop the ball on awareness about all the types of PPMD and all the different options to treatment.  </strong>\n\nPostpartum Mood Disorder can take many forms including anxiety, OCD (intrusive thoughts &amp; visions), depression, bi-polar and life-threatening psychosis.  Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency if you suspect you or someone you know is suffering seek immediate medical attention.\n\nTo read more of my blog posts about PPMD:\n\n<a title=\"Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/is-half-a-postpartum-plan-better-than-no-plan-at-all/\">Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?</a>\n\n<a title=\"Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/screening-for-thyroid-disorders-before-pregnancy/\" target=\"_blank\">Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy</a>\n\n<a title=\"My Postpartum OCD\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-postpartum-ocd/\" target=\"_blank\">My Postpartum OCD</a>\n\n<a title=\"PPMD: Balance my Body Don’t Shock My Brain\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-balance-my-body-dont-shock-my-brain/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD: Balance My Body Don\'t Shock My Brain</a>\n\n<a title=\"PPMD not PPD please\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-not-ppd-please/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD not PPD Please</a>\n\n<a title=\"Postpartum Anxiety Part 1 – My Heart did Loop-de-loops – I thought I was dying…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-heart-did-loop-de-loops/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 1: My Heart Did Loop-de-Loops - I thought I was dying </a>(trigger warning)\n\n<a title=\"Postparmum Anxiety Part 2 – I thought I was dying…again…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/postpartum-anxiety-part-2-i-thought-i-was-dying-again/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 2: I thought I was dying again</a>  (trigger warning)\n\nPPMD\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Could a Blood Test Have Predicted my Postpartum Mood Disorder?','','inherit','open','open','','1789-revision-3','','','2013-05-23 09:26:36','2013-05-23 14:26:36','',1789,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1789-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1794,1,'2013-05-23 09:52:05','2013-05-23 14:52:05','','Can our Genes Predict PPMD?','Can our Genes Predict PPMD? Image: 123rf','inherit','open','open','','dna-doctor','','','2013-05-23 09:52:05','2013-05-23 14:52:05','',1789,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DNA-Doctor.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1795,1,'2013-05-23 09:59:15','2013-05-23 14:59:15','[caption id=\"attachment_1794\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DNA-Doctor.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1794\" alt=\"Can our Genes Predict PPMD? Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DNA-Doctor-150x105.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"105\" /></a> Can our Genes Predict PPMD? Image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nDo I carry the Postpartum Mood Disorder (PPMD) gene?  Did I pass the gene onto my babies?  By the time my 13 and 10 year old daughter have children will they be tested for the PPMD gene?  Could I have passed the gene onto my son who may pass the gene onto his daughters if he has any?\n\nWhat about women who don\'t carry the gene?  Could they still get PPMD?  Can someone have the gene and yet not get PPMD?  If not, why not?\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">So many questions - yet maybe we are finally going to get some answers:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>There\'s</strong> <strong>exciting news in the world of research surrounding Postpartum Mood Disorder - a small study by John Hopkins researchers uncovered genes that may actually predict women who will get PPMD. Read more here:</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a title=\"Genetic Predictors for PPMD\" href=\"http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521105256.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Genetic Predictors for Postpartum Mood Disorder</a></span></strong></p>\nSo if I knew I carried the PPMD gene would that have changed the outcome?  I didn\'t have many noticeable symptoms when my first daughter was born.  With my second baby it was extreme mood swings and OCD.  By my third baby it was debilitating anxiety  - so if I had carried \"the gene\" would I have been receiving a different level of care from my doctors?  Would I have still just been offered an anti-depressant and nothing else? Would it have changed the fact that I didn\'t even know about postpartum OCD? or postpartum anxiety?  Did this gene also have something to do with my inability to ovulate orr with my severe PMS? Is it going to predict what happens when I hit menopause? Wow...lots to think about.\n\n<strong>I\'m thrilled with this new research and hope that larger studies will confirm that a blood test could be a useful tool.  It doesn\'t mean we can drop the ball on awareness about all the types of PPMD and all the different options to treatment.  </strong>\n\nPostpartum Mood Disorder can take many forms including anxiety, OCD (intrusive thoughts &amp; visions), depression, bi-polar and life-threatening psychosis.  Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency if you suspect you or someone you know is suffering seek immediate medical attention.\n\n&nbsp;\n<table style=\"width: 650px;\" border=\"2\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>To read more of my blog posts about PPMD: (trigger warning)</strong></span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/is-half-a-postpartum-plan-better-than-no-plan-at-all/\">Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/screening-for-thyroid-disorders-before-pregnancy/\" target=\"_blank\">Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"My Postpartum OCD\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-postpartum-ocd/\" target=\"_blank\">My Postpartum OCD</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"PPMD: Balance my Body Don’t Shock My Brain\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-balance-my-body-dont-shock-my-brain/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD: Balance My Body Don\'t Shock My Brain</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"PPMD not PPD please\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-not-ppd-please/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD not PPD Please</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Postpartum Anxiety Part 1 – My Heart did Loop-de-loops – I thought I was dying…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-heart-did-loop-de-loops/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 1: My Heart Did Loop-de-Loops - I thought I was dying </a>(trigger warning)</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Postparmum Anxiety Part 2 – I thought I was dying…again…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/postpartum-anxiety-part-2-i-thought-i-was-dying-again/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 2: I thought I was dying again</a>  (trigger warning)</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"The Cruel Joke of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-cruel-joke-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Cruel Joke of PPMD</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"The Happy Mask of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-happy-mask-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Happy Mask of PPMD</a></span>\n\n&nbsp;</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>','Could a Blood Test Have Predicted my Postpartum Mood Disorder?','','inherit','open','open','','1789-revision-5','','','2013-05-23 09:59:15','2013-05-23 14:59:15','',1789,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1789-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1793,1,'2013-05-23 09:29:25','2013-05-23 14:29:25','Do I carry the Postpartum Mood Disorder (PPMD) gene?  Did I pass the gene onto my babies?  By the time my 13 and 10 year old daughter have children will they be tested for the PPMD gene?  Could I have passed the gene onto my son who may pass the gene onto his daughters if he has any?\n\nWhat about women who don\'t carry the gene?  Could they still get PPMD?\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>So many questions - yet maybe we are finally going to get some answers.  There\'s</strong> <strong>exciting news in the world of research surrounding Postpartum Mood Disorder - a small study by John Hopkins researchers have discovered that there are <a title=\"Genetic Predictors for PPMD\" href=\"http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521105256.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Genetic Predictors for Postpartum Mood Disorder.  </a></strong></p>\nSo if I knew I carried the PPMD gene would that have changed the outcome?  I didn\'t have many noticeable symptoms when my first daughter was born.  With my second it was extreme mood swings and OCD.  By my third it was debilitating anxiety  - so if I had carried \"the gene\" would I have been receiving a different level of care from my doctors?  Would I have still just been offered an anti-depressant and that\'s all? Would it have changed the fact that I didn\'t even know about postpartum OCD? or postpartum anxiety?\n\n<strong>I\'m thrilled with this new research and hope that larger studies will confirm that a blood test could be a useful tool.  It doesn\'t mean we can drop the ball on awareness about all the types of PPMD and all the different options to treatment.  </strong>\n\nPostpartum Mood Disorder can take many forms including anxiety, OCD (intrusive thoughts &amp; visions), depression, bi-polar and life-threatening psychosis.  Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency if you suspect you or someone you know is suffering seek immediate medical attention.\n\n&nbsp;\n<table style=\"width: 650px;\" border=\"2\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>To read more of my blog posts about PPMD:</strong></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/is-half-a-postpartum-plan-better-than-no-plan-at-all/\">Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/screening-for-thyroid-disorders-before-pregnancy/\" target=\"_blank\">Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"My Postpartum OCD\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-postpartum-ocd/\" target=\"_blank\">My Postpartum OCD</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"PPMD: Balance my Body Don’t Shock My Brain\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-balance-my-body-dont-shock-my-brain/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD: Balance My Body Don\'t Shock My Brain</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"PPMD not PPD please\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-not-ppd-please/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD not PPD Please</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Postpartum Anxiety Part 1 – My Heart did Loop-de-loops – I thought I was dying…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-heart-did-loop-de-loops/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 1: My Heart Did Loop-de-Loops - I thought I was dying </a>(trigger warning)</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Postparmum Anxiety Part 2 – I thought I was dying…again…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/postpartum-anxiety-part-2-i-thought-i-was-dying-again/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 2: I thought I was dying again</a>  (trigger warning)</span>\n\n<a title=\"The Cruel Joke of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-cruel-joke-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Cruel Joke of PPMD</a>\n\n<a title=\"The Happy Mask of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-happy-mask-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Happy Mask of PPMD</a>\n\n&nbsp;</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n\nTo read more of my blog posts about PPMD:\n\n<a title=\"Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/is-half-a-postpartum-plan-better-than-no-plan-at-all/\">Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?</a>\n\n<a title=\"Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/screening-for-thyroid-disorders-before-pregnancy/\" target=\"_blank\">Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy</a>\n\n<a title=\"My Postpartum OCD\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-postpartum-ocd/\" target=\"_blank\">My Postpartum OCD</a>\n\n<a title=\"PPMD: Balance my Body Don’t Shock My Brain\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-balance-my-body-dont-shock-my-brain/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD: Balance My Body Don\'t Shock My Brain</a>\n\n<a title=\"PPMD not PPD please\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-not-ppd-please/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD not PPD Please</a>\n\n<a title=\"Postpartum Anxiety Part 1 – My Heart did Loop-de-loops – I thought I was dying…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-heart-did-loop-de-loops/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 1: My Heart Did Loop-de-Loops - I thought I was dying </a>(trigger warning)\n\n<a title=\"Postparmum Anxiety Part 2 – I thought I was dying…again…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/postpartum-anxiety-part-2-i-thought-i-was-dying-again/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 2: I thought I was dying again</a>  (trigger warning)\n\n<a title=\"The Cruel Joke of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-cruel-joke-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Cruel Joke of PPMD</a>\n\n<a title=\"The Happy Mask of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-happy-mask-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Happy Mask of PPMD</a>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Could a Blood Test Have Predicted my Postpartum Mood Disorder?','','inherit','open','open','','1789-revision-4','','','2013-05-23 09:29:25','2013-05-23 14:29:25','',1789,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1789-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1796,1,'2013-05-23 10:00:41','2013-05-23 15:00:41','[caption id=\"attachment_1794\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DNA-Doctor.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1794\" alt=\"Can our Genes Predict PPMD? Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DNA-Doctor-150x105.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"105\" /></a> Can our Genes Predict PPMD? Image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nDo I carry the Postpartum Mood Disorder (PPMD) gene?  Did I pass the gene onto my babies?  By the time my 13 and 10 year old daughter have children will they be tested for the PPMD gene?  Could I have passed the gene onto my son who may pass the gene onto his daughters if he has any?\n\nWhat about women who don\'t carry the gene?  Could they still get PPMD?  Can someone have the gene and yet not get PPMD?  If not, why not?\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">So many questions - yet maybe we are finally going to get some answers:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>There\'s</strong> <strong>exciting news in the world of research surrounding Postpartum Mood Disorder - a small study by John Hopkins researchers uncovered genes that may actually predict women who will get PPMD. Read more here:</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a title=\"Genetic Predictors for PPMD\" href=\"http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521105256.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Genetic Predictors for Postpartum Mood Disorder</a></span></strong></p>\nSo if I knew I carried the PPMD gene would that have changed the outcome?  I didn\'t have many noticeable symptoms when my first daughter was born.  With my second baby it was extreme mood swings and OCD.  By my third baby it was debilitating anxiety  - so if I had carried \"the gene\" would I have been receiving a different level of care from my doctors?  Would I have still just been offered an anti-depressant and nothing else? Would it have changed the fact that I didn\'t even know about postpartum OCD? or postpartum anxiety?  Did this gene also have something to do with my inability to ovulate orr with my severe PMS? Is it going to predict what happens when I hit menopause? Wow...lots to think about.\n\n<strong>I\'m thrilled with this new research and hope that larger studies will confirm that a blood test could be a useful tool.  It doesn\'t mean we can drop the ball on awareness about all the types of PPMD and all the different options to treatment.  </strong>\n\nPostpartum Mood Disorder can take many forms including anxiety, OCD (intrusive thoughts &amp; visions), depression, bi-polar and life-threatening psychosis. <strong> Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency if you suspect you or someone you know is suffering seek immediate medical attention.</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n<table style=\"width: 650px;\" border=\"2\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>To read more of my blog posts about PPMD: (trigger warning)</strong></span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/is-half-a-postpartum-plan-better-than-no-plan-at-all/\">Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?</a></span></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/screening-for-thyroid-disorders-before-pregnancy/\" target=\"_blank\">Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"My Postpartum OCD\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-postpartum-ocd/\" target=\"_blank\">My Postpartum OCD</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"PPMD: Balance my Body Don’t Shock My Brain\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-balance-my-body-dont-shock-my-brain/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD: Balance My Body Don\'t Shock My Brain</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"PPMD not PPD please\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-not-ppd-please/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD not PPD Please</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Postpartum Anxiety Part 1 – My Heart did Loop-de-loops – I thought I was dying…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-heart-did-loop-de-loops/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 1: My Heart Did Loop-de-Loops - I thought I was dying </a>(trigger warning)</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Postparmum Anxiety Part 2 – I thought I was dying…again…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/postpartum-anxiety-part-2-i-thought-i-was-dying-again/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 2: I thought I was dying again</a>  (trigger warning)</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"The Cruel Joke of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-cruel-joke-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Cruel Joke of PPMD</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"The Happy Mask of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-happy-mask-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Happy Mask of PPMD</a></span>\n\n&nbsp;','Could a Blood Test Have Predicted my Postpartum Mood Disorder?','','inherit','open','open','','1789-revision-6','','','2013-05-23 10:00:41','2013-05-23 15:00:41','',1789,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1789-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1797,1,'2013-05-23 10:00:46','2013-05-23 15:00:46','[caption id=\"attachment_1794\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DNA-Doctor.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1794\" alt=\"Can our Genes Predict PPMD? Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DNA-Doctor-150x105.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"105\" /></a> Can our Genes Predict PPMD? Image: 123rf[/caption]\r\n\r\nDo I carry the Postpartum Mood Disorder (PPMD) gene?  Did I pass the gene onto my babies?  By the time my 13 and 10 year old daughter have children will they be tested for the PPMD gene?  Could I have passed the gene onto my son who may pass the gene onto his daughters if he has any?\r\n\r\nWhat about women who don\'t carry the gene?  Could they still get PPMD?  Can someone have the gene and yet not get PPMD?  If not, why not?\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">So many questions - yet maybe we are finally going to get some answers:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>There\'s</strong> <strong>exciting news in the world of research surrounding Postpartum Mood Disorder - a small study by John Hopkins researchers uncovered genes that may actually predict women who will get PPMD. Read more here:</strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a title=\"Genetic Predictors for PPMD\" href=\"http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521105256.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Genetic Predictors for Postpartum Mood Disorder</a></span></strong></p>\r\nSo if I knew I carried the PPMD gene would that have changed the outcome?  I didn\'t have many noticeable symptoms when my first daughter was born.  With my second baby it was extreme mood swings and OCD.  By my third baby it was debilitating anxiety  - so if I had carried \"the gene\" would I have been receiving a different level of care from my doctors?  Would I have still just been offered an anti-depressant and nothing else? Would it have changed the fact that I didn\'t even know about postpartum OCD? or postpartum anxiety?  Did this gene also have something to do with my inability to ovulate orr with my severe PMS? Is it going to predict what happens when I hit menopause? Wow...lots to think about.\r\n\r\n<strong>I\'m thrilled with this new research and hope that larger studies will confirm that a blood test could be a useful tool.  It doesn\'t mean we can drop the ball on awareness about all the types of PPMD and all the different options to treatment.  </strong>\r\n\r\nPostpartum Mood Disorder can take many forms including anxiety, OCD (intrusive thoughts &amp; visions), depression, bi-polar and life-threatening psychosis. <strong> Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency if you suspect you or someone you know is suffering seek immediate medical attention.</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table style=\"width: 650px;\" border=\"2\" align=\"center\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> </span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>To read more of my blog posts about PPMD: (trigger warning)</strong></span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/is-half-a-postpartum-plan-better-than-no-plan-at-all/\">Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?</a></span></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/screening-for-thyroid-disorders-before-pregnancy/\" target=\"_blank\">Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"My Postpartum OCD\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-postpartum-ocd/\" target=\"_blank\">My Postpartum OCD</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"PPMD: Balance my Body Don’t Shock My Brain\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-balance-my-body-dont-shock-my-brain/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD: Balance My Body Don\'t Shock My Brain</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"PPMD not PPD please\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-not-ppd-please/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD not PPD Please</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Postpartum Anxiety Part 1 – My Heart did Loop-de-loops – I thought I was dying…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-heart-did-loop-de-loops/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 1: My Heart Did Loop-de-Loops - I thought I was dying </a>(trigger warning)</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Postparmum Anxiety Part 2 – I thought I was dying…again…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/postpartum-anxiety-part-2-i-thought-i-was-dying-again/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 2: I thought I was dying again</a>  (trigger warning)</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"The Cruel Joke of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-cruel-joke-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Cruel Joke of PPMD</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"The Happy Mask of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-happy-mask-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Happy Mask of PPMD</a></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Could a Blood Test Have Predicted my Postpartum Mood Disorder?','','inherit','open','open','','1789-revision-7','','','2013-05-23 10:00:46','2013-05-23 15:00:46','',1789,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1789-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1798,1,'2013-05-23 10:09:02','2013-05-23 15:09:02','[caption id=\"attachment_1794\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DNA-Doctor.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1794\" alt=\"Can our Genes Predict PPMD? Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DNA-Doctor-150x105.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"105\" /></a> Can our Genes Predict PPMD? Image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nDo I carry the Postpartum Mood Disorder (PPMD) gene?  Did I pass the gene onto my babies?  By the time my 13 and 10 year old daughter have children will they be tested for the PPMD gene?  Could I have passed the gene onto my son who may pass the gene onto his daughters if he has any?\n\nWhat about women who don\'t carry the gene?  Could they still get PPMD?  Can someone have the gene and yet not get PPMD?  If not, why not?\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">So many questions - yet maybe we are finally going to get some answers:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>There\'s</strong> <strong>exciting news in the world of research surrounding Postpartum Mood Disorder - a small study by John Hopkins researchers uncovered genes that may actually predict women who will get PPMD. Read more here:</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a title=\"Genetic Predictors for PPMD\" href=\"http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521105256.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Genetic Predictors for Postpartum Mood Disorder</a></span></strong></p>\nSo if I knew I carried the PPMD gene would that have changed the outcome?  I didn\'t have many noticeable symptoms when my first daughter was born.  With my second baby it was extreme mood swings and OCD.  By my third baby it was debilitating anxiety  - so if I had carried \"the gene\" would I have been receiving a different level of care from my doctors?  Would I have still just been offered an anti-depressant and nothing else? Would it have changed the fact that I didn\'t even know about postpartum OCD? or postpartum anxiety?  Did this gene also have something to do with my inability to ovulate orr with my severe PMS? Is it going to predict what happens when I hit menopause? Wow...lots to think about.\n\n<strong>I\'m thrilled with this new research and hope that larger studies will confirm that a blood test could be a useful tool.  It doesn\'t mean we can drop the ball on awareness about all the types of PPMD and all the different options to treatment.  </strong>\n\nPostpartum Mood Disorder can take many forms including anxiety, OCD (intrusive thoughts &amp; visions), depression, bi-polar and life-threatening psychosis. <strong> Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency if you suspect you or someone you know is suffering seek immediate medical attention.</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n<table style=\"width: 650px;\" border=\"2\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> <strong>To read more of my blog posts about PPMD:                                                     (trigger warning)</strong></span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/is-half-a-postpartum-plan-better-than-no-plan-at-all/\">Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/screening-for-thyroid-disorders-before-pregnancy/\" target=\"_blank\">Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"My Postpartum OCD\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-postpartum-ocd/\" target=\"_blank\">My Postpartum OCD</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"PPMD: Balance my Body Don’t Shock My Brain\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-balance-my-body-dont-shock-my-brain/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD: Balance My Body Don\'t Shock My Brain</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"PPMD not PPD please\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-not-ppd-please/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD not PPD Please</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Postpartum Anxiety Part 1 – My Heart did Loop-de-loops – I thought I was dying…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-heart-did-loop-de-loops/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 1: My Heart Did Loop-de-Loops - I thought I was dying </a>(trigger warning)</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Postparmum Anxiety Part 2 – I thought I was dying…again…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/postpartum-anxiety-part-2-i-thought-i-was-dying-again/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 2: I thought I was dying again</a>  (trigger warning)</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"The Cruel Joke of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-cruel-joke-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Cruel Joke of PPMD</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"The Happy Mask of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-happy-mask-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Happy Mask of PPMD</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"> </span></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/screening-for-thyroid-disorders-before-pregnancy/\" target=\"_blank\"> </a></span>\n\n[contact-form][contact-field label=\'Name\' type=\'name\' required=\'1\'/][contact-field label=\'Email\' type=\'email\' required=\'1\'/][contact-field label=\'Website\' type=\'url\'/][contact-field label=\'Comment\' type=\'textarea\' required=\'1\'/][/contact-form]','Could a Blood Test Have Predicted my Postpartum Mood Disorder?','','inherit','open','open','','1789-revision-8','','','2013-05-23 10:09:02','2013-05-23 15:09:02','',1789,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1789-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1799,1,'2013-05-23 10:13:04','2013-05-23 15:13:04','[caption id=\"attachment_1794\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DNA-Doctor.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1794\" alt=\"Can our Genes Predict PPMD? Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DNA-Doctor-150x105.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"105\" /></a> Can our Genes Predict PPMD? Image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nDo I carry the Postpartum Mood Disorder (PPMD) gene?  Did I pass the gene onto my babies?  By the time my 13 and 10 year old daughter have children will they be tested for the PPMD gene?  Could I have passed the gene onto my son who may pass the gene onto his daughters if he has any?\n\nWhat about women who don\'t carry the gene?  Could they still get PPMD?  Can someone have the gene and yet not get PPMD?  If not, why not?\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">So many questions - yet maybe we are finally going to get some answers:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>There\'s</strong> <strong>exciting news in the world of research surrounding Postpartum Mood Disorder - a small study by John Hopkins researchers uncovered genes that may actually predict women who will get PPMD. Read more here:</strong></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a title=\"Genetic Predictors for PPMD\" href=\"http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521105256.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Genetic Predictors for Postpartum Mood Disorder</a></span></strong></p>\nSo if I knew I carried the PPMD gene would that have changed the outcome?  I didn\'t have many noticeable symptoms when my first daughter was born.  With my second baby it was extreme mood swings and OCD.  By my third baby it was debilitating anxiety  - so if I had carried \"the gene\" would I have been receiving a different level of care from my doctors?  Would I have still just been offered an anti-depressant and nothing else? Would it have changed the fact that I didn\'t even know about postpartum OCD? or postpartum anxiety?  Did this gene also have something to do with my inability to ovulate orr with my severe PMS? Is it going to predict what happens when I hit menopause? Wow...lots to think about.\n\n<strong>I\'m thrilled with this new research and hope that larger studies will confirm that a blood test could be a useful tool.  It doesn\'t mean we can drop the ball on awareness about all the types of PPMD and all the different options to treatment.  </strong>\n\nPostpartum Mood Disorder can take many forms including anxiety, OCD (intrusive thoughts &amp; visions), depression, bi-polar, PTSD and life-threatening psychosis. <strong> Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency if you suspect you or someone you know is suffering seek immediate medical attention.</strong>\n\n&nbsp;\n<table style=\"width: 650px;\" border=\"2\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>Read more of my blog posts about PPMD:                                                     (trigger warning)</strong></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/is-half-a-postpartum-plan-better-than-no-plan-at-all/\">Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/screening-for-thyroid-disorders-before-pregnancy/\" target=\"_blank\">Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"My Postpartum OCD\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-postpartum-ocd/\" target=\"_blank\">My Postpartum OCD</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"PPMD: Balance my Body Don’t Shock My Brain\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-balance-my-body-dont-shock-my-brain/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD: Balance My Body Don\'t Shock My Brain</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"PPMD not PPD please\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-not-ppd-please/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD not PPD Please</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Postpartum Anxiety Part 1 – My Heart did Loop-de-loops – I thought I was dying…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-heart-did-loop-de-loops/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 1: My Heart Did Loop-de-Loops - I thought I was dying </a>(trigger warning)</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Postparmum Anxiety Part 2 – I thought I was dying…again…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/postpartum-anxiety-part-2-i-thought-i-was-dying-again/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 2: I thought I was dying again</a>  (trigger warning)</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"The Cruel Joke of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-cruel-joke-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Cruel Joke of PPMD</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"The Happy Mask of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-happy-mask-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Happy Mask of PPMD</a></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"> </span></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/screening-for-thyroid-disorders-before-pregnancy/\" target=\"_blank\"> </a></span>','Could a Blood Test Have Predicted my Postpartum Mood Disorder?','','inherit','open','open','','1789-revision-9','','','2013-05-23 10:13:04','2013-05-23 15:13:04','',1789,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1789-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(1824,1,'2013-05-30 09:20:20','2013-05-30 14:20:20','[caption id=\"attachment_1816\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1816\" alt=\"Baby Teaching ABCs image: Dreamstime\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Baby Teaching ABCs      image: Dreamstime[/caption]\r\n\r\nI will never forget waiting for the hospital elevator with my brand-spankin’ new baby in her bucket seat. It took me an hour to dress her in her new going home outfit. I was beaming with that same sense of pride that all of us new moms share.  In fact I savored that same feeling of wonderment when I prepared to take my second and third babies home from the hospital.\r\n\r\nBut there was something different about waiting for the elevator that first time because I actually couldn’t believe I was getting to take a baby home – a real-live baby!  This crazy feeling came over me - a sudden realization that after battling infertility and two miscarriages I finally had a baby!  My other visits to the hospital had ended in sadness as I learned of my miscarriages or got discharged from the maternity ward with baby-less, empty arms. This time though was different.  I could hardly believe that I was just standing at the elevator about to take this wee infant out the door and no one was stopping me, it was really <i>my</i> baby! A surreal experience indeed. I have often wondered about other women who live through infertility and miscarriages – did they have the same sense of awe at leaving the hospital with a baby?\r\n\r\nEvery woman who has had a miscarriage lives with an extra dose of fear in her while she’s pregnant.  I had that same fear and after two miscarriages I began to advocate for myself.  I learned about my reproductive cycle and learned to understand my own body. I was embarrassed at how little I knew!  Sex ed in health class may have covered this stuff but I don\'t remember it.  Eventually, through research and getting to know my cycles I began to suspect that I didn’t produce enough progesterone each month.  I also learned that in pregnancy a woman’s body becomes a progesterone-making machine, which is when I began to suspect that my progesterone factory was broken.  I faced my third pregnancy with knowledge and challenged my doctor’s suggestion to try a third time before we delve further into my reproductive health problems. I told my doctor that I wanted to take natural progesterone supplements during my pregnancy.  I was hopeful but I wasn’t a believer quite yet, and neither was my doctor. He gave me the progesterone but told me that it was a placebo effect.  But what if I was wrong?  The weight of a successful pregnancy seemed to weigh more heavily on me.\r\n\r\nSo as I stood waiting for the elevator that day with my newborn baby something else happened for me, but I wouldn’t think about it until much later.  That was the day I became a true believer in advocating for my own health.  It would be many years and ups and downs before I truly understood the significance bio-identical hormones would play in my life and the role I would have to take in my own health, but that day; that beautiful, wonderful, life-changing day that I got to take my baby home was the day I learned the power of Advocating for my own health, Bio-identical Hormones and Challenging the status-quo. My newborn baby had just taught me my ABC’s.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table class=\" aligncenter\" border=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><span style=\"font-size: medium;\">To read more of my related blog posts about Miscarriage &amp; Advocacy:</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><a title=\"It Doesn’t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/it-doesnt-always-take-a-crystal-ball-my-explainable-miscarriages/\" target=\"_blank\">It Doesn\'t Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><a title=\"Farewell Dear Ava\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/farewell-dear-ava/\" target=\"_blank\">Farewell Dear Ava</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><a title=\"Missing our Miscarried Babies\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/missing-our-miscarried-babies/\" target=\"_blank\">Missing our Miscarried Babies</a></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em style=\"text-align: center; background-color: #f4f4f4; line-height: 18px;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\r\nThis article was originally published as a guest blog post on <a title=\"Dr. Greene\" href=\"http://www.drgreene.com/\" target=\"_blank\">DrGreene.com </a>\r\n</span></em></p>','My Baby Taught Me My ABC’s: Advocating, Bioidentical Hormones & Challenging the Status-Quo','','inherit','open','open','','1740-revision-11','','','2013-05-30 09:20:20','2013-05-30 14:20:20','',1740,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1740-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(1801,1,'2012-08-26 23:57:46','2012-08-27 04:57:46','It was during one of my favourite times of day - the house is all quiet, not a toddler nor kindergartener nor husband stirring - just me and my precious newborn baby up for a late night feed in the rocking chair.  