Podcasts about depo provera

Another of Sean “Diddy” Combs' personal assistants took to the stand Thursday to detail what exactly was expected of her. A witness known only as “Mia” said during the time she worked for Combs, he sexually assaulted her, threw things at her, and insulted her intelligence. Law&Crime's Jesse Weber spoke with correspondent Elizabeth Millner, who was inside the courtroom, about Mia's compelling testimony.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: If you received Depo-Provera birth control shots and were later diagnosed with a brain or spinal tumor called meningioma, you may be eligible for a lawsuit. Visit https://forthepeople.com/lcdepo to start a claim now!HOST:Jesse Weber: https://twitter.com/jessecordweberLAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokeVideo Editing - Michael Deininger, Christina O'Shea & Jay CruzScript Writing & Producing - Savannah Williamson & Juliana BattagliaGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Defense attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs asked the judge to declare a mistrial in the rapper's sex trafficking and racketeering case because of alleged mishandling of potentially key evidence. Law&Crime's Jesse Weber got all the details about what happened inside the federal courthouse from correspondent Elizabeth Millner.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: If you received Depo-Provera birth control shots and were later diagnosed with a brain or spinal tumor called meningioma, you may be eligible for a lawsuit. Visit https://forthepeople.com/lcdepo to start a claim now! HOST:Jesse Weber: https://twitter.com/jessecordweberLAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokeVideo Editing - Michael Deininger, Christina O'Shea & Jay CruzScript Writing & Producing - Savannah Williamson & Juliana BattagliaGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Staff members of disgraced music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs are taking the witness stand in his racketeering and sex trafficking trial, providing first-hand accounts of alleged crimes. Law&Crime's Jesse Weber got the latest details from inside the federal courthouse from correspondent Elizabeth Millner.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: If you received Depo-Provera birth control shots and were later diagnosed with a brain or spinal tumor called meningioma, you may be eligible for a lawsuit. Visit https://forthepeople.com/lcdepo to start a claim now! HOST:Jesse Weber: https://twitter.com/jessecordweberLAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokeVideo Editing - Michael Deininger, Christina O'Shea & Jay CruzScript Writing & Producing - Savannah Williamson & Juliana BattagliaGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On a chilly night in November 2022, police in Wildwood, Florida found a woman tied to a chair in the backyard of a home. Officers would soon discover that the woman, Nichole Baker, had developmental and physical disabilities that made it nearly impossible for her to advocate for herself. Just days later, some of those same officers returned to the home, this time for a death investigation. Law&Crime's Jesse Weber partnered up with attorney Samantha Spandau of powerhouse law firm Morgan & Morgan to talk about the ongoing legal battle to hold the caretaker accountable and get justice for Nichole.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: If you received Depo-Provera birth control shots and were later diagnosed with a brain or spinal tumor called meningioma, you may be eligible for a lawsuit. Visit https://forthepeople.com/lcdepo to start a claim now!HOST:Jesse Weber: https://twitter.com/jessecordweberLAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokeVideo Editing - Michael Deininger, Christina O'Shea & Jay CruzScript Writing & Producing - Savannah Williamson & Juliana BattagliaGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The federal courthouse in New York City, where Sean “Diddy” Combs is on trial for racketeering and sex crimes, doesn't allow cameras or other recording devices. But certain journalists who regularly report on the Southern District of New York have special dispensation to live-tweet the proceedings. Law&Crime's Jesse Weber spoke with journalist Matthew R. Lee about his experience inside the courtroom as he keeps the public updated in real time.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: If you received Depo-Provera birth control shots and were later diagnosed with a brain or spinal tumor called meningioma, you may be eligible for a lawsuit. Visit https://forthepeople.com/lcdepo to start a claim now!HOST:Jesse Weber: https://twitter.com/jessecordweberLAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokeVideo Editing - Michael Deininger, Christina O'Shea & Jay CruzScript Writing & Producing - Savannah Williamson & Juliana BattagliaGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Homeland Security agents searched a room at the Park Hyatt Hotel in New York City after Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested on federal charges, they found multiple bottles of baby oil, as well as evidence of drugs that tested positive for ketamine and MDMA. Photos from the search were shown to the jury. Law&Crime's Jesse Weber takes a closer look at some of the latest evidence.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: If you received Depo-Provera birth control shots and were later diagnosed with a brain or spinal tumor called meningioma, you may be eligible for a lawsuit. Visit https://forthepeople.com/lcdepo to start a claim now!HOST:Jesse Weber: https://twitter.com/jessecordweberLAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokeVideo Editing - Michael Deininger, Christina O'Shea & Jay CruzScript Writing & Producing - Savannah Williamson & Juliana BattagliaGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Week two of Sean “Diddy” Combs' sex trafficking and racketeering trial got underway in federal court with testimony from Dawn Richard, a former member of the girl group “Danity Kane,” who claims to have witnessed Combs' abuse of his then-girlfriend Casandra Ventura. Law&Crime's Jesse Weber goes over all the details from inside the courtroom with correspondent Elizabeth Millner.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: If you received Depo-Provera birth control shots and were later diagnosed with a brain or spinal tumor called meningioma, you may be eligible for a lawsuit. Visit https://forthepeople.com/lcdepo to start a claim now! HOST:Jesse Weber: https://twitter.com/jessecordweberLAW&CRIME SIDEBAR PRODUCTION:YouTube Management - Bobby SzokeVideo Editing - Michael Deininger, Christina O'Shea & Jay CruzScript Writing & Producing - Savannah Williamson & Juliana BattagliaGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/lawandcrimenetworkTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I'm climbing up on my soapbox—and trust me, you'll want a front-row seat! 

Marion Edmunds, Carte Blanche producer spoke to Clarence Ford about their new Carte Blanche investigation into MPA/ Depo-Provera and sphenoid wing meningiomasSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The adolescent population is experiencing increasing pressure to take part in sexual activity. It is part of our role as pediatricians to counsel our patients appropriately & thoroughly through their sexual & reproductive health. Dr. Shreeti Kapoor, a general pediatrician, joins Pediatric Resident Dani Watson & MS3 Irielle Duncan to discuss contraception options & how to have those conversations with adolescent patients. Specifically, they will: Review the efficacy, mechanism of action, potential adverse effects, and benefits of various contraceptive options, including abstinence, barrier methods, combination hormonal contraceptives, Depo Provera, and LARCs.  Discuss how to obtain relevant medical and sexual history to help in choosing an appropriate contraceptive for an adolescent patient.  Identify potential barriers or considerations that are specific for adolescent patients when discussing contraceptives.  Discuss options for emergency contraception & their mechanisms of action.  Special thanks to Drs. Rebecca Yang & Danielle Rosema for peer reviewing this episode. CME Credit (requires free sign up): Link Coming Soon! References:  https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2003/0401/p1571.html https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db366.htm#:~:text=By%20age%2015%2C%2021%25%20of,had%20ever%20had%20sexual%20intercourse. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control/withdrawal-pull-out-method/how-effective-is-withdrawal-method-pulling-out#:~:text=What%20we%20do%20know%20is,or%20not%20you%27re%20ovulating. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/barrier-methods-of-birth-control-spermicide-condom-sponge-diaphragm-and-cervical-cap https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-bulletin/articles/2017/11/long-acting-reversible-contraception-implants-and-intrauterine-devices https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/combined-hormonal-birth-control-pill-patch-ring https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/progestin-only-hormonal-birth-control-pill-and-injection https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/1998/0801/p522.html https://www.acog.org/womens-health/infographics/effectiveness-of-birth-control-methods      

States rush to ban food dyes ahead of federal action; NIH cuts funds for studies of vaccine hesitancy; RFK Jr. ridiculed for urging vitamin A for measles; Brain tumors in firefighters show signature of chemical exposure; Unpacking the causes of numbness, tingling and pain in lower extremities; Class-action lawsuit targets Depo-Provera as contributor to meningioma brain tumors; Uncovering the mystery of Trump's 20+ pound weight loss; Microplastics implicated in spiraling antibiotic resistance.

Today's episode highlights some of the most significant mass torts, including Johnson & Johnson, which has been a decade-long case involving over 50,000 claimants. In this Cut to the Chase: Podcast, we're joined by Amy Barrie from Broughton Partners. As a specialist in the mass tort industry, we brought Amy on to discuss the dynamic world of high-profile lawsuits, corporate legal tactics, and what's next in mass tort litigation. Tune in as we break down major ongoing cases, discuss corporate defense strategies like the Texas Two-Step, and explore what these legal battles mean for firms and their clients. Don't miss this essential update on the future of mass tort litigation! What to expect in this episode: J&J Baby Powder Lawsuit: How the controversial “Texas Two-Step” bankruptcy tactic is shaping ongoing litigation. Depo-Provera Lawsuits: Key legal strategies firms are using to tackle new challenges in birth control shot cases. Roundup Weed Killer Litigation: How Missouri's latest legislative changes could impact glyphosate-related lawsuits. NEC & Infant Formula Cases: Major legal updates and what to expect as this litigation progresses toward 2025. Paraquat & Hair Relaxer Lawsuits: Trial timelines and critical milestones shaping these high-profile cases. Social Media & Gaming Addiction Lawsuits: Early court rulings and emerging legal strategies in this growing litigation area. Key Actionable Takeaways: Master Corporate Legal Tactics: Stay ahead by understanding strategies like the Texas Two-Step to anticipate and counter corporate defense maneuvers. Track Emerging Mass Torts: Stay updated on major litigation trends to refine client acquisition strategies and strengthen case preparation. Partner with Experts: Work with experienced firms like Broughton Partners to streamline case acquisition strategies, avoid costly missteps, and maximize results. Leverage State Court Advantages: Develop strong state court strategies to enhance your litigation positioning and improve case outcomes.   Stay tuned for more updates, and don't miss our next deep dive on Cut to The Chase: Podcast with Gregg Goldfarb! Subscribe, rate, review, and share this episode of the Cut to the Chase: Podcast to stay ahead in your legal practice!   Resources: Listen to this episode with Amy Barrie about Depo-Provera - Birth Control Horror Story: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/birth-control-horror-story-depo-provera-mass-tort-litigation/id1551362164?i=1000675244901 Connect with Amy Barrie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybarrie Learn more about Broughton Partners: https://www.broughtonpartners.com Follow Broughton Partners on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/broughtonpartners This episode was produced and brought to you by Reignite Media.

P-pillens historie bliver ofte fortalt som en solstrålehistorie om kvindefrigørelse og fri sex, men kradser man i de sukkerbeklædte pillers overflade, er der flere nuancer til det. Vi skal forbi forhistoriske præventionsformer, dunkle laboratorier i 50'erne, kontroversielle forsøg i Puerto Rico - og ikke mindst p-pillens mindre kendte lillesøster p-sprøjten Depo Provera. En præventions-sprøjte, som kommer til at skabe en hel del ballade og ender hele vejen inde i det danske Folketing! Medvirkende: Anne Nørkjær Bang. Tilrettelæggelse: Celine Klint, Anne Pilegaard Petersen og Isabella Askov Holbech. Lyddesign: Martin Grønne. Redaktør: Hanne Barslund.

