The Wise Consumer

Bonjour! I wanted to share that I am taking a bit of time off from editing and sharing new podcast episodes for a few weeks while I finish working on my hormone healing cookbook (more info coming soon!). The good news is there are plenty of other episodes from previous seasons you can catch-up on (binge!) while I step away from the microphone. For instance, have you listened to my conversation with Tiila Abbit, founder of the eco-conscious and socially responsible makeup brand, ATHR Beauty? If you haven’t yet, press play now because you’re in for a treat! Happy listening!

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ATHR Beauty's products are one-of-a-kind! The color palettes are playful, the mascara is voluminous, and the lip cremes are smooth and moisturizing! Not to mention that each product works as well, if not better, than your conventional makeup brands. And, the cherry on top? This makeup brand is 100% recyclable, free of child labor, vegan, cruelty-free, and "clean." 

In this episode Tiila and I explore  the journey that led her here, how she became Sephora’s Senior Director of Product Development working on their sustainability initiative, what inspired her to launch her own makeup brand, how she creates her products, the motivation behind creating packaging that is 100% recyclable, greenwashing in the beauty industry, the challenges around defining the term “clean beauty”, why not all synthetic ingredients are harmful, and so much more.

I absolutely loved chatting with Tiila and learning about the inspiration behind ATHR Beauty and know you will too! Ready to get a sneak peek at what it takes to create a successful, “clean,” and environmentally-friendly make-up brand?  Press play now!

The Wise Consumer Show Notes

Hi friend! I am taking a bit of time off from editing and sharing new podcast episodes for a few weeks while I finish working on a new project (more info coming soon!). The good news is there are plenty of other episodes from previous seasons you can catch-up on (binge!) while I step away from the microphone during these next few weeks. For instance, have you listened to my conversation with world-renowned bra expert and founder of Bravolution, Laura Tempesta? If you haven’t yet, press play now because you’re in for a treat! More soon!  :)

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Did you know that 80% of women are most likely wearing the wrong bra size?! Crazy right? Weirdly enough, I never really gave much thought to bra sizing until I came across Laura Tempesta’s TedTalk “You’ll Never Look At Bras The Same Way Again!” 

After watching her TedTalk and realizing that everything I thought I knew about bra sizing was wrong, I figured this was a topic we should unpack and explore on the podcast together. So, here to clear up some of the confusion around bra sizing and to share helpful solutions is the bra expert herself, Laura Tempesta.

Laura is a world-renowned bra expert, apparel innovator, and an inventor of multiple patented products. In fact, she is the only American with a Master’s degree in Lingerie Design, and the only person in the world with a custom-designed degree to study the engineering, design, performance and innovation of Sports Bras. Prior to founding Bravolution, a consumer advocacy group and resource providing bra reviews and education, Laura was Nike’s Sports Bra Innovation Director where she helped guide and develop sports bra innovation. She has been featured as a bra expert in Vogue, Insider, and Better Homes & Gardens and is a TEDx speaker. In short: Laura is on a mission to change the world one poorly fitting sports bra at a time!

If you’re tired of continually wasting money on bras that don’t fit and aren’t comfortable and want to learn how to finally find a bra (or sports bra) that fits and properly supports your ‘girls’ then tune-in because we chat about all this and more in today’s episode!

The Wise Consumer Show Notes: https://thewiseconsumer.com/does-your-bra-fit/ 

Quiz time! Can you name your four menstrual phases? Do you know when estrogen rises or how it impacts your brain? Do you know why you tend to eat more during the second half of your cycle as opposed to the first? Did you know you can sync your diet, lifestyle, and/or workouts to your menstrual cycle?

To be honest, a few years ago I would have completely failed this "quiz."  I knew close to nothing about my hormones or the impact they had on my overall health. Most individuals who menstruate don't!

For me, this all changed when I came across the practice of cycle syncing. Have you ever heard of this term?

