Women Talking Frankly

By Candace Burch and Kyle McAvoyHealth & Fitness

Women Talking Frankly episodes

November 03, 2023Ep 39: An update on bioidentical hormones (present & future) and a look into the world of compounding pharmacies, with Natalie Gustafson, PharmD
Kyle and Candace chat with Natalie Gustafson, PharmD, pharmacist/owner of Lloyd Central Compounding Pharmacy: https://lcrx.com whose expertise and insights on bioidentical hormone therapy (BHRT) we have relied upon for nearly 2 decades!

In today’s episode, we review the basics of how and why bioidenticals work, who benefits, how to relieve symptoms, if and when you can’t take hormones, along with other important awarenesses – from bone, breast and cardiovascular health – to the threat from Big-Pharma that could limit our access to BHRT compounding and what we can do to protect our access to bioidenticals.

Some of the key talking points from our wide-ranging discussion :
The numerous benefits of BHRT and how without them disease risks increase dramatically after menopause

The results of the Women’s Health Initiative Study (WHI, 2002) that led to a 60-70% drop in prescribing of synthetic hormones and skyrocketing demand for BHRT

Non-hormonal, natural options for symptom relief in women with a history of breast cancer

Smart use of Calcium, Vitamin K2, & Magnesium to protect bone health/prevent osteoporosis

Why cardiovascular disease is actually a greater threat to women than breast cancer; what we can do to reduce the risks

How pushback from Big-Pharma since the WHI aims to limit the types of hormones compounding pharmacies can produce. We encourage you to contact your local representative/Senator to voice your concern, share your personal story and protect your access to bioidenticals: https://p3rx.org/

Information for patients about hormone compounding restriction concerns: https://compounding.com/

To help offset costs of BHRT not covered by insurance, get a GOODRX card https://www.goodrx.com &/or a Health Savings Account (HSA) to help cover costs.
CONNECT W/CANDACE + KYLE
Candace Burch:
YourHormoneBalance.com
[email protected]
Kyle McAvoy:
[email protected]
1 hr 43 min
September 18, 2023Ep 38: Women and Cardiac Disease: Getting to the Roots with Andrea Nakayama, Functional Nutritionist
In today’s episode, Kyle and Candace tackle the all-important subject of heart disease, the number one killer of women. While many campaigns exist to bring awareness to breast cancer screening and testing, the truth is that heart disease poses a much greater threat to us.

In the U.S., 1 out of 31 American women die from breast cancer while heart disease causes 1 out of every 3 deaths, which amounts to over 300,00 dying annually of this often silent disease. In the UK, heart disease kills twice as many women as compared to breast cancer.

While we might think that we don’t need to worry about heart disease until we’re older women, it might surprise you to know that an estimated 1 in 16 younger women over 20 years old have coronary heart disease, making it something women of all ages should be aware of.

Our guest today is Andrea Nakayama, a functional nutritionist, renowned teacher and thought leader in this emerging field who has trained thousands of others to work with people seeking sustainable ways to prevent chronic medical conditions, like heart disease, through optimal nutrition.

We learned so much in our discussion with Andrea, it's hard to know where to begin - but a good place to start would be her functional nutritional model for health and longevity, in her words:

“Think of your body as a tree: the roots are made of genes, digestion, and inflammation. The ‘soil’ is influenced by nutrition and lifestyle. Diseases represent the branches of the tree.” Andrea’s work focuses on impacting the soil and the roots. She dislikes diet theories and encourages us to examine insulin resistance and blood sugar issues first.

She also shares with us her FOOD FIRST guidelines for getting the nutrients we need in the foods we eat daily:
Eat the rainbow of fruits and vegetables that contain vital phytonutrients

Every meal/snack should include protein, fat, & fiber

Know your ‘Yes/No/Maybes’. Which foods make you feel good OR bad?

Here’s a sampling of some of the other key points we cover in this hugely important, and we trust, eye-opening interview:
High cholesterol and blood pressure are not the only markers women need to be concerned about.