All seemed quiet and serene until suddenly my heart felt like it did a 180 degree flip inside my chest!   If I hadn\'t been so freaked out by the sensation, I would have thought my heart was doing loop-de-loops over the fact that I had fallen madly in love for my newborn baby boy!   I was shocked and stunned and didn\'t know what to think and so let it go thinking it was just some weird random event that would never happen again.  Boy was I wrong.  And so began my journey of intense postpartum anxiety.\r\n\r\nI began to have the heart-flipping sensations daily and they would be more noticeable at certain times than others.  Sometimes it was a small \"blip\" and other times they were so severe they woke me from my sleep!   On a couple of occasions I was up late at night with them (they seemed more noticeable at night when life was not so busy and chaotic) and crying on the phone to my mom who lived a 4 hour plane ride away!  She is an LPN (Licenced Practical Nurse) and I called her one night  while she was on the night shift.  She put the RN on the phone to calm me down and find out what was happening.  It seemed that everyone I spoke to just chalked it up to heart palpitations or rapid heart beat but I knew that didn\'t jive with what I was experiencing and so the anxiety seemed worse because I didn\'t feel like I was getting any answers.  No one seemed to know what I was trying to explain.\r\n\r\nI took myself to the emergency room on two occasions where I was hooked up to their machines, had blood drawn and it was determined that I hadn\'t had a heart attack and I was fine.   I still didn\'t feel like I had any answers.  I must have looked like a wreck, on one of the visits the doctor walked into the examining room and within minutes was giving me Ativan for the anxiety the heart problem was creating.\r\n\r\nAlthough I loved my baby to bits I knew the loop-de-loops weren\'t because of my undying love for him!  They were Premature Ventricular Contractions which the doctor confirmed were likely due to the sudden hormonal changes from giving birth to him!    Fortunately for me, I already had an OB/GYN who prescribed natural progesterone cream.  Not surprisingly the progesterone I took to help with the postpartum anxiety instantly \"cured\" my premature ventricular contractions!\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','Postpartum Anxiety Part 1 - My Heart did Loop-de-loops - I thought I was dying...','','inherit','open','open','','280-revision-14','','','2012-08-26 23:57:46','2012-08-27 04:57:46','',280,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/280-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(1802,1,'2013-05-23 10:27:53','0000-00-00 00:00:00','http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/psychiatry/about/publications/newsletter/archive/05_winter/payne-swartz.html\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;','PPMD Physiologic ','','draft','open','open','','ppmd-physiologic','','','2013-05-23 10:27:53','2013-05-23 15:27:53','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1802',0,'post','',0),(1803,1,'2013-05-25 07:40:38','2013-05-25 12:40:38','May 25 is World Thyroid Day - a day to increase awareness of what I believe is a hidden epidemic.\n\nMay is also Postpartum\n\nWorldwide pooled prevalence for <strong>Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction (PPTD) </strong>is estimated to be 8%.  That means it affects 11 million women per year globally.  In my view, because it\'s related to pregnancy it\'s actually double that:\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>11 million women + 11 million babies = 22 milion human beings every single year</strong></p>\nAnd yet, unfortunately The Endocrine Society recommends screening <strong>only high risk women</strong> which in my opinion, would assume that you have a doctor that bothers to find out if you\'re high risk!   Ask yourself this, has your doctor ever asked you any thyroid screening questions?  I\'ve been pregnant 5 times. I\'ve lived in 2 provinces and 1 territory and had 5 different obstetricians and 2 family doctors while I was pregnant and I can\'t recall a time any of the 7 physicians asked me about my thyroid risk.\n\nFurthermore even if your doctor did find out if all his/her patients were in the high risk category the doctor would still miss 30% of hypo-thyroid and 69% of hyperthyroid patients!   In my view that is entirely unacceptable given the risk factors.\n\n<strong>If we know that PPTD is affecting 22 million humans beings every year, so what are the risk factors? </strong>\n\nPhysicians who DO advocate universal screening have these risk factors in mind:\n<ul>\n	<li>avoiding the disease itself - especially hypothyroid PPTD,</li>\n	<li>predicting the need for thyroid treatment at the end of the first postpartum year,</li>\n	<li>identifying women who may develop PPTD in subsequent pregnancies,</li>\n	<li>identifying women for followup to detect long-term hypothyroidism several years from initial diagnosis</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All Condition</strong>\n\nThe standard test for thyroid disfunction that most doctors will do is TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) and doctors are currently fighting amongst themselves over the appropriate ranges.  While they are busy trying to figure out what\'s normal, many forward thinking doctors have realized that TSH is only one small piece of the thyroid puzzle.  That\'s the type of doctor you want to find - forget about the doctor that focuses on TSH alone - you won\'t get the best treatment unless you are a \"textbook\" case of thyroid disorder.  Here\'s the thing you need to know: Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All condition.  There are several tests that your doctor should consider AND needs to consider your symptoms as important as the blood tests.\n\n<strong>Get your TPOAb Test (among others) &amp; Here\'s Why: </strong>\n\nOne of the thyroid tests that is rarely done is called TPOAb.  Here\'s why it\'s particularly important if you\'re pregnant or trying to get pregnant:\n<ul>\n	<li>the presence of TPOAb in pregnant women varies between 2.8 - 19.6% globally.</li>\n	<li>if you take the published data alone it\'s estimated to be 15.3–16% which represents:\n<ul>\n	<li>Globally ~20 million pregnant women each year</li>\n	<li>USA ~600,000 pregnant women per year</li>\n	<li>Canada ~57,000 pregnant women each year</li>\n	<li>UK ~120,000 pregnant women each year</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Researches don\'t know why but have discovered that the presence of <strong>TPOAb identifies which pregnant women have a higher risk of developing PPTD</strong></li>\n	<li>TPOAb also identifies women who have a <strong>higher risk of long-term hypothyroidism</strong> after PPTD</li>\n	<li>It\'s also associated with <strong>miscarriage</strong> and <strong>preterm delivery</strong></li>\n	<li> an<strong> IQ decrement in children</strong> of mothers who have normally functioning thyroids but show a presence of TPOAb</li>\n	<li> higher risk for <strong>postpartum mood disorders</strong></li>\n</ul>\nIf you\'ve ever had a miscarriage or suffered a postpartum mood disorder, insisting your doctor do a fully thyroid panel before or during pregnancy (or even postpartum) or finding a doctor who will is a small price to pay for the information that may save you from these terrible outcomes.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">References:</span></h2>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Adlan, M. and Premawardhana, L., (2011). </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody and Screening for Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Journal of Thyroid Research </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 745135, 5 pages. </span><em id=\"__mceDel\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">doi:10.4061/2011/745135</span></em></h2>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><em id=\"__mceDel\"> </em></span></h2>','Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction','','inherit','open','open','','1721-revision-5','','','2013-05-25 07:40:38','2013-05-25 12:40:38','',1721,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1721-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1804,1,'2013-05-25 07:59:26','2013-05-25 12:59:26','','Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy & Postpartum','Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy & Postpartum\nImage: 123rf','inherit','open','open','','thyroid-in-pregnancy','','','2013-05-25 07:59:26','2013-05-25 12:59:26','',1721,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1805,1,'2013-05-25 08:00:34','2013-05-25 13:00:34','<p style=\"text-align: center;\"></p>\n\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1804\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1804\" alt=\"Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy &amp; Postpartum Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" /></a> Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy &amp; Postpartum<br />Image: 123rf[/caption]\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">World Thyroid Day &amp; Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month</span></strong></p>\nMay is an important time of year in my circles:  May 25 is <a title=\"World Thyroid Day\" href=\"http://Worldthyroidday.com\" target=\"_blank\">World Thyroid Day</a> - a day to increase awareness of what I believe is a hidden epidemic.  The month of May has been declared by <a title=\"PSI - Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month\" href=\"http://www.postpartum.net/Join-Us/Maternal-Mental-Health-Awareness-Month-Blog-Hop.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Support International (PSI) to be Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month. </a> It\'s a perfect time to take a closer look at the connection between thyroid function and perinatal mood disorders.\n\nWorldwide pooled prevalence for <strong>Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction (PPTD) </strong>is estimated to be 8%.  That means it affects 11 million women per year globally.  In my view, because it\'s related to pregnancy it\'s actually double that:\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>11 million women + 11 million babies = 22 milion human beings every single year</strong></p>\nAnd yet, unfortunately The Endocrine Society recommends screening <strong>only high risk women</strong> which in my opinion, would assume that you have a doctor that bothers to find out if you\'re high risk!   Ask yourself this, has your doctor ever asked you any thyroid screening questions?  I\'ve been pregnant 5 times. I\'ve lived in 2 provinces and 1 territory and had 5 different obstetricians and 2 family doctors while I was pregnant and I can\'t recall a time any of the 7 physicians asked me about my thyroid risk.\n\nFurthermore even if your doctor did find out if all his/her patients were in the high risk category the doctor would still miss 30% of hypo-thyroid and 69% of hyperthyroid patients!   In my view that is entirely unacceptable given the risk factors.\n\n<strong>If we know that PPTD is affecting 22 million humans beings every year, so what are the risk factors? </strong>\n\nPhysicians who DO advocate universal screening have these risk factors in mind:\n<ul>\n	<li>avoiding the disease itself - especially hypothyroid PPTD,</li>\n	<li>predicting the need for thyroid treatment at the end of the first postpartum year,</li>\n	<li>identifying women who may develop PPTD in subsequent pregnancies,</li>\n	<li>identifying women for followup to detect long-term hypothyroidism several years from initial diagnosis</li>\n</ul>\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong>Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All Condition</strong>\n\nThe standard test for thyroid disfunction that most doctors will do is TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) and doctors are currently fighting amongst themselves over the appropriate ranges.  While they are busy trying to figure out what\'s normal, many forward thinking doctors have realized that TSH is only one small piece of the thyroid puzzle.  That\'s the type of doctor you want to find - forget about the doctor that focuses on TSH alone - you won\'t get the best treatment unless you are a \"textbook\" case of thyroid disorder.  Here\'s the thing you need to know: Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All condition.  There are several tests that your doctor should consider AND needs to consider your symptoms as important as the blood tests.\n\n<strong>Get your TPOAb Test (among others) &amp; Here\'s Why: </strong>\n\nOne of the thyroid tests that is rarely done is called TPOAb.  Here\'s why it\'s particularly important if you\'re pregnant or trying to get pregnant:\n<ul>\n	<li>the presence of TPOAb in pregnant women varies between 2.8 - 19.6% globally.</li>\n	<li>if you take the published data alone it\'s estimated to be 15.3–16% which represents:\n<ul>\n	<li>Globally ~20 million pregnant women each year</li>\n	<li>USA ~600,000 pregnant women per year</li>\n	<li>Canada ~57,000 pregnant women each year</li>\n	<li>UK ~120,000 pregnant women each year</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Researches don\'t know why but have discovered that the presence of <strong>TPOAb identifies which pregnant women have a higher risk of developing PPTD</strong></li>\n	<li>TPOAb also identifies women who have a <strong>higher risk of long-term hypothyroidism</strong> after PPTD</li>\n	<li>It\'s also associated with <strong>miscarriage</strong> and <strong>preterm delivery</strong></li>\n	<li> an<strong> IQ decrement in children</strong> of mothers who have normally functioning thyroids but show a presence of TPOAb</li>\n	<li> higher risk for <strong>postpartum mood disorders</strong></li>\n</ul>\nIf you\'ve ever had a miscarriage or suffered a postpartum mood disorder, insisting your doctor do a fully thyroid panel before or during pregnancy (or even postpartum) or finding a doctor who will is a small price to pay for the information that may save you from these terrible outcomes.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">References:</span></h2>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Adlan, M. and Premawardhana, L., (2011). </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody and Screening for Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Journal of Thyroid Research </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 745135, 5 pages. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">doi:10.4061/2011/745135</span></h2>\n&nbsp;\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Stuckey BG, Kent GN, Ward LC, Brown SJ, Walsh JP. (2010). Postpartum thyroid dysfunction and the long-term risk of hypothyroidism: results from a 12-year follow-up study of women with and without postpartum thyroid dysfunction. </span><em id=\"__mceDel\" style=\"color: #2c2b2b; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010 Sep;73(3):389-95. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2010.03797.x. Epub 2010 Feb 23.</span></strong></em></h1>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><em id=\"__mceDel\">Shames, R., Shames, K., (2011). Thyroid Mind Power. New York, NY: Rodale</em></span></h2>','Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction','','inherit','open','open','','1721-revision-6','','','2013-05-25 08:00:34','2013-05-25 13:00:34','',1721,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1721-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1807,1,'2013-05-25 08:12:19','2013-05-25 13:12:19','[caption id=\"attachment_1804\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1804\" alt=\"Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy &amp; Postpartum Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" /></a> Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy &amp; Postpartum<br />Image: 123rf[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">World Thyroid Day &amp; Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month</span></strong></p>\r\nMay is an important time of year in my circles:  May 25 is <a title=\"World Thyroid Day\" href=\"http://Worldthyroidday.com\" target=\"_blank\">World Thyroid Day</a> - a day to increase awareness of what I believe is a hidden epidemic.  The month of May has been declared by <a title=\"PSI - Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month\" href=\"http://www.postpartum.net/Join-Us/Maternal-Mental-Health-Awareness-Month-Blog-Hop.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Support International (PSI) to be Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month. </a> It\'s a perfect time to take a closer look at the connection between thyroid function and perinatal mood disorders.\r\n\r\nWorldwide pooled prevalence for <strong>Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction (PPTD) </strong>is estimated to be 8%.  That means it affects 11 million women per year globally.  In my view, because it\'s related to pregnancy it\'s actually double that:\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>11 million women + 11 million babies = 22 milion human beings every single year</strong></p>\r\nAnd yet, unfortunately The Endocrine Society recommends screening <strong>only high risk women</strong> which in my opinion, would assume that you have a doctor that bothers to find out if you\'re high risk!   Ask yourself this, has your doctor ever asked you any thyroid screening questions?  I\'ve been pregnant 5 times. I\'ve lived in 2 provinces and 1 territory and had 5 different obstetricians and 2 family doctors while I was pregnant and I can\'t recall a time any of the 7 physicians asked me about my thyroid risk.\r\n\r\nFurthermore even if your doctor did find out if all his/her patients were in the high risk category the doctor would still miss 30% of hypo-thyroid and 69% of hyperthyroid patients!   In my view that is entirely unacceptable given the risk factors.\r\n\r\n<strong>If we know that PPTD is affecting 22 million humans beings every year, so what are the risk factors? </strong>\r\n\r\nPhysicians who DO advocate universal screening have these risk factors in mind:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>avoiding the disease itself - especially hypothyroid PPTD,</li>\r\n	<li>predicting the need for thyroid treatment at the end of the first postpartum year,</li>\r\n	<li>identifying women who may develop PPTD in subsequent pregnancies,</li>\r\n	<li>identifying women for followup to detect long-term hypothyroidism several years from initial diagnosis</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<strong>Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All Condition</strong>\r\n\r\nThe standard test for thyroid disfunction that most doctors will do is TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) and doctors are currently fighting amongst themselves over the appropriate ranges.  While they are busy trying to figure out what\'s normal, many forward thinking doctors have realized that TSH is only one small piece of the thyroid puzzle.  That\'s the type of doctor you want to find - forget about the doctor that focuses on TSH alone - you won\'t get the best treatment unless you are a \"textbook\" case of thyroid disorder.  Here\'s the thing you need to know: Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All condition.  There are several tests that your doctor should consider AND needs to consider your symptoms as important as the blood tests.  Now is the time to take charge of your health.\r\n\r\n<strong>Get your TPOAb Test (among others) &amp; Here\'s Why: </strong>\r\n\r\nOne of the thyroid tests that is rarely done is called TPOAb.  Here\'s why it\'s particularly important if you\'re pregnant or trying to get pregnant:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>the presence of TPOAb in pregnant women varies between 2.8 - 19.6% globally.</li>\r\n	<li>if you take the published data alone it\'s estimated to be 15.3–16% which represents:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Globally ~20 million pregnant women each year</li>\r\n	<li>USA ~600,000 pregnant women per year</li>\r\n	<li>Canada ~57,000 pregnant women each year</li>\r\n	<li>UK ~120,000 pregnant women each year</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Researches don\'t know why but have discovered that the presence of <strong>TPOAb identifies which pregnant women have a higher risk of developing PPTD</strong></li>\r\n	<li>TPOAb also identifies women who have a <strong>higher risk of long-term hypothyroidism</strong> after PPTD</li>\r\n	<li>It\'s also associated with <strong>miscarriage</strong> and <strong>preterm delivery</strong></li>\r\n	<li> an<strong> IQ decrement in children</strong> of mothers who have normally functioning thyroids but show a presence of TPOAb</li>\r\n	<li> higher risk for <strong>postpartum mood disorders</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIf you\'ve ever had a miscarriage or suffered a postpartum mood disorder, insisting your doctor do a full thyroid panel before or during pregnancy or postpartum or finding a doctor who will is a small price to pay for the information that may save you from these terrible outcomes.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><strong>Some researchers believe that 80% - 90% of postpartum depression is actually postpartum thyroiditis!  Yet how many women with PPTD are suffering in silence and when they do go see their doctor never get a proper thyroid check up!  </strong></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Dr. Shames and</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">References:</span></h2>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Adlan, M. and Premawardhana, L., (2011). </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody and Screening for Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Journal of Thyroid Research </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 745135, 5 pages. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">doi:10.4061/2011/745135</span></h2>\r\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Stuckey, B.G., Kent, G.N., Ward, L.C., Brown, S.J. and Walsh, J.P. (2010). Postpartum thyroid dysfunction and the long-term risk of hypothyroidism: results from a 12-year follow-up study of women with and without postpartum thyroid dysfunction. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010 Sep; 73(3):389-95. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2010.03787.x. Epub 2010 Feb 23. </span>\r\n\r\nShames, R., Shames, K., (2011). Thyroid Mind Power. New York, NY: Rodale','Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction','','inherit','open','open','','1721-revision-8','','','2013-05-25 08:12:19','2013-05-25 13:12:19','',1721,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1721-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1806,1,'2013-05-25 08:12:07','2013-05-25 13:12:07','[caption id=\"attachment_1804\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1804\" alt=\"Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy &amp; Postpartum Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" /></a> Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy &amp; Postpartum<br />Image: 123rf[/caption]\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">World Thyroid Day &amp; Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month</span></strong></p>\nMay is an important time of year in my circles:  May 25 is <a title=\"World Thyroid Day\" href=\"http://Worldthyroidday.com\" target=\"_blank\">World Thyroid Day</a> - a day to increase awareness of what I believe is a hidden epidemic.  The month of May has been declared by <a title=\"PSI - Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month\" href=\"http://www.postpartum.net/Join-Us/Maternal-Mental-Health-Awareness-Month-Blog-Hop.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Support International (PSI) to be Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month. </a> It\'s a perfect time to take a closer look at the connection between thyroid function and perinatal mood disorders.\n\nWorldwide pooled prevalence for <strong>Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction (PPTD) </strong>is estimated to be 8%.  That means it affects 11 million women per year globally.  In my view, because it\'s related to pregnancy it\'s actually double that:\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>11 million women + 11 million babies = 22 milion human beings every single year</strong></p>\nAnd yet, unfortunately The Endocrine Society recommends screening <strong>only high risk women</strong> which in my opinion, would assume that you have a doctor that bothers to find out if you\'re high risk!   Ask yourself this, has your doctor ever asked you any thyroid screening questions?  I\'ve been pregnant 5 times. I\'ve lived in 2 provinces and 1 territory and had 5 different obstetricians and 2 family doctors while I was pregnant and I can\'t recall a time any of the 7 physicians asked me about my thyroid risk.\n\nFurthermore even if your doctor did find out if all his/her patients were in the high risk category the doctor would still miss 30% of hypo-thyroid and 69% of hyperthyroid patients!   In my view that is entirely unacceptable given the risk factors.\n\n<strong>If we know that PPTD is affecting 22 million humans beings every year, so what are the risk factors? </strong>\n\nPhysicians who DO advocate universal screening have these risk factors in mind:\n<ul>\n	<li>avoiding the disease itself - especially hypothyroid PPTD,</li>\n	<li>predicting the need for thyroid treatment at the end of the first postpartum year,</li>\n	<li>identifying women who may develop PPTD in subsequent pregnancies,</li>\n	<li>identifying women for followup to detect long-term hypothyroidism several years from initial diagnosis</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All Condition</strong>\n\nThe standard test for thyroid disfunction that most doctors will do is TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) and doctors are currently fighting amongst themselves over the appropriate ranges.  While they are busy trying to figure out what\'s normal, many forward thinking doctors have realized that TSH is only one small piece of the thyroid puzzle.  That\'s the type of doctor you want to find - forget about the doctor that focuses on TSH alone - you won\'t get the best treatment unless you are a \"textbook\" case of thyroid disorder.  Here\'s the thing you need to know: Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All condition.  There are several tests that your doctor should consider AND needs to consider your symptoms as important as the blood tests.  Now is the time to take charge of your health.\n\n<strong>Get your TPOAb Test (among others) &amp; Here\'s Why: </strong>\n\nOne of the thyroid tests that is rarely done is called TPOAb.  Here\'s why it\'s particularly important if you\'re pregnant or trying to get pregnant:\n<ul>\n	<li>the presence of TPOAb in pregnant women varies between 2.8 - 19.6% globally.</li>\n	<li>if you take the published data alone it\'s estimated to be 15.3–16% which represents:\n<ul>\n	<li>Globally ~20 million pregnant women each year</li>\n	<li>USA ~600,000 pregnant women per year</li>\n	<li>Canada ~57,000 pregnant women each year</li>\n	<li>UK ~120,000 pregnant women each year</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Researches don\'t know why but have discovered that the presence of <strong>TPOAb identifies which pregnant women have a higher risk of developing PPTD</strong></li>\n	<li>TPOAb also identifies women who have a <strong>higher risk of long-term hypothyroidism</strong> after PPTD</li>\n	<li>It\'s also associated with <strong>miscarriage</strong> and <strong>preterm delivery</strong></li>\n	<li> an<strong> IQ decrement in children</strong> of mothers who have normally functioning thyroids but show a presence of TPOAb</li>\n	<li> higher risk for <strong>postpartum mood disorders</strong></li>\n</ul>\nIf you\'ve ever had a miscarriage or suffered a postpartum mood disorder, insisting your doctor do a full thyroid panel before or during pregnancy or postpartum or finding a doctor who will is a small price to pay for the information that may save you from these terrible outcomes.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><strong>Some researchers believe that 80% - 90% of postpartum depression is actually postpartum thyroiditis!  Yet how many women with PPTD are suffering in silence and when they do go see their doctor never get a proper thyroid check up!  </strong></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Dr. Shames and</p>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">References:</span></h2>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Adlan, M. and Premawardhana, L., (2011). </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody and Screening for Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Journal of Thyroid Research </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 745135, 5 pages. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">doi:10.4061/2011/745135</span></h2>\nStuckey, B.G., Kent, G.N., Ward, L.C., Brown, S.J. and Walsh, J.P. (2010). Postpartum thyroid dysfunction and the long-term risk of hypothyroidism: results from a 12-year follow-up study of women with and without postpartum thyroid dysfunction. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010 Sep; 73(3):389-95. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2010.03787.x. Epub 2010 Feb 23.\n\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Stuckey BG, Kent GN, Ward LC, Brown SJ, Walsh JP. (2010). Postpartum thyroid dysfunction and the long-term risk of hypothyroidism: results from a 12-year follow-up study of women with and without postpartum thyroid dysfunction. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010 Sep;73(3):389-95. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2010.03797.x. Epub 2010 Feb 23.</span>\n\nShames, R., Shames, K., (2011). Thyroid Mind Power. New York, NY: Rodale','Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction','','inherit','open','open','','1721-revision-7','','','2013-05-25 08:12:07','2013-05-25 13:12:07','',1721,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1721-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1808,1,'2013-05-25 08:31:34','2013-05-25 13:31:34','[caption id=\"attachment_1804\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1804\" alt=\"Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy &amp; Postpartum Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" /></a> Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy &amp; Postpartum<br />Image: 123rf[/caption]\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">World Thyroid Day &amp; Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month</span></strong></p>\nMay is an important time of year in my circles:  May 25 is <a title=\"World Thyroid Day\" href=\"http://Worldthyroidday.com\" target=\"_blank\">World Thyroid Day</a> - a day to increase awareness of what I believe is a hidden epidemic.  The month of May has been declared by <a title=\"PSI - Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month\" href=\"http://www.postpartum.net/Join-Us/Maternal-Mental-Health-Awareness-Month-Blog-Hop.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Support International (PSI) to be Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month. </a> It\'s a perfect time to take a closer look at the connection between thyroid function and perinatal mood disorders.\n\nWorldwide pooled prevalence for <strong>Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction (PPTD) </strong>is estimated to be 8%.  That means it affects 11 million women per year globally.  In my view, because it\'s related to pregnancy it\'s actually double that:\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>11 million women + 11 million babies = 22 milion human beings every single year</strong></p>\nAnd yet, unfortunately The Endocrine Society recommends screening <strong>only high risk women</strong> which in my opinion, would assume that you have a doctor that bothers to find out if you\'re high risk!   Ask yourself this, has your doctor ever asked you any thyroid screening questions?  I\'ve been pregnant 5 times. I\'ve lived in 2 provinces and 1 territory and had 5 different obstetricians and 2 family doctors while I was pregnant and I can\'t recall a time any of the 7 physicians asked me about my thyroid risk.\n\nFurthermore even if your doctor did find out if all his/her patients were in the high risk category the doctor would still miss 30% of hypo-thyroid and 69% of hyperthyroid patients!   In my view that is entirely unacceptable given the risk factors.\n\n<strong>If we know that PPTD is affecting 22 million humans beings every year, so what are the risk factors? </strong>\n\nPhysicians who DO advocate universal screening have these risk factors in mind:\n<ul>\n	<li>avoiding the disease itself - especially hypothyroid PPTD,</li>\n	<li>predicting the need for thyroid treatment at the end of the first postpartum year,</li>\n	<li>identifying women who may develop PPTD in subsequent pregnancies,</li>\n	<li>identifying women for followup to detect long-term hypothyroidism several years from initial diagnosis</li>\n</ul>\n<strong>Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All Condition</strong>\n\nThe standard test for thyroid disfunction that most doctors will do is TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) and doctors are currently fighting amongst themselves over the appropriate ranges.  While they are busy trying to figure out what\'s normal, many forward thinking doctors have realized that TSH is only one small piece of the thyroid puzzle.  That\'s the type of doctor you want to find - forget about the doctor that focuses on TSH alone - you won\'t get the best treatment unless you are a \"textbook\" case of thyroid disorder.  Here\'s the thing you need to know: Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All condition.  There are several tests that your doctor should consider AND needs to consider your symptoms as important as the blood tests.  Now is the time to take charge of your health.\n\n<strong>Get your TPOAb Test (among others) &amp; Here\'s Why: </strong>\n\nOne of the thyroid tests that is rarely done is called TPOAb.  Here\'s why it\'s particularly important if you\'re pregnant or trying to get pregnant:\n<ul>\n	<li>the presence of TPOAb in pregnant women varies between 2.8 - 19.6% globally.</li>\n	<li>if you take the published data alone it\'s estimated to be 15.3–16% which represents:\n<ul>\n	<li>Globally ~20 million pregnant women each year</li>\n	<li>USA ~600,000 pregnant women per year</li>\n	<li>Canada ~57,000 pregnant women each year</li>\n	<li>UK ~120,000 pregnant women each year</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Researches don\'t know why but have discovered that the presence of <strong>TPOAb identifies which pregnant women have a higher risk of developing PPTD</strong></li>\n	<li>TPOAb also identifies women who have a <strong>higher risk of long-term hypothyroidism</strong> after PPTD</li>\n	<li>It\'s also associated with <strong>miscarriage</strong> and <strong>preterm delivery</strong></li>\n	<li> an<strong> IQ decrement in children</strong> of mothers who have normally functioning thyroids but show a presence of TPOAb</li>\n	<li> higher risk for <strong>postpartum mood disorders</strong></li>\n</ul>\nIf you\'ve ever had a miscarriage or suffered a postpartum mood disorder, insisting your doctor do a full thyroid panel before or during pregnancy or postpartum or finding a doctor who will is a small price to pay for the information that may save you from these terrible outcomes.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium;\"><strong>Some researchers believe that 80% - 90% of postpartum depression is actually postpartum thyroiditis!  Yet how many women with PPTD are suffering in silence and when they do go see their doctor never get a proper thyroid check up!  </strong></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">In his book, Thyroid Mind Power, Dr. Richard Shames, explains that during pregnancy the certain immune response is supressed so that the baby\'s placenta (which is \'temporarily grafted\' onto the lining of the uterine wall) is not rejected by the mother\'s immune system.  After delivery there is a rapid surge in antibodies which may result in thyroid imbalance.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Knowing what I know about the prevalence of thyroid disorders in women and the connection between infertility, miscarriages, perinatal mood disorders and depression if I had any one of these issues today (and I\'ve had 3 of the 4 so far in my life) I would get my thyroid properly tested - emphasis on properly!  If you know me, you also know that I am a strong believer in <strong>participatory health.  </strong>I had to learn to participate in my own healthcare and it\'s been a road full of ups and downs.  Today, if my doctor wouldn\'t agree to the testing I would:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">a) find another doctor or,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">b) print off all of my research and take it in to my doctors appointment</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">c)  in countries with a national health care program (like Canada &amp; Britain) I would even tell the doctor I would be willing to pay for the tests - this will let the doctor know you\'re serious about getting these tests.</p>\n&nbsp;\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: small;\">References:</span></h2>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Adlan, M. and Premawardhana, L., (2011). </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody and Screening for Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Journal of Thyroid Research </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 745135, 5 pages. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">doi:10.4061/2011/745135</span></h2>\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><strong>Stuckey, B.G., Kent, G.N., Ward, L.C., Brown, S.J. and Walsh, J.P. (2010). Postpartum thyroid dysfunction and the long-term risk of hypothyroidism: results from a 12-year follow-up study of women with and without postpartum thyroid dysfunction. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010 Sep; 73(3):389-95. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2010.03787.x. Epub 2010 Feb 23. </strong></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><strong>Shames, R., Shames, K., (2011). Thyroid Mind Power. New York, NY: Rodale</strong></span>','Postpartum Thyroid Disorder','','inherit','open','open','','1721-revision-9','','','2013-05-25 08:31:34','2013-05-25 13:31:34','',1721,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1721-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(1809,1,'2013-05-25 08:39:41','2013-05-25 13:39:41','[caption id=\"attachment_1804\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1804\" alt=\"Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy &amp; Postpartum Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" /></a> Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy &amp; Postpartum<br />Image: 123rf[/caption]\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e14c7c;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">World Thyroid Day &amp; Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month</span></strong></span></p>\nMay is an important time of year in my circles:  May 25 is <a title=\"World Thyroid Day\" href=\"http://Worldthyroidday.com\" target=\"_blank\">World Thyroid Day</a> - a day to increase awareness of what I believe is a hidden epidemic.  The month of May has been declared by <a title=\"PSI - Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month\" href=\"http://www.postpartum.net/Join-Us/Maternal-Mental-Health-Awareness-Month-Blog-Hop.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Support International (PSI) to be Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month. </a> It\'s a perfect time to take a closer look at the connection between thyroid function and perinatal mood disorders.\n\nWorldwide pooled prevalence for <strong>Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction (PPTD) </strong>is estimated to be 8%.  