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Dr Nicole Shortt, ND - Integrative Fertility and Hormonal Health

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Vernon, BC
Dr Nicole Shortt, ND - Integrative Fertility and Hormonal Health

My passion is educating women about their bodies. I specialize in fertility and hormone support.

I am passionate about naturopathic medicine and the choices it gives people in healthcare. So many women experience fertility struggles, PMS, painful periods, hormonal imbalances, PCOS, thyroid issues, and struggle with extreme stress. I am here to help bring clarity to confusion and guide you on your journey to optimal health. Visit https://linktr.ee/drnicoleshortt to see the services I offer, educational resources, and to learn more about my practice.

12/26/2025

There has been an increase in doctors ordering the wrong Vitamin D test, according to new research being presented at the College of American Pathologists 2025 meeting.

There are two main Vitamin D tests available:
1️⃣25-hydroxy (25-OH) Vitamin D
This is the most common and the most useful test. It measures your Vitamin D stores and helps determine whether you are deficient.

2️⃣1,25-dihydroxy Vitamin D
This test is reserved for very specific situations such as hypercalcemia, granulomatous diseases, chronic kidney failure, or hyperparathyroidism.

If you want to know whether you are truly deficient in Vitamin D, the 25-hydroxy (25-OH) test is the one you need. The 1,25-dihydroxy levels are regulated by the parathyroid gland and do not reflect your nutritional status.

The more you know.🤓

12/24/2025

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and holiday season filled with rest, warmth, and moments that nourish your mind, body, and spirit.

I am so grateful for this community and excited to support your health in the new year.

12/23/2025

Here are several key areas shaping the fertility conversation right now and what they mean for you:

1. Environmental exposures
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and microplastics are increasingly detected in human tissues, including reproductive tissues. These exposures are associated with altered hormone signaling.
👉What this means for you: fertility support is not about perfection, but about reducing overall toxic load and supporting your body’s detoxification capacity in realistic, sustainable ways.

2. The full fertility picture: While nearly half of infertility cases involve male factors, fertility outcomes reflect combined biological inputs. My clinical focus is on supporting the female reproductive system while recognizing the broader context.
👉What this means for you: optimizing your own physiology can meaningfully support cycle regularity, ovulation, and implantation.

3. Metabolic health: Blood sugar regulation, inflammation, and chronic physiologic stress influence hormonal signaling and ovulatory function.
👉What this means for you: even when labs appear “normal,” improving metabolic stability can support clearer communication between the brain and ovaries.

4. Emotional and nervous system health: Chronic stress affects reproductive hormones through the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. Nervous system regulation is foundational.
👉What this means for you: addressing stress is not about blame or “relaxing harder,” but about helping your body receive consistent safety signals.

5. The Naturopathic approach: I use functional and conventional lab testing to assess how body systems are communicating. Care focuses on supporting adrenal and thyroid function, nutrient sufficiency, blood sugar balance, and toxic burden.
👉What this means for you: we work to create internal conditions that support reproductive resilience, whether conception happens naturally or alongside assisted care.

What else would you add to this list? Let me know in the comments below!

12/19/2025

If you’re navigating fertility challenges, please know that your experience is not a reflection of your worth, your strength, or your future.

Fertility is an intricate dance between hormones, stress, nutrition, emotional wellbeing, and the environment around you. When even one piece feels off, the whole system can feel overwhelming.

In my clinic, I help you understand why things might not be working the way you want them to, and we build a plan that supports your hormones, your cycle, your nervous system, and your overall confidence.

You deserve answers and you deserve a practitioner who listens deeply.

If you’re ready to explore your fertility from a holistic perspective, you can book an initial consult through the link in my bio.

12/12/2025

So many women hit perimenopause or menopause feeling like their bodies are betraying them.

But the truth is that your hormones are doing exactly what they’re meant to do. They are simply trying to adapt to the stress and all the moving parts of a busy life.

As ovarian hormones naturally decline, your body leans more on the adrenal glands for the small amount of hormone precursors it still makes.

This shift makes you more sensitive to stress, under-eating, poor sleep, and over-scheduling. And when the stress-response system (the HPA axis) is overactive, symptoms flare:
👉restless sleep
👉mood changes
👉anxiety
👉fatigue that won’t quit

Hormone balance isn’t ever going to be a quick fix because it requires supporting the systems that regulate your hormones naturally. As an ND, that means focusing on:
• replenishing nutrients
• supporting adrenal function
• stabilizing blood sugar
• improving sleep and recovery

When your whole body is supported, your hormones follow and symptoms ease.

If you’re ready to feel more grounded and confident in your body again, click the link in my bio and let’s get started.

12/10/2025

I know the holidays are right around the corner, and you might have the tendency to want to just continue to go, go go.

BUT your body doesn’t heal by doing more. It heals when you allow yourself to actually rest. Hormones regulate during downtime, not while rushing from one task to the next.

Rest isn’t laziness. Rest is true medicine.

Give yourself permission to pause this season. You might be surprised how much your body thanks you for it.

Take this as your reminder to schedule intentional rest. Even a single quiet evening can help your hormones recalibrate.

How can you give your body rest this week? Let’s share our ideas in the comments below ⬇️

12/08/2025

Progesterone doesn’t get as much attention as estrogen, but it’s just as important, especially during the transition to menopause.

While estrogen often gets the spotlight, progesterone is usually the first hormone to decline, because it’s only produced after ovulation.

