[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @LAK we’ll need more info to help you determine what may be going on with your cycle changes, and whether Vitex might be contributing. I would also encourage you to make time to fill out your Profile information – this is a new feature we’ve added recently so our members don’t have to repeat basic information every time they post a question. You have the choice to make it public or private so only practitioners can see. You can edit the info fields by clicking on your Profile icon, then clicking Profile>Edit.

Please answer the following:

1. What’s your age?

2. What’s your average cycle length before June 2024? Regular 28-day cycle?

3. When did the cycle changes begin – were they shorter, longer, irregular?

4. How many days is your cycle now (from the first day of bleeding to the next first day)?

5. How is your bleeding now, and has the flow changed (heavier, lighter, more spotting)?

6. Are you spotting between periods?

7. Have you had any skipped periods in the last year?

8. When exactly did you start taking Chaste tree (start date, and also what day in your cycle)?

9. What’s the dose of Chaste tree you’re taking?

10. Taking any other supplements, herbs or medications (including hormonal contraceptives)?

11. Have you done any recent hormone testing that you can share – like thyroid, progesterone or estrogen?

12. Any recent stress, illness, major travel, or weight changes?

Once we have this info, we can give you a clearer picture of whether the Vitex is likely contributing or if there might be something else to look into.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @healthyliving99 “mom brain” is actually a very real thing and I can totally relate – been there, done that 4 times!

In fact, according to Dr. Lisa Mosconi – a popular neuroscientist looking at women’s brains and author of “The Menopause Brain”, she actually touches on this biologically driven phenomenon which she calls “momnesia”.

During pregnancy and postpartum, dramatic shifts in estrogen and progesterone reshape regions of the brain tied to memory, focus, and emotional regulation. These changes are adaptive and meant to enhance a mother’s ability to care for her child by boosting empathy, vigilance, and bonding. At the same time, they can lead to temporary brain fog, forgetfulness, and mental fatigue. So while these symptoms can feel troubling, know that they are normal and reflect the brain’s plasticity as it adjusts to motherhood. You can listen to her here talking about the 3 P’s in a woman’s life and how similar they are in terms of the changes that happen in the brain during these 3 phases of a woman’s life (puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause). Hopefully this gives you permission to treat yourself with more compassion and understanding during this phase.

With that said, there are definitely other ways to support brain health during this phase of sleepless nights:

1. Stabilize blood sugar levels. Ensure each meal has “VPF” – vegetables, proteins & fats, first and foremost. The starchy carbs like rice, potatoes, etc, will find you – you don’t have to go looking for them. Minimize simple carbs like flour and sugar. Instead choose whole fruits to satisfy cravings. Pair them with healthy fats/protein like nuts or yogurt to reduce spikes of blood sugar.

2. Consider things to calm your nervous system like magnesium glycinate at night, l-theanine or lemon balm (as tea or supplement) to help you get deeper sleep when you do sleep.

3. In addition to your prenatal, consider adding an omega-3 supplement (with EPA and at least 500-1000mg DHA). This is critical for brain function, memory, mood, etc.

4. Choline is also something that is usually low postpartum and key for memory. It’s rich in egg yolks, liver or as a supplement (at least 450mg/day).

5. Sleep when the baby sleeps! I know this is hard and not always possible, but finding time to take quick naps during the day can make a huge difference in overall energy and cognitive function.

Hope this helps, and hang in there mama! It’s a right of passage for your brain to focus on more important matters – your baby!

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @DrYasminkottait – yes, summer is indeed here! You can find a list of non-toxic sunscreens on my Amazon page here with options for babies, kids, and adults. Hope it helps!

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @healthyliving99 – what a great question! I’m going to add more to your list, but just wanted to say that it takes 2 years for a baby’s gut lining to fully mature, so breastfeeding for 2 years is recommended. In addition to your list, here are other things that can help an infant’s gut health:

-Delaying solids until about 5-6 months (but it’s more about developmental readiness than hitting an exact age)

-Offering a variety of fiber-rich whole foods, as well as prebiotic-rich foods like green bananas, asparagus, artichokes, legumes/beans

-Offering tiny sips or spoon dips of fermented foods like sauerkraut juice and kefir which are super rich in probiotics

-Avoid processed baby foods and pouches. Stick to homemade whole foods if possible.

