Dr. Taylor Thurston, ND

Treating any health concern is hard to do in a 5-minute appointment. When it comes to mental health, we need to look at things through a bio-psycho-social approach—which is nearly impossible in such a short time.

Let me break it down:

Biology: What’s happening in your body—hormones, genetics, brain chemistry, and physical health.
Psychology: Your thoughts, feelings, emotions, behaviors, coping mechanisms, and past experiences.
Social: Your relationships, environment, and community. These include family, friends, work, cultural background, and societal pressures.

Mental health is complex and multifactorial. Understanding the full picture takes time and care. 🧠💚

So if you’re not getting the support you need, it might be because you just don’t have the time.

Mental health deserves more.

🎉 Just received my MSCP certificate in the mail! 🎉

Super excited to share that I am now a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP).

What does being an MSCP mean? The Menopause Society (formerly the North American Menopause Society, NAMS) sets the standards for menopause practice and ensures high-quality care for women in perimenopause, menopause, midlife and beyond. In order to receive this certification, health practitioners have to study and pass the MSCP Certification Exam. Health practitioners also have to keep up to date with continuous education around peri(menopause) treatments and support.

To learn more and find a practitioner near you, visit menopause.org.

As a naturopathic doctor with a special interest in women’s mental health, I am dedicated to supporting women through every phase of their lives. I focus on evidence-based practices to ensure the highest quality of care. Perimenopause and menopause are times when many women face significant health challenges, including managing their mental health. This MSCP certification is important because it equips me with the latest knowledge and tools to provide the best care for women during these crucial stages.

If you’re new here, welcome and thanks for being here 🤗

I am here to bring you real evidence based info about all things women’s mental health. My goal is to show up as real as I can on social media (because theres too much fakeness in my opinion on social media, especially in the wellness space, and I am SO over it).

Here is a little bit more about me :)

🏠I was born and raised in Ottawa, ON, and I miss home and my family (all the time)!
❤️I love my family and friends A LOTTLE! (its like a little, except a lot)
📞I am in a forever love hate relationship with my phone/social media. If it was possible to live without it, I would!
🏔️My favourite place to be is in the mountains/by water without cell service.
🏃‍♀️😴I love activities - hiking, trail running, swimming, hockey, soccer and doing hard things that push me outside my comfort zone but I also love sleeping, napping and eating just as much.
📚I am known to make up my own words or spell things wrong (get used to it!/work in progress haha). I love deep chats and friendly arguments hehe.
🧠I have struggled immensely with my own mental health and digestion in the past and still sometimes do (yes, I am a human!)
❤️‍🔥I am SO passionate about bridging the gap for womens mental health. You should not have to choose between conventional care and alternative complimentary care. The best care for you is integrating these two worlds :)
👩‍⚕️I STRONGLY believe that most of our health goals can be achieved on nailing down the fundamentals and getting really good at being consistent with simple things (even though most of the time this can be the hardest part).

anyways thats all for now!!!! Thank you for being here, it means the world!!!!!!

You know what the best advice I can give you is around hormone health and exercise.....
No it is NOT seed cycling
No it is NOT cycle syncing your workouts
No it is NOT to avoid cardio or HITT exercises
No It is NOT to only do yoga and pilates

IT IS - eating and sleeping ENOUGH for your activity!!!!!

EATING ENOUGH CALORIES for your activity. This includes likely more carbs (of course proteins and fats are just as important) and eating CONSISTENTLY THROUGHOUT the whole day!!! Rest and recovery impact everything. Prioritizing sleep and recovery as much as you prioritize your exercise, movement, etc.....This is what impacts your hormones the most when it comes to exercise.

If we are underfueled for a long period of time it can lead to RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency In Sport) which can impact A LOT!!!! metabolic rate, menstrual cycle, digestive system, bone health, immunity, and cardiovascular system.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and are unsure how it might be impacting your health it is important to get a full assessment to figure out the cause. There are many other things that contribute to these symptoms!!! Let’s get to the bottom of it (together)!!!!

