In this episode of RNT Fitness Radio, I'm joined by Dr Nitu Bajekal to talk all about optimising women's health, and specifically, PCOS. There is a lot of misinformation, myths and conflicting ideas out there around women's health, and it isn't spoken about enough. I decided to bring on Dr Nitu to help inform both men and women alike on these topics.

Dr Nitu Bajekal, MD is a Senior Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in the UK with over 35 years of clinical experience in women's health. Her special interests include Lifestyle Medicine, PCOS, Endometriosis, period problems, menopause, precancer, complex vulval problems and medical education. She is a keyhole surgeon with experience in laparoscopic procedures including robotics.

She is a Fellow of the Royal College and recipient of the Indian President's Gold medal.

She is one of the first board-certified Lifestyle Medicine Physicians in the UK. She has written the women's health module for the first UK University based plant based nutrition course.

Dr Bajekal is passionate about spreading health awareness, providing reliable medical and lifestyle information for the general public, doctors, workplaces and schools. She herself follows a vegan lifestyle and her family and she herself have benefited from this.

Dr Bajekal is the co-author of Living PCOS Free along with her daughter and nutritionist, Rohini Bajekal, available for order worldwide, which I've linked in the show notes below.

Time Stamps

00:15 - Dr. Bajekal's book 'Living PCOS Free' is about regaining hormonal health

01:28 - What inspired the book?

02:43 - 1 in every 10 women have PCOS

03:47 - Symptoms of PCOS

04:17 - Testosterone is not a male hormone

04:50 - What is androgen excess?

06:22 - The book is a thorough scientific study of hormonal health

06:50 - 1 in 5 women in London aren't aware of where the vagina and cervix is housed

07:18 - PCOS is not a disease of the ovaries, it's an endocrine disorder

07:29 - Oxford study shows that even men have characteristics of PCOS

09:29 - PCOS explained in simple words

13:13 - The vicious cycle affecting women with PCOS

14:06 - Feed yourself words of love and self care

14:50 - First steps to take if you think you have PCOS

17:41 - Endometriosis takes 6.7 years to diagnose

20:18 - The 6 pillars of health

23:22 - The health benefits of soy

24:40 - Soy has amino acids are arranged just like the amino acids in egg white

24:54 - Phytoestrogen in soy has been highly misunderstood

25:56 - Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator Effect or SERM Effect

26:43 - Soy helps to reduce hot flushes during menopause

26:51 - Soy helps to mitigate cancer

27:42 - Soy isn't destroying rainforests

29:39 - If taken with at least a 2 hour window, soy doesn't affect thyroid medication

30:17 - Focus on health goals instead of weight loss goals

31:30 - The 6 lifestyle pillars

35:08 - The reason we have colour vision

37:06 - Western medication and wellness practices go hand in hand

40:24 - The best way to include oil in your diet

42:43 - How to manage heavy and painful periods

45:31 - Eat iron rich plant based foods

46:35 - Nobody loves your body better than you

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Our Book: Transform Your Body, Transform Your Life

How To Get In Shape With PCOS

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