Women's Health Archives - Dr. Donata Girolamo, Naturopathic Doctor

A Mind-Body Approach to Transformation: Psychosomatic Energetics

Many people intuitively sense that their health is connected to their emotional life. A difficult relationship, prolonged stress at work, grief, doubt, insecurity, or another unresolved inner conflict can coincide with the onset of symptoms such as fatigue, digestive issues, anxiety, or hormonal imbalance. Yet in conventional medicine, this connection is often difficult to measure, and patients may be told that their tests look “normal.” In naturopathic medicine, we [...]

Pulse Assessment to Guide your Treatment Plan – Dr. Donata, ND.

One of the tools I use during an assessment is a pulse reflex that helps me observe how the body responds to different stimuli in real time. By gently feeling changes in the pulse, I can feel whether your nervous system reacts to things such as a supplement, a homeopathic remedy, an acupuncture point, an emotional pattern, acidity levels, or stress in a particular organ system. It’s a way [...]

Stealth Infections and Hormonal Imbalances: How Viruses, Bacteria, Parasites and Fungi Disrupt Your Hormones

Feeling Off? It Might Be More Than Just Hormones If you’ve been struggling with fatigue, mood swings, PMS, irregular periods, low libido, adenomyosis, cysts, endometriosis, or stubborn weight gain—and nothing seems to help—it might be time to dig a little deeper. While hormones often take the blame (and yes, they are a big part of the picture), the root cause can sometimes be much sneakier. Enter: stealth infections. Stealth [...]

Adenomyosis: A Naturopathic Approach to a Commonly Overlooked Condition

What is Adenomyosis? As a naturopathic doctor in St. Catharines, Ontario, I see many women struggling with heavy periods and chronic pelvic pain — often dismissed as “normal.” One commonly overlooked cause? Adenomyosis. Adenomyosis is a condition where the inner lining of the uterus (endometrium) grows into the muscular wall of the uterus (myometrium). This can lead to heavy periods, cramping, pelvic pressure, and fatigue. Often misdiagnosed or misunderstood, [...]

How to Raise Progesterone Naturally (Without Hormone Replacement)

Is Low Progesterone Behind Your Hormone Symptoms? If you’re feeling tired, irritable, bloated, or struggling with sleep or PMS that seems to be getting worse over time—low progesterone may be playing a role. As a naturopath, I see this pattern often, especially in women navigating stress, perimenopause, or coming off hormonal birth control. The good news? You can support your body to make more of its own progesterone—naturally. No [...]

Estrogen Dominance: What It Is, Why It Happens & How to Rebalance Naturally

Hormonal imbalance is one of the most common root causes behind fatigue, heavy periods, mood swings, and stubborn weight gain—especially for women in their reproductive and perimenopausal years. One of the most overlooked yet widespread patterns I see in clinic is estrogen dominance. But what exactly is estrogen dominance, and why does it seem to affect so many of us? Let’s break it down—naturopathic style. What Is Estrogen Dominance? [...]

3 SECRETS TO TREATING CHRONIC PAIN & FATIGUE AS A NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR

Many patients walk through my office door having struggled with chronic pain and fatigue for many years, having very little idea of what they can do about it. Often these patients believe there is nothing that can be done to manage their symptoms beyond the standard treatments they’ve already tried. A surprisingly high percentage of these patients actually have: A wrong diagnosis (ie. they’ve been told they have fibromyalgia, and [...]

Why am I so Tired?

Fatigue is such a common concern for the women I see in my Naturopathic practice. It is also a marker of health that Naturopathic doctors use as part of a health intake. Being tired is often a catch 22; you know that eating better and exercising would make you feel better, but... you're too tired to do them! With some targeted individualized solutions, it doesn't have to be overwhelming. [...]

Why are my Hormones a Mess?

Why Are My Hormones a Mess? (And how to fix them naturally) Our hormones can be a beautiful symphony, or they can be like a bull in a china shop. When our hormones are in balance, we feel comfortable in our bodies, centered, intuitive, and can express our true natures. However many women describe that for most of the month, they have hormone related symptoms, making each week a different [...]

How to Eliminate Water Retention before your Period

How awful does it feel to be bloated, swollen, puffy, and uncomfortable 1-2 weeks per month? A lot of women describe feeling this way at some point before their period comes; one source quoting over 50% of PMS sufferers1. Water retention can affect the face, hands, lower legs, and abdomen. Some women even notice that they regularly gain 4-5 lbs during this time before their period. Many women already try [...]

Women’s Health