I met with a naturopath today - sharing what I was advised after a 2hr, $300 appointment with the community
I am 32F and am diagnosed with PCOS (>5 years ago) and more recently ADHD (officially 1.5 years ago). I tried medication for a month and did not like the side effects. To help combat my symptoms, throughout the past year I have:
- quit coffee (will drink matcha lattes for caffeine, also the occasional Diet Coke as a treat)
- quit alcohol (with a few annual binge-drinking exceptions like weddings and events)
- been working out 4-6x/week (mostly F45, pilates, and yoga)
- been taking a bunch of supplements
To reward my hard work, I decided to meet with a highly recommended naturopath to learn what I can improve upon. I had to complete a long intake form and had a 2hr preliminary meeting. Below are the recommendations my naturopathic doctor provided. Sharing for those who would find it helpful & also curious to hear any thoughts/feedback:
OVERVIEW OF VISIT
- PCOS
- ADHD
PLAN: Buy a pill organizer today. Integrate supplement intake with habits you're already doing (i.e. habit stacking), to support daily consistency. Support cognitive and hormonal health.
Supplements
Foundational supplements:
Standard Omega 3 (AquaOmega 3x extra strength) - 4 capsules/day. Best taken before meals. Promotes brain, skin, eye, health and improves fluidity of cellular membranes. You're looking for at least 3:1 EPA:DHA ratio (4 or 5:1 is also great) for best results regarding ADHD & mood symptoms. Any fish oil product should be 3rd party certified for purity. Source of oil: anchovy. Or take the ones you have: Webber Naturals Triple Strength Omega-3 - 3 capsules/day.
Magnesium bisglycinate (whatever brand you have) - 200mg/day. Take with dinner or in the evening for best results. Helps to calm the nervous system, eases muscle tension. Helpful for cognitive function. Magnesium is a common nutritional deficiency.
Inositol - Myo-Inositol (CanPrev or other brand) - Start with 0.5-1g/day. Increase by 0.5-1g/day every 4-5 days as long as you're not experiencing any gastric discomfort. This supplement can cause some bloating, so it's recommended to increase dose incrementally until you reach the therapeutic target dose of 4g-5g/day. Helps support insulin regulation and hormonal signalling. You can start with the capsules you have, and slowly increase your dose. A powder may be preferred to reduce pill burden.
Hormone Balance TL (Cyto-Matrix) - 2 capsules/day. Helps to reduce testosterone, and support hormonal re-balancing in some types of PCOS.
Vitamin D3 – 2,500IU to 3,000IU/day. Essential nutrient key for gut, immune, brain, metabolic and emotional health and more. Use a liquid or gel cap for optimal absorption.
Great additions (I already take these):
L-theanine - 250mg/day. Supports a sense of relaxation and moderated stress response.
Advanced B Complex - 1 capsule/day. Supports energy, immune and cognitive function. As well as liver function (including hormone regulation and detoxification functions).
Spearmint tea - 1 cup/day
Lion's Mane - 400mg/day.
Diet & Lifestyle
Focus on adding in nourishing activities, and rewarding yourself for improved sleep habits.
Sleep - A good night's rest is an essential factor in supporting a healthy immune system, bolstering resilience to stress, and maintaining long-term brain and body wellness. Underlining the importance of adequate time for deep rest, and the reality of how this supports your health-related goals may help to modify habits that don't serve your goals.
Stress Management - Stress has an important role to play in every aspect of our health. It's key to schedule time for activities that nourish you. This may include relaxation, quiet time, alone time, time in nature, social time, time for play - basically, the things that help you enjoy life, and act as a counter-balance to stressors. Time to cultivate awareness of your embodied experience, time to nourish your spirit, time to recharge your batteries. This could be a bath, engaging in a creative (relaxing) hobby, some gentle stretching, a guided meditation, or just time for calm reflection. Essentially any activity that leaves you feeling more relaxed and nourished. Here are some avenues to explore and engage with:
- Grounding - any practices that help to bring you back into your body when the mind gets busy / detached
- Being in nature
- Sensory walks
- Sing-out / dance - can be structured or unstructured (as in whatever you feel like grooving to in your living room or bedroom or wherever you happen to be)
Recommended labs
CBC + Differential
Ferritin
Iron / TIBC
C-Reactive Protein
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate- ESR
Insulin Glucose Challenge - 2hr
Liver/ Digestive Panel
ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, bilirubin
Urate - Serum
Vitamin B12
Vitamin D 25 Hydroxy
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone - TSH / TSH +T4 when TSH is abnormal
Free T3
Free T4
Anti-Thyroglobulin (anti-TG)
Thyroperoxidase Antibody (anti-TPO)
Nice to have:
Lipids Panel - 12 hrs Fasting
Fatty Acids
Cortisol - Serum AM
Hemoglobin A1C - HbA1C
Day 2 or 3 of period:
Follicle Stimulating Hormone -FSH
Luteinizing Hormone - LH
Estradiol/Estrogen- Serum
Free Testosterone
Total Testosterone
DHEAs
Dihydrotestosterone - DHT
Prolactin
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin