Dr Fiona McCulloch ND
121 Willowdale Avenue, Suite 301 M2N 6A3 Toronto, ON, Canada

Today I completed the 5km @torontopcoswalk ! We decided to do it as a family in the nearby conservation area and combined it with foraging and plant identification! I absolutely love the app @picturethisai for identifying plants!! You take a picture and it IDs your plant and tells you all the details on the plant! Today we found so many edible and medicinal plants including blue cohosh, evening primrose, burdock, echinacea, black walnut, foxglove and more! We also found and... tasted some edible plants like riverbank grapes and autumn olive berries. And we also found a giant puffball! Excited to slice up and stirfry the puffball this week If you haven’t signed up for the PCOS walk yet you can do it anytime in September..you can complete the 5km however you like - walk, bike, run or forage for puffballs

#Repost @pcoschallenge with @get_repost Join PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association (@pcoschallenge) for the biggest PCOS Awareness Month Ever! ====... 1) WORLD PCOS DAY OF UNITY (September 1st) World PCOS Day is an opportunity for those around the globe who are affected by polycystic ovary syndrome to come together in solidarity for PCOS Awareness. PCOS Challenge has worked with major organizations and landmarks around the world to light teal for PCOS Awareness Month. Learn more at PCOSAwarenessMonth.org. Share your story for PCOS Awareness Month at https://pcos.ch/my-story (See link in profile) ======= 2) 2020 VIRTUAL PCOS AWARENESS SYMPOSIUM - Three Days, Over 40 Leading PCOS Experts Saturday, September 12, 2020 11AM-6PM EDT Symposium Day 1 - Fertility, Maternal Health, and Family-Building Saturday, September 19, 2020 11AM-6PM EDT Symposium Day 2 - Lifestyle Management of PCOS Saturday, September 26, 2020 11AM-6PM EDT Symposium Day 3 - PCOS Related Disorders, Adolescent Health, Support, and Advocacy Register at https://pcos.ch/register-2020 (See link in profile) ======= 3) RISE TO CHALLENGE GALA Join @pcoschallenge for the biggest night of the year for the PCOS community! The Rise to the Challenge Gala was created to shine a light on PCOS, infertility and metabolic health as well as recognize outstanding individuals and leading organizations making a significant impact on PCOS patients, advocacy efforts, research and care. The virtual event features celebrity guests and healthcare, political, and industry leaders. Proceeds from the Rise to the Challenge Gala will help fund critical PCOS research, support, education, advocacy, and grant programs. Register at https://pcos.ch/gala-2020 (See link in profile) ======= 4) PCOS CHALLENGE 5K RUN/WALK NATIONAL CAMPAIGN (August 29 - September 30) The PCOS Challenge 5K Run/Walk events are the largest in the U.S. dedicated to raising awareness and funds to help fight polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Sign up to participate, and your Official PCOS Challenge 5K Race Pack and Finisher Medal will be mailed to you.) Register at https://pcos5k.org

I’m super excited to share my simplified concept of PCOS with you all! It came to be after many years geeking out on hormones (including metabolic hormones), and integrating research from endocrinologists like Dr. Jerilynn Prior (the modern master of progesterone). I presented this concept twice at the PCOS Awareness Symposium this weekend and will do the same at the British Columbia Naturopathic Association (BCNA) and the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors - OAND En...docrinology Association of Naturopathic Physicians Conferences where I’m speaking this fall! PCOS is a cycle of hormonal blockage between the ovaries and the brain. Insulin is a powerful force in perpetuating that cycle. Ultimately, insulin resistance comes from androgen excess, however it can also CREATE androgen excess. The cycle all condenses down to this: 1. High levels of androgens (ie: testosterone) within the ovary delay ovulation. This due to overactivity of the theca cells in the ovary. 2. The longer the delay to ovulation, the less overall exposure the brain receives to progesterone. 3. The less exposure the brain receives to progesterone, the more it engages in rapid pulsing of GnRH at the level of the hypothalamus. 4. Rapid pulsing of GnRH causes high levels of LH to dominate over FSH 5. LH causes the theca cells of the ovary to overproduce androgens (testosterone). 6. High levels of androgens cause fat cell dysfunction, insulin resistance, high levels of insulin and inflammation. 7. High levels of insulin cause the ovarian theca cells to become overactive in their production of testosterone. And so the cycle continues! And yes, there are answers! First, start with my book 8 Steps to Reverse Your PCOS and of course, there is Cyclic Progesterone Therapy which we practice at White Lotus Integrative Medicine If you like this diagram, feel free to share - but please do reference me - this took years of research and clinical experience to condense! Image credit: Shane Jennings (my amazing hubby)

