PCOS Diva

“Think of PCOS symptoms like the rays of the sun. They’re all peripheral to that one pivotal central situation, which is your hormone imbalance.”  -Dr. Margarita Ochoa-Maya, MD Dr. Margarita Ochoa-Maya, MD is a functional endocrinologist, author, PCOS Diva, and personal friend of mine. She joins the podcast to explain why a functional integrative approach to PCOS can be the most effective treatment. If you are looking for a way to treat PCOS which considers your type of PCOS and aims to treat the cause instead of only individual symptoms, listen in as we discuss: The difference between an endocrinologist and a functional integrative approach The role of biology and micro and macro nutrient levels Facilitating the elimination of excess hormones which can relieve acne, hair loss, and more Emotional and spiritual health as an important component of biological health How to develop the best doctor patient relationship “I start with a diet plan, an exercise plan, a mood plan, a sleep plan, and then we also use supplements to further supplement our food and nutrition, and then we come to the use of prescriptions.” -Dr. Margarita Ochoa-Maya, MD

Inflammation is at the heart of many of your PCOS symptoms regardless of your body weight. Diet and lifestyle can play an important role in either increasing or decreasing inflammation. Today’s podcast guest, well-known registered dietician Martha McKittrick, shares her approach to help you tame the flames of inflammation with your diet and lifestyle choices. She offers practical and specific nutrition and lifestyle tips to decrease inflammation as well as info about what tests you should request for inflammation indicators and what you should consider when exercising. You will want to take notes on this one. Grab a pen. Listen as we discuss: what causes inflammation (specific foods and lifestyle choices) top lifestyle tips to help decrease inflammation suggestions for an anti-inflammatory diet food sensitivity testing options

Women with PCOS typically have low progesterone. Symptoms include absent, irregular or very heavy or long periods. Unfortunately, it also increases the risk of miscarriage. Whether you are TTC or not, it is important to get your progesterone balanced. Dr. Poppy joins the podcast today to explain why women with PCOS have low progesterone and what we can do about it. Listen in to this important conversation as we discuss: Why the pill is not a good long term choice for women with PCOS Progestin v. progesterone v. Provera Her pregnancy protocol for progesterone treatment What test you should ask for and when you should take it The connection between progesterone, your thyroid and adrenal glands

For me, it’s not about being on the perfect diet; it’s about tuning in to your body and figuring out what your body needs at this time and what’s not serving it. – Dr. Izabella Wentz Women with PCOS are three times more likely to have Hashimoto’s Disease, a condition in which your immune system attacks your thyroid and the most common cause of hypothyroidism. In fact, there is quite a lot of overlap between Hashimoto’s and PCOS (fatigue, weight challenges, changes in brain function, depression, feeling unmotivated, anxiety, panic attacks, constipation, hair loss). Dr. Izabella Wentz has developed an effective protocol that may be helpful to women with PCOS whether they have Hashimoto’s or not. Listen in as we discuss: Symptoms of Hashimoto’s Diesase and labs you should request The role of toxins, adrenals and gut balance in thyroid and overall health The necessity of detoxification and suggestions for liver support Healing foods and the myth of cruciferous veggies Protocol for healing your adrenal and cortisol issues

“Every body is a good body, and we have to honor this body that we have. No one ever got anywhere, no one ever got happy, hating it into change. Embrace the body that you have and make it the best body it can be.” – Dr. Brooke Women with PCOS are prone to adrenal fatigue and hormone shifts, making exercise a tricky, though very necessary, thing. I asked Dr. Brooke, a well-known expert on metabolic nutrition, fat loss resistance and fitness to help us navigate the delicate balance between our hormones and exercise. During our conversation, we discuss what your symptoms are trying to tell you about your work-out and how you can best tailor your exercise to your ever-changing hormones (whether due to menopause, PCOS, thyroid issues, or stress). Listen as we talk about: If you love intense training (marathons, CrossFit, etc.), how can you avoid exhaustion and adrenal issues? What testing should we consider for adrenal issues? What are your ACES (appetite cravings, energy & sleep) telling you? Have you reached metabolic adaptation or stagnation?