Don’t miss this must-listen episode of Wellness Women Radio! Recent groundbreaking studies have sounded the alarm about certain hormonal contraceptives, including the Mirena and Kyleena IUDs, as well as the Depo Provera injection. We’re here to break it all down and reveal why this information is so crucial for your health. Curious about why the Mirena… Continue reading WWR 265: PSA: Contraception Safety! Not to be missed! The post WWR 265: PSA: Contraception Safety! Not to be missed! appeared first on The Wellness Couch.

Is everyone a leader? Rejecting anonymity. Father Nathan Cromly from the Saint John Leadership Institute joins Trending with Timmerie. (5:01) What is the difference between Christian leadership and worldly leadership? (23:33) Depo provera lawsuit. (36:51) Resources mentioned : St. John Institute https://www.saintjohninstitute.org/ Lawsuits amassing over Depo-Provera’s link to brain tumors https://naturalwomanhood.org/lawsuits-amassing-over-depo-proveras-link-to-brain-tumors/

A study published in March links the birth control Depo-Provera to a form of brain tumor.But whether the study means that women who took Depo-Provera could successfully sue is unclear. Hosts Matt Dolman and Stan Gipe lay out both sides of the issue, including the opportunities and challenges of potential multi-district litigation.“We're gathering information, and I think at least from what we looked at, it looks pretty good from a claim perspective and kind of bad from a claimant perspective,” Stan says.“I just think it's early, and I want temper expectations,” Matt says.Stan agrees that litigation is no “slam-dunk,” but women who think they may have a claim are invited to visit Dolman Law Group, call the firm's toll free number, or call the Clearwater, Florida, number.Learn More and Connect☑️ Matt Dolman | LinkedIn☑️ Stan Gipe☑️ Dolman Law Group☑️ Dolman Law Group on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube☑️ Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTubeThe insights and views presented in this podcast are for general information purposes only and should not be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. The information presented is not a substitute for consulting with an attorney. Nor does tuning in to this podcast constitute an attorney-client relationship of any kind. Any case result information provided on any portion of this podcast should not be understood as a promise of any particular result in a future case. Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers: Big firm results, small firm personal attention.

This Day in Legal History: New York Grants Women Right to VoteOn November 6, 1917, New York became one of the first eastern states to grant women the right to vote, a pivotal victory for the suffrage movement in the United States. The state's voters approved a constitutional amendment that extended suffrage to women, marking a significant shift in public opinion and advancing the national push for equal voting rights. New York was the most populous state to enact such a measure, lending critical momentum to the cause and demonstrating that widespread support for women's suffrage was achievable in even the largest urban areas.This victory was the result of decades of persistent activism and organizing by leaders such as Carrie Chapman Catt, who spearheaded the Empire State Campaign Committee, and countless local suffragists who canvassed tirelessly for public support. Women in New York had actively campaigned, held rallies, and built coalitions, especially focusing on mobilizing working-class women and men. The successful vote was seen as a clear mandate for gender equality and significantly influenced other states and Congress.New York's decision to enfranchise women not only energized the movement but also helped propel the passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920, which granted voting rights to women nationwide. This milestone in New York underscored the growing acknowledgment of women's role in public and political life, laying groundwork for further social and political reforms across the country.The U.S. Supreme Court recently heard arguments in a case concerning whether a heightened standard of proof is necessary for employers claiming that workers are exempt from overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Currently, there is a split among federal circuits on this issue, with the Fourth Circuit requiring a "clear and convincing" evidence standard, while other circuits apply the lower "preponderance of the evidence" standard, which means the employer must show it is more likely than not that an exemption applies. The case has significant implications for both workers' rights and business costs.Representing E.M.D. Sales, attorney Lisa Blatt argued that the default civil standard, preponderance of the evidence, should apply to FLSA cases, as imposing a stricter standard would burden employers and potentially lead to layoffs. Conversely, Lauren Bateman, representing employees and supported by Public Citizen, contended that because FLSA regulations protect critical worker health, safety, and economic welfare, a higher standard is warranted to ensure these protections are meaningful.Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson underscored that the FLSA aims not only to provide fair pay but also to ensure a safe workplace and expand employment, suggesting the importance of potentially adopting a stricter standard. Meanwhile, Justice Clarence Thomas raised questions about why the FLSA should receive special treatment over other laws that also protect essential rights, such as those addressing discrimination.The case attracted varied views on the potential broader impacts of raising the standard of proof. Some justices, like Samuel Alito, questioned how the court would measure the relative importance of rights across federal laws. The Justice Department, represented by Aimee Brown, supported the employer's position, noting that Congress enacts many laws with public benefits, yet courts rarely apply a heightened standard of proof in such cases.The Supreme Court's eventual decision could standardize how proof requirements are applied in overtime cases and influence both worker protections and business practices across the country.US Supreme Court Leans Toward Business in Overtime Dispute (1)A new lawsuit accuses Pfizer Inc. of failing to warn patients that its contraceptive injection, Depo-Provera, could increase the risk of brain tumors. Plaintiff Taylor Devorak filed the complaint in California, alleging that Pfizer and other manufacturers had a duty to research and disclose potential links between Depo-Provera, as well as similar progesterone-based drugs, and intracranial meningiomas, a type of brain tumor. The lawsuit seeks damages based on claims of failure to warn, defective design, negligence, and misrepresentation.Devorak's case follows similar lawsuits filed recently in California and Indiana. Her complaint notes that although the drug has been FDA-approved for over 30 years and widely used, Pfizer has not updated the U.S. labeling to reflect these risks, even as health authorities in the EU and UK now include warnings about meningioma for such medications. A 2024 study published in the *British Medical Journal* found a substantial increase in risk for brain tumors with prolonged use of medroxyprogesterone acetate, the active ingredient in Depo-Provera.In response, Pfizer asserts that Depo-Provera has been a safe option for millions and plans to “vigorously defend” against the claims. The case has brought renewed attention to safety and disclosure practices in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly around long-established medications.Pfizer Accused of Hiding Contraceptive's Brain Tumor Link (1)Following Donald Trump's recent election as U.S. president, the criminal cases against him are likely to be halted for the duration of his term. Trump, the first former president to face criminal charges, had four active prosecutions, including charges related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, a hush-money payment linked to Stormy Daniels, and unlawful retention of classified documents. Trump, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges and dismissed the cases as politically motivated, has stated he would immediately dismiss Special Counsel Jack Smith, responsible for the federal prosecutions on election interference and document retention.While Trump can halt federal cases, he has less control over state cases, such as the New York hush-money and Georgia election interference cases. However, his presidency could still effectively delay or complicate these proceedings. Legal experts expect delays in his New York sentencing, which had already been postponed, citing potential presidential immunity arguments.In Georgia, Trump's lawyers are working to pause proceedings under the argument that a sitting president should not face criminal prosecution. Additionally, his team has challenged Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis's involvement, aiming to disqualify her based on alleged misconduct. Ultimately, experts believe Trump's presidency will prevent the state-level cases from moving forward until his term concludes.Trump's impending return to White House brings criminal cases to a halt | ReutersThe U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on Facebook's effort to dismiss a securities fraud lawsuit brought by shareholders who claim the company misled investors about the misuse of user data. The lawsuit, initiated by Amalgamated Bank in 2018, argues that Facebook violated the Securities Exchange Act by failing to disclose the 2015 Cambridge Analytica data breach, which affected over 30 million users and contributed to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. Shareholders allege that Facebook presented data privacy risks as hypothetical even though the breach had already occurred.Facebook contends that it was not legally required to disclose the prior breach and that reasonable investors would interpret risk disclosures as forward-looking. A federal judge initially dismissed the case, but the Ninth Circuit Court revived it, noting that Facebook's statements misrepresented an already-realized risk. The Supreme Court's decision, expected by June, could influence the standards for securities fraud cases, making it harder for private parties to pursue claims. This case, along with a similar appeal by Nvidia, could further limit the liability of companies for nondisclosure of past risks. Past Cambridge Analytica fallout has led Facebook to settle related SEC and FTC actions, paying $100 million and $5 billion, respectively.US Supreme Court to hear Facebook bid to escape securities fraud suit | Reuters This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.minimumcomp.com/subscribe

Happy Halloween! It is time for a special themed episode of the Cut to the Chase: Podcast! The theme? Mass tort “horror stories”. Depo-Provera is the latest bone-chilling mass tort case that's scaring people left and right. Depo-Provera is a birth control injection linked to an increased risk of cranial meningiomas, or brain tumors. However, this new mass tort litigation looks promising due to the clear causation, single defendant (Pfizer), and prescription documentation. In this frightening episode, Count Dracula [our host Gregg Goldfarb] takes over as host to welcome Amy Barrie, a Mass Tort Acquisition Strategist at Broughton Partners and Host of the Purpose Driven Law Podcast.  Amy helps law firms strategically diversify their case portfolios and navigate the intricate landscape of mass torts. She's been involved in mass tort litigation for over seven years and has worked on some of the most compelling cases, like Zantac and Camp Lejeune. Tune in to hear Amy's expert breakdown of the Depo-Provera mass tort, how it compares to previous cases, and strategic advice on safely entering the mass tort market. As Amy and “Dracula” both hint, the journey to justice might be spooky, but with the right knowledge, it's far from terrifying. Remember to make wise choices under the eerie moonlight of mass tort litigation… Good night and beware the torts lurking in the dark! What to expect in this episode: Details of the Depo-Provera mass tort case The significance of causation rates in mass torts Lessons learned from previous cases like Zantac The importance of diversifying strategies in mass tort litigation How to collaborate with reputable firms for better case handling Ethical considerations and protecting your practice Hauntingly humorous insights from Dracula himself! Key Actionable Takeaways for Law Firms & Parents: Diversify Your Portfolio: Always have a mix of cases to spread risk and opportunities. Align with Reputable Firms: Partner with firms that have the requisite infrastructure and trial experience. Educate Yourself: Stay updated on the intricacies and required documentation for mass tort cases. Strategize Early: Early involvement in litigation can lead to significant roles and better case quality. Ethical Practice: Ensure ethical advertising and client handling to protect your reputation and bar card.   Stay tuned for more updates, and don't miss our next deep dive on Cut to The Chase: Podcast with Gregg Goldfarb! Subscribe, rate, review, and share this episode of the Cut to the Chase: Podcast to stay ahead in your legal practice!   Resources: Connect with Amy Barrie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybarrie Follow Amy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsabarrie Follow Broughton Partners on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/broughtonpartners Learn more about Broughton Partners: https://www.broughtonpartners.com   This episode was produced and brought to you by Reignite Media.  

