Fempower Health | A Women's Health Podcast

By Georgie KovacsHealth & Fitness Education

Fempower Health | A Women's Health Podcast episodes

September 21, 2020Ovarian Cancer: Why Awareness Is Critical and What you Need to Know | Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA)
In celebration of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Fempower Health interviews top leadership at the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, the largest global charity for ovarian cancer research and advocacy.
Audra Moran is the President & CEO of Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA). She directs overall strategy, operations and fundraising to promote progress and awareness, while hastening breakthroughs in diagnostics and treatments with the ultimate goal of finding a cure for ovarian cancer.
Sarah Defeo, Vice President of Scientific Affairs & Programs, oversees OCRA’s grantmaking, programmatic, and educational initiatives. Working closely with the Scientific Advisory Committee, Sarah manages OCRA’s annual grant solicitation and review process, and under her direction applications to OCRA’s three research grant programs have quadrupled.
On this episode, Audra and Sarah discuss the following:
Risk factors for ovarian cancer
Common symptoms of ovarian cancer
Challenges with diagnosing ovarian cancer
Current ovarian cancer treatment options
How OCRA supports efforts to raise awareness about ovarian cancer

"There is no method of early detection for ovarian cancer and this is one of the biggest challenges. Ovarian cancer is not just one disease. There are different types of ovarian cancer, the most common type of ovarian cancer, and the one that is usually being referred to when people talk about ovarian cancer, is really just one type - epithelial ovarian cancer."
Resources:
Recommended Books on Navigating Cancer

Resources and episodes on Female Cancer

🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:

1. Help others discover Fempower Health:
Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.
2. Stay connected:
Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.
Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.

**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024**

**The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor. Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.**

**May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**
52 min
September 14, 2020PMOS: Why Nutrition is Not One Size Fits All | Martha McKittrick
NOTE: As of 2026, PCOS has been renamed to Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS)
In celebration of PCOS Awareness Month, Martha McKittrick, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator, shares her expertise on PCOS and how nutrition plays a role. Martha has had a special interest in PCOS since 2000, and can be considered one of the pioneers in the field. She has been published in peer reviewed journals and has lectured across the country is on the Health Advisory Board for the PCOS challenge and advocates for PCOS annually on Capitol Hill. And be sure to look out for her book coming out in 2021.
On this episode, she discusses:
Common PCOS symptoms
The kinds of healthy diet and lifestyle changes that improve symptoms
Different medications that are used to treat PCOS
Mindset and mental health issues around PCOS

"It actually takes the average woman a couple years to get diagnosed with PCOS and 50% of women who have PCOS are undiagnosed. Those are just a couple of statistics. I think the biggest thing you can do is be really proactive and do your research and there's an organization among the Health Advisory Board called the PCOS Challenge and they have some great information out there. They're really advocates for PCOS and if you go to their website, they have a whole list of questions and diagnostic criteria and symptoms. Get a notebook, get a file, start writing stuff down, start doing research." - Martha McKittrick
Resources:
Recommended Books on Nutrition
Resources and episodes on PCOS
Resources and episodes on Autoimmune & Chronic Disease

🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:

1. Help others discover Fempower Health:
Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.
2. Stay connected:
Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.
Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.

**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024**
**The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor. Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.**

**May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**
55 min
September 07, 2020PMOS: A Patient and Advocate Perspective | Megan Pearson
NOTE: As of 2026, PCOS has been renamed to Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS)
This is an interview with Megan Pearson. Megan founded and runs the PCOSAA (PCOS Awareness Association). PCOSAA has made amazing strides in awareness for polycystic ovary syndrome.
In this episode, you will learn about:
How 10 million (or one in five) women in the United States have PCOS
The mental, physical, emotional and even spiritual impact PCOS has on women’s lives
The symptoms commonly associated with PCOS
The two diagnostic tests available for PCOS
Non-traditional treatment options
How women can find support

Resources:
Check out our Find a Doctor resource
Resources and episodes on PCOS
Recommended Books on Chronic and Autoimmune Diseases

🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:

1. Help others discover Fempower Health:
Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.
2. Stay connected:
Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.
Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.

