AcupuncturePregnancyPrenatal Nutrition
June 3, 2019

My Absolutely Essential, Non-Negotiable Birth Prep Strategy: Acupuncture

Once you have reached the 35th week of pregnancy you are officially ready to start preparing your body for labour. These natural strategies do not induce early term labour, but…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Endometriosis Pain ReliefWomen's Health
May 11, 2019

The Blood Test to Diagnose Endometriosis

Have we been waiting for an easy way to diagnose endometriosis (well, I know I have) and it already exists?! Endometriosis is extremely difficult to diagnose, it takes an average…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Hormone TestingNatural Fertility SupportPrevent MiscarriageWomen's Health
April 12, 2019

Vitamin D Supplementation May be the Easiest Way to Prevent Miscarriage

Prior to 2018, two prospective studies had investigated a weak association between lower vitamin D concentration and pregnancy loss. This 2018 study found a fourfold risk of pregnancy loss with…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Hormone TestingNatural Fertility Support
February 5, 2019

What does AMH (ovarian reserve) have to do with natural fertility success? Not a whole lot.

Let’s start with what AMH means AMH stands for “Anti-Mullerian Hormone”, which is a hormone produced by developing follicles (aka eggs). AMH is used as a measure of ovarian reserve,…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Fertility AcupunctureFertility SupplementsNatural Fertility Support
September 5, 2018

Your Natural Guide to An Easy Egg Retrieval

Your Natural Guide to an Effortless Egg Retrieval Did you know that the egg retrieval procedure is considered minor surgery? No to worry though, you’ll be sedated! (Which means don’t…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Natural Fertility SupportPrevent Miscarriage
June 12, 2018

How the Right Diagnosis Can Prevent Miscarriage: The Top 10 Causes

If I had to choose an area of fertility medicine that is most near and dear to me, it’s working with pregnancy loss. I’m fascinated by each of my unique…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Natural Fertility Support
June 12, 2018

The Top 10 Questions to Ask Before Starting IVF

IVF is a big step, physically and financially, and you likely have questions before you commit but you just don’t know what to ask. Of course, how do you know…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Endometriosis Pain Relief
March 30, 2018

Endometriosis: One of the leading causes of period pain and infertility that you NEED to know about!

Endometriosis affects an estimated 176 million women worldwide, and some women don’t even know they have it! That’s why March is worldwide endometriosis awareness month! Endometriosis is a gynecological condition…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Natural Fertility SupportPrenatal Nutrition
January 26, 2018

The 10 Foods You Should be Eating During the 2-Week Wait

You’ve made it through! Through the countless appointments, medications, and procedures! Now all there’s left to do is wait, and maybe wait a little more. These two weeks are a…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Fertility AcupunctureFertility SupplementsNatural Fertility SupportPrevent Miscarriage
January 26, 2018

5 Natural & Effective Ways to Increase Uterine Lining Thickness

During natural cycles, cycle monitoring, IUI, IVF & FET Uterine (or endometrial) lining thickness is a useful predictor of embryo implantation and miscarriage prevention. It is measured via ultrasound during…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Hormone TestingNatural Fertility Support
January 26, 2018

What Your Semen Analysis Really Means & How to Get the Results You Want

A Brief History of the Mighty & Motile The World Health Organization has the very influential job of determining the reference ranges for semen analysis. These reference ranges were overhauled…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Natural Fertility Support
October 16, 2017

This is What Infertility Looked Like 30 Years Ago

This is what infertility looked like 30 years ago, told through the eyes of an “infertile” couple’s daughter (that’s me!) In honour of Canadian Infertility Awareness week, I sat down…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Hormonal ImbalanceHormone Testing
October 16, 2017

Confessions of a Tap Water Drinker: How To Combat Environmental Estrogens Without Losing Your Mind

I drink tap water and it is one of the major sources of xenoestrogens in our environment. I don’t have one of those fancy reverse osmosis water filtration systems, but…

Dr. Sumner 0
1
Hormonal ImbalanceHormone Testing
October 16, 2017

The Top 10 Hormones Worth Testing in Blood Work & The EXACT Results You Want to See

You know the drill when it comes to hormone testing; it’s a lot of poking and prodding on multiple days of your menstrual cycle. In my experience, my patients have…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Fertility SupplementsNatural Fertility Support
October 16, 2017

Can coenzyme Q10 supplementation make your eggs act a little bit younger?!