The science of Depo-Provera, IUD, implants, and the pituitary gland explained by Dr. John Littell. (3:31)  He shares stories of the terrible medical care of his patients who had abortions and came to him after. (30:04) Abortion Amendments – what's at stake. (38:50) Dr. Littell answers questions on: Addison's Disease and HPV. (44:12) Resources mentioned :  Dr. John Littell's website https://www.johnlittellmd.com/  The Hidden Truth: Deception in Women's Health Care: A Physician's Advice to Women—and All Who Care for Themhttps://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Truth-Deception-Physicians-Women_and/dp/1491759038 Heal from abortion  https://supportafterabortion.com/    Berkey Water Filters https://myberkey.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwgfm3BhBeEiwAFfxrGx4VQEL0W1wwsaESzjM8KLtHUak7HaTdk2XsEtohwosD5GWXpHUorhoCdBEQAvD_BwE   Fertility care  NaPro  https://fertilitycare.org/find-a-mc    NaPro Telemedicine https://naturalwomanhood.org/find-a-doctor/telehealth/   Progesterone Support in Pregnancy https://naprotechnology.com/progesterone   Abortion Amendment Information  Florida – vote NO on amendment 4 Do No Harm Florida organization  www.donoharmfl.org   Florida Physicians Against Amendment 4  fpaa4.com   New York - vote no on Prop 1 Protect Kids NY https://www.protectkidsny.com/   Colorado - vote no on Amendment 79 Right to Know Colorado https://www.righttoknowco.com/   Arizona - vote no Prop 139 It Goes too Far https://www.itgoestoofar.com   Nevada - vote no Question 6 Respect Life Commission  https://www.highdesertcatholic.org/respect-life-commission/   South Dakota - vote no Amendment G Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls https://www.sfcatholic.org/respectlife/   Missouri - vote no Amendment 3 Missouri Right to Life https://missourilife.org/about-us/   Maryland - vote no Question 1 Maryland Catholic Conference  https://www.mdcatholic.org/parish-resources/voteno/ Maryland Right to Life https://www.mdrtl.org/   Montana - vote no on CI -128 (Ballot Issue 14) Pro-Life Montana  https://prolifemontana.com/ci-128/ Gallatin Valley Right to Life https://www.gallatinvalleyrighttolife.com/

[summary & links coming soon]

Meningiomas are common intracranial tumors with a female predominance. The vast majority of these tumors are benign (World Health Organization [WHO] grade 1) while 15% to 20% of these tumors can behave atypically (WHO grade 2) and rarely, in 1% to 2% of cases, these tumors can be malignant (WHO grade 3) Their etiology is still poorly documented. The role of sexual hormones has long been proposed, but data have been conflicting across studies. However, a dose-dependent relationship between the incidence and growth of meningiomas and hormonal treatment with the synthetic progestin cyproterone acetate (CPA) has been recently established (2021). Now, a new observational study from France (BMJ) has raised the warning flag for a similar association with a common birth control option, depo medroxyprogesterone acetate. Does Depo-Provera cause brain tumors? It's very important to put this study into proper context. We'll explain all of this, and more, in this episode.

In this episode, my guest is Natalie Crawford, MD, a double board-certified physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, fertility and reproductive health and host of the “As a Woman” podcast. We discuss female hormones, nutrition, supplementation, reproductive health, and fertility, including how the timing and duration of puberty impact a woman's long-term hormone cycles and menopause. We also discuss the pros and cons of various birth control methods and how hormonal vs. non-hormonal birth control each affects fertility. We cover the factors that impact egg and sperm quality and how to leverage timing for conception. We also discuss procedures to assess female fertility, including egg count and hormone testing, the process of egg freezing, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other reproductive options. This episode represents fairly comprehensive coverage of female hormones and reproductive health, highlighting important tests and screening, behavioral, nutritional, supplement and prescription-based tools that women of any age can use to improve their fertility, hormone function and overall health.  For the full show notes, please visit hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman Maui Nui: https://mauinuivenison.com/huberman Helix Sleep: https://helixsleep.com/huberman InsideTracker: https://insidetracker.com/huberman Momentous: https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Dr. Natalie Crawford (00:01:40) Sponsors: Maui Nui Venison & Helix Sleep; The Brain Body Contract (00:04:59) Female Puberty & Growth Characteristics, Height (00:13:27) Eggs & Ovulation, Harvesting Eggs, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) (00:17:31) Endocrine Disruptors, Fetal Development (00:21:39) Lavender, Tea Tree & Evening Primrose Oils, Scents, Diapers (00:25:13) Breast Milk vs. Formula & Fertility (00:26:04) Menstruation Cycle & Hormones, Timing (00:34:08) Sponsor: AG1 (00:35:59) Estrogen, Progesterone & Menstrual Cycle (00:38:08) Hormonal Birth Control & Ovarian Reserve, AMH Testing, Fertility (00:42:42) Spermatogenesis & Testosterone; Heat: Ovaries vs Testes (00:46:11) Period & Pregnancy, Conception Window (00:48:56) Estrogen, Libido & Ovulation; Mittelschmerz (00:51:33) Tool: Intercourse Timing & Conception; Artificial Insemination, IVF (00:55:03) Egg/Sperm Quality, Cigarettes, Vaping, Cannabis & Alcohol  (01:02:20) Sponsor: InsideTracker (01:03:29) Intrauterine Device (IUD), Depo-Provera & Fertility (01:10:00) Birth Control Risks & Benefits, Cancers, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) (01:19:39) Blood Clotting & Birth Control Pill; Health Screening  (01:24:50) Tool: AMH Testing, Ovarian Reserve, Antral Follicle Count Ultrasound (01:29:55) IVF, In Vitro Maturation (IVM); Early Ovarian Reserve Screening (01:35:40) Tools: Egg Freezing, IVF; Age & Egg Quality (01:43:37) Egg Freezing & IVF Procedures, Maternal Age, Success Rates (01:51:30) Tool: Sperm Freezing & Paternal Age, Vasectomy (01:55:01) Hormones, Egg Freezing & IVF (02:00:42) Three-Parent IVF, Mitochondrial DNA (02:05:21) IVF Embryo Storage & Donation; Donor Education & Consent (02:14:29) Autism, Developmental Disorders, IVF Babies, Age  (02:20:36) Tools: Sleep, Nutrition & Fertility; Dietary Fat (02:27:32) Protein, Meat, Tofu, Fish; Sugar, Artificial Sweeteners; Weight & Miscarriage (02:37:38) Tools: Supplements; Prenatal Vitamins, Omega 3s, Vitamin D, Coenzyme Q10 (02:42:26) L-Carnitine & Male Fertility; PCOS & Myo-inositol; Metformin (02:47:11) Egg Retrieval, Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome, Minimal Stimulation (02:57:56) INVOcell (03:03:12) Egg Freezing, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Sperm Fragmentation (03:11:45) Genetic Testing, IVF Transfer & Success Rate, Embryo Banking (03:15:10) Menopause (03:19:47) Hormone Replacement Therapy & Menopause (03:22:25) Early-signs of Menopause (03:25:18) Zero-Cost Support, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Momentous, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer

Family doctor Jennifer Karlin, MD, PhD, and health educator Mariana Horne, join host Tammy Kremer to talk through forms of birth control that are not as well-known, including self-injectable Depo Provera, internal condoms, and the fertility awareness method. They go into side effects of birth control methods that are not always named, such as changes in mood and blood pressure. Mariana shares how she has supported clients who've faced coercive birth control practices in getting the care they want and how her background helps her connect with monolingual Spanish-speaking communities. Meanwhile, Jennifer shares how her family's experience with healthcare led her to focus on empowering her patients, making the connection between how experiences in the clinic can impact people outside of the clinic: “I want them to take that feeling of autonomy, of like ‘oh, this is my body, I get to make choices about it,' I want everybody to walk around the world knowing that and feeling that and acting that when they're not in the clinical space.”  Read the transcript of the episode.  Resources:  Plan C Pills  M&A Hotline  UCSF New Generation Health Clinic  CAPTC Related Training and Resources:  S3 E9: Abortion and Reproductive Justice Across State Lines  Reproductive and Sexual Health Considerations for Trans and Non-Binary People  Shared Decision Making in Contraceptive Counseling  Emergency Contraception  Prevention and Management of IUD Complications  Turn on notifications to never miss an episode of Coming Together for Sexual Health.   Follow Coming Together for Sexual Health on Instagram and Twitter.   Mariana Horne is a health educator and outreach lead at UCSF New Generation Health Clinic. She is committed to addressing racial inequities and disparities in reproductive health care and is an advocate for anyone in need of reproductive care, including monolingual Spanish-speaking communities. Her expertise encompasses birth control, sexually transmitted infections, minor consent laws in California, and reproductive justice initiatives.  Jennifer Karlin, MD, PhD, is a board-certified family physician and family planning specialist whose primary care practice is anchored in caring for patients in ways that encourage their empowerment and autonomy. At UC Davis and beyond, she is committed to medical and resident education that aims to encourage physicians-in-training to approach their practices from an historical, trauma-informed, and self-reflexive perspective. Her research aims to understand how social, political, and institutional structures affect people's experiences with diagnosis, treatment, and health care.  

Randy Short Min. Dr. Randy Short, M.Div. is a Washington, D.C. native and a scholar, historian, human rights defender, social commentator, anti-eugenics advocate, freelance journalist, writer, and social action/social justice missionary affiliated with the Christian Church. Washington D.C. Representative for the Black Autonomy Network Community Organization, Black Agenda Reports, Judicial Justice Movement, and African American for Human Rights. Conference. In 2011, Short twice accompanied the Honorable Cynthia McKinney to Libya. An informed and excellent researcher and speaker, Short is regularly featured on FM/AM/blog radio programs nationally. Since 2011, Short has been a commentator on Russia Today News, PressTV, Al Alam, El Tejah News, Atlantic Television News, FARS news service, SAFARTV, RT, Abby Martin's "Breaking The Set", Voice of America Portuguese Africa, RTAC, WJLA-New Channel 8, Belarus National News, INFOWARS, DC Cablevision, Pacifica Radio raising issues that range from wars in Mali, Syria, Somalia, and Libya to helping to break the stories of the murders of Ramarley Graham and Trayvon Martin internationally. Short is the executive producer of “The Façade of the American Dream” documentary addressing racism and social injustice that PressTV aired internationally in January 2013. Short's second documentary "Dred Scott Nation" debuted on PressTV in August of 2015.  Short is a graduate of Howard University (B.S./Ph.D.), Harvard University (M.Div.), and the University of Virginia (M.Phil.). His Ph.D. in African and African American history. Short taught History and Religion at Bowie University and Lane College, former Executive Director of the Prince George's County Youth Commission, Board of Rebecca Project for Human Rights, and serves on the Board of the Coalition of Adoption Programs. As a Howard Univ. student leader, Short forced the school to grant honorary doctorates to Kwame Ture and organized the “Stop the Genocide in Darfur” campaign in 2004. Short is a columnist-contributor to Conservative Digital News, and he has published articles in Black Agenda Report, the Baltimore-Washington Afro-American, News Dimensions, Howard University Community News, Howard University Hilltop, Howard University Barrister, Short helped Myrlie Evers Williams and Rev. C.T. Vivian combat the burning of Black churches in the 1990s. Short aided the creation of the first Afro-Latin Human Rights Roundtable for the Congressional Black Caucus and been Amnesty International's Country Specialist for Sudan (2002-2005). As an opponent to the “War on Drugs” Short partnered with the late Dr. C. Delores Tucker to secure presidential pardons for Kemba Smith and Dorothy Gaines in 2000. As the President and Founder of the Anti-Depo Provera Clergy Coalition, he has presented before Congressman William L. Clay, Jr. and the Congressional Black Caucus regarding the need to outlaw Depo Provera. He also works alongside anti-Eugenics activist Elaine Riddick. Short has a book on the famed missionary the Rev. William H. Sheppard and genocide in the Congo to be published in 2019. Short helped edit and write the report “Depo Provera: Deadly Reproductive Violence”.Presently, Short is the Policy Director of Rebecca Project for Justice and is the Pastor for Salvation and Liberation Temple LLC. Since 2011, Short has been a collaborator with American-Iranian documentary filmmaker and Press TV anchor Marzieh Hashemi, and they have made two films “The Facade of the American Dream” (2013), “Died Scott Nation” (2015), and he was featured in the critically acclaimed documentary film on race in America titled “Black White and Blue”. Short was a featured presenter for the #1 ranked Amazon.com 2021 documentary Buck Breaking. Short is the convener of the 2019 Gone Too Far Movement organized to oppose H.R. 5 the Gay Equality Act. Short has authored and co-authored two books Slavery's Mastery (2021) and the Cory Booker biography I Am Spartacus with Roger Stone