Just like we’re not a victim of our trauma, we’re not a victim of our genetics. We’re not a victim of our circumstances; we actually have the power if we put attention and consider ourselves important enough to heal.” -Dr. Keesha Ewers Low libido is a common concern for women, maybe especially those with PCOS. Why? Dr. Keesha Ewers has researched the topic extensively and developed a theory of 5 root causes. Women with PCOS will almost certainly relate to many of them including “fighting with your body” and feeling it has betrayed you, but it goes much further. As Dr. Keesha says, “What’s in your head goes to your bed.” Listen in as we discuss: PCOS, how it can affect our libidos, and what we can do about it The pill and its impact on libido Five root causes for low libido The biology of stress causing low libido

“Food is medicine, and specific foods are medicine for specific people.” – Dr. Margrit Mikulis As you might expect, I am very careful about the foods I choose. I am living proof that food is medicine. Eliminating inflammatory foods like gluten and dairy made all the difference in healing my PCOS. Inflammation is at the root of many of our PCOS symptoms, and eliminating common irritants can, in some cases, yield almost immediate relief. This summer, I took a food sensitivity test that examined my reaction to 132 foods. The results were surprising, and when I acted upon them, I felt even better! My naturopath, Dr. Margrit Mikulis, understands the link between PCOS, inflammation and diet. Listen as she explains: How food sensitivities increase inflammation in women with PCOS The difference between food sensitivity testing and food allergy testing The correlation between cardiovascular health, gut health and inflammation The difference between food allergies, food sensitivities and food intolerances How to get tested for food sensitivity

“One of the first things about maintaining a sustainable approach towards dealing with PCOS is acknowledging and addressing these inner symptoms and feelings. How can we help the woman feel better about herself and who she is and accept certain realities about her body type and then work toward a healthy lifestyle and see if anything changes, but not think, ‘I have to starve myself skinny.’ That’s not how it works with PCOS.” – Carol Lourie This summer I met a kindred spirit. Carol Lourie is a functional medicine practitioner, naturopath, acupuncturist and homeopath with over 30 years of experience in helping women with PCOS recover using an integrative approach. She and I agree that a combination of a healthy lifestyle and the correct supplements is the way to attend to the PCOS imbalance from the inside out. Listen as we discuss: creating a sustainable, healthy PCOS lifestyle how to approach PCOS with your teenage daughter her recommended diet (& how to eat away from home) her recommended supplements (including the right way to take berberine) how to decrease your inflammatory quotient

“The unexpected solution to self-healing is really about self-awareness and intuition, listening to our body’s messages and our body’s wisdom.” – Dr. Mariza Like many of us, Dr. Mariza Snyder ignored the signs of impending health issues until she literally could no longer get out of bed. She has long since overcome her family lineage of hormone issues and her own lifestyle choices and is truly thriving! Now, Dr. Mariza is a best-selling author, functional medicine doctor, and essential oils expert…among other things. In her practice, she helps women dealing with things like stress, exhaustion, mood issues, weight gain, hormone conditions, headaches, and more bring balance back to their lives. Her path to healing is inspirational, and her advice will get you on the path to healing right away. Listen as we discuss the unexpected solutions to self-healing and: Self-care rituals that invigorate and balance the mind, body and spirit The power of a “joy list” Versatility, benefits and use of matcha tea for PCOS (including for symptoms like hirsutism, hair loss, & acne) How to use essential oils for hormone balance, brain fog, hair loss, hirsutism, acne, exhaustion, sleeplessness and more

“When people are really fed up with chasing their triggers, constantly managing symptoms, and working around their migraines, then they’re ready to work at the root-cause level.” – Erin Knight Erin Knight’s combination of migraine prevention and management techniques centers around getting to the root cause of your migraine. Her approach offers long-term, whole body health and healing. As she says, I know you’re not crazy when you tell me you have not just migraines, but skin issues and everything else.” If you are tired of migraines impacting your earning potential, productivity, and relationships, don’t miss this podcast. Listen as Erin shares: tips for managing migraines without ibuprofen or painkillers recognizing the layers of internal and external stressors which cause your migraines ways to balance your triggers while living your life her best stress reduction techniques (and gadgets)

