Women Talking Frankly

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 find safer solutions for symptom relief and quality of life as we age backed by science and rigorous research.

Early in her career Dr. Kenna recognized that within the medical profession, there was a notable lack of scientific approach to menopause medicine, and a tendency among traditional doctors to delegitimate hormonal issues in aging women.

Over and over again, she heard from women patients how hard it was to find a doctor who took their symptoms seriously, how they had been dismissed with insensitive comments such as “it’s all in your head,” OR “you’re getting older, get used to it,” OR “you’re just depressed,” and waved away with a prescription for Prozac.

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 the benefits of safer alternatives to the ubiquitous use of synthetic hormones shown to have adverse effects (increased heart disease, stroke, blood clots, breast cancers) over time.

As a physician dedicated to the art and science of women’s medicine, Kenna knew that there were better alternatives than HRT, as evidenced by the symptom relief and positive health benefits of the patients she was treating with plant-based bioidentical hormones. At the same time, it was deeply disturbing to her that the great majority of women who could and should benefit from these more natural hormone approaches were “missing out”.

As her concerns amplified, Kenna set out to provide hard core evidence that bioidentical hormones were a viable alternative to HRT, one used in Europe and available to providers and patients in the US. Thus was conceived the landmark CHOIICE study that looked into the effects of compounded bioidentical hormone therapies in peri and postmenopausal women.

In this fascinating discussion Dr. Stephenson talks openly with Kyle and Candace about her uphill battle to breathe

life into the CHOIICE study, to recruit suitable subjects and find the funding and support so crucial to conducting an independent study without the backing of Big-Pharma. She describes the many obstacles that stood in her way from the critics and naysayers to Hurricane Katrina, and how through sheer perseverance of her research team and dedicated subjects the roadblocks were painstakingly overcome one by one.

The project prevailed and the published results of the peer-reviewed CHOIICE study * clearly proved that bioidentical hormones work! And that the BHRT (Bioidentical Hormone Restoration Therapy) model of care when administered in physiologic doses tailored to individual need, significantly relieved menopausal symptoms AND improved health outcomes in all the major areas studied -cardiovascular, inflammatory, immune, mood and quality of life bio-markers – with NO adverse effects. This is exciting, groundbreaking research to write home about, or more specifically share with your doctor, especially if he/she is a doubting Thomas or Thomasina!

You can learn more and follow Dr. Kenna on UTUBE 

Here’s a great interview with Dr. Kenna:

https://www.healthwatchersnews.com/2009/11/bioidentical-hormone-research-shows-heart-benefits/

* 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/

Spend some quality time with Kyle and Candace as they muse about our futures. After almost two years of navigating our lives through a pandemic, they look for inspiration and set goals for the year ahead. Their lively and often funny conversations run the gamut of topics ranging from how to keep a positive attitude when the world feels like it is falling apart, the importance of laughter even in the midst of hard times , digging down into basics (like doing a yearly 'cleanse' to find control somewhere) and how to remain curious and excited about learning new things, going new places and continuing to grow who WE are.

Carve some time out for you today to listen, learn and find inspiration. You deserve it.

A fascinating conversation with Dr. Kenna Stephenson, about her pioneering work in women’s medicine and the book she wrote, Awakening Athena, that was so ahead of its time in turning the conversation around women’s hormonal health from Big-Pharma to a focus on the physical emotional and spiritual needs of the essential female self.

We trust this heartfelt  conversation with Kenna will empower our listeners to learn more about the hormones that rule our reproductive lives and to ask the questions you were too embarrassed or afraid to ask, like:

-WHY when I bring hormone issues up with my Ob-Gyn is the solution always the same, an RX for birth control or an anti-depressant?

-WHY is hormone testing never offered?

-WHY is one- size-fits-all synthetic HRT still prescribed for menopause symptoms when safer, bioidentical hormones have been available for over a decade?

Here’s a sampling of our Q & A  with Dr. Kenna:

1. On self -care: something too many women abandon or never prioritize…how do we bring women back to caring for US FIRST, eg.  'put YOUR Oxygen mask on before helping those around you'.

2. On women’s Intuition: the 'trust your gut feeling…How do we get things out of the way that may distract us from hearing that inner voice?

3. On spiritual growth: how can women dig deeper and be less concerned with physical changes as we age and more with gratitude and growth in different ways.

4. On perfectionism: a real problem for high achievers: what strategies do you use to help these women?

5. We love your diagram of Love/Faith /Service being the true 'work' of a woman's life … tell us more!

FOLLOW DR KENNA ON YOUTUBE:

https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCIiiCgPoqrM07zyWScArHzw

Kyle and Candace had the pleasure of interviewing 2 physical therapists, Dianne Shiffer and Dee Ann Dougherty, who have worked together for over 3 decades. Dianne started Connect PT in Lake Oswego, OR and has assembled a team of like-minded providers who are committed to helping their clients practice 'prevention with intention'. Their team helps people maintain and/or return to a higher level of fitness using a comprehensive and individualized approach designed to focus on strength, flexibility, balance and optimal function. They believe in a many pronged strategy, including PT, acupuncture, yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi to help their patients achieve their fitness goals.

Join us in this thoughtful, lively conversation that will help you become or return to the best physical self you can be, despite any injuries or physical limitations you may have.

You won't want to miss this one!

Join Candace + Kyle for a dose of their personal tips/favs/thoughts on the daily practice of wellness.

In this episode they cover:

·  Self-Care - How do we practice self-care in our physical  emotional and mental lives

·  Stress management - What steps do we take to manage our stress so that it doesn’t manage us…. “Life is short – Be kind to yourself”- Matt Haig

·  Promoting Healthy Routines –  How do we cultivate resilient responses to the challenges we face in a world of abundant stress …(from The Comfort Book, by Matt Haig: In order to get over a problem, it helps to look at it. You can’t climb a mountain that you pretend isn’t there…. )

·  A discussion around “how we learn new/different ways to”:

Connect – better ways… than just texting and zoom calls)

Be active – exercise that is both mental and physical

Be creative – crafting: painting or pottery, knitting or sewing or singing or sketching…let your creative juices flow out of you and with it the tension we’re holding on to for dear life (from Awakening Athena, by Dr. Kenna Stephenson

Be healthy Chronological age is not as important as health …In the 21st century, we often consider ourselves middle-aged well into our 60s. Until we suffer a major health crisis or the loss of someone we love, we continue to feel young. (from Rowing North, by Mary Pipher)

Be happy - A 2016 UCSD study found that as people age they report higher levels of overall satisfaction, happiness and well-being and lower levels of anxiety, depression and stress. The older the person, the better her mental health tended to be…Women’s happiness ratings were consistently higher than mens’ …Recent census data from the UK finds that the happiest people are women aged 65-79.

Age gracefully – Quote: “We wither, sag, wrinkle, crinkle, tatter, and become marked by life’s events.  Time and gravity, air and water wear us down, each into a unique and precious beauty, every bit as beautiful as a landscape or plant weathered by the seasons.” – Stephanie Sugars

Be grateful Quote: “Without suffering, too much is taken for granted…with a transcendent response to suffering, nothing is too small to appreciate. We can enjoy every fresh apricot, blazing October day, and visit with a friend. We can be awake and whole.” (from Rowing North, by Mary Pipher)

Candace + Kyle are back in the studio with Functional Nutritionist, Andrea Nakayama, for a lively conversation about how our adrenals are impacted by how and what we eat, as well as the other important aspects of how we live (exercise and sleep routines).

Andrea, Kyle and Candace dig into the term ‘Adrenal Fatigue’ and explore how this can present, be measured and ultimately treated so that you can be feeling your best.

Andrea explores how the adrenals provide energy and how stress (a normal physiologic phenomena) can be good and bad. Constant stress puts us into the sympathetic state of fight or flight and this is not healing. We must come back to the parasympathetic state to rest , restore and heal(think relaxation and sleep).

Andrea’s non-negotiable are managing blood sugar and getting adequate rest(and exercise).

Every time we eat should include these big three: FIBER + FAT + PROTEIN: snacks and meals. This will help us to keep our blood sugar balanced.

We discuss various current diet trends, the importance of B vitamins and supplements in general.

Bottomline: if you are not trying to get adequate rest, relaxation and exercise, you will not be able to digest and absorb the nutrients and supplements that you consume. Diet is important but it is only part of the overall picture.

Andrea has a podcast called the 15 minute matrix. For more information on these topics : B vitamins, MTHFR, the sympathetic state and more, listen to her insightful podcast episodes (plus we were guests on one episode!).

Listen to the “15 minute matrix” here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/15-minute-matrix/id1325256647

When our speaker was faced with a major life crisis, “I turned my love for food into FOOD AS MEDICINE” ….and the rest, as they say, is history.

Kyle and Candace welcome functional nutritionist, Andrea Nakayama on this episode which centers on how what and how we eat has a profound influence on our genetics, our well being and the quality of our lives.  Andrea shares her unique journey from the world of publishing into creating a new model of functional nutrition.

Just as Andrea was celebrating her first pregnancy, her husband was diagnosed with a glioblastoma and given 6 months to live. Listen to how Andrea pivoted into the world of nutrition and improved the quality of her husband’s life, as well as allowing him to enjoy the first few years of their son’s life.

She went back to school, studied  biochemistry, physiology and pathophysiology but quickly began to make her OWN connections between food and health and illness.  She knew then that she had found her calling at last. Gradually she built her business by helping clients individually but this grew so quickly , she soon developed a program to train others to do the work as well. Andrea trains nurses, nurse practitioners, dietitians , doctors and other health care providers in the “Full Body System” to find the connections and guide clients back to optimal health and lifestyle choices.

Join our conversation with this thought leader and learn how YOU can make the necessary connections between food, nutrition and wellness. This is not your average ‘follow this diet plan ‘ approach but an individualized way to help each of us find our way to optimal living.

Kyle and Candace invite our great friend and compounding pharmacist Natalie Gustafson, R.Ph., back into the studio for the second part of our interview on Testosterone and DHEA, the ‘workhorse’ hormones that actually build and maintain the bone and muscle mass that our strength and stamina depend on, while also supplying the biochemical messengers that drive sexual energy, competitive drive, metabolism, mental clarity, and even our outlook on life!

In Part One of the interview, we dug in to the need-to-knows: where androgens are made in the body, how they function and make their magic in both men and women and what happens to our minds and bodies when levels of these work horse hormones decline, fall out of balance, or for various reasons become depleted.

In part 2 we cover the opposite end of the spectrum - High androgens - how they got that way, the factors that contribute to their imbalance and what happens when these powerful drivers remain elevated, triggering a whole raft of symptoms that impact skin, weight, periods, and our peace of mind! We tackle the thorny issue of PCOS, the key role that high Testosterone and DHEA levels play, the causative link between diet, insulin resistance and ovarian overproduction of the androgens, lifestyle and treatment approaches that don’t help and of course great advice about what natural approaches we know can help … beginning with hormone testing to pinpoint the extent to which androgens are out-of-whack and serve as a guide to the necessary diet, exercise and stress-wise steps as well as specific vitamins, herbs and bioidentical hormone options (as needed) known to be helpful in turning the tables and getting back to balance.

BIO for Natalie Gustafson: R.PH and compounding pharmacist for over a decade, she owns Lloyd Central Compounding Pharmacy in Portland, Oregon. Being able to customize medicine to a patient’s needs and helping providers achieve holistic care of their patients are the cornerstones of her practice. Women’s health is a huge focus of her work. She has struggled with her own health issues and is passionate about helping women regain their health, balance and quality of life. In her downtime she enjoys reading, practicing mindfulness, yoga and taking pictures of her three cats.

Kyle and Candace invite our brilliant friend and compounding pharmacist Natalie Gustafson, R.Ph., back into the studio for a two-part interview on Testosterone and DHEA, the ‘workhorse’ hormones that actually build and maintain the bone and muscle mass that our strength and stamina depend on, while also supplying the biochemical messengers that drive sexual energy, competitive drive, metabolism, mental clarity, and even our outlook on life! 

In Part One of the interview we delve in to the need-to-knows: where androgens are made in the body, how they function and work their magic in both men and women… and though we generally associate the androgens with typical male characteristics like heavier bones and muscles, more facial/ body hair, deeper voice, greater drive or aggressive tendencies), we point out that women’s bodies need these same hormones (albeit in lesser amounts) to feel strong, smart and sexy. 

We also review the role these hormones play in supporting the stress response, energy levels, metabolism and the immune system - and what happens /symptoms that arise when androgen levels drop (sore muscles, increased body fat, foggy brain, low sex drive) and the main causes/ culprits (lack of exercise, junk food, stress, aging) behind declining levels. 

Best ways to test for low Testosterone and DHEA levels, how test results can shed light on the symptoms we are experiencing and what we can do about it – from lifestyle modifications of diet, exercise and stress management to vitamins, herbs and bioidentical hormone options – are covered in detail. 

BIO for Natalie Gustafson: R.PH and compounding pharmacist for over a decade, she owns Lloyd Central Compounding Pharmacy in Portland, Oregon. Being able to customize medicine to a patient’s needs and helping providers achieve holistic care of their patients are the cornerstones of her practice. Women’s health is a huge focus of her work. She has struggled with her own health issues and is passionate about helping women regain their health, balance and quality of life. In her downtime she enjoys reading, practicing mindfulness, yoga and taking pictures of her three cats. 

Part II we get into what happens when Androgen levels get too high…Stay tuned!

Digging into the pandemic and beyond: what does life look like moving forward?

Kyle and Candace have a lively conversation looking over the past 16 months and the lessons we have learned. A fun catch-up time with 2 old friends about the unique time we have been going through and how to cope with stress in a healthy manner!

Join us!