Different Drum: A Biography of Dr. Randy Short  Min. Dr. Randy Short, M.Div. is a Washington, D.C. native and a scholar, historian, human rights defender, social commentator, anti-eugenics advocate, freelance journalist, writer, and social action/social justice missionary affiliated with the Christian Church. Washington D.C. Representative for the Black Autonomy Network Community Organization, Black Agenda Reports, Judicial Justice Movement, and African American for Human Rights. Conference. In 2011, Short twice accompanied the Honorable Cynthia McKinney to Libya. An informed and excellent researcher and speaker, Short is regularly featured on FM/AM/blog radio programs nationally. Since 2011, Short has been a commentator on Russia Today News, PressTV, Al Alam, El Tejah News, Atlantic Television News, FARS news service, SAFARTV, RT, Abby Martin's "Breaking The Set", Voice of America Portuguese Africa, RTAC, WJLA-New Channel 8, Belarus National News, INFOWARS, DC Cablevision, Pacifica Radio raising issues that range from wars in Mali, Syria, Somalia, and Libya to helping to break the stories of the murders of Ramarley Graham and Trayvon Martin internationally.  Short is the executive producer of “The Façade of the American Dream” documentary addressing racism and social injustice that PressTV aired internationally in January 2013. Short's second documentary "Dred Scott Nation" debuted on PressTV in August of 2015.    Short is a graduate of Howard University (B.S./Ph.D.), Harvard University (M.Div.), and the University of Virginia (M.Phil.). His Ph.D. in African and African American history. Short taught History and Religion at Bowie University and Lane College, former Executive Director of the Prince George's County Youth Commission, Board of Rebecca Project for Human Rights, and serves on the Board of the Coalition of Adoption Programs. As a Howard Univ. student leader, Short forced the school to grant honorary doctorates to Kwame Ture and organized the “Stop the Genocide in Darfur” campaign in 2004. Short is a columnist-contributor to Conservative Digital News, and he has published articles in Black Agenda Report, the Baltimore-Washington Afro-American, News Dimensions, Howard University Community News, Howard University Hilltop, Howard University Barrister,  Short helped Myrlie Evers Williams and Rev. C.T. Vivian combat the burning of Black churches in the 1990s.  Short aided the creation of the first Afro-Latin Human Rights Roundtable for the Congressional Black Caucus and been Amnesty International's Country Specialist for Sudan (2002-2005). As an opponent to the “War on Drugs” Short partnered with the late Dr. C. Delores Tucker to secure presidential pardons for Kemba Smith and Dorothy Gaines in 2000. As the President and Founder of the Anti-Depo Provera Clergy Coalition, he has presented before Congressman William L. Clay, Jr. and the Congressional Black Caucus regarding the need to outlaw Depo Provera. He also works alongside anti-Eugenics activist Elaine Riddick. Short has a book on the famed missionary the Rev.  William H. Sheppard and genocide in the Congo to be published in 2019.  Short helped edit and write the report “Depo Provera: Deadly Reproductive Violence”. Presently, Short is the Policy Director of Rebecca Project for Justice and is the Pastor for Salvation and Liberation Temple LLC. Since 2011, Short has been a collaborator with American-Iranian documentary filmmaker and Press TV anchor Marzieh Hashemi, and they have made two films “The Facade of the American Dream” (2013), “Died Scott Nation” (2015), and he was featured in the critically acclaimed documentary film on race in America titled “Black White and Blue”. Short was a featured presenter for the #1 ranked Amazon.com 2021  documentary Buck Breaking. Short is the convener of the 2019 Gone Too Far Movement organized to oppose H.R. 5 the Gay Equality Act. Short has authored and co-authored two books Slavery's Mastery (2021) and the Cory Booker.

Randy Short Min. Dr. Randy Short, M.Div. is a Washington, D.C. native and a scholar, historian, human rights defender, social commentator, anti-eugenics advocate, freelance journalist, writer, and social action/social justice missionary affiliated with the Christian Church. Washington D.C. Representative for the Black Autonomy Network Community Organization, Black Agenda Reports, Judicial Justice Movement, and African American for Human Rights. Conference. In 2011, Short twice accompanied the Honorable Cynthia McKinney to Libya. An informed and excellent researcher and speaker, Short is regularly featured on FM/AM/blog radio programs nationally. Since 2011, Short has been a commentator on Russia Today News, PressTV, Al Alam, El Tejah News, Atlantic Television News, FARS news service, SAFARTV, RT, Abby Martin's "Breaking The Set", Voice of America Portuguese Africa, RTAC, WJLA-New Channel 8, Belarus National News, INFOWARS, DC Cablevision, Pacifica Radio raising issues that range from wars in Mali, Syria, Somalia, and Libya to helping to break the stories of the murders of Ramarley Graham and Trayvon Martin internationally. Short is the executive producer of “The Façade of the American Dream” documentary addressing racism and social injustice that PressTV aired internationally in January 2013. Short's second documentary "Dred Scott Nation" debuted on PressTV in August of 2015.  Short is a graduate of Howard University (B.S./Ph.D.), Harvard University (M.Div.), and the University of Virginia (M.Phil.). His Ph.D. in African and African American history. Short taught History and Religion at Bowie University and Lane College, former Executive Director of the Prince George's County Youth Commission, Board of Rebecca Project for Human Rights, and serves on the Board of the Coalition of Adoption Programs. As a Howard Univ. student leader, Short forced the school to grant honorary doctorates to Kwame Ture and organized the “Stop the Genocide in Darfur” campaign in 2004. Short is a columnist-contributor to Conservative Digital News, and he has published articles in Black Agenda Report, the Baltimore-Washington Afro-American, News Dimensions, Howard University Community News, Howard University Hilltop, Howard University Barrister, Short helped Myrlie Evers Williams and Rev. C.T. Vivian combat the burning of Black churches in the 1990s. Short aided the creation of the first Afro-Latin Human Rights Roundtable for the Congressional Black Caucus and been Amnesty International's Country Specialist for Sudan (2002-2005). As an opponent to the “War on Drugs” Short partnered with the late Dr. C. Delores Tucker to secure presidential pardons for Kemba Smith and Dorothy Gaines in 2000. As the President and Founder of the Anti-Depo Provera Clergy Coalition, he has presented before Congressman William L. Clay, Jr. and the Congressional Black Caucus regarding the need to outlaw Depo Provera. He also works alongside anti-Eugenics activist Elaine Riddick. Short has a book on the famed missionary the Rev. William H. Sheppard and genocide in the Congo to be published in 2019. Short helped edit and write the report “Depo Provera: Deadly Reproductive Violence”.Presently, Short is the Policy Director of Rebecca Project for Justice and is the Pastor for Salvation and Liberation Temple LLC. Since 2011, Short has been a collaborator with American-Iranian documentary filmmaker and Press TV anchor Marzieh Hashemi, and they have made two films “The Facade of the American Dream” (2013), “Died Scott Nation” (2015), and he was featured in the critically acclaimed documentary film on race in America titled “Black White and Blue”. Short was a featured presenter for the #1 ranked Amazon.com 2021 documentary Buck Breaking. Short is the convener of the 2019 Gone Too Far Movement organized to oppose H.R. 5 the Gay Equality Act. Short has authored and co-authored two books Slavery's Mastery (2021) and the Cory Booker biography I Am Spartacus with Roger Stone (2021).

Tune into Julie & Karinda discussing their stories and experiences with hormonal birth control, including different contraceptive pills & Depo Provera. Julie also shares her incredible clinic wins for the week for two clients with conditions that you may be surprised to learn naturopathy could support! Extra resources for this episode: Diane 35 ED Estelle 35 ED Depo Provera Hormonal Contraception & Mood Disorders A brief outline of Fertility Awareness Methods that Karinda uses Connect with Julie: ⁠Email⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Book in with Julie⁠ Connect with Karinda: ⁠Email⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Website⁠ (with resources, cycle shop & more) Book in with Karinda (⁠⁠online⁠) DISCLAIMER FOR PUBLIC: The contents of this podcast or any information mentioned is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you're seeking assistance with your health, please contact an accredited healthcare professional. If you'd like personalised support with your health, ⁠you can book a session with Julie or Karinda using the links above. DISCLAIMER FOR HEALTH PRACTITIONERS: The content provided is intended for entertainment and educational purposes. The information discussed in this podcast is not a substitute for professional training. While the authors/hosts make every effort to provide the most up-to-date data and evidence on naturopathic information, this content should not necessarily be considered standard of care and may not reflect individual practices within or outside of Australia.

Join  us as Xander and I discuss their experience of menstruation as a trans-masculine non-binary person. Xander shares about their miserable menarche, the decision to get a hysterectomy, menstruation in the men's bathroom and more. Topics covered:- menarche in the school director's office - having a dad who won't buy period products - being told your pain is “normal” - menstruation on Depo-Provera - the importance of trans-informed care- breakthrough bleeds on testosterone - endometriosis and a full hysterectomy at 22 - managing menstruation in public restrooms as a trans-masculine non-binary person Listen, learn, let go of stigma.Considering a menstrual cup? Check out Lunette (https://store.lunette.com/?rfsn=4709896.1507ef)Subscribe for new episodes each full moon! Reach out: dreamspring.life@gmail.comIf you like what you hear, leave a rating or review on Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts so others can find us and have a chance to listen. Cameron Esposito's “Jelly Donuts” ALSO watch Rape Jokes

We talk a LOT about women's health, menopause, and hot flashes on this show. But hot flashes happen to men too! Who knew?!Jeffrey Marchi is a San Francisco native, with a career history in computer programming & at IBM.But Jeff is on the show today because he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010. He had surgery and a few years later radiation because the cancer came back. In 2017, Jeff started on a medication called Lupron - which is well known for causing hot flashes. He suffered greatly with continuous hot flashes for about a year - until he found out about Depo-Provera which can greatly reduce the incidence of hot flashes for men with prostate cancer. Four years later (early 2021), he started another medication called Zytiga - as his slow-growing cancer had reoccurred. That greatly increased the number of hot flashes along with the intensity.It was in 2021 when he was also introduced to the Embr Wave device which can stop hot flashes as they occur. This has helped him greatly, and it stopped the hot flashes from being a major limitation in his life.He joins us today to talk about finding treatment as a man with a "women's" health issue, regulating body temperature with the Embr Wave, and battling prostate cancer. 