“If you’re listening and you think that the only way to regulate your cycle and induce ovulation is with Clomid or you’ve been told Metformin’s going to do it, I can assure you that for ninety-five percent of you listening, you can do it in a different way that’s more natural.” – Dr. Marc Sklar What can you do to prepare for a healthy pregnancy? One of my favorite fertility experts, Dr. Marc Sklar, is here to share his philosophy, protocols and wisdom. Every woman with PCOS needs to hear what he has to say about finding “your secret recipe,” of your personal combination of diet, exercise, stress reduction and supplementation needs in order to ovulate and maintain a healthy pregnancy. Listen as we discuss: How does your PCOS phenotype impact your treatment plan? Diet & lifestyle protocols for PCOS, especially to avoid gestational diabetes during pregnancy Suggested tests (including for thyroid and the Dutch test) and how to advocate for the right testing Why women who are under stress during their fertile window, have a forty percent less chance of conception Changes to make to avoid pharmaceuticals (Metformin) For more than 15 years, The Fertility Expert, Dr. Marc Sklar, has been helping couples struggling to conceive and have healthy babies. In addition to his Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, Dr. Sklar trained at the Harvard Medical School, Mind/Body Medical Institute. He is the creator of MarcSklar.com and ReproductiveWellness.com, the co-author of Secret to Conception and a Fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine and Medical Advisor for Natural Health International. Dr. Sklar lives in San Diego, with his wife and two sons. If you’re ready to start a family, The Fertility Expert can help!

Every woman experiences hormonal changes in midlife. For women with PCOS, the challenges are magnified because we are at a higher risk of adrenal issues and the cascade of symptoms that result. Dr. Karen Leggett is a women’s midlife health specialist and has joined the podcast to explain the benefits and challenges of being a woman with PCOS during perimenopause and menopause. Listen as she addresses some very common questions: What is estrogen dominance and what are the resulting health risks? Is natural hormone progesterone supplementation a good idea? What are the concerns with the Pill and Provera? What supplements should I consider? Can my diet help reduce estrogen dominance and my risk of breast cancer? Does alcohol affect my estrogen levels? Dr. Karen Leggett is a board certified family and geriatric physician who has practiced functional medicine for over 15 years. She received her medical degree from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed both a family medicine residency and geriatric fellowship. Though she has always believed in integrative medicine, her commitment to holistic care came to its strongest test when 18 years ago, at the age of 39, she found herself struggling with profound fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, and a lack of passion for life.  Fortunately, being a physician, it didn’t take her long to find out that conventional medicine had nothing to offer her.  At that point, she devoted herself to studies through the American Academy of Anti-aging, focusing on full body hormone balance and setting into action everything she had learned.  Within a few short months, Dr. Leggett was back to her happy, passionate and energetic self.  Since then, Dr Leggett has been dedicated to helping midlife women balance their sex, adrenal, thyroid and gut hormones, and loving every minute of life.  She has been President of  Leggett Medical Group since 2004 and started the Women’s Midlife Specialist practice in 2012 when she developed a comprehensive year-long mentorship program for nurse practitioners to teach them how to care for midlife women’s hormonal imbalances in busy office practices.  Most recently, Dr. Leggett has opened her programs to women throughout the world through the internet, guiding women to balance their own hormones through her Master Hormone Madness programs.  She has also just celebrated becoming a best selling co-author with Brian Tracy in a book titled Success Manifesto, Get Energized, Focused and Downright Sexy Now, having reaching 4 best seller lists on Amazon to date.   For a list of Dr. Leggett’ favorite Natural Estrogen and Progesterone products which she suggests in this podcast, click here.