PCOS Awareness Symposium 2020 Day 2 is today! I’m excited to be presenting two talks on Natural and Integrative care for PCOS Patients, and Lean PCOS - I’ll be talking the neuroendocrinology of PCOS! Also on two panels: genetics and personalized medicine in PCOS and conditions like endo, fibroids, and autoimmunity in PCOS. Don’t miss this, it’s the biggest PCOS-related event of the year! You can also access recordings later too

Today I completed the 5km @torontopcoswalk ! We decided to do it as a family in the nearby conservation area and combined it with foraging and plant identification! I absolutely love the app @picturethisai for identifying plants!! You take a picture and it IDs your plant and tells you all the details on the plant! Today we found so many edible and medicinal plants including blue cohosh, evening primrose, burdock, echinacea, black walnut, foxglove and more! We also found and... tasted some edible plants like riverbank grapes and autumn olive berries. And we also found a giant puffball! Excited to slice up and stirfry the puffball this week If you haven’t signed up for the PCOS walk yet you can do it anytime in September..you can complete the 5km however you like - walk, bike, run or forage for puffballs

#Repost @pcoschallenge with @get_repost Join PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association (@pcoschallenge) for the biggest PCOS Awareness Month Ever! ====... 1) WORLD PCOS DAY OF UNITY (September 1st) World PCOS Day is an opportunity for those around the globe who are affected by polycystic ovary syndrome to come together in solidarity for PCOS Awareness. PCOS Challenge has worked with major organizations and landmarks around the world to light teal for PCOS Awareness Month. Learn more at PCOSAwarenessMonth.org. Share your story for PCOS Awareness Month at https://pcos.ch/my-story (See link in profile) ======= 2) 2020 VIRTUAL PCOS AWARENESS SYMPOSIUM - Three Days, Over 40 Leading PCOS Experts Saturday, September 12, 2020 11AM-6PM EDT Symposium Day 1 - Fertility, Maternal Health, and Family-Building Saturday, September 19, 2020 11AM-6PM EDT Symposium Day 2 - Lifestyle Management of PCOS Saturday, September 26, 2020 11AM-6PM EDT Symposium Day 3 - PCOS Related Disorders, Adolescent Health, Support, and Advocacy Register at https://pcos.ch/register-2020 (See link in profile) ======= 3) RISE TO CHALLENGE GALA Join @pcoschallenge for the biggest night of the year for the PCOS community! The Rise to the Challenge Gala was created to shine a light on PCOS, infertility and metabolic health as well as recognize outstanding individuals and leading organizations making a significant impact on PCOS patients, advocacy efforts, research and care. The virtual event features celebrity guests and healthcare, political, and industry leaders. Proceeds from the Rise to the Challenge Gala will help fund critical PCOS research, support, education, advocacy, and grant programs. Register at https://pcos.ch/gala-2020 (See link in profile) ======= 4) PCOS CHALLENGE 5K RUN/WALK NATIONAL CAMPAIGN (August 29 - September 30) The PCOS Challenge 5K Run/Walk events are the largest in the U.S. dedicated to raising awareness and funds to help fight polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Sign up to participate, and your Official PCOS Challenge 5K Race Pack and Finisher Medal will be mailed to you.) Register at https://pcos5k.org

