Dr. Michelle Durkin, Naturopathic Doctor

10/15/2025

Do you ever feel like your brain is not your brain anymore? 🤯

The exact words I said to my colleague about two years ago were “I feel like I’m going crazy.” And yes, I was peri-menopausal. And yes, here's why I felt that way 👇👇👇 as described by Deanna Minich PhD:

"A review in Brain Sciences highlights how estrogen receptors shape women’s mental health and cognition during the menopausal transition. Estrogen influences neurotransmitters, synaptic connections, and neuroplasticity in regions tied to memory, mood, and learning. This aligns with Dr. Lisa Mosconi’s brain imaging research showing profound midlife changes as estrogen declines.

The message is clear: women’s brain health must be central to the menopause conversation. Menopause is not only an endocrine shift. It is a whole-body and whole-brain transition."

Reference/image credit: Cho JM, Lee J, Ahn EM, Bae J. Beyond Hot Flashes: The Role of Estrogen Receptors in Menopausal Mental Health and Cognitive Decline. Brain Sci. 2025 Sep 16;15(9):1003. doi: 10.3390/brainsci15091003. PMID: 41008363.

10/13/2025

Whenever I make pie I always make 2️⃣
One for the occasion and one for the freezer.
Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃

10/11/2025

10/08/2025

What I’m taking this time of year:
🤧 to help my immune system - ACES+Zn + Vitamin D
🧠 to help my mental health, stress, and sleep - B6 SAP, Mg bisglycinate
💪 to help my energy - Heme iron
🙄 to help my hormones - PhytoBalance, SPM Active
+
Protein powder, fibre, and greens powder to make sure I get enough everyday.

10/04/2025

I’m going old school with these earphones, but it might actually be healthier for me.
My cats hid one of my wireless earbuds a couple months ago and I still can’t find it 🤦🏻‍♀️ 🐈 🐈‍⬛
We could all use a little less wifi and a few more trees in our lives 🌳

10/01/2025

I would never have picked this activity on my own, let alone rent the dress for the full experience 👗.

But I spend so much time in my masculine or yang energy 🧠 that it was so fun (but also balancing) to embrace more of my feminine or yin energy 💕

Grit & Grace Adventures

09/27/2025

A traditional Balinese water purification ceremony 💦

The card that was pulled for me that morning was Courage. I’m also an enneagram 1, so the prayer that I used for my blessing was a synchronicity at play - “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference” 🙏🏵️

Grit & Grace Adventures

09/25/2025

There was a special surprise planned for us 😱 - releasing the turtles back into the ocean 🐢

Grit & Grace Adventures Bali Turtle Conservation Farm

09/23/2025

My birthday twin left these special surprises in my office for me 💕 🥰 So sweet!

09/19/2025

🏵️ Traditional Balinese basket making - every morning they use these beautiful baskets to make an offering to their gods 🙏. The smaller squares are filled with rice and then cooked for eating.

Grit & Grace Adventures

09/16/2025

You probably can’t tell in this first picture but it’s pouring rain outside and continued for 3 days straight. But we didn’t let that spoil our adventure. Bali is beautiful even in the rain. Plus, when am I ever going to see these rice fields in again?

In Balinese culture they have the practice of gratitude built into their everyday life. They give thanks for the rain 🌧️ and they give thanks for the sun ☀️. All is appreciated 🙏

Grit & Grace Adventures

09/12/2025

No wonder birds chirping in the morning sounds so peaceful 🙏

My welcome to Bali 🏵️