Antidepressants alone might not fully support your mood during menopause. Antidepressants can and do play a very important part in mental health care AND you may need more support that often requires more than a a brief appointment with your doctor. Explore the eight crucial factors that are missing when it comes to a comprehensive health health care plan during this transition 😊 Link in bio!

Please don’t ask me if I will do another one - everything hurts right now!!

I seriously NEVER thought I would run a marathon. I actually HATED running 1 year ago. And here we are!!!! Despite some frustrating injuries and annoying abdominal cramps, I crossed the finish line!

BMO Vancouver marathon - what a HUMBLING experience that is and congratulations to all that ran this weekend!!! Those hills sure were tough.

After many weeks of training, and questioning why I signed up, I proved to myself not to write things off and that you can do HARD THINGS!!!!! I think it actually took a friend saying to me you can for sure do it, for me to finally sign up.

Some lessons I learned throughout the way

1️⃣ You can do more than you think! No matter what that “thing” is. You can do things you never thought you could.
2️⃣ Run your OWN race. Don’t compare yourself to others whether that’s different paces, races, accomplishments, stages of life etc. It sucks and takes all the fun out of it!
3️⃣Trust the process. Most things do not happen overnight. And you will not like all of it (in fact you probably will complain and hate a lot of it) but you do it anyway.
4️⃣ You cannot do hard things - sleep deprived and underfueled. We need to eat and sleep so that we can do hard things and not the other way around!!  I would have never ever been able to do what I did without the proper fuel and rest.
5️⃣Dont even bother trying to do it alone! No matter what that is - build your team and have a plan and find help/coaching/mentorship, etc!

No you do not need to do a marathon, but I do believe that really cool s**t happens OUTSIDE our comfort zones. I am a strong believer that discomfort brings growth (and actually joy/accomplishment) and that sometimes we have to take that leap of faith and get comfortable with being a little scared in order to learn, build and grow as humans (both mentally and physically)!

Happy Monday! Back to the couch I go!

As many as 70% of woman may encounter depressive symptoms during perimenopause. Some studies have suggested a 2-4 fold increase risk of depression during perimenopause.

Some women seem to be particularly vulnerable to hormonal fluctuations that occur during this transition - which is known as the window of vulnerability. Where the constant change of hormones makes them particularly sensitive to depression and anxiety.

Know you are not alone ❤️ and there are so many ways we can support your mood and overall health!

Menopause is defined by a single point in time, specifically 12 months after your last menstrual period. The years leading up to that point are often defined by irregular cycles (7 day change from your usual cycle). This is called the menopause transition or perimenopause. So maybe you have a 28d cycle, and now your cycles are coming every 35days or even every 21 days. This is also a time in women’s life where we can also see worsening PMS, changes to mood and sleep.

This transition typically begins in mid to late 40s, however can occur earlier or later for some people.

Initial changes can be subtle, that’s why it’s so important and helpful to track your cycle.
🩸day 1= first day of cycle. Track how many days each cycle are.
😒track PMS symptoms - mood, breast tenderness, bloating, etc
✅ track ovulation - may see changes to cervical mucous (egg white consistency)

You can use an app write it in your notes on your phone or do the goood olllll fashion paper in pen.

Stay tuned for more perimenopause and menopausal content ☺️

Something that cannot be done in a 5 minute appointment.

Mental health is complex and multifactorial and requires an integrative holistic approach to address all aspects of it. As you can see it is not one or the other. You don’t have to choose between conventional care and alternative care. The best care involves the BEST of both of these care systems.

If you feel like something was missing from your care, it’s likely!

If you are a health professional, coach, athlete or someone who exercises (yes, you are an athlete) you should know about Relative Energy Deficiency in Sports (RED-S).

RED-s is a condition that occurs when there is an inadequate energy intake to support the energy expenditure required for optimal health and performance in sports. It can have significant consequences on various aspects of health, including mental health.

