PCOS Diva Podcast

There are a lot of people out there willing to tell you the best diet for PCOS. Many of them are well meaning, telling the story of what worked for them. As a result, there is a lot of confusion. Should we all eat Keto or vegan? Try intermittent fasting, low carb, no carb? The truth is this: There Is No Best PCOS Diet. It is entirely individual. Registered Dietician Martha McKittrick explains why that is true and the steps you can take to find the diet that works for you. Listen in (or read the transcript) as we discuss: - 4 things just as (or more) important than diet - The diet that will help you find a diet - Role of the gut microbiome & why it may dictate your diet - Tips and tricks to figure out what works best for you - Exercise that we all need to do

I admit, acupuncture was one of my last resort therapies when I was really struggling with PCOS. I had tried countless pharmaceuticals and diets, but when I went to acupuncture, I saw a real difference. Dr. Farrar Duro practices reproductive acupuncture and shares some of the most common mistakes women make when living with PCOS. Tune in as we discuss those mistakes as well as: - What to ask your doctor about your labs and treatment options - The question to ask before you start any diet - How Chinese medicine and acupuncture can help PCOS symptoms - Resource for finding an acupuncturist

One of the most common and frustrating symptoms of PCOS is fatigue. We're tired. We have no energy. Relief is here! Karen Deichmann shares her secrets for boosting energy and what we can do to flip the switch when we're feeling drained. She identifies 5 major sources of energy and explains in simple terms how to amplify them so we can thrive each day. Her practical visualizations, tips and tricks will change how you move through your day and life.

"The most transformative thing that you and I and everybody else in the world can do for our brain health is exercise. It ignites all the key neurotransmitters in our brain. These neurotransmitters are related to our depression, to our sense of accomplishment, to our concentration, to our focus." - Maria Hortsmann60% of women with PCOS have some mood-related disorder. Maria Hortsmann has your magic pill - exercise. Before you roll your eyes and move on, listen as she explains the neurological connection between your movement and neurological activity. She offers straight forward advice about getting and staying motivated, and how to ignite the power of your hormones and neurotransmitters to combat depression, anxiety, and more. - Why you resist exercise and how to overcome it - Exercise to mood/ mental health connection -Best activities to kind of achieve mental health benefit - Best use of anti-depressants - Overcoming gym anxiety (and whether you need a gym at all)

“Women with PCOS definitely have more of an uphill battle than the average person who's perfectly healthy, but it's perfectly possible to be extremely healthy with PCOS and to have normal levels of most hormones and neurotransmitters.” -Ari Whitten Overwhelming fatigue is one of the really troubling symptoms for many of us with PCOS. In fact, roughly 20 to 40% of the general population is dealing with mild to moderate chronic fatigue. Ari Whitten is a well-known expert on fatigue and how to overcome it. He offers information and advice that we aren’t getting from our doctors. His insights into the true root causes of fatigue and practical tips on how to boost your energy will help you reclaim your life! Listen in as we discuss: -Cortisol, fatigue, and PCOS -What’s really causing your fatigue -Circadian rhythm and it impact on … everything -The surprise bonus functions of melatonin -Quick tips for blood sugar regulation

Did you know that women with PCOS are three times more likely to have an autoimmune version of thyroid disease called Hashimoto's Thyroidosis? And many of the symptoms and remedies overlap closely with PCOS. Dr. Izabella Wentz is an internationally acclaimed thyroid specialist and licensed pharmacist who has dedicated her career to addressing the root causes of autoimmune thyroid disease. She joins the podcast to discuss how food can be used as medicine and much more. Listen in (or read the transcript) as we discuss: - the symptoms of Hashimoto’s Thyroidosis - thyroid labs to request and why TSH test is not sufficient - practical tips to advocate for yourself at the doctor's office - impact of specific foods on symptoms

"If you really want to experience the health benefits, you're drinking it at least once a day, possibly three to 10 times a day. When you're consuming something in that quantity, and with that regularity, then the purity becomes as important as the purity of your water." - Simon Cheng The research is clear, tea is strong medicine. I use tea to lessen anxiety and balance my blood sugar, but that’s just the tip of iceberg. Tea expert, Simon Cheng shares his remarkable story of healing as well as his wisdom about medicinal uses for tea. Listen in (or read the transcript) as we discuss:Tea and metabolism, insulin resistance, blood sugar issues, stress, appetite suppression, and gut/digestive healthDifference between caffeine in tea vs. coffeeIntermittent fasting teaWhy the quality of your tea matters (a lot)

