Fox & Fir Wellness Co.

Feeling exhausted, foggy, or low on energy during perimenopause? 🌿

It’s easy to assume these symptoms are simply part of the menopause transition, but low iron may also be part of the picture.

During perimenopause, periods can become heavier, longer, or more frequent. Increased menstrual blood loss can mean increased iron loss, which may gradually deplete your iron stores. 🩸

And here’s something important: iron deficiency can occur before anemia develops. Ferritin helps give us a picture of your stored iron, which is why looking at iron status can be helpful when symptoms are present.

Fatigue, brain fog, low energy, and difficulty concentrating can overlap with menopause symptoms, making low iron easy to overlook.

The key is to look beyond the symptom and ask: why is your iron low?

A naturopathic approach can consider your lab work, menstrual history, nutrition, iron absorption, lifestyle, and other potential contributors. Treatment may include nutrition, targeted supplementation, and addressing the underlying cause. 🌱

Dr. Fox can help you put the pieces together and create an individualized approach based on your symptoms and needs.

Your symptoms deserve to be investigated — not simply dismissed as “just menopause.” ❤️

Save this post for later and share it with someone navigating perimenopause.

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“Why don’t I feel like myself anymore?”

Menopause is often talked about in terms of hot flashes, night sweats and changing periods — but the mental and emotional changes can be just as significant.

During perimenopause and menopause, fluctuations in estrogen can affect brain systems involved in mood, sleep and cognition. This can contribute to anxiety, irritability, mood changes, low mood, brain fog, difficulty concentrating and that feeling of being emotionally “off.”

And it can become a cycle.

Hormonal changes can disrupt sleep. Poor sleep can make anxiety, irritability, brain fog and low mood worse. Stress can make it harder to sleep, while hot flashes and night sweats can further interrupt your rest. At the same time, the physical and emotional changes of midlife can add another layer of stress.

For some women, menopause can also be a time when previous mental-health symptoms become more noticeable or return. The menopause transition is a period when women may be more vulnerable to depressive symptoms, particularly during perimenopause.

So what can you do?

This is where individualized menopause care matters. 🌿

Dr. Fox can look beyond a single symptom and consider the bigger picture — your menstrual history, sleep, mood, energy, stress, physical symptoms, lifestyle and overall health — to help identify what may be contributing to how you’re feeling.

Depending on your individual needs, menopause care may include lifestyle and nutrition strategies, addressing sleep and stress, discussing appropriate supplements or medications, and exploring whether hormone therapy or other treatment options may be appropriate for you.

You don’t have to simply accept feeling unlike yourself as “just menopause.”

If something feels different, it’s worth talking about.

Book with Dr. Fox at Fox & Fir Wellness.co to start a conversation about your menopause symptoms and how you’ve been feeling. 🌿

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It’s Menopause Awareness Month! 🌸

But what exactly is menopause — and what happens before it?

Perimenopause is the transition leading up to menopause. During this stage, hormone levels begin to fluctuate, periods can change, and symptoms may start to appear.

Menopause is reached when you’ve gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. After that, you’re considered postmenopausal.

Hormonal changes during this transition can affect much more than your period — including sleep, mood, energy, brain fog, and overall well-being.

And there’s another important piece to consider: iron. 🩸

During perimenopause, heavier or longer periods can increase iron loss. Over time, this may contribute to low iron stores and symptoms such as fatigue, low energy, and brain fog.

Because these symptoms can overlap with menopause, low iron can sometimes be overlooked.

Dr. Fox, naturopathic doctor, can help look at the bigger picture — including your symptoms, hormones, lab work, menstrual history, nutrition, and lifestyle — to create an individualized approach to your health. 🌿

This Menopause Awareness Month, let’s talk more openly about the changes happening in your body and the support available to you. 💕

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🍞 DR. FOX’S HOMEMADE SOURDOUGH METHOD 🤍

There’s nothing quite like homemade sourdough! Here’s Dr. Fox’s go-to method for making a delicious, crusty loaf with a soft, chewy centre.

INGREDIENTS
• 500 g flour
• 350 g water
• 50 g active sourdough starter
• 10 g salt

THE NIGHT BEFORE: FEED YOUR STARTER
Mix together:
• 100 g starter
• 100 g water
• 100 g flour

Cover loosely and leave at room temperature overnight. Your starter should be bubbly, active, and approximately doubled in size by morning.

THE NEXT DAY: LET’S MAKE BREAD!

1️⃣ Mix: Combine flour and water until no dry flour remains. Cover and rest for 30–60 minutes.

2️⃣ Add: Mix in your active starter and salt until fully incorporated. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.

3️⃣ Stretch & Fold: Perform 4 sets of stretch and folds, 30 minutes apart. Wet your hands, stretch one side of the dough up and fold it over the centre. Repeat on all four sides.

4️⃣ Bulk Fermentation: Cover and let the dough rise until noticeably puffier, smoother, and slightly jiggly (usually another 2–4 hours, depending on room temperature).

5️⃣ Shape: Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a round, and rest for 15–20 minutes. Shape again and place seam-side up into a floured banneton or lined bowl.

6️⃣ Cold Proof: Cover and refrigerate overnight for 8–16 hours.

7️⃣ Bake: Preheat your oven and Dutch oven to 450°F. Score your dough and bake covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for another 20–25 minutes until golden brown.

8️⃣ Cool: Let your loaf cool on a wire rack for at least 1–2 hours before slicing.

And there you have it — Dr. Fox’s homemade sourdough! Perfect for morning toast, sandwiches, or enjoying warm with a little butter. 🧈

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PCOS is a hormonal condition, and understanding how hormones interact with your body can make a big difference in understanding your symptoms. 🩷

Hormonal therapy can help manage certain effects of PCOS, including irregular bleeding and androgen-related symptoms such as hormonal acne. Depending on the treatment, hormones can help regulate the cycle, reduce androgen effects, and protect the uterine lining.

There’s also an important distinction: regulating your cycle with hormonal therapy is not the same as restoring ovulation. 🥚 If pregnancy is the goal, treatment can instead focus on supporting ovulation.

At Dr. Fox, we believe in looking at the bigger picture — understanding your hormones, your symptoms, and your individual goals to help create a treatment approach that’s right for you. ✨

Because PCOS isn’t one-size-fits-all, and neither should your care be.

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