⬅️➡️The relationship between mental health and RED-S can be bidirectional. In some cases, mental health issues may precede and contribute to the development of RED-S.

For example, athletes experiencing stress, anxiety, or body image concerns may be at risk for eating disorders, disordered eating patterns or excessive/ dependance of exercise, leading to insufficient energy intake and, subsequently, RED-S.

On the other hand, RED-S itself can impact mental health. Insufficient energy availability can affect cognitive function, mood, and overall psychological well-being.

Common mental health symptoms associated with RED-S include Fatigue
😠Irritability
📚Difficulty concentrating
🛌Poor sleep
🥺Increased susceptibility to mood disorders such as anxiety, depression.

It’s crucial to recognize the interconnectedness of physical and mental health in the context of sports and understand that addressing both aspects is essential for overall well-being. Athletes, coaches, and healthcare professionals should be aware of this and understand that mental health can lead to the long term consequences of RED-s and vice versa.

If you are wondering if this is something contributing to you health, don’t guess, get an assessment and talk to a professional well versed in the area

The difference between eating disorder and disordered eating

Eating Disorder:
⚪️A clinical diagnosis based on a specific criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V)
⚪️Various types including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder.

Disordered Eating:
⚪️This term refers to a variety of abnormal eating behaviours that may not meet the criteria for a specific clinical eating disorder.
⚪️It includes a range of irregular, restrictive or compulsive eating habits, attitudes, behaviors with food and body image.
⚪️Examples include frequent dieting, anxiety or fear associated with certain foods, skipping meals, rigid routines around food and exercise

Eating disorders may stem from disordered eating but not everyone who has struggled with disordered eating will have an eating disorder.

‼️Even without a clinical diagnosis, disordered eating can have consequences on both mental and physical health.
Increased risk of developing an eating disorder
Menstrual irregularities
Decreased bone density
Cardiovascular issues
Gastrointestinal disturbances
Mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, insomnia

🔎Seeking the guidance of a well-trained professional is essential for an accurate assessment and appropriate treatment and support. This post aims to shed light on a common issue around eating behaviour in hopes that it will help to increase open conversation and awareness, it is not not meant for self diagnosis or diagnosis of others in your life.

💜If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available no matter where you are at. ⁠

🩸Missing or having irregular or light periods? Two common conditions associated with these menstrual issues are Polycystic O***y Syndrome (PCOS) and Functional Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (FHA).

If these are new terms for you
1️⃣PCOS is a very common hormonal condition that can cause a variety of symptoms including irregular menstrual cycles, unwanted hair growth, acne and weight gain.
2️⃣FHA is caused by low energy availability (either from decreased caloric intake, excessive energy expenditure or both) and stress that leads to cycle irregularity (fatigue, frequent injury/illness, low bone mineral density, low vaginal lubrication, etc).

Accurate diagnosis is crucial, as these conditions can be easily mistaken for each other and how we support these hormonal conditions will look VERY different. It is also important to note there are other conditions that need to be ruled out, as there are even more conditions that can also present similarly. This assessment as you can see likely needs longer than a 5 minute appointment!!!

🔖SAVE THIS POST and chat with your healthcare provider if your cycle is irregular, light or MIA.

Ovulation and getting your period is important for your overall health even if you are not wanting to get pregnant. If your period has gone MIA, it is very important to get an appropriate assessment to figure out what is causing this, before starting birth control.

So what is amenorrhea (missing period)?
Primary amenorrhea occurs when a person has not experienced their first menstrual period by the age of 15.
Secondary amenorrhea refers to the absence of menstrual periods for three or more consecutive months after having previously experienced them.

According to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, functional hypothalamic amenorrhea is responsible for 20–35% of secondary amenorrhea.

Three types of functional hypothalamic amenorrhea include:
Psychological stress
Intense exercise
Disordered eating

If you exercise and are of menstruating age and have irregular or absent periods, it is very possible you are underfueling!

