PCOS Diva Podcast

Aimee Raupp proudly calls herself a fertility detective. She has helped thousands of women overcome their health and fertility challenges using a Chinese medicine approach for the past two decades. She works with you on every level: emotionally, mentally, physically, and nutritionally to help you thrive and get pregnant faster.

In this podcast, we explore the often overlooked first step to fertility, emotional inflammation.

Listen in as we discuss:

- The difference between emotional inflammation and physical inflammation

- How trying so hard can actually be sabotaging your fertility efforts

- Aimee’s fertility diet: 100-day elimination diet to heal the gut and improve egg quality

- Transgenerational trauma: Women who heal themselves heal their children’s children

- Getting your partner on board the fertility train

September is PCOS Awareness Month.

In honor of this transformative event, I spoke with Sasha Ottey, founder and executive director of PCOS Challenge which leads the way in furthering the causes of research funding, patient and doctor education, and community awareness.

Listen in (or read the transcript below) as we discuss:

- The PCOS Challenge backstory: Origin & Mission

- Advocacy Day 2021: Celebrating legislation success stories

- Patient-centered research studies: Get involved and make a difference

- PCOS Awareness Month: Explore this month’s themes, important dates, hashtags, and how YOU can add to this story of hope and healing for women

Regulation of blood sugar levels is a critical factor in managing PCOS. I have long advocated for glucose monitoring, but new technology like continuous glucose monitoring is making it easier, faster, and more revealing. Kara Collier is a registered dietician, nutritionist, and founding partner of NutriSense where she's the director of nutrition. More than that, Kara is the leading authority on the use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology.

- 4 pillars of glucose regulation: nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress

- The value of data to share with your doctors

- Snacks with a neutral effect on blood sugar

- Supplements that seem to help people increase insulin sensitivity

- Nutrient deficiencies that can cause glucose dysregulation

Phoebe Lapine is a best-selling author and award-winning food and health writer. She's a SIBO expert, gluten-free chef, wellness expert, culinary instructor, and Hashimoto's advocate and speaker. In her new book, SIBO Made Simple, she shares recipes for healthy comfort food and insights about balanced lifestyle choices beyond what's on your plate. Through her own health journey, she was able to find the middle ground between health and hedonism. If you feel overwhelmed by kind of the rigidity and perfectionism of the holistic health world, Phoebe has advice you won’t want to miss. Listen in or read the transcript as we discuss SIBO and living well with a restricted diet.

If you struggle with PCOS, you may suffer from related hair loss. Beyond the physical symptom, hair loss often has a tremendous emotional component which impacts most areas of your life. This was true both for me and my podcast guest Y. I discovered Y over a decade ago when I was desperately seeking answers for my own hair loss. She was a pioneer in education and support for those dealing with hair loss then, and she remains a key figure through her work with her Women’s Hairloss Project. If you are feeling alone in your struggle, this podcast is for you. Listen in or read the transcript as we discuss:

- The birth control pill and spironolactone for hair loss

- Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP)

- Wigs, toppers, & how to make them work

- Managing the emotional component of hair loss

Dr. Heather Seay is a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine who has been in practice for 12 years. She is also a fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine. In her practice at Eastern Bench Holistic Healthcare in Salt Lake City, she commonly works with women who have fertility issues. As more positive research about the benefits of acupuncture becomes available, more traditional doctors are integrating it into treatments for those with PCOS.

Listen in as Dr. Seay and I discuss:

- What is Chinese medicine and how does it differ from Western medicine?

- Benefits of acupuncture for fertility and PCOS

- How to approach acupuncture with primary care or OB GYN doctors

- Is it safe to practice acupuncture when using Clomid or Letrozole?

- Possible treatment options for hair loss & weight loss

Dr. Aviva Romm, MD is a Yale School of Medicine trained, board-certified family physician, specializing in women's health and obstetrics, but what makes her unique is she’s a midwife and an herbalist as well. She's the author of eight books on natural medicine, and I love her brand-new book, Hormone Intelligence, the Complete Guide to Calming Hormone Chaos and Restoring Your Body's Natural Blueprint for Well-Being.

Dr. Romm believes it's time for a paradigm shift in medical mistreatment of women. It’s time to give women the tools and the information to move away from dismissive attitudes, pills for every ill, and surgery as the first and only treatment options. This book and podcast are for all women who want to understand and feel empowered about their body's hormones and cycles and are ready to start healing naturally. Listen in or read the transcript as we discuss how to begin healing PCOS before resorting to medication and her 8 tips for your next doctor’s visit.

Dr. Mariza Snyder has a plan for those of us in perimenopause or menopause to excel beyond the misinformation and expectations set by conventional wisdom. This is a time of life when women can be at their most powerful. Our life experience offers not only obligations, but opportunity and perspective to begin a whole new level of thriving like a PCOS Diva! Our body is ready to free up the energy it has spent on fertility for all new endeavors. Listen in or read the transcript as we discuss how implementing consistent natural solutions can be the foundation for your best years yet.

When are pharmaceuticals necessary?

The root cause of the most common peri/menopause symptoms

Lifestyle and mindset steps to take to reclaim health, energy, and vitality

Dr. Mariza’s favorite essential oil blend for perimenopause and menopause

Dr. Lara Briden is a naturopath doctor, women’s health activist, and best-selling author of two books which I and countless others use as a foundation for natural management of hormones. She is a long-time friend of PCOS Diva and has contributed her uniquely accessible wisdom in many ways. Her new book, The Hormone Repair Manual, is for those of us born before 1984 though it’s food for thought for all of us. Dr. Briden’s advice can help us approach perimenopause/menopause or “second puberty” with grace and ease. She describes this time as a hormonal recalibration and an opportunity to thrive in all new ways. Listen in or read the transcript as we discus how to approach menopause as well as:

- How to talk to your doctor about possible treatments

- Why progestins of hormonal birth control are NOT the same thing as progesterone

- Benefit of keeping your cycle going as long as possible

- Insulin resistance management tips

- Why a vegetarian diet may not be the right choice

Dr. Stephanie Estima has a positive, straightforward, and holistic approach to healing PCOS that will resonate with you as a PCOS Diva. She is a Doctor of Chiropractic with a special interest in metabolism, body composition, functional neurology, and female physiology. She is also the host of a high-energy podcast called “Better With Dr. Stephanie” and author of a brand new book called “The Betty Body.” What’s a Betty? You’re going to love her answer. Tune in or read the transcript as we discuss that as well as:

- Small habits with big impact for healing hormones

- Tips on managing your inner critic

- New habits and shifts to make around bedtime

- Why you need to play Tetris & have regular orgasms

- The best type of movement for PCOS, high testosterone, inulin resistance, and mood dysregulation