There is too much emphasis on lowering cholesterol levels (overuse of statins) which in turn lowers our hormone levels.

Cholesterol: going beyond the numbers to look at the constellation, the trends: e.g. triglycerides and LDL’s should be examined together. (Aim for triglycerides around 70/under 100).

Insulin resistance is the root cause of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, Diabetes Type 2.

Excessive sugar intake is one of the greatest risk factors for cardiac disease and metabolic disorders.

The good, bad and ugly fats relationship to heart disease.

Most of us can get what we need through a mindful diet, but a great deal of our food is grown in suboptimal soil, so we do sometimes need to supplement. Andrea’s signature supplements include:
Omega fats

Magnesium

B vitamins

Probiotics

MORE ABOUT ANDREA:
Website: https://www.andreanakayama.com/
Work w/ someone whom Andrea has trained: https://www.fxnutrition.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreanakayama/

+Andrea is sharing the wisdom in a book she is currently writing, due out in late 2024…stay tuned!
CONNECT W/CANDACE + KYLE
Candace Burch:
YourHormoneBalance.com
[email protected]
Kyle McAvoy:
[email protected]
1 hr 17 min
August 01, 2023 Ep 37: The Art and Science of Natural Hormone Balance in Perimenopause and Menopause with Dr Kenna Stephenson, M.D.
Candace & Kyle have another fascinating conversation with Dr. Kenna Stephenson, M.D., a pioneering Family Medicine physician who has dedicated her life’s work to helping women in menopause balance their hormones using the Bioidentical Restoration Model of Care to improve symptoms & quality of life as they age.

Early in her career Dr. Kenna recognized that within the medical profession, there was a notable lack of a scientific approach to menopause medicine, & a tendency among traditional doctors to delegitimate hormonal issues in aging women. Dr. Kenna was all too aware that few, if any, studies in the scientific literature researched the health risks among women in menopause (or perimenopause the years leading up to it), or looked into safer solutions to the ubiquitous use of synthetic hormones shown to have adverse effects over time (increased heart disease, stroke, blood clots, breast cancers).

As a physician dedicated to the art & science of women’s medicine, Kenna knew that there were better alternatives than HRT, as evidenced by the symptom relief & positive health benefits of the patients she had been treating for years with plant-based bioidentical hormones.
As her concerns amplified, Kenna set out to provide hard core evidence that bioidentical hormones are a viable alternative to HRT, one already used in Europe for decades & available to providers & patients in the US. Thus, was conceived the landmark CHOIICE study where researchers led by Dr. Stephenson, looked into the effects of compounded bioidentical hormone therapies in peri & postmenopausal women.

In this follow-up discussion, Dr. Stephenson continues to guide us in the art & science of natural hormone balance, & how the use of plant-based, bioidentical hormones have led to astounding improvements in symptoms & health outcomes in women, on multiple fronts, from cardiovascular & inflammatory to immune, mood & quality of life bio-markers with NO adverse effects.

For Women seeking answers & alternatives to synthetic Hormone Replacement Therapy:

The CHOIICE study; The effects of compounded bioidentical transdermal hormone therapy on hemostatic, inflammatory, immune factors; cardiovascular biomarkers; quality-of-life measures; & health outcomes in perimenopausal & postmenopausal women
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23627249/

The WISE study following women 65-100 years as they age, charting key aging & longevity health factors.
References: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29217675/
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/aging-woman-s-secret-power-data-proves-it-ncna1231616
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/old-woman-wise-woman-powe_b_798942
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5207430/

Transdermal progesterone: effects on menopausal symptoms and on thrombotic, anticoagulant, and inflammatory factors in postmenopausal women.
Stephenson K, Neuenschwander PF, Kurdowska AK, Pinson B, Price C. Int J Pharm Compd. 2008 Jul-Aug;12(4):295-304. PMID: 23969765

The bioidentical hormone debate: are bioidentical hormones (estradiol, estriol, and progesterone) safer or more efficacious than commonly used synthetic versions in hormone replacement therapy?
Holtorf K. Postgrad Med. 2009 Jan;121(1):73-85. doi: 10.3810/pgm.2009.01.1949. PMID: 19179815 Review.

