The Alternative Pharmacist

11/04/2023

✨Hello and updates✨

I’ve had several new followers here recently which is so lovely. I thought I’d do a little reintroduction and tell you a bit more about myself.

As most of you know I’m a nutritional therapist specialising in couples fertility and women’s health and everything to do with hormones. I’m obsessed with them. We can have so much leverage with nutrition and lifestyle interventions.
Just this morning one of my clients was telling me she feels so much calmer before the start of her period and doesn’t feel so low or lacking in energy.

My passion is to help couples get pregnant naturally and to bring hormonal balance back to women.

I came to working with hormones from my own health journey of having digestive issues from a really young age and then losing my period after being on the pill for several years which I was originally put on for my skin to treat my hormonal acne. After seeing a nutritional therapist myself I decided to complete a nutritional therapy diploma myself and the rest as they say is history!

One thing a lot of people don’t know about me is I am also a pharmacist and have been for the last 15 years. I have worked in general practice for the last 8 years and have gained vast and in depth knowledge in a number of clinical areas. In the last 2 years I have completed my post graduate qualification to become an Independent Prescriber and specialised in Menopause and HRT, the buzz word of the moment! I specifically chose to further train in the hormonal space to further support my clients and now run a successful menopause clinic in the NHS.

I am uniquely placed to marry the science and nutrition to bring a high level of expertise to my clients but what is even more bespoke is? if needed I am able to prescribe medications such as levothyroxine or anti-biotics to my clients if needed which can be such a game changer in their fertility journeys.

I have helped several couples to turn around their fertility and women to feel empowered after they have felt their hormones are taking over their lives.

If you’d like to know more drop a question below and follow link in bio to have a free call about working with me. 😊

30/03/2023

As we draw to the end of Endometriosis Awareness Month and line with my previous post here is a little information on signs and symptoms, drivers of and how we can manage endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a chronic condition affecting at least 1/10 women. Women can display these symptoms both during their period and even throughout the month. They can be crippled with pain and yet it can take up to 8 years to diagnose. Some women may not have symptoms or mild symptoms and only come to be diagnosed when they are trying to conceive.

Endometriosis occurs when the lining of the womb sheds and attaches itself to other organs in the body both within the pelvic region such as the ovaries and tubes but also outside such as the bowel and on the lungs. Pain happens when this endometrial tissue starts to contract in a similar fashion to when the womb starts to contract to release the lining of the womb for menstruation. Hence why it can be so painful and be associated with some of the symptoms in the pictorial.

Typical medical management for endometriosis will be giving pain killers and medications to reduce blood flow but this is not working to address the root cause of the condition and the symptoms will keep returning.

There can be immune system, genetic, hormonal including oestrogen dominance/unopposed oestrogen, inflammation, gut health involvement all contributing to the condition.

20/03/2023

A fitting testimonial for .

Endometriosis is a very debilitating condition and can cal affect fertility. I helped this client and her husband navigate their way through it after trying to conceive for 3 years.

I ran some functional tests for this client including a hair mineral analysis test, gut stool test and a vaginal microbiome test to really find out what was going on from a root cause.

16/03/2023

07/03/2023

Having worked with diabetic patients for a number of years as a general practice pharmacist I always put the emphasis on nutrition and lifestyle for helping to control this damaging inflammatory condition. Through my nutritional therapy work I’ve realised that first meal of the day is so important for how your blood sugars are going to respond throughout the rest of the day.

So whilst a lot of people think it’s a good idea to reach for the oats that’s only true to a certain extent. Although oats are slow releasing soluble carbs and great for feeding those gut microbes if you already have insulin resistance from diabetes or conditions such as PCOS or just dysregulated blood glucose levels adding to inflammation in many scenarios then having oats may not work and certainly having oats on their own may not work.

To have oats in the right way be sure to include some form of fats and proteins. Options include nuts and seeds including chia seeds, flax seeds, other ground seeds such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Whole or flaked nuts such as walnuts or flaked almonds, some nut butter or nut powders such as ground almonds. I also like to add some collagen to mine. It’s important to think about the proportion of oats to the other bits and pieces you are adding in, be sure to keep it on the lower side.