We talk a LOT about women's health, menopause, and hot flashes on this show. But hot flashes happen to men too! Who knew?! We talk a LOT about women's health, menopause, and hot flashes on this show. But hot flashes happen to men too! Who knew?!Jeffrey Marchi is a San Francisco native, with a career history in computer programming & at IBM.But Jeff is on the show today because he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010. He had surgery and a few years later radiation because the cancer came back. In 2017, Jeff started on a medication called Lupron - which is well known for causing hot flashes. He suffered greatly with continuous hot flashes for about a year - until he found out about Depo-Provera which can greatly reduce the incidence of hot flashes for men with prostate cancer. Four years later (early 2021), he started another medication called Zytiga - as his slow-growing cancer had reoccurred. That greatly increased the number of hot flashes along with the intensity.It was in 2021 when he was also introduced to the Embr Wave device which can stop hot flashes as they occur. This has helped him greatly, and it stopped the hot flashes from being a major limitation in his life.He joins us today to talk about finding treatment as a man with a "women's" health issue, regulating body temperature with the Embr Wave, and battling prostate cancer. 

Contraception is promoted to women globally as a technological blessing that will ensure their empowerment, sexual liberation, and reproductive health. In this week's episode of Lust is Boring, Jason Evert exposes these lies during a shocking interview with Gerard Migeon and Grace Emily Stark from Natural Womanhood. During their conversation, you'll learn: Why the pill is especially detrimental to teenage girls Which birth control method is deemed healthy enough for women (and male rapists), but not dogs. Why ovulation is so important for women's health How you can help to ban Depo Provera   Why the pill isn't the best solution to fertility health issues And more...   NaturalWomanhood.org Patreon.com/jasonevert Hallow.com/lustisboring

I was so excited to have Lisa on the podcast! I'm a huge fan of her book The 5th Vital Sign.If you're a woman and you haven't read this book, I highly recommend you read it. Prior to finding Dr Ray Peat's work, Emma Sgourakis (my now business partner) and Craig I suffered with painful and irregular periods, PMS, I had a miscarriage, a D&C, polyps as well  pre-cancerous cells removed from my cervix. If you've followed me for a while you'll also know I cycled through low calorie diets, excessive exercising and I was a big binge drinker for 17 years of my life. I also took the pill for many years and I had no idea what hormonal contraception was doing to my body.The book is easy to read and contains invaluable information on taking charge of your menstrual cycle and how menstrual cycle health really is the fifth vital sign for women. It also has fantastic information on the pill, IUD's, Depo-Provera and the implant and the effect they have on the female body.The majority of women that come to me want to lose weight and change the outside without realising how important it is to build a solid foundation which includes having a healthy menstrual cycle. In this episode we chat about: ➡️Dangers of hormonal contraception➡️Myths about hormonal contraception and the pill➡️How the pill suppresses ovulation and why this is a problem➡️How cycle issues are often a sign of metabolic issues ➡️Why nutrition is important for the menstrual cycle and reproductive health➡️Why having a regular ovulatory cycle is so important➡️Body fat levels and menstrual health➡️Overexercising and the menstrual cycle➡️What is a healthy menstrual cycle?➡️How toxins in common beauty products can impact your hormones➡️And more!LINKSFollow Kitty on Instagram @kittyblomfield Follow Lisa on Instagram @fertilityfriday

Amenti the Awakener is an International Spiritual Master Teacher, Initiated HIGH PRIESTESS, Author, and Consultant and trainer in Wholistic Health and Wellness with over 16 years in the business. She is the bestselling author of 12 seeds to Awaken Your Spirit and is a highly sought-after Spiritual Teacher and Women's Leadership Coach. She has traveled the world and shared stages with some of the best spiritual teachers. She has worked with many celebrities including Emilie Sandé, Michelle Escofrey and many others in Spiritual Development and Self Mastery. She has taught hundreds of students all over the world and helped thousands of clients transform their trauma and Embody their Authentic self.  She has led workshops and talks at many MBS events including the MBS LONDON event and has presented in Uganda, Ethiopia, India, Europe and Caribbean. She has worked with many spiritual teachers and leaders including Stewart Pearce and Shola Arewa and has studied extensively in many modalities. She has hosted and participated in events around the world including Amsterdam, Africa, The Caribbean and UK. Amenti has a wealth of wisdom that goes as far back as the beginning, when the creator expressed the first breath the Soul of Amenti was Born. She specializes in working with Wholistic Wellness, Ascension, Awakening for Children, Sacred Sexuality, Magic Mastery, Ancients civilizations, Healing Arts and Personal Development. She is an advocate for Self Mastery and Self Healing as the key to Ascension. Learn more here: https://amentitheoracle.wixsite.com/awakener “I was born awake, which doesn't make it any easier.” “Wisdom is a divine feminine energy that has been missing from our reality.” Why we're currently traversing through the lower levels of vibration right now.  The energies that were around her when she was born and what she has learned from them.  What it might mean if a baby doesn't cry right away when they're born.  The homesick feeling she's had of not belonging here.  Her catalyst experience with being sexually abused at the age of 8 that created her spiritual journey. “Not all humans have a consciousness and awareness of the higher aspects of life.” An explanation of the 4th, 5th, and 6th dimension realities.  Her experience with the Depo-Provera shot and infertility.  Her powerful riff on how to reclaim your sovereignty.  “Whenever we try to ascend there's going to be something trying to create resistance, but it also encourages us to open our eyes and no longer do things unconsciously.” “Everything that's happening is waking you up to reclaim your power.” We are literally the builders of this new earth. Her insight with the pressure of getting the vaccine and how to navigate that.  “Corona is an awakening to your crown but is also an attack on your crown.” It's important to remember that not everyone here is channeling the God source. The significance of the Ethiopian calendar and what it forecasted for 2020. Why we're not in the Age of Aquarius yet.  Why she believes this Great Awakening will last until the year 2032. The most important thing you can do during this time is to learn to trust yourself and follow your heart. 5D is the realm of the heart - our heart wants to be cleared of what isn't true.  Her advice on how to have discernment during these confusing times. “We have to believe what we feel.” “We're moving into the ‘feeling body' and the ‘knowing mind' (rather than the thinking mind).” If you would like to get in touch with Amenti, email her here: amentitheawakenerofficial@gmail.com

Amenti the Awakener is an International Spiritual Master Teacher, Initiated HIGH PRIESTESS, Author, and Consultant and trainer in Wholistic Health and Wellness with over 16 years in the business. She is the bestselling author of 12 seeds to Awaken Your Spirit and is a highly sought-after Spiritual Teacher and Women's Leadership Coach. She has traveled the world and shared stages with some of the best spiritual teachers. She has worked with many celebrities including Emilie Sandé, Michelle Escofrey and many others in Spiritual Development and Self Mastery. She has taught hundreds of students all over the world and helped thousands of clients transform their trauma and Embody their Authentic self.  She has led workshops and talks at many MBS events including the MBS LONDON event and has presented in Uganda, Ethiopia, India, Europe and Caribbean. She has worked with many spiritual teachers and leaders including Stewart Pearce and Shola Arewa and has studied extensively in many modalities. She has hosted and participated in events around the world including Amsterdam, Africa, The Caribbean and UK. Amenti has a wealth of wisdom that goes as far back as the beginning, when the creator expressed the first breath the Soul of Amenti was Born. She specializes in working with Wholistic Wellness, Ascension, Awakening for Children, Sacred Sexuality, Magic Mastery, Ancients civilizations, Healing Arts and Personal Development. She is an advocate for Self Mastery and Self Healing as the key to Ascension. Learn more here: https://amentitheoracle.wixsite.com/awakener “I was born awake, which doesn't make it any easier.” “Wisdom is a divine feminine energy that has been missing from our reality.” Why we're currently traversing through the lower levels of vibration right now.  The energies that were around her when she was born and what she has learned from them.  What it might mean if a baby doesn't cry right away when they're born.  The homesick feeling she's had of not belonging here.  Her catalyst experience with being sexually abused at the age of 8 that created her spiritual journey. “Not all humans have a consciousness and awareness of the higher aspects of life.” An explanation of the 4th, 5th, and 6th dimension realities.  Her experience with the Depo-Provera shot and infertility.  Her powerful riff on how to reclaim your sovereignty.  “Whenever we try to ascend there's going to be something trying to create resistance, but it also e

We sit down with Dr. Nathalie Duroseau, 3rd year adolescent medicine fellow in NYC and PedsAdmit birth control correspondent, to discuss everything from Nexplanon placement to effective counseling about Depo-Provera. Catch her on Instagram @Dr_Nat_HD for more advocacy and birth control tips.

Written By: Kyla Freeman Peer Review By: Thomsen D'hont Expert Review By: Dr. Vanessa Rogers Objective One: With all patients, especially adolescents, young men, postpartum women, and perimenopausal women, advise about adequate contraception when opportunities arise.  Objective Two: In patients using specific contraceptives, advise of specific factors that may reduce efficacy (e.g. delayed initiation of method, illness, medications, specific lubricants) Objective Three: In aiding decision-making to ensure adequate contraception:  - Look for and identify risks (relative and absolute contraindications)  - Assess (look for) STI exposure  - Identify barriers to specific methods (e.g. cost, cultural concerns)  - Advise of efficacy and side effects, especially short-term side effects that may result in discontinuation  Objective Four: In patients using hormonal contraceptives, manage side effects appropriately (i.e. recommend an appropriate length of trial, discuss estrogens in medroxyprogesterone acetate [Depo-Provera].  Objective Five: In all patients, especially those using barrier methods or when efficacy of hormonal methods is decreased, advise about post-coital contraception  Objective Six: In a patient who has had unprotected sex or failure of the chosen contraceptive method, inform about time limits in post-coital contraception (emergency contraceptive pil, intrauterine device)

Happy Pride Month! I choose this time to share my confusion about sexuality, to seek answers about questions that I have had for the longest time and to also reach out to the LGBTQIA+ community to share their knowledge and give us some clarity. Oh! And I also share my update on my contraceptive journey (Depo-Provera). If you have any answers or you'd like to share your experiences, you know I love to listen and learn. Kindly reach to me on all the following platforms; * Email: talktomeimboredd@gmail.com * Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dada_girll * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talktome_imbored/

Facing unplanned pregnancies in their 20s, Mikah and Cecilia's hospital births reveal how access to childbirth education, support systems, and the lack of standardization of care shaped their individual journeys to becoming parents for the first time.In this episode we mention: Birth Stories in Color podcast, The Depo-Provera shot, and Intrauterine Devices (IUDs)Follow NATAL on social media: @natalstoriesJoin our Facebook Community to connect with other parents, birth workers, and advocates.NATAL is produced by You Had Me at Black and The Woodshaw. Listen to You Had Me at Black wherever you get your podcasts.

