The Imperfect PCOS Podcast

Acne is a MAJOR issue for so many of us with PCOS. Meg Gaic, leading acne expert, is no stranger to dealing with the frustrating, embarrassing, and not to mention expensive implications of cystic acne and endless breakouts. 

The number one reason we can get acne with PCOS is elevated androgens, but when these levels are “normal”, there are SO many question marks that can pop up. Let’s explore potential alternative contributing factors!

According to Meg, the core pillars of acne healing are mindset, emotional support, getting to the root cause of “why” and fixing it naturally with food and supplements, and proper skincare. Let’s learn from Meg and let her walk us through how to approach each of these to finally heal your skin.

So what do we eat?! Meg is also a holistic nutritionist! According to Meg, we don’t need to eliminate any one food! Instead, making sure we’re focusing on gut and liver health, fiber intake, minerals, and getting back to basics is SO much more important than just randomly taking out a ton of foods we love.

In this episode, we go into supplements for acne, optimizing digestion for better skin health, balancing “perfect skin health” with realistic dietary strategies, and your new perfect acne tincture recipe,  

I can’t wait for you to hear this one!

Connect with Meg: 

Website | https://www.getglowmethod.com/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/getglowmethod/?hl=en

Connect with Cory: 

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/thewomensdietitian/

Website | https://thewomensdietitian.com/

PCOS and thyroid issues often go hand in hand, and who better to break it down for us than Amanda Montalvo, a women’s health dietitian who has both??

Grab a cup of coffee (or tea) and let’s chat with Amanda as she uncovers some of the mysteries of the thyroid. What big red flags should we be looking for symptom-wise to see if we might have thyroid problems? What labs are actually helpful to have run to explore the right treatment protocol? Which minerals are most important to get in your diet? 

Amanda debunks the myth that adrenal cocktails will solve all your thyroid problems (shocker!) and delves into the incredible impact stress can have on our bodies. She also uncovers for us which medications are most helpful for our thyroid symptoms. This is alllll the info you wish your doctor gave you, but never did.

Of course, we can’t talk about thyroid health without talking about minerals! Amanda is an expert on minerals, and if you’ve ever been interested in mineral health testing, the controversy surrounding iodine, and how things like the copper IUD can impact our health, you’re in the right place!

I absolutely love this episode, and have wanted to pick Amanda’s brain on this for so long. Don’t miss this special episode to help you better understand your thyroid and overcome associated problems.

Connect with Amanda: 

Website | https://hormonehealingrd.com/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/hormonehealingrd/

Connect with Cory: 

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/thewomensdietitian/
Website | https://thewomensdietitian.com/

There’s no way to skirt around this one: dairy has gotten a really bad rap in the health and nutrition space. 

But why?

And how do we know that what we’re hearing from so-and-so “influencer” on social media or watching in documentaries on Netflix is, in fact, true?

I am so ready to dive into the inner workings of our agricultural industry here in the United States, and who better to guide us than Lauren Twigge, who is not only a Registered Dietitian, but actually grew up on a dairy farm and knows the ins and outs of this whole world firsthand?

Lauren reminds us that farming and the dairy industry is a lot more nuanced than our current food culture portrays, that dairy can absolutely be part of a healthy diet, and that just because something is “gluten and dairy free” does not mean it’s inherently “healthy.” 

In this episode, Lauren does NOT hold back in uncovering some of the biggest nutrition hypocrisies out there surrounding the science behind dairy and inflammation, organic versus conventional farming, and raw milk. And let me tell you, I am so here for it.

Pull up a seat and lend your ears to Lauren’s expertise and highly personal connection to this sensitive, and often misinterpreted topic.

Connect with Lauren: 

Website | https://www.laurentwiggenutrition.com/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/nutrition.at.its.roots/

Connect with Cory: 

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/thewomensdietitian/

Website | https://thewomensdietitian.com/

How many of us have heard that weight gain causes our PCOS?

Yep, me too.

It’s time to bust this myth, and so many others alongside none other than hormone queen Dr. Jolene Brighten.

If you’ve been hanging around the women’s health space, you’ve very likely heard of Dr. Brighten. She marries the science and biochemistry behind hormones with her appreciation of nutrition and lifestyle components to create insightful, very clear hormone health advice so many of us need. 

Dive into sensitive subjects like PMDD, ADHD, the “band-aid” birth control effect inside our hospitals and women’s healthcare clinics, PCOS and calorie restriction, weight loss drugs, painful sex, faking orgasms, and how BMI is complete BS with us on this jam-packed, information-rich episode. 

Dr. Brighten is truly a wealth of knowledge in almost every area within the women’s health space; come learn alongside me today as she helps teach us all the things about our bodies we never learned growing up. It’s time to have the tough conversations; are you ready?!