Cycle syncing was a game changer for me. Not only did it help me understand the hormonal changes that were taking place in my body each week throughout my menstrual cycle but it also gave me insight on how to use the constant ebbing and flowing of my hormones to my advantage, both on a personal and professional level.

How? Well, here to walk us through the ins and outs of cycle syncing -- how it works, what the benefits are, where to start, and more!--is the woman behind the hormone cycle syncing movement herself, Gabrielle Lichterman.

Gabrielle is a longtime women's health journalist who pioneered the cycle-syncing and hormone awareness movement in 2005 with her groundbreaking book, 28 Days: What Your Cycle Reveals About Your Moods, Health & Potential. She's also the creator of the popular website Hormonology, an online educational platform she founded, as a way to share hormone cycle education around the globe.

Are you ready to learn how to live in sync with your menstrual cycle and make the most of your amazing hormones? Press play now!

Have you ever noticed that almost every single packaged food item sold at the grocery store contains some form of vegetable oil? I recently walked through the grocery store aisles flipping over packaged foods simply to read their ingredient labels because I was curious, how many products contained vegetable oils?

To be honest, I guess I wasn’t really shocked when I realized that almost every item I picked up contained some form of plant-based oil such as sunflower oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil,  peanut oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, or sesame oil. Even the “healthy” organic foods contained vegetable oil. Pizza? Vegetable oil. Trail mix? Vegetable oil. Ice Cream? Vegetable oil. Fruit Snacks? Pretzels? Protein bars? Vegetable oils!

Now, I am not saying that all vegetable oils, which are high in omega-6 fatty acids, are bad. Nor am I saying that we should never eat them again. In fact, our bodies need omega-6s fatty acids as they're essential fatty acids. Meaning, our bodies can’t produce them so we need to get them from an external source.

So, what's the problem? 

The problem is that we are consuming too many omega-6 fatty acids and not enough of their counterpart, omega-3 fatty acids. Which in the long run can become problematic to our health for a variety of reasons.

But, as consumers, this is where things tend to get a bit confusing! I mean, aren’t vegetable oils healthy? And, what's the difference between omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids? And, is there a balanced omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio we should strive to achieve?

Luckily for us, here to help simplify and unpack all of these questions (and more!) is the one and only Ayla Barmmer, MS, RDN, LDN. Ayla is a registered dietitian nutritionist, functional medicine practitioner and the founder, and CEO, of FullWell, a fertility wellness and education brand. Her entire career focus has been to advance the health and empowerment of practitioners, patients and families through nutritional science, functional medicine and evidence-based holistic solutions.

In today’s episode Ayla shares why women should consume more omega-3 fatty acids, especially women who are struggling with period pain, have a hormonal imbalance, or pregnant or breastfeeding, the differences between omega-6’s and omega-3s, how to easily add more omega-3 rich foods to your diet, and why she developed FullWell’s Fish Oil supplement. We also go off on a tangent and talk about her passion for herbal medicine and the differences between nervines and adaptogens.

I absolutely loved chatting with Ayla and know this is a conversation that will inspire and encourage you along your own personal health journey!

The Wise Consumer Show Notes: https://thewiseconsumer.com/omega-3-fatty-acids/ 

So, you just had a baby! Yay, congratulations! Hope you're taking such good care of yourself and baby is doing so well! Now, let me ask you a question -- are you itching to workout again? Are you anxiously awaiting that six weeks postpartum appointment, hoping against hope that your OB will give you the "all clear" to start exercising again? I know I was. Unfortunately, I didn't get the "all clear" to exercise again at my 6-weeks postpartum exam. Rather, my OB wrote me a referral to see a pelvic floor specialist and told me to "take it easy." Bummer.

The reality is many of us aren’t ready to get back to our pre-baby exercising regimes after our six weeks postpartum exam, or eight weeks if you had a c-section. Obviously this isn’t the case for everyone but, generally speaking, most of us need to give our bodies a bit more time to heal and strengthen after delivery.