How my body is adjusting to the contraceptive and all the changes that are happening. If you are currently on any contraceptive and you want to share your experiences or you are looking to begin and have questions, hit me up on here talktomeimboredd@gmail.com. I'd be sure to respond! Thank you for listening!

Depo-Provera and blindness; the importance of voting; Bernie Sanders and Public Enemy; God gives Pope Francis the flu; Minnesota church kicks out older people for younger members; VP Mike Pence vs. the coronaviruses; Dave Matthews abruptly fired from MSNBC’s Hardball; Keith refuses to compliment women; Carolines on Broadway banned The Gootz

the scoop on the contraception option, Depo-Provera, the shot. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/dr-mcdaniel/message

All right.This is super exciting. We have the 22nd episode of the gut check project. And, unfortunately, my co host Eric Rieger is actually at a conference right now. But we have a huge upgrade. We have Dr. Marisol naturopathic doctor, who is now my co host, and my lead guest both, which is awesome. So, this is going to be a super super, super fun show because what we have going on is Dr. Marisol. We're going to talk about pooping. We're going to talk about castor oil. We're gonna talk about bowel habits. I'm just a simple country, butt doctor, she's a brilliant naturopath. So we're going to welcome Dr. Marisol. Oh you're awesome. Ken thanks so much. You're so so so so humble. It's amazing but I have to say you're pretty incredible gi specialist honestly.That is thank you very much but I'm just I'm just thrilled to actually have a different co host so we're gonna let we're just gonna bounce off each other we're gonna let and let everything roll here.You're just happy it's a cuter co-host.Eric's extremely attractive. If he'd shave i think that i think we'd have a more of a connection but he just won't do that. I know. I know he could do that whole Mr. America contest. I'm telling you. I keep telling him to go in it. I love that Dallas accent.Before we even jump in I just want to ask one one question Yeah. How you pooping?How am i pooping? I'm pooping like a champ. Actually, I'm pooping like a queen. Right?So sure her moniker is that she is the queen of Thrones which is why, now it's not just because you're here. That's actually how I introduce everyone, as I just asked him how you pooping? I love it. And I'll go to family reunions and just walk up and say hey, how you pooping?You know, that is the most important question that we should be asking people, honestly, or at least asking ourselves every day, right? How am I pooping? Because it's so important. It's like your number, you know, they get I always say, you know, poor poor poo, you know, it has a bad job where it you know, got the number two label right? Like, why is it not the number one like, in my opinion, poo is number one, not number two, the most important thing that comes out of your body And you know, this was completely planned, but this is Episode two two and we've got the queen of number two. I love it.This is awesome. You know, synchronicity at its best. I'm telling ya. Yeah, that's an important question. Honestly. That's what that's what I've been asking myself for the past, gosh, 40 years of my life. Right?So you did this in utero? You're asking questions. Oh, you're so sweet. No, no, I'm definitely over forty. But because I poop well, I do look younger and better and I feel better than I did otherwise. Right? And when I was younger I really suffered with digestive problems like constipation. My mother was constipated constantly. You know, my father had IBS it was we were just a bunch of problems in the butt. Tt was just gosh, everyone always a bathroom occupied. We only had one bathroom in those days.At home was in Ontario Canada?Yeah, Ontario, Canada, right back up northern Canada. So we were isolated in the very north in the mining towns. Oh, my goodness. Very interesting experience growing up there.Lots of family members coming out of the bathroom going, Oh, that didn't go well ay?That's right. So for us, you know, that conversation was very, very open. We would talk about it at the kitchen table, we would talk about it everywhere. And then I would remember going to a friend's house. And then I started talking about it or say something to a friend of mine and they'd be like, Oh my God, you're so weird. Why are you talking about poo? And I'm like, I don't know it's interesting, and it's what we talked about. Right? There was a common converstation at our home. It was really it was really interesting. And I keep on you know, what really changed my life though was Oprah and Dr. Oz. Ironically, the the that show they opened, I think Dr. Oz was just going on The Oprah show for a couple of episodes. And he went on in one of his first episodes. And what he did was a huge explanation about what you're poo is saying about you. And that day when I watched that episode, something in my heart lit up. And I was just looking at him like a child in the candy store, like I just was amazed by what he was talking about, and how there was actually things you could find out about your body from your poop, and it just set me on this trajectory on this pathway to really always constantly be looking and investigating my poo and because I suffered with IBS, with so much digestive problems up until I was in my 30s when I finally you know, figured out my formula to fix it. I was looking and learning from my poo, so it was just it's just It's been a really cool ride to get me to becoming the queen of the thrones and what I'm doing now. And the ride on the throne that is.Let me ask you, so when you watch this episode with Dr. Oz, were you a naturopathic doctor at the time? No. Oh my gosh, this is talk to that we're talking like 19 I think it could be like 1992 maybe earlier like I was around 11. It was it was early on in my life. Like it was a point, a foundational point in my life where that something just inside me clicked. It was like, I want to talk about poop that seems really important to me. What were you doing at that time?So at that time, I was a young young kid I was in dancing in my dreams were to become a Liza Minnelli and a doctor. I wanted to be both of those things. My Liza Minnelli dreams got crushed by a dance teacher who said I didn't fit quite in.Uh huh. Right? Which you know was now I look at that as the best gift I could have given been given in my lifetime. Because if I fit in, I would not be here talking about poo, let's face it because it was taboo. Righ?t And so what I wanted to go into was, was being a doctor.Really?Yeah, yeah. And so that was, was that the motive to get you to start studying naturopathic medicine?100% Oh, because I suffered my entire life suffering suffering and you know, your purpose is within your pain 100% of the time, when you you know, you're dealing with something, you're trying to figure out how to make it better. And you and like someone like me, like I I, I'm always looking how to advanced, how to be better, how to improve, and I couldn't get this part of my life improved, because IBS can be a huge beast, you know, because it's not just only what's going on in the digestive tract it's so much more. So I really needed to look at all those things, and I needed I think I needed to take it into my own hands and take it and that's why that's what eventually led me into naturopathic school.Oh, that's awesome. So I'm really blessed. I mean, I think that one of the most common things is that when people in other fields of medicine and I think there's so many naturopathic doctors that really focused on the gut because they realize how important it is. Yeah, I mean, I'm a little bit bias because I'm a gastroenterologist. I say that all health begins and ends in the gut. But it really is because what I see in my clinic and I'm sure it's exactly what you see, you can't get away from it. If you have a sore knee, you quit running. You go to an orthopedic, whatever, you get a surgery, something like that. But when you have intestinal issues, it's always there. So. Yeah. Always. Yeah, it's always there and it permeates your entire life. You're constantly dealing with it constantly thinking about it. Like I'm still in the habit of when I turned in my 20s my IBS shifted from a constipation more to a diarrhea and I'd have periods of constipation, but it was predominantly like explosive I don't know when it's coming diarrhea. I love this. I've never been able to talk so openly about this. You know, like, I'm just like, this is my love my story.So I want to get into your I want to get more into you as the person. Yeah. You in the history. But I want to tell you that you may not even remember this.Yeah, eah, yeah. So I met you a couple years ago at mindshare. Yeah. And we were sitting around talking.Oh i remember.  I myself am gluten intolerant to me a long time. Trying to figure it out. So you know, we developed Oh, little bit of housekeeping totally forgot. This episode's been brought to you by Atrantil. Go to   lovemytummy.com/spoony or go to lovemytummy.com for a discount code. I forget that my our own product is sponsoring the show. So sorry Chuck. So I did not realize I was gluten intolerant. Yeah. Until the person that helped me develop this,Brandi, who's my research manager, we diagnosed her with celiac disease. So I would go out to lunch during work and I would I would eat gluten free sort of to support...The people. And it took me a long time to realize that I would not have to rush back to the office because I'd have to use the restroom. Before I'd start seeing people again and she pointed that out. And I was talking to you. I was like, yeah, it took me forever. I would go out on a run and be like a mile out. And then you have this urge to go. You don't know if you should stop and waddle bad or whatever, and that's when...Or squat.And then you told me a really funny story that if you're cool with sharing I'd like you to share?Yeah, well, gosh, I have so many funny stories like that. Are you talking about my Dominican Republic story probably the one on the bus?The only one that you told me. No, it's one that you had a route and that you would actually squat in somebody's yard. Oh, yes. That's Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Cuz I mean, I have a around my house, I have a pond. And you know, it would be that it would be explosive, right? I'd be like, suddenly, Oh, my gosh, what's happening? And so I literally have squated in people's lawns and their back lawns, thank God because it's going heading in butt. You know, like when nature calls, you know, nature calls and when, when, when she's calling in that way. It's not. It's not always a call that you love or really want to answer, but you got to do something about it. And you know what I like to this point, now in my life, it's so funny and I'm re patterning this, so up until now. I would always look and see where the bathroom is, wherever I go. Because of that, right? Because there's been so many times that I've had accidents or what have you like when you're suffering I realized you just don't know when it's going to come and it's it's a can be a scary thing to live with. We probably share very similar patients and when that the trauma that can happen I mean I have stewardesses,pilots, people that are trapped in a, you know, here in Dallas there's commuters and the  thought of that just the anxiety of that can actually trigger something. Exactly it makes it worse and you know, you know how you say like the gut is it all and then begins with the gut. I agree. 100% like, you can't like digestion is how you are digesting your life. Like there is no other way around it like if things are not good in your life emotionally and hence the anxieties triggering an IBS like an explosive diarrhea. Like emotionally physically what have you. It all has started in the gut,all of it. So my research in you know, I do a lot of irritable bowel do a lot of inflammatory bowel disease. And we got really into I was one of the first doctors that really started embracing worked with Dr. Mark Pimentel when he was I was one of the people that on this study for Xifaxan and things like that and so I was hearing about bacteria, the microbiome like 10 years before everybody else was and now it's really interesting because even my own colleagues still aren't addressing that but the naturopathic world embraced it early on.Oh yeah, we're all about the bugs and bacteria right? Because we're all about the ecology and how the body is a system right? In conventional medicine. I mean, I love you guys thank God for you guys thank God for conventional medicine. You know what we all benefit from it the the but you you tend to look at it as like one organ system, right? So but we look at it as our as it as like a garden like we're a garden, right? And in the garden, you need things like water, you need nutrients, there's bacteria in the soil. So for us, it wasn't a large stretch to think oh, wow, we should be using like probiotics in our prescriptions because guess what, it's a garden for us. So just like already our methodology about how we think about the human body, and how like in naturopathic medicine, there really aren't specialists. Really we're all generalists, but we just have a focus on certain areas, like some patients, some doctors and naturopathic doctors might have a focus on you know cancer care you know I have a focus on gi just like you so the majority of my patients I see a lot of IBS Crohn's colitis, but I tend to also see things like autoimmune conditions and cancer but you know what I treat them all very similar really because I still start with the gut on everybody.So you watch this Dr. Oz episode? Yeah. Tell me about your history. Like when does one become a naturopathic doctor? What did you do? Just give me the give me the history of the queen of thrones. Oh, gosh, so so this is the thing so I watched Oprah Dr. Oz I was in a time of my life. I was rounder you know, I was I was, you know, isolated from society, like not society. But from, you know, kids kids didn't like me. I was the strange little Spanish girl who brought sardine sandwiches. It didn't smell good you know?We