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Always cold, tired after a full night's sleep, and dealing with brain fog or thinning hair? Symptoms like these often le...
10/20/2026

Always cold, tired after a full night's sleep, and dealing with brain fog or thinning hair? Symptoms like these often lead women to ask about their thyroid. One of the most common questions Dr. Alyssa Louras, a naturopathic doctor at our Whitby clinic, hears is whether Hashimoto's and hypothyroidism are the same thing.

They're not. Hashimoto's is an autoimmune process, where the immune system makes antibodies that affect the thyroid. Hypothyroidism describes what the thyroid is doing: not making enough thyroid hormone for the body's needs. That means you can have Hashimoto's, with positive thyroid antibodies, while your TSH and free T4 still look normal.

Knowing which one you're dealing with matters for treatment. Levothyroxine replaces thyroid hormone, but it doesn't directly turn off the autoimmune process. (Always talk to your prescriber before changing any medication.)

Several things can play a role in Hashimoto's, including family history, pregnancy and postpartum changes, stress, sleep, and gut and immune health. None of them mean you caused it.

For new moms, postpartum thyroiditis can look a lot like normal new-parent exhaustion. If it's lasting or getting worse, ask your provider about thyroid testing.

"This is why I like to look at the whole picture and get comprehensive bloodwork done." Dr. Alyssa Louras, ND

Read the full blog on Hashimoto's vs. hypothyroidism: https://www.advancedwomenshealth.ca/blog/hypothyroidism-vs-hashimotos

10/19/2026

Is hormone replacement therapy safe? Here is how I explain it to my patients, based on the research we have right now.

The gold standard is topical estradiol, a bioidentical estrogen you put on your skin. Taken that way, it does not seem to carry the same blood clot or cardiovascular risk as oral forms. And oral micronized progesterone does not seem to cause breast cancer, and may even have some benefits when it comes to cancer.

For context, obesity puts you at higher risk of these conditions than hormone replacement therapy does. So does drinking more than four drinks a week.

Hormone replacement therapy is not the right choice for everyone, which is why you want a practitioner who walks you through your personal risks. But for most women, it should not be taken off the table.

Full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpy2a9T9KjAQ9AbONxhQvaQ

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7 endometriosis symptoms that have nothing to do with your period.When most people hear endometriosis, they think of pai...
10/16/2026

7 endometriosis symptoms that have nothing to do with your period.

When most people hear endometriosis, they think of painful periods. In this week's blog, Dr. Ally Hilario, a naturopathic doctor at our Ancaster and Port Credit clinics, covers the symptoms that can show up at other times of the month.

Endometriosis can also affect digestion, the bladder, the pelvic floor, energy and fertility. That's why these symptoms may first be labelled as IBS, recurrent urinary tract infections, stress or "normal" pelvic discomfort.

The seven she covers:
1. Bloating and IBS-like digestive changes, sometimes called "endo belly"
2. Painful bowel movements or re**al pain (re**al bleeding should always be medically assessed)
3. Bladder urgency, frequency or pain, even when urine testing is repeatedly normal
4. Pain during or after s*x
5. Ovulation pain or pelvic pain between periods
6. Persistent fatigue
7. Difficulty becoming pregnant

Having one symptom on this list does not mean you have endometriosis. The overall pattern matters more than any single symptom, especially when symptoms keep getting worse around ovulation or your period. A normal routine ultrasound does not necessarily rule it out either.

Dr. Ally suggests tracking your symptoms for two or three cycles and bringing your notes to your naturopathic doctor and your family doctor, nurse practitioner or gynaecologist.

Naturopathic care can be one part of the plan, alongside medical investigation and treatment. In her words: "While we cannot make endometriosis disappear, there is a lot we can work on to help you feel better in your body."

Read the full blog: https://www.advancedwomenshealth.ca/blog/endometriosis-symptoms-beyond-your-period

10/15/2026

Is it too late to start hormone replacement therapy? A few years ago, if you were more than 7 to 10 years past menopause, the answer you would have heard was yes.

That was the time hypothesis. Once you had gone 12 months without a period, you had roughly 7, maybe 10 years to start hormone replacement therapy. After that, no go. Risks outweigh benefits.

Here is what I want you to know. We still do not have research that tells us how long you can stay on hormone replacement therapy, or exactly when you should stop. That is a decision you make with your clinician. And the old window is now being looked at with a lot more nuance, which I think is really important.

If you were told you missed your window, you have the right to have that conversation again.

Full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpy2a9T9KjAQ9AbONxhQvaQ

is it too late to start HRT, can I start HRT after 10 years of menopause, when to start HRT, how long can you stay on HRT, HRT timing hypothesis, menopause hormone therapy, HRT after 60, Dr Sarah Wilson ND, Advanced Women's Health podcast episode 102, naturopathic menopause Canada

Do you need hormone replacement therapy? It is the question we get asked more than any other at Advanced Women's Health,...
10/15/2026

Do you need hormone replacement therapy? It is the question we get asked more than any other at Advanced Women's Health, so in the final part of the midlife core four, I answer it.

The 2002 study that scared a generation of women away from hormone replacement therapy has been analyzed again and again, and the risks were not what we were told for most women. Now the pendulum is swinging the other way, and everyone is being told to just take it. Neither extreme serves you.