ABOUT KENNA:
Read Dr Kenna’s groundbreaking books:
Awakening Athena, Resilience, Restoration & Rejuvenation for Women: https://www.amazon.com/Awakening-Athena-Resilience-Restoration-Rejuvenation/dp/0975868101

The Holy Gospel of Women’s Health: https://www.amazon.com/Gospel-Womens-Health-Awakening-Athena/dp/B0C4G4J637/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+gospel+of+women%27s+health%2C+kenna+stephenson&qid=1687138101&s=books&sr=1-1

Follow Dr. Kenna on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DoctorKenna

CONNECT W/CANDACE + KYLE
Candace Burch:
YourHormoneBalance.com
[email protected]
Kyle McAvoy:
[email protected]
1 hr 17 min
June 22, 2023 Ep 36: From the Horse’s Mouth: Dr. David Zava, PhD. Sets the Record Straight on how Hormone testing and Rebalancing with Bioidentical/Natural Hormones can help Women Feel Great Again!
Candace & Kyle catch up with their favorite guru/mentor/expert on hormones & hormone testing, Dr. David Zava, Ph.D., Founder/CEO of ZRT Laboratory, one of the foremost hormone testing labs in the US & globally.

A biochemist by trade & teacher at heart, Dr. Zava didn’t start out trying to build a company. As a researcher, he wanted to provide health care practitioners & patients with a deeper understanding of the role hormones play in wellness,

“There is no other reason to keep doing the work unless we find a way to make the world a better place.”

In this interview we ask Dr. Zava to help us sort through some of the “WTF!” misleading information about women’s hormones that we have recently seen in the popular press.

Here’s a sampling of the vexed issues we asked Dr. Zava to respond to & we hope you will be reassured by his answers. Happy listening!

Time magazine, May, 2023 “ You Don’t Need to Balance Your Hormones”
Sub head: There’s no proof that it works.
“Dr. Zava, from your vantage point as a biochemist, cancer researcher & founder of ZRT Laboratory having tested the hormones of over 10 million (!) people over the last 2 decades, can you explain to our listeners why the statements in this article are incorrect & misleading?”

NY Times article: Women Have Been Misled About Menopause (2023)
Quote from NYT article “New formulations more closely mimic natural hormones in a woman’s body. There are also new methods of delivery: taking hormones via transdermal patch, rather than a pill, allows the medication to bypass the liver, which seems to eliminate the risk of clots. But the studies supporting the safety of newer options are observational; they have not been studied in long-term, randomized, controlled trials.”

“Dr. Zava, can you comment on the above statement, which in a single paragraph (that never mentions the word bioidenticals), attempts to invalidate BHRT (Bioidentical Hormone Restoration model) & tell our listeners about the safety profile of bioidenticals and how in form & function they most closely mimic natural physiology & our own bodily made (endogenous) hormones.”

“Dr. Zava, what is your reaction to the fact that this lead article in the NYTimes Sunday magazine never once mentions hormone testing?”

Real Simple magazine (May 2023)
“Balancing hormones is a marketing term not a medical term.”

Dr. Zava can you comment on this statement?
Quote: “Because hormones change over the course of the month & because everyone physiologically is different, numbers alone don’t mean much.”

(Dr. Zava describes how he designed hormone test reports to go beyond just numbers.)