But, how much time do most of us need before we can start exercising again? How do we know if our bodies are ready? Or, what if we’re feeling discouraged by the lack of “progress” our bodies are making after pregnancy to “bounce back?” What then!?

Here to help answer these questions and more is Dr. Amanda Olson, a pelvic floor specialist, founder of Intimate Rose, and a Certified Pilates Instructor & Running Coach. (Note: I spoke with Dr. Amanda in episode 88 “4 Ways you Can Benefit from Pelvic Floor Therapy.” Make sure to give that episode a listen if you haven’t already! It’s jam-packed with helpful tips and information on all things pelvic floor health.)

In this episode Dr. Amanda shares what really happens to our bodies, anatomically speaking, when we’re pregnant, how to get back to working out safely after pregnancy, whether or not running with urinary incontinence is a problem, why some women, especially women who’ve experienced c-sections, may take longer to get back into high intensity exercise, how to use vaginal weights, the importance of nutrition, and more!

Press play now if you’re ready embrace your amazing postpartum body and to get back out there feeling encouraged and stronger than you were before! 

Do you have difficulty falling or staying asleep? Are you looking for tips to help you improve your relationship with sleep? Are you a sleep deprived mama who is struggling to function throughout the day without drinking 50+ cups of coffee? 

Well, fluff up your pillows and get cozy because Dr. Jade Wu, a licensed clinical psychologist and Behavioral Sleep Medicine Specialist, is here to help us unpack and explore the importance of sleep and to share simple tips to help us get more of it!

Dr. Jade Wu is a licensed clinical psychologist and Behavioral Sleep Medicine Specialist. Her current scientific research focuses on treating sleep disorders in those with chronic illness. She is also a frequent guest on popular TV, radio, and podcast shows such as NPR and Huffington Post. In the clinic, Dr. Wu uses evidence-based non-medication treatments to help people improve their sleep (and waking life), and is especially passionate about helping women to navigate and improve their sleep during pregnancy, postpartum, and other major life transitions.

In this conversation Dr. Wu explores the importance of sleep, the difference between sleepy and tired, practical tips to help sleep deprived mama’s navigate the sleep challenges that accompany parenting, how hormones impact sleep, the importance of prioritizing your circadian rhythm, tips to help you overcome the dreaded afternoon lull, and so much more!

Dr. Wu is a wealth of knowledge and it's an honor to have her on the podcast to share her wisdom and expertise with all of you!

The Wise Consumer Show Notes: https://thewiseconsumer.com/the-importance-of-sleep/ 

Mini bonus episode! This is Part 2 of my conversation with feeding therapist and speech pathologist, Kayla Richardson, MS, CCC-SLP CLC.

Now, if you haven’t tuned into Part 1, Episode #93 '5 ways to identify an oral dysfunction & best ways to treat tongue-ties,' I highly recommend you start there! Kayla shares some really helpful tips and information regarding how best to manage and treat oral dysfunctions as well as how to identify tongue-ties if you suspect your child has one.

In this bonus episode, Kayla explores the difference between picky eating and oral sensory issues in children, tips on how to properly support your child while they eat and why it matters, different types of feeding utensils and how to use them, and more!

Happy listening!

Those first few weeks of a newborns life are so challenging, whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle feeding! But when, on top of the “expected” challenges that accompany this newborn phase, you add difficulties with feeding and latching, i.e. tongue-ties, it just takes the stress and uncertainty of the infant phase to a whole new level! Or, at least, that's how it was for me and I imagine I am not alone!

Which is why I reached out to Kayla Richardson, a pediatric Speech Language Pathologist and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant who specializes in Pediatric Feeding Disorders, Myofunctional Disorders, and early intervention. Kayla is the owner of Abeille Speech and Feeding Therapy, a therapy agency and pediatric feeding clinic in St. Louis, MO. 