Here is what I cover in this episode:

Why the 2002 Women's Health Initiative study stopped hormone replacement therapy in its tracks, and why the FDA has now removed the black box warning from some forms

Bioidentical vs synthetic hormones, and why we prescribe bioidentical at Advanced Women's Health

Why topical estradiol is the gold standard right now, and how the risks of hormone replacement therapy compare to alcohol and weight

Who should be working with an oncologist or cardiologist first

Is it too late to start hormone replacement therapy? The old 7 to 10 year window, and why it is being rethought

The four big reasons women stay on hormone replacement therapy long term: bone, brain, heart and hot flashes

Low-dose hormones in perimenopause, and why we test before we prescribe

Why hormones alone will make you feel better, but not necessarily healthier

Why hormones are brush strokes, not a set-and-forget prescription

Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpy2a9T9KjAQ9AbONxhQvaQ

do you need HRT, is HRT safe, hormone replacement therapy perimenopause, menopause hormone therapy, too late to start HRT, bioidentical hormones, topical estradiol, HRT breast cancer risk, HRT blood clots, perimenopause symptoms, midlife core four, Dr Sarah Wilson ND, Advanced Women's Health podcast episode 102, Canada

Your lunch break just got a whole lot better. 🧘‍♀️Every Wednesday over the lunch hour, join Amanda Pereira for 45 minute...
10/13/2026

Your lunch break just got a whole lot better. 🧘‍♀️

Every Wednesday over the lunch hour, join Amanda Pereira for 45 minutes of feel-good movement, mindful breathing, and yoga at AWH Port Credit.

Amanda is a Registered Physiotherapist with specialized training in pelvic health and a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200). Her classes help you build strength, improve mobility, reduce tension, and feel more connected to your body.

This class is for you if you're:

✨ Working from home and need a midday reset

✨ Home with your baby

✨ On maternity leave

✨ Retired

✨ Just looking for a weekly movement break

All levels are welcome. No yoga experience needed. Pregnancy-friendly modifications are always available, and babies are welcome too. 🤍

Take 45 minutes for yourself and head back into your day feeling refreshed.

Book a single class or grab the Yoga Package here:

Individual Classes: t.ly/7syHd
Yoga Package: t.ly/4d5Wn

10/12/2026

How much protein should you eat per meal? My starting point is 25 to 30 grams. Here is why.

I like to think of protein as a string of pearls. Each pearl is an amino acid, and one of them, leucine, is the signal that tells your muscles to take protein in. That is called muscle protein synthesis.

25 to 30 grams of complete protein gets most people to about 2.5 grams of leucine, which is enough to flip that switch. Fall short, especially if you are not lifting, and more of that protein goes to fat or other uses instead of muscle.

In perimenopause, your signal to build muscle is already less efficient, so hitting that threshold matters even more.

Full episode here: https://youtu.be/qUrKcsuHw3A

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10/08/2026

Stopping a GLP-1 is not the end of the story. What happens next depends on what you did while you were on it.

If the dietary changes, the lifestyle changes and the strength training never came with the medication, a large share of the weight you lost can be muscle. And muscle is your metabolism. It is what burns most of your calories.

So when you come off the medication, your appetite creeps back up, the food noise returns, and there is less muscle there to burn the fuel. That is how women end up in worse metabolic shape than before they started, and it is the part that makes me nervous.

This is why I care as much about the plan around a GLP-1 as the prescription itself: enough protein, resistance training, and a team watching your dose.

Full episode here: https://youtu.be/qUrKcsuHw3A

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Why is everyone suddenly telling women in their 40s to take a GLP-1 and eat more protein? In part two of the midlife cor...
10/08/2026

Why is everyone suddenly telling women in their 40s to take a GLP-1 and eat more protein? In part two of the midlife core four, I take on both.

GLP-1s are not miracle medications, and they are not something to be ashamed of either. At the right dose, with the right support, they can be a really useful tool in perimenopause. At high doses with no plan, a large share of the weight you lose can be muscle, and that changes what happens when you stop.

Here is what I cover in this episode:

What GLP-1 medications are, and how they mimic hormones your body already makes

Why insulin resistance rises through perimenopause, and why GLP-1s and HRT seem to work better together in the right person

What the early research is showing about inflammation, mitochondria, and even endometriosis

The risks at higher doses: muscle loss, nutrient deficiencies, gallbladder and gut changes, and gastroparesis

Why the weight often comes back after stopping, and how to protect your muscle while you are on them

What I look at first when GLP-1s do not work: the liver and the stress response

Protein basics: why I start at 25 to 30 grams per meal, what leucine does, and why you also need to lift heavy things

Why not all protein is equal, and why cottage cheese in everything is not the answer for everyone

Listen here: https://youtu.be/qUrKcsuHw3A

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10/07/2026

Flat mood. Low libido. Not feeling like yourself. And the quiet assumption that this is just what your 40s feel like.

Dr. Sarah wants to challenge that assumption directly.

We are not biologically destined to suffer for a decade. The research is clear: consistency of hormones is a key indicator of symptoms. But what disrupts that consistency? Blood sugar. Insulin signaling. Inflammation. Cortisol. These are as much or more responsible for the experience of perimenopause as the hormones themselves.

This means that before reaching for HRT or any other intervention, the question worth asking is: has my blood sugar been investigated? Has my insulin been tested properly? Has anyone looked at my inflammatory markers?

Because if the answer is no, the symptom picture has not been fully explained yet.

Full episode 100 in bio.

blood sugar and perimenopause symptoms, insulin and perimenopause, inflammation and perimenopause, perimenopause mood changes, perimenopause low libido, why do I feel flat in perimenopause, perimenopause treatment beyond HRT, Dr Sarah Wilson ND, Advanced Women's Health podcast episode 100, naturopathic perimenopause Canada

Address

81 Wilson Street West Suite 301 And 302
Hamilton, ON
L9G1N1

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 10am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 10am - 5:30pm
Thursday 10am - 5:30pm
Friday 11am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+13653780161

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