-Allow safe exposure to pets, dirt, and nature

-Safe outdoor exposure to sunshine (for natural vitamin D and circadian rhythm)

-Delay giving sugar and refined grains/flour

-Support your own gut health if still breastfeeding

-Check oral health for any lip or tongue ties which can impact feeding, breathing, and microbiome development. Seek out a dentist specializing in airway to check proper oral development (jaw, tongue posture)

-Avoid sanitizers and wipes with harsh chemicals, alcohol or fragrances

Hope this helps!

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@naslam1603 – so different labs use different testing methods, which can affect what shows up.

For example, Great Plains (now Mosaic) is generally more sensitive and picks up a broader range of mycotoxins. Realtime Labs uses ELISA or sometimes LC-MS/MS depending on the toxin, but their panel isn’t as comprehensive as Great Plains/Mosaic. So it’s not unusual to get conflicting results between the two because of the difference in testing methods.

But even with the most accurate test, if your body isn’t actively excreting the toxins at the time, they might not show up in urine at all. That doesn’t mean they’re not affecting you. It can also show different results based on what a person is actively doing to eliminate mycotoxins from their body (i.e. binders, sweating, antifungals, etc). There is also a 1 year+ difference between the tests, and unlike blood tests, mycotox tests aren’t meant to track trends.

I’m assuming from your persistent symptoms that you’re still being exposed to mold, so continuing to test right now isn’t going to be helpful and can honestly just waste your money.

What’s more important is getting out of the exposure first. Once you’re in a clean environment, then it makes sense to retest if needed to see what your body is still holding on to and how to best support detox from there.

Have you made any changes such as remediation and/or finding a new temporary living arrangement? As you’re probably experiencing, it becomes very difficult to heal if you’re still being exposed to mold. Please let us know how the community can support you with this.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @amira_s – thanks for sharing the report. It’s helpful. A few things were out of range so filtering is definitely needed.

• TDS is very high which will affect the taste of the water
• Hardness is also high which causes build-up and film, and can dry out hair/skin
• Sulphates, chlorides, and sodium are all above the limit value
• The good news is that there’s no E. coli or coliforms

So I would actually use a combination of RO and carbon filters/softeners to make it safe and drinkable.

Since a full-house RO system is quite expensive, you can consider a whole-house sediment filter to removes debris, followed by a carbon block and/or KDF filter to tackle chlorine, chemicals, heavy metals, and bacteria. Then you can add a salt-based water softener to remove the hardness.

For drinking, I’d use a reverse osmosis system right at the source to bring down TDS, sodium, and sulphates. I’d also choose a system that includes the option to remineralize the water after filtration.

If budget doesn’t allow for a whole-house RO and remineralization system, I’d stick with RO for drinking water only, and use softened filtered water for the rest of the house.

Hope this helps.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @toujan – I would highly recommend you listen to this session we had with the founder of the KBMO food sensitivity test. They are my preferred testing company since they not only look at IgG, but also the complements, which is very well explained. Your friend can create a free account to watch it as well.

You can also find ordering instructions here if interested in pursuing this type of food sensitivity testing. If she’s in the UAE, contact Eman Alattar from Analytikal Labs +971-55-166-2700.

And please keep in mind that there is no perfect food sensitivity test out there. The gold standard test is an elimination challenge followed by a food reintroduction. Although it takes more effort and time, your body provides direct answers that no test can compete with. You can find instructions on how to do that here.

Hope this helps.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@sheetalramchandani1 that’s more than just a small win! That’s huge! Congratulations!!! I’m sure a lot of time and effort was poured into this business, and I wish you so much success.