It was SO fantastic to be on the @whealth.co podcast and chat with the super smart biohacker @_dashofhealth ! We busted tonnes of myths and covered pretty much everything geeky you may want to learn about your cycle! Want to know how your mood, energy and mental function can change at different times of your cycle, what a normal period should look like, and why its important to think long term when it comes to reproductive and hormonal health? Then you'll want to check th...is out! We even talked about the different life phases, what’s normal and abnormal and how these impact our overall health and hormones. This ended up being a super sciencey and fun talk - check it out at the link in the comments!! If you haven't heard of @whealth.co you'll want to head over and take a look- it's an online women's health biohacking community

It was great to talk hair loss with the phenomenal Letisha Bates .. I met her last year at PCOS Challenge and was so impressed with her dedication to helping others through their PCOS journey! You’ll want to check out her new podcast Live Free Radio! Check my bio for the link!

Autophagy is a popular term in the fasting world but we are now learning more about how it affects the ovaries. Autophagy occurs when cells self-digest parts to get rid of unwanted material. So, how does this apply to the ovary? First its important to know that follicles in the ovary include the oocyte (egg) surrounded by powerful cells that make most of the estrogen, progesterone and testosterone in our bodies.... Granulosa cells of the follicle make primarily estradiol, and the theca cells make androgens (like testosterone). At ovulation, the egg is ejected and the follicle turns into the corpus luteum a temporary endocrine mini-organ". The theca cells of the corpus luteum transform to make progesterone and androgens, and the granulosa luteal cells make progesterone and estradiol. Once 14 days has passed without pregnancy, it breaks down, the lining is shed and a new cycle begins. Not surprisingly, with all of these rapid cell changes - it turns out that autophagy is crucial in the maturation, development and breakdown of follicle cells. Changes to natural autophagy have been found in PCOS ovaries, affecting the development of oocytes and the survival of granulosa cells, creating less mature eggs. This is linked to increased levels of inflammatory cytokines like IGF-1. Like many molecules in the ovary IGF1 is needed in a healthy balance - too much or too little can both be a problem. Levels of IGF-1 are raised from insulin resistance, androgen excess and even from consuming milk/dairy protein among other inflammatory stimuli. This is important because ovarian function drives hormone balance - and goes far beyond fertility. Healthy levels of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone are key to female health on every level including the brain, immune system, skin, hair, bone health, and much more. So, how can you regulate ovarian autophagy in PCOS, as well as this in the whole body? Read more below! Pic: adapted from Microscape

A new study has found a big reason for ovarian dysfunction in PCOS - excess androgens activate endoplasmic reticulum stress in the ovary in PCOS. Each and every egg is surrounded by a group of beautiful granulosa cells which secrete estrogen (estradiol). Outside of the granulosa cells are a layer of theca cells which produce testosterone. Women need testosterone but as we know PCOS is a condition of too much testosterone - known as androgen excess. What happens when the t...heca cells make TOO MUCH testosterone and it leaks down into the granulosa cells? Well, it turns out that androgens up regulate the receptors for AGEs (advanced glycation end products) in the granulosa cells. But what are AGEs? AGEs are also known as glycotoxins, and are known to cause inflammation and disrupt healthy hormone production in the ovaries of women with PCOS. These are harmful compounds that form in the body when protein or fat combine with sugar. Although we naturally produce AGEs all the time, if we produce too many - they accumulate and we can’t eliminate them. High levels of AGEs have been linked to PCOS but also many other health conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, arthritis and high blood pressure. This study found that when the ovary produces too many androgens it causes stress to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), an important organelle within the cell. The Endoplasmic reticulum is a continuous membrane system that is crucial for the synthesis and transport of proteins, lipids and steroid hormones in the ovary. A healthy ER has many complex folds, which have the function of increasing its surface area. When the ER is stressed, it unfolds and misfolds, causing a variety of malfunctions within the cell. In the granulosa cell, when this happens - the ovary begins to accumulate the harmful AGEs, causing inflammation, fibrosis and slowing down the development of healthy eggs. Ref: Harada et al 2020 Photo: lattha-sketches on Redbubble - she has super cute cell biology stickers - check her out!

