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Throughout the night cortisol levels rise in response to increased stress from darkness and dwindling food (glycogen) stored in the liverCortisol levels pick up upon waking and fall sharply thereafter.

Due to prolonged periods of darkness, in the winter cortisol levels rise slightly. Cortisol is suppressive in nature. It suppresses many healthy functions including mood. Therefore, higher cortisol levels are associated with heightened feelings of stress, depression and anxiety. In fact, cortisol levels are more predictive of mood than levels of serotonin hormone (the supposed “happy” hormone).

Elevated levels of cortisol also suppress immunity (one of the reasons we experience more colds and flu in the fall and winter), as well as other functions, including digestion, repair and regeneration of cells and more.

What can you do about winter time (or general) blues?

Try Rhoziva, a Canadian supplement consisting of a key plant known as Rhodiolarosea. Most users of Rhoziva notice an improvement within 1-6 days.  Rhodiola, a plant that grows in the subarctic, contains compounds that not only help the plant survive the harsh winter-time subarctic environment but also help humans. It lowers elevated cortisol, alleviates stress and anxiety and improves mood.  Our Canadian farmers work hard to ensure a high-quality medicinal plant and it gets harvested when it matures after five years of cultivation. Rhoziva is dependable and effective. Buy Now

Testimony Video!

Written by Dr. Elie Klein (Naturopathic Doctor)

Ask any woman of a certain age and she'll tell you that looking younger is at the top of her wish list. But when it comes to figuring out how to get ageless skin, well, most of us wouldn't know the answer if it was staring us in the face. Serums? Creams? Cleansers? What to use and how? This skincare-by- numbers regimen makes it easy to stop aging in its tracks.

Transitioning to menopause can be an emotional experience. You’re moving from one stage of your life to another, perhaps even struggling to get comfortable not only with what’s going on on the inside, but the outside too. Be kind to yourself and remember that what you experience is unique to you. Tune into your body and focus on what you need to do to feel well and put your best self forward.

What follows may help you better understand what changes to your appearance can come with menopause and what you can do about them.

Your Complexion During Menopause
While aging will naturally have an effect on the appearance of your skin, menopause can accelerate that process and create new issues you may have never had to deal with before. Here’s how your complexion might change:

• Sagging and Wrinkles The two components of skin that help keep it firm, smooth and plump—collagen and elastin—naturally diminish with age. However, declining estrogen levels can speed up that decline, causing sagging skin and the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles.
  Suggestion: Try a night cream that contains retinol, a derivative of Vitamin A that’s been shown to trigger new collagen production and gradually help smooth out fine lines and wrinkles.
• Dryness Blood capillaries under your skin’s surface work to bring oxygen and nutrients to the top, helping to strengthen the barrier function of the skin. Since estrogen partially controls their growth and maintenance, blood flow to the skin is often reduced during menopause, contributing to a thinning and increased water loss through the dermal layer. The result: chapped, flaky, scaly dry skin.
  Suggestion: Avoid long, steamy showers (which can dry out your skin even further) and use a facial moisturizer or oil with hydrating ingredients, such as shea butter, coconut or jojoba oil and hyaluronic acid.
• Acne It may feel unfair, but if you experienced acne during puberty, you’re likely to have a recurrence during perimenopause. This is due to the shift in the balance of estrogen and testosterone; breakouts are common on the chin and neck.
  Suggestion: Look for cleansers and spot treatments containing either salicylic acid (which helps unclog pores and keep them clear) or benzoyl peroxide (which helps dry up excess oil).
• Oily Skin Higher levels of testosterone may prompt sebaceous glands in the skin to secrete thicker sebum, causing an oilier appearance and even leading to acne, in some cases.
  Suggestion: Try a gentle cleanser, avoid over-washing and consider applying a clay mask to especially oily areas to help spot treat.
• Facial Hair The shift in the balance between androgen and estrogen levels can lead to excessive hair growth (called hirsutism)—particularly on the chin, upper lip and cheeks. You might experience growth of single, thick dark hairs on your chin or notice peach fuzz–like hair on your face.
  Suggestion: Tweezing, waxing, threading and other hair removal techniques can help you get rid of unwanted facial hair.

Thyroid Problems Revealed
Your thyroid is an endocrine gland, and the hormones that it produces, thyroxine and triiodothyronine, often referred to collectively as thyroid hormone, help control the pace of all of your physiological body functions. When the thyroid produces too little hormone, things in your body can slow down too much. When it produces too much thyroid hormone, some of your body systems go into overdrive.

Either situation—too much or too little thyroid hormone—hurts your health.

Too Much= Hyperthyroid 

When the thyroid produces too much thyroid hormone, it is overactive. The condition is called hyperthyroidism. With hyperthyroidism, all of your major body systems are in overdrive, which can result in a host of unpleasant symptoms, from anxiety to diarrhea. Untreated, an overactive thyroid can eventually lead to congestive heart failure and be fatal.

Too Little=Hypothyroid

When the thyroid produces too little thyroid hormone, it is underactive. The condition is called hypothyroidism. In this scenario, all of your major body systems function too slowly, resulting in symptoms ranging from weight gain to depression. Underactive Thyroid, when left untreated in extreme cases, can eventually lead to coma and even death.

Insomnia is a highly prevalent disorder that can lead to substantial impairments in quality of life and functional capacity. This condition occurs significantly more frequently in women than men. An important contributing factor is that insomnia can occur in association with hormonal changes that are unique to women, such as those of menopause or the late-luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Another consideration is that women are more likely to suffer from major depression and anxiety disorders, which are also associated with insomnia. The reasons are unclear as are the reasons why women are at increased risk of primary insomnia. These conditions are frequently encountered in clinical practice and present a challenge to the practitioner because there is a striking lack of research data to serve as a guide. For example, there are no published studies to indicate how to safely and effectively manage insomnia that often occurs late in pregnancy.