Estrogen is important for more than just our reproductive health (aka having a baby) it impacts our:
Cardiovascular health
Bone health
Mental health

There are other things that can cause irregular or absent periods that need to be ruled out. But if you have only ever been offered birth control for your missing period it will not address the underlying causes which can have long term consequences on your heart, bone and mental health.

Your period is important! Please don’t ignore a missing period.

Ok so what CAN we eat to help support our mental health. One of my favourite studies to talk about when chatting about nutrition and mental health is the SMILES trial, explored in a LOT more detail in my latest blog. But to summarize, individuals with moderate to severe depression following a modified Mediterranean diet experienced significant mental health improvement – with 30% achieving remission in just 12 weeks. Pretty wild, huh?

What I really like about this style of nutrition is that it is not restricting and it primarily focuses on what foods we can ADD to our life and not REMOVE. A main focus on eating more fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds, legumes, lean proteins (including fish) and olive oil. And yes while we try to limit processed highly sugary foods as much as possible they are not completely removed from our nutrition.

Of course our mood and mental health is complex and nutrition is just ONE part, not THE part. And of course I’m not saying that adding in some lentils or extra veg is going to make you feel 100% better, but making some dietary tweaks can make a difference.

Read more (food and mood on my website) 🔗 in bio 😊😊

It’s unfortunate that there still exists a stigma around taking medication for mental health. Mental health is indeed a complex and individualized experience, and what works for one person may not work for another. The decision to take medication should be a personal one, made in consultation with a healthcare professional who can provide guidance based on an individual’s unique circumstances.

Medication can be a crucial and effective component of mental health treatment for many people, just as it is for various physical health conditions.

Mental health treatment is not one-size-fits-all, and a combination of approaches, including therapy, lifestyle changes, and medication, may be the most effective for certain individuals. If medication was not right for you, it does not mean that it is not right for everyone. Of course, there are options above and beyond medication - but let people make their own decisions based on their own life and circumstances.

It is 2024 people, stop making people feel bad for their own personal choice.

And if someone you follow or a provider has ever shamed you into thinking that, it might be time to hit the unfollow and find a new provider.

Sound familiar?

I am very excited to announce the launch of the 8 week mindfulness meditation course. This course offers practical, evidence-based techniques that empower you to thrive in the real world. The course will teach you how to manage the stressors of your day to day life without having to give up everything in your life.  

Interested and want to know more! You can find all the info on my website (check out the link in my bio). if you have any questions and want to know more let me know!!!

Happy New Year!

As we step into 2024, it’s tempting to jump on the bandwagon of detoxes, cleanses, and quick fixes to achieve our health and fitness goals. But let’s talk about the unsexy truth that rarely gets the spotlight on social media – the real secret to a healthier, happier you lies in the basic, boring, and consistent things we do over the long haul.

We get it – scrolling through Instagram, you see promises of rapid transformations, hacks, and shortcuts. But here’s the reality check: there’s no magic pill, cleanse, or supplement that beats good old-fashioned consistency.

The Fundamentals Work

Sleep, movement, nutrition, social connection – these aren’t flashy or trending topics, but they are the bedrock. No amount of quick fixes can replace the benefits of doing the basics consistently over time.

Whether it’s improving your health, mental well-being, or mastering a new skill, there’s no shortcut. The mundane, day-in, day-out efforts are the ones that will get you 99.99% of the way there.

This is meant to be ridiculous (guess I’m feeling sassy today) There is so much 💩out there!!!! NO WONDER EVERYONE IS CONFUSED !!!

I understand that feeling good and being “healthy” can be challenging but we make it so much more complicated and harder than it needs to be by following ridiculousness. There’s so much noise on social media, tread cautiously.

I spend more time than I’d like debunking stuff with patients in my visits than I’d like to admit but I would 100% rather you ask me than figure it out through social media. If you’re confused, not feeling your best and wondering why, please stop listening to things that don’t make any sense and ask 😊😊😊

Most things on the internet also have 3 posts later saying literally the exact opposite. I’d be confused too.