REFERENCES:
Please note: Evidence based studies on the benefits of bioidentical hormones are too numerous to list here. For further information email [email protected]

The CHOIICE study: The effects of compounded bioidentical transdermal hormone therapy on hemostatic, inflammatory, immune factors; cardiovascular biomarkers; quality-of-life & health outcomes in perimenopausal & postmenopausal women
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23627249/

For science-based reads on all topics hormonal visit https://www.zrtlab.com/blog/
Here is just a sampling of the great articles you can find:

“The Women’s Health Initiative Revisited”
https://www.zrtlab.com/blog/archive/womens-health-initiative-revisited/

“Preventing Breast Cancer: How Hormone Balance Can Help Save Your Life”
https://www.zrtlab.com/blog/archive/preventing-breast-cancer-hormones/

“The Seven Dwarves of Menopause”
https://www.zrtlab.com/blog/archive/seven-dwarves-of-menopause/

CONNECT WITH ZRT LABS (FOUNDED BY DAVID ZAVA)
Zrtlab.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zrtlaboratory/
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer: How Hormone Balance Can Help Save Your Life, John R. Lee, M.D. , David Zava, Ph.D.

CONNECT W/CANDACE + KYLE
Candace Burch:
YourHormoneBalance.com
[email protected]
Kyle McAvoy:
[email protected]
1 hr 19 min
May 31, 2023Ep 35: No Bones About It: The Health of Your Bones REALLY Matters, with Dr. Lani Simpson
During today’s episode, we sit down with Dr. Lani Simpson, Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine and the first alternative provider to become a board certified bone densitometirst (C.C.D.). For over 30 years, Lani has educated health care providers about the importance of bone heatlh and has hosted a PBS series on this same topic. She is also the author of “No Nonsense Bone Health Guide” and “No Nonsense Sun Health Guide”.

We had a lively discussion with Lani about her own bone health journey: (she found out while testing out a friend’s bone density machine, that she had osteoporosis in her mid 40’s, a real shock to her: Lani has always been an avid athlete). This experience spurred her to become an expert in all aspects of bone health, and she has dedicated her professional life to spreading her message: protecting your bone health is essential and leads to living a higher quality of life!

Some of her main takeaway messages:
Much of bone density and bone quality is genetically based
You don’t know when you’re losing bone: bone density changes have no symptoms until you have a fracture
Current guidelines are inadequate for catching osteopenia and osteoporosis early on
Supplements like Vit D3 and K2 are essential for maintaining bone health
Estrogen is the primary bone density protector of all of the hormones
Thyroid changes affect bone density: adequate thyroid function testing is imperative
Nutrition and exercise both have major impacts on your bone health
Fair-skinned, blue-eyed, small framed individuals are at higher risk for osteoporosis
Smoking and excess alcohol intake have negative effects on bone density
Dump the junk, eat smaller meals, be active: strength train, work on balance and flexibility
Osteopenia and osteoporosis are preventable. Osteoporosis has serious effects on an individual’s quality of life and is associated with higher rates of mortality.

Her WTF pet peeve: Women are NOT informed as to what is going to happen after menopause: and measuring bone density is a wonderful tool but too many providers make mistakes and are inadequately trained. Seek out a center that specializes in bone density measurement.

CONNECT WITH DR LANI
Website: https://lanisimpson.com/
Read: “Dr Lani’s No Nonsense Bone Health Guide”
https://lanisimpson.com/products/bone-health-guide-book

CONNECT W/ CANDACE + KYLE
Candace Burch:
YourHormoneBalance.com
[email protected]
Kyle McAvoy:
[email protected]
1 hr 25 min
May 16, 2023Ep 34: How Hormones Hijack Your Sleep in Perimenopause and Menopause
Dr. Valerie Cacho is the president and founder of Sleep Life Med, a tele-sleep practice in Hawaii and California. Her interests and expertise include: diagnosing and treating medical sleep disorders during perimenopause and menopause, women's sleep concerns, mind-body approaches to insomnia, self-compassion training, clinical hypnotherapy, and promoting sleep health and wellness. Additionally, Dr. Cacho is the CEO of Sleephoria, an online educational and sleep wellness company for women.

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:
Hot flashes, restless leg syndrome, waking up to pee, insomnia – does this sound familiar?

How do aging and menopause affect your sleep and metabolism?