I absolutely love the name Nothing Wicked – very memorable and straight to the point. Well done

Please feel free to share links or attach a brochure so we can learn more.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@yasminatassi thank you for sharing. It seems like you’ve been under the care and guidance of a knowledgeable practitioner. I’m assuming the handwritten numbers on the OAT test were your “before” results, which would show great progress across the board. Given the genetic variants, methyl protect was and is a good idea to continue at the dosage recommended on the bottle since genetically speaking, there is a greater demand for B6, B9 and B12. This supports methylation and detoxification, which is also compromised genetically with the MTHFR & COMT mutation.

You mentioned that chelation was a failed attempt, but do you know if heavy metals are still a concern? Have you retested?

Given the high CRP and oxidative stress, antioxidants are definitely in order! Things like astaxanthin, glutathione, melatonin and PQQ all have incredible antioxidant effects to help neutralize free radicals.

And yes, if high stress is part of the picture, this very well can be a major source of oxidative stress! Nervous system regulation is a priority. As I mentioned previously, if the body is under stress, it will prioritize cortisol production, which leads to less resources for making progesterone. And progesterone is critical for sustaining pregnancy. The solution therefore is to reduce stress. Easier said than done, I know. But it’s important to help your body feel safe on a daily basis.

I would highly encourage you to watch the last session we had with Dr. G. Although the focus was on cancer, nervous system regulation is absolutely foundational. He also shares patient success stories around fertility when patients did emotional release sessions. You might want to consider his full body “emotional release” virtual course.

Along the same lines, consider downloading the Human Garage app (it’s pay what you can so you can get it for as little as $1), and doing the Fascial Maneuvers daily. It’s only 15 minutes. This method combines, movement, breathwork, and affirmations to reprogram the brain, and although it’s still new, I have found it to be very calming. This can help your body reset daily.

You can also consider downloading “The Breathing app” by Eddie Stern (it’s free), who was our guest as well. Or download the “Balance” app (first year trial is free). Deep breathing and meditation is underrated, but so powerful.

And of course, daily grounding and getting outside as often as possible. Nature heals & soothes the soul!

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@yasminatassi thank you for sharing – there are some very important clues in these lab results you shared.

First off, total cholesterol is very low (not clinically, but suboptimal low). We need cholesterol to make all of our sex hormones, so for fertility, this is critical. There are many reasons why a person’s cholesterol can be low (which you can learn more about here in our Blood Chem course). Oxidative stress is one of those reasons, and your oxidative stress marker was in fact clinically high, along with clinically high CRP – a marker of inflammation.

So there is definitely something taxing your system and creating inflammation which may have likely contributed to early pregnancy loss.

Here is a handout on some common sources of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can be created internally and also generated from external sources.

Internal sources can include:

• Normal cellular respiration (especially in high-energy organs like the brain and ovaries)

• Inflammation (even mild or chronic)

• Imbalanced blood sugar / insulin resistance

• Excess estrogen (without enough progesterone)

• Nutrient deficiencies (e.g., glutathione, selenium, zinc, CoQ10, vitamins C & E)

• Autoimmune conditions

• Chronic infections (bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic)

• Poor methylation or impaired detox pathways (like MTHFR mutations)

External sources include:

• Processed foods / seed oils (e.g., soybean, canola, corn oil)

• Pesticides, herbicides, and food additives

• Environmental toxins (mold, heavy metals, plastics, pollution, EMFs)

• Smoking and alcohol

• Medications (especially NSAIDs, antibiotics, chemo drugs)

• Excessive exercise (without recovery)

• Sleep deprivation

• Chronic stress

• Radiation exposure (phones, Wi-Fi, X-rays, air travel)

• Infections (e.g., UTIs, viral flares)

From the results you shared, although HbA1C was normal, it would be great to have a full blood sugar panel including fasting glucose, fasting insulin and HbA1C taken together.

Given the clinically low homocysteine, this might be due to nutritional deficiencies, a genetic methylation weakness, or a higher methylation need due to higher toxins for example. A full methylation panel would be recommended. Here’s a sample report of such a panel. Poor methylation can lead to miscarriage or implantation failure, as well as detoxification issues, including hormone & toxin detox. So it’s critical to see why this is low and find ways to support methylation. Are you over supplementing with vitamin B12/B9 by any chance?

