mood and sleep articles • Page 4 of 7 • Lara Briden

A Safer Type of Hormone Therapy

March 25, 2024April 6, 2022 by Lara Briden

If you’re going to take hormone therapy, it’s safer to take hormones that are identical to human hormones. In other words, hormones that are body-identical or bioidentical. The concept of bioidentical used to be controversial but is now conventional and mainstream.

In episode five of my podcast/YouTube video, I discuss hormone therapy, including why the concept of bioidentical was controversial when it didn’t need to be; oral micronized progesterone for heavy periods, mood, sleep, and perimenopausal migraines; and some quick facts about body-identical estrogen.

How to Improve Premenstrual Mood Symptoms (A Summary of Natural Treatments)

December 11, 2024December 11, 2021 by Lara Briden

There’s a lot more to treating premenstrual mood symptoms than just the pill or SSRI antidepressants. Alternative strategies for premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) include iodine, magnesium, vitamin B6, vitex (chaste tree), progesterone, and a natural antihistamine approach.

The Dos and Don’ts of Vitex for Period Problems

January 27, 2024May 14, 2021 by Lara Briden

Vitex (also called chaste tree or chasteberry) is a herbal medicine prepared from the berries of the Mediterranean tree Vitex agnus-castus. In ancient times, it was used to suppress the libido of monks, hence the name. Fortunately, it does not have that effect on women.

Vitex is effective medicine for breast pain, irregular periods, premenstrual mood symptoms, and some types of acne.

7 Ways to Support the Vagus Nerve and Improve Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

January 28, 2023April 2, 2021 by Lara Briden

The vagus nerve is a cranial nerve that activates the parasympathetic nervous system and increases levels of oxytocin and the calming neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Supporting the vagus nerve and thereby improving parasympathetic tone promotes relaxation, sleep, digestion, and healing.

Activating the parasympathetic nervous system dials down the sympathetic nervous system or fight-or-flight response. In that way, the vagus nerve acts as a built-in “stress-reset button.”