Women Talking Frankly

Candace and Kyle have the pleasure of interviewing our good friend and colleague, Alison MCallister, N.D., a highly respected naturopath in Portland Oregon, who among other things, specializes in thyroid diseases which predominantly affect women to the tune of 5 to 20 times more than men. Because the prevalence of most thyroid diseases increases with age, we see hypothyroidism, Hashimotos autoimmunity and thyroid cancers occurring most often in menopausal women. All the more reason for us to delve into this subject at great length…so much so that we’ve split our conversation with Alison into two parts. We trust you will enjoy and learn from our conversation. This is the second part of our conversation. Part one of our conversation is here. Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Show notes

Candace and Kyle get another chance to talk with our favorite mentor, expert and guru on hormones and hormone testing, Dr. David Zava, Ph.D., CEO and founder of ZRT Laboratory, one of the foremost hormone testing labs in the US and globally.   A biochemist by trade and a teacher at heart, Dr. Zava started out as a breast cancer researcher involved in international clinical trials looking into the development of breast cancers genetics and epigenetics of breast cancers. This is yet another challenging listen in which Dr. Zava shares his breast cancer research, as well as cutting-edge science and information women can use to prevent the hormone imbalances that put us at risk for breast cancer and what we can do to prevent a breast cancer or its recurrence. Here are some of the issues and answers we cover in this episode: Hidden hormone imbalances and risks for breast cancer What do these things have to do with breast cancer? – heavy metals/ environmental  toxins– poor diet/insulin resistance – being continually stressed out/ too much Cortisol– not sleeping well/lack of Melatonin How Environmental Chemical Carcinogens like heavy metals and xenoestrogens increase our risks for breast cancer How testing our hormones can alert us to  hormonal risks for breast cancer.  Why  estrogen is called “the Angel of Life” and  “the Angel of Death”  How the buildup of estrogen increases risk of breast cancer (BC) and how supplementing with progesterone can reduce our risk significantly When good estrogens go bad – if they go down the wrong pathways to damage DNA and lead to a BC Genetics vs. Epigenetics – which is more of a risk for BC? The importance of cruciferous vegetables, DIM, Indole 3 carbuncle assist the proper metabolism of estrogens Obesity and the insulin connection to breast cancer  Women, wine and breast cancer here and in Europe Dr. Z’s suggested breast protective supplements and lifestyle changes …and so much more… We are privileged to have Dr. Zava share his formidable knowledge about breast cancer to help women move from awareness to action and prevent a breast cancer that may be waiting to happen.  “Breast cancer risks start to show up with prolonged stress, the high cortisol levels, the lack of sleep, the low melatonin, the poor appetite, the lack of exercise, etc., but if we improve our lifestyle, keep our hormones balanced… eat the right amount of the right foods (eat the rainbow), get enough sleep in a dark room, stop smoking, eat and drink in moderation, reduce our stress levels…if we do each one of those things on a regular basis…. this is going to decrease your breast cancer risk by half.” – Dr. David Zava Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Show Notes to Episode Seventeen

Why it’s a big issue for women and the hormone connection: Part I  We have the pleasure of interviewing our good friend and colleague, Alison McAllister, N.D., a highly respected naturopath in Portland Oregon. Among other things, Alison specializes in thyroid diseases. Thyroid diseases affect women 5 to 20 times higher than in men. And because the prevalence of most thyroid diseases increases with age, we see hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, thyroid autoimmunity disease, and thyroid cancers occurring most often in menopausal women. We delve into this subject at great length…so much so that we’ve had to split our conversation with Alison into two parts. We trust you will enjoy and learn much from our discussion, starting with this first episode where we ask Alison a million questions. She gives us great answers and explanations that make it easier to picture complicated concepts in your mind. You’ll learn: A basic understanding of how the thyroid gland works and how this small organ’s functions impact overall physiology.  Some of the tools used to measure the health of the thyroid gland starting with the main symptoms, physical findings, appropriate tests. We sort through the most common thyroid conditions from Hypothyroidism to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis to Graves’ disease. Why thyroid issues are more prevalent in women then in men and how thyroid problems and perimenopause go hand in hand. The connection between underlying hormone imbalances like estrogen dominance, adrenal fatigue and low thyroid symptoms.   Why so many women struggling to lose weight are shocked when a thyroid test comes back normal (and what the term “functional hypothyroidism” really means) What other systems we’re looking at when treating thyroid conditions: for example, adrenal health/reproductive hormones. Stay tuned for Part 2 where we discuss how to address and prevent thyroid problems with diet and lifestyle adjustments, hormone rebalancing and appropriate medications.  Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify

This is our first podcast recorded in our ‘real studio’ since the pandemic started! We followed COVID-19 state guidelines but it felt great to be back here with Dan Rhiger and both Kyle and Candace! We decided to go back to our roots and dig into menopause. We have touched on many aspects of perimenopause and menopause in previous episodes but this episode brings it all together. In our previous episode, with Dr. David Zava of ZRT Laboratory, he spoke about the hormonal changes that can start as early as age 35, leading to perimenopause. In this episode, we discuss “what to expect when you are expecting menopause.” Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Show Notes for Episode Fifteen

Candace and Kyle get a rare chance to talk with our favorite mentor, expert and guru on hormones and hormone testing, Dr. David Zava, Ph.D., CEO and founder of ZRT Laboratory, one of the foremost hormone testing labs in the US and globally.   This is a challenging listen that is not only eye-opening but life-changing, chock full of the latest science and information women can use to prevent hormone imbalances from sabotaging our best efforts to feel and look great, no matter our age!   A biochemist by trade and a teacher at heart, Dr. Zava didn’t start out trying to build a company — as a researcher, he wanted to provide health care practitioners and patients with a deeper understanding of the role hormones play in wellness. The more he studied, the more test results he reviewed, and the more patient stories he heard, the more he knew he needed to channel his knowledge into something that enables people to be actively involved in their own health.  We are privileged to have Dr. Zava share some of his formidable knowledge and pearls of wisdom with us and our listeners. “There is no other reason to keep doing the work unless we find out a way to make the world a better place.” – Dr. David Zava Listen on Apple Podcasts Show notes for Episode 14

Taking a deep dive with a fitness expert: frank talk about the best ways to get and stay fit throughout the various phases and challenges of your life In our latest episode, Kyle returns to the recording studio with her guest, Charli Nesbit, fitness expert and instructor. Kyle and Charli explore the importance of a regular exercise routine in women’s lives, in terms of achieving physical fitness, mental wellness and living a productive, happy  and full life (Candace intentionally sat this episode out due to some Covid 19 concerns but she will be back next episode). Join our lively conversation as we answer your questions about exercise: how much, how often, what kind, how to mix it up, how to get and stay motivated, how to get back into a routine and even how to start one in the first place. This is one episode you don’t want to miss and will give you the inspiration that you need to stay active, even during these very challenging times.  Listen on Apple Podcasts Shownotes for Episode Thirteen

In this third part of our wide-ranging discussion with functional nutritionist, Tracy Siegel, we get into the ground rules of good nutrition, what healthy eating is – and is not – and how different diet trends from keto to intermittent fasting stack up in terms of tangible health benefits.  When we recorded these episodes on the essentials of good nutrition for balancing our health and hormones, reducing obesity and preventing disease, little did we know how crucial this information would become  in light of COVID-19…Emerging data during the pandemic tells us that the disease is much more lethal for those with obesity and/or diabetes, who are not only at greater risk of contracting the virus but of succumbing to it.  News like this should serve as a powerful reminder that eating right and maintaining a healthy weight not only protects us but can save our lives!  Join us for a fast-moving conversation that we hope will answer your ‘weighty’ questions and cheer you up with the certainty in these uncertain times that good food is good medicine! Show notes for Episode Twelve

Kyle and Candace are welcoming Julia McAvoy for a great conversation. We’re zeroing in on younger women and their hormones, and are calling it YW-WTF for short! Julia is Kyle’s daughter and is as lovely as her namesake Julia, of Brideshead Revisited. She is also funny as hell and way smarter than we are. She arrived at our recording session brimming over with the kinds of questions women her age (20s-30s) are asking: hormones and birth control, hormones and weight gain, hormones and horrible periods, hormones and yeast infections, hormones and breaking up with your boyfriend every single cycle…WTF?! As you can guess, this is a great conversation that we think you might want to tell your youngers about…daughters, sisters and friends who may be dealing with their own hormonal WTFs and asking the same questions. Big thanks to Julia for allowing us to shine a light into the millennial mind on all things hormonal.  Listen on Apple Podcasts

In this episode, Kyle and Candace dive into the hot topic of mental health for women. Statistics are alarming, and our episode was recorded pre-pandemic, so things can only be worse moving forward. Women are much more likely to be on medication for anxiety and depression. Stop what you are doing and listen to this episode to learn about the many hormonal connections affecting your emotional health. You will be so glad you did. There may just be another way for you. Listen on Apple Podcasts Shownotes