Sarah: Let’s start with the basics – who is Happy Mammoth, and what are they all about?

Dr. Annie: Happy Mammoth is a science-based natural health company. Our carefully curated line of 100% natural supplements is designed to support women’s unique needs as they age, from gut health and hormonal balance to overall vitality.

 

Sarah: What are some signs that a woman can pay attention to with her body, that may inform her she needs to use supplements, whether it be for gut health or hormone health? 

Dr. Annie: Signs of poor digestion include loose stool, diarrhea, constipation, bloating and/or distention by the end of the day, reflux, heartburn and excess gas. Experiencing these symptoms indicates that digestion isn’t optimal and therefore you won’t be absorbing and assimilating all of the nutrients that you’re consuming (even if it’s a perfect diet). This can be an indication that a supplement is required.  Signs of imbalanced hormonal health are symptoms with a woman’s cycle, such as irregular cycles, painful cycles, clots in menstrual blood, acne anytime during the cycle, hot flashes and very heavy bleeding. Experiencing these symptoms indicates that there is an imbalance between the hormones in the body; most commonly estrogen and progesterone. This can be an indication that a supplement is required. If someone is experiencing symptoms in both systems in their body, I always start with gut health so that we can improve the nutrient status and ability of the body to utilize the nutrition that it’s being provided with. This often reduces not only the digestive symptoms, but the hormonal symptoms as well.

 

Sarah: Can gut health and hormone health coincide with one another when it comes to symptoms a woman experiences?

Dr. Annie: Yes! Almost all the women that I work with are experience both digestive symptoms and hormonal imbalance symptoms. They often go hand-in-hand, and I find that if we don’t treat both systems, we won’t get the long-lasting results that we’re looking for.

 

Sarah: I myself have battled both of these issues, along with a few chronic autoimmune diseases, I have gone down this healing path myself over the last several years and I have learned that natural products have more healing power than most medicinal ones, especially for non-acute issues. From a naturopath’s point of view, why are natural supplements a better way to go? 

Dr. Annie: From my education and experience, working with plants and botanicals is a much more gentle approach in that the plant “speaks” to the body and supports the natural processes whereas traditional medications take over that body process. When I am working with anyone, my goal is to remove the obstacles to cure (the things causing the problems), provide the body with the tools that it needs to heal (vitamins, minerals, botanicals, etc.), and let the body use its own innate wisdom to heal. Traditional medications tend to ignore these processes and are used to “take over” and do the body’s work for it. That being said, there is always a time and place for traditional medications as well. We are very fortunate to have medicine for when it is truly needed, and great supplements, like Happy Mammoths, when it is not.

 

Sarah: What is the best way to determine what supplements you may need? 

Dr. Annie: Happy Mammoth supplements are simple and straightforward, and I believe they do a wonderful job of presenting each supplement with its intended use and for which symptoms you’re trying to resolve.

 

Sarah: How can a supplement user determine when to stop taking a supplement, or are Happy Mammoth supplements okay to take on an ongoing basis? I have heard you can’t really overdo it with herbal supplements, but is that a true statement across the board? 

Dr. Annie: No, definitely not a true statement across the board. You can overdo herbal supplements, you can actually overdose on plants and botanicals. There are toxic plants that will result in death if taken too much and in too high of doses. The good news is that Happy Mammoth products don’t contain any toxic plants and are gentle and simple blends, however you shouldn’t be completely reliant on any product indefinitely. Generally using supplements and plant medicine takes longer than a medication, so a good rule of thumb is to give the supplements 6 weeks as a trial period and then continue for 3 months. If you’re still experiencing symptoms during that time frame, you may need a different supplement or a different approach to your treatment.

 

Sarah: Why Happy Mammoth? What makes this brand different from others and a brand that women should turn to for getting back optimal health?

Dr. Annie: I really like and trust Happy Mammoth because of the education they provide for their customers. As a company they are truly trying to help people with their simple products and provide enough education so that the consumer can try their product without fear and they can obtain positive results. Their products are simple and gentle and created by individuals that have a very good understanding of the synergistic qualities of the plants and nutrients they are using.

I love what Happy Mammoth is doing – making optimal health easy and attainable for the average person. They’re supplements are all natural, they are affordable and they are backed by science. Happy Mammoth’s website makes it easy to understand what everything is and what it helps treat, and it’s very aesthetically pleasing. They even have a quiz to help you determine what supplements you may need. If there is one thing I have learned in the many years of research I have done to heal myself, it’s that almost everything starts with the gut – so make sure you start there too. As Dr. Annie said, it will help everything else fall into place, from the common cold to a hormonal imbalance.