**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024**
**The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor. Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.**

**May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**
56 min
August 31, 2020Uterine and Vaginal Health: Tips from a Holistic Perspective | Nicole Kruck
In this inspiring and informative episode, Nicole Kruck speaks with Georgie about uterine and vaginal health from a holistic perspective.
From this perspective, she addresses common challenges women face, including:

How she learned from traditional Maya healers
Abdominal therapy and uterine massage
How women can get and stay well
Practical tips to bring attention and healing to your abdominal region and uterus
Visualizations and better understanding for each stage of your cycle
How you can tell if your uterus is out of place

They also discuss the traditional and holistic options women have for treatment. This is an important episode for women of all ages. Please share!

If you want to schedule a virtual or in-person appointment with Nicole, or just learn more, you can visit her website: www.fertilegardenwellness.com.

If you're passionate about advancing women's health, there are many ways you can support the Fempower Health Podcast. Here's how:
Subscribe and Listen: Tune in to new episodes every Tuesday by subscribing to the Fempower Health Podcast on iTunes or Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. Your regular listenership is invaluable!
Leave a Review: Help us grow by leaving a review on iTunes or Spotify. Your feedback not only supports us but also helps others discover our podcast.
Share with Others: Spread the word by sharing episodes with friends, family, or anyone interested in women's health. Every share helps!
Engage with Our Community: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for the latest updates and engaging content.
Stay Informed: Sign up for our weekly newsletter to receive the latest announcements, news, and research directly in your inbox.
Reach Out: We love hearing from you! Reach out for inquiries, outreach, or even to share your questions and topics of interest.

Together, let's build a stronger community dedicated to women's health. Your support is crucial in this journey!

**The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor. Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.**

**Contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**
1 hr 2 min
August 24, 2020Breastfeeding: Optimizing your Success and Minimizing Shame | Jada Shapiro
Jada Shapiro founded Boober. She is also a maternal healthcare expert and the founder of Boober, a marketplace where expectant and new parents find classes and on-demand care providers like birth doulas, postpartum doulas, lactation consultants and mental health therapists for pregnancy to postpartum. She specializes in pregnancy, birth and postpartum and is a birth/postpartum doula, childbirth educator, lactation counselor, birth photographer, mother and step-mother.
We talk through all of the topics around breastfeeding, including:
How women need better information about breastfeeding
Mental health issues for women in this season of life
What lactation consultants do
The options around breastfeeding
Reasons women may not produce enough breast milk
When babies need chiropractic care

Boober provides information and resources for women who are struggling with or want to learn more about lactation. In New York City, women can use this platform to get same-day lactation consultants.
“There's a real personal struggle or sense of defeat if they can't fully feed their baby at the breast, so for the lactation consultant to be able to give permission to say, “If you need to use formula, donor breast milk or pump that is okay.” Let's get the baby fed so that we can work on the stepsFor some people, babies just latch right on, and it's really easy. On Instagram we're seeing a lot more now of the hard stuff. We're starting to see that more. I think that people are getting more confident or comfortable sharing that this was really hard.” - Jada Shapiro
Resources:
Resources and episodes on Pregnancy & Motherhood

Recommended Books on Pregnancy and Postpartum

🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:

1. Help others discover Fempower Health:
Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.
2. Stay connected:
Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.
Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.

**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024**

**The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor. Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.**

**May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**
47 min
August 17, 2020Hormone Health: Why It Matters and How to Balance Your Hormones | Nina Boyce
Nina Boyce is a certified hormone and fertility coach. She uses a powerful mix of eastern and western approaches to help women feel whole, healthy and happy.
In this episode, you will learn:
How stress can cause the reproductive system to shut down or not work properly
The difference between estrogen and progesterone, and how this impacts how you feel each month
How to know when you need help from a coach or extra support in your health journey
What conditions are a result of hormone imbalances
Info on the fertility awareness method, DUTCH test and Hair Mineral Tissue Analysis Tests
Actionable steps you can take to tune in and improve your health

"Women need to stop being so afraid. We’re so fearful of food. Most hormone experts tell you that you have to cut out gluten, dairy, carbs, etc. We get scared when we sit down to eat food. We need a healthier relationship with our body.We’ve normalized stress and burnout. We all know that we need to reduce stress. Some things are a way of life that you can’t do anything about. We have to prioritize stress reduction in our daily routines or our bodies are in a fight or flight state, which isn’t conducive to producing hormones." - Nina Boyce
🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:

1. Help others discover Fempower Health:
Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.
2. Stay connected:
Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.
Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.