"I, like many Black women and other women of color, have experienced medical racism and implicit bias which have threatened my life. There are many layers as to why this happens, but racism has no place in healthcare. Racism has no place anywhere." - Sasha Ottey

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Happy Naturopathic Medicine Week!!!

I was honoured to be interviewed for Canadian fashion publication FLARE on the topic: "Is it possible to make your hair grow faster? " The answer is Yes, and No. Ultimately it depends on if something is slowing your hair growth down.... Healthy hair grows at an average rate of 1 cm per month. Different conditions that can reduce hair growth include: PCOS Thyroid disease Nutrient deficiencies (minerals, vitamins, amino acids, fatty acids) Inflammation Insulin resistance Perimenopause and menopause Hormone changes due to birth control pills, postpartum etc Stress and Disruption of our cortisol rhythm Rapid weight loss or crash diets And more! Correcting these conditions can help hair grow at its normal rate! There is no one size fits all approach to supplements for hair loss. Hair loss is multifactorial and the underlying issue must be addressed for hair growth to improve! Hair is expendable and growing it is metabolically expensive! Things need to be right for it to grow or the body may ditch it. For the magazine article check the link https://www.flare.com/f/can-you-make-your-hair-grow-faster/ For an update on lab tests for hair loss check out the recent article by my colleague at White Lotus Integrative Medicine Dr. Kelly Clinning ND

A lot of you come to natural medicine for another perspective on your health. But, let me say with absolute clarity and certainty that the Public Health guidelines from the Ministry of Health in Canada and the World Health Organization for COVID-19 are excellent and will give us the best chance of getting through this without overwhelming our health care system. As a licensed Naturopathic Doctor in practice in Toronto for 19 years and the mom of 3 boys, I believe there is no... better information to follow than this right now! I believe strongly that social distancing, frequent and proper hand washing, and strict isolation and quarantine for symptomatic patients is necessary if we want to get this under control. I might even add to wipe your phone with sanitizer frequently, something we can easily forget. All Ontario Doctors, including licensed Naturopathic Doctors are required to follow regulations that are set by our Ontario Government and I for one am reassured by the job they are doing in this difficult time. My clinic and the amazing NDs who work with me each day stopped taking in-person patients before it was required in order to help flatten the curve. We have increased sanitization measures for our core staff who need to enter the clinic and we do so as little as possible. I am proud of my team @kellyclinning_nd @dr.saminamitha.nd Dr. Erica Nikiforuk @Joyahalls and Ilona for stepping up and doing this together. . Yes, it’s hard. Yes, it’s boring. But, we all need to do this if it is going to work. I am impressed with the way the Canadian Government is handling this massive public health problem and our team at @whitelotustoronto are dedicated to doing our part as are the other NDs that I know like @drtanyawylde_nd ! Keep in mind though there are promising treatments on the horizon we are not there yet - we don’t have proof - yet. So we need to work together to slow this thing down. These guidelines are in place for a reason - for those of you who are not following these recommendations I urge you to start now. We are all here for you to support you! To get a solid understanding of the Naturopathic point of view on COVID-19 please see the excellent information from the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors - OAND and Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors. . So, stay inside, stay healthy, eat healthy, work out in your unfinished basement like me, or go for a run outside alone! We can all do this! . #naturopathicmedicine #naturopathicdoctor #covid19 #coronavirus #naturalcoronavirus

A new review of 36 studies finds that PCOS is linked to sleep disorders, eating disorders and decreased sexual satisfaction. I am always so happy to see articles on topics like this as so many are unaware of the huge impact PCOS has on health in general! Thank you so much for sharing this Sandro Graca