PCOS Diva Podcast

At the heart of the PCOS Diva philosophy, we are striving for connection to our bodies rather than control over them. Today’s podcast guest Emily Francis and I agree that you must treat the physical body, the emotional body, the energy body, and the spiritual body together for true healing to occur. Healing PCOS is so much more than going on a low carb diet or beating yourself up at the gym. Listen in or read the transcript of my conversation with Emily as we discuss taking back your power and living your best possible life.

Do you have symptoms of estrogen dominance? A better question may be who doesn’t have symptoms of estrogen dominance. Does any of this sound familiar: fibroids, endometriosis, fibrocystic and lumpy breasts, mood swings, hot flashes, absent, irregular, or heavy periods, PMS, thyroid nodules, infertility and miscarriage, cellulite and hip fat, spider or varicose veins, hair loss, headaches or migraines. Getting to the root of your estrogen dominance can have a tremendous impact on your health. Magdalena Wszelaki is back on the PCOS Diva podcast to help us naturally get our estrogen balance back on track.

Listen in or read the transcript as we discuss:

- 3 scenarios of why you may be low in estrogen or have estrogen dominance

- What the DUTCH test can and cannot tell you

- Natural steps you can take to reverse estrogen dominance

- Pros and cons of flaxseed

- The food that can help hot flashes

We are not certain why, but people with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) are found to have higher levels of BPA and other chemicals in their blood than those without PCOS, and it negatively impacts our hormones. We know there are unregulated man-made chemicals all around us, in our food, water, air, cosmetics, furniture, the list goes on. It can easily make you anxious and overwhelmed. We need practical advice on what to do and where to begin. Enter Dr. Aly Cohen. She is a board-certified rheumatologist and integrated medicine specialist, as well as an environmental health expert. Her new book makes the confusing understandable and the overwhelming easy. Listen in as we discuss:

- Endocrine (hormone) disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and their impact on PCOS, especially insulin resistance

- Practical (often free or inexpensive) tips on how to live healthy in the chemical world

- Foods which help our body detoxify

- Effect of toxins on epigenetics and PCOS

- Nutrients you need to offset some exposures

- Safer use of cell phones, tech toys, and gadgets

Acne is one of the most common, frustrating, and heartbreaking symptoms of PCOS. Dr. Shayne Peter is a functional medicine doctor and holistic dermatology specialist who's helped thousands of women resolve their acne. In this podcast we discuss nutritional deficiencies, skin care products, and the role of hormones in getting to the root cause of acne. Listen in or read the transcript as we discuss:

- clues acne can give you about your health

- minerals and vitamins that can help resolve PCOS acne

- skin care products that help and hurt

- role of the microbiome on acne

- impact of alcohol on acne

Jodi Cohen is a best-selling author, award-winning journalist, and founder of Vibrant Blue Oils. She is also the author of the brand new, fantastic book, Essential Oils to Boost the Brain and Heal the Body. Essential oils can be a powerful tool in your PCOS toolbox.

Jodi offers practical advice that we can all use. Listen in or read the transcript as we discuss:

- Ways to use essential oils to manage PCOS symptoms such as sleep, stress, fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, depression, blood sugar challenges, and more

- Adrenal blend for chronic stress

- Inhaling vs. topical vs. ingesting essential oils

- Fastest way to calm anxiety or a panic attack

- Essential oils to improve vagus nerve function and why you need that

There is no such thing as a “PCOS Diet.” Each person is different, and we each respond to different foods in unique ways. The heart of the PCOS Diva message is to find the foods that fuel your body, reduce inflammation, and leave you feeling great. A plant-rich diet is key for most people, but is a vegetarian or vegan diet right for you? Registered Dietitian Martha McKittrick returns to the podcast to answer this question and many more. Listen in or read the transcript as we discuss:

- Pros and cons of a vegetarian/vegan diet

- How to get enough protein on a plant-based diet without too many carbs

- Practical tips on how to add more plant-based foods at every meal

- How to approach soy and dairy

- Supplements to consider when going vegetarian

If you have PCOS and also struggle with autoimmune issues like Hashimoto's, IBS, celiac, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or chronic fatigue syndrome, then this episode is for you. Dr. Kasia Kines, one of the world’s leading experts on the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and Amy discuss the possible underlying factor of all of those autoimmune issues, as well as other symptoms that you haven't really been able to get to the root of such as celiac, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, IBD, and diabetes. Did you have mononucleosis (mono) in your youth? Listen in (or read the transcript) as we discuss:

- What is Epstein-Barr virus?

- Could EBV be triggering some of your PCOS symptoms?

- Possible EBV symptoms including chronic brain fog, achiness, autoimmune disorders, enlarged lymph nodes, headaches, low platelets, mouth ulceration, skin rashes, mast cell issues, or allergies

- Steps you can take to recover

- Suggested lab tests

Stacey Robbins is an inspiration. I love her sense of humor and sage approach to illness, healing, aging, and life in general. She encourages us to use every circumstance, including a diagnosis, to transform our victim mindset, rediscover our sense of humor, and learn to love ourselves again. Listen in (or read the transcript) as we discuss her journey through PCOS and Hashimoto’s, extreme weight gain and loss, healing, and finding the path to loving herself. Many of us will find commonality with her as she describes how it took her diagnosis to convince her to listen to her body, seize the opportunity, and heal from the soul out. No matter where you are in your journey, you owe it to yourself to hear her wisdom about how to heal and truly thrive.

If you Google "PCOS" you may or may not connect with the first set of symptoms described. PCOS is experienced in many ways. This has led the PCOS community to begin to describe “types” or phenotypes of PCOS. I asked renowned reproductive endocrinologist, Dr. Rashmi Kudesia to help us make sense of the types of PCOS which are being discussed and the relative pros and cons of labeling the differences.

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

- Getting the right diagnosis & conditions which mimic PCOS

- Types of PCOS and what makes each unique

- Why your PCOS type may change over time

- The critical reason to understand and track your cycle whether or not you are TTC

- Why there is so much hope for women with PCOS

Dr. Felice Gersh is a double board certified, ground-breaking thought leader in the field of PCOS. She returns to the PCOS Diva podcast to discuss taking control of your lifestyle before trying to get pregnant for the sake of the mother’s pre and postnatal health, ease of conception, and future health of the child. As Dr. Gersh explains, “If an unhealthy woman somehow achieves pregnancy through luck or through different techniques and gets through that pregnancy, that child is more likely to have a whole slew of issues; whether it's ADHD or even increased risk of autism, or things like metabolic syndromes, diabetes and weight gain at younger ages, cardiometabolic issues, and mood problems.” Listen in as we discuss:

- The food you should include in your diet every day

- The critical factor of circadian rhythm

- How timed eating may help

- The brain/gut/inflammation connection and how to make it work better

- Benefits of aromatherapy

- The dark side of alcohol