Page 16 | Christiane Northrup, M.D.

Mom—So Glad You Got a Life

Women’s Wisdom 22 Comments

I talked to my friend Jane in a local restaurant a few weeks after her mother died. Her description of her relationship with her mother—and her sense of loss—touched me deeply. Because their relationship had been so good for so long, her grief was normal and expected—tinged with love, not regret or longing. Jane’s mother was very independent and didn’t make Jane responsible for her happiness. In many ways, this is the kind of relationship we all long for—one of ease, without guilt or obligation.

Liberated from Incontinence

Women’s Bodies 36 Comments

I overheard two women discussing urinary incontinence in the ladies room. One complained that coughing caused her to pee her pants. The other was upset because she leaks a little urine when she exercises. Unable to keep myself from responding to what I consider a woman’s health emergency, I said, “I’m a gynecologist. And in order to prevent this kind of urinary problem, you have to develop strong buttocks muscles and get in touch with your pelvic floor. I recommend peeing in the shower.” They were a little offended by my brash advice.

Rethinking the “Broken Home”

Flourishing 14 Comments

In the not so distant past, people would say a child came from a “broken home” if the child’s parents were divorced. And this was considered a great tragedy. Many people, who really needed to separate, stayed together “for the sake of the children.” Although each situation is different, I can assure you that when a parent is miserable and stays in a miserable situation for the children’s sake, the child learns that miserable is normal for relationships. She also learns how to put up with misery. Tosha Silver, a writer and astrologer, told me that she considers a family “broken” when people who obviously dislike each other stay together for the sake of the kids. And I agree.

Your Heart’s Hidden Cause of Hypertension

Women’s Bodies 47 Comments

One of my Facebook friends was asking me for advice for her sister, who has hypertension (high blood pressure). I didn’t suggest a statin or a blood pressure lowering medication, as the first choice. I explained that, while there are factors like high blood pressure or a stressful lifestyle which contribute to hypertension, sometimes the root cause is deep emotional tension from the past.

The Very Real Quarter-Life Crisis

Culture 16 Comments

I’m sure you’ve heard of a midlife crisis. But there’s another transition, called the quarter-life crisis, which can be equally trying. Your quarter-life is the time when you transition to adulthood, and usually coincides with graduating from college until about age 30. It can be downright terrifying to be on your own for the first time and to realize that your formal education didn’t prepare you for the real world.

Your Gut: A Delicate Garden?

Women’s Bodies 23 Comments

Your gut is a very delicate ecosystem, with more flora (healthy bacteria) in it than all the other cells in the body put together. When this ecosystem is healthy, your digestive tract has the proper balance of stomach acids and bacteria. This allows your body to breakdown food for nourishment and cell repair. Without the ability to absorb nutrition from your food and eliminate waste, you may experience all kinds of health issues that, on the surface, don’t seem to be related to digestion. These include headaches, mood issues, weight gain, menstrual cramps, fatigue, back pain, frequent colds, estrogen dominance, and more. If your digestive health is poor, everything suffers.

Thrive in the Future by Understanding the ACE Study

Flourishing 13 Comments

The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study scientifically validates something many physicians, including me, have experienced. The environment that you are raised in can have a significant impact on your health and habits for a long, long time.

The Miracle of Motherhood Your Way

Women’s Wisdom 11 Comments

From the moment I gazed into the eyes of my firstborn child, Annie, I was enchanted. Given what I teach now (and how I practiced medicine), I think you will find this ironic: Up until the moment that I actually went into labor, I treated my impending motherhood in a detached clinical way and managed to stay totally immersed in my career. Talk about a mind-body split! Then happily, suddenly, and quite unexpectedly, at age thirty-one, my innate nurturing and mothering skills were awakened in me as I went through the process of labor and birth.

Puzzle Solved: Easy Tips for Healthy Blood Sugar

Sugar 14 Comments

In my last blog, “The Missing Piece of the Diabetes Puzzle,” I shared an insight that’s ahead of its time. One of the reasons for the rampant rise in type-2 diabetes is that the range for normal blood sugar is too high.1 This explains why many people have symptoms, like extra weight around the middle and unexplained fatigue, for years before they are diagnosed. Now that I’ve shared this important information, I also want to offer ways for you to solve the puzzle.

The Missing Piece of the Diabetes Puzzle

Sugar 28 Comments

Modern medicine operates much like a farmer who fixes his fences ONLY after the horses or cows have broken out. Hence, most serious health conditions incubate for years before they are diagnosed. This is certainly true of type 2 diabetes.