The Effects of Stress on a Woman’s Body: Female Hormones and Endocrine Health

Why is it that women experience stress more intensely than men? Drs. Daina Parent and Annette Schippel discuss the connection between women’s hormones and the effects of stress on the female body. Dr. Schippel shares her personal and professional experience navigating the stages of a woman’s reproductive journey and how endocrine health plays a significant role in hormone balance. Drs. Parent and Schipple emphasize the importance of working with qualified healthcare providers trained in herbal medicine in order to find the right herbs for each person and symptom picture. Dr. Schippel offers invaluable clinical tools and takeaways to create a strong foundation for any woman to navigate stress management and optimal wellness with nutrition, herbs, lifestyle and more.

Dr. Annette Schippel is a chiropractor and a graduate of Logan College of Chiropractic, she brings over 25 years of experience to her work. She owns two thriving family practices that focus on pediatrics, women’s health, and clinical nutrition, and she regularly sees patients from across the United States and around the world.

Known for her expertise in functional medicine and endocrinology, Dr. Schippel has become a respected educator, author, and speaker. She has written and co-authored numerous clinician manuals and lectures domestically and internationally on topics in nutrition and functional endocrinology.  She has had the privilege of visiting Medi-Herb in Australia for 3 years to receive advanced training in phytotherapy.  She also had the honor to speak on alternative approaches to Metabolic Syndrome at the 2014 International Health Management Forum in Bejing China.

Show Summary

2:24 Female hormones and stress sensitivity

4:00 The HPA Axis and the stress response

5:35 The thyroid adrenal connection

7:57 Cortisol, DHEA and the adrenal cortex

9:15 Prolactin, dopamine and high prevalence of autoimmunity in women

11:30 Key differences in male and female hormones: estradiol, testosterone, and DHEA

15:27 Peri- and menopausal hormone shifts

16:33 Adrenal burnout and perimenopause: the resiliency of the stress response affects hormone balance

21:13 Clinical strategies for adrenal support to mitigate perimenopausal symptoms – diet, exercise, sleep, digestion, and mental health

25:42 Herbs for adrenal support and endocrine balance – rehmania, ashwagandha, chaste tree, schizandra and more

29:33 How herbs modulate and synergize with hormones

30:02 Social media trends – perspectives on ashwagandha

33:06 Why guidance from a healthcare provider with herbal knowledge matters – finding the right herbs for each person

35:35 Choosing the right herb – how patient health history and symptom picture inform herbal selection

44:39 Using blood chemistry to inform patient protocols

45:55 Personalizing herbal protocols for different stages of the lifespan

48:38 Nutrients and herbs for libido and vaginal dryness and how adrenal resilience plays a role in these symptoms

50:32 Circulation, sexual health, and blood-flow support

52:53 Improving vasodilation through nitric oxide; whole foods and herbs that support circulation (beets, mountain spinach, red algae, and more)

54:45 Herbs as modulators – herbs won’t increase or decrease hormones too much

55:16 The truth about wild yam creams

58:54 The practitioner-patient journey - navigating better health together

1:01:51 Key clinical takeaway for supporting women’s health and stress management – how to build a good foundation and never lose sight of what you’re trying to build