So next time you reach for some oats in the morning try the above recommendations and let me know how you get on.

02/03/2023

🌻Progesterone facts🌻

🌼Progesterone is produced mostly by the corpus luteum also known as the yellow body in the second half of the cycle after ovulation, if we don't ovulate we don't produce progesterone
🌼Progesterone is our pro- gestation hormone , it helps prepare the lining of the womb for implantation, if we become pregnant, progesterone helps to sustain the pregnancy, if we don't become pregnant in that cycle progesterone levels drop as the corpus luteum disintegrates and then a new menstrual cycle starts beginning with our period
🌼Progesterone causes a temperature rise in the second half of the cycle once we have ovulated, the stronger the progesterone levels the better the temperature rise
🌼Progesterone is one of our calming hormones. One of the metabolites of progesterone, allopregnenolone is able to stimulate GABA receptors in the brain to produce a calming effect
🌼Progesterone is actually the first hormone to start to dwindle in the peri-menopause, when this happens our cycles become shorter and our periods at first may start to become heavier as oestrogen is unopposed.
🌼 Progesterone levels can be influenced by stress and our thyroid hormones

Hope you found this interesting, progesterone is a crucial hormone in our fertility and helping to maintain a pregnancy.

If you have any questions then post below ⬇️. I'll be posting about how to support progesterone in another post.

07/02/2023

✨Testimonial time ✨

Always love receiving these testimonials, it’s a reminder of how you can really help turn things around for clients.

Here there was a little male factor fertility to work on and some simple yet effective lifestyle changes, getting in a whack of nutrients such as berries and nuts and seeds was one of them.

It would be amazing to have more clients approach at the beginning of their fertility journey, we plan for our weddings for a year or more sometimes but for this we jump straight into it. As I was explaining to a client yesterday it’s so important to lay the foundations, changing nutrition and lifestyle once pregnant doesn’t make a huge difference especially in that first trimester whilst baby is developing it’s organs it is relying fully on mums stores.

This couple were able to get pregnant about 4 months later. Remember it takes about 3 months to mature an egg and s***m so any changes put in place today will be reflected in 3 months time.

Also they have a really happy and healthy baby now (usual nursery sniffles and teething aside). He really is gorgeous and that again is due to doing the prenatal work ahead which can support in baby’s neurodevelopment, helping to circumnavigate genetic issues sometimes and thinking about things like asthma and eczema which are on the rise also. Studies have shown that by doing the pre-conceptual work that babies are healthier and this continues right into adulthood.

Whichever stage of your fertility journey you’re at, IVF, past miscarriage, history of PCOS, endo, low AMH, male factor fertility, please do get in touch. I’d love to support you on your journey. https://my.practicebetter.io/ #/5cd469e2627db31d78fff993/bookings?s=5ed653192a9c24113cbdebc8. Follow link to book.

29/01/2023

Weekends are for wholesome activities including

✅ dog walks
✅ nourishing foods (apart from the burnt bit)
✅ spending time in nature
✅ catching up with gorgeous friends
✅having a Saturday night boogie
✅ reading

Did you fill up your tank this weekend? Comment below with what you did ⬇️

13/01/2023

When a message like this comes in on a Friday evening you just have to share it.

❤️❤️

21/12/2022

Signing off to spend some quality time with loved ones. I hope you’re able to do the same.

I know it’s a funny time of year and lots of mixed emotions. Whilst it’s happiness and laughter for many some are grieving losses and some are wondering why things haven’t changed for another Christmas. All feelings and thoughts are completely valid.

I’ll be having a complete switch off from social media as it can fuel a lot sometimes. Just try to be present and enjoy even the small moments.

I’ll be back in the new year with lots of exciting new things and looking forward to starting with new clients so some time out is very much needed but I’ll be continuing in the background. Today I spent 2 hours brainstorming a client case, I’m very much dedicated to the cause!

If you need to get in touch or want to enquire about working together then please email richa@thealternativepharmacist.com or follow the link in my bio.

Wishing you all lots of peace, love and joy 🎄🎄