That means it affects 11 million women per year globally.  In my view, because it\'s related to pregnancy it\'s actually double that:\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>11 million women + 11 million babies = 22 milion human beings every single year</strong></p>\nAnd yet, unfortunately The Endocrine Society recommends screening <strong>only high risk women</strong> which in my opinion, would assume that you have a doctor that bothers to find out if you\'re high risk!   Ask yourself this, has your doctor ever asked you any thyroid screening questions?  I\'ve been pregnant 5 times. I\'ve lived in 2 provinces and 1 territory and had 5 different obstetricians and 2 family doctors while I was pregnant and I can\'t recall a time any of the 7 physicians asked me about my thyroid risk.\n\nFurthermore even if your doctor did find out if all his/her patients were in the high risk category the doctor would still miss 30% of hypo-thyroid and 69% of hyperthyroid patients!   In my view that is entirely unacceptable given the risk factors.\n\n<strong>If we know that PPTD is affecting 22 million humans beings every year, so what are the risk factors? </strong>\n\nPhysicians who DO advocate universal screening have these risk factors in mind:\n<ul>\n	<li>avoiding the disease itself - especially hypothyroid PPTD,</li>\n	<li>predicting the need for thyroid treatment at the end of the first postpartum year,</li>\n	<li>identifying women who may develop PPTD in subsequent pregnancies,</li>\n	<li>identifying women for followup to detect long-term hypothyroidism several years from initial diagnosis</li>\n</ul>\n<span style=\"color: #e14c7c;\"><strong>Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All Condition</strong></span>\n\nThe standard test for thyroid disfunction that most doctors will do is TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) and doctors are currently fighting amongst themselves over the appropriate ranges.  While they are busy trying to figure out what\'s normal, many forward thinking doctors have realized that TSH is only one small piece of the thyroid puzzle.  That\'s the type of doctor you want to find - forget about the doctor that focuses on TSH alone - you won\'t get the best treatment unless you are a \"textbook\" case of thyroid disorder.  Here\'s the thing you need to know: Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All condition.  There are several tests that your doctor should consider AND needs to consider your symptoms as important as the blood tests.  Now is the time to take charge of your health.\n\n<span style=\"color: #e14c7c;\"><strong>Get your TPOAb Test (among others) &amp; Here\'s Why: </strong></span>\n\nOne of the thyroid tests that is rarely done is called TPOAb.  Here\'s why it\'s particularly important if you\'re pregnant or trying to get pregnant:\n<ul>\n	<li>the presence of TPOAb in pregnant women varies between 2.8 - 19.6% globally.</li>\n	<li>if you take the published data alone it\'s estimated to be 15.3–16% which represents:\n<ul>\n	<li>Globally ~20 million pregnant women each year</li>\n	<li>USA ~600,000 pregnant women per year</li>\n	<li>Canada ~57,000 pregnant women each year</li>\n	<li>UK ~120,000 pregnant women each year</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Researches don\'t know why but have discovered that the presence of <strong>TPOAb identifies which pregnant women have a higher risk of developing PPTD</strong></li>\n	<li>TPOAb also identifies women who have a <strong>higher risk of long-term hypothyroidism</strong> after PPTD</li>\n	<li>It\'s also associated with <strong>miscarriage</strong> and <strong>preterm delivery</strong></li>\n	<li> an<strong> IQ decrement in children</strong> of mothers who have normally functioning thyroids but show a presence of TPOAb</li>\n	<li> higher risk for <strong>postpartum mood disorders</strong></li>\n</ul>\nIf you\'ve ever had a miscarriage or suffered a postpartum mood disorder, insisting your doctor do a full thyroid panel before or during pregnancy or postpartum or finding a doctor who will is a small price to pay for the information that may save you from these terrible outcomes.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #e14c7c;\"><strong>Some researchers believe that 80% - 90% of postpartum depression is actually postpartum thyroiditis!  Yet how many women with PPTD are suffering in silence and when they do go see their doctor for their PPTD they never get a proper thyroid check up!  </strong></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">In his book, Thyroid Mind Power, Dr. Richard Shames, explains that during pregnancy the certain immune response is supressed so that the baby\'s placenta (which is \'temporarily grafted\' onto the lining of the uterine wall) is not rejected by the mother\'s immune system.  After delivery there is a rapid surge in antibodies which may result in thyroid imbalance.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Knowing what I know about the prevalence of thyroid disorders in women and the connection between infertility, miscarriages, perinatal mood disorders and depression if I had any one of these issues today (and I\'ve had 3 of the 4 so far in my life) I would get my thyroid properly tested - emphasis on properly!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">To know me is to know that I am a strong believer in <strong>participatory health.  </strong>I had to learn to participate in my own healthcare and it\'s been a road full of ups and downs.  Today, if my doctor wouldn\'t agree to the testing I would:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">a) find another doctor or,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">b) print off all of my research and take it in to my doctors appointment in a BIG file</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">c)  in countries with a national health care program (like Canada &amp; Britain) I would even tell the doctor I would be willing to pay for the tests - this will let the doctor know you\'re serious about getting these tests.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">d) I would even let my doctor know that I believe in participatory health</p>\n&nbsp;\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: small;\">References:</span></h2>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Adlan, M. and Premawardhana, L., (2011). </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody and Screening for Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Journal of Thyroid Research </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 745135, 5 pages. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">doi:10.4061/2011/745135</span></h2>\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><strong>Stuckey, B.G., Kent, G.N., Ward, L.C., Brown, S.J. and Walsh, J.P. (2010). Postpartum thyroid dysfunction and the long-term risk of hypothyroidism: results from a 12-year follow-up study of women with and without postpartum thyroid dysfunction. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010 Sep; 73(3):389-95. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2010.03787.x. Epub 2010 Feb 23. </strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><strong>Shames, R., Shames, K., (2011). Thyroid Mind Power. New York, NY: Rodale</strong></span>','Postpartum Thyroid Disorder','','inherit','open','open','','1721-revision-10','','','2013-05-25 08:39:41','2013-05-25 13:39:41','',1721,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1721-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(1810,1,'2013-05-25 08:43:16','2013-05-25 13:43:16','[caption id=\"attachment_1804\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1804\" alt=\"Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy &amp; Postpartum Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" /></a> Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy &amp; Postpartum<br />Image: 123rf[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e14c7c;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">World Thyroid Day &amp; Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month</span></strong></span></p>\r\nMay is an important time of year in my circles:  May 25 is <a title=\"World Thyroid Day\" href=\"http://Worldthyroidday.com\" target=\"_blank\">World Thyroid Day</a> - a day to increase awareness of what I believe is a hidden epidemic.  The month of May has been declared by <a title=\"PSI - Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month\" href=\"http://www.postpartum.net/Join-Us/Maternal-Mental-Health-Awareness-Month-Blog-Hop.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Support International (PSI) to be Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month. </a> It\'s a perfect time to take a closer look at the connection between thyroid function and perinatal mood disorders.\r\n\r\nWorldwide pooled prevalence for <strong>Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction (PPTD) </strong>is estimated to be 8%.  That means it affects 11 million women per year globally.  In my view, because it\'s related to pregnancy it\'s actually double that:\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>11 million women + 11 million babies = 22 milion human beings every single year</strong></p>\r\nAnd yet, unfortunately The Endocrine Society recommends screening <strong>only high risk women</strong> which in my opinion, would assume that you have a doctor that bothers to find out if you\'re high risk!   Ask yourself this, has your doctor ever asked you any thyroid screening questions?  I\'ve been pregnant 5 times. I\'ve lived in 2 provinces and 1 territory and had 5 different obstetricians and 2 family doctors while I was pregnant and I can\'t recall a time any of the 7 physicians asked me about my thyroid risk.\r\n\r\nFurthermore even if your doctor did find out if all his/her patients were in the high risk category the doctor would still miss 30% of hypo-thyroid and 69% of hyperthyroid patients!   In my view that is entirely unacceptable given the risk factors.\r\n\r\n<strong>If we know that PPTD is affecting 22 million humans beings every year, so what are the risk factors? </strong>\r\n\r\nPhysicians who DO advocate universal screening have these risk factors in mind:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>avoiding the disease itself - especially hypothyroid PPTD,</li>\r\n	<li>predicting the need for thyroid treatment at the end of the first postpartum year,</li>\r\n	<li>identifying women who may develop PPTD in subsequent pregnancies,</li>\r\n	<li>identifying women for followup to detect long-term hypothyroidism several years from initial diagnosis</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<span style=\"color: #e14c7c;\"><strong>Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All Condition</strong></span>\r\n\r\nThe standard test for thyroid disfunction that most doctors will do is TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) and doctors are currently fighting amongst themselves over the appropriate ranges.  While they are busy trying to figure out what\'s normal, many forward thinking doctors have realized that TSH is only one small piece of the thyroid puzzle.  That\'s the type of doctor you want to find - forget about the doctor that focuses on TSH alone - you won\'t get the best treatment unless you are a \"textbook\" case of thyroid disorder.  Here\'s the thing you need to know: Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All condition.  There are several tests that your doctor should consider AND needs to consider your symptoms as important as the blood tests.  Now is the time to take charge of your health.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #e14c7c;\"><strong>Get your TPOAb Test (among others) &amp; Here\'s Why: </strong></span>\r\n\r\nOne of the thyroid tests that is rarely done is called TPOAb.  Here\'s why it\'s particularly important if you\'re pregnant or trying to get pregnant:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>the presence of TPOAb in pregnant women varies between 2.8 - 19.6% globally.</li>\r\n	<li>if you take the published data alone it\'s estimated to be 15.3–16% which represents:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Globally ~20 million pregnant women each year</li>\r\n	<li>USA ~600,000 pregnant women per year</li>\r\n	<li>Canada ~57,000 pregnant women each year</li>\r\n	<li>UK ~120,000 pregnant women each year</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Researches don\'t know why but have discovered that the presence of <strong>TPOAb identifies which pregnant women have a higher risk of developing PPTD</strong></li>\r\n	<li>TPOAb also identifies women who have a <strong>higher risk of long-term hypothyroidism</strong> after PPTD</li>\r\n	<li>It\'s also associated with <strong>miscarriage</strong> and <strong>preterm delivery</strong></li>\r\n	<li> an<strong> IQ decrement in children</strong> of mothers who have normally functioning thyroids but show a presence of TPOAb</li>\r\n	<li> higher risk for <strong>postpartum mood disorders</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIf you\'ve ever had a miscarriage or suffered a postpartum mood disorder, insisting your doctor do a full thyroid panel before or during pregnancy or postpartum or finding a doctor who will is a small price to pay for the information that may save you from these terrible outcomes.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #e14c7c;\"><strong>Some researchers believe that 80% - 90% of postpartum depression is actually postpartum thyroiditis!  Yet how many women with PPTD are suffering in silence and when they do go see their doctor for their PPTD they never get a proper thyroid check up!  </strong></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">In his book, Thyroid Mind Power, Dr. Richard Shames, explains that during pregnancy the certain immune response is supressed so that the baby\'s placenta (which is \'temporarily grafted\' onto the lining of the uterine wall) is not rejected by the mother\'s immune system.  After delivery there is a rapid surge in antibodies which may result in thyroid imbalance.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Knowing what I know about the prevalence of thyroid disorders in women and the connection between infertility, miscarriages, perinatal mood disorders and depression if I had any one of these issues today (and I\'ve had 3 of the 4 so far in my life) I would get my thyroid properly tested - emphasis on properly!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">To know me is to know that I am a strong believer in <strong>participatory health.  </strong>I had to learn to participate in my own healthcare and it\'s been a road full of ups and downs.  Today, if my doctor wouldn\'t agree to the testing I would:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">a) find another doctor or,</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">b) print off all of my research and take it in to my doctors appointment in a BIG file</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">c)  in countries with a national health care program (like Canada &amp; Britain) I would even tell the doctor I would be willing to pay for the tests - this will let the doctor know you\'re serious about getting these tests.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">d) I would even let my doctor know that I believe in participatory health</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: small;\">References:</span></h2>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Adlan, M. and Premawardhana, L., (2011). </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody and Screening for Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Journal of Thyroid Research </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 745135, 5 pages. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">doi:10.4061/2011/745135</span></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><strong>Stuckey, B.G., Kent, G.N., Ward, L.C., Brown, S.J. and Walsh, J.P. (2010). Postpartum thyroid dysfunction and the long-term risk of hypothyroidism: results from a 12-year follow-up study of women with and without postpartum thyroid dysfunction. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010 Sep; 73(3):389-95. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2010.03787.x. Epub 2010 Feb 23. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><strong>Shames, R., Shames, K., (2011). Thyroid Mind Power. New York, NY: Rodale</strong></span>','Postpartum Thyroid Disorder','','inherit','open','open','','1721-revision-11','','','2013-05-25 08:43:16','2013-05-25 13:43:16','',1721,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1721-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(1811,1,'2013-05-25 08:51:14','2013-05-25 13:51:14','[caption id=\"attachment_1804\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1804\" alt=\"Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy &amp; Postpartum Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" /></a> Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy &amp; Postpartum<br />Image: 123rf[/caption]\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e14c7c;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">World Thyroid Day &amp; Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month</span></strong></span></p>\nMay is an important time of year in my circles:  May 25 is <a title=\"World Thyroid Day\" href=\"http://Worldthyroidday.com\" target=\"_blank\">World Thyroid Day</a> - a day to increase awareness of what I believe is a hidden epidemic.  The month of May has been declared by <a title=\"PSI - Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month\" href=\"http://www.postpartum.net/Join-Us/Maternal-Mental-Health-Awareness-Month-Blog-Hop.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Support International (PSI) to be Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month. </a> It\'s a perfect time to take a closer look at the connection between thyroid function and perinatal mood disorders.\n\nWorldwide pooled prevalence for <strong>Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction (PPTD) </strong>is estimated to be 8%.  That means it affects 11 million women per year globally.  In my view, because it\'s related to pregnancy it\'s actually double that:\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>11 million women + 11 million babies = 22 milion human beings every single year</strong></p>\nAnd yet, unfortunately The Endocrine Society recommends screening <strong>only high risk women</strong> which in my opinion, would assume that you have a doctor that bothers to find out if you\'re high risk!   Ask yourself this, has your doctor ever asked you any thyroid screening questions?  I\'ve been pregnant 5 times. I\'ve lived in 2 provinces and 1 territory and had 5 different obstetricians and 2 family doctors while I was pregnant and I can\'t recall a time any of the 7 physicians asked me about my thyroid risk.\n\nFurthermore even if your doctor did find out if all his/her patients were in the high risk category the doctor would still miss 30% of hypo-thyroid and 69% of hyperthyroid patients!   In my view that is entirely unacceptable given the risk factors.\n\n<strong>If we know that PPTD is affecting 22 million humans beings every year, so what are the risk factors? </strong>\n\nPhysicians who DO advocate universal screening have these risk factors in mind:\n<ul>\n	<li>avoiding the disease itself - especially hypothyroid PPTD,</li>\n	<li>predicting the need for thyroid treatment at the end of the first postpartum year,</li>\n	<li>identifying women who may develop PPTD in subsequent pregnancies,</li>\n	<li>identifying women for followup to detect long-term hypothyroidism several years from initial diagnosis</li>\n</ul>\n<span style=\"color: #e14c7c;\"><strong>Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All Condition</strong></span>\n\nThe standard test for thyroid disfunction that most doctors will do is TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) and doctors are currently fighting amongst themselves over the appropriate ranges.  While they are busy trying to figure out what\'s normal, many forward thinking doctors have realized that TSH is only one small piece of the thyroid puzzle.  That\'s the type of doctor you want to find - forget about the doctor that focuses on TSH alone - you won\'t get the best treatment unless you are a \"textbook\" case of thyroid disorder.  Here\'s the thing you need to know: Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All condition.  There are several tests that your doctor should consider AND needs to consider your symptoms as important as the blood tests.  Now is the time to take charge of your health.\n\n<span style=\"color: #e14c7c;\"><strong>Get your TPOAb Test (among others) &amp; Here\'s Why: </strong></span>\n\nOne of the thyroid tests that is rarely done is called TPOAb.  Here\'s why it\'s particularly important if you\'re pregnant or trying to get pregnant:\n<ul>\n	<li>the presence of TPOAb in pregnant women varies between 2.8 - 19.6% globally.</li>\n	<li>if you take the published data alone it\'s estimated to be 15.3–16% which represents:\n<ul>\n	<li>Globally ~20 million pregnant women each year</li>\n	<li>USA ~600,000 pregnant women per year</li>\n	<li>Canada ~57,000 pregnant women each year</li>\n	<li>UK ~120,000 pregnant women each year</li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n	<li>Researches don\'t know why but have discovered that the presence of <strong>TPOAb identifies which pregnant women have a higher risk of developing PPTD</strong></li>\n	<li>TPOAb also identifies women who have a <strong>higher risk of long-term hypothyroidism</strong> after PPTD</li>\n	<li>It\'s also associated with <strong>miscarriage</strong> and <strong>preterm delivery</strong></li>\n	<li> an<strong> IQ decrement in children</strong> of mothers who have normally functioning thyroids but show a presence of TPOAb</li>\n	<li> higher risk for <strong>postpartum mood disorders</strong></li>\n</ul>\nIf you\'ve ever had a miscarriage or suffered a postpartum mood disorder, insisting your doctor do a full thyroid panel before or during pregnancy or postpartum or finding a doctor who will is a small price to pay for the information that may save you from these terrible outcomes.\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #e14c7c;\"><strong>Some researchers believe that 80% - 90% of postpartum depression is actually postpartum thyroiditis!  Yet how many women with PPTD are suffering in silence and when they do go see their doctor for their PPTD they never get a proper thyroid check up!  </strong></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">In his book, Thyroid Mind Power, Dr. Richard Shames, explains that during pregnancy the certain immune response is supressed so that the baby\'s placenta (which is \'temporarily grafted\' onto the lining of the uterine wall) is not rejected by the mother\'s immune system.  After delivery there is a rapid surge in antibodies which may result in thyroid imbalance.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Knowing what I know about the prevalence of thyroid disorders in women and the connection between infertility, miscarriages, perinatal mood disorders and depression if I had any one of these issues today (and I\'ve had 3 of the 4 so far in my life) I would get my thyroid properly tested - emphasis on properly!</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">To know me is to know that I am a strong believer in <strong>participatory health.  </strong>I had to learn to participate in my own healthcare and it\'s been a road full of ups and downs.  Today, if my doctor wouldn\'t agree to the testing I would:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">a) find another doctor or,</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">b) print off all of my research and take it in to my doctors appointment in a BIG file</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">c)  in countries with a national health care program (like Canada &amp; Britain) I would even tell the doctor I would be willing to pay for the tests - this will let the doctor know you\'re serious about getting these tests.</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">d) I would even let my doctor know that I believe in participatory health</p>\n&nbsp;\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: small;\">References:</span></h2>\n<h2><strong><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Adlan, M. and Premawardhana, L., (2011). </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody and Screening for Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Journal of Thyroid Research </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 745135, 5 pages. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">doi:10.4061/2011/745135</span></strong></h2>\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><strong>Stuckey, B.G., Kent, G.N., Ward, L.C., Brown, S.J. and Walsh, J.P. (2010). Postpartum thyroid dysfunction and the long-term risk of hypothyroidism: results from a 12-year follow-up study of women with and without postpartum thyroid dysfunction. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010 Sep; 73(3):389-95. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2010.03787.x. Epub 2010 Feb 23. </strong></span>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><strong>Shames, R., Shames, K., (2011). Thyroid Mind Power. New York, NY: Rodale</strong></span>','Postpartum Thyroid Disorder','','inherit','open','open','','1721-autosave','','','2013-05-25 08:51:14','2013-05-25 13:51:14','',1721,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1721-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1812,1,'2013-05-25 08:44:17','2013-05-25 13:44:17','[caption id=\"attachment_1804\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1804\" alt=\"Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy &amp; Postpartum Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Thyroid-in-Pregnancy-150x99.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"99\" /></a> Thyroid Dysfunction in Pregnancy &amp; Postpartum<br />Image: 123rf[/caption]\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #e14c7c;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: large;\">World Thyroid Day &amp; Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month</span></strong></span></p>\r\nMay is an important time of year in my circles:  May 25 is <a title=\"World Thyroid Day\" href=\"http://Worldthyroidday.com\" target=\"_blank\">World Thyroid Day</a> - a day to increase awareness of what I believe is a hidden epidemic.  The month of May has been declared by <a title=\"PSI - Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month\" href=\"http://www.postpartum.net/Join-Us/Maternal-Mental-Health-Awareness-Month-Blog-Hop.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Support International (PSI) to be Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month. </a> It\'s a perfect time to take a closer look at the connection between thyroid function and perinatal mood disorders.\r\n\r\nWorldwide pooled prevalence for <strong>Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction (PPTD) </strong>is estimated to be 8%.  That means it affects 11 million women per year globally.  In my view, because it\'s related to pregnancy it\'s actually double that:\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>11 million women + 11 million babies = 22 milion human beings every single year</strong></p>\r\nAnd yet, unfortunately The Endocrine Society recommends screening <strong>only high risk women</strong> which in my opinion, would assume that you have a doctor that bothers to find out if you\'re high risk!   Ask yourself this, has your doctor ever asked you any thyroid screening questions?  I\'ve been pregnant 5 times. I\'ve lived in 2 provinces and 1 territory and had 5 different obstetricians and 2 family doctors while I was pregnant and I can\'t recall a time any of the 7 physicians asked me about my thyroid risk.\r\n\r\nFurthermore even if your doctor did find out if all his/her patients were in the high risk category the doctor would still miss 30% of hypo-thyroid and 69% of hyperthyroid patients!   In my view that is entirely unacceptable given the risk factors.\r\n\r\n<strong>If we know that PPTD is affecting 22 million humans beings every year, so what are the risk factors? </strong>\r\n\r\nPhysicians who DO advocate universal screening have these risk factors in mind:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>avoiding the disease itself - especially hypothyroid PPTD,</li>\r\n	<li>predicting the need for thyroid treatment at the end of the first postpartum year,</li>\r\n	<li>identifying women who may develop PPTD in subsequent pregnancies,</li>\r\n	<li>identifying women for followup to detect long-term hypothyroidism several years from initial diagnosis</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<span style=\"color: #e14c7c;\"><strong>Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All Condition</strong></span>\r\n\r\nThe standard test for thyroid disfunction that most doctors will do is TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) and doctors are currently fighting amongst themselves over the appropriate ranges.  While they are busy trying to figure out what\'s normal, many forward thinking doctors have realized that TSH is only one small piece of the thyroid puzzle.  That\'s the type of doctor you want to find - forget about the doctor that focuses on TSH alone - you won\'t get the best treatment unless you are a \"textbook\" case of thyroid disorder.  Here\'s the thing you need to know: Thyroid Dysfunction is not a One-Size-Fits-All condition.  There are several tests that your doctor should consider AND needs to consider your symptoms as important as the blood tests.  Now is the time to take charge of your health.\r\n\r\n<span style=\"color: #e14c7c;\"><strong>Get your TPOAb Test (among others) &amp; Here\'s Why: </strong></span>\r\n\r\nOne of the thyroid tests that is rarely done is called TPOAb.  Here\'s why it\'s particularly important if you\'re pregnant or trying to get pregnant:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>the presence of TPOAb in pregnant women varies between 2.8 - 19.6% globally.</li>\r\n	<li>if you take the published data alone it\'s estimated to be 15.3–16% which represents:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Globally ~20 million pregnant women each year</li>\r\n	<li>USA ~600,000 pregnant women per year</li>\r\n	<li>Canada ~57,000 pregnant women each year</li>\r\n	<li>UK ~120,000 pregnant women each year</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n</li>\r\n	<li>Researches don\'t know why but have discovered that the presence of <strong>TPOAb identifies which pregnant women have a higher risk of developing PPTD</strong></li>\r\n	<li>TPOAb also identifies women who have a <strong>higher risk of long-term hypothyroidism</strong> after PPTD</li>\r\n	<li>It\'s also associated with <strong>miscarriage</strong> and <strong>preterm delivery</strong></li>\r\n	<li> an<strong> IQ decrement in children</strong> of mothers who have normally functioning thyroids but show a presence of TPOAb</li>\r\n	<li> higher risk for <strong>postpartum mood disorders</strong></li>\r\n</ul>\r\nIf you\'ve ever had a miscarriage or suffered a postpartum mood disorder, insisting your doctor do a full thyroid panel before or during pregnancy or postpartum or finding a doctor who will is a small price to pay for the information that may save you from these terrible outcomes.\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; color: #e14c7c;\"><strong>Some researchers believe that 80% - 90% of postpartum depression is actually postpartum thyroiditis!  Yet how many women with PPTD are suffering in silence and when they do go see their doctor for their PPTD they never get a proper thyroid check up!  </strong></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">In his book, Thyroid Mind Power, Dr. Richard Shames, explains that during pregnancy the certain immune response is supressed so that the baby\'s placenta (which is \'temporarily grafted\' onto the lining of the uterine wall) is not rejected by the mother\'s immune system.  After delivery there is a rapid surge in antibodies which may result in thyroid imbalance.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Knowing what I know about the prevalence of thyroid disorders in women and the connection between infertility, miscarriages, perinatal mood disorders and depression if I had any one of these issues today (and I\'ve had 3 of the 4 so far in my life) I would get my thyroid properly tested - emphasis on properly!</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">To know me is to know that I am a strong believer in <strong>participatory health.  </strong>I had to learn to participate in my own healthcare and it\'s been a road full of ups and downs.  Today, if my doctor wouldn\'t agree to the testing I would:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">a) find another doctor or,</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">b) print off all of my research and take it in to my doctors appointment in a BIG file</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">c)  in countries with a national health care program (like Canada &amp; Britain) I would even tell the doctor I would be willing to pay for the tests - this will let the doctor know you\'re serious about getting these tests.</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">d) I would even let my doctor know that I believe in participatory health</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: small;\">References:</span></h2>\r\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Adlan, M. and Premawardhana, L., (2011). </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody and Screening for Postpartum Thyroid Dysfunction. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Journal of Thyroid Research </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 745135, 5 pages. </span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">doi:10.4061/2011/745135</span></h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><strong>Stuckey, B.G., Kent, G.N., Ward, L.C., Brown, S.J. and Walsh, J.P. (2010). Postpartum thyroid dysfunction and the long-term risk of hypothyroidism: results from a 12-year follow-up study of women with and without postpartum thyroid dysfunction. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010 Sep; 73(3):389-95. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2265.2010.03787.x. Epub 2010 Feb 23. </strong></span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><strong>Shames, R., Shames, K., (2011). Thyroid Mind Power. New York, NY: Rodale</strong></span>','Postpartum Thyroid Disorder','','inherit','open','open','','1721-revision-12','','','2013-05-25 08:44:17','2013-05-25 13:44:17','',1721,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1721-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(1813,1,'2013-05-01 10:38:56','2013-05-01 15:38:56','I will never forget waiting for the hospital elevator with my brand-spankin’ new baby in her bucket seat. It took me an hour to dress her in her new going home outfit. I was beaming with that same sense of pride that all of us new moms share.  In fact I savored that same feeling of wonderment when I prepared to take my second and third babies home from the hospital.\n\nBut there was something different about waiting for the elevator that first time because I actually couldn’t believe I was getting to take a baby home – a real-live baby!  This crazy feeling came over me - a sudden realization that after battling infertility and two miscarriages I finally had a baby!  My other visits to the hospital had ended in sadness as I learned of my miscarriages or got discharged from the maternity ward with baby-less, empty arms. This time though was different.  I could hardly believe that I was just standing at the elevator about to take this wee infant out the door and no one was stopping me, it was really <i>my</i> baby! It was a surreal experience. I have often wondered about other women who live through infertility and miscarriages – did they have the same sense of awe at leaving the hospital with a baby?\n\nEvery woman who has had a miscarriage lives with an extra dose of fear in her while she’s pregnant.  I had that same fear and after two miscarriages I began to advocate for myself.  I learned about my reproductive cycle and learned to understand my own body. I was embarrassed at how little I knew! I suspected from my research and getting to know my cycles that I didn’t produce enough progesterone each month.  I also learned that in pregnancy a woman’s body becomes a progesterone-making machine, which is when I began to suspect that my progesterone factory was broken.  I faced my third pregnancy with knowledge and challenged my doctor’s suggestion to try a third time before we delve further into my reproductive health problems. I told my doctor that I wanted to take natural progesterone supplements during my pregnancy.  I was hopeful but I wasn’t a believer quite yet, and neither was my doctor. He gave me the progesterone but told me that it was a placebo effect. So what if I was wrong, the weight of a successful pregnancy seemed to weigh more heavily on me.\n\nSo as I stood waiting for the elevator that day with my newborn baby something else happened for me, but I wouldn’t think about it until much later.  That was the day I became a true believer in advocating for my own health.  It would be many years and ups and downs before I truly understood the significance bio-identical hormones would play in my life and the role I would have to take in my own health, but that day; that beautiful, wonderful, life-changing day that I got to take my baby home was the day I learned the power of Advocating for my own health, Bio-identical Hormones and Challenging the status-quo. My newborn baby had just taught me my ABC’s.','My Baby Taught Me My ABC’s','','inherit','open','open','','1740-revision-3','','','2013-05-01 10:38:56','2013-05-01 15:38:56','',1740,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1740-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1814,1,'2013-05-30 08:42:40','2013-05-30 13:42:40','I will never forget waiting for the hospital elevator with my brand-spankin’ new baby in her bucket seat. It took me an hour to dress her in her new going home outfit. I was beaming with that same sense of pride that all of us new moms share.  In fact I savored that same feeling of wonderment when I prepared to take my second and third babies home from the hospital.\n\nBut there was something different about waiting for the elevator that first time because I actually couldn’t believe I was getting to take a baby home – a real-live baby!  This crazy feeling came over me - a sudden realization that after battling infertility and two miscarriages I finally had a baby!  My other visits to the hospital had ended in sadness as I learned of my miscarriages or got discharged from the maternity ward with baby-less, empty arms. This time though was different.  I could hardly believe that I was just standing at the elevator about to take this wee infant out the door and no one was stopping me, it was really <i>my</i> baby! A surreal experience indeed. I have often wondered about other women who live through infertility and miscarriages – did they have the same sense of awe at leaving the hospital with a baby?\n\nEvery woman who has had a miscarriage lives with an extra dose of fear in her while she’s pregnant.  I had that same fear and after two miscarriages I began to advocate for myself.  I learned about my reproductive cycle and learned to understand my own body. I was embarrassed at how little I knew!  Sex ed in health class may have covered this stuff but I don\'t remember it.  Eventually, through research and getting to know my cycles I began to suspect that I didn’t produce enough progesterone each month.  I also learned that in pregnancy a woman’s body becomes a progesterone-making machine, which is when I began to suspect that my progesterone factory was broken.  I faced my third pregnancy with knowledge and challenged my doctor’s suggestion to try a third time before we delve further into my reproductive health problems. I told my doctor that I wanted to take natural progesterone supplements during my pregnancy.  I was hopeful but I wasn’t a believer quite yet, and neither was my doctor. He gave me the progesterone but told me that it was a placebo effect.  But what if I was wrong?  The weight of a successful pregnancy seemed to weigh more heavily on me.\n\nSo as I stood waiting for the elevator that day with my newborn baby something else happened for me, but I wouldn’t think about it until much later.  That was the day I became a true believer in advocating for my own health.  