Amy and Brittany both follow an individualized diet for endo and chronic illness, which we’ve each been on for over 15 years. While at first we abhorred our way of eating and found it tedious and a chore, we now embrace it as something that helps us feel our best, and we’ve learned new habits and ways of thinking that has made following our way of eating much easier. We talk about this shift in the way we see our food choices and how we got there, such as by:

-understanding how diet culture played a role in our thinking-identifying our priorities and making a commitment to them-supporting ourselves through the emotional grief that came with diet change.

CONNECT WITH US! INSTAGRAM: @in16yearsofendoWEBSITE AND RESOURCES: insixteenyears.comLIKE OUR SHOW? Please rate it or leave a review!SUPPORT US by buying us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears

Amy speaks with Yesenia Villalta about:

-the importance of boundaries and some examples of them in relation to chronic illness-if there’s room for joy among our pain and how to find it-how to redefine what a good life means to us with chronic illness

Yesenia and I also chatted in episode 129 about the emotions that can come up with endo.

Who is Yesenia Villalta?

Yesenia Villalta is a bilingual and bicultural social worker licensed in Virginia and Maryland, USA. She is the founder and owner of Venceremos®, LLC, a holistic healing practice primarily serving Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) to overcome trauma-related stress and has served as an expert witness in qualified immigration hearings. She is trained in various modalities that support the whole person and has her framework of supporting clients through the Seven Pillars of Self-Love™. Yesenia helps healers, leaders and entrepreneurs heal their mind, body, soul and boundaries. She believes in collective healing power as a path to liberation.

Clickable links at www.insixteenyears.com/episode144

Our Spanish episode here.

CONNECT WITH YESENIA:Instagram: @Christianbruja

CONNECT WITH US! INSTAGRAM: @in16yearsofendo

WEBSITE AND RESOURCES: insixteenyears.com

LIKE OUR SHOW? Please rate it or leave a review!

SUPPORT US by buying us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears

Today I’m speaking with Kimether Redmon about how:

-the healthcare system is getting more and more dysfunctional and confusing

-healthcare provider burnout is common

-the average 10-12 minute appointment time doesn’t give enough time to meet the patient’s medical needs, which are becoming increasingly more complex.

Who is Kimether Redmon?

She is an endometriosis patient as well as a Family Nurse Practitioner serving low-income uninsured patients in her area. Before her nursing career, she was a research consultant with a background in brain injury research, and employment.Being diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis in 2021 after over 20 years of countless incidents of dismissal, gaslighting, bias, and incompetency has fueled her own diligence as a healthcare provider and educator that prioritizes high quality, trauma informed care to all.

CONNECT WITH KIMETHER:


Kimether IG: @therebelliousuterus


Kimether’s podcast IG: @endothickofit

CONNECT WITH US! INSTAGRAM: @in16yearsofendoWEBSITE AND RESOURCES: insixteenyears.comLIKE OUR SHOW? Please rate it or leave a review!SUPPORT US by buying us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears

Amy speaks with Dr. Abdala Karame about:

-if endometriomas can be distinguished from cysts in an ultrasound.

-how to treat endometriomas and the evidence available on hormonal suppression and endometrioma recurrence.

-if endometriomas always grow or not.

Who is Dr. Abdala Karame?

Dr. Abdala Karame is a gynecologist obstetrician and specialists in assistive reproductive technology as well as an excision surgeon for endometriosis.

He did his residency in Mexico after studying at the University “La Salle” Mexico. He then spent 8 years in Houston, TX working in the subspeciality of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the Woman’s Hospital of Texas.

He’s a member of various associations and professional societies in Venezuela, Mexico and the US. He’s the founder and director the Medical Center Dr Abdala Karame, in Maracaibo, Venezuela, where he works today focusing on infertility and pain in his patients.

Clickable links at www.insixteenyears.com/episode142

--Endometriomas. Find all the studies I mentioned here.

CONNECT WITH JACKIE: Instagram @drakarame

CONNECT WITH US! INSTAGRAM: @in16yearsofendoWEBSITE AND RESOURCES: insixteenyears.comLIKE OUR SHOW? Please rate it or leave a review!SUPPORT US by buying us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears

Amy speaks with Alysia, who tells us about:

-her experience with thoracic endometriosis-the challenges of recovering from 2 strokes brought on by COVID-what has helped her get through the darkest times with her health

Who is Alysia J. Dagrosa, BCPA, CFSD, CLC?

Born and bred in Brooklyn, NY Alysia grew up in a biracial household. Exposure to the rich cultures of both Southern Italy and St Vincent & the Grenadines has afforded her a unique perspective. After 20 years of suffering with the painful symptoms of endometriosis, Alysia finally pushed for better care and control of her life and finally underwent surgery in 2018.

Following this experience and learning that countless people go through unnecessary suffering, Alysia decided to switch gears and began her journey of patient advocacy. In 2019, Alysia had the opportunity to speak about her experience at the Endometriosis Summit. Since then, Alysia has been active as a Patient Advocate in the Endo community in the US, West Indies, UK and Israel. In 2021, Alysia became a board-certified Patient Advocate and a Full Spectrum Doula, with expertise in multidisciplinary care, thoracic endometriosis and reproductive health. Today, Alysia helps folks by streamlining their search for adequate endometriosis treatment and works with new parents to achieve the birth experience of their dreams. 

Clickable links at www.insixteenyears.com/episode141

—An Alysia for the Long Haul. From the podcast A Friend for the Long Haul.