Yep, I totally understand. The winter months can be tough, and I know there's only so much we can do without the sun. The sun (and light in general) just makes us feel better. When the sun sets at 4:30 pm, it feels like bedtime for me too. BUT, here's what we can do (other than moving to another city / taking a vacay):

1️⃣Get a bright light (check out my blog all about bright lights in my bio).
2️⃣Spend time outside.
3️⃣Move your body.
4️⃣Try to keep to a routine, including going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.
5️⃣Check your vitamin D levels and take a recommended dose from your healthcare provider.
6️⃣Get bloodwork done to rule out other reasons why you may not feel good.
7️⃣Spend time with others—friends, family, community groups.
8️⃣Talk to a healthcare professional, including a counselor, psychologist, etc.
9️⃣Don't be afraid to ask for additional help, including medication.

🌟BONUS🌟: See a naturopathic doctor (ND) to get support with nutrition, lifestyle factors, and more :)

Health should feel good. If your “healthy behaviours” cause more stress than making you feel good, your health plan may need some support.

You can get to where you wanna be without making yourself feel worse, promise ☺️

Sometimes we think things are healthy or we follow advice from others or social media only to realize they make us feel like 💩 but we just keep doing them cause we think that’s what health is. Again, repeat after me….Health should feel good 😊 😁

What behaviours have you had to unlearn that you thought were healthy that made things actually worse? I’ll go first …. Skipping breakfast and drinking coffee on an empty stomach 🙃

Ever wonder if your mood is connected to your hormones? There is a reason why women are more likely to develop depression than men.

PMS: PMS isn't just about physical discomfort; it can also bring low mood, depression and heightened emotional sensitivity (anxiety, irritability and more!)

PCOS: For those with PCOS, the likelihood of experiencing depression is three times higher.

Perimenopause: Up to 70% of women may encounter depressive symptoms during this transition.

Thyroid conditions: Conditions like low thyroid and autoimmune thyroid issues amplify the risk of developing depressive symptoms.

Read more about the connection between hormones and mental health in my blog post; link in bio.

OK I know what you're thinking.....Obviously it's not all that simple and just because these are simple and basic doesn't mean that they are not really hard to do and that people don't struggle to do these things. It’s hard.

The point is that I continuously talk patients out of spending a lot of money on supplements and fancy tests because they haven't nailed these things down. Or they saw on Tik tok that they should do some sort of fancy 30 day cleanse. We tend to complicate things and make simple things confusing. Trust me, I don't blame you, the amount of FALSE and CONFLICTING information that is out there is terrifying.

In reality, most people could REALLY REALLY benefit from just nailing the basics (most of the time).
🥦🥕Eat a balanced diet, fruits, veggies, fibre, protein, carbs, fats.
💪🏋️‍♀️Move your body, ideally lift some weights and add in some cardio.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🥰Talk to friends and family and do something in a social setting. Make time to have fun and laugh.
🧘‍♀️🧠Just like we move our bodies we do something for our mind (meditate, deep breathe, go to therapy, yoga, whatever works for you).
🍷💧Maybe mix in water throughout the day, and ideally we would limit or remove alcohol as much as possible.

Let's not overcomplicate it.

I’m obviously only kidding. There are a million reasons why your neighbour might be in a horrible mood and we can always offer compassion and empathy to our neighbours (as always you never know what someone is going through). I feel like you have to say that these days on socials to make sure no one takes this the wrong way.

ANYWAYS THATS not the point. (If you’ve read this far - thanks I’m getting there ….)

The POINT IS CARBOHYDRATES are not the enemy!!!!! We are all better and happier humans with more carbs 😊😊😊😊

Carbs are your body’s primary source of energy and fuel. Without them, you may feel fatigued, weak or even struggle completing physical and mental tasks.
Your brain loves carbs because it relies on glucose. Without them it can affect your cognition, concentration and mood.

So if you’re irritable, cranky and exhausted - try some carbs!

So maybe Karen from down the hall isn’t actually cranky maybe she’s on a low carb diet. (Sorry Karen - try some carbs). 😂