It would be many years and ups and downs before I truly understood the significance bio-identical hormones would play in my life and the role I would have to take in my own health, but that day; that beautiful, wonderful, life-changing day that I got to take my baby home was the day I learned the power of Advocating for my own health, Bio-identical Hormones and Challenging the status-quo. My newborn baby had just taught me my ABC’s.','My Baby Taught Me My ABC’s','','inherit','open','open','','1740-revision-4','','','2013-05-30 08:42:40','2013-05-30 13:42:40','',1740,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1740-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1816,1,'2013-05-30 09:04:08','2013-05-30 14:04:08','','Baby Teaching ABCs','Baby Teaching ABCs image: Dreamstime','inherit','open','open','','baby-teaching','','','2013-05-30 09:04:08','2013-05-30 14:04:08','',1740,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1817,1,'2013-05-30 09:05:17','2013-05-30 14:05:17','[caption id=\"attachment_1816\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1816\" alt=\"Baby Teaching ABCs image: Dreamstime\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Baby Teaching ABCs image: Dreamstime[/caption]\n\nI will never forget waiting for the hospital elevator with my brand-spankin’ new baby in her bucket seat. It took me an hour to dress her in her new going home outfit. I was beaming with that same sense of pride that all of us new moms share.  In fact I savored that same feeling of wonderment when I prepared to take my second and third babies home from the hospital.\n\nBut there was something different about waiting for the elevator that first time because I actually couldn’t believe I was getting to take a baby home – a real-live baby!  This crazy feeling came over me - a sudden realization that after battling infertility and two miscarriages I finally had a baby!  My other visits to the hospital had ended in sadness as I learned of my miscarriages or got discharged from the maternity ward with baby-less, empty arms. This time though was different.  I could hardly believe that I was just standing at the elevator about to take this wee infant out the door and no one was stopping me, it was really <i>my</i> baby! A surreal experience indeed. I have often wondered about other women who live through infertility and miscarriages – did they have the same sense of awe at leaving the hospital with a baby?\n\nEvery woman who has had a miscarriage lives with an extra dose of fear in her while she’s pregnant.  I had that same fear and after two miscarriages I began to advocate for myself.  I learned about my reproductive cycle and learned to understand my own body. I was embarrassed at how little I knew!  Sex ed in health class may have covered this stuff but I don\'t remember it.  Eventually, through research and getting to know my cycles I began to suspect that I didn’t produce enough progesterone each month.  I also learned that in pregnancy a woman’s body becomes a progesterone-making machine, which is when I began to suspect that my progesterone factory was broken.  I faced my third pregnancy with knowledge and challenged my doctor’s suggestion to try a third time before we delve further into my reproductive health problems. I told my doctor that I wanted to take natural progesterone supplements during my pregnancy.  I was hopeful but I wasn’t a believer quite yet, and neither was my doctor. He gave me the progesterone but told me that it was a placebo effect.  But what if I was wrong?  The weight of a successful pregnancy seemed to weigh more heavily on me.\n\nSo as I stood waiting for the elevator that day with my newborn baby something else happened for me, but I wouldn’t think about it until much later.  That was the day I became a true believer in advocating for my own health.  It would be many years and ups and downs before I truly understood the significance bio-identical hormones would play in my life and the role I would have to take in my own health, but that day; that beautiful, wonderful, life-changing day that I got to take my baby home was the day I learned the power of Advocating for my own health, Bio-identical Hormones and Challenging the status-quo. My newborn baby had just taught me my ABC’s.','My Baby Taught Me My ABC’s','','inherit','open','open','','1740-revision-5','','','2013-05-30 09:05:17','2013-05-30 14:05:17','',1740,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1740-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1818,1,'2013-05-30 09:06:31','2013-05-30 14:06:31','[caption id=\"attachment_1816\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1816\" alt=\"Baby Teaching ABCs image: Dreamstime\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Baby Teaching ABCs      image: Dreamstime[/caption]\n\nI will never forget waiting for the hospital elevator with my brand-spankin’ new baby in her bucket seat. It took me an hour to dress her in her new going home outfit. I was beaming with that same sense of pride that all of us new moms share.  In fact I savored that same feeling of wonderment when I prepared to take my second and third babies home from the hospital.\n\nBut there was something different about waiting for the elevator that first time because I actually couldn’t believe I was getting to take a baby home – a real-live baby!  This crazy feeling came over me - a sudden realization that after battling infertility and two miscarriages I finally had a baby!  My other visits to the hospital had ended in sadness as I learned of my miscarriages or got discharged from the maternity ward with baby-less, empty arms. This time though was different.  I could hardly believe that I was just standing at the elevator about to take this wee infant out the door and no one was stopping me, it was really <i>my</i> baby! A surreal experience indeed. I have often wondered about other women who live through infertility and miscarriages – did they have the same sense of awe at leaving the hospital with a baby?\n\nEvery woman who has had a miscarriage lives with an extra dose of fear in her while she’s pregnant.  I had that same fear and after two miscarriages I began to advocate for myself.  I learned about my reproductive cycle and learned to understand my own body. I was embarrassed at how little I knew!  Sex ed in health class may have covered this stuff but I don\'t remember it.  Eventually, through research and getting to know my cycles I began to suspect that I didn’t produce enough progesterone each month.  I also learned that in pregnancy a woman’s body becomes a progesterone-making machine, which is when I began to suspect that my progesterone factory was broken.  I faced my third pregnancy with knowledge and challenged my doctor’s suggestion to try a third time before we delve further into my reproductive health problems. I told my doctor that I wanted to take natural progesterone supplements during my pregnancy.  I was hopeful but I wasn’t a believer quite yet, and neither was my doctor. He gave me the progesterone but told me that it was a placebo effect.  But what if I was wrong?  The weight of a successful pregnancy seemed to weigh more heavily on me.\n\nSo as I stood waiting for the elevator that day with my newborn baby something else happened for me, but I wouldn’t think about it until much later.  That was the day I became a true believer in advocating for my own health.  It would be many years and ups and downs before I truly understood the significance bio-identical hormones would play in my life and the role I would have to take in my own health, but that day; that beautiful, wonderful, life-changing day that I got to take my baby home was the day I learned the power of Advocating for my own health, Bio-identical Hormones and Challenging the status-quo. My newborn baby had just taught me my ABC’s.','My Baby Taught Me My ABC’s','','inherit','open','open','','1740-revision-6','','','2013-05-30 09:06:31','2013-05-30 14:06:31','',1740,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1740-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1819,1,'2013-05-30 09:09:03','2013-05-30 14:09:03','[caption id=\"attachment_1816\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1816\" alt=\"Baby Teaching ABCs image: Dreamstime\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Baby Teaching ABCs      image: Dreamstime[/caption]\r\n\r\nI will never forget waiting for the hospital elevator with my brand-spankin’ new baby in her bucket seat. It took me an hour to dress her in her new going home outfit. I was beaming with that same sense of pride that all of us new moms share.  In fact I savored that same feeling of wonderment when I prepared to take my second and third babies home from the hospital.\r\n\r\nBut there was something different about waiting for the elevator that first time because I actually couldn’t believe I was getting to take a baby home – a real-live baby!  This crazy feeling came over me - a sudden realization that after battling infertility and two miscarriages I finally had a baby!  My other visits to the hospital had ended in sadness as I learned of my miscarriages or got discharged from the maternity ward with baby-less, empty arms. This time though was different.  I could hardly believe that I was just standing at the elevator about to take this wee infant out the door and no one was stopping me, it was really <i>my</i> baby! A surreal experience indeed. I have often wondered about other women who live through infertility and miscarriages – did they have the same sense of awe at leaving the hospital with a baby?\r\n\r\nEvery woman who has had a miscarriage lives with an extra dose of fear in her while she’s pregnant.  I had that same fear and after two miscarriages I began to advocate for myself.  I learned about my reproductive cycle and learned to understand my own body. I was embarrassed at how little I knew!  Sex ed in health class may have covered this stuff but I don\'t remember it.  Eventually, through research and getting to know my cycles I began to suspect that I didn’t produce enough progesterone each month.  I also learned that in pregnancy a woman’s body becomes a progesterone-making machine, which is when I began to suspect that my progesterone factory was broken.  I faced my third pregnancy with knowledge and challenged my doctor’s suggestion to try a third time before we delve further into my reproductive health problems. I told my doctor that I wanted to take natural progesterone supplements during my pregnancy.  I was hopeful but I wasn’t a believer quite yet, and neither was my doctor. He gave me the progesterone but told me that it was a placebo effect.  But what if I was wrong?  The weight of a successful pregnancy seemed to weigh more heavily on me.\r\n\r\nSo as I stood waiting for the elevator that day with my newborn baby something else happened for me, but I wouldn’t think about it until much later.  That was the day I became a true believer in advocating for my own health.  It would be many years and ups and downs before I truly understood the significance bio-identical hormones would play in my life and the role I would have to take in my own health, but that day; that beautiful, wonderful, life-changing day that I got to take my baby home was the day I learned the power of Advocating for my own health, Bio-identical Hormones and Challenging the status-quo. My newborn baby had just taught me my ABC’s.','My Baby Taught Me My ABC’s','','inherit','open','open','','1740-revision-7','','','2013-05-30 09:09:03','2013-05-30 14:09:03','',1740,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1740-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1820,1,'2013-05-30 09:09:29','2013-05-30 14:09:29','[caption id=\"attachment_1816\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1816\" alt=\"Baby Teaching ABCs image: Dreamstime\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Baby Teaching ABCs      image: Dreamstime[/caption]\r\n\r\nI will never forget waiting for the hospital elevator with my brand-spankin’ new baby in her bucket seat. It took me an hour to dress her in her new going home outfit. I was beaming with that same sense of pride that all of us new moms share.  In fact I savored that same feeling of wonderment when I prepared to take my second and third babies home from the hospital.\r\n\r\nBut there was something different about waiting for the elevator that first time because I actually couldn’t believe I was getting to take a baby home – a real-live baby!  This crazy feeling came over me - a sudden realization that after battling infertility and two miscarriages I finally had a baby!  My other visits to the hospital had ended in sadness as I learned of my miscarriages or got discharged from the maternity ward with baby-less, empty arms. This time though was different.  I could hardly believe that I was just standing at the elevator about to take this wee infant out the door and no one was stopping me, it was really <i>my</i> baby! A surreal experience indeed. I have often wondered about other women who live through infertility and miscarriages – did they have the same sense of awe at leaving the hospital with a baby?\r\n\r\nEvery woman who has had a miscarriage lives with an extra dose of fear in her while she’s pregnant.  I had that same fear and after two miscarriages I began to advocate for myself.  I learned about my reproductive cycle and learned to understand my own body. I was embarrassed at how little I knew!  Sex ed in health class may have covered this stuff but I don\'t remember it.  Eventually, through research and getting to know my cycles I began to suspect that I didn’t produce enough progesterone each month.  I also learned that in pregnancy a woman’s body becomes a progesterone-making machine, which is when I began to suspect that my progesterone factory was broken.  I faced my third pregnancy with knowledge and challenged my doctor’s suggestion to try a third time before we delve further into my reproductive health problems. I told my doctor that I wanted to take natural progesterone supplements during my pregnancy.  I was hopeful but I wasn’t a believer quite yet, and neither was my doctor. He gave me the progesterone but told me that it was a placebo effect.  But what if I was wrong?  The weight of a successful pregnancy seemed to weigh more heavily on me.\r\n\r\nSo as I stood waiting for the elevator that day with my newborn baby something else happened for me, but I wouldn’t think about it until much later.  That was the day I became a true believer in advocating for my own health.  It would be many years and ups and downs before I truly understood the significance bio-identical hormones would play in my life and the role I would have to take in my own health, but that day; that beautiful, wonderful, life-changing day that I got to take my baby home was the day I learned the power of Advocating for my own health, Bio-identical Hormones and Challenging the status-quo. My newborn baby had just taught me my ABC’s.','My Baby Taught Me My ABC’s','','inherit','open','open','','1740-revision-8','','','2013-05-30 09:09:29','2013-05-30 14:09:29','',1740,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1740-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1821,1,'2013-05-30 09:10:07','2013-05-30 14:10:07','[caption id=\"attachment_1816\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1816\" alt=\"Baby Teaching ABCs image: Dreamstime\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Baby Teaching ABCs      image: Dreamstime[/caption]\r\n\r\nI will never forget waiting for the hospital elevator with my brand-spankin’ new baby in her bucket seat. It took me an hour to dress her in her new going home outfit. I was beaming with that same sense of pride that all of us new moms share.  In fact I savored that same feeling of wonderment when I prepared to take my second and third babies home from the hospital.\r\n\r\nBut there was something different about waiting for the elevator that first time because I actually couldn’t believe I was getting to take a baby home – a real-live baby!  This crazy feeling came over me - a sudden realization that after battling infertility and two miscarriages I finally had a baby!  My other visits to the hospital had ended in sadness as I learned of my miscarriages or got discharged from the maternity ward with baby-less, empty arms. This time though was different.  I could hardly believe that I was just standing at the elevator about to take this wee infant out the door and no one was stopping me, it was really <i>my</i> baby! A surreal experience indeed. I have often wondered about other women who live through infertility and miscarriages – did they have the same sense of awe at leaving the hospital with a baby?\r\n\r\nEvery woman who has had a miscarriage lives with an extra dose of fear in her while she’s pregnant.  I had that same fear and after two miscarriages I began to advocate for myself.  I learned about my reproductive cycle and learned to understand my own body. I was embarrassed at how little I knew!  Sex ed in health class may have covered this stuff but I don\'t remember it.  Eventually, through research and getting to know my cycles I began to suspect that I didn’t produce enough progesterone each month.  I also learned that in pregnancy a woman’s body becomes a progesterone-making machine, which is when I began to suspect that my progesterone factory was broken.  I faced my third pregnancy with knowledge and challenged my doctor’s suggestion to try a third time before we delve further into my reproductive health problems. I told my doctor that I wanted to take natural progesterone supplements during my pregnancy.  I was hopeful but I wasn’t a believer quite yet, and neither was my doctor. He gave me the progesterone but told me that it was a placebo effect.  But what if I was wrong?  The weight of a successful pregnancy seemed to weigh more heavily on me.\r\n\r\nSo as I stood waiting for the elevator that day with my newborn baby something else happened for me, but I wouldn’t think about it until much later.  That was the day I became a true believer in advocating for my own health.  It would be many years and ups and downs before I truly understood the significance bio-identical hormones would play in my life and the role I would have to take in my own health, but that day; that beautiful, wonderful, life-changing day that I got to take my baby home was the day I learned the power of Advocating for my own health, Bio-identical Hormones and Challenging the status-quo. My newborn baby had just taught me my ABC’s.','My Baby Taught Me My ABC’s: Advocating, Bioidentical Hormones & Challenging the Status-Quo','','inherit','open','open','','1740-revision-9','','','2013-05-30 09:10:07','2013-05-30 14:10:07','',1740,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1740-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(1822,1,'2013-05-30 09:19:35','2013-05-30 14:19:35','[caption id=\"attachment_1816\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1816\" alt=\"Baby Teaching ABCs image: Dreamstime\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Baby Teaching ABCs      image: Dreamstime[/caption]\n\nI will never forget waiting for the hospital elevator with my brand-spankin’ new baby in her bucket seat. It took me an hour to dress her in her new going home outfit. I was beaming with that same sense of pride that all of us new moms share.  In fact I savored that same feeling of wonderment when I prepared to take my second and third babies home from the hospital.\n\nBut there was something different about waiting for the elevator that first time because I actually couldn’t believe I was getting to take a baby home – a real-live baby!  This crazy feeling came over me - a sudden realization that after battling infertility and two miscarriages I finally had a baby!  My other visits to the hospital had ended in sadness as I learned of my miscarriages or got discharged from the maternity ward with baby-less, empty arms. This time though was different.  I could hardly believe that I was just standing at the elevator about to take this wee infant out the door and no one was stopping me, it was really <i>my</i> baby! A surreal experience indeed. I have often wondered about other women who live through infertility and miscarriages – did they have the same sense of awe at leaving the hospital with a baby?\n\nEvery woman who has had a miscarriage lives with an extra dose of fear in her while she’s pregnant.  I had that same fear and after two miscarriages I began to advocate for myself.  I learned about my reproductive cycle and learned to understand my own body. I was embarrassed at how little I knew!  Sex ed in health class may have covered this stuff but I don\'t remember it.  Eventually, through research and getting to know my cycles I began to suspect that I didn’t produce enough progesterone each month.  I also learned that in pregnancy a woman’s body becomes a progesterone-making machine, which is when I began to suspect that my progesterone factory was broken.  I faced my third pregnancy with knowledge and challenged my doctor’s suggestion to try a third time before we delve further into my reproductive health problems. I told my doctor that I wanted to take natural progesterone supplements during my pregnancy.  I was hopeful but I wasn’t a believer quite yet, and neither was my doctor. He gave me the progesterone but told me that it was a placebo effect.  But what if I was wrong?  The weight of a successful pregnancy seemed to weigh more heavily on me.\n\nSo as I stood waiting for the elevator that day with my newborn baby something else happened for me, but I wouldn’t think about it until much later.  That was the day I became a true believer in advocating for my own health.  It would be many years and ups and downs before I truly understood the significance bio-identical hormones would play in my life and the role I would have to take in my own health, but that day; that beautiful, wonderful, life-changing day that I got to take my baby home was the day I learned the power of Advocating for my own health, Bio-identical Hormones and Challenging the status-quo. My newborn baby had just taught me my ABC’s.\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>To read more of my related blog posts about Miscarriage &amp; Advocacy:\n\n<a title=\"It Doesn’t Always Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/it-doesnt-always-take-a-crystal-ball-my-explainable-miscarriages/\" target=\"_blank\">It Doesn\'t Take a Crystal Ball: My Explainable Miscarriages</a>\n\n<a title=\"Farewell Dear Ava\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/farewell-dear-ava/\" target=\"_blank\">Farewell Dear Ava</a>\n\n<a title=\"Missing our Miscarried Babies\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/missing-our-miscarried-babies/\" target=\"_blank\">Missing our Miscarried Babies</a>\n\n&nbsp;</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em style=\"text-align: center; background-color: #f4f4f4; line-height: 18px;\"><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\nThis article was originally published as a guest blog post on <a title=\"Dr. Greene\" href=\"http://www.drgreene.com/\" target=\"_blank\">DrGreene.com </a>\n</span></em></p>','My Baby Taught Me My ABC’s: Advocating, Bioidentical Hormones & Challenging the Status-Quo','','inherit','open','open','','1740-autosave','','','2013-05-30 09:19:35','2013-05-30 14:19:35','',1740,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1740-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1823,1,'2013-05-30 09:10:34','2013-05-30 14:10:34','[caption id=\"attachment_1816\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1816\" alt=\"Baby Teaching ABCs image: Dreamstime\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Baby-Teaching-1-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Baby Teaching ABCs      image: Dreamstime[/caption]\r\n\r\nI will never forget waiting for the hospital elevator with my brand-spankin’ new baby in her bucket seat. It took me an hour to dress her in her new going home outfit. I was beaming with that same sense of pride that all of us new moms share.  In fact I savored that same feeling of wonderment when I prepared to take my second and third babies home from the hospital.\r\n\r\nBut there was something different about waiting for the elevator that first time because I actually couldn’t believe I was getting to take a baby home – a real-live baby!  This crazy feeling came over me - a sudden realization that after battling infertility and two miscarriages I finally had a baby!  My other visits to the hospital had ended in sadness as I learned of my miscarriages or got discharged from the maternity ward with baby-less, empty arms. This time though was different.  I could hardly believe that I was just standing at the elevator about to take this wee infant out the door and no one was stopping me, it was really <i>my</i> baby! A surreal experience indeed. I have often wondered about other women who live through infertility and miscarriages – did they have the same sense of awe at leaving the hospital with a baby?\r\n\r\nEvery woman who has had a miscarriage lives with an extra dose of fear in her while she’s pregnant.  I had that same fear and after two miscarriages I began to advocate for myself.  I learned about my reproductive cycle and learned to understand my own body. I was embarrassed at how little I knew!  Sex ed in health class may have covered this stuff but I don\'t remember it.  Eventually, through research and getting to know my cycles I began to suspect that I didn’t produce enough progesterone each month.  I also learned that in pregnancy a woman’s body becomes a progesterone-making machine, which is when I began to suspect that my progesterone factory was broken.  I faced my third pregnancy with knowledge and challenged my doctor’s suggestion to try a third time before we delve further into my reproductive health problems. I told my doctor that I wanted to take natural progesterone supplements during my pregnancy.  I was hopeful but I wasn’t a believer quite yet, and neither was my doctor. He gave me the progesterone but told me that it was a placebo effect.  But what if I was wrong?  The weight of a successful pregnancy seemed to weigh more heavily on me.\r\n\r\nSo as I stood waiting for the elevator that day with my newborn baby something else happened for me, but I wouldn’t think about it until much later.  That was the day I became a true believer in advocating for my own health.  It would be many years and ups and downs before I truly understood the significance bio-identical hormones would play in my life and the role I would have to take in my own health, but that day; that beautiful, wonderful, life-changing day that I got to take my baby home was the day I learned the power of Advocating for my own health, Bio-identical Hormones and Challenging the status-quo. My newborn baby had just taught me my ABC’s.','My Baby Taught Me My ABC’s: Advocating, Bioidentical Hormones & Challenging the Status-Quo','','inherit','open','open','','1740-revision-10','','','2013-05-30 09:10:34','2013-05-30 14:10:34','',1740,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1740-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(1825,1,'2013-05-23 10:14:00','2013-05-23 15:14:00','[caption id=\"attachment_1794\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DNA-Doctor.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1794\" alt=\"Can our Genes Predict PPMD? Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DNA-Doctor-150x105.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"105\" /></a> Can our Genes Predict PPMD? Image: 123rf[/caption]\r\n\r\nDo I carry the Postpartum Mood Disorder (PPMD) gene?  Did I pass the gene onto my babies?  By the time my 13 and 10 year old daughters have children will they be tested for the PPMD gene?  Could I have passed the gene onto my son who may pass the gene onto his daughters if he has any?\r\n\r\nWhat about women who don\'t carry the gene?  Could they still get PPMD?  Can someone have the gene and yet not get PPMD?  If not, why not?\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">So many questions - yet maybe we are finally going to get some answers:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>There\'s</strong> <strong>exciting news in the world of research surrounding Postpartum Mood Disorder - a small study by John Hopkins researchers uncovered genes that may actually predict women who will get PPMD. Read more here:</strong></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong> <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a title=\"Genetic Predictors for PPMD\" href=\"http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521105256.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Genetic Predictors for Postpartum Mood Disorder</a></span></strong></p>\r\nSo if I knew I carried the PPMD gene would that have changed the outcome?  I didn\'t have many noticeable symptoms when my first daughter was born.  With my second baby it was extreme mood swings and OCD.  By my third baby it was debilitating anxiety  - so if I had carried \"the gene\" would I have been receiving a different level of care from my doctors?  Would I have still just been offered an anti-depressant and nothing else? Would it have changed the fact that I didn\'t even know about postpartum OCD? or postpartum anxiety?  Did this gene also have something to do with my inability to ovulate orr with my severe PMS? Is it going to predict what happens when I hit menopause? Wow...lots to think about.\r\n\r\n<strong>I\'m thrilled with this new research and hope that larger studies will confirm that a blood test could be a useful tool.  It doesn\'t mean we can drop the ball on awareness about all the types of PPMD and all the different options to treatment.  </strong>\r\n\r\nPostpartum Mood Disorder can take many forms including anxiety, OCD (intrusive thoughts &amp; visions), depression, bi-polar, PTSD and life-threatening psychosis. <strong> Postpartum Psychosis is a medical emergency if you suspect you or someone you know is suffering seek immediate medical attention.</strong>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table style=\"width: 650px;\" border=\"2\" align=\"center\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>Read more of my blog posts about PPMD:                                                     (trigger warning)</strong></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/is-half-a-postpartum-plan-better-than-no-plan-at-all/\">Is Half a Postpartum Plan Better Than No Plan at All?</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/screening-for-thyroid-disorders-before-pregnancy/\" target=\"_blank\">Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"My Postpartum OCD\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-postpartum-ocd/\" target=\"_blank\">My Postpartum OCD</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"PPMD: Balance my Body Don’t Shock My Brain\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-balance-my-body-dont-shock-my-brain/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD: Balance My Body Don\'t Shock My Brain</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"PPMD not PPD please\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/ppmd-not-ppd-please/\" target=\"_blank\">PPMD not PPD Please</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Postpartum Anxiety Part 1 – My Heart did Loop-de-loops – I thought I was dying…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/my-heart-did-loop-de-loops/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 1: My Heart Did Loop-de-Loops - I thought I was dying </a>(trigger warning)</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Postparmum Anxiety Part 2 – I thought I was dying…again…\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/postpartum-anxiety-part-2-i-thought-i-was-dying-again/\" target=\"_blank\">Postpartum Anxiety Part 2: I thought I was dying again</a>  (trigger warning)</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"The Cruel Joke of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-cruel-joke-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Cruel Joke of PPMD</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"The Happy Mask of Postpartum Mood Disorder\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-happy-mask-of-postpartum-mood-disorder/\" target=\"_blank\">The Happy Mask of PPMD</a></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"> </span></td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Screening for Thyroid Disorders Before Pregnancy\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/screening-for-thyroid-disorders-before-pregnancy/\" target=\"_blank\"> </a></span>','Could a Blood Test Have Predicted my Postpartum Mood Disorder?','','inherit','open','open','','1789-revision-10','','','2013-05-23 10:14:00','2013-05-23 15:14:00','',1789,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1789-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(1826,1,'2013-05-31 12:19:47','2013-05-31 17:19:47','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1836\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"100\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy-Med.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1836\" alt=\"Eat Well for Optimal Postpartum Mental Health Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy-Med-100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a> Eat for Optimal Postpartum Mental Health &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Image: 123rf[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe postpartum period is challenging for mothers of new babies.&nbsp; It’s a time ruled by sleep deprivation, new routines, constant feedings, and all the other not so magical things that come along with having a new baby in the household.&nbsp; Add a postpartum mood disorder into that mix and things can go from challenging to almost unbearable in the blink of an eye.&nbsp; Trust me, I know.&nbsp; After the birth of my son in 2009 I was surprised to find myself suffering from PPMD and I have first hand experience with just how important it is to pay attention to your diet and lifestyle while trying to cope with poor postpartum mental health.\r\n\r\nThe tricky thing with PPMD is that there’s not just one cause for every woman, so it’s difficult to come up with one plan to prevent it, or support those going through it, that will work for everyone.&nbsp; That being said, there is no doubt that there are hormonal imbalances that are wreaking havoc with mental health, compounded by lack of sleep, and all the other stressors of new motherhood.&nbsp; Whether a woman chooses to go on medication or not (I was on Celexa for about a year), if she does not address nutritional imbalances, or food-based anxiety triggers she will not see the full benefit the treatment plan being given to her by her therapist.\r\n\r\nAs a holistic nutritionist I believe in the power of whole foods, supplements, and herbs to help keep the body and mind in balance.&nbsp; These things, combined with exercise and other lifestyle choices can have a powerful effect on a person’s overall wellbeing.&nbsp; Because everyone is different, the best way to decide what foods and supplements <em>you</em> need is to work with a knowledgeable practitioner.&nbsp; There are, however, some basic guidelines that apply to almost everyone.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<b>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </b><b>Eat a whole foods based diet, emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and quality protein.&nbsp; </b>This may seem simplistic, but when you’re tired, cranky, and hungry at the end of the day, the temptation to order a pizza for dinner, or choose other convenience foods might be overpowering.&nbsp; The problem with foods like these is that they are nutritionally void, chock full of filler and preservatives, and loaded with poor quality fats and sodium.&nbsp; If your diet is mainly comprised of foods like these not only will you be missing out on quality nutrients, but your body and mind will feel heavy, bloated, and slow.\r\n\r\n<b>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </b><b>Avoid caffeine (especially from coffee and black tea).&nbsp; </b>I’m aware that this isn’t going to be a popular suggestion with the sleep deprived mommy set, but what if I told you that caffeine (specifically in the amounts found in coffee and black tea) has been shown to increase anxiety?&nbsp; For a woman suffering from postpartum anxiety simply the act of reducing, or eliminating coffee consumption can lead to a dramatic reduction is feelings of anxiety.&nbsp; As well, caffeine is a diuretic and can flush valuable water-soluble vitamins and minerals from the body, some of which are important to mood and energy.&nbsp; If you do need a little caffeinated pick-me-up why not try a green tea?&nbsp; In addition to providing some caffeine (though in far lesser amounts found in coffee or black tea), green tea is also high in something called L-Theanine which promotes a calm, alert state of mind.\r\n\r\n<b>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </b><b>Eat fat.&nbsp; </b>Now there’s something that’s bound to be more popular!&nbsp; The key is to eat <em>good quality fats</em>, like those found in nuts, seeds, and cold water fish.&nbsp; Fried foods, chips, cookies, and other convenience foods are loaded with hydrogenated and trans fats which are of no use to the body.&nbsp; Nuts, seeds and fish contain the essential fatty acids (EFAs) Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are vital to good health.&nbsp; EFAs are “essential” because the body cannot make them, meaning we must obtain them from diet.&nbsp; While EFAs are known for their anti-inflammatory action in the body, they’re also very important for cell membrane function. &nbsp;At the risk of sounding too simplistic (there’s a lot of scientific explanation and research that goes along with all this) if you eat too much saturated, animal-based, or trans-fatty acids your cell membranes become less fluid.&nbsp; The reason why this is so important is that without a healthy, fluid membrane, cells lose their ability to hold water, electrolytes, and vital nutrients.&nbsp; Even more important, however, is that they lose their ability to communicate with other cells and be controlled by regulating hormones.&nbsp; Yes, you read that correctly,<em> hormones</em>. So eat fat, just eat good fat.\r\n\r\n<b>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </b><b>Avoid the “white” stuff</b>.&nbsp; There is no nutritional value to sugar and white flour.&nbsp; There, I’ve said it.&nbsp; People generally eat too much sugar, and it has such a grip on them that getting them to take a break, and not eat it for even a few days, results in symptoms similar to breaking an addiction.&nbsp; There is nothing wrong with a treat once in awhile, but it should be limited to just that, a treat.&nbsp; Eating too much white flour, and white sugar means that you’re missing out on the important nutrients found in whole grains, many of which contribute to energy and good mental health.&nbsp; The trouble is, health washing of many foods has us convinced that they’re made of whole grains, when in fact, they’re just stripped down grain products with a certain amount of bran added back in.&nbsp; Skip the processed stuff and just eat the real whole grain.\r\n\r\n<b>5.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </b><b>Take care of your gut.&nbsp; </b>Keeping your digestive system and intestinal tract healthy is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.&nbsp; It might surprise you to learn that the majority of the serotonin (a feel good neurotransmitter that is typically low in those suffering from depression and anxiety) the body produces actually comes from good bacteria in your intestines.&nbsp; The same with B vitamins, which are key in energy and metabolism.&nbsp; So, eat fermented foods like kefir, miso, sauerkraut, and kombucha, and take your probiotics.&nbsp; Oh, and sugar feeds the bad bacteria in your gut.&nbsp; Sorry…\r\n\r\nThere are definitely supplements and herbs that can be helpful as well (St. John’s Wort, 5-HTP, GABA, L-Theanine), but due to interactions with medications, as well as with breastfeeding, some of these supplements might be contraindicated so it’s important to consult with a knowledgeable practitioner before deciding if a supplement is right for your situation.\r\n\r\nThe last suggestion I would make is <em>get outside</em>. Take your dog for a walk, push baby in a stroller, ask a friend to join you or go by yourself.&nbsp; It doesn’t matter how you do it, just <em>do it</em>. You’ll benefit from the endorphins you’ll get from the exercise and if you do it while the sun is shining you’ll get a hit of natural Vitamin D in the process.&nbsp; Your brain will thank you.\r\n\r\n<i>&nbsp;</i>PPMD may make it feel like the world is closing in on you.&nbsp; It may also suck the joy out of what should be a wonderful period of getting to know this new little person who you helped create.&nbsp; There is help out there for you, you just have to ask.&nbsp; In the meantime, eat to feel good.