If you are a woman with PCOS and/or you're using hormonal birth control, listen in (or read the transcript) because this podcast is for you. Dr. Jolene Brighten is the leading expert in post-birth control syndrome and the long-term side effects associated with hormonal contraceptives. She’s also the author of a brand-new book, Beyond the Pill. While we both agree that it is a woman's right to take the birth control pill, it is also her right to understand how to take care of her body while she takes it, what those potential side effects are, and what she should look out for. Listen in and be educated and empowered! Why doctors fail to connect symptoms like gas, bloating, depression, anxiety, acne, yeast infections, any other number of signs and symptoms to birth control. Nutrients you must supplement to reduce your risk of heart disease and neurological issues Baseline lab tests to have done before, during, and after taking the pill Why we have high rates of gall bladder issues How and when to detox The impact on your gut and how to repair it

Too stressed and busy for self-care? When we don't take time for self-care, our to-do list that might have taken us 5 hours before may take us 8 or 9. That stress is actually slowing us down. Worse, women with PCOS are much more sensitive to stress, and as a result, our cortisol levels are elevated, impacting our sex drive, fertility, immunity, inflammation, anxiety, and much more. Emily Fletcher has reframed meditation as a performance and productivity tool, and her new book, Stress Less, Accomplish More, goes deeply into the neuroscience of why stress makes us stupid, why stress is making us sick, and why stress is slowing us down. Listen in and learn about her 3 Ms: mindfulness, meditation, and manifesting

Many women with PCOS suffer with digestion issues like IBS, bloating, gas, constipation, and diarrhea. In this podcast, Dr. Marisol offers simple solutions for digestion issues that aggravate our PCOS and make us feel crummy. Her 5-step solution and suggestions for “micro-maneuvers” will help alleviate symptoms by getting to the root of the problem. Listen in (or read the transcript) as we discuss: What is the perfect poo? What it means if you’re a hyper-wiper or your poo is very smelly Why the birth control pill and metformin damage your gut and what to do about it How fixing your gut may make getting pregnant easier The impact of stress on digestion

In this episode, we discuss one of my favorite things, using essential oils to soothe PCOS symptoms, with one of my favorite people, inspirational doctor and best-selling author, Dr. Mariza Snyder. Listen in (or read the transcript) as we take a deep dive into essential oils for managing PCOS including suggested blends to: Manage hormones Morning ritual/wake up Elevate mood Reduce fatigue Energize Reduce stress Control sugar cravings and Mariza’s “superwoman blend”

Like any other vital sign, your menstrual cycle is an indicator of your overall health. If your cycle is falling outside of normal parameters on a regular, consistent basis, then that is a sign of something very specific happening health wise. Tracking my cycles was actually how I found out that I had PCOS. Lisa Hendrickson-Jack, certified fertility educator and holistic reproductive health practitioner, explains how to monitor this critical vital sign and what your pattern might be telling you. Listen in (or read the transcript) as we discuss: the menstrual cycle as a diagnostic tool what a “normal cycle” looks like how thyroid issues affect your cycle What you should know if you’re on the pill light exposure’s impact on your cycle the lowdown on toxicity and menstrual products

“The underlying mission of PCOS Diva, isn't just to help women thrive with PCOS and reclaim their fertility, femininity, health, and happiness. It's to help women move beyond the pain and struggle of PCOS, so they can live the life that they were meant to live, and do the work that they were meant to do in this world without PCOS holding them back.” In this, my 100th PCOS Diva podcast, we turn the tables. My husband, Cliff Medling, interviews me about my 10-year journey with PCOS Diva. If you’ve ever been curious about how PCOS Diva began, what my typical day is like, or what’s coming next...

We're taking supplements, exercising, working on stress reduction, and eating clean. So where do essential oils fit in to our PCOS lifestyle? I use them as a part of my daily regimen. Research shows that oils can help with everything from insulin and blood sugar control to hormone balance, stress reduction, and even help decrease the cortisol that's prevalent with PCOS women. Essential oils can also help with other common PCOS symptoms such as GI inflammation, candida, yeast, anxiety, and depression. I invited Dr. Meaghan Kirschling to explain some of the basics. Listen as she explains: How to choose the right oils and dosages for your symptoms How to identify a well-made pure essential oil When and how to choose a carrier oil Safe and effective methods for using oils

I cannot overemphasize the importance of thorough lab work. The more information you have, the better decisions you will make, the better questions you will ask, the better care you can demand. On today’s podcast, Dr. Alan Hopkins discusses labs highly recommended for women with PCOS that you doctor may not have mentioned and explains to gravity of the ones they probably have already recommended. Listen in (or read the transcript) as we discuss: the basic PCOS labs labs to request if you take metformin importance of testing for the MTHFR genetic mutation, vitamin D, inflammation markers, and food sensitivity testing tests to request for thyroid or if planning a pregnancy