Dare to Ask!

A little white lie never hurt anyone, right? That's not the case when it comes to your health. Six time guest Dr. Stefanie Gefroh Ellison, Essentia Health West Market President and OB/GYN, joins Cori in walking through the lies we tell our doctors. It might be an unintentional omission, a Midwest-nice view that it's probably much ado about nothing, or even embarrassment or fear of judgement. But when your provider knows the whole truth it changes the trajectory of the path forward in your care.

Being a human is hard, especially when you're living with potentially undiagnosed ADHD. For decades, this diagnosis was missed in girls. Return guest Dr. Alexandra Kohlhase, clinical psychologist at Essentia Health, explains why this is the case, telling symptoms to look for, and how she and the team at Essentia Health can help women finally put ourselves first in caring for ourselves and the mental load we carry.

Perimenopause is more than just hot flashes. Dr. Danielle Kruger, OB/GYN, shares eye-opening insights into the transition to perimenopause and menopause. She and Cori chat about the odd and unexpected symptoms that come with the transition—from itchy ears to frozen shoulder—as well as the treatment options available. We also talk in-depth about recent regulatory changes to menopause hormone therapy and what that means for women seeking treatment.

You've probably heard that it's important to have a primary care provider, or PCP, but why is that? Cori and Vanessa Coulter, family medicine nurse practitioner at Essentia Health, talk Primary Care 101. What's appropriate for a MyChart message? When should you go to urgent care? Where do you start in determining the best course of action for your health needs? We cover it all.

Our social media feeds are filled with products promising optimal care for "down there." Dr. Michaela Heller, OB/GYN, gives us the details about what actually works, what's a gimmick, and what to avoid to protect your vaginal and vulvar health. We then dive into new procedures to treat uterine fibroids, the differences between fibroids and cysts, and the reassurance that, "there are so many different normals."

Women tend to blame every symptom on perimenopause or menopause, but it's time to start trusting your intuition. In this episode, Cori and Marjorie Masten, APRN, CNP, discuss cardiovascular health in women. What numbers matter? What symptoms shouldn't be ignored? How do symptoms differ for men and women? When is it time to seek care? We'll give you a crash course in what you need to know about hypertension, heart attack, and stroke.

What do inhalers, keychains, USBs and pens have in common? They may be vapes hiding in plain sight. Essentia Health pulmonary medicine providers Allison Tamm, APRN, CNP, and Caitlyn Cameron, PA-C, discuss the truth about vaping and lung health. We cover local legislation, signs of teen vaping, and unknowns about the addictive trend. Plus, how getting screened for lung cancer is quicker and easier than finding a parking spot!

'It's Not Just In Your Head' with Nurse Practitioners April Rohrer and Cassie Plante
We're kicking off season 6 of the Dare to Ask Podcast with April Rohrer and Cassie Plante, family medicine certified nurse practitioners at Essentia Health. Listen as we dive into the common health complaints they see from women in their practice, including headaches, hormones, stress, sleep, and more. Sometimes, finding the solution to your health problems comes from what you're not telling your provider.