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table border=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>Arja Lytle is a Holistic Nutritionist from Toronto, Canada.&nbsp; She is also the mama of a happy 3.5 year old, and survivor of postpartum anxiety.&nbsp; She uses her passion for hormone balancing and love of whole foods and nutrition to guide women towards feeling their best and living with vitality.&nbsp; </i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>She can be found on Twitter, Facebook or blogging on her website Balance Body &amp; Soul Nutrition:</i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>&nbsp;</i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Website:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href=\"http://www.balancebodyandsoul.com\"><i>www.balancebodyandsoul.com</i></a><i>\r\n</i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Facebook:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition\"><i>https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition</i></a><i></i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Twitter:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href=\"https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul\"><i>https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul</i></a></span></p>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b>&nbsp;</b></span></p>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b>&nbsp;</b></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><i>&nbsp;</i></span>','Eat FAT & Other Tips for The Best Postpartum Mental Health!','','publish','open','open','','eat-fat-other-tips-for-the-best-postpartum-mental-health','','','2013-05-31 15:23:09','2013-05-31 20:23:09','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1826',0,'post','',0),(1827,1,'2013-05-31 11:45:29','2013-05-31 16:45:29','The postpartum period is challenging for mothers of new babies.  It’s a time ruled by sleep deprivation, new routines, constant feedings, and all the other not so magical things that come along with having a new baby in the household.  Add a postpartum mood disorder into that mix and things can go from challenging to almost unbearable in the blink of an eye.  Trust me, I know.  After the birth of my son in 2009 I was surprised to find myself suffering from PPMD and I have first hand experience with just how important it is to pay attention to your diet and lifestyle while trying to cope with poor postpartum mental health.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe tricky thing with PPMD is that there’s not just one cause for every woman, so it’s difficult to come up with one plan to prevent it, or support those going through it, that will work for everyone.  That being said, there is no doubt that there are hormonal imbalances that are wreaking havoc with mental health, compounded by lack of sleep, and all the other stressors of new motherhood.  Whether a woman chooses to go on medication or not (I was on Celexa for about a year), if she does not address nutritional imbalances, or food-based anxiety triggers she will not see the full benefit the treatment plan being given to her by her therapist.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAs a holistic nutritionist I believe in the power of whole foods, supplements, and herbs to help keep the body and mind in balance.  These things, combined with exercise and other lifestyle choices can have a powerful effect on a person’s overall wellbeing.  Because everyone is different, the best way to decide what foods and supplements <i>you </i>need is to work with a knowledgeable practitioner.  There are, however, some basic guidelines that apply to almost everyone.\n\n&nbsp;\n<ol>\n	<li><b>1.    </b><b>Eat a whole foods based diet, emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and quality protein.  </b>This may seem simplistic, but when you’re tired, cranky, and hungry at the end of the day, the temptation to order a pizza for dinner, or choose other convenience foods might be overpowering.  The problem with foods like these is that they are nutritionally void, chock full of filler and preservatives, and loaded with poor quality fats and sodium.  If your diet is mainly comprised of foods like these not only will you be missing out on quality nutrients, but your body and mind will feel heavy, bloated, and slow.</li>\n</ol>\n&nbsp;\n<ol>\n	<li><b>2.    </b><b>Avoid caffeine (especially from coffee and black tea).  </b>I’m aware that this isn’t going to be a popular suggestion with the sleep deprived mommy set, but what if I told you that caffeine (specifically in the amounts found in coffee and black tea) has been shown to increase anxiety?  For a woman suffering from postpartum anxiety simply the act of reducing, or eliminating coffee consumption can lead to a dramatic reduction is feelings of anxiety.  As well, caffeine is a diuretic and can flush valuable water-soluble vitamins and minerals from the body, some of which are important to mood and energy.  If you do need a little caffeinated pick-me-up why not try a green tea?  In addition to providing some caffeine (though in far lesser amounts found in coffee or black tea), green tea is also high in something called L-Theanine which promotes a calm, alert state of mind.</li>\n</ol>\n&nbsp;\n<ol>\n	<li><b>3.    </b><b>Eat fat.  </b>Now there’s something that’s bound to be more popular!  The key is to eat <i>good quality fats</i>, like those found in nuts, seeds, and cold water fish.  Fried foods, chips, cookies, and other convenience foods are loaded with hydrogenated and trans fats which are of no use to the body.  Nuts, seeds and fish contain the essential fatty acids (EFAs) Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are vital to good health.  EFAs are “essential” because the body cannot make them, meaning we must obtain them from diet.  While EFAs are known for their anti-inflammatory action in the body, they’re also very important for cell membrane function.  At the risk of sounding too simplistic (there’s a lot of scientific explanation and research that goes along with all this) if you eat too much saturated, animal-based, or trans-fatty acids your cell membranes become less fluid.  The reason why this is so important is that without a healthy, fluid membrane, cells lose their ability to hold water, electrolytes, and vital nutrients.  Even more important, however, is that they lose their ability to communicate with other cells and be controlled by regulating hormones.  Yes, you read that correctly, <i>hormones.  </i>So eat fat, just eat good fat.</li>\n</ol>\n&nbsp;\n<ol>\n	<li><b>4.    </b><b>Avoid the “white” stuff</b>.  There is no nutritional value to sugar and white flour.  There, I’ve said it.  People generally eat too much sugar, and it has such a grip on them that getting them to take a break, and not eat it for even a few days, results in symptoms similar to breaking an addiction.  There is nothing wrong with a treat once in awhile, but it should be limited to just that, a treat.  Eating too much white flour, and white sugar means that you’re missing out on the important nutrients found in whole grains, many of which contribute to energy and good mental health.  The trouble is, health washing of many foods has us convinced that they’re made of whole grains, when in fact, they’re just stripped down grain products with a certain amount of bran added back in.  Skip the processed stuff and just eat the real whole grain.</li>\n</ol>\n&nbsp;\n<ol>\n	<li><b>5.    </b><b>Take care of your gut.  </b>Keeping your digestive system and intestinal tract healthy is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.  It might surprise you to learn that the majority of the serotonin (a feel good neurotransmitter that is typically low in those suffering from depression and anxiety) the body produces actually comes from good bacteria in your intestines.  The same with B vitamins, which are key in energy and metabolism.  So, eat fermented foods like kefir, miso, sauerkraut, and kombucha, and take your probiotics.  Oh, and sugar feeds the bad bacteria in your gut.  Sorry…</li>\n</ol>\n&nbsp;\n\nThere are definitely supplements and herbs that can be helpful as well (St. John’s Wort, 5-HTP, GABA, L-Theanine), but due to interactions with medications, as well as with breastfeeding, some of these supplements might be contraindicated so it’s important to consult with a knowledgeable practitioner before deciding if a supplement is right for your situation.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe last suggestion I would make is <i>get outside.  </i>Take your dog for a walk, push baby in a stroller, ask a friend to join you or go by yourself.  It doesn’t matter how you do it, just <i>do it.  </i>You’ll benefit from the endorphins you’ll get from the exercise and if you do it while the sun is shining you’ll get a hit of natural Vitamin D in the process.  Your brain will thank you.<i> </i>\n\n<i> </i>\n\nPPMD may make it feel like the world is closing in on you.  It may also suck the joy out of what should be a wonderful period of getting to know this new little person who you helped create.  There is help out there for you, you just have to ask.  In the meantime, eat to feel good.\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: \'arial black\', \'avant garde\';\"><i>Arja Lytle is a Holistic Nutritionist from Toronto, Canada.  She is also the mama of a happy 3.5 year old, and survivor of postpartum anxiety.  She uses her passion for hormone balancing and love of whole foods and nutrition to guide women towards feeling their best and living with vitality.  She can be found on Twitter, Facebook or blogging on her website Balance Body &amp; Soul Nutrition.</i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: \'arial black\', \'avant garde\';\"><i> </i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: \'arial black\', \'avant garde\';\">Website:  <a href=\"http://www.balancebodyandsoul.com\"><i>www.balancebodyandsoul.com</i></a><i>. </i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: \'arial black\', \'avant garde\';\">Facebook:  <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition\"><i>https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition</i></a><i></i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: small; font-family: \'arial black\', \'avant garde\';\">Twitter:  <a href=\"https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul\"><i>https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul</i></a></span></p>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b> </b></p>\n<b> </b>\n\n<i> </i>','Eating for Optimal Postpartum Mental Health!','','inherit','open','open','','1826-revision','','','2013-05-31 11:45:29','2013-05-31 16:45:29','',1826,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1826-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1828,1,'2013-05-31 11:57:23','2013-05-31 16:57:23','','Eat Well for Postpartum Health','Eat Well for Postpartum Health ','inherit','open','open','','woman-eating-healthy','','','2013-05-31 11:57:23','2013-05-31 16:57:23','',1826,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy-.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1829,1,'2013-05-31 11:49:46','2013-05-31 16:49:46','The postpartum period is challenging for mothers of new babies.  It’s a time ruled by sleep deprivation, new routines, constant feedings, and all the other not so magical things that come along with having a new baby in the household.  Add a postpartum mood disorder into that mix and things can go from challenging to almost unbearable in the blink of an eye.  Trust me, I know.  After the birth of my son in 2009 I was surprised to find myself suffering from PPMD and I have first hand experience with just how important it is to pay attention to your diet and lifestyle while trying to cope with poor postpartum mental health.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe tricky thing with PPMD is that there’s not just one cause for every woman, so it’s difficult to come up with one plan to prevent it, or support those going through it, that will work for everyone.  That being said, there is no doubt that there are hormonal imbalances that are wreaking havoc with mental health, compounded by lack of sleep, and all the other stressors of new motherhood.  Whether a woman chooses to go on medication or not (I was on Celexa for about a year), if she does not address nutritional imbalances, or food-based anxiety triggers she will not see the full benefit the treatment plan being given to her by her therapist.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nAs a holistic nutritionist I believe in the power of whole foods, supplements, and herbs to help keep the body and mind in balance.  These things, combined with exercise and other lifestyle choices can have a powerful effect on a person’s overall wellbeing.  Because everyone is different, the best way to decide what foods and supplements <i>you </i>need is to work with a knowledgeable practitioner.  There are, however, some basic guidelines that apply to almost everyone.\n\n&nbsp;\n<ol>\n	<li><b>1.    </b><b>Eat a whole foods based diet, emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and quality protein.  </b>This may seem simplistic, but when you’re tired, cranky, and hungry at the end of the day, the temptation to order a pizza for dinner, or choose other convenience foods might be overpowering.  The problem with foods like these is that they are nutritionally void, chock full of filler and preservatives, and loaded with poor quality fats and sodium.  If your diet is mainly comprised of foods like these not only will you be missing out on quality nutrients, but your body and mind will feel heavy, bloated, and slow.</li>\n</ol>\n&nbsp;\n<ol>\n	<li><b>2.    </b><b>Avoid caffeine (especially from coffee and black tea).  </b>I’m aware that this isn’t going to be a popular suggestion with the sleep deprived mommy set, but what if I told you that caffeine (specifically in the amounts found in coffee and black tea) has been shown to increase anxiety?  For a woman suffering from postpartum anxiety simply the act of reducing, or eliminating coffee consumption can lead to a dramatic reduction is feelings of anxiety.  As well, caffeine is a diuretic and can flush valuable water-soluble vitamins and minerals from the body, some of which are important to mood and energy.  If you do need a little caffeinated pick-me-up why not try a green tea?  In addition to providing some caffeine (though in far lesser amounts found in coffee or black tea), green tea is also high in something called L-Theanine which promotes a calm, alert state of mind.</li>\n</ol>\n&nbsp;\n<ol>\n	<li><b>3.    </b><b>Eat fat.  </b>Now there’s something that’s bound to be more popular!  The key is to eat <i>good quality fats</i>, like those found in nuts, seeds, and cold water fish.  Fried foods, chips, cookies, and other convenience foods are loaded with hydrogenated and trans fats which are of no use to the body.  Nuts, seeds and fish contain the essential fatty acids (EFAs) Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are vital to good health.  EFAs are “essential” because the body cannot make them, meaning we must obtain them from diet.  While EFAs are known for their anti-inflammatory action in the body, they’re also very important for cell membrane function.  At the risk of sounding too simplistic (there’s a lot of scientific explanation and research that goes along with all this) if you eat too much saturated, animal-based, or trans-fatty acids your cell membranes become less fluid.  The reason why this is so important is that without a healthy, fluid membrane, cells lose their ability to hold water, electrolytes, and vital nutrients.  Even more important, however, is that they lose their ability to communicate with other cells and be controlled by regulating hormones.  Yes, you read that correctly, <i>hormones.  </i>So eat fat, just eat good fat.</li>\n</ol>\n&nbsp;\n<ol>\n	<li><b>4.    </b><b>Avoid the “white” stuff</b>.  There is no nutritional value to sugar and white flour.  There, I’ve said it.  People generally eat too much sugar, and it has such a grip on them that getting them to take a break, and not eat it for even a few days, results in symptoms similar to breaking an addiction.  There is nothing wrong with a treat once in awhile, but it should be limited to just that, a treat.  Eating too much white flour, and white sugar means that you’re missing out on the important nutrients found in whole grains, many of which contribute to energy and good mental health.  The trouble is, health washing of many foods has us convinced that they’re made of whole grains, when in fact, they’re just stripped down grain products with a certain amount of bran added back in.  Skip the processed stuff and just eat the real whole grain.</li>\n</ol>\n&nbsp;\n<ol>\n	<li><b>5.    </b><b>Take care of your gut.  </b>Keeping your digestive system and intestinal tract healthy is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.  It might surprise you to learn that the majority of the serotonin (a feel good neurotransmitter that is typically low in those suffering from depression and anxiety) the body produces actually comes from good bacteria in your intestines.  The same with B vitamins, which are key in energy and metabolism.  So, eat fermented foods like kefir, miso, sauerkraut, and kombucha, and take your probiotics.  Oh, and sugar feeds the bad bacteria in your gut.  Sorry…</li>\n</ol>\n&nbsp;\n\nThere are definitely supplements and herbs that can be helpful as well (St. John’s Wort, 5-HTP, GABA, L-Theanine), but due to interactions with medications, as well as with breastfeeding, some of these supplements might be contraindicated so it’s important to consult with a knowledgeable practitioner before deciding if a supplement is right for your situation.\n\n&nbsp;\n\nThe last suggestion I would make is <i>get outside.  </i>Take your dog for a walk, push baby in a stroller, ask a friend to join you or go by yourself.  It doesn’t matter how you do it, just <i>do it.  </i>You’ll benefit from the endorphins you’ll get from the exercise and if you do it while the sun is shining you’ll get a hit of natural Vitamin D in the process.  Your brain will thank you.<i> </i>\n\n<i> </i>\n\nPPMD may make it feel like the world is closing in on you.  It may also suck the joy out of what should be a wonderful period of getting to know this new little person who you helped create.  There is help out there for you, you just have to ask.  In the meantime, eat to feel good.\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>Arja Lytle is a Holistic Nutritionist from Toronto, Canada.  She is also the mama of a happy 3.5 year old, and survivor of postpartum anxiety.  She uses her passion for hormone balancing and love of whole foods and nutrition to guide women towards feeling their best and living with vitality.  </i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>She can be found on Twitter, Facebook or blogging on her website Balance Body &amp; Soul Nutrition:</i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i> </i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Website:  <a href=\"http://www.balancebodyandsoul.com\"><i>www.balancebodyandsoul.com</i></a><i>\n</i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Facebook:  <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition\"><i>https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition</i></a><i></i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Twitter:  <a href=\"https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul\"><i>https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul</i></a></span></p>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span></p>\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><i> </i></span>','5 Eating Tips for The Best Postpartum Mental Health','','inherit','open','open','','1826-revision-2','','','2013-05-31 11:49:46','2013-05-31 16:49:46','',1826,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1826-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1830,1,'2013-05-31 11:59:43','2013-05-31 16:59:43','[caption id=\"attachment_1828\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"100\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy-.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1828\" alt=\"Eat Well for Postpartum Health \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy--100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a> Eat Well for Postpartum Health image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nThe postpartum period is challenging for mothers of new babies.  It’s a time ruled by sleep deprivation, new routines, constant feedings, and all the other not so magical things that come along with having a new baby in the household.  Add a postpartum mood disorder into that mix and things can go from challenging to almost unbearable in the blink of an eye.  Trust me, I know.  After the birth of my son in 2009 I was surprised to find myself suffering from PPMD and I have first hand experience with just how important it is to pay attention to your diet and lifestyle while trying to cope with poor postpartum mental health.\n\nThe tricky thing with PPMD is that there’s not just one cause for every woman, so it’s difficult to come up with one plan to prevent it, or support those going through it, that will work for everyone.  That being said, there is no doubt that there are hormonal imbalances that are wreaking havoc with mental health, compounded by lack of sleep, and all the other stressors of new motherhood.  Whether a woman chooses to go on medication or not (I was on Celexa for about a year), if she does not address nutritional imbalances, or food-based anxiety triggers she will not see the full benefit the treatment plan being given to her by her therapist.\n\nAs a holistic nutritionist I believe in the power of whole foods, supplements, and herbs to help keep the body and mind in balance.  These things, combined with exercise and other lifestyle choices can have a powerful effect on a person’s overall wellbeing.  Because everyone is different, the best way to decide what foods and supplements <i>you </i>need is to work with a knowledgeable practitioner.  There are, however, some basic guidelines that apply to almost everyone.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<b>1.    </b><b>Eat a whole foods based diet, emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and quality protein.  </b>This may seem simplistic, but when you’re tired, cranky, and hungry at the end of the day, the temptation to order a pizza for dinner, or choose other convenience foods might be overpowering.  The problem with foods like these is that they are nutritionally void, chock full of filler and preservatives, and loaded with poor quality fats and sodium.  If your diet is mainly comprised of foods like these not only will you be missing out on quality nutrients, but your body and mind will feel heavy, bloated, and slow.\n\n<b>2.    </b><b>Avoid caffeine (especially from coffee and black tea).  </b>I’m aware that this isn’t going to be a popular suggestion with the sleep deprived mommy set, but what if I told you that caffeine (specifically in the amounts found in coffee and black tea) has been shown to increase anxiety?  For a woman suffering from postpartum anxiety simply the act of reducing, or eliminating coffee consumption can lead to a dramatic reduction is feelings of anxiety.  As well, caffeine is a diuretic and can flush valuable water-soluble vitamins and minerals from the body, some of which are important to mood and energy.  If you do need a little caffeinated pick-me-up why not try a green tea?  In addition to providing some caffeine (though in far lesser amounts found in coffee or black tea), green tea is also high in something called L-Theanine which promotes a calm, alert state of mind.\n\n<b>3.    </b><b>Eat fat.  </b>Now there’s something that’s bound to be more popular!  The key is to eat <i>good quality fats</i>, like those found in nuts, seeds, and cold water fish.  Fried foods, chips, cookies, and other convenience foods are loaded with hydrogenated and trans fats which are of no use to the body.  Nuts, seeds and fish contain the essential fatty acids (EFAs) Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are vital to good health.  EFAs are “essential” because the body cannot make them, meaning we must obtain them from diet.  While EFAs are known for their anti-inflammatory action in the body, they’re also very important for cell membrane function.  At the risk of sounding too simplistic (there’s a lot of scientific explanation and research that goes along with all this) if you eat too much saturated, animal-based, or trans-fatty acids your cell membranes become less fluid.  The reason why this is so important is that without a healthy, fluid membrane, cells lose their ability to hold water, electrolytes, and vital nutrients.  Even more important, however, is that they lose their ability to communicate with other cells and be controlled by regulating hormones.  Yes, you read that correctly, <i>hormones.  </i>So eat fat, just eat good fat.\n\n<b>4.    </b><b>Avoid the “white” stuff</b>.  There is no nutritional value to sugar and white flour.  There, I’ve said it.  People generally eat too much sugar, and it has such a grip on them that getting them to take a break, and not eat it for even a few days, results in symptoms similar to breaking an addiction.  There is nothing wrong with a treat once in awhile, but it should be limited to just that, a treat.  Eating too much white flour, and white sugar means that you’re missing out on the important nutrients found in whole grains, many of which contribute to energy and good mental health.  The trouble is, health washing of many foods has us convinced that they’re made of whole grains, when in fact, they’re just stripped down grain products with a certain amount of bran added back in.  Skip the processed stuff and just eat the real whole grain.\n\n<b>5.    </b><b>Take care of your gut.  </b>Keeping your digestive system and intestinal tract healthy is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.  It might surprise you to learn that the majority of the serotonin (a feel good neurotransmitter that is typically low in those suffering from depression and anxiety) the body produces actually comes from good bacteria in your intestines.  The same with B vitamins, which are key in energy and metabolism.  So, eat fermented foods like kefir, miso, sauerkraut, and kombucha, and take your probiotics.  Oh, and sugar feeds the bad bacteria in your gut.  Sorry…\n\nThere are definitely supplements and herbs that can be helpful as well (St. John’s Wort, 5-HTP, GABA, L-Theanine), but due to interactions with medications, as well as with breastfeeding, some of these supplements might be contraindicated so it’s important to consult with a knowledgeable practitioner before deciding if a supplement is right for your situation.\n\nThe last suggestion I would make is <i>get outside.  </i>Take your dog for a walk, push baby in a stroller, ask a friend to join you or go by yourself.  It doesn’t matter how you do it, just <i>do it.  </i>You’ll benefit from the endorphins you’ll get from the exercise and if you do it while the sun is shining you’ll get a hit of natural Vitamin D in the process.  Your brain will thank you.\n\n<i> </i>PPMD may make it feel like the world is closing in on you.  It may also suck the joy out of what should be a wonderful period of getting to know this new little person who you helped create.  There is help out there for you, you just have to ask.  In the meantime, eat to feel good.\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>Arja Lytle is a Holistic Nutritionist from Toronto, Canada.  She is also the mama of a happy 3.5 year old, and survivor of postpartum anxiety.  She uses her passion for hormone balancing and love of whole foods and nutrition to guide women towards feeling their best and living with vitality.  </i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>She can be found on Twitter, Facebook or blogging on her website Balance Body &amp; Soul Nutrition:</i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i> </i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Website:  <a href=\"http://www.balancebodyandsoul.com\"><i>www.balancebodyandsoul.com</i></a><i>\n</i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Facebook:  <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition\"><i>https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition</i></a><i></i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Twitter:  <a href=\"https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul\"><i>https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul</i></a></span></p>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span></p>\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><i> </i></span>','5 Eating Tips for The Best Postpartum Mental Health','','inherit','open','open','','1826-revision-3','','','2013-05-31 11:59:43','2013-05-31 16:59:43','',1826,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1826-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1831,1,'2013-05-31 11:59:53','2013-05-31 16:59:53','[caption id=\"attachment_1828\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"100\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy-.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1828\" alt=\"Eat Well for Postpartum Health \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy--100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a> Eat Well for Postpartum Health image: 123rf[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe postpartum period is challenging for mothers of new babies.  It’s a time ruled by sleep deprivation, new routines, constant feedings, and all the other not so magical things that come along with having a new baby in the household.  Add a postpartum mood disorder into that mix and things can go from challenging to almost unbearable in the blink of an eye.  Trust me, I know.  After the birth of my son in 2009 I was surprised to find myself suffering from PPMD and I have first hand experience with just how important it is to pay attention to your diet and lifestyle while trying to cope with poor postpartum mental health.\r\n\r\nThe tricky thing with PPMD is that there’s not just one cause for every woman, so it’s difficult to come up with one plan to prevent it, or support those going through it, that will work for everyone.  That being said, there is no doubt that there are hormonal imbalances that are wreaking havoc with mental health, compounded by lack of sleep, and all the other stressors of new motherhood.  Whether a woman chooses to go on medication or not (I was on Celexa for about a year), if she does not address nutritional imbalances, or food-based anxiety triggers she will not see the full benefit the treatment plan being given to her by her therapist.\r\n\r\nAs a holistic nutritionist I believe in the power of whole foods, supplements, and herbs to help keep the body and mind in balance.  These things, combined with exercise and other lifestyle choices can have a powerful effect on a person’s overall wellbeing.  Because everyone is different, the best way to decide what foods and supplements <i>you </i>need is to work with a knowledgeable practitioner.  There are, however, some basic guidelines that apply to almost everyone.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<b>1.    </b><b>Eat a whole foods based diet, emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and quality protein.  </b>This may seem simplistic, but when you’re tired, cranky, and hungry at the end of the day, the temptation to order a pizza for dinner, or choose other convenience foods might be overpowering.  The problem with foods like these is that they are nutritionally void, chock full of filler and preservatives, and loaded with poor quality fats and sodium.  If your diet is mainly comprised of foods like these not only will you be missing out on quality nutrients, but your body and mind will feel heavy, bloated, and slow.\r\n\r\n<b>2.    </b><b>Avoid caffeine (especially from coffee and black tea).  </b>I’m aware that this isn’t going to be a popular suggestion with the sleep deprived mommy set, but what if I told you that caffeine (specifically in the amounts found in coffee and black tea) has been shown to increase anxiety?  For a woman suffering from postpartum anxiety simply the act of reducing, or eliminating coffee consumption can lead to a dramatic reduction is feelings of anxiety.  As well, caffeine is a diuretic and can flush valuable water-soluble vitamins and minerals from the body, some of which are important to mood and energy.  If you do need a little caffeinated pick-me-up why not try a green tea?  In addition to providing some caffeine (though in far lesser amounts found in coffee or black tea), green tea is also high in something called L-Theanine which promotes a calm, alert state of mind.\r\n\r\n<b>3.    </b><b>Eat fat.  </b>Now there’s something that’s bound to be more popular!  The key is to eat <i>good quality fats</i>, like those found in nuts, seeds, and cold water fish.  Fried foods, chips, cookies, and other convenience foods are loaded with hydrogenated and trans fats which are of no use to the body.  Nuts, seeds and fish contain the essential fatty acids (EFAs) Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are vital to good health.  EFAs are “essential” because the body cannot make them, meaning we must obtain them from diet.  While EFAs are known for their anti-inflammatory action in the body, they’re also very important for cell membrane function.  At the risk of sounding too simplistic (there’s a lot of scientific explanation and research that goes along with all this) if you eat too much saturated, animal-based, or trans-fatty acids your cell membranes become less fluid.  The reason why this is so important is that without a healthy, fluid membrane, cells lose their ability to hold water, electrolytes, and vital nutrients.  Even more important, however, is that they lose their ability to communicate with other cells and be controlled by regulating hormones.  Yes, you read that correctly, <i>hormones.  </i>So eat fat, just eat good fat.\r\n\r\n<b>4.    </b><b>Avoid the “white” stuff</b>.  There is no nutritional value to sugar and white flour.  There, I’ve said it.  People generally eat too much sugar, and it has such a grip on them that getting them to take a break, and not eat it for even a few days, results in symptoms similar to breaking an addiction.  There is nothing wrong with a treat once in awhile, but it should be limited to just that, a treat.  Eating too much white flour, and white sugar means that you’re missing out on the important nutrients found in whole grains, many of which contribute to energy and good mental health.  The trouble is, health washing of many foods has us convinced that they’re made of whole grains, when in fact, they’re just stripped down grain products with a certain amount of bran added back in.  Skip the processed stuff and just eat the real whole grain.\r\n\r\n<b>5.    </b><b>Take care of your gut.  </b>Keeping your digestive system and intestinal tract healthy is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.  It might surprise you to learn that the majority of the serotonin (a feel good neurotransmitter that is typically low in those suffering from depression and anxiety) the body produces actually comes from good bacteria in your intestines.  The same with B vitamins, which are key in energy and metabolism.  So, eat fermented foods like kefir, miso, sauerkraut, and kombucha, and take your probiotics.  Oh, and sugar feeds the bad bacteria in your gut.  Sorry…\r\n\r\nThere are definitely supplements and herbs that can be helpful as well (St. John’s Wort, 5-HTP, GABA, L-Theanine), but due to interactions with medications, as well as with breastfeeding, some of these supplements might be contraindicated so it’s important to consult with a knowledgeable practitioner before deciding if a supplement is right for your situation.\r\n\r\nThe last suggestion I would make is <i>get outside.  </i>Take your dog for a walk, push baby in a stroller, ask a friend to join you or go by yourself.  It doesn’t matter how you do it, just <i>do it.  </i>You’ll benefit from the endorphins you’ll get from the exercise and if you do it while the sun is shining you’ll get a hit of natural Vitamin D in the process.  Your brain will thank you.\r\n\r\n<i> </i>PPMD may make it feel like the world is closing in on you.  It may also suck the joy out of what should be a wonderful period of getting to know this new little person who you helped create.  There is help out there for you, you just have to ask.  In the meantime, eat to feel good.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table border=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>Arja Lytle is a Holistic Nutritionist from Toronto, Canada.  She is also the mama of a happy 3.5 year old, and survivor of postpartum anxiety.  She uses her passion for hormone balancing and love of whole foods and nutrition to guide women towards feeling their best and living with vitality.  </i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>She can be found on Twitter, Facebook or blogging on her website Balance Body &amp; Soul Nutrition:</i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i> </i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Website:  <a href=\"http://www.balancebodyandsoul.com\"><i>www.balancebodyandsoul.com</i></a><i>\r\n</i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Facebook:  <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition\"><i>https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition</i></a><i></i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Twitter:  <a href=\"https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul\"><i>https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul</i></a></span></p>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span></p>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><i> </i></span>','5 Eating Tips for The Best Postpartum Mental Health','','inherit','open','open','','1826-revision-4','','','2013-05-31 11:59:53','2013-05-31 16:59:53','',1826,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1826-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(1833,1,'2013-05-31 12:05:47','2013-05-31 17:05:47','[caption id=\"attachment_1828\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"100\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy-.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1828\" alt=\"Eat Well for Postpartum Health \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy--100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a> Eating for Postpartum Mental Health               image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nThe postpartum period is challenging for mothers of new babies.  It’s a time ruled by sleep deprivation, new routines, constant feedings, and all the other not so magical things that come along with having a new baby in the household.  Add a postpartum mood disorder into that mix and things can go from challenging to almost unbearable in the blink of an eye.  Trust me, I know.  After the birth of my son in 2009 I was surprised to find myself suffering from PPMD and I have first hand experience with just how important it is to pay attention to your diet and lifestyle while trying to cope with poor postpartum mental health.\n\nThe tricky thing with PPMD is that there’s not just one cause for every woman, so it’s difficult to come up with one plan to prevent it, or support those going through it, that will work for everyone.  That being said, there is no doubt that there are hormonal imbalances that are wreaking havoc with mental health, compounded by lack of sleep, and all the other stressors of new motherhood.  Whether a woman chooses to go on medication or not (I was on Celexa for about a year), if she does not address nutritional imbalances, or food-based anxiety triggers she will not see the full benefit the treatment plan being given to her by her therapist.\n\nAs a holistic nutritionist I believe in the power of whole foods, supplements, and herbs to help keep the body and mind in balance.  These things, combined with exercise and other lifestyle choices can have a powerful effect on a person’s overall wellbeing.  Because everyone is different, the best way to decide what foods and supplements <i>you </i>need is to work with a knowledgeable practitioner.  There are, however, some basic guidelines that apply to almost everyone.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<b>1.    </b><b>Eat a whole foods based diet, emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and quality protein.  </b>This may seem simplistic, but when you’re tired, cranky, and hungry at the end of the day, the temptation to order a pizza for dinner, or choose other convenience foods might be overpowering.  