It’s an unfortunate fact of life: every single day we get a tiny bit older. I truly believe that you’re only as old as you feel, and just because you’ve…

Dr. Sumner 0
1
Endometriosis Pain ReliefFertility Supplements
October 16, 2017

What I Take for Endometriosis

Endometriosis (or “endo” for short) It’s a female condition in which uterine tissue grows outside of the uterus. If you have this condition then you know it’s a real b!@*%…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Acupuncture
October 16, 2017

Acupuncture & My Heart: A Personal Story

PSVT 12 years ago I started experiencing abnormal heart palpitations. After a few years of misdiagnoses, I was told I had paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT for short). PSVT is just…

Dr. Sumner 5
0
Naturopathic Mental Health
October 16, 2017

My 8 Simple & Essential Tips for Living A Positive Life

Spend the first minute of the day on gratitude As soon as you wake up; reflect on something in your life you are grateful for as a way of starting…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Hormonal ImbalanceHormone Testing
October 16, 2017

The Top 5 Benefits of Soy for Women

I’ve been wondering for years why everyone seems to hate soy. As a part-time job during naturopathic medical school I used to sample health foods at various grocery stores and…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Endometriosis Pain ReliefHormonal Imbalance
October 16, 2017

5 Really Simple Strategies to Reduce Period Pain

If you experience debilitating menstrual cramps, just as I do, then I’m sure you remember the first time they started and the constant struggle you’ve battled in learning to cope…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Men's HealthNatural Fertility Support
October 16, 2017

5 Ways to Keep Your Testicles (and everything they stand for) in Tip-Top Shape

Although I’m not an owner of testicles, testicular health is of the utmost importance to me and it should be to you too. I’ve learned over time from the men…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Natural Pregnancy Support
October 16, 2017

The Quick Cheat-Sheet On Body Changes to Expect During Pregnancy

Healthy body changes are inevitable during pregnancy. A lot goes into making a tiny human, especially when your body is the vessel for that human’s life! The most supportive thing…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Natural Pregnancy Support
October 16, 2017

The “All You Need To Know” Guide to Hormone Changes During Pregnancy

You’re pregnant! Now what happens? Whether your journey to pregnancy has been a roller coaster ride, or a pleasant surprise, all women go through similar hormonal changes during pregnancy. The…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Food Allergies
October 16, 2017

Do you become flushed or itchy after eating or drinking…everything? You could have histamine intolerance

Histamine 101 Histamine is an organic compound made by your body that’s responsible for initiating immune and inflammatory responses…and about a million other functions that we don’t have time to…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Hormonal ImbalanceHormone Testing
October 16, 2017

The Ins & Outs of the DUTCH (dried urine test for comprehensive hormones)

I’ve committed myself to learning all about dried urine hormone testing (aka DUTCH) and here is what I’ve learned so far (the good, the bad….and my exact results). The purpose…

Dr. Sumner 0
1
Hormonal ImbalanceWomen's Health
October 16, 2017

Could your yeast infection actually be cytolytic vaginosis?

We all know those tell tale signs, the itchiness, the redness, the agony; the instant you notice them you run to the nearest pharmacy and grab an over the counter…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Food Allergies
October 16, 2017

Why Probiotics Are the Greatest Supplement & 3 Tips For Buying the Best

Following up on my blog post titled “Why Supplement Brand Matters”, this post is dedicated to picking the best probiotic supplement Probiotics are my absolute favourite supplement! If I was…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Fertility Supplements
October 16, 2017

6 Ways To Know Your Supplement Will Actually Work

I’ve been in the health products industry for a number of years now, long enough to see the good, the bad, and the ugly (aka the life changing, the mediocre,…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Hormonal ImbalanceHormone TestingWomen's Health
October 16, 2017

Pills & Periods: Everything You Want to Know in One Blog

This blog is to help you navigate the world of periods and birth control, so instead of the debilitating fear we have associated with a little mishap, or a late…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Naturopathic Mental Health
October 16, 2017

When did the relentless pursuit of stress become admirable? The 3 Things I’ve Learned About Being Stressed

When did it become popular to strive for sleepless nights and burnt-out days as a badge for being successful? I’ve often questioned if it’s even possible for me to achieve…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Hormonal ImbalanceNatural Fertility SupportWomen's Health
October 16, 2017

The ONE Tool You Need To Figure Out Your Hormones

It’s a thermometer! And it only costs $10.00! This simple and informative technique is called Basal Body Temperature Tracking Basal Body Temperature  Tracking is the perfect tool for you if you: experience PMS…

Dr. Sumner 0
0
Men's HealthNatural Fertility Support
October 16, 2017

Good Wood: 8 Foods You Should Be Eating To Keep It Up & Running

Think of your penis as a heart in your pants…it’s just an extension of your vascular system. Anything that affects your cardiovascular system also affects your penis, this means cardiovascular…

Dr. Sumner 0
0