know. So. Up in, you know, that was my life back then and... Were you born in Canada? I was born in Canada. Yep. So my father's from Spain and my mother's from South America. Where in South America? Uruguay. Okay.Beautiful, beautiful country like it's...Se habla espanol? Se hablo espanol. I'm always trying to get my teenage kids to speak Spanish because you know, it's such a gift to be able to speak Spanish, I've got my he's soon to be 15 year old, I got my 15 year old who is will only speak Spanish at the house. And there are times I'm like So that's, you know, that's good though. That's good because, you know, Spanish opens up doors in so many different ways. And you know, like I love coming to this in Canada, where I'm at, I don't run into too many Latinos, but when I'm in the States, especially Dallas, and you know, like the more southern states, it's awesome. I love it because I'm constantly speaking Spanish. It's just like, this is great. I want to move to America. I love the states.I would say that my, my Spanish really took off when I was in training in San Antonio. Yeah. Almost every patient i saw...And you know what I see patients because of the languages that I speak. Many of them come and search me out. It's super cool, but back to my story. What had happened was that I you know, I wasn't living a happy life as a kid. I was, you know, isolated from the crowd and I was also very anxious, right, anxiety was a huge predominant factor because of my isolation from the group, you know, I was I was a different kid. And so I was but I got diagnosed with asthma instead of anxiety. And so the medical system kind of failed me when I was younger. And unfortunately it put me on a series of lots of drugs lots of prednisone, which made me go from a you know, a plump cute to a very overweight teenager and itWhy were you on prednisone?Cuz was I was having such anxiety and but it would manifest and look like an asthma attack. But the doctor never even examined my lungs he never he never did a physical exam What?!There was no oh no yeah, this is back in the day. Yeah, nothing was done. So you can imagine my what I thought of the conventional medical system and family medical doctors at that point in time, right I didn't really have very cause here I was, like, you know, medicating with prednisone to reduce my asthma attacks, which I wasn't really every having them it was all anxiety. So I was I was I was the case I was really mismanaged and it is made me gain more weight isolated me more my anxiety got worse as I got fortunately my mom got to the point where she's like you know what i'm done with you taking these drugs and she just pulled me off of them. How old were you when this?I think by that time I was around 15-16 so I remember going into high school and still being a bit overweight and then once appropriate the prednisone was gone. My weight started to go down.And it's not just that it's not just the weight but the acne the inability to sleep that's a horrible drug. It's a tough drug it was a tough drug to be on as a. I was, the acne didn't affect me. Definitely sleep was a problem. Like so lots of my systems weren't working very well. Right like I like it. My body definitely wasn't happy. I like it. I like stories like this because it shows you know you said that your pain is you know, your your pain point ends up becoming your your purpose. Yeah. And for anybody that's ever had a child, that's 15 and unhappy and anxious Gosh, it's so hard.You know, and then to see you take that and then become really this incredible brand where you really put yourself out there if anybody gets a chance look at her YouTube channel. There's videos of her on the toilet talking. It's really funny.It's awesome. I love it and I get to be my Liza Minnelli right? Because I get to do it but my own way talking about poo. It's so perfect!So you're 15 you're going into high school, you finally get pulled off the drugs? What happened? Yeah, well, then then my life just suddenly becomes much better, right? But my anxiety is still there because that's still not really being managed. And, you know, so but I do lose weight, I'm looking better and being accepted more, which is great when you're in high school, you know, I still have a lot of confidence issues, of course, because you know, you spend the greater majority of your life at that time, you know, being unconfident, unhappy with who you are anxious, you know, it's not not a nice nice, not a nice life. And then you know, someone tells me to go into a beauty pageant. So this is where I've got the queen. And this is actually what helps to build me It builds me up. So I you know, entered it in the hopes of I didn't think I would win it because I didn't think about myself. as attractive or anything or that I didn't like up until then I didn't believe it right I didn't believe that I could achieve anything like that. I but I could achieve the talent because I was very talented I played the piano and I danced. So I went into the competition and and I won the talent and I oh no I didn't win the talent I won Miss Congeniality, which was like awesome to me sounds like at least I want something. How do you win the Miss Congeniality part?You're just really pleasant and nice person like I am i guess.You know what? I'm going to say if this was a Canadian beauty pageant where everybody's pleasant and nice. Winning Miss Congeniality is a serious deal.That's right? Oh, that's a really awesome way of thinking about it. I need to think about it more that way. That's wonderful.Yeah, I mean, like you would almost think like in other Yeah. Like if you're not I don't want to single out a certain part of the United States. Yeah, certain parts all you gotta do is just be like, say, hey, and you won.That's so awesome.Instead of flipping somebody off.There you go, but it what ended up happening is I actually won it and and me winning it. It was first time I became a queen, and it's one of the reasons why my brand is also called the queen of the thrones is that it just it just built my confidence. So I just needed that one little vote of somebody else seeing the magic that I had inside of me. So that really changed my mindset changed how I was working and expressing myself as a person out here in this world. So that was really cool. And then, you know, took me through travels, I started doing more pageants, more, more, more, more of that and, and then it came time to go into high school into university and I, my mother was like, go be the doctor, go be the doctor. And I was like, I'm not being the doctor. I don't want to be a doctor. Look what happened to me. I was taking prednisone and I was like, 180 pounds by the time I was like, you know, 13 like that. No, I don't want to, I don't I'm not going to go become a doctor and do that to anybody. Because that's what my that's what my paradigm was. I looked at medical doctors at the time, that they didn't help you that they they they just gave you drugs that weren't good for you. And a lot of people think this, you know, and I still want to correct that. Because there's a time and a place for every single medicine. There's a time and a place for prednisone. You know if the patient is assessed properly? And you may need them. Right like in an acute flare up of Crohn's and colitis and you can't manage it. Prednisone would'nt you say?Oh, yeah, this is what I. Like my biggest problem is as a gastroenterologist is having people that possibly have been mismanaged for a very long time. And then they come in and they've got osteopenia, and they're 30 years old and they've got all these other issues they're morbidly obese they've been on and off prednisone and other options have not been discussed. So the way that I view prednisone is is exactly that. It's a very powerful drug, but you only want to be on it twice in your disease course. Once to see if you go into remission the next one to say okay, now the we pull you off for the second time. What are we going to put you on so that you don't have to back?Yeah, yeah, see and that's that's that's that's a great doctor. And and that's that's what there are so many great doctors out there. Right? It's like any profession, right? Like there's, you know, great naturopaths and there's not so great naturopaths and there's great doctors and not so great doctors. There's great lawyers and I don't know if that works. Like, no, I know really good lawyers, like I love my lawyer. So, you know, like, they're in all professions, it's like that. So you just have to search and find the one that really resonates with you and just just you need to listen for these key things, right? Like a doctor who is saying these things to you, like, you know, we'll try prednisone, but that's a dangerous drug. Like it's not something that should you should be on, managed for years. Like I was on it for years. So I ended up instead going into languages and business. So that was where my school ended up taking me. Really?Yeah. Because one thing I knew that I loved talking, and I loved people, and I figured, you know, one of the greatest platform to do that would be business. And so that led me there. And then I ended up going into actually my first very first job coming out of school was it was completely aligned in the stars was to work for a homeopathic pharmaceutical company from Germany called Heel Called Heel? Heel. Hiel? Heel. Heel. And they are an unbelievable force in natural medicine they created this product called Traumeel it's no longer available in the United States they pulled out. But it was available and people out there will understand what if they've ever been in the natural world they've heard of Traumeel, an excellent anti inflammatory actually works very similar to a prednisone, but natural. It's an incredible thing. And there's no side effects to it. So in Germany it's number one.Yeah, so one of the things like we would as we're launching Atrantil in the EU and stuff, oh, my goodness, though, so we, we have our own. We got recognized in Canada. So we have our own...That's great. GoodNPI number, whatever it is that you guys do.NPN. Natural product number. Yeah.So we got our own NPN. And then we were not expecting the added expense of having to translate everything into French.Oh, yes.So that one was that was one of those non budgeted type things. So we're in Canada now. We're bilingual. But dang those Germans. They are strict.Oh, yes. Oh yeah, they're quality control. Everything is just phenomenal. And that's great. I think that's fantastic. I think anything that we do in our life, if it's worth doing is worth doing with excellence, you know, and and I loved working for that company. I was so fortunate, you know, I was able to train with the best, the best doctors in Europe and Germany and Belgium, you know, sports, medical doctors, like gastroenterologists. It was just awesome. Like, I got the opportunity to see the world from so many different places around the world.Where did you travel with that company?how old are you when you're doing all this? So I would go to Germany, I'd go to the United States, South America, it was just, it was just everywhere. Those are the main main places, but it was it was phenomenal. Like what an experience, but what it did is it introduced me to other practitioners. So that's where I got my first flavor of what a naturopathic doctor was, and a chiropractor, and then it opened up a whole new world to me of a different form of medicine. You know, a medicine that was inclusive, that really focused on from what I knew, really focused on assessing the patient, right because we know up until where we're at only what we have had experience in our lives. And my experience with the medical system was was one of not being well managed, you know, because even then later on in my, in my teenage or sorry, adult years when I started going to things like birth control, you know, I wasn't well advised on birth control and I, you know, went on a different pathway for that. So, so many so many issues there, right, like I was given Depo-Provera, and Depo-Provera just actually aggravated a lot of my digestive symptoms. It also made me bloat on certain points of time, you know, my period was messed up when I went off of it. So, you know, that was my perception of medical system. But then when I saw naturopaths and chiropractors I go, hey, there's different ways to do things. And there always is, right? I'm about 26 or 27. I'm about 26 or 27. And then I finally like, just something inside me when am I I was back up in my hometown I was as that sales rep. I was speaking to a doctor when my good good doctor clients, and I was teaching him and training him all the methodology of what Heel taught which was something called homo toxicology, the study of toxins within the human system. So it's so phenomenal. It talks about the you know, how disease becomes manifests and how it reverses. And how, you know, first signs of disease are things like discomfort or, or, or discharge, right? Like if in our world, it would be like mucus and our stools are diarrhea. And then after that, it becomes inflammation. And it's just like the different steps of the pathology of how you know how disease manifests and how to reverse it. It was super phenomenally interesting.That's really cool. I mean it's basically all in, in my opinion, all of disease really comes down to inflammation. If we can stop the inflammatory process, we can stop cells from being damaged and blah, blah, blah, blah. So...I'm gonna add I'm an add in stress. Because I think to me, it's like a two a two prong thing. I think people will have like, it'll either be the like, you know, chicken or the egg. It's they'll start with the stress and then the inflammation comes about or the inflammation starts and then they have more stress. So then it's just like, and then it's you know that snowball effect down the hill but that big snowball is becoming bigger and bigger and bigger. Have you ever seen a snowball living in Dallas?A snowball. It's...soBasically two snowflakes will fall a year and there will be like 700 accidentsOh that's so funny oh my gosh That's very it'll it'll snow like once a year just kind of dusting and everything will just shut down. Everything will shut