The problem with foods like these is that they are nutritionally void, chock full of filler and preservatives, and loaded with poor quality fats and sodium.  If your diet is mainly comprised of foods like these not only will you be missing out on quality nutrients, but your body and mind will feel heavy, bloated, and slow.\n\n<b>2.    </b><b>Avoid caffeine (especially from coffee and black tea).  </b>I’m aware that this isn’t going to be a popular suggestion with the sleep deprived mommy set, but what if I told you that caffeine (specifically in the amounts found in coffee and black tea) has been shown to increase anxiety?  For a woman suffering from postpartum anxiety simply the act of reducing, or eliminating coffee consumption can lead to a dramatic reduction is feelings of anxiety.  As well, caffeine is a diuretic and can flush valuable water-soluble vitamins and minerals from the body, some of which are important to mood and energy.  If you do need a little caffeinated pick-me-up why not try a green tea?  In addition to providing some caffeine (though in far lesser amounts found in coffee or black tea), green tea is also high in something called L-Theanine which promotes a calm, alert state of mind.\n\n<b>3.    </b><b>Eat fat.  </b>Now there’s something that’s bound to be more popular!  The key is to eat <i>good quality fats</i>, like those found in nuts, seeds, and cold water fish.  Fried foods, chips, cookies, and other convenience foods are loaded with hydrogenated and trans fats which are of no use to the body.  Nuts, seeds and fish contain the essential fatty acids (EFAs) Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are vital to good health.  EFAs are “essential” because the body cannot make them, meaning we must obtain them from diet.  While EFAs are known for their anti-inflammatory action in the body, they’re also very important for cell membrane function.  At the risk of sounding too simplistic (there’s a lot of scientific explanation and research that goes along with all this) if you eat too much saturated, animal-based, or trans-fatty acids your cell membranes become less fluid.  The reason why this is so important is that without a healthy, fluid membrane, cells lose their ability to hold water, electrolytes, and vital nutrients.  Even more important, however, is that they lose their ability to communicate with other cells and be controlled by regulating hormones.  Yes, you read that correctly, <i>hormones.  </i>So eat fat, just eat good fat.\n\n<b>4.    </b><b>Avoid the “white” stuff</b>.  There is no nutritional value to sugar and white flour.  There, I’ve said it.  People generally eat too much sugar, and it has such a grip on them that getting them to take a break, and not eat it for even a few days, results in symptoms similar to breaking an addiction.  There is nothing wrong with a treat once in awhile, but it should be limited to just that, a treat.  Eating too much white flour, and white sugar means that you’re missing out on the important nutrients found in whole grains, many of which contribute to energy and good mental health.  The trouble is, health washing of many foods has us convinced that they’re made of whole grains, when in fact, they’re just stripped down grain products with a certain amount of bran added back in.  Skip the processed stuff and just eat the real whole grain.\n\n<b>5.    </b><b>Take care of your gut.  </b>Keeping your digestive system and intestinal tract healthy is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.  It might surprise you to learn that the majority of the serotonin (a feel good neurotransmitter that is typically low in those suffering from depression and anxiety) the body produces actually comes from good bacteria in your intestines.  The same with B vitamins, which are key in energy and metabolism.  So, eat fermented foods like kefir, miso, sauerkraut, and kombucha, and take your probiotics.  Oh, and sugar feeds the bad bacteria in your gut.  Sorry…\n\nThere are definitely supplements and herbs that can be helpful as well (St. John’s Wort, 5-HTP, GABA, L-Theanine), but due to interactions with medications, as well as with breastfeeding, some of these supplements might be contraindicated so it’s important to consult with a knowledgeable practitioner before deciding if a supplement is right for your situation.\n\nThe last suggestion I would make is <i>get outside.  </i>Take your dog for a walk, push baby in a stroller, ask a friend to join you or go by yourself.  It doesn’t matter how you do it, just <i>do it.  </i>You’ll benefit from the endorphins you’ll get from the exercise and if you do it while the sun is shining you’ll get a hit of natural Vitamin D in the process.  Your brain will thank you.\n\n<i> </i>PPMD may make it feel like the world is closing in on you.  It may also suck the joy out of what should be a wonderful period of getting to know this new little person who you helped create.  There is help out there for you, you just have to ask.  In the meantime, eat to feel good.\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>Arja Lytle is a Holistic Nutritionist from Toronto, Canada.  She is also the mama of a happy 3.5 year old, and survivor of postpartum anxiety.  She uses her passion for hormone balancing and love of whole foods and nutrition to guide women towards feeling their best and living with vitality.  </i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>She can be found on Twitter, Facebook or blogging on her website Balance Body &amp; Soul Nutrition:</i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i> </i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Website:  <a href=\"http://www.balancebodyandsoul.com\"><i>www.balancebodyandsoul.com</i></a><i>\n</i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Facebook:  <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition\"><i>https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition</i></a><i></i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Twitter:  <a href=\"https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul\"><i>https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul</i></a></span></p>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span></p>\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><i> </i></span>','Eat FAT & Other Tips for The Best Postpartum Mental Health!','','inherit','open','open','','1826-revision-6','','','2013-05-31 12:05:47','2013-05-31 17:05:47','',1826,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1826-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1832,1,'2013-05-31 12:00:59','2013-05-31 17:00:59','[caption id=\"attachment_1828\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"100\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy-.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1828\" alt=\"Eat Well for Postpartum Health \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy--100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a> Eat Well for Postpartum Health image: 123rf[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe postpartum period is challenging for mothers of new babies.  It’s a time ruled by sleep deprivation, new routines, constant feedings, and all the other not so magical things that come along with having a new baby in the household.  Add a postpartum mood disorder into that mix and things can go from challenging to almost unbearable in the blink of an eye.  Trust me, I know.  After the birth of my son in 2009 I was surprised to find myself suffering from PPMD and I have first hand experience with just how important it is to pay attention to your diet and lifestyle while trying to cope with poor postpartum mental health.\r\n\r\nThe tricky thing with PPMD is that there’s not just one cause for every woman, so it’s difficult to come up with one plan to prevent it, or support those going through it, that will work for everyone.  That being said, there is no doubt that there are hormonal imbalances that are wreaking havoc with mental health, compounded by lack of sleep, and all the other stressors of new motherhood.  Whether a woman chooses to go on medication or not (I was on Celexa for about a year), if she does not address nutritional imbalances, or food-based anxiety triggers she will not see the full benefit the treatment plan being given to her by her therapist.\r\n\r\nAs a holistic nutritionist I believe in the power of whole foods, supplements, and herbs to help keep the body and mind in balance.  These things, combined with exercise and other lifestyle choices can have a powerful effect on a person’s overall wellbeing.  Because everyone is different, the best way to decide what foods and supplements <i>you </i>need is to work with a knowledgeable practitioner.  There are, however, some basic guidelines that apply to almost everyone.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<b>1.    </b><b>Eat a whole foods based diet, emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and quality protein.  </b>This may seem simplistic, but when you’re tired, cranky, and hungry at the end of the day, the temptation to order a pizza for dinner, or choose other convenience foods might be overpowering.  The problem with foods like these is that they are nutritionally void, chock full of filler and preservatives, and loaded with poor quality fats and sodium.  If your diet is mainly comprised of foods like these not only will you be missing out on quality nutrients, but your body and mind will feel heavy, bloated, and slow.\r\n\r\n<b>2.    </b><b>Avoid caffeine (especially from coffee and black tea).  </b>I’m aware that this isn’t going to be a popular suggestion with the sleep deprived mommy set, but what if I told you that caffeine (specifically in the amounts found in coffee and black tea) has been shown to increase anxiety?  For a woman suffering from postpartum anxiety simply the act of reducing, or eliminating coffee consumption can lead to a dramatic reduction is feelings of anxiety.  As well, caffeine is a diuretic and can flush valuable water-soluble vitamins and minerals from the body, some of which are important to mood and energy.  If you do need a little caffeinated pick-me-up why not try a green tea?  In addition to providing some caffeine (though in far lesser amounts found in coffee or black tea), green tea is also high in something called L-Theanine which promotes a calm, alert state of mind.\r\n\r\n<b>3.    </b><b>Eat fat.  </b>Now there’s something that’s bound to be more popular!  The key is to eat <i>good quality fats</i>, like those found in nuts, seeds, and cold water fish.  Fried foods, chips, cookies, and other convenience foods are loaded with hydrogenated and trans fats which are of no use to the body.  Nuts, seeds and fish contain the essential fatty acids (EFAs) Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are vital to good health.  EFAs are “essential” because the body cannot make them, meaning we must obtain them from diet.  While EFAs are known for their anti-inflammatory action in the body, they’re also very important for cell membrane function.  At the risk of sounding too simplistic (there’s a lot of scientific explanation and research that goes along with all this) if you eat too much saturated, animal-based, or trans-fatty acids your cell membranes become less fluid.  The reason why this is so important is that without a healthy, fluid membrane, cells lose their ability to hold water, electrolytes, and vital nutrients.  Even more important, however, is that they lose their ability to communicate with other cells and be controlled by regulating hormones.  Yes, you read that correctly, <i>hormones.  </i>So eat fat, just eat good fat.\r\n\r\n<b>4.    </b><b>Avoid the “white” stuff</b>.  There is no nutritional value to sugar and white flour.  There, I’ve said it.  People generally eat too much sugar, and it has such a grip on them that getting them to take a break, and not eat it for even a few days, results in symptoms similar to breaking an addiction.  There is nothing wrong with a treat once in awhile, but it should be limited to just that, a treat.  Eating too much white flour, and white sugar means that you’re missing out on the important nutrients found in whole grains, many of which contribute to energy and good mental health.  The trouble is, health washing of many foods has us convinced that they’re made of whole grains, when in fact, they’re just stripped down grain products with a certain amount of bran added back in.  Skip the processed stuff and just eat the real whole grain.\r\n\r\n<b>5.    </b><b>Take care of your gut.  </b>Keeping your digestive system and intestinal tract healthy is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.  It might surprise you to learn that the majority of the serotonin (a feel good neurotransmitter that is typically low in those suffering from depression and anxiety) the body produces actually comes from good bacteria in your intestines.  The same with B vitamins, which are key in energy and metabolism.  So, eat fermented foods like kefir, miso, sauerkraut, and kombucha, and take your probiotics.  Oh, and sugar feeds the bad bacteria in your gut.  Sorry…\r\n\r\nThere are definitely supplements and herbs that can be helpful as well (St. John’s Wort, 5-HTP, GABA, L-Theanine), but due to interactions with medications, as well as with breastfeeding, some of these supplements might be contraindicated so it’s important to consult with a knowledgeable practitioner before deciding if a supplement is right for your situation.\r\n\r\nThe last suggestion I would make is <i>get outside.  </i>Take your dog for a walk, push baby in a stroller, ask a friend to join you or go by yourself.  It doesn’t matter how you do it, just <i>do it.  </i>You’ll benefit from the endorphins you’ll get from the exercise and if you do it while the sun is shining you’ll get a hit of natural Vitamin D in the process.  Your brain will thank you.\r\n\r\n<i> </i>PPMD may make it feel like the world is closing in on you.  It may also suck the joy out of what should be a wonderful period of getting to know this new little person who you helped create.  There is help out there for you, you just have to ask.  In the meantime, eat to feel good.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table border=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>Arja Lytle is a Holistic Nutritionist from Toronto, Canada.  She is also the mama of a happy 3.5 year old, and survivor of postpartum anxiety.  She uses her passion for hormone balancing and love of whole foods and nutrition to guide women towards feeling their best and living with vitality.  </i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>She can be found on Twitter, Facebook or blogging on her website Balance Body &amp; Soul Nutrition:</i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i> </i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Website:  <a href=\"http://www.balancebodyandsoul.com\"><i>www.balancebodyandsoul.com</i></a><i>\r\n</i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Facebook:  <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition\"><i>https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition</i></a><i></i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Twitter:  <a href=\"https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul\"><i>https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul</i></a></span></p>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span></p>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><i> </i></span>','Eat FAT & Other Tips for The Best Postpartum Mental Health!','','inherit','open','open','','1826-revision-5','','','2013-05-31 12:00:59','2013-05-31 17:00:59','',1826,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1826-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(1834,1,'2013-05-31 12:08:57','2013-05-31 17:08:57','[caption id=\"attachment_1828\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"100\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy-.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1828\" alt=\"Eat Well for Postpartum Health \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy--100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a> Eating for Postpartum Mental Health               image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nThe postpartum period is challenging for mothers of new babies.  It’s a time ruled by sleep deprivation, new routines, constant feedings, and all the other not so magical things that come along with having a new baby in the household.  Add a postpartum mood disorder into that mix and things can go from challenging to almost unbearable in the blink of an eye.  Trust me, I know.  After the birth of my son in 2009 I was surprised to find myself suffering from PPMD and I have first hand experience with just how important it is to pay attention to your diet and lifestyle while trying to cope with poor postpartum mental health.\n\nThe tricky thing with PPMD is that there’s not just one cause for every woman, so it’s difficult to come up with one plan to prevent it, or support those going through it, that will work for everyone.  That being said, there is no doubt that there are hormonal imbalances that are wreaking havoc with mental health, compounded by lack of sleep, and all the other stressors of new motherhood.  Whether a woman chooses to go on medication or not (I was on Celexa for about a year), if she does not address nutritional imbalances, or food-based anxiety triggers she will not see the full benefit the treatment plan being given to her by her therapist.\n\nAs a holistic nutritionist I believe in the power of whole foods, supplements, and herbs to help keep the body and mind in balance.  These things, combined with exercise and other lifestyle choices can have a powerful effect on a person’s overall wellbeing.  Because everyone is different, the best way to decide what foods and supplements <i>you </i>need is to work with a knowledgeable practitioner.  There are, however, some basic guidelines that apply to almost everyone.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<b>1.    </b><b>Eat a whole foods based diet, emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and quality protein.  </b>This may seem simplistic, but when you’re tired, cranky, and hungry at the end of the day, the temptation to order a pizza for dinner, or choose other convenience foods might be overpowering.  The problem with foods like these is that they are nutritionally void, chock full of filler and preservatives, and loaded with poor quality fats and sodium.  If your diet is mainly comprised of foods like these not only will you be missing out on quality nutrients, but your body and mind will feel heavy, bloated, and slow.\n\n<b>2.    </b><b>Avoid caffeine (especially from coffee and black tea).  </b>I’m aware that this isn’t going to be a popular suggestion with the sleep deprived mommy set, but what if I told you that caffeine (specifically in the amounts found in coffee and black tea) has been shown to increase anxiety?  For a woman suffering from postpartum anxiety simply the act of reducing, or eliminating coffee consumption can lead to a dramatic reduction is feelings of anxiety.  As well, caffeine is a diuretic and can flush valuable water-soluble vitamins and minerals from the body, some of which are important to mood and energy.  If you do need a little caffeinated pick-me-up why not try a green tea?  In addition to providing some caffeine (though in far lesser amounts found in coffee or black tea), green tea is also high in something called L-Theanine which promotes a calm, alert state of mind.\n\n<b>3.    </b><b>Eat fat.  </b>Now there’s something that’s bound to be more popular!  The key is to eat <i>good quality fats</i>, like those found in nuts, seeds, and cold water fish.  Fried foods, chips, cookies, and other convenience foods are loaded with hydrogenated and trans fats which are of no use to the body.  Nuts, seeds and fish contain the essential fatty acids (EFAs) Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are vital to good health.  EFAs are “essential” because the body cannot make them, meaning we must obtain them from diet.  While EFAs are known for their anti-inflammatory action in the body, they’re also very important for cell membrane function.  At the risk of sounding too simplistic (there’s a lot of scientific explanation and research that goes along with all this) if you eat too much saturated, animal-based, or trans-fatty acids your cell membranes become less fluid.  The reason why this is so important is that without a healthy, fluid membrane, cells lose their ability to hold water, electrolytes, and vital nutrients.  Even more important, however, is that they lose their ability to communicate with other cells and be controlled by regulating hormones.  Yes, you read that correctly, <i>hormones.  </i>So eat fat, just eat good fat.\n\n<b>4.    </b><b>Avoid the “white” stuff</b>.  There is no nutritional value to sugar and white flour.  There, I’ve said it.  People generally eat too much sugar, and it has such a grip on them that getting them to take a break, and not eat it for even a few days, results in symptoms similar to breaking an addiction.  There is nothing wrong with a treat once in awhile, but it should be limited to just that, a treat.  Eating too much white flour, and white sugar means that you’re missing out on the important nutrients found in whole grains, many of which contribute to energy and good mental health.  The trouble is, health washing of many foods has us convinced that they’re made of whole grains, when in fact, they’re just stripped down grain products with a certain amount of bran added back in.  Skip the processed stuff and just eat the real whole grain.\n\n<b>5.    </b><b>Take care of your gut.  </b>Keeping your digestive system and intestinal tract healthy is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.  It might surprise you to learn that the majority of the serotonin (a feel good neurotransmitter that is typically low in those suffering from depression and anxiety) the body produces actually comes from good bacteria in your intestines.  The same with B vitamins, which are key in energy and metabolism.  So, eat fermented foods like kefir, miso, sauerkraut, and kombucha, and take your probiotics.  Oh, and sugar feeds the bad bacteria in your gut.  Sorry…\n\nThere are definitely supplements and herbs that can be helpful as well (St. John’s Wort, 5-HTP, GABA, L-Theanine), but due to interactions with medications, as well as with breastfeeding, some of these supplements might be contraindicated so it’s important to consult with a knowledgeable practitioner before deciding if a supplement is right for your situation.\n\nThe last suggestion I would make is <i>get outside.  </i>Take your dog for a walk, push baby in a stroller, ask a friend to join you or go by yourself.  It doesn’t matter how you do it, just <i>do it.  </i>You’ll benefit from the endorphins you’ll get from the exercise and if you do it while the sun is shining you’ll get a hit of natural Vitamin D in the process.  Your brain will thank you.\n\n<i> </i>PPMD may make it feel like the world is closing in on you.  It may also suck the joy out of what should be a wonderful period of getting to know this new little person who you helped create.  There is help out there for you, you just have to ask.  In the meantime, eat to feel good.\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>Arja Lytle is a Holistic Nutritionist from Toronto, Canada.  She is also the mama of a happy 3.5 year old, and survivor of postpartum anxiety.  She uses her passion for hormone balancing and love of whole foods and nutrition to guide women towards feeling their best and living with vitality.  </i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>She can be found on Twitter, Facebook or blogging on her website Balance Body &amp; Soul Nutrition:</i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i> </i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Website:  <a href=\"http://www.balancebodyandsoul.com\"><i>www.balancebodyandsoul.com</i></a><i>\n</i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Facebook:  <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition\"><i>https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition</i></a><i></i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Twitter:  <a href=\"https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul\"><i>https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul</i></a></span></p>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span></p>\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><i> </i></span>','Eat FAT & Other Tips for The Best Postpartum Mental Health!','','inherit','open','open','','1826-revision-7','','','2013-05-31 12:08:57','2013-05-31 17:08:57','',1826,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1826-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1835,1,'2013-05-31 15:22:25','2013-05-31 20:22:25','&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_1836\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"100\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy-Med.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1836\" alt=\"Eat Well for Optimal Postpartum Mental Health Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy-Med-100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a> Eat for Optimal Postpartum Mental Health             Image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nThe postpartum period is challenging for mothers of new babies.  It’s a time ruled by sleep deprivation, new routines, constant feedings, and all the other not so magical things that come along with having a new baby in the household.  Add a postpartum mood disorder into that mix and things can go from challenging to almost unbearable in the blink of an eye.  Trust me, I know.  After the birth of my son in 2009 I was surprised to find myself suffering from PPMD and I have first hand experience with just how important it is to pay attention to your diet and lifestyle while trying to cope with poor postpartum mental health.\n\nThe tricky thing with PPMD is that there’s not just one cause for every woman, so it’s difficult to come up with one plan to prevent it, or support those going through it, that will work for everyone.  That being said, there is no doubt that there are hormonal imbalances that are wreaking havoc with mental health, compounded by lack of sleep, and all the other stressors of new motherhood.  Whether a woman chooses to go on medication or not (I was on Celexa for about a year), if she does not address nutritional imbalances, or food-based anxiety triggers she will not see the full benefit the treatment plan being given to her by her therapist.\n\nAs a holistic nutritionist I believe in the power of whole foods, supplements, and herbs to help keep the body and mind in balance.  These things, combined with exercise and other lifestyle choices can have a powerful effect on a person’s overall wellbeing.  Because everyone is different, the best way to decide what foods and supplements <em>you</em> need is to work with a knowledgeable practitioner.  There are, however, some basic guidelines that apply to almost everyone.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<b>1.    </b><b>Eat a whole foods based diet, emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and quality protein.  </b>This may seem simplistic, but when you’re tired, cranky, and hungry at the end of the day, the temptation to order a pizza for dinner, or choose other convenience foods might be overpowering.  The problem with foods like these is that they are nutritionally void, chock full of filler and preservatives, and loaded with poor quality fats and sodium.  If your diet is mainly comprised of foods like these not only will you be missing out on quality nutrients, but your body and mind will feel heavy, bloated, and slow.\n\n<b>2.    </b><b>Avoid caffeine (especially from coffee and black tea).  </b>I’m aware that this isn’t going to be a popular suggestion with the sleep deprived mommy set, but what if I told you that caffeine (specifically in the amounts found in coffee and black tea) has been shown to increase anxiety?  For a woman suffering from postpartum anxiety simply the act of reducing, or eliminating coffee consumption can lead to a dramatic reduction is feelings of anxiety.  As well, caffeine is a diuretic and can flush valuable water-soluble vitamins and minerals from the body, some of which are important to mood and energy.  If you do need a little caffeinated pick-me-up why not try a green tea?  In addition to providing some caffeine (though in far lesser amounts found in coffee or black tea), green tea is also high in something called L-Theanine which promotes a calm, alert state of mind.\n\n<b>3.    </b><b>Eat fat.  </b>Now there’s something that’s bound to be more popular!  The key is to eat <em>good quality fats</em>, like those found in nuts, seeds, and cold water fish.  Fried foods, chips, cookies, and other convenience foods are loaded with hydrogenated and trans fats which are of no use to the body.  Nuts, seeds and fish contain the essential fatty acids (EFAs) Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are vital to good health.  EFAs are “essential” because the body cannot make them, meaning we must obtain them from diet.  While EFAs are known for their anti-inflammatory action in the body, they’re also very important for cell membrane function.  At the risk of sounding too simplistic (there’s a lot of scientific explanation and research that goes along with all this) if you eat too much saturated, animal-based, or trans-fatty acids your cell membranes become less fluid.  The reason why this is so important is that without a healthy, fluid membrane, cells lose their ability to hold water, electrolytes, and vital nutrients.  Even more important, however, is that they lose their ability to communicate with other cells and be controlled by regulating hormones.  Yes, you read that correctly,<em> hormones</em>. So eat fat, just eat good fat.\n\n<b>4.    </b><b>Avoid the “white” stuff</b>.  There is no nutritional value to sugar and white flour.  There, I’ve said it.  People generally eat too much sugar, and it has such a grip on them that getting them to take a break, and not eat it for even a few days, results in symptoms similar to breaking an addiction.  There is nothing wrong with a treat once in awhile, but it should be limited to just that, a treat.  Eating too much white flour, and white sugar means that you’re missing out on the important nutrients found in whole grains, many of which contribute to energy and good mental health.  The trouble is, health washing of many foods has us convinced that they’re made of whole grains, when in fact, they’re just stripped down grain products with a certain amount of bran added back in.  Skip the processed stuff and just eat the real whole grain.\n\n<b>5.    </b><b>Take care of your gut.  </b>Keeping your digestive system and intestinal tract healthy is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.  It might surprise you to learn that the majority of the serotonin (a feel good neurotransmitter that is typically low in those suffering from depression and anxiety) the body produces actually comes from good bacteria in your intestines.  The same with B vitamins, which are key in energy and metabolism.  So, eat fermented foods like kefir, miso, sauerkraut, and kombucha, and take your probiotics.  Oh, and sugar feeds the bad bacteria in your gut.  Sorry…\n\nThere are definitely supplements and herbs that can be helpful as well (St. John’s Wort, 5-HTP, GABA, L-Theanine), but due to interactions with medications, as well as with breastfeeding, some of these supplements might be contraindicated so it’s important to consult with a knowledgeable practitioner before deciding if a supplement is right for your situation.\n\nThe last suggestion I would make is <i>get outside.  </i>Take your dog for a walk, push baby in a stroller, ask a friend to join you or go by yourself.  It doesn’t matter how you do it, just <i>do it.  </i>You’ll benefit from the endorphins you’ll get from the exercise and if you do it while the sun is shining you’ll get a hit of natural Vitamin D in the process.  Your brain will thank you.\n\n<i> </i>PPMD may make it feel like the world is closing in on you.  It may also suck the joy out of what should be a wonderful period of getting to know this new little person who you helped create.  There is help out there for you, you just have to ask.  In the meantime, eat to feel good.\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>Arja Lytle is a Holistic Nutritionist from Toronto, Canada.  She is also the mama of a happy 3.5 year old, and survivor of postpartum anxiety.  She uses her passion for hormone balancing and love of whole foods and nutrition to guide women towards feeling their best and living with vitality.  </i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>She can be found on Twitter, Facebook or blogging on her website Balance Body &amp; Soul Nutrition:</i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i> </i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Website:  <a href=\"http://www.balancebodyandsoul.com\"><i>www.balancebodyandsoul.com</i></a><i>\n</i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Facebook:  <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition\"><i>https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition</i></a><i></i></span></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Twitter:  <a href=\"https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul\"><i>https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul</i></a></span></p>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span></p>\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><i> </i></span>','Eat FAT & Other Tips for The Best Postpartum Mental Health!','','inherit','open','open','','1826-autosave','','','2013-05-31 15:22:25','2013-05-31 20:22:25','',1826,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1826-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1836,1,'2013-05-31 13:08:03','2013-05-31 18:08:03','','Eat Well for Optimal Postpartum Mental Health','Eat Well for Optimal Postpartum Mental Health Image: 123rf','inherit','open','open','','woman-eating-healthy-med','','','2013-05-31 13:08:03','2013-05-31 18:08:03','',1826,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy-Med.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1837,1,'2013-05-31 12:19:47','2013-05-31 17:19:47','[caption id=\"attachment_1828\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"100\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy-.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1828\" alt=\"Eat Well for Postpartum Health \" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy--100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a> Eating for Postpartum Mental Health               image: 123rf[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe postpartum period is challenging for mothers of new babies.  It’s a time ruled by sleep deprivation, new routines, constant feedings, and all the other not so magical things that come along with having a new baby in the household.  Add a postpartum mood disorder into that mix and things can go from challenging to almost unbearable in the blink of an eye.  Trust me, I know.  After the birth of my son in 2009 I was surprised to find myself suffering from PPMD and I have first hand experience with just how important it is to pay attention to your diet and lifestyle while trying to cope with poor postpartum mental health.\r\n\r\nThe tricky thing with PPMD is that there’s not just one cause for every woman, so it’s difficult to come up with one plan to prevent it, or support those going through it, that will work for everyone.  That being said, there is no doubt that there are hormonal imbalances that are wreaking havoc with mental health, compounded by lack of sleep, and all the other stressors of new motherhood.  Whether a woman chooses to go on medication or not (I was on Celexa for about a year), if she does not address nutritional imbalances, or food-based anxiety triggers she will not see the full benefit the treatment plan being given to her by her therapist.\r\n\r\nAs a holistic nutritionist I believe in the power of whole foods, supplements, and herbs to help keep the body and mind in balance.  These things, combined with exercise and other lifestyle choices can have a powerful effect on a person’s overall wellbeing.  Because everyone is different, the best way to decide what foods and supplements <i>you </i>need is to work with a knowledgeable practitioner.  There are, however, some basic guidelines that apply to almost everyone.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<b>1.    </b><b>Eat a whole foods based diet, emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and quality protein.  </b>This may seem simplistic, but when you’re tired, cranky, and hungry at the end of the day, the temptation to order a pizza for dinner, or choose other convenience foods might be overpowering.  The problem with foods like these is that they are nutritionally void, chock full of filler and preservatives, and loaded with poor quality fats and sodium.  If your diet is mainly comprised of foods like these not only will you be missing out on quality nutrients, but your body and mind will feel heavy, bloated, and slow.\r\n\r\n<b>2.    </b><b>Avoid caffeine (especially from coffee and black tea).  </b>I’m aware that this isn’t going to be a popular suggestion with the sleep deprived mommy set, but what if I told you that caffeine (specifically in the amounts found in coffee and black tea) has been shown to increase anxiety?  For a woman suffering from postpartum anxiety simply the act of reducing, or eliminating coffee consumption can lead to a dramatic reduction is feelings of anxiety.  As well, caffeine is a diuretic and can flush valuable water-soluble vitamins and minerals from the body, some of which are important to mood and energy.  If you do need a little caffeinated pick-me-up why not try a green tea?  In addition to providing some caffeine (though in far lesser amounts found in coffee or black tea), green tea is also high in something called L-Theanine which promotes a calm, alert state of mind.\r\n\r\n<b>3.    </b><b>Eat fat.  </b>Now there’s something that’s bound to be more popular!  The key is to eat <i>good quality fats</i>, like those found in nuts, seeds, and cold water fish.  Fried foods, chips, cookies, and other convenience foods are loaded with hydrogenated and trans fats which are of no use to the body.  Nuts, seeds and fish contain the essential fatty acids (EFAs) Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are vital to good health.  EFAs are “essential” because the body cannot make them, meaning we must obtain them from diet.  While EFAs are known for their anti-inflammatory action in the body, they’re also very important for cell membrane function.  At the risk of sounding too simplistic (there’s a lot of scientific explanation and research that goes along with all this) if you eat too much saturated, animal-based, or trans-fatty acids your cell membranes become less fluid.  The reason why this is so important is that without a healthy, fluid membrane, cells lose their ability to hold water, electrolytes, and vital nutrients.  Even more important, however, is that they lose their ability to communicate with other cells and be controlled by regulating hormones.  Yes, you read that correctly, <i>hormones.  </i>So eat fat, just eat good fat.\r\n\r\n<b>4.    </b><b>Avoid the “white” stuff</b>.  There is no nutritional value to sugar and white flour.  There, I’ve said it.  People generally eat too much sugar, and it has such a grip on them that getting them to take a break, and not eat it for even a few days, results in symptoms similar to breaking an addiction.  There is nothing wrong with a treat once in awhile, but it should be limited to just that, a treat.  Eating too much white flour, and white sugar means that you’re missing out on the important nutrients found in whole grains, many of which contribute to energy and good mental health.  The trouble is, health washing of many foods has us convinced that they’re made of whole grains, when in fact, they’re just stripped down grain products with a certain amount of bran added back in.  Skip the processed stuff and just eat the real whole grain.\r\n\r\n<b>5.    </b><b>Take care of your gut.  </b>Keeping your digestive system and intestinal tract healthy is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.  It might surprise you to learn that the majority of the serotonin (a feel good neurotransmitter that is typically low in those suffering from depression and anxiety) the body produces actually comes from good bacteria in your intestines.  The same with B vitamins, which are key in energy and metabolism.  So, eat fermented foods like kefir, miso, sauerkraut, and kombucha, and take your probiotics.  Oh, and sugar feeds the bad bacteria in your gut.  