The CDC 2017 sleep study that finds sleep problems significantly increase among women during perimenopause and menopause

Holistic ways to help you sleep better: Yoga, therapeutic massage, acupuncture, exercise, chamomile tea!

Sleep apnea is significantly underdiagnosed in women. The symptoms of sleep apnea in women and how they are different than in men. Isn’t snoring normal?

How much sleep should we be getting? The main stages of sleep.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI)

CONNECT W/ DR VAL:
Website: https://sleephoria.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drvalsleepgal/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriecacho/

CONNECT W/ CANDACE + KYLE
Candace Burch:
YourHormoneBalance.com
[email protected]
Kyle McAvoy:
[email protected]

RESOURCES:
In this free checklist Dr. Val shares a list of commons reasons why midlife women are exhausted and how you can prepare for a visit with your doctor to find the solution to your exhaustion.
https://www.sleephoria.health/f/exhaustion-checklist

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/treatment/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-insomnia

Sleep Duration and Quality Among Women Aged 40–59, by Menopausal Status
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db286.htm

An exploratory study of salivary cortisol changes during chamomile extract therapy of moderate to severe generalized anxiety disorder
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=chamomile+anxiety+and+cortisol&oq=chamomile+anxiety+and+corti#d=gs_qabs&t=1681164221780&u=%23p%3D9uPnX9isJw8J

Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep

Michael Walker “Why We Sleep.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXflBZXAucQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb6hgt6Ed-Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXu6L1yyjsI

Sleep problems during menopause: https://www.menopausenow.com/sleep-disorders/articles/sleep-problems-during-menopause

Blogs:
https://www.zrtlab.com/blog/archive/ashwagandha-ancient-medicine-for-modern-adrenals/

https://www.zrtlab.com/blog/archive/phosphatidylserine-protection-from-chronic-stress/

https://www.zrtlab.com/blog/archive/herbal-remedies-insomnia/

https://www.zrtlab.com/blog/archive/healthy-adaptogens/
56 min
April 27, 2023Ep 33: Pro-Aging with Gabby Reece: volleyball legend, fitness guru, thought leader and popular podcaster
To many women young and old, Gabrielle Reece is the epitome of athleticism and beauty. Not only is she a volleyball legend, someone the younger generation looks up to as a groundbreaker in women’s professional sports, but she’s an inspirational leader, NYTimes best-selling author and host of The Gabby Reece Show.

On her hugely influential podcast, Gabby gets expertws in health and wellness, science, psychology and business to share knowledge and actionable information that is lifechanging. Now in her early 50s and in Perimenopause, Gabby is someone women of “a certain age” like ourselves and our listeners can look to for inspiration.

In this episode of WTF, she talks openly about how she finds balance in a super busy professional and family life and shares insights and wisdom about how women can stay strong, healthy and in balance as we age.

Here's just a sampling of our spirited and wide-ranging conversation with Gabby:
Her daily check-in

What her best life looks like

How to stop approaching things in a stressful way

Why protein is so essential

Pro-aging; aging with grace

Super importance of women lifting weights

Body fat / why are we afraid of fats?

“Punishment cardio” and intermittent fasting

What we need to teach younger women/working on agility

Approach to training and aging / How she and husband (big wave surfer, Laird Hamilton) stay fit

Skin care tips and supplements

How she nurtures relationships with others and herself; having friends of all ages