In today’s conversation, Kayla shares why she believes every mother should see a lactation consultant both before and after birth, what symptoms to be on the lookout for if you suspect your child may have an oral dysfunction, why a tongue-tie release shouldn’t be done in isolation from therapy, such as craniosacral therapy or feeding therapy, why she thinks labeling babies as “colicky” is often an inaccurate and unhelpful diagnosis for parents, and more!

Honestly, I wish this conversation had existed before my son was born. I feel as though it would have alleviated so many of the stressors I faced during those early days. So, if your child is struggling with an oral dysfunction of some sort, press play now as Kayla is about to drop some major wisdom that will help YOU as you maneuver throughout your own parenting journey!

The Wise Consumer Show Notes: https://thewiseconsumer.com/best-ways-to-treat-tongue-ties/ 

Did you know that women supported by a doula during childbirth are less likely to need pain medications or require a c-section? In fact, according to a study published by the Cochrane Review, Continuous Support for Women During Childbirth, women supported by a doula are also more likely to have a positive birth experience and endure shorter labors. While more research needs to be conducted the study concluded that "continuous doula support during labour may improve outcomes for women and infants!"

This is especially comforting news when you consider the alarming fact that the United States has one of the highest rate of maternal deaths among high-income countries! A recent study published by the Commonwealth Fund, found that in 2020, the US maternal mortality rate was 23.8 deaths per 100,000, more than triple the rate of any other country studied! 

Even more alarming is the fact that Black women in the United States are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than White women! This, shares The Century Foundation, is primarily due “to systemic racism and discrimination at the individual level, Black women and birthing people face unacceptable (and mostly preventable) risk during childbirth and throughout and after pregnancy.”⁠

⁠This is unacceptable and, as my guest today, Mabel Bashorun, a certified doula (DONA), Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, and a certified lactation consultant (who also currently happens to be pursuing a career in nurse-midwifery), tells me, "it's a shame, it's a disgrace, and it's a huge stain on the American healthcare system!"⁠

In 2017, Mabel launched Within Her Birth Services with the mission to support and advocate for other women throughout their pregnancy and labor experience. As a Ghanian-American, Mabel takes great pride in serving fellow Black women during pregnancy, with the personal aim to ensure they do not succumb to the maternal mortality crisis that continues to  plague the Black community today. ⁠

⁠In today's episode Mabel and I chat about the benefits of hiring a doula, the differences between a doula and a midwife, why she thinks all women should have access to a doula (regardless of budget), the importance of education, how to advocate for yourself and your birth preferences, the challenges facing Black mothers in the US today, my birth story and how she supported me (because yes, Mabel also happens to have been my doula! :)), and so much more! 

Press play now!

The Wise Consumer Shownotes: https://thewiseconsumer.com/benefits-of-a-doula/ 

Struggling with endometriosis? You're not alone. :(

Unfortunately, about one in every ten women, if not more, is struggling with this complex and, at times, painfully debilitating inflammatory disease.

Personally, I have had so many questions when it comes to this enigmatic disease. What is endometriosis? How is it diagnosed? Is there a specific diet you should follow? Are there options other than birth control to help manage it?

If you're struggling with endometriosis and searching for answers you’re in the right place!

Today on the podcast, I have the pleasure of chatting with The Endometriosis Dietitian, Cindy Dabrowska, RD. Cindy is a registered dietitian, master of applied nutrition, and an endowarrior herself. Her mission is to support other women who, like herself, are looking to manage and improve their endometriosis symptoms.

I invited Cindy onto the podcast to help us unpack some of the myths around endometriosis and to shed light on how dietary and lifestyle changes can benefit someone struggling with this disease.

In this episode we talk about whether or not birth control is the best way to manage endometriosis, how diet and lifestyle can help to improve and manage endo symptoms, tips on how endowarriors can support their gut microbiome and why it matters, the importance of insulin, how to metabolize estrogen and why that matters, and so much more!

If you or someone you know is struggling with endometriosis, I truly hope you find this conversation helpful and empowering! 

The Wise Consumer Show Notes: https://thewiseconsumer.com/struggling-with-endometriosis/