As ovulation becomes irregular in perimenopause, progesterone levels begin to drop earlier and more noticeably than estrogen, which can still fluctuate significantly.

Progesterone plays a major role in regulating the menstrual cycle, promoting deeper sleep, calming the nervous system through GABA pathways, and balancing estrogen’s stimulating effects. When progesterone starts to fall, many women notice heavier or more unpredictable periods, PMS-like mood changes or anxiety, sleep disturbances, and that familiar “wired but tired” feeling.

Because progesterone has a naturally calming, restorative influence, its loss can make the body feel out of rhythm both physically and emotionally.

Understanding this shift is the first step toward supporting hormone balance, better sleep, and steadier moods throughout the menopausal transition.

What symptoms are you experiencing in this stage of life? Which are the most difficult for you to navigate so far? Share in the comments 👇

12/05/2025

Do you regularly hit that 2–3pm energetic slump? 😴

If so, there may be a chance your meals aren’t supporting your hormones or your blood sugar as well as they could be.

As a naturopathic doctor, I see this all the time including afternoon crashes, sugar cravings, irritability, and that wired-but-tired feeling. These are often signs your adrenals and blood sugar are working overtime.

When the weather gets colder, your body naturally shifts toward foods that are warming, grounding, and stabilizing. Think of slow-cooked proteins, root vegetables, hearty soups, and seasonal produce.

These foods help keep blood sugar steadier and support the same circadian rhythms your hormones rely on.

Eating seasonally is biologically aligned with how your body is designed to function.

When you give your body what it actually needs, you feel nourished instead of depleted.

Drop a “ME” in the comments if you can relate to this mid afternoon slump. 🙋‍♀️

11/28/2025

Many women start to notice changes in mood, sleep, or PMS symptoms long before their periods actually stop.

This is often due to a gradual decline in progesterone which is one of the first hormones to shift during perimenopause.

When progesterone drops while estrogen remains relatively high, it can create feelings of anxiety, irritability, restless sleep, or heavier cycles.

Understanding these early changes is empowering. It means your body isn’t “out of balance”. Instead your body is communicating that hormones are shifting and need a little extra support.

Through testing, lifestyle adjustments, botanical medicine, and individualized care, I can help smooth this transition and restore a sense of calm and steadiness.

I’m accepting new patients and it’s a great time to use up your remaining benefits! Click the link in my bio to learn more!

11/27/2025

I don’t know who needs to here this but hormones 👏aren’t 👏a 👏marketing 👏trend.

They’re COMPLEX signals that affect your sleep, stress, mood, metabolism, and more.

I see so much misinformation online, and it’s alarming how easy it is for untrained coaches to sell “hormone balancing” content or products without understanding the full picture.

If you’re navigating perimenopause, menopause, or any hormonal concerns, your health deserves evidence-based guidance from a licensed practitioner who can assess, test, and support your body SAFELY.

Be curious, ask questions, and choose your sources wisely. Your hormones are too important to leave to guesswork.

Drop a comment below if you agree!

11/21/2025

Many people think fertility support starts when you’re “ready to try” but your body actually begins preparing months in advance.

Women are born with all their eggs, but each egg goes through an approximate 90–120 day maturation window before ovulation. The egg selected for ovulation starts its final development phase roughly 3 months before it’s released.

The months ahead is a critical time for:
🥗 Nutrition that supports egg health
🌿 Hormone and cycle balance
😌 Stress reduction and sleep optimization
🚫 Reducing exposure to toxins

At Balance Natural Health Clinic, I help women use this time intentionally to give their bodies the best possible start for conception and a healthy pregnancy.

Even small changes now can make a big difference later because fertility is all about creating a strong, balanced foundation.

If you’re interested in preconception care, reach out and book your initial consultation. I would love to support you on this journey. 🌱

11/19/2025

Perimenopause isn’t something you suddenly “enter.” It’s something you gradually grow into and your body has been whispering the signs long before anyone tells you to pay attention.

For many women, it starts in your late 30s or early 40s with changes you can’t quite put your finger on:
• Your energy doesn’t feel predictable
• Your sleep isn’t as restorative
• Your mood feels more sensitive
• Your cycle feels heavier, shorter, or more intense
• Stress hits differently than it used to

These shifts don’t mean you’re aging poorly.
They don’t mean your body is failing you.
They mean your hormones are beginning a transition, not a decline.

Here’s what most women AREN’T told:

🌱Your body is still adaptable
Perimenopause is a phase where your physiology is trying to find a new rhythm. With the right support, you can feel grounded, clear, and strong instead of chaotic or “out of control.”

🌱You’re not supposed to suffer through these changes
Mood swings, PMS intensification, and sleep issues are common but not “normal.” They’re signs your body needs more support, not signs you’re doing anything wrong.

🌱You are allowed to advocate for yourself
You can have normal labs and still not feel normal. Symptoms are data and they really matter.

🌱There are natural, evidence-informed ways to support this transition
From regulating stress physiology, to supporting healthy ovulation, to improving nutrient status, to balancing bleeding patterns, you have options beyond “wait it out.”

Perimenopause is not the beginning of the end.
It’s the beginning of a new hormonal era which is one you can enter with clarity, confidence, and support.

If you’ve been feeling “off,” overwhelmed, or unsure where to start, you’re not alone and you don’t have to navigate this phase blind. I’m here to help you understand your body, trust its signals, and move through this next chapter with strength and ease.

Address

3105 36th Avenue
Vernon, BC
V1T2V7

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.balancenaturalhealthclinic.ca/

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