Ovulation Predictor Kits (OPKs) are popular whether a woman is trying to conceive or using them for contraception. Unfortunately, not every woman is able to use OPKs, especially if they have PCOS. Why? Our luteinizing hormone (LH) levels show different patterns than non-POCS women, so the average kit most often gives a false positive/negative. It leads to confusion and frustration. So what can we do? Expert, Kate Davies, joined the podcast to explain the hows and whys of OPKs and fertility monitoring.  Listen as we discuss: How to use OPKs to self-advocate at the doctor’s office Alternative methods of fertility monitoring Which kit works where others fail Her favorite mobile apps for tracking fertility How to prevent the act of trying to conceive from becoming mechanical and losing the intimate connection between you and your partner Kate Davies is a fertility practitioner, fertility coach and columnist. Kate works with women wishing to optimise their ability to conceive naturally and coaches women going through a difficult fertility journey. Kate is a registered nurse specialist and worked for over 20 years in the UK’s National Health Service as a specialist nurse in Gynaecology, Sexual and contraceptive health and fertility. Four years ago Kate, frustrated with the lack of support and high quality advice for women who were struggling to conceive, founded her private practice ‘Your Fertility Journey’. Shortly after this, she trained as a fertility coach to offer her patients much needed emotional support as well as medical advice. Kate now has a thriving practice and consults women nationally and internationally via the wonders of Skype. Kate has a special interest in PCOS and over the years has worked with 100’s of women who suffer with this debilitating condition. To enhance her practice, Kate has recently undertaken specialist training to enable her to offer women both the specialist advice and emotional support they desperately need. Kate loves her job and her best days are when one of her lovely ladies calls her to say she is pregnant. Often she is the second person to know – what a privilege! Kate is very proud of the Facebook Support Group she founded over two years ago. This group, full of inspirational ladies going through all sorts of fertility journeys, gives ladies a safe place in which to ask advice, find support and get virtual hugs. As well as her natural fertility and coaching services, Kate is also passionate about Natural Contraception and teaches women internationally on how to use this effective, safe and natural method of contraception. Facebook Support Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Yourfertilitysupportgroup/ Website: http://yourfertilityjourney.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/yourfertilityjourney Twitter: https://twitter.com/fertjourney

Acne, particularly cystic acne, plagues many women with PCOS. Robyn Srigley, the Hormone Diva, knows how to help. Her story may seem familiar to you. She treated her persistent acne with everything- birth control pills, Accutane, other pills, creams, antibiotics- never finding a permanent solution. She finally discovered the secret through her practice in holistic nutrition and health coaching. She is here to share her best tips and tricks to treat your hormonal acne. Listen in and learn: The link between stress, cortisol and acne Foods to eat and avoid The roles of gut health and food allergies The difference between jawline acne, facial and body acne Suggested topical remedies, treatments and cleansers If you struggle with acne, I suggest you try Robyn’s 7 Day Happy Hormones Challenge. Every day, you’ll get one new healthy habit to include in your life that will bring you toward the happy hormones that you’re trying to achieve. Check it out at www.thehormonediva.com/pcoschallenge.

The connection between PCOS and mood is absolute. In fact, medical literature suggests that the prevalence of depression in women with PCOS varies between 28 to 64 percent, and anxiety rates range from 34 to 57 percent. Trudy Scott is on a mission to educate and empower women about the healing powers of whole foods and amino acids for eliminating anxiety and emotional eating. If you’ve ever thought, “My depression is so serious, there’s no way that food and nutrients could have an impact. I’m the kind of person who definitely needs medication.” Or if you’ve been told that, “You’re going to have anxiety forever. Here’s some medication. Go to therapy. You just need to manage it.” That’s definitely not the case; it can be completely resolved. Listen in as Trudy explains: What your gut, adrenals, inflammation, intolerances, and diet have to do with anxiety What to eat, what to avoid, and whether vegetarianism is the answer The fast, natural way to manage sugar cravings Dosage and timing of amino acids for managing mood, energy and more What are you missing that causes winter blues? Seasonal Affective Disorder? Perfectionism? Effectively kicking caffeine and sugar addiction For more information about Trudy’s upcoming anxiety summit or information from past summits, visit: The Anxiety Summit.