Her latest and greatest: DNA testing

Resources:
Gabby’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/
Gabby’s Website: https://www.gabriellereece.com/
The Gabby Reece Show (see below suggested episodes)
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/190-how-to-age-like-a-badass-steven-kotlers-gnarly/id1492179907?i=1000602940323
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-estrogen-solution-hormone-expert-candace-burch/id1492179907?i=1000538214777
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/182-the-secret-to-happiness-with-harvard-professor/id1492179907?i=1000594648468
The Harvard Happiness Study https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/01/harvard-happiness-study-relationships/672753/
Kashif Khan: the world’s leading functional genomics researcher – The DNA Company https://www.thednacompany.com/pages/kashif-khan
CONNECT WITH US:
Candace Burch:
YourHormoneBalance.com
[email protected]
Kyle McAvoy
[email protected]
1 hr 21 min
March 27, 2023 Ep 32: What is the secret ingredient to living a life of health, happiness and longevity
In this episode of WTF, Kyle and Candace discuss recently released results from the longest in-depth longitudinal study on human development and happiness ever done. The Harvard Adult Development Study has been running for nearly 85 years and concludes that cultivating and nurturing sound relationships is the single most important thing we can do to achieve lives filled with health and happiness. We explore the lessons learned from the study, the effects of loneliness on our health and longevity and discuss how to create and nurture relationships with meaning and depth.

References: https://www.adultdevelopmentstudy.org/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-secret-to-happiness-heres-some-advice-from-the-longest-running-study-on-happiness-2017100512543
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/01/harvard-happiness-study-relationships/672753/
https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_waldinger_what_makes_a_good_life_lessons_from_the_longest_study_on_happiness/c
CONNECT WITH US:
Candace Burch:
YourHormoneBalance.com
[email protected]
Kyle McAvoy
[email protected]
31 min
March 14, 2023 Ep 31: Menopause: Back in the News...Are Women Being Misled?
Kyle and Candace respond to the recent (Jan. 2023) NY Times Magazine cover article by Susan Dominus, "We have been misled about menopause." Twenty years after the Women's Health Initiative study (WHI) turned the treatment of menopause on its head, the U.S is still grappling with how to deal with this ever important phase of the female life. Kyle and Candace tackle the many issues facing women in order to help them find the answers they need to find safe and effective hormone balance and live healthier lives.
REFERENCES:
* The effects of compounded bioidentical transdermal hormone therapy on hemostatic, inflammatory, immune factors; cardiovascular biomarkers; quality-of-life measures; and health outcomes in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23627249/
The Gospel of Women's Health: Awakening Athena Again; Kenna Stephenson MD
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause, John R. Lee, MD
The Hormone Cure, Sara Gottfried MD

CONNECT WITH US:
Candace Burch:
YourHormoneBalance.com
[email protected]
Kyle McAvoy
[email protected]
47 min
January 02, 2023 Episode Thirty: Exploring the Ever Growing World of Non-Alcoholic Beverages in the New Year
It has been quite a few years: almost three living through a pandemic….This holiday season almost feels ‘normal ‘ again , whatever THAT means…
Thinking back to the holiday season pre Covid: it has always been a time full of stress, expectations, family drama, FOMO, loneliness, busyness, isolation, too many people, spending pressures…yet somehow most of us just love this time of year.
Add to this the extra foods and beverages we consume…the darker days….the colder wetter weather: maybe that is why we LOVE the festivities: I often think what would be like to live in the southern hemisphere and have nothing to distract us during the winter….they get to have Christmas and New Year during the summer: so crazy!
But here we are: after Thanksgiving…the ultimate indulgent holiday…but a whole lot less pressure for most of us….and soon to follow, holiday gatherings, cookie exchanges and holiday cocktails, mulled wine, lovely glasses of port to end the evening: how to NOT gain a gazillion pounds and feel completely ‘gobsmacked’ as Candace love to say….how to cruise through with grace and not feel completely off of our game come January and the new year???
Well, today we thought it would be fun to explore the world of ever expanding non-alcoholic beverages and see what our options are.. So join us as we banter back and forth and have a little, maybe a LOT , of fun while we sample some various beverages and see just what is out there for our drinking pleasure..plus we will look at some fun ways to EAT better as well…so much to talk about, as usual….but we do love to talk and learn together..so here we go!
41 min

About Women Talking Frankly

From the publisher's feed

Kyle McAvoy (N.P.) and Candace Burch (M.A.) lead lively conversations that address the essential issues women face throughout life’s transitions. They bring decades of experience specializing in…