Pregnancy

Why You Should Detox Before Pregnancy

Preparing to get pregnant? Now’s the time to optimize your health As many of you know, I'm the mother of…

The Top 4 Postpartum Health Issues and How to

As a mother of three and functional medicine physician specializing in women’s health, I’ve become a fierce advocate for the…

My Story: How Pregnancy Struggles Helped Me R

My Story: How Pregnancy Struggles Helped Me Reclaim My Health Many of us practicing functional medicine have a personal health…

4 Evidence-Based Reasons I Advocate for Organ

Nutrition and Organic Food As a functional medicine physician, I've taken a special interest in nutrition. Beyond that, my experiences…

Cashew Cacao Shake

This rich, chocolaty shake is both satisfying and nourishing. It's full of magnesium, antioxidants, fiber and healthy fats. Cacao provides…

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Gestational diabetes? As if pregnancy isn't overwh

Gestational diabetes? As if pregnancy isn't overwhelming enough, some of us (including me!) have had to add gestational diabetes to our list of concerns!⁠
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There is lots of advice out there when it comes to gestational diabetes. Some helpful, some not so much. Let's go over some of the basic tips...
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1️⃣ Watch the fruit intake - Fruit is a healthy food full of phytonutrients, but it is high in natural sugars. Go for whole fruit, and opt for lower glycemic options like organic berries. Also, try to add some protein and healthy fats (like nuts). Avoid canned fruit, fruit juice, and dried fruit like raisins - those are sure to spike your blood sugar. And watch out for high sugar smoothies.⁠
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2️⃣ Strictly Limit Sweets & Desserts - No brainer here... Cakes, cookies, and candies etc have excessive amounts of refined and processed carbohydrates and offer very little in terms of nutrition. Additionally, avoid sodas and sugar-sweetened beverages.⁠
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3️⃣ Stay Away From Added Sugars - Stevia and Monk fruit in small amounts are a fine alternative for most people, but in general you’ll have to avoid sweeteners. Honey and pure maple are preferred to cane sugar and corn syrup, but can still spike blood sugar.
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4️⃣ Keep Food Records - By keeping a dietary journal, this will likely help you monitor your carbohydrate intake and keep you aware and accountable. For instance, you may realize how little protein and fat you are actually getting at each meal. You may also realize you're eating a whole lot more carbs than you thought.⁠
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5️⃣Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose - Don’t shy away from this one, it can be really empowering. Monitoring your blood sugar really allows you to have immediate feedback about portion size & how particular foods impact blood glucose levels.⁠ It taught me A TON about how my body responded to different foods.⁠
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My experiences during pregnancy are part of the reason why I co-founded @heymami.life. Hey Mami combines a wealth of resources for all stages of mamihood with a supportive community of women to help you along the way. If you haven't already, follow @heymami.life for all things preconception, pregnancy, postpartum, and mamihood.

I council most of my patients to cut back on (or e

I council most of my patients to cut back on (or eliminate) refined carbs, refined sugar and artificial sweeteners.⁠ Sugar is something I got really serious about when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes… Total surprise and zero traditional risk factors, and checking my blood sugar 3 to 4 times a day sure did teach me a lot about how I reacted to different foods.
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Sugars are ubiquitous in our food supply, and the massive intake of sugar in this country is linked to chronic disease.⁠ But just like drug addiction, sugar can cause a real “food addiction” in some people, making it hard to stop.⁠ This is related to actual neurochemical changes in the brain 🧠 [PMID 17617461]⁠
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The World Health Organization (WHO) published guidelines in 2015 recommending adults and children limit added sugars to no more than 25 grams (~6 teaspoons) a day.⁠ The American Heart Association has a similar statement.⁠
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What does that look like? Check your labels! Often you’ll find granola, muffins, yogurt, smoothies, coffee drinks etc are loaded with sugar... Like an entire days worth😬⁠
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I challenge you to count your sugar intake at home. It may be harder than you think!⁠ Have you been surprised by any labels?
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Need some further guidance on this? I've got a free guide to navigating sweeteners, available in my bio @drchristinemaren!

