017: Dr. Amanda Chay – Live Better, Longer Through Balance (Naturopathic Physician)

Show notes:
In this episode, Dr. Amanda Chay – a naturopathic physician and my amazing cousin – shares evidence-based insights into HPA axis dysregulation and stress, diet-related health issues including SIBO and fungal dysbiosis, and female hormone regulation. Her expertise comes from a combination of her medical training, experience treating thousands of patients, and a passion for health, happiness, and performance.

Currently, Amanda is the owner of The Natural Path Clinic in Rossland, BC, owner of her own supplement company, Enliven Naturals, and a business consultant helping wellness providers diversify income and help more people. Her work has been featured in Medium, Thrive, and The Female Hustlers. And finally, in addition to her Naturopathic medical training, she also has advanced training and certifications in the following:

– Pharmaceutical prescription rights
– Acupuncture
– IV & chelation therapy
– Advanced cardiac life support

Needless to say, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge and her personality and enthusiasm is infectious. I personally guarantee that you will enjoy this episode with Amanda!

TOPICS:
[3:45] What is naturopathic medicine?
[8:50] HPA axis dysregulation and its role in health
[19:12] The role of diet with IBS, SIBO, fungal dysbiosis and more
[25:15] The two foods that cause 95% of gut issues
[33:23] Building the best diet with whole foods
[42:34] Most common factors that contribute to hormone imbalances
[45:27] Functions of progesterone and estrogen in female menstrual cycle
[51:43] The lifestyle habits of a naturopathic physician
[57:08] Where to learn more about Amanda
[1:02:41] Amanda’s best advice for optimizing health, happiness, and performance

FULL EPISODE WITH VIDEO

HPA Axis Dysregulation
The human stress response, governed by the HPA axis (Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal), is very complicated. In Episode 008 about breathing, I touched on this a little bit. Fortunately, Amanda simplifies this process and its implications much better than me! Essentially, when you are in a stressed state – either from running away from a bear or fighting with a coworker (our body cannot differentiate between stressors) – cortisol is released to activate the sympathetic nervous system.

This is a normal and necessary process for human functioning and survival. However, when we are chronically stressed, cortisol levels are always elevated, the brain recognizes that cortisol levels are excessive, so to compensate, the brain triggers a down regulation of cortisol.

This results in HPA axis dysregulation, leading to various symptoms of burnout, including fatigue, anxiety, being “tired but wired,” poor sleep, and low motivation. Further, because our body functions as one interconnected system, this can result in a variety of other issues including digestion, hormone imbalances (including sex hormones), and more.

For these reasons, it is imperative that we design our lifestyles to more effectively manage stress. Amanda encourages people to spend time in nature, schedule time for rest, and aim for balance in everything you do.

Dietary Interventions for Common Issues
Beyond issues managing chronic stress, Amanda has found very common patterns between diet and health issues while treating thousands of patients. For example, she notes that in her experience, the two foods that are responsible for approximately 95% of health issues are gluten and cow dairy.

Gluten causes issues with intestinal permeability, creating gaps in the intestinal lining that allow for proteins to be absorbed into the bloodstream prior to being broken down. The body is unable to recognize the protein in this form, and as a result, it creates an inflammatory response to these “foreign” molecules.

Cow dairy, meanwhile, has two types of protein: casein and whey. In casein, there is A1 and A2 protein, with A1 being more inflammatory. Consuming large amounts of dairy may contribute to an inflammatory response for many people, which is why consumption in moderation is important.

If you love dairy, don’t worry – it may not be necessary to complete eliminate it from your diet. In fact, Amanda has found significant success with her clients by removing cow dairy for 4-5 days a week. Alternatively, she suggests trying goat or sheep dairy because they have a higher ratio of A2:A1 protein, which is likely to induce less of an inflammatory response.

Optimizing Female Sex Hormones
“Women should feel good all the time.” Amanda is adamant about this.

Sure, hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle may alter how women feel to some extent, but major, recurring issues with female sex hormones should not be considered normal.

One of Amanda’s specialties is understanding the complex relationships between hormones and understanding how stress (and cortisol levels), diet, and lifestyle influence symptoms.

An example she gives is protein consumption. Protein affects blood sugar levels which affects cortisol. Therefore, returning to the initial discussion on the role of chronic stress on the HPA Axis and cortisol, it is clear that something as seemingly unrelated as protein consumption can actually drastically alter all other physiological processes, potentially including sex hormones.

Ultimately, if you are experiencing severe issues during your menstrual cycle, it is likely an indication that something is not functioning properly. To feel and perform your best ALL THE TIME, it is important to assess potential contributors.

To help you better understand the complicated web of hormones, Amanda created a Hormone Course that serves as an excellent primer to understand female hormones and learn how to ensure that you feel good all the time.  

A Natural Approach to Living Better, Longer
Amanda’s tips for optimizing health, happiness, and performance are simple and powerful. Make these focal areas of your life and you will be on the path to living a high quality of life for a long time.

First, for optimizing health, her advice is simple: Eat whole foods. Processed foods remove key nutrients, add unnecessary amounts of sugar, sodium and other alternatives, and your body isn’t designed to process nutrients in that manner. Nutrients require the presence of other nutrients – called cofactors – to properly absorb and utilize them. As such, eating food in its natural form is the best way to eat a healthy diet.

Secondly, for optimizing happiness, Amanda recommends taking time off. Whether you are exercising too much, working too much, or constantly running away from bears, chronic stress wreaks havoc on your system. If necessary, schedule non-negotiable time off into your calendar.

And finally, for performance, Amanda shared four excellent points that can help you take your pursuits to the next level to build the life you dream of. They are:

– Batch your time
– Maximize efficiency
– Outsource when possible
– Seek mentorship

So that’s it: Eat whole foods, take time off, become more efficient and seek mentorship. A wonderfully simple, holistic, and natural approach to living better, longer.

Learn more and follow Dr. Amanda Chay:
Dr. Amanda Chay – Instagram
Naturopath Clinic – Website
Naturopath Clinic – Instagram
Enliven Naturals – Website
Enliven Naturals – Instagram
Hormone Harmony Master Class

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Thank you all for joining me on this journey to lifelong health, happiness, and higher performance. And remember, always be grateful, love yourself, and serve others.