Sorry…\r\n\r\nThere are definitely supplements and herbs that can be helpful as well (St. John’s Wort, 5-HTP, GABA, L-Theanine), but due to interactions with medications, as well as with breastfeeding, some of these supplements might be contraindicated so it’s important to consult with a knowledgeable practitioner before deciding if a supplement is right for your situation.\r\n\r\nThe last suggestion I would make is <i>get outside.  </i>Take your dog for a walk, push baby in a stroller, ask a friend to join you or go by yourself.  It doesn’t matter how you do it, just <i>do it.  </i>You’ll benefit from the endorphins you’ll get from the exercise and if you do it while the sun is shining you’ll get a hit of natural Vitamin D in the process.  Your brain will thank you.\r\n\r\n<i> </i>PPMD may make it feel like the world is closing in on you.  It may also suck the joy out of what should be a wonderful period of getting to know this new little person who you helped create.  There is help out there for you, you just have to ask.  In the meantime, eat to feel good.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table border=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>Arja Lytle is a Holistic Nutritionist from Toronto, Canada.  She is also the mama of a happy 3.5 year old, and survivor of postpartum anxiety.  She uses her passion for hormone balancing and love of whole foods and nutrition to guide women towards feeling their best and living with vitality.  </i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>She can be found on Twitter, Facebook or blogging on her website Balance Body &amp; Soul Nutrition:</i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i> </i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Website:  <a href=\"http://www.balancebodyandsoul.com\"><i>www.balancebodyandsoul.com</i></a><i>\r\n</i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Facebook:  <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition\"><i>https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition</i></a><i></i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Twitter:  <a href=\"https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul\"><i>https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul</i></a></span></p>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span></p>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><i> </i></span>','Eat FAT & Other Tips for The Best Postpartum Mental Health!','','inherit','open','open','','1826-revision-8','','','2013-05-31 12:19:47','2013-05-31 17:19:47','',1826,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1826-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1860,1,'2013-06-16 16:43:40','2013-06-16 21:43:40','[caption id=\"attachment_1861\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/japan-health-minister-halts-hpv-vaccines-for-12-16-year-old-girls/vaccine-needle/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1861\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1861\" alt=\"Vaccine Syringe\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Vaccine-Needle-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> HPV Vaccine Halted in Japan among 12-16 year old girls image: 123rf[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may recall I blogged about <a title=\"Cervical Health Awareness Month\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/cervical-health-awareness-month/\" target=\"_blank\">cervical health back in January</a> - I\'d been doing research into the HPV vaccine because of the the decision I had to make about my own daughter receiving the vaccine.  Here\'s some very interesting new information coming out of Japan regarding the HPV vaccine.\r\n\r\nJapan\'s health ministry has issued a nation-wide notice to suspended recommending 12 - 16 year old girls receive the HPV vaccines, due to reported adverse reactions.  Apparently they are still giving the vaccine to those who want it but are not making the recommendation until more information about the reactions is known.\r\n\r\nRead the article from the Japan Times:\r\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Japan Halts Recommeding HPV Vaccine for 12-16 year olds\" href=\"http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/06/15/national/cervix-vaccine-issues-trigger-health-notice/#at_pco=cfd-1.0\" target=\"_blank\">Cervix vaccine issues trigger health notice</a></span></h1>\r\n&nbsp;','Japan Health Minister Halts HPV Vaccines for 12 - 16 year old girls','','publish','open','open','','japan-health-minister-halts-hpv-vaccines-for-12-16-year-old-girls','','','2013-06-16 16:43:41','2013-06-16 21:43:41','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1860',0,'post','',0),(1839,1,'2013-05-31 13:11:57','2013-05-31 18:11:57','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1836\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"100\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy-Med.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1836\" alt=\"Eat Well for Optimal Postpartum Mental Health Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy-Med-100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a> Eat for Optimal Postpartum Mental Health             Image: 123rf[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe postpartum period is challenging for mothers of new babies.  It’s a time ruled by sleep deprivation, new routines, constant feedings, and all the other not so magical things that come along with having a new baby in the household.  Add a postpartum mood disorder into that mix and things can go from challenging to almost unbearable in the blink of an eye.  Trust me, I know.  After the birth of my son in 2009 I was surprised to find myself suffering from PPMD and I have first hand experience with just how important it is to pay attention to your diet and lifestyle while trying to cope with poor postpartum mental health.\r\n\r\nThe tricky thing with PPMD is that there’s not just one cause for every woman, so it’s difficult to come up with one plan to prevent it, or support those going through it, that will work for everyone.  That being said, there is no doubt that there are hormonal imbalances that are wreaking havoc with mental health, compounded by lack of sleep, and all the other stressors of new motherhood.  Whether a woman chooses to go on medication or not (I was on Celexa for about a year), if she does not address nutritional imbalances, or food-based anxiety triggers she will not see the full benefit the treatment plan being given to her by her therapist.\r\n\r\nAs a holistic nutritionist I believe in the power of whole foods, supplements, and herbs to help keep the body and mind in balance.  These things, combined with exercise and other lifestyle choices can have a powerful effect on a person’s overall wellbeing.  Because everyone is different, the best way to decide what foods and supplements <i>you </i>need is to work with a knowledgeable practitioner.  There are, however, some basic guidelines that apply to almost everyone.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<b>1.    </b><b>Eat a whole foods based diet, emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and quality protein.  </b>This may seem simplistic, but when you’re tired, cranky, and hungry at the end of the day, the temptation to order a pizza for dinner, or choose other convenience foods might be overpowering.  The problem with foods like these is that they are nutritionally void, chock full of filler and preservatives, and loaded with poor quality fats and sodium.  If your diet is mainly comprised of foods like these not only will you be missing out on quality nutrients, but your body and mind will feel heavy, bloated, and slow.\r\n\r\n<b>2.    </b><b>Avoid caffeine (especially from coffee and black tea).  </b>I’m aware that this isn’t going to be a popular suggestion with the sleep deprived mommy set, but what if I told you that caffeine (specifically in the amounts found in coffee and black tea) has been shown to increase anxiety?  For a woman suffering from postpartum anxiety simply the act of reducing, or eliminating coffee consumption can lead to a dramatic reduction is feelings of anxiety.  As well, caffeine is a diuretic and can flush valuable water-soluble vitamins and minerals from the body, some of which are important to mood and energy.  If you do need a little caffeinated pick-me-up why not try a green tea?  In addition to providing some caffeine (though in far lesser amounts found in coffee or black tea), green tea is also high in something called L-Theanine which promotes a calm, alert state of mind.\r\n\r\n<b>3.    </b><b>Eat fat.  </b>Now there’s something that’s bound to be more popular!  The key is to eat <i>good quality fats</i>, like those found in nuts, seeds, and cold water fish.  Fried foods, chips, cookies, and other convenience foods are loaded with hydrogenated and trans fats which are of no use to the body.  Nuts, seeds and fish contain the essential fatty acids (EFAs) Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are vital to good health.  EFAs are “essential” because the body cannot make them, meaning we must obtain them from diet.  While EFAs are known for their anti-inflammatory action in the body, they’re also very important for cell membrane function.  At the risk of sounding too simplistic (there’s a lot of scientific explanation and research that goes along with all this) if you eat too much saturated, animal-based, or trans-fatty acids your cell membranes become less fluid.  The reason why this is so important is that without a healthy, fluid membrane, cells lose their ability to hold water, electrolytes, and vital nutrients.  Even more important, however, is that they lose their ability to communicate with other cells and be controlled by regulating hormones.  Yes, you read that correctly, <i>hormones.  </i>So eat fat, just eat good fat.\r\n\r\n<b>4.    </b><b>Avoid the “white” stuff</b>.  There is no nutritional value to sugar and white flour.  There, I’ve said it.  People generally eat too much sugar, and it has such a grip on them that getting them to take a break, and not eat it for even a few days, results in symptoms similar to breaking an addiction.  There is nothing wrong with a treat once in awhile, but it should be limited to just that, a treat.  Eating too much white flour, and white sugar means that you’re missing out on the important nutrients found in whole grains, many of which contribute to energy and good mental health.  The trouble is, health washing of many foods has us convinced that they’re made of whole grains, when in fact, they’re just stripped down grain products with a certain amount of bran added back in.  Skip the processed stuff and just eat the real whole grain.\r\n\r\n<b>5.    </b><b>Take care of your gut.  </b>Keeping your digestive system and intestinal tract healthy is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.  It might surprise you to learn that the majority of the serotonin (a feel good neurotransmitter that is typically low in those suffering from depression and anxiety) the body produces actually comes from good bacteria in your intestines.  The same with B vitamins, which are key in energy and metabolism.  So, eat fermented foods like kefir, miso, sauerkraut, and kombucha, and take your probiotics.  Oh, and sugar feeds the bad bacteria in your gut.  Sorry…\r\n\r\nThere are definitely supplements and herbs that can be helpful as well (St. John’s Wort, 5-HTP, GABA, L-Theanine), but due to interactions with medications, as well as with breastfeeding, some of these supplements might be contraindicated so it’s important to consult with a knowledgeable practitioner before deciding if a supplement is right for your situation.\r\n\r\nThe last suggestion I would make is <i>get outside.  </i>Take your dog for a walk, push baby in a stroller, ask a friend to join you or go by yourself.  It doesn’t matter how you do it, just <i>do it.  </i>You’ll benefit from the endorphins you’ll get from the exercise and if you do it while the sun is shining you’ll get a hit of natural Vitamin D in the process.  Your brain will thank you.\r\n\r\n<i> </i>PPMD may make it feel like the world is closing in on you.  It may also suck the joy out of what should be a wonderful period of getting to know this new little person who you helped create.  There is help out there for you, you just have to ask.  In the meantime, eat to feel good.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table border=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>Arja Lytle is a Holistic Nutritionist from Toronto, Canada.  She is also the mama of a happy 3.5 year old, and survivor of postpartum anxiety.  She uses her passion for hormone balancing and love of whole foods and nutrition to guide women towards feeling their best and living with vitality.  </i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>She can be found on Twitter, Facebook or blogging on her website Balance Body &amp; Soul Nutrition:</i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i> </i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Website:  <a href=\"http://www.balancebodyandsoul.com\"><i>www.balancebodyandsoul.com</i></a><i>\r\n</i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Facebook:  <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition\"><i>https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition</i></a><i></i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Twitter:  <a href=\"https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul\"><i>https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul</i></a></span></p>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span></p>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><i> </i></span>','Eat FAT & Other Tips for The Best Postpartum Mental Health!','','inherit','open','open','','1826-revision-9','','','2013-05-31 13:11:57','2013-05-31 18:11:57','',1826,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1826-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(1840,1,'2013-05-31 15:19:07','2013-05-31 20:19:07','&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_1836\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"100\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy-Med.jpg\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1836\" alt=\"Eat Well for Optimal Postpartum Mental Health Image: 123rf\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Woman-Eating-Healthy-Med-100x150.jpg\" width=\"100\" height=\"150\" /></a> Eat for Optimal Postpartum Mental Health             Image: 123rf[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe postpartum period is challenging for mothers of new babies.  It’s a time ruled by sleep deprivation, new routines, constant feedings, and all the other not so magical things that come along with having a new baby in the household.  Add a postpartum mood disorder into that mix and things can go from challenging to almost unbearable in the blink of an eye.  Trust me, I know.  After the birth of my son in 2009 I was surprised to find myself suffering from PPMD and I have first hand experience with just how important it is to pay attention to your diet and lifestyle while trying to cope with poor postpartum mental health.\r\n\r\nThe tricky thing with PPMD is that there’s not just one cause for every woman, so it’s difficult to come up with one plan to prevent it, or support those going through it, that will work for everyone.  That being said, there is no doubt that there are hormonal imbalances that are wreaking havoc with mental health, compounded by lack of sleep, and all the other stressors of new motherhood.  Whether a woman chooses to go on medication or not (I was on Celexa for about a year), if she does not address nutritional imbalances, or food-based anxiety triggers she will not see the full benefit the treatment plan being given to her by her therapist.\r\n\r\nAs a holistic nutritionist I believe in the power of whole foods, supplements, and herbs to help keep the body and mind in balance.  These things, combined with exercise and other lifestyle choices can have a powerful effect on a person’s overall wellbeing.  Because everyone is different, the best way to decide what foods and supplements <i>you </i>need is to work with a knowledgeable practitioner.  There are, however, some basic guidelines that apply to almost everyone.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<b>1.    </b><b>Eat a whole foods based diet, emphasizing fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and quality protein.  </b>This may seem simplistic, but when you’re tired, cranky, and hungry at the end of the day, the temptation to order a pizza for dinner, or choose other convenience foods might be overpowering.  The problem with foods like these is that they are nutritionally void, chock full of filler and preservatives, and loaded with poor quality fats and sodium.  If your diet is mainly comprised of foods like these not only will you be missing out on quality nutrients, but your body and mind will feel heavy, bloated, and slow.\r\n\r\n<b>2.    </b><b>Avoid caffeine (especially from coffee and black tea).  </b>I’m aware that this isn’t going to be a popular suggestion with the sleep deprived mommy set, but what if I told you that caffeine (specifically in the amounts found in coffee and black tea) has been shown to increase anxiety?  For a woman suffering from postpartum anxiety simply the act of reducing, or eliminating coffee consumption can lead to a dramatic reduction is feelings of anxiety.  As well, caffeine is a diuretic and can flush valuable water-soluble vitamins and minerals from the body, some of which are important to mood and energy.  If you do need a little caffeinated pick-me-up why not try a green tea?  In addition to providing some caffeine (though in far lesser amounts found in coffee or black tea), green tea is also high in something called L-Theanine which promotes a calm, alert state of mind.\r\n\r\n<b>3.    </b><b>Eat fat.  </b>Now there’s something that’s bound to be more popular!  The key is to eat <i>good quality fats</i>, like those found in nuts, seeds, and cold water fish.  Fried foods, chips, cookies, and other convenience foods are loaded with hydrogenated and trans fats which are of no use to the body.  Nuts, seeds and fish contain the essential fatty acids (EFAs) Omega-3 and Omega-6, which are vital to good health.  EFAs are “essential” because the body cannot make them, meaning we must obtain them from diet.  While EFAs are known for their anti-inflammatory action in the body, they’re also very important for cell membrane function.  At the risk of sounding too simplistic (there’s a lot of scientific explanation and research that goes along with all this) if you eat too much saturated, animal-based, or trans-fatty acids your cell membranes become less fluid.  The reason why this is so important is that without a healthy, fluid membrane, cells lose their ability to hold water, electrolytes, and vital nutrients.  Even more important, however, is that they lose their ability to communicate with other cells and be controlled by regulating hormones.  Yes, you read that correctly, <i>hormones.  </i>So eat fat, just eat good fat.\r\n\r\n<b>4.    </b><b>Avoid the “white” stuff</b>.  There is no nutritional value to sugar and white flour.  There, I’ve said it.  People generally eat too much sugar, and it has such a grip on them that getting them to take a break, and not eat it for even a few days, results in symptoms similar to breaking an addiction.  There is nothing wrong with a treat once in awhile, but it should be limited to just that, a treat.  Eating too much white flour, and white sugar means that you’re missing out on the important nutrients found in whole grains, many of which contribute to energy and good mental health.  The trouble is, health washing of many foods has us convinced that they’re made of whole grains, when in fact, they’re just stripped down grain products with a certain amount of bran added back in.  Skip the processed stuff and just eat the real whole grain.\r\n\r\n<b>5.    </b><b>Take care of your gut.  </b>Keeping your digestive system and intestinal tract healthy is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.  It might surprise you to learn that the majority of the serotonin (a feel good neurotransmitter that is typically low in those suffering from depression and anxiety) the body produces actually comes from good bacteria in your intestines.  The same with B vitamins, which are key in energy and metabolism.  So, eat fermented foods like kefir, miso, sauerkraut, and kombucha, and take your probiotics.  Oh, and sugar feeds the bad bacteria in your gut.  Sorry…\r\n\r\nThere are definitely supplements and herbs that can be helpful as well (St. John’s Wort, 5-HTP, GABA, L-Theanine), but due to interactions with medications, as well as with breastfeeding, some of these supplements might be contraindicated so it’s important to consult with a knowledgeable practitioner before deciding if a supplement is right for your situation.\r\n\r\nThe last suggestion I would make is <i>get outside.  </i>Take your dog for a walk, push baby in a stroller, ask a friend to join you or go by yourself.  It doesn’t matter how you do it, just <i>do it.  </i>You’ll benefit from the endorphins you’ll get from the exercise and if you do it while the sun is shining you’ll get a hit of natural Vitamin D in the process.  Your brain will thank you.\r\n\r\n<i> </i>PPMD may make it feel like the world is closing in on you.  It may also suck the joy out of what should be a wonderful period of getting to know this new little person who you helped create.  There is help out there for you, you just have to ask.  In the meantime, eat to feel good.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table border=\"0\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>Arja Lytle is a Holistic Nutritionist from Toronto, Canada.  She is also the mama of a happy 3.5 year old, and survivor of postpartum anxiety.  She uses her passion for hormone balancing and love of whole foods and nutrition to guide women towards feeling their best and living with vitality.  </i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i>She can be found on Twitter, Facebook or blogging on her website Balance Body &amp; Soul Nutrition:</i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\"><i> </i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Website:  <a href=\"http://www.balancebodyandsoul.com\"><i>www.balancebodyandsoul.com</i></a><i>\r\n</i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Facebook:  <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition\"><i>https://www.facebook.com/BalanceBodySoulNutrition</i></a><i></i></span></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: medium; font-family: helvetica;\">Twitter:  <a href=\"https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul\"><i>https://twitter.com/BalanceBodySoul</i></a></span></p>\r\n</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span></p>\r\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><b> </b></span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;\"><i> </i></span>','Eat FAT & Other Tips for The Best Postpartum Mental Health!','','inherit','open','open','','1826-revision-10','','','2013-05-31 15:19:07','2013-05-31 20:19:07','',1826,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1826-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(1841,1,'2013-06-05 09:08:29','2013-06-05 14:08:29','I went for a thyroid ultrasound this week just to check the status of my thyroid.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 4 or 5 years ago.  I find it strange that I don\'t really remember when but it was such a non-event in a way.  Back then I didn\'t understand much about hypothyroidism and my doctor was pretty non-chalant about it all.  I remember him telling me my thyroid tests came back and that I needed to take thyroid hormone. I\'ve learned a lot since then and have come to realize how important it is to treat that beautiful little butterfly shaped gland with plenty of TLC - tender loving care!\n\nI\'ve never had a thyroid ultrasound before and decided it was time to ask for one.  So I spoke with my doctor about it and she agreed I should get it checked out.  I am waiting for the official results but the ultrasound technician said she didn\'t see any nodules but that she could tell I had hypothyroidism.  I had known that the ultrasound could show things like an enlarged thyroid and nodules or masses, etc. but hadn\'t realized that hypothyroidism is apparent due to the size and texture of the thyroid which shows up on the ultrasound.  I knew that had to find out more about ultrasound and thyroid and here\'s some of what I found:\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><em>\"Ultrasound is not <strong>generally required for the diagnosis of diffuse thyroid diseases</strong>; however, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is primarily a subclinical disease and <strong>ultrasound can detect this subset of patients before they come to clinical attention</strong>, when typical ultrasound findings are present. In addition, <strong>ultrasound has a role in excluding focal thyroid disease and in assessing the size of the thyroid</strong>.\"<sup>\n</sup></em>\n\n<em>\"All patients should undergo an evaluation of the cervical lymph nodes as part of a routine thyroid ultrasound. Enlarged but morphologically normalappearing cervical lymph nodes are common in patients with AITD (particularly Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and can even be the first clue of this diagnosis\"</em>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n\n<em> </em>\n\nIt\'s still important to check your neck and you can learn to do it yourself\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Click the link below for the simple instruction sheet on how to check your own neck in the mirror:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Neck Check \" href=\"http://thyroidawareness.com/sites/all/files/AACEneck_LR.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Thyroid Neck Check by www.ThyroidAwareness.com</a></p>\n<em>References:  Sholosh, B. &amp; Borhani, A., (2011). </em>Thyroid Ultrasound Part 1: Technique and <em id=\"__mceDel\"><em id=\"__mceDel\">Diffuse Disease,  </em></em><em id=\"__mceDel\">Radiologic Clinics of North America, 49, 391–416.</em>','Thyroid Ultrasound Shows Hypothyroidism','','inherit','open','open','','1782-revision-6','','','2013-06-05 09:08:29','2013-06-05 14:08:29','',1782,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1782-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(1842,1,'2013-06-05 09:19:27','2013-06-05 14:19:27','','Thyroid Ultrasound','Thyroid Ultrasound  image: 123rf','inherit','open','open','','thyroid-ultrasound-hs','','','2013-06-05 09:19:27','2013-06-05 14:19:27','',1782,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/thyroid-ultrasound-HS.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1843,1,'2013-06-05 09:20:37','2013-06-05 14:20:37','[caption id=\"attachment_1842\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/?attachment_id=1842\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1842\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1842\" alt=\"Thyroid Ultrasound\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/thyroid-ultrasound-HS-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Thyroid Ultrasound image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nI went for a thyroid ultrasound this week just to check the status of my thyroid.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 4 or 5 years ago.  I find it strange that I don\'t really remember when but it was such a non-event in a way.  Back then I didn\'t understand much about hypothyroidism and my doctor was pretty non-chalant about it all.  I remember him telling me my thyroid tests came back and that I needed to take thyroid hormone. I\'ve learned a lot since then and have come to realize how important it is to treat that beautiful little butterfly shaped gland with plenty of TLC - tender loving care!\n\nI\'ve never had a thyroid ultrasound before and decided it was time to ask for one.  So I spoke with my doctor about it and she agreed I should get it checked out.  I am waiting for the official results but the ultrasound technician said she didn\'t see any nodules but that she could tell I had hypothyroidism.  I had known that the ultrasound could show things like an enlarged thyroid and nodules or masses, etc. but hadn\'t realized that hypothyroidism is apparent due to the size and texture of the thyroid which shows up on the ultrasound.  I knew that had to find out more about ultrasound and thyroid and here\'s some of what I found:\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em>\"Ultrasound is not <strong>generally required for the diagnosis of diffuse thyroid diseases</strong>; however, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is primarily a subclinical disease and <strong>ultrasound can detect this subset of patients before they come to clinical attention</strong>, when typical ultrasound findings are present. In addition, <strong>ultrasound has a role in excluding focal thyroid disease and in assessing the size of the thyroid</strong>.\"<sup>\n</sup></em></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"> <em>\"All patients should undergo an evaluation of the cervical lymph nodes as part of a routine thyroid ultrasound. Enlarged but morphologically normalappearing cervical lymph nodes are common in patients with AITD (particularly Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and can even be the first clue of this diagnosis\"</em></span>\n\n<em>Sholosh, B. &amp; Borhani, A., (2011). </em>Thyroid Ultrasound Part 1: Technique and <em id=\"__mceDel\"><em id=\"__mceDel\">Diffuse Disease,  </em></em><em id=\"__mceDel\">Radiologic Clinics of North America, 49, 391–416.</em></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n\n<em> </em>\n\nIt\'s still important to check your neck and you can learn to do it yourself\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Click the link below for the simple instruction sheet on how to check your own neck in the mirror:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Neck Check \" href=\"http://thyroidawareness.com/sites/all/files/AACEneck_LR.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Thyroid Neck Check by www.ThyroidAwareness.com</a></p>\n<em> </em>','Thyroid Ultrasound Shows Hypothyroidism','','inherit','open','open','','1782-revision-7','','','2013-06-05 09:20:37','2013-06-05 14:20:37','',1782,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1782-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(1844,1,'2013-06-05 09:24:15','2013-06-05 14:24:15','[caption id=\"attachment_1842\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/?attachment_id=1842\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1842\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1842\" alt=\"Thyroid Ultrasound\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/thyroid-ultrasound-HS-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Thyroid Ultrasound          image: 123rf<span style=\"font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;\"></span>[/caption]\n\nI went for a thyroid ultrasound this week just to check the status of my thyroid.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 4 or 5 years ago.  I find it strange that I don\'t really remember when but it was such a non-event in a way.  Back then I didn\'t understand much about hypothyroidism and my doctor was pretty non-chalant about it all.  I remember him telling me my thyroid tests came back and that I needed to take thyroid hormone. At the time I didn\'t have a clue what TSH or T4 or T3 was, let alone what a thyroid nodule or Hashimotos was.  I\'ve learned a lot since then including that I wasn\'t alone - most women I speak with have no idea!  Even many who have been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder!  Since that day, I have come to realize how important it is to treat that beautiful little butterfly shaped gland with plenty of TLC - tender loving care - even if you don\'t have thyroid disease!\n\nI\'ve never had a thyroid ultrasound before and decided it was time to ask for one.  So I spoke with my doctor about it and she agreed I should get it checked out.  I am waiting for the official results but the ultrasound technician said she didn\'t see any nodules but that she could tell I had hypothyroidism.  I had known that the ultrasound could show things like an enlarged thyroid and nodules or masses, etc. but hadn\'t realized that hypothyroidism is apparent due to the size and texture of the thyroid which shows up on the ultrasound.  I knew that had to find out more about ultrasound and thyroid and here\'s some of what I found:\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em>\"Ultrasound is not <strong>generally required for the diagnosis of diffuse thyroid diseases</strong>; however, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is primarily a subclinical disease and <strong>ultrasound can detect this subset of patients before they come to clinical attention</strong>, when typical ultrasound findings are present. In addition, <strong>ultrasound has a role in excluding focal thyroid disease and in assessing the size of the thyroid</strong>.\"<sup>\n</sup></em></span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> <em>\"All patients should undergo an evaluation of the cervical lymph nodes as part of a routine thyroid ultrasound. Enlarged but morphologically normalappearing cervical lymph nodes are common in patients with AITD (particularly Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and can even be the first clue of this diagnosis\"</em></span>\n\n<em>Sholosh, B. &amp; Borhani, A., (2011). </em>Thyroid Ultrasound Part 1: Technique and <em id=\"__mceDel\"><em id=\"__mceDel\">Diffuse Disease,  </em></em><em id=\"__mceDel\">Radiologic Clinics of North America, 49, 391–416.</em></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n\n<em> </em>\n\nIt\'s still important to check your neck and you can learn to do it yourself\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Click the link below for the simple instruction sheet on how to check your own neck in the mirror:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Neck Check \" href=\"http://thyroidawareness.com/sites/all/files/AACEneck_LR.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Thyroid Neck Check by www.ThyroidAwareness.com</a></p>\n<em> </em>','Thyroid Ultrasound Shows Hypothyroidism','','inherit','open','open','','1782-revision-8','','','2013-06-05 09:24:15','2013-06-05 14:24:15','',1782,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1782-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(1845,1,'2013-06-05 09:32:36','2013-06-05 14:32:36','[caption id=\"attachment_1842\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/?attachment_id=1842\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1842\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1842\" alt=\"Thyroid Ultrasound\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/thyroid-ultrasound-HS-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Thyroid Ultrasound          image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nI went for a thyroid ultrasound this week just to check the status of my thyroid.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 4 or 5 years ago.  I find it strange that I don\'t really remember when but it was such a non-event in a way.  Back then I didn\'t understand much about hypothyroidism and my doctor was pretty non-chalant about it all.  I remember him telling me my thyroid tests came back and that I needed to take thyroid hormone. At the time I didn\'t have a clue what TSH or T4 or T3 was, let alone what a thyroid nodule or Hashimotos was.  I\'ve learned a lot since then including that I wasn\'t alone - most women I speak with have no idea!  Even many who have been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder!  Since that day, I have come to realize how important it is to treat that beautiful little butterfly shaped gland with plenty of TLC - tender loving care - even if you don\'t have thyroid disease!\n\nI\'ve never had a thyroid ultrasound before and decided it was time to ask for one.  So I spoke with my doctor about it and she agreed I should get it checked out.  I am waiting for the official results but the ultrasound technician said she didn\'t see any nodules but that she could tell I had hypothyroidism.  I had known that the ultrasound could show things like an enlarged thyroid and nodules or masses, etc. but hadn\'t realized that hypothyroidism is apparent due to the size and texture of the thyroid which shows up on the ultrasound.  I knew that had to find out more about ultrasound and thyroid and here\'s some of what I found:\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em>\"Ultrasound is not <strong>generally required for the diagnosis of diffuse thyroid diseases</strong>; however, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is primarily a subclinical disease and <strong>ultrasound can detect this subset of patients before they come to clinical attention</strong>, when typical ultrasound findings are present. In addition, <strong>ultrasound has a role in excluding focal thyroid disease and in assessing the size of the thyroid</strong>.\"<sup>\n</sup></em></span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> <em>\"All patients should undergo an evaluation of the cervical lymph nodes as part of a routine thyroid ultrasound. Enlarged but morphologically normalappearing cervical lymph nodes are common in patients with AITD (particularly Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and can even be the first clue of this diagnosis\"</em></span><em>Sholosh, B. &amp; Borhani, A., (2011). </em>Thyroid Ultrasound Part 1: Technique and <em id=\"__mceDel\">Diffuse Disease,  </em><em id=\"__mceDel\">Radiologic Clinics of North America, 49, 391–416.</em></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<table border=\"0\"><caption>Nodules</caption>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Under 1 cm</td>\n<td>94% are missed by palpitating</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Between 1 - 2 cm</td>\n<td>50% are missed by palpitating</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Over 2 cm</td>\n<td>42% are missed by palpitating</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n\nNodules:\n\n<em id=\"__mceDel\">Under 1 cm  = 94% of nodules are missed by palpitating</em>\n\nBetween 1 - 2 cm +\n\n50% of nodules\n\n<em> </em>\n\nIt\'s still important to check your neck and you can learn to do it yourself\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Click the link below for the simple instruction sheet on how to check your own neck in the mirror:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Neck Check \" href=\"http://thyroidawareness.com/sites/all/files/AACEneck_LR.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Thyroid Neck Check by www.ThyroidAwareness.com</a></p>\n<em> </em>','Thyroid Ultrasound Shows Hypothyroidism','','inherit','open','open','','1782-revision-9','','','2013-06-05 09:32:36','2013-06-05 14:32:36','',1782,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1782-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(1848,1,'2013-06-05 09:35:39','2013-06-05 14:35:39','[caption id=\"attachment_1842\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/?attachment_id=1842\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1842\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1842\" alt=\"Thyroid Ultrasound\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/thyroid-ultrasound-HS-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Thyroid Ultrasound          image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nI went for a thyroid ultrasound this week just to check the status of my thyroid.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 4 or 5 years ago.  I find it strange that I don\'t really remember when but it was such a non-event in a way.  Back then I didn\'t understand much about hypothyroidism and my doctor was pretty non-chalant about it all.  I remember him telling me my thyroid tests came back and that I needed to take thyroid hormone. At the time I didn\'t have a clue what TSH or T4 or T3 was, let alone what a thyroid nodule or Hashimotos was.  I\'ve learned a lot since then including that I wasn\'t alone - most women I speak with have no idea!  Even many who have been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder!  Since that day, I have come to realize how important it is to treat that beautiful little butterfly shaped gland with plenty of TLC - tender loving care - even if you don\'t have thyroid disease!\n\nI\'ve never had a thyroid ultrasound before and decided it was time to ask for one.  So I spoke with my doctor about it and she agreed I should get it checked out.  I am waiting for the official results but the ultrasound technician said she didn\'t see any nodules but that she could tell I had hypothyroidism.  