CONNECT WITH ALYSIA: Instagram @tantielys and @she.is.lotus

CONNECT WITH US! INSTAGRAM: @in16yearsofendoWEBSITE AND RESOURCES: insixteenyears.comLIKE OUR SHOW? Please rate it or leave a review!SUPPORT US by buying us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears

Amy and Brittany talk about the challenges of getting good sleep. We chat about:

-some reasons why it’s tough to sleep well, from histamine to hormones to pain.

-our tips for improving our sleep, from using red lights at night to meditation apps to worry logs for our anxiety.

CONNECT WITH US! INSTAGRAM: @in16yearsofendoWEBSITE AND RESOURCES: insixteenyears.comLIKE OUR SHOW? Please rate it or leave a review!SUPPORT US by buying us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears

Amy speaks with menopause specialist Jackie Piasta about:

-menopause, perimenopause, surgical menopause, and early menopause

-how the risks of hormonal replacement therapy were exaggerated by the media after the WHI study and how that’s led to unnecessary fear around HRT

-taking testosterone as part of HRT: what symptoms does it help and what data is there on it.

Who is Jackie Piasta?

Jackie Piasta, WHNP-BC, is a board-certified Women's Health and Gender-related Nurse Practitioner, menopause specialist, and founder of Monarch Health, a midlife and menopause clinic in Marietta, GA. She co-hosts the podcast "JustAsk," which focuses on women’s health topics.

Jackie is a Menopause Society Certified Clinician with The Menopause Society (formerly NAMS) and serves on the Medical Advisory Committee (MAC) for The National Menopause Foundation (NMF). She is an active member of the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH), The Menopause Society, The Obesity Medicine Association and the National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH), where she currently serves on the advocacy and education committees.

With over 15 years of experience, Jackie has earned recognition in the media and her community as a thought leader in menopause care.

Clickable links at www.insixteenyears.com/episode139

—Newson Health Menopause Society’s Easy Prescribing Guide —Research on HRT in endometriosis patients

CONNECT WITH JACKIE: Instagram @jackiep_gynnp

CONNECT WITH US! INSTAGRAM: @in16yearsofendoWEBSITE AND RESOURCES: insixteenyears.comLIKE OUR SHOW? Please rate it or leave a review!SUPPORT US by buying us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears

Amy speaks with Bev about:

-ableism and healthism: what they are, and how they affect people with chronic illness and/or disability

-the social vs the medical model of disability

-equity vs equality and the social determinants of health

Who is Bev Herscovitch?

Bev Herscovitch is a writer, communications professional and healthcare and disability activist/advocate living in Toronto, Ontario. She is passionate about sharing insights into how our society perceives and addresses the body, and about working with others to dismantle barriers to create an environment that empowers people to thrive as much as possible.

Clickable links at www.insixteenyears.com/episode138

--Working definition of ableism on TL Lewis’s website

CONNECT WITH BEV: Instagram @unwellunlimitedly

CONNECT WITH US! INSTAGRAM: @in16yearsofendoWEBSITE AND RESOURCES: insixteenyears.comLIKE OUR SHOW? Please rate it or leave a review!SUPPORT US by buying us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears

Today Amy continues her conversation with Sophie about we want you to know if you are diagnosed with endo.

In part 1, we talked about the importance of educating ourselves on endo and the treatment options available. In this episode, we talk about:

-how the best improvements to quality of life often come from a full body approach

-the importance of finding mental health support

-how endometriosis isn’t your fault

Who is Sophie Kinloch?

Sophie Kinloch (she/her) is an endometriosis advocate, teacher and creative based in Northern Ireland. She experienced first hand the huge lack of resources and accurate information for patients with endometriosis living in Northern Ireland, and this was the catalyst for her advocacy work starting in 2018.

She was privileged to attend Endo Dubai Congress in 2019, taking part in live workshops and attending talks from world experts. She had her menstrual illustration work published in Freedom For Girls’ book ‘A Letter to My Younger Self’ in 2021 and has spoken on BBC radio live discussing endometriosis and gaps in care, as well as contributing to online articles and blogs about endo. She believes that chronic illness patients can - and deserve - to live a joyful life in which they are valued and supported. 

CONNECT WITH SOPHIE:
Instagram: @endoawareni

CONNECT WITH US! INSTAGRAM: @in16yearsofendoWEBSITE AND RESOURCES: insixteenyears.comLIKE OUR SHOW? Please rate it or leave a review!SUPPORT US by buying us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears

Today Amy speaks with Sophie about we want you to know if you are diagnosed with endo. We talk about:

-the importance of educating yourself about this disease

-how it’s vital to inform yourself of the treatment options available so that you can have more informed consent when you make treatment decisions

-how connecting with the endo community can help you feel less isolated

Who is Sophie Kinloch?

Sophie Kinloch (she/her) is an endometriosis advocate, teacher and creative based in Northern Ireland. She experienced first hand the huge lack of resources and accurate information for patients with endometriosis living in Northern Ireland, and this was the catalyst for her advocacy work starting in 2018.

She was privileged to attend Endo Dubai Congress in 2019, taking part in live workshops and attending talks from world experts. She had her menstrual illustration work published in Freedom For Girls’ book ‘A Letter to My Younger Self’ in 2021 and has spoken on BBC radio live discussing endometriosis and gaps in care, as well as contributing to online articles and blogs about endo. She believes that chronic illness patients can - and deserve - to live a joyful life in which they are valued and supported. 

CONNECT WITH SOPHIE:
Instagram: @endoawareni

TRUSTWORTHY ENDO RESOURCES: https://insixteenyears.com/endometriosis-education/

CONNECT WITH US! INSTAGRAM: @in16yearsofendoWEBSITE AND RESOURCES: insixteenyears.comLIKE OUR SHOW? Please rate it or leave a review!SUPPORT US by buying us a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/insixteenyears