Naturopathic Women’s Health
Serving the Phoenix Area from Scottsdale, Arizona
As women, we experience health issues and life transitions that are both subtle and profound, expected and unexpected. Along with managing our own health, we often need to care for family members and other loved ones. Frustrated with “conventional” medical treatments and advice, many of us seek a more complete perspective, a holistic approach to our health care.
The Naturopathic Physicians Group’s whole-health perspective and personalized holistic care help women navigate the full range of their health issues.
Our women’s health naturopaths are honored to have been with so many of our patients through the events and transitions of their lives. We have a deep understanding of how women’s health relies on the function and interaction of all our systems – structural, circulatory, respiratory, nervous, immune, endocrine, digestive, excretory, integumentary (skin), and reproductive. We offer treatment, advice and personalized programs to build your overall health, emotional strength, resilience, and physical endurance.
When patients present their symptoms, we step back and look at their whole-health context – because all our systems are so interdependent. What we do and don’t eat, our physical, chemical and psychological stressors, and how we sleep are key factors – when they are out of balance, they can cause inflammation and a host of other health issues. For example, our hormones influence our brains’ cognitive performance, our cardiovascular health, how we use our food as fuel, how our immune systems fend off disease, and how we clean out toxins and waste. Those other systems, in turn, influence our hormones.
Life’s changes and challenges are more manageable when we have expert guidance. In women’s reproductive systems, hormone-related processes such as menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth, nursing, peri-menopause, menopause, and post-menopause can be welcome and sometimes uncomfortable or life-altering changes.
Patients often come to see our women’s health doctors for natural care treatments regarding symptoms including night sweats, cramps, sleepless nights, or brain fog. To address those issues, we consider all of their systems to find the path to a healthy balance. As they take on rebalancing, patients often find they sleep better, have more energy, are in a better mood, and appear more youthful. Skin, hair, nails, and metabolism all benefit.
Our years of experience and staying up to date on cutting-edge research help us interpret symptoms and lab results to accurately diagnose what’s causing problems. We work out treatments that resolve immediate problems, improve your health and fit your current lifestyle. Our naturopathic doctors help you understand how to maintain your recovery and continue your path to optimal health.
Women’s Health Physicians
Dr. Loreena Ryder
Dr. Loreena Ryder works with women through all of life’s stages and phases. Her care and treatments range from regular checkups to supportive care in areas such as pregnancy, menstrual disorders, and managing menopausal symptoms. Health challenges that are both new or experienced for years are helped with treatments that maximize the body’s ability to heal itself. Please visit Dr. Loreena Ryder’s biography for more details on her experience and philosophy of care.
How We Work With Women
We provide naturopathic women’s health services to people in the Phoenix area from our clinic in Scottsdale.
Our naturopathic doctors work with our patients over time to resolve their symptoms and optimize their health at all stages of their lives. Restoring healthy hormone balance means making sure your diet, lifestyle, home regimens, plant medicines, and even low-dose bio-identical hormones are serving your needs. Every woman experiences hormonal transitions differently, so our naturopaths provide women’s health treatment plans that are unique to each woman.
Procedures and Practices
- Regular preventative and informative check-ups
- Whole-woman assessments, considering life context as well as symptoms
- Comprehensive lab testing for thyroid, adrenal and hormone levels
- Coordinating education and treatment to address symptom patterns
- Nutritional treatment includes personalized weight loss, system repair, and anti-inflammatory eating programs
- Supplements for hormone support and replacement
- Botanical and homeopathic glandular-systems support
- Programs to help you stay healthy
Preventive and Preparatory Care
- Regular check-ups are important for women of all ages
- Comprehensive breast and pelvic exams, lab testing for hormone balance, blood, as well as PAP and STDs
- Programs to boost the immune system when health concerns and family history include cancer or other genetic diseases
- Consideration of risk factors that may contribute or lead to any of the conditions listed below
- We work with many women before they try to get pregnant to prepare their bodies for healthy babies, answer questions on fertility, and give tips on conceiving.
Women’s Health Conditions
& Naturopathic Treatments
Some of The Conditions Our Women’s Health Naturopathic Physicians Treat Include:
- Digestive issues
- Adrenal imbalances
- Thyroid – Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism
- Cycle irregularities
- Menstrual cramps
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- Mood changes, brain fog, anxiety, irritability
- Changes in libido
- Vaginal dryness
- Acne
- Hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbance
- Weight issues, changes in hair & skin
- Bladder issues
- Vaginitis
- Menopause and peri-menopause
- Endometriosis
- Uterine fibroids
- Cervical dysplasia
- Fibrocystic breasts
- Abnormal uterine bleeding
- PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome)
- Amenorrhea (the absence of menstruation)
- Osteoporosis
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
- Genital herpes (SV)
- Heart disease
Details on Common Women’s Health Issues:
Cycle Irregularities
Some changes in the amount, duration or pattern of your menstrual cycle are normal but can be reasons to call your doctor. Abnormal uterine bleeding, or any vaginal bleeding unrelated to normal menstruation, from spotting between cycles to extremely heavy periods. (See Uterine fibroids.) Most cases are due to benign and easily-addressed conditions. We highly recommend a prompt evaluation.
Menopause and Peri-Menopause
As your menstrual cycle shuts down and hormones shift to the stage beyond child-bearing years, many women experience varying combinations of mental and emotional symptoms (moodiness, brain fog, anxiety, and irritability), hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbance, vaginal dryness, nocturia (frequent night urination), and changes in libido.
Endometriosis
When the tissue that normally lines the uterus grows outside of the uterus, it causes painful periods, excessive bleeding, interferes with ovaries and fallopian tubes, and in some cases leads to infertility. Our holistic women’s health physicians offer an individualized endometriosis natural treatment plan designed for your body.
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
Many possible factors can cause PMS symptoms, which may include mood swings (anxiety, anger, irritability, sadness), appetite changes, insomnia, fatigue, breast tenderness, acne flare-ups, constipation/diarrhea, weight changes and water retention.
Menstrual Cramps
Over half of menstruating women experience cramping. Cramps may be caused by benign dysmenorrhea, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), adenomyosis (when endometrial tissue lining the uterus grows into the muscular wall of the uterus). Symptoms may start with spasmodic lower-abdominal pain, and may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, bloating, weight gain, breast tenderness, irritability, headache, dizziness, fainting, and low back pain.
Acne
Acne is a common skin condition (skin eruptions or lesions on the face, neck, chest or back) that can occur in people of all ages. In women’s health, it can be caused by hormonal imbalances, food intolerance, and excessive oil production. Severe cases may cause scarring.
PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)
A hormonal disorder in women of reproductive age, where symptoms may include irregular menstrual cycles, excess androgens (male hormones) that can cause abnormal hair growth and weight gain. Naturopathic Physicians Group will provide an individualized PCOS naturopathic treatment plan tailored to your needs.
Fertility
Fertility can be affected by many factors such as age, health status, and stress. Infertility is a relatively common condition, with the environmental, nutritional and emotional stresses of modern life. Our women’s health naturopaths offer a holistic fertility treatment plan with pre- and post-natal dietary and lifestyle advice, weight management, and watching for issues such as edema, preeclampsia.
Amenorrhea (Absence of Menstruation)
Most often associated with pregnancy or breastfeeding, a small percentage of women stop menstruating when their ovaries stop making a normal amount of estrogen. Indications include missing periods three months in a row. Causes include eating disorders, weight gain, stress, and sometimes more serious health problems such as PCOS, or uterine fibroids.
Treatments