**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024**

**The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor. Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.**

**May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**
48 min
August 10, 2020Tracking your Hormones: Why this is important and how to select a device to properly measure them | Sylvia Kang
Sylvia Kang is the co-founder and CEO of Mira Fertility. The tool developed by Mira helps women with fertility tracking.

We discuss:
How the “28-day cycle” is more of a myth than a rule.
The full scope of a monthly cycle, including all of the hormones and fertility dynamics along the way.
Common hormonal issues.
OPK testing and other tools to understand your fertile window.
How to learn about and measure your fertility.
The goal of gaining more data on our own health.
“Your body is working like a symphony. Every hormone you can think of as a musical instrument. They have to work together and with certain spacing between them. This happens in a beautiful, natural way. There is a pattern.” - Silvia Kang

Listen in and share with friends!

Want more on hormone health? Listen to these Fempower Health podcast episodes:

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**The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for information purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor. Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.

NOTE: Fempower Health may receive a nominal fee for products purchased. The purpose of the podcast, however, is for education purposes only. Always go to a medical professional of your choosing.
1 hr 2 min
August 03, 2020Optimizing your Fertility: What you can do BEFORE Pursuing Expensive Treatments | Sarah Clark
Sarah Clark is the founder of FabFertile, author of Fabulously Fertile: Supercharge Your Fertility Naturally, and host of the Get Pregnant Naturally podcast. She has supported hundreds of women on their fertility and health journeys.
In this interview, she talks about:
How gut health impacts your fertility
Elimination diets, including which is best for fertility
Tests to measure fertility health
Symptoms to look out for to better understand what you can do to optimize your fertility
Studies on mind-body connection and fertility

… and much more!
Resources
Sarah’s book, Fabulously Fertile: Supercharge Your Fertility Naturally, here.
Recommended Books on Fertility / Trying to Conceive

Resources and episodes on Fertility and Trying to Conceive

🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:

1. Help others discover Fempower Health:
Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.
2. Stay connected:
Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.
Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.

**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024**

**The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor. Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.**

**May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**
53 min
July 27, 2020Achieving Optimal Wellness Through Nutrition | Kim Ross
Kim Ross is a Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Dietitian Nutritionist (NY), Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (FL) and Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner.
In this interview, she highlights numerous ways in which women can improve their health naturally. Listen in to learn about:
What nutrients do hormones need?
How can a nutritionist help with hormone imbalance?
Nutrition vs Dieting: What is the Difference?
How to make incremental shifts in your eating and lifestyle to decrease toxins and increase health
What are the symptoms of malnutrition?

“To simplify it, women have a natural rhythm. We function on a moon cycle (a menstrual cycle) in addition to our circadian rhythm, which repeats approximately every 24 hours. When we sleep, eat and move our bodies actually does matter. We have a lot of ups and downs with our hormones throughout the month. What you eat changes that affect. What time you eat and how you eat changes that. If you eat in a good mood or bad mood, that affects things. Our organs detoxify at different times. Our cortisol hormones, in addition to other hormones, increase and decrease at certain times. Our body temperature increases and decreases at certain times.We need to listen to the female intuition as to how our bodies are functioning. I think that people could listen better to what their body needs. If you’re craving something like sugar, maybe you need vitamin C or water. Listening to what you’re craving tells you what nutrients your body might need.Also, respecting and paying attention to the hormonal cycle, which affects the decisions we make every day.” - Kim Ross
Resources
Recommended Books on Nutrition

Resources and episodes on Nutrition & Exercise

🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:

1. Help others discover Fempower Health:
Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.
2. Stay connected:
Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.
Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.