In your GI map test result, calprotectin is also slightly creeping up, which means there is also some inflammation in the gut. Do you experience gut-related symptoms? Also, your commensal bacteria is overall low. Consuming fermented foods, more fiber/vegetables, and prebiotics like legumes and beans for example, can really help increase beneficial bacteria in the gut.

The next step is to really figure out where the oxidative stress is coming from. Given the toxic world we live in, I always have to ask about heavy metals and mold. You can always fill out our heavy metal assessment questionnaires from our heavy metal detox program to get a general subjective assessment, and/or consider getting a hair analysis to see if there is heavy metal accumulation. Same with mold, you can fill out these forms or get a MyctoTox test.

Finally, stress is very often at the root of many “dis-eases”. If this resonates with you, then please let me know so I can share some suggestions and solutions, because as I mentioned previously, in a stressed state, the body will favor cortisol production over reproduction to save our life.

I would still pursue the list of markers I initially recommended in my previous reply, in addition to exploring these other possible causes.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@Tatjana what’s the dosage of betaine per capsule? You can always try the “HCL Dosage Challenge” to determine the correct dose. Your dose will be 1 less than the dose that leads to a mild burning sensation. If you reach 7 capsules of 700mg and don’t feel anything, then you might need some pituitary support (gut-brain communication).

And yes you’re correct, bitters are much gentler than betaine, but since you were asking for non-pill support, this would be stronger than apple cider vinegar or lemon juice for example.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @Tatjana there is no conclusive evidence that glutamine increases the risk or growth of breast cysts. The concern is really only with cancer cells, and again it’s dependent on the type of cancer.

And yes, pill fatigue is real! That’s why I like to combine food therapy and tinctures to help ease the number of capsules. HCL and digestive enzymes for example can be replaced with digestive bitters. It’s not as strong, but can help stimulate all digestive secretions (stomach acid, bile and enzymes), and it’s a tincture or pump so it’s easy to take. You can also eat bitter foods. Here’s a handout with examples.

And yes, apple cider vinegar before meals can also help stimulate more acid production. I discuss these solutions and some brand suggestions in this lesson from the Gut Health Masterclass if you haven’t already watched it.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@amira_s Liquid of Life is my go-to company and they are actually working on a RO + remineralization solution which should hopefully be ready in a month. They’re running tests at the moment. They’ll let me know once it’s ready.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

Hi @Tatjana – thank you for sharing those articles. That was very interesting to read how they’re using glutamine in cancer treatment. The reason why there’s a question mark on glutamine however is because while it can help healthy cells recover and support the immune system, some cancers rely on it to grow. So in certain cases, it might actually fuel tumor growth and progression.

But if the question you’re asking is “does glutamine cause cancer?”, then no, it doesn’t cause cancer. It’s a natural amino acid your body needs for healing, immunity, and gut health. But in people who already have cancer, some aggressive tumors can use glutamine as fuel to grow. That’s why they reference using treatments to try and block glutamine from feeding cancer. At the same time, they also recognize how glutamine can help with chemo side effects. So with cancer, it really needs to be carefully considered depending on the type of cancer and treatment plan.

Unless there’s liver or kidney disease or MSG/glutamate sensitivity, there’s usually no issues using glutamine in a healthy individual. I do also caution those with anxiety or neurological symptoms because the excess glutamate once it’s converted may be stimulatory as it can cross the blood brain barrier and worsen symptoms.

[Bernadette_Abraham]

@LAK swimming is actually a way to help keep strength and mobility without impact, so unless otherwise stated by your doctor, this would actually be a beneficial activity.

As for bone meal powder, this product can be an option.

Love the addition of red light. Sounds like you’re really on top of it. As for NMES – I’m assuming this stands for Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation? If so, then yes this can also be a helpful therapy as well. And since you’re going to see Dr. Trebinjac, I would also get his opinion on everything you’re doing since this is his specialty as a sports injury doctor.