https://www.naturopathicbydesign.com/

Dr. Corina Dunlap, 254 Commercial Street, Ste 258, Portland, ME (2026)

01/24/2026

Who’s doing Dry January (and February) this year? 🙋🏻‍♀️

Alcohol impacts blood sugar regulation, sleep quality, estrogen clearance, cortisol signaling, and inflammation.

Women are roughly twice as susceptible to alcohol’s effects due to differences in body composition, enzyme activity, and hormone metabolism.

So when alcohol is removed, it’s common to notice changes in energy, shifts in mood, sleep disruptions, and/or evening cravings. It’s recalibrating, but also incredibly motivating as we notice all the beautiful benefits!

The goal of isn’t just removing alcohol.
It’s replacing the ritual with the deepest internal support.

These hormone-friendly drinks help:
👉🏼 stabilize blood sugar
👉🏼 hydration and minerals
👉🏼 calm the nervous system
👉🏼 reduce inflammation
👉🏼 still feel enjoyable and grounding

Because hormones don’t respond to willpower, they respond to signals.

Which one are you trying first? Share in the comments 🤍

01/21/2026

Serotonin isn’t just a “feel-good” neurotransmitter. It’s a chemical your body is designed to make every single day.

Serotonin plays a powerful role in mood, emotional resilience, sleep, appetite regulation, and nervous system balance.

And while supplements and medications can be helpful for some, it’s important to know that serotonin production is deeply influenced by food, the gut, and daily rhythms.

🥩 Protein provides tryptophan — the building block for serotonin.
🫘 Fiber-rich foods feed gut microbes where most serotonin is made.
🍌 Carbohydrates help shuttle tryptophan into the brain.
🥑 Healthy fats support brain signaling and stability.

This is why mood support isn’t about “positive thinking” or willpower.

If you’ve been feeling moody or emotionally flat, craving carbs or sugar later in the day, struggling with sleep or stress resilience, or simply feeling “off” without a clear reason, it may be a sign that your serotonin system needs support, not restriction.

Supporting your mood starts in the kitchen and it’s meant to feel nourishing!

Save this post for your next grocery haul and let’s build meals that nourish your brain and gut.

01/19/2026

2016 was full, accomplished, and beautiful.

But here is what you don’t see (so much stress, so much pressure that I put on myself).
• The constant question of how to be both a present mother and a leader in the field of naturopathic medicine + integrative women’s health.
• The guilt of being a working parent and needing childcare on a residency salary while my husband was in graduate school.
• The stress of planning a coast-to-coast move without knowing how I would handle living full-time in the Northeast.
• The fear of postpartum at 40, not knowing that fear was very real, and that I would move straight from breastfeeding into early perimenopause while building a practice from the ground up.
• Realizing that our insurance system rewards sickness more than prevention, and that I would need to build something different.
• The knowledge that I would always be fighting for what I believe in: root cause medicine; a whole-body naturopathic approach; our training; our credentials (the fact that most people don’t realize how incredibly demanding and rigorous becoming an ND is); being wholeheartedly committed to this form of medicine in the world.

2016 taught me this:
This year was incredibly challenging, but also foundational. I learned so many valuable lessons, one of which is that without my health and wellness at the center of my daily focus, the transformation I deeply desired would have been much harder, or perhaps not possible. It was never optional. It was always at the center of the plan. Also, it’s not about perfection, just consistent effort.

If your life feels full, demanding, and stretched right now, I see you.

01/18/2026

When carbohydrates are eaten on their own, they tend to bypass satiety and leave you hungrier, not satisfied. Ever notice how once you start eating your favorite carby snack, you suddenly want more? This was one of those lightbulb moments for me back in my early biochemistry days.

Also, eating carbs solo can drive sharper rises in blood sugar and insulin, which matters deeply for women with PCOS and insulin resistance.

Insulin doesn’t just manage glucose. When it runs high, it can push androgen production, interfere with ovulation, and intensify symptoms like cravings, fatigue, acne, and cycle irregularity.

What often gets overlooked is that the same carbohydrate behaves very differently when it’s paired. Adding protein, fiber, and fat slows digestion, softens the glucose rise, and reduces insulin demand. That steadier response supports more stable energy, fewer crashes, and calmer hormonal signaling especially important in PCOS, where insulin is often the upstream driver.