Did you catch my chat with Dr. Aimee the @eggwhisp

Did you catch my chat with Dr. Aimee the @eggwhisperer about thyroid and fertility? I've got a link in my bio for you to check out the podcast (or read the transcript)!⁠
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We chat preconception, hypothyroidism, medication, nutrition, thyroid levels, thyroid labs, and a whole lot more! Check out the episode in my bio @drchristinemaren!⁠
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What else do you want to know about thyroid and fertility? I’m working on an article about this so I want your questions! Let me know in the comments!

We often think of role-modeling as a way to teach

We often think of role-modeling as a way to teach others how to behave. We role model as managers to our employees; we role-model as parents to our kids. We know our actions speak louder than our words, and all of our actions - words included - tell the world what we value.⁠
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In a similar way, if you want to be valued by others (or yourself!) as a human being, how should you talk and act?⁠
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If you’re always talking down about or to yourself, rarely prioritize your own needs, or stop to fill your own cup now and again (#self-care), what does that say to the people around you?⁠
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Having boundaries, knowing your limits, performing self-care, having high self-esteem - these are not acts of selfishness, greed, or self-indulgence; these are beautiful ways to protect your emotional well-being and role model to the world how you deserve to be treated. ⁠
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Leave me a comment if you agree!

There are about a million different diets out ther

There are about a million different diets out there from #Paleo to #Whole30 to #Keto. It can be overwhelming to know what is best for you, right?⁠
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Each and every person is unique and has their own genetic strengths and weaknesses -- which means that not every single person needs the same diet.⁠
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This is why I utilize nutrigenomics testing with many of the patients in my clinical practice. Your genes are not your destiny, but they are your blueprint -- and it's helpful to know what that blueprint looks like so that you can optimize nutrition and environment to improve actual gene expression.⁠ (Link in bio to my fav test panel that you can order at home!)
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This is especially important if you're planning a pregnancy or trying to optimize your fertility!⁠
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Need help understanding what to do with this data, and how to implement a personalized nutrition plan? Our Certified Nutrition Therapist and RN, Jessica, is taking new clients worldwide.
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Have you looked into nutrigenomics like MTHFR? What was the biggest takeaway that you learned?

What is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine? D.O.s ha

What is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine? D.O.s have been in the spotlight this week because the president’s physician is a D.O. Is he qualified to take care of POTUS? Hell, yes. Apparently @maddowshow and @cnn don’t think so, and that is a disrespect to the many Osteopathic physicians serving people now and always. Here’s the deal...

Many different types of physicians graduate from osteopathic medical school. Like M.D.s, osteopaths can choose to practice in any specialty. Both D.O.s and M.D.s are fully qualified physicians who complete four years of medical school, followed by internships, residencies and sometimes fellowships in their specialty.

So what’s the difference? In medical school D.O.s receive training in the musculoskeletal system and Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy (OMT). With OMT, osteopathic physicians use their hands to diagnose illness and injury and to encourage your body's natural tendency toward good health. A few D.O.s even specialize in OMT, but most of us do not.

I personally sought out an osteopathic medical education in search of a more holistic approach. I loved medical school because it honored my outlook on health and vitality. However, not all D.O.s have a more holistic approach and we are not the same as homeopaths.

This fella here is a D.O. and an orthopedic spine surgeon and former Army doctor with combat experience. He happens to be my husband, but that’s beside the point. The point is: D.O.s are surgeons, ER doctors, dermatologists, ICU doctors, family medicine physicians, infectious disease specialists, pathologists, etc. That depends on their residency, board certification and fellowship training.

So in case you didn’t know, now you know. Have you seen a DO? #proudtobeado #doitlikeado #osteopathicmedicine #osteopathy #osteopath #doctorsofinstagram #doctorsofosteopathy #doctorofosteopathicmedicine @aoafordos

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