Connect with Dr. Brighten: 

Website | https://drbrighten.com/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/drjolenebrighten

Connect with Cory: 

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/thewomensdietitian/

Website | https://thewomensdietitian.com/

So many of us silently struggle with s*xual pain. Not only can it lead to a loss of libido, it can cause s*xual fear and s*xual distress. If we can’t even admit our issues to our parents or our partners, who can we talk to?!

Meet Janelle Howell, Doctor of Physical Therapy and CEO of The Vagina Rehab Doctor. Dr. Howell is no stranger to diving into these topics in depth to erase the shame and stigma, and guide her clients into finally experiencing more comfort, more control, painless s*x, and pleasure. 

If you’ve been told to “just kegel!” learn why this is incorrect, lazy, and misguided advice and finally understand what’s driving your pelvic floor struggles, including prolapse, urinary leakage, and tightness along with what you can do to make improvements.  

Diet, stress, mindset, emotions, and muscle control are so integral to our healing journey. I know you’re going to LOVE this episode; Dr. Howell’s passion for these topics shines through in everything she does. Pull up a chair and let’s get it going!

Connect with Dr. Howell: 

Website | https://www.vaginarehabdoctor.com/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/vaginarehabdoctor/?hl=en

Connect with Cory: 

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/thewomensdietitian/

Website | https://thewomensdietitian.com/

If you’ve ever wondered about how your body will change during perimenopause and menopause (or if you’re currently in the thick of this and struggling), this episode is going to be your new audio bible.

From crappy sleep, to mood changes like deeper depression and anger, to thinning hair, to just feeling “blah” - we’re sitting down with expert Dr. Carrie Jones to help us understand exactly why we change so much, and what we can do to navigate and optimize this delicate time in life. 

Dr. Jones explains that there are over 100 different menopause-related symptoms out there (ever heard of itchy ears? Yeah, that’s a thing!) BUT, she affirms that there is SO much we can do to mitigate these unwanted side effects of aging as women. 

She also spills the tea on our gut microbiome and how it affects our hormones (like helping boost our mood), how to actually impact it to help bring about changes in how we experience our hormones, how testosterone and estrogen changes where fat is deposited and our metabolism, and the 411 on using bioidentical hormones. Let’s get into it!

Connect with Brooke: 

Website | https://www.drcarriejones.com/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.carriejones

Connect with Cory: 

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/thewomensdietitian/
Website | https://thewomensdietitian.com/

Ovarian cysts, heavy periods, and fibroids- oh my. What DON’T we deal with as women?! Fibroids can cause heavy and painful periods, bleeding in between periods, back pain, bladder and bowel pressure, pain with sex, and even miscarriage. 

Today Brooke Davis, a Registered Nurse and Holistic Nutritionist, sits down to help us understand the driving force of fibroids, how they impact our health, and what we can do to prevent and treat them.

Brooke has been fibroid-free for six years now, and has two healthy kiddos. Join us today to learn all about the major risk factors for fibroids like high blood pressure and low vitamin D, the right dietary changes and diet myths we might hear like “you have to go vegetarian”, anti-inflammation strategies, and how to optimize your gut for healthier hormones. 

Pull up a chair and let’s do this!

Connect with Brooke: 

Website | https://www.herholisticwellness.com/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/her.holistic.wellness

Connect with Cory: 

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/thewomensdietitian/

Website | https://thewomensdietitian.com/

Poor sleep (or not enough shut eye) can negatively impact our energy levels, mood, hormones, workouts, and even our weight! Plus, women with PCOS are at a higher risk for both insomnia and sleep apnea.

Bottom line: getting enough deep sleep can absolutely make or break your health journey. 

Today Rebekka Wall, a Certified Adult Sleep Consultant, joins us to dive deep into why some of us aren’t sleeping as well as we should and how to achieve higher quality ZZZZ’s for optimal hormone health.

Learn your sleep archetype, create healthier sleep habits, and minimize roadblocks you may not even know exist that may be keeping you from higher energy levels, less stress, and a better state of mind. 

You’re going to love this one!

Connect with Rebekka: 

Website | https://sleepwiseconsulting.com/consultants/adult-rebekka-wall/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/sleepwiseinseattle/

Connect with Cory: 

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/thewomensdietitian/

Website | https://thewomensdietitian.com/

Sick of generic advice from a doctor’s office pamphlet? I get it. 

A functional approach to your PCOS fills the gaps and targets the root cause of your symptoms, so you can FINALLY understand how to get back to feeling like YOU again.

Join me and women’s health expert Melissa Groves Azzaro, RDN, LD, as we explore personalized PCOS management, ditching the one-size-fits-all approach. 

Say goodbye to the 'just lose weight' mantra and embrace tailored nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle plans. 

From busting “gluten and dairy are the devil” myths to addressing mental health and perimenopause symptoms, we cover it all!

Connect with Melissa: 

Website | https://thehormonedietitian.com/about/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/the.hormone.dietitian

Connect with Cory: 

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/thewomensdietitian/

Website | https://thewomensdietitian.com/