This is why:
plain toast by itself 🍞
is not the same as
toast paired with eggs, vegetables, and avocado 🍞🍳🥬🥑

Pairing carbs is metabolic support. It allows carbohydrates to stay in your diet while reducing the stress they can create when eaten in isolation.

And zooming out: insulin sensitivity isn’t shaped by food alone. Sleep quality, muscle mass, stress load, nervous system regulation, and whether your body feels adequately fueled all matter. Chronic under-eating and fear around carbs often worsen the very patterns women are trying to fix.

PCOS care isn’t about eliminating foods. It’s about creating safety, stability, and rhythm in the body.

Comment “PCOSLABS” to learn which labs actually matter for PCOS!👇🏼

01/17/2026

Your body was never meant to be pushed, overridden, or “optimized” at the expense of what actually serves your well-being. Sometimes, what serves us most is so simple.

Which one did you need to hear today? 👇🏼

01/16/2026

Supporting insulin sensitivity isn’t about cutting carbs, skipping meals, or chasing perfection.

It’s about working with your physiology, not against it.

Insulin resistance often develops quietly, long before blood sugar looks “abnormal.” And for many women, the answer isn’t more restriction… it’s more support.

Here’s what actually supports insulin sensitivity:
→ Protein + fiber-forward meals slow glucose absorption and improve insulin signaling (especially at breakfast).
→ Daily movement (like walking, chores, playing outside) improves glucose uptake independent of weight loss.
→ Strength training matters because muscle is your biggest glucose sink.
→ Carbs aren’t the problem… carbs in isolation are. Pair them with fiber, fat, and protein.
→ Morning sunlight + gentle movement support circadian rhythm and insulin signaling.
→ Post-meal walks (10–20 min) significantly reduce glucose and insulin spikes.
→ Sleep consistency matters. Even one poor night can reduce insulin sensitivity.
→ Nervous system support lowers cortisol, which directly impacts insulin resistance.
→ Eating enough is metabolic support; chronic restriction works against insulin health.

When you support insulin sensitivity gently and consistently, your energy stabilizes, cravings soften, and your metabolism becomes more responsive without extremes.

If you’ve been told your labs are normal, but your body doesn’t feel that way, this conversation matters.

Save this post and come back to it as a reminder: sustainable health is built through alignment, not punishment.

01/15/2026

If you’ve been told PCOS is just an o***y problem… you haven’t been given the whole story.

Most women hear that PCOS is about cysts on the ovaries, but the truth is, PCOS is a whole-body condition that involves so much especially your metabolism, hormones, gut, and adrenals.

👉🏼 Insulin resistance is one of the biggest drivers, pushing up testosterone and disrupting ovulation.
👉🏼 Chronic inflammation fans the flame, making it harder to manage weight, energy, and cravings.
👉🏼 Gut imbalances can impact nutrient absorption, blood sugar, and even mood regulation.
👉🏼 And cortisol (stress hormone) dysregulation can throw off cycles, worsen fatigue, and block healing.

This is why so many women with PCOS struggle with symptoms that go far beyond their ovaries—irregular periods, acne, unwanted hair growth, fatigue, weight resistance, mood swings, and fertility challenges.

When we start addressing the root causes—balancing blood sugar, calming inflammation, healing the gut, and supporting stress resilience—everything begins to shift:
✔ Cycles regulate
✔ Energy returns
✔ Skin clears
✔ Mood improves
✔ Hormones come back into balance

Supporting PCOS isn’t about quick fixes or endless prescriptions. It’s about restoring balance, step by step, with daily habits and a root-cause approach that supports your whole body.  Want to know which labs actually matter for uncovering PCOS root causes? Comment “PCOSLABS” and I’ll send you the link!

01/14/2026

Insulin’s job is simple: move fuel into your cells so you can use it for energy.

When cells stop responding well, your body makes more insulin to compensate, and symptoms can quietly build for years, even when labs look “normal.”

This isn’t about eating less or doing more. It’s about understanding what your body is asking for:
👉🏼 regular exercise + building muscle
👉🏼 optimizing body composition
👉🏼 stress management
👉🏼 hormone-aligned nutrition
👉🏼 sleep support

Knowledge changes the conversation and the approach.

Save this post for reference. And if you’re ready to explore what your metabolism needs, support is available.

Dr. Corina Dunlap

01/24/2026

01/21/2026

01/19/2026

01/18/2026

01/17/2026

01/16/2026

01/15/2026

01/14/2026

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