• Pet

    How to Support Someone Whose Pet is Facing Cancer or a Terminal Illness

    Dear Friends, Our animal companions hold a special place in our hearts, often becoming beloved and esteemed members of our families. Unfortunately, just like humans, many beloved pets, too, face terminal illnesses such as cancer. According to global statistics from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), cancer affects millions of pets worldwide. Approximately 6 million dogs and 6…

  • Health

    Lowering Prolactin Naturally: What Helped Me (Vitex and P5P)

    Updated April 2025 Dear Friends, I live with hyperprolactinemia. Over the years, I’ve explored various ways to support my body after treatment with Cabergoline. While Cabergoline worked very well to lower my prolactin levels, it didn’t suit me long-term. I experienced persistent nausea, a sense of disconnection from myself, and even nightmares. Some people choose to take Cabergoline indefinitely, but…

  • Health

    How I Lowered High Cortisol: In Simple and Practical Steps

    Dear Friends, Cortisol, often called the stress hormone, plays an essential role in our bodies. In the right amounts, it helps regulate metabolism, energy, and our response to stress. But when cortisol stays elevated for too long, often due to chronic stress, it can take a serious toll on health. For me, years of unresolved childhood trauma, demanding obligations, and…

  • Health

    What is Hyperprolactinemia? Notes From Symptoms to Diagnosis (in Japan)

    Dear Friends, When I first got diagnosed with hyperprolactinemia. I had never heard of it. For my own understanding, I spent hours online reading about it. Here’s a condensed summary of what I found out and what it’s like navigating this process in Japan. What Is Hyperprolactinemia? Hyperprolactinemia (kōu purorakuchin kesshō, 高プロラクチン血症) happens when the pituitary gland (nazō kaku zō,…

  • Healing - Self-Discovery

    Healing Childhood Trauma And Getting To Know Myself

    Dear Friends, A Japanese proverb goes, 自己知識は万事の基準 (Jiko chishiki wa banji no kijun) “Self-knowledge is the foundation of all things.” Looking back at my childhood, I have tremendous compassion for that little girl who had to carefully wade through a complex world at such a young age. It was a delicate balance, leading a double life between the charming and…

  • Health

    Diagnosing Hyperprolactinemia at 40: My Pandemic Year Journey

    Dear Friends, As I celebrated turning forty, the coronavirus plunged Japan—and the world—into a phase of uncertainty and isolation. Like so many others, I tried to carry on. I kept working. I kept taking care of everyone else. I kept doing what I was supposed to do. But I wasn’t feeling like myself. Not at all. I was physically and…