**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024**

About Kim Ross
Kim Ross, MS, RD, CDN is an integrative nutritionist with a holistic approach to health. Treatments are aimed at enhancing the body's ability to heal and detoxify itself to prevent and reverse illness. Goal-oriented, Kim creates flexible nutrition programs tailored to the specific objectives of each individual and company. She incorporates a variety of modalities that enhance optimal health including cutting-edge testing, nutraceuticals, homeopathy and herbs. Currently, Kim lectures nationwide on cutting-edge health topics. As an industry expert, she is a consultant to businesses and investors. Furthermore, Kim contributed to the following books: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Boosting Your Immunity, The Whole Life Fertility Plan and Progress Over Perfection. She continues to contribute to various media publications. Kim maintains a private practice in Manhattan.
Kim received a BA from University of Michigan and an MS from New York University in clinical nutrition and dietetics. She completed her dietetic internship at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. In addition, Kim has a certificate in holistic nutrition through Designs for Health Institute and completed a fellowship in herbal medicine through the Association for the Advancement of Restorative Medicine (AARM). Kim is also a certified meditation teacher through the School of Positive Transformation.
Past affiliations include Equinox fitness clubs, Rockefeller University, NYU Langone Corporate Wellness and NYU Fertility Center. Kim is a member of The Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM), American College for Advancement Medicine (ACAM) and the Association of Restorative Medicine (AARM).

**The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor. Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.**

**May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**
58 min
July 20, 2020Endometriosis: Why Women are Dismissed and What They Should Do | Dr. Tamer Seckin
Dr. Tamer Seckin is a world-renowned endometriosis surgeon and founder of the Endometriosis Foundation of America. He is the author of The Doctor Will See you Now: Recognizing and Treating Endometriosis. In this powerful interview, he describes his journey into this calling and the realities he encounters about how women with endometriosis suffer. . . and what can and should be done about it.
"For the early stages, there is no biomarker or no image studies. Doctors will say, 'you’re complaining about pain but everything is negative. Maybe it’s in your head.' However, if you really ask the right questions to a female patient, the answers will start popping up. Most of the time, these symptoms have been imposed as 'normal' to a woman.
It’s not normal to have pain with a period. Second day pain, third day pain is not normal. If the pain continues after the flow starts and stays or lateralizes, that means something.
It’s not normal to have excessive bleeding. Tampon + tampon means a lot.
It’s not normal to have specific pain. Is a woman experiencing uterine pain, midline pain, cramping? Providers should be asking these microscopic questions to get to the bottom of a woman’s issues." - Dr. Tamer Seckin

Are there women in your life who suffer from endometriosis? All of us should be better informed to seek the right care and support other women. Share this episode with the women in your life.

Resources:
Resources and episodes on Endometriosis

If you're passionate about advancing women's health, there are many ways you can support the Fempower Health Podcast. Here's how:
Subscribe and Listen: Tune in to new episodes every Tuesday by subscribing to the Fempower Health Podcast on iTunes or Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. Your regular listenership is invaluable!
Leave a Review: Help us grow by leaving a review on iTunes or Spotify. Your feedback not only supports us but also helps others discover our podcast.
Share with Others: Spread the word by sharing episodes with friends, family, or anyone interested in women's health. Every share helps!
Engage with Our Community: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for the latest updates and engaging content.
Stay Informed: Sign up for our weekly newsletter to receive the latest announcements, news, and research directly in your inbox.
Reach Out: We love hearing from you! Reach out for inquiries, outreach, or even to share your questions and topics of interest.

Together, let's build a stronger community dedicated to women's health. Your support is crucial in this journey!

**The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor. Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.**

**Contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**
1 hr 21 min

About Fempower Health | A Women's Health Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Fempower Health is where systems thinking meets women's health. Hosted by Georgie Kovacs, a healthcare strategist with 20+ years in the industry, each episode features conversations with leading researchers, clinicians, and innovators working to fix what's broken in women's healthcare. We cover hormone health, fertility, perimenopause, menopause, endometriosis, autoimmune disease, mental health, and sexual wellness, grounded in current research and real clinical practice. This isn't another wellness show. It's an evidence-based look at the systems, research, and policy shaping care for women, so you understand not just what's happening, but why.