I had known that the ultrasound could show things like an enlarged thyroid and nodules or masses, etc. but hadn\'t realized that hypothyroidism is apparent due to the size and texture of the thyroid which shows up on the ultrasound.  I knew that had to find out more about ultrasound and thyroid and here\'s some of what I found:\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em>\"Ultrasound is not <strong>generally required for the diagnosis of diffuse thyroid diseases</strong>; however, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is primarily a subclinical disease and <strong>ultrasound can detect this subset of patients before they come to clinical attention</strong>, when typical ultrasound findings are present. In addition, <strong>ultrasound has a role in excluding focal thyroid disease and in assessing the size of the thyroid</strong>.\"</em></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em><sup>\n</sup></em></span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em>\"All patients should undergo an evaluation of the cervical lymph nodes as part of a routine thyroid ultrasound. Enlarged but morphologically normalappearing cervical lymph nodes are common in patients with AITD (particularly Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and can even be the first clue of this diagnosis\"</em></span>\n\n<em>Sholosh, B. &amp; Borhani, A., (2011). </em>Thyroid Ultrasound Part 1: Technique and <em id=\"__mceDel\">Diffuse Disease,  </em><em id=\"__mceDel\">Radiologic Clinics of North America, 49, 391–416.</em></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Thyroid Ultrasound Shows Hypothyroidism','','inherit','open','open','','1782-revision-10','','','2013-06-05 09:35:39','2013-06-05 14:35:39','',1782,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1782-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(1846,1,'2013-06-05 09:42:48','0000-00-00 00:00:00','&nbsp;\r\n<table border=\"0\"><caption>Nodules</caption>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Under 1 cm</td>\r\n<td>94% are missed by palpitating</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Between 1 - 2 cm</td>\r\n<td>50% are missed by palpitating</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Over 2 cm</td>\r\n<td>42% are missed by palpitating</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nSome Interesting statistics:\r\n\r\nOther studies have shown that thyroid nodules are found in\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<table border=\"0\"><caption>Prevalence</caption>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Palpitation</td>\r\n<td>4 - 8% of general population</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Ultrasound</td>\r\n<td>19 - 67%</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>Autopsy</td>\r\n<td>50%</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\n<em>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3017873/</em>\r\n\r\n<em> </em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">It\'s still important to check your neck and you can learn to do it yourself</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Click the link below for the simple instruction sheet on how to check your own neck in the mirror:</p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Neck Check \" href=\"http://thyroidawareness.com/sites/all/files/AACEneck_LR.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Thyroid Neck Check by www.ThyroidAwareness.com</a></p>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em> </em></p>','Thyroid Neck Check!','','draft','open','open','','thyroid-neck-check','','','2013-06-05 09:42:48','2013-06-05 14:42:48','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1846',0,'post','',0),(1847,1,'2013-06-05 09:33:53','2013-06-05 14:33:53','','Thyroid Neck Check!','','inherit','open','open','','1846-revision','','','2013-06-05 09:33:53','2013-06-05 14:33:53','',1846,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1846-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1849,1,'2013-06-05 09:42:17','2013-06-05 14:42:17','&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\"><caption>Nodules</caption>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Under 1 cm</td>\n<td>94% are missed by palpitating</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Between 1 - 2 cm</td>\n<td>50% are missed by palpitating</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Over 2 cm</td>\n<td>42% are missed by palpitating</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n\nSome Interesting statistics:\n\nOther studies have shown that thyroid nodules are found in\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\"><caption> </caption>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Palpitation</td>\n<td>4 - 8% of general population</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ultrasound</td>\n<td>19 - 67%</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Autopsy</td>\n<td>50%</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<em>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3017873/</em>\n\n<em> </em>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">It\'s still important to check your neck and you can learn to do it yourself</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Click the link below for the simple instruction sheet on how to check your own neck in the mirror:</p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a title=\"Neck Check \" href=\"http://thyroidawareness.com/sites/all/files/AACEneck_LR.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Thyroid Neck Check by www.ThyroidAwareness.com</a></p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em> </em></p>','Thyroid Neck Check!','','inherit','open','open','','1846-revision-2','','','2013-06-05 09:42:17','2013-06-05 14:42:17','',1846,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1846-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1851,1,'2013-06-05 12:47:25','2013-06-05 17:47:25','[caption id=\"attachment_1842\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/?attachment_id=1842\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1842\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1842\" alt=\"Thyroid Ultrasound\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/thyroid-ultrasound-HS-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Thyroid Ultrasound          image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nI went for a thyroid ultrasound this week to check the status of my thyroid.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 4 or 5 years ago.  I find it strange that I don\'t really remember when but it was such a non-event in a way.  Back then I didn\'t understand much about hypothyroidism and my doctor was pretty non-chalant about it all.  I remember him telling me my thyroid tests came back and that I needed to take thyroid hormone. At the time I didn\'t have a clue what TSH or T4 or T3 was, let alone what a thyroid nodule or Hashimotos was.  I\'ve learned a lot since then, including that I wasn\'t alone.  Most women who tell me their doctor says that their \"thyroid tests are normal\" have no idea what that even means or which test(s) they\'ve had done.   Even many women who have been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder don\'t always understand what\'s going on with their thyroid.  Since that day, I have come to realize how important it is to treat that beautiful little butterfly shaped gland with plenty of TLC - tender loving care - even if you don\'t have thyroid disease!\n\nI\'ve never had a thyroid ultrasound before and decided it was time to ask for one.  So I spoke with my doctor about it and she agreed I should get it checked out.  I am waiting for the official results but the ultrasound technician said she didn\'t see any nodules but that she could tell I had hypothyroidism.  I had known that the ultrasound could show things like an enlarged thyroid and nodules or masses, etc. but hadn\'t realized that hypothyroidism is often visible due to the size and texture of the thyroid which shows up on the ultrasound. I knew that had to find out more about ultrasound and thyroid and here\'s some of what I found:\n<h3>USE of THYROID ULTRASOUND IN EUROPE DIFFERS FROM IN NORTH AMERICA</h3>\nIn North America the gold standard for thyroid testing is the TSH test alone.  Many women I speak to from North America have to educate themselves, visit their primary care physician several times and insist upon getting tests other than just TSH. The guidelines surrounding thyroid disorder in North America are rigid compared the other countries around the world. In the Czech Republic, for example, a thyroid ultrasound is part of the initial diagnosis process of primary care physicians.  In addition to the ultrasound it is standard for a Czech doctor to check TSH, free T4 and thyroid antibodies to complete the initial thyroid picture.\n\nAnd while The American Thyroid Association recommends only complicated hypothyroid patients be referred to an endocrinologist, in Europe, once a patient has been diagnosed they are very often referred to an endocrinologist who will help them manage their thyroid disorder for their lifespan.\n\nIn North America, radiologists read our thyroid ultrasounds - send them to the doctor and we wait until we have our next appointment to get the results.  In much of Europe a patient\'s thyroid ultrasound will be performed by the endocrinologist in his/her office.  (I had a Canadian OB/GYN once who had his own ultrasound device and did his own ultrasounds in his office and let me just say it was the cat\'s meow!)\n\n<em id=\"__mceDel\"><em id=\"__mceDel\"> </em></em>\n\nHere\'s an American Reference to the Use\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em>\"Ultrasound is not <strong>generally required for the diagnosis of diffuse thyroid diseases</strong>; however, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is primarily a subclinical disease and <strong>ultrasound can detect this subset of patients before they come to clinical attention</strong>, when typical ultrasound findings are present. In addition, <strong>ultrasound has a role in excluding focal thyroid disease and in assessing the size of the thyroid</strong>.\"</em></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em><sup>\n</sup></em></span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em>\"All patients should undergo an evaluation of the cervical lymph nodes as part of a routine thyroid ultrasound. Enlarged but morphologically normalappearing cervical lymph nodes are common in patients with AITD (particularly Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and can even be the first clue of this diagnosis\"</em></span>\n\n<em>Sholosh, B. &amp; Borhani, A., (2011). </em>Thyroid Ultrasound Part 1: Technique and <em id=\"__mceDel\">Diffuse Disease,  </em><em id=\"__mceDel\">Radiologic Clinics of North America, 49, 391–416.</em></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;','Thyroid Ultrasound Shows Hypothyroidism','','inherit','open','open','','1782-revision-11','','','2013-06-05 12:47:25','2013-06-05 17:47:25','',1782,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1782-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(1852,1,'2013-06-05 13:36:23','2013-06-05 18:36:23','[caption id=\"attachment_1842\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/?attachment_id=1842\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1842\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1842\" alt=\"Thyroid Ultrasound\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/thyroid-ultrasound-HS-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Thyroid Ultrasound          image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nI went for a thyroid ultrasound this week to check the status of my thyroid.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 4 or 5 years ago.  I find it strange that I don\'t really remember when but it was such a non-event in a way.  Back then I didn\'t understand much about hypothyroidism and my doctor was pretty non-chalant about it all.  I remember him telling me my thyroid tests came back and that I needed to take thyroid hormone. At the time I didn\'t have a clue what TSH or T4 or T3 was, let alone what a thyroid nodule or Hashimotos was.  I\'ve learned a lot since then, including that I wasn\'t alone.  Most women who tell me their doctor says that their \"thyroid tests are normal\" have no idea what that even means or which test(s) they\'ve had done.   Even many women who have been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder don\'t always understand what\'s going on with their thyroid.  Since that day, I have come to realize how important it is to treat that beautiful little butterfly shaped gland with plenty of TLC - tender loving care - even if you don\'t have thyroid disease!\n\nI\'ve never had a thyroid ultrasound before and decided it was time to ask for one.  So I spoke with my doctor about it and she agreed I should get it checked out.  I am waiting for the official results but the ultrasound technician said she didn\'t see any nodules but that she could tell I had hypothyroidism.  I had known that the ultrasound could show things like an enlarged thyroid and nodules or masses, etc. but hadn\'t realized that hypothyroidism is often visible due to the size and texture of the thyroid which shows up on the ultrasound. I knew that had to find out more about ultrasound and thyroid and here\'s some of what I found:\n<h3>USE of THYROID ULTRASOUND IN EUROPE DIFFERS FROM IN NORTH AMERICA</h3>\nIn North America the gold standard for thyroid testing is the TSH test alone.  Many women I speak to from North America (and the UK actually) have to educate themselves, visit their primary care physician several times and insist upon getting tests other than just TSH and even then they struggle to find answers unless they are a \"textbook case\" (whatever that is in thyroid disorder!?). The guidelines surrounding thyroid disorder in North America are rigid compared the other countries around the world.  Did you know, that in the Czech Republic, for example, a thyroid ultrasound is part of the initial diagnosis process of primary care physicians?!  In addition to the ultrasound it is standard for a Czech doctor to check TSH, free T4 and thyroid antibodies to complete the initial thyroid picture.\n\nAnd while The American Thyroid Association recommends only complicated hypothyroid patients be referred to an endocrinologist, in Europe, once a patient has been diagnosed they are very often referred to an endocrinologist who will help them manage their thyroid disorder for their lifespan.\n\nIn North America, radiologists read our thyroid ultrasounds - send them to the doctor and we wait until we have our next appointment to get the results.  In much of Europe a patient\'s thyroid ultrasound will be performed by the endocrinologist in his/her office.  And let me tell you, I once saw a Canadian OB/GYN who had his own ultrasound device and did his own prenatal ultrasounds in his office and let me just say it was the cat\'s meow!\n\nRead on and you\'ll get a glimpse into the difference in thinking about thyroid disorders in North America vs Europe:\n\n&nbsp;\n\nHere\'s some American references to the Use of Thyroid Ultrasounds (from 2011):\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em>\"Ultrasound is not <strong>generally required for the diagnosis of diffuse thyroid diseases</strong>; however, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is primarily a subclinical disease and <strong>ultrasound can detect this subset of patients before they come to clinical attention</strong>, when typical ultrasound findings are present. In addition, <strong>ultrasound has a role in excluding focal thyroid disease and in assessing the size of the thyroid</strong>.\"</em></span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em><sup>\n</sup></em></span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em>\"All patients should undergo an evaluation of the cervical lymph nodes as part of a routine thyroid ultrasound. Enlarged but morphologically normalappearing cervical lymph nodes are common in patients with AITD (particularly Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and can even be the first clue of this diagnosis\"</em></span>\n\n<em>Sholosh, B. &amp; Borhani, A., (2011). </em>Thyroid Ultrasound Part 1: Technique and Diffuse Disease,  Radiologic Clinics of North America, 49, 391–416.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The New York Times Health Guide on Hypothyroidism (reviewed by Harvard MD\'s) has this to say:</span></strong>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><i>Ultrasound.</i> Ultrasound has limited value, but it can visualize the thyroid and specific abnormalities, such as nodules. (It cannot measure the thyroid gland\'s function, however.)</span>\n\nhttp://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/hypothyroidism/diagnosis.html\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n\nHere\'s a reference from the Czech Republic on the use of Thyroid Ultrasounds (from 2013):\n\n&nbsp;\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\"Thyroid ultrasound is <strong>crucial in the differential diagnosis of hypothyroidism,</strong> particularly if thyroid antibodies are negative.  It allows us to determine whether the thyroid is present and<span style=\"color: #2c2b2b; line-height: 18px;\"> to visualise the parenchyma*.\" </span></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><span style=\"color: #2c2b2b; line-height: 18px;\">*Parenchyma: the functional elements of an organ.</span></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\">\"Thyroid ultrasound is an <strong>optimal initial imaging method in the evaluation of thyroid disorders</strong> thanks to it\'s noninvasivity, availability and no radiation load.  <strong>It is widely used not only in the management of thyroid nodules, but also in the diagnostic workup of thyroid dysfunction.</strong>  In a hypothyroid patient, the thyroid ultrasound may lead to cost savings: if a typical autoimmune pattern is present on thyroid ultrasound, the meansurement of antithyroid antibodies is not necessary for the diagnosis of Hashimoto\'s thyroiditis.  Moreover, the ultrasound image contributes to the decision process whether to treat patients with positive antithyroid antibodies who are euthyroid* or have only a mild subclinical hypothyroidism.  Thyroid ultrasound in this setting is especially valuable in case of women who wish to conceive or are pregnant.  In our opinion,<strong> thyroid ultrasound should be performed in all patients with thyroid dysfunction and, in case of young women and pregnant women, also in those who are euthryoid but are positive for antithyroid antibodies.</strong>  Moreover, we believe that if we, the treating endocrinologists, perform thyroid ultrasound by ourselves, we may improve the care of our patients.\"</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">*Euthyroid: normal thyroid function</span>\n\n<em id=\"__mceDel\">Jan Kratky, Jan Jiskra and Eliska Potlukova (2013). The Role of Ultrasound in the Differential Diagnosis of Hypothyroidism, Current Topics in Hypothyroidism with Focus on Development, Dr. Eliska Potlukova (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-51-0970-9, InTech, DOI: 10.5772/54678. Available from: http://www.intechopen.com/books/current-topics-in-hypothyroidism-with-focus-on-development/the-role-of-ultrasound-in-the-differential-diagnosis-of-hypothyroidism</em></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>','Thyroid Ultrasound Shows Hypothyroidism plus more...','','inherit','open','open','','1782-revision-12','','','2013-06-05 13:36:23','2013-06-05 18:36:23','',1782,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1782-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(1853,1,'2013-06-05 13:39:46','2013-06-05 18:39:46','[caption id=\"attachment_1842\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/?attachment_id=1842\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1842\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1842\" alt=\"Thyroid Ultrasound\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/thyroid-ultrasound-HS-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> Thyroid Ultrasound          image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nI went for a thyroid ultrasound this week to check the status of my thyroid.  I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 4 or 5 years ago.  I find it strange that I don\'t really remember when but it was such a non-event in a way.  Back then I didn\'t understand much about hypothyroidism and my doctor was pretty non-chalant about it all.  I remember him telling me my thyroid tests came back and that I needed to take thyroid hormone. At the time I didn\'t have a clue what TSH or T4 or T3 was, let alone what a thyroid nodule or Hashimotos was.  I\'ve learned a lot since then, including that I wasn\'t alone.  Most women who tell me their doctor says that their \"thyroid tests are normal\" have no idea what that even means or which test(s) they\'ve had done.   Even many women who have been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder don\'t always understand what\'s going on with their thyroid.  Since that day, I have come to realize how important it is to treat that beautiful little butterfly shaped gland with plenty of TLC - tender loving care - even if you don\'t have thyroid disease!\n\nI\'ve never had a thyroid ultrasound before and decided it was time to ask for one.  So I spoke with my doctor about it and she agreed I should get it checked out.  I am waiting for the official results but the ultrasound technician said she didn\'t see any nodules but that she could tell I had hypothyroidism.  I had known that the ultrasound could show things like an enlarged thyroid and nodules or masses, etc. but hadn\'t realized that hypothyroidism is often visible due to the size and texture of the thyroid which shows up on the ultrasound. I knew that had to find out more about ultrasound and thyroid and here\'s some of what I found:\n<h3>USE of THYROID ULTRASOUND DIFFERS AROUND THE WORLD:</h3>\nIn North America the gold standard for thyroid testing is the TSH test alone.  Many women I speak to from North America (and the UK actually) have to educate themselves, visit their primary care physician several times and insist upon getting tests other than just TSH and even then they struggle to find answers unless they are a \"textbook case\" (whatever that is in thyroid disorder!?). The guidelines surrounding thyroid disorder in North America are rigid compared the other countries around the world.  Did you know, that in the Czech Republic, for example, a thyroid ultrasound is part of the initial diagnosis process of primary care physicians?!  In addition to the ultrasound it is standard for a Czech doctor to check TSH, free T4 and thyroid antibodies to complete the initial thyroid picture.\n\nAnd while The American Thyroid Association recommends only complicated hypothyroid patients be referred to an endocrinologist, in Europe, once a patient has been diagnosed they are very often referred to an endocrinologist who will help them manage their thyroid disorder for their lifespan.\n\nIn North America, radiologists read our thyroid ultrasounds - send them to the doctor and we wait until we have our next appointment to get the results.  In much of Europe a patient\'s thyroid ultrasound will be performed by the endocrinologist in his/her office.  And let me tell you, I once saw a Canadian OB/GYN who had his own ultrasound device and did his own prenatal ultrasounds in his office and let me just say it was the cat\'s meow!\n\nRead on and you\'ll get a glimpse into the difference in thinking about thyroid disorders in North America vs Europe:\n\n&nbsp;\n\nHere\'s some American references to the Use of Thyroid Ultrasounds (from 2011):\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em>\"Ultrasound is not <strong>generally required for the diagnosis of diffuse thyroid diseases</strong>; however, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is primarily a subclinical disease and <strong>ultrasound can detect this subset of patients before they come to clinical attention</strong>, when typical ultrasound findings are present. In addition, <strong>ultrasound has a role in excluding focal thyroid disease and in assessing the size of the thyroid</strong>.\"</em></span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em><sup>\n</sup></em></span><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><em>\"All patients should undergo an evaluation of the cervical lymph nodes as part of a routine thyroid ultrasound. Enlarged but morphologically normalappearing cervical lymph nodes are common in patients with AITD (particularly Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and can even be the first clue of this diagnosis\"</em></span><em>Sholosh, B. &amp; Borhani, A., (2011). </em>Thyroid Ultrasound Part 1: Technique and Diffuse Disease,  Radiologic Clinics of North America, 49, 391–416.\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The New York Times Health Guide on Hypothyroidism (reviewed by Harvard MD\'s) has this to say:</span></strong>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\"><i>Ultrasound.</i> Ultrasound has limited value, but it can visualize the thyroid and specific abnormalities, such as nodules. (It cannot measure the thyroid gland\'s function, however.)</span>\n\nhttp://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/hypothyroidism/diagnosis.html\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n&nbsp;\n\nHere\'s a reference from the Czech Republic on the use of Thyroid Ultrasounds (from 2013):\n<table border=\"0\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\"Thyroid ultrasound is <strong>crucial in the differential diagnosis of hypothyroidism,</strong> particularly if thyroid antibodies are negative.  It allows us to determine whether the thyroid is present and<span style=\"color: #2c2b2b; line-height: 18px;\"> to visualise the parenchyma*.\" </span></span><span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><span style=\"color: #2c2b2b; line-height: 18px;\">*Parenchyma: the functional elements of an organ.</span></span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: small;\">\"Thyroid ultrasound is an <strong>optimal initial imaging method in the evaluation of thyroid disorders</strong> thanks to it\'s noninvasivity, availability and no radiation load.  <strong>It is widely used not only in the management of thyroid nodules, but also in the diagnostic workup of thyroid dysfunction.</strong>  In a hypothyroid patient, the thyroid ultrasound may lead to cost savings: if a typical autoimmune pattern is present on thyroid ultrasound, the meansurement of antithyroid antibodies is not necessary for the diagnosis of Hashimoto\'s thyroiditis.  Moreover, the ultrasound image contributes to the decision process whether to treat patients with positive antithyroid antibodies who are euthyroid* or have only a mild subclinical hypothyroidism.  Thyroid ultrasound in this setting is especially valuable in case of women who wish to conceive or are pregnant.  In our opinion,<strong> thyroid ultrasound should be performed in all patients with thyroid dysfunction and, in case of young women and pregnant women, also in those who are euthryoid but are positive for antithyroid antibodies.</strong>  Moreover, we believe that if we, the treating endocrinologists, perform thyroid ultrasound by ourselves, we may improve the care of our patients.\"</span>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small;\">*Euthyroid: normal thyroid function</span>\n\n<em id=\"__mceDel\">Jan Kratky, Jan Jiskra and Eliska Potlukova (2013). The Role of Ultrasound in the Differential Diagnosis of Hypothyroidism, Current Topics in Hypothyroidism with Focus on Development, Dr. Eliska Potlukova (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-51-0970-9, InTech, DOI: 10.5772/54678. Available from: http://www.intechopen.com/books/current-topics-in-hypothyroidism-with-focus-on-development/the-role-of-ultrasound-in-the-differential-diagnosis-of-hypothyroidism</em></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>','Thyroid Ultrasound Shows Hypothyroidism plus more...','','inherit','open','open','','1782-revision-13','','','2013-06-05 13:39:46','2013-06-05 18:39:46','',1782,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1782-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(1869,1,'2013-06-27 22:49:32','0000-00-00 00:00:00','Bringing awareness to women\'s hormone and reproductive health issues has always been the aim of Hormone Soup and now the blog goes to Hollywood to film a TV Trailer!  The time has come for this crucial area of women\'s health to be brought to the forefront.  Stay tuned to watch as I take the blog to Hollywood\n\n&nbsp;','Hormone Soup is going to Hollywood! ','','draft','open','open','','hormone-soup-is-going-to-hollywood','','','2013-06-27 22:49:32','2013-06-28 03:49:32','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1869',0,'post','',0),(1870,1,'2013-06-27 22:47:50','2013-06-28 03:47:50','Bringing awareness to women\'s hormone and reproductive health issues has always been the aim of Hormone Soup and now the blog goes to Hollywood to film a TV Trailer!  The time has come for this  to be brought to the forefront.','Hormone Soup is going to Hollywood! ','','inherit','open','open','','1869-revision','','','2013-06-27 22:47:50','2013-06-28 03:47:50','',1869,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1869-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1861,1,'2013-06-16 14:40:35','2013-06-16 19:40:35','','Vaccine Syringe','Vaccine Syringe','inherit','open','open','','vaccine-needle','','','2013-06-16 14:40:35','2013-06-16 19:40:35','',1860,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Vaccine-Needle.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1862,1,'2013-06-16 14:42:16','2013-06-16 19:42:16','[caption id=\"attachment_1861\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/?attachment_id=1861\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1861\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1861\" alt=\"Vaccine Syringe\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Vaccine-Needle-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> HPV Vaccine Halted in Japan among 12-16 year old girls image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nYou may recall I blogged about <a title=\"Cervical Health Awareness Month\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/cervical-health-awareness-month/\" target=\"_blank\">cervical health back in January</a> - I\'d been doing research into the HPV vaccine because of the the decision I had to make about my own daughter receiving the vaccine.  Here\'s some very interesting new information coming out of Japan regarding the HPV vaccine.\n\nJapan\'s health ministry has issued a nation-wide notice to suspended recommending 12 - 16 year old girls receive the HPV vaccines, citing a limited number of reported adverse reactions.  Apparently they are still giving the vaccine to those who want it but are not making the recommendation until more information about the reactions is known.\n\nRead the article from the Japan Times:\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Japan Halts Recommeding HPV Vaccine for 12-16 year olds\" href=\"http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/06/15/national/cervix-vaccine-issues-trigger-health-notice/#at_pco=cfd-1.0\" target=\"_blank\">Cervix vaccine issues trigger health notice</a></span></h1>\n&nbsp;','Japan Health Minister Halts HPV Vaccines for 12 - 16 year old girls','','inherit','open','open','','1860-revision','','','2013-06-16 14:42:16','2013-06-16 19:42:16','',1860,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1860-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(1863,1,'2013-06-16 14:45:56','2013-06-16 19:45:56','[caption id=\"attachment_1861\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/?attachment_id=1861\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1861\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1861\" alt=\"Vaccine Syringe\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Vaccine-Needle-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> HPV Vaccine Halted in Japan among 12-16 year old girls image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nYou may recall I blogged about <a title=\"Cervical Health Awareness Month\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/cervical-health-awareness-month/\" target=\"_blank\">cervical health back in January</a> - I\'d been doing research into the HPV vaccine because of the the decision I had to make about my own daughter receiving the vaccine.  Here\'s some very interesting new information coming out of Japan regarding the HPV vaccine.\n\nJapan\'s health ministry has issued a nation-wide notice to suspended recommending 12 - 16 year old girls receive the HPV vaccines, due to reported adverse reactions.  Apparently they are still giving the vaccine to those who want it but are not making the recommendation until more information about the reactions is known.\n\nRead the article from the Japan Times:\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Japan Halts Recommeding HPV Vaccine for 12-16 year olds\" href=\"http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/06/15/national/cervix-vaccine-issues-trigger-health-notice/#at_pco=cfd-1.0\" target=\"_blank\">Cervix vaccine issues trigger health notice</a></span></h1>\n&nbsp;','Japan Health Minister Halts HPV Vaccines for 12 - 16 year old girls','','inherit','open','open','','1860-revision-2','','','2013-06-16 14:45:56','2013-06-16 19:45:56','',1860,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1860-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(1864,1,'2013-06-16 16:43:40','2013-06-16 21:43:40','[caption id=\"attachment_1861\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/?attachment_id=1861\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1861\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1861\" alt=\"Vaccine Syringe\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Vaccine-Needle-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> HPV Vaccine Halted in Japan among 12-16 year old girls image: 123rf[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may recall I blogged about <a title=\"Cervical Health Awareness Month\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/cervical-health-awareness-month/\" target=\"_blank\">cervical health back in January</a> - I\'d been doing research into the HPV vaccine because of the the decision I had to make about my own daughter receiving the vaccine.  Here\'s some very interesting new information coming out of Japan regarding the HPV vaccine.\r\n\r\nJapan\'s health ministry has issued a nation-wide notice to suspended recommending 12 - 16 year old girls receive the HPV vaccines, due to reported adverse reactions.  Apparently they are still giving the vaccine to those who want it but are not making the recommendation until more information about the reactions is known.\r\n\r\nRead the article from the Japan Times:\r\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Japan Halts Recommeding HPV Vaccine for 12-16 year olds\" href=\"http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/06/15/national/cervix-vaccine-issues-trigger-health-notice/#at_pco=cfd-1.0\" target=\"_blank\">Cervix vaccine issues trigger health notice</a></span></h1>\r\n&nbsp;','Japan Health Minister Halts HPV Vaccines for 12 - 16 year old girls','','inherit','open','open','','1860-revision-3','','','2013-06-16 16:43:40','2013-06-16 21:43:40','',1860,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1860-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(1865,1,'2013-06-16 16:45:10','2013-06-16 21:45:10','[caption id=\"attachment_1861\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"150\"]<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/japan-health-minister-halts-hpv-vaccines-for-12-16-year-old-girls/vaccine-needle/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1861\"><img class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1861\" alt=\"Vaccine Syringe\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Vaccine-Needle-150x100.jpg\" width=\"150\" height=\"100\" /></a> HPV Vaccine Halted in Japan among 12-16 year old girls image: 123rf[/caption]\n\nYou may recall I blogged about <a title=\"Cervical Health Awareness Month\" href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/cervical-health-awareness-month/\" target=\"_blank\">cervical health back in January</a> - I\'d been doing research into the HPV vaccine because of the the decision I had to make about my own daughter receiving the vaccine.  Here\'s some very interesting new information coming out of Japan regarding the HPV vaccine.\n\nJapan\'s health ministry has issued a nation-wide notice to suspended recommending 12 - 16 year old girls receive the HPV vaccines, due to reported adverse reactions.  Apparently they are still giving the vaccine to those who want it but are not making the recommendation until more information about the reactions is known.\n\nRead the article from the Japan Times:\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><a title=\"Japan Halts Recommeding HPV Vaccine for 12-16 year olds\" href=\"http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/06/15/national/cervix-vaccine-issues-trigger-health-notice/#at_pco=cfd-1.0\" target=\"_blank\">Cervix vaccine issues trigger health notice</a></span></h1>\n&nbsp;','Japan Health Minister Halts HPV Vaccines for 12 - 16 year old girls','','inherit','open','open','','1860-autosave','','','2013-06-16 16:45:10','2013-06-16 21:45:10','',1860,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/1860-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(1879,1,'2013-07-05 11:55:04','2013-07-05 16:55:04','<a href=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/the-creation-of-hormone-soup-tv/filming-of-hormone-soup-tv/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-1881\"><img class=\"alignright  wp-image-1881\" alt=\"Filming of Hormone Soup TV\" src=\"http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Filming-of-Hormone-Soup-TV-150x75.png\" width=\"250\" height=\"125\" /></a>My goal for Hormone Soup has always been to create more awareness about women\'s hormone health issues.  I started blogging because I thought that by sharing my story women who were going through similar things might not feel so alone like I did.  I thought that by sharing some of the research I had done over about 15 years other women might find their way to their own answers quicker and with less suffering than I did.  The response I\'ve received from other women worldwide has been overwhelmingly positive!   But also the response I\'ve received from incredible professionals - doctors, nurses, naturopaths, pharmacists, midwives, nutritionists, lab professionals to name a few - has also been incredibly positive and validating for me!   This experience has touched my life in many more ways than I could have ever imagined.\r\n\r\nImagine my excitement at being able to create a TV show based on my blog and all of the things that I feel so passionate about in helping women.  The creation of Hormone Soup TV is an incredible experience for me and it has many people very excited.  My mind is exploding with ideas for episodes and ways that I can use this incredible platform to raise even more awareness!  Sharing stories is a powerful way to do that and is my favorite part of the show.  Being able to listen and see other women who have endured the same kinds of things that you are going through is powerful stuff.  But to top it all off - having an expert in a field of women\'s health to share his or her expertise on the topic is like icing on the cake for me!   To have a doctor listen to you and rather than negate your symptoms actually discuss what\'s going on in your body is such a validating feeling and one that we all deserve!\r\n\r\nStay tuned and I\'ll share more behind the scenes photos from Hollywood of the shooting of Hormone Soup TV!','The Creation of Hormone Soup TV! ','','publish','open','open','','the-creation-of-hormone-soup-tv','','','2013-07-05 11:55:05','2013-07-05 16:55:05','',0,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/?p=1879',0,'post','',0),(1880,1,'2013-07-05 11:05:40','2013-07-05 16:05:40','','The Making of Hormone Soup TV','The Making of Hormone Soup TV','inherit','open','open','','img_00000142','','','2013-07-05 11:05:40','2013-07-05 16:05:40','',1879,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/IMG_00000142.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(1881,1,'2013-07-05 11:28:42','2013-07-05 16:28:42','','Filming of Hormone Soup TV','The Making of Hormone Soup TV','inherit','open','open','','filming-of-hormone-soup-tv','','','2013-07-05 11:28:42','2013-07-05 16:28:42','',1879,'http://www.hormonesoup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Filming-of-Hormone-Soup-TV.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0);