down. It's just like disaster mode.So funny. Yeah but it's so it inflammation and stress are really really key. And you know, like if I look at myself and even just my history like that, that anxiety I was dealing with was full on stress like that was of course messing up my digestive tract, right it was making making my digestion feel totally off.So I... Trying to move your mic here so that we can get a little better picture of the queen of thrones here. So you know, this the whole studios in an adjustment you know this is two two but everybody wants to see the Beautiful, Dr. Queen of Thrones here so there we go.But yeah, so so it was a great introduction and what an amazing methodology to learn. So I was training at that point, naturopathic doctors who are top in their class, treating cancer, a G like GI focused doctors, it was awesome. And what ended up happening is this doctor in my hometown said to me, he goes, What are you doing being the sales rep, what are you doing? He's like, you need to go be the doctor. You need to go be the doctor. And again, it was one of those foundational points in my life, you know, someone believes in you, and it's just enough, you know, gas in that engine to make you go phoom right, just jump on. So and I you know, when when I get an idea, and when he when he planted that idea in my mind, that was it. I was like, I literally called the company the next day and said I was quitting.Oh my. You don't play around.I don't play around. You know, when I know it feels right. It feels right. And that felt right. I just I knew it 100%. So what I what I did is the company actually wouldn't let me go that fast. So they actually prepared my journey to meet more doctors and really made it great. So then I went to naturopathic school at 28. But I didn't have my sciences because I had done a business degree. So I actually had to like read get all my sciences done. So you know, when you go back to school after you've been working, making money, you know, and you have to you have these big mountains you have to succumb to right, like, I literally had like Everest, I had to go back and do my basic sciences. I had a lot to do, right? Luckily, there was ways I could do it faster and get my basic sciences and I did that. And I started school and I loved it. I was just like, this is where I need to be. I had to really focus on the sciences and get really in depth those first few years because they were a little bit more challenging because I didn't have you know, all the years of the science background that that that other people did. And I went in as a mature student, but it was an amazing and amazing experience.Had school always been easy for you? No, no, no. And you know why? So let me explain this. I am brilliant and I don't I say that in the most humble way, I'm my, my superpower is really to be able to grab things, complex, complex ideas and simplify them. So I'm very fortunate in that way. But because I didn't have confidence in myself, because of all my experiences as a child and what was happening, I wasn't excelling in school at all. And I don't think that the school system was meant for my mind and how my mind works. You know, like I if if a concept if a simple concept is skipped through, and it jumps to the advanced concept without going through the basics, I get lost. So there was many times in like math class or such, like fractions, I couldn't get my mind into fractions. I couldn't understand the concept of it, right. And so they jumped to the next step, and then I would be lost and my marks would would, would be that way. So I had to work hard. So going back to school would have been somewhat stressful for you. Very, very. I mean, just the idea that I'm gonna quit this job. I'm gonna go back to school and I'm going to revisit a lot of my insecurities. That's impressive.Yeah. And, you know, to the and thank you for that. That means a lot. The the impetus also to go back to school was also that I was like, you know what I had been to see a lot of naturopaths and I had been to see a lot of doctors. And you know, my gi specialist at the  time was like, I'm sorry about your luck. There's nothing you can do. And I'm like, Okay, well, thanks. I'm like, that's not you know, that's not the answer I want but another, you know, another mismanagement.Yeah, the one that I mean, I always joke around that everybody, all the patients that come to see me and I'm sure you had this also, which is, you go to the doctor, you wake up from your endoscopy colonoscopy, and they're like, great news. It's all normal. You just have IBS.And then you walk out and you're like I still feel like shit, exactly. What does that mean? Now I just have a label.Exactly. And you know, even with an naturpaths I had seen before going back naturopathic school, they had none of them had tested my food sensitivities, and they just put me on these diets, for my food intolerances. They just put me on these diets that actually made me feel worse. So I kept on like losing confidence in the entire system. And I was like, well, maybe I can go back and become a naturopath and I can figure it out for me, right because I was that determined because I'm like, there has to be a better way to live. There really has to be a better way to live. And you know, and of course you know, go back into school it was challenging because I wasn't an excellent student, but I did become that but it did aggravate all my IBS symptoms. So during school I was I was a mess again, right and I had to work through it. I had to walk through it and try my best. And then finally someone tested my food intolerances and my sensitivities. And the thing was this is that all the naturopathic and cleansing diets before that time, were all based on rice and almonds and you know, you would take away the gluten and take away the dairy but you'd still be eating the grains like the rice and one of my big I'm Spanish background, you know, guess what I've been exposed to the majority of my of my life, you know, my gut is constantly being exposed to piyaya, maybe and piyaya is made out of rice, and I have a very permeable gut because I'm suffering with IBS my whole life. So what, what what food molecule is going to be elevated?And then of course the South American component where you can add a bunch of beans to it so.Yep, love those beans do exactly right. I love me some piyaya. Oh man, I love me piyaya too.  But the thing was I had to I had to be stay away from rice for a period of time because I was just over consuming it and it had become an intolerance to me my body was overreacting to it. And that's like, That's awesome, right that I was able to figure that out through school. So that was one of the components. Super like good great experience. I've been really, really blessed in my life I'm so thankful for.It's really cool and I like hearing the background stories of somebody like you because you've over although you've you've been able to make changes, you make adjustments you pivot, and then you make this life change. And then you revisit some of these insecurities, which only makes you stronger. Yeah. And only allows you to continue to grow as a person. So then, you get into naturopathic school. What was that like?Yeah, so it was a total shit show. I'm not sure if I could say that word on here but...Ya no, this show you can basically say anything you want.Oh, fantastic. I've been really like, you know, trying to be very prim and proper here but I really wanted to bring out my bad ass.When we were on the spoony network or when we're still on the Spoony network, oh that's the label to Spoony right there.Oh awesome.Shout out to Ron and all those guys but it was pretty fun and because I was concerned about that also you want to like be normal and everything and so they're like look in our world just do not say GD or the F word and basically everything else is okay.Cuz I say shit a lot. Patients say shit a lot to me.Of course they do you know my my first book coming out in the in the spring is called Oh shit. I saw that. I cannot wait. Yeah. That is really cool. But you know why I labeled it oh shit because I was I used to say when I would be ready to about to have an accident. I'd be like, Oh shit. Like, and if you look at us, what we do is when we have a moment of anxiety, what do we say? Oh shit. Oh shit, right. So that's the whole energy of it. So the book is gonna be really great. I'm super excited for it, but I'm back in school so I'm in school...Just to clarify so that I saw that the title of the book is doesn't actually say shit you do the...Yes I do the little star I do I do. I'm keeping it clean. You know, the reality is is that like Northern Ontario you swear a lot like I grew up in Northern Ontario. Like lots of truckers like we said, I don't want to stereotype anybody but I just grew up in a place where I learned to swear a lot right so and the majority of the words I would swear with shit typically so that and you know, and I like I like saying like I'm a badass because I am a badass. You know, but it's it's uh, yeah, I gotta keep it clean you know, got it gotta do those things.So right now we're in a shit show. Yeah. Which we're just kind of bounce around so I love a I've got a little add Yeah, like bouncing around. So we just went forward in time we got a book coming out. We'll talk about that. But now you're at the shit show called naturopathic school or are you going into graduate school?Yeah, I mean, the school is phenomenal. Like the knowledge and education you learn is great, but you know what the volume is a lot. Because like, it's like we're talking like we not only have to learn everything that conventional doctors learn, we also then have to learn what naturopathic doctors learn. So the amount of material that we have to go through is incredible unless you're constantly being I mean, I'm sure medical school also is very stressful. And it takes it takes a bit of life out of you, you know, but which you regain amazingly, afterwards. But it was a lot, a lot to learn a lot to learn at once. And so and because and because I had been in the past challenged in my learning, I would invest a lot more time than the average person would. So I was taking it to that next level, because I really did. You know, when you go back, a lot of the people in my program were younger, you know, they hadn't lived, they hadn't worked. And, you know, a lot of them just cared about getting good grades on their exams. And you know, the typical mentality of students. Well, it's a typical mentality of a graduate for sure, cuz they worked that hard to get where they're at. And then all of a sudden they're amongst everybody else. So like in medical school, at least in medical school, I went to, everybody was at the top of the class when they came from undergrad, and all of a sudden to be the top of the class there. It's, it's an ego blow. And a lot of people just view it as a badge. Like, I'm just gonna learn this and crush this and do whatever, but to actually realize no, I'm learning stuff to apply to people later on, is hard to do.And then like, I remember there was one girl who was like in a we're in a class and she's like, lifting her hand. She's like, Can we just like know, like, what topics you are actually going to be testing? And I like actually flicked her in the head. She was say me, I never because I was like, I looked her and she turned around, she's like, I go, I go, you are going to be a doctor, taking care of people's lives. That is a huge responsibility. And if they're not going to come in with just what you learned on the test, like honey, you I could do that because I was an older mature student, right? She was younger, and we were friends and you know, and she and she loved me so I got away with it. But you know, I said to her, I go, you know, you have a it's an enormous responsibility to be a doctor and you know, I feel so honored and blessed and like you do to Ken I know because we've had so many conversations like this.That is I want to not to digress from this at all, but this is a great opportunity. I got our good friend, Tony. Just came out with his book and your book, I can't wait to read your book. But Tony's awesome. Tony's awesome love this guy, this whole book. It's called playing God, but it's basically exactly what you're talking about. And he brings up an example in there, where there's this star resident, the star resident that's kind of competing with him about this plastic surgery. But Tony got they went and took a test. And he did well on it. And then there was like medical emergency the next day, and he figured something out that and he said the patient's life, and the other resident didn't like it, like How'd you know how to do that? He's like, well, it was on the test, but it's all about studying to apply.Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. Studying to apply. And It's so important, right? So I would definitely spend like, prob I would say like my 82 Gosh, probably 120 hours I would be I would be studying or in school. So it was intense. And you know, I really I unfortunately really hurt myself in in in that that time and by the time I got to third year moving into my fourth my fourth my residency year, I actually I felt completely ill like chronic fatigue. I couldn't get out of bed I couldn't I couldn't do anything. I was just I was really really stuck. Really? Yeah. And and at that time, which was scary was that I was actually doing all the right things. I was eating all the right diets for me, I was taking all the right supplements I was you know, doing all the right things that I could do. And I you know, had a really heartfelt conversation with my lovely mother, who you know, normally was one who just constantly pushed me forward, push, push, push, push, push, but this was the time in my life where she said, uou know what, it's time for you to rest and take the time that you need, so you can get back to being you.  I thought she was gonna put you back on prednisoneNo, no, thank God. No, my mom my mom was always trying to get me on to witches brew right it was like she was she already have that latin American you know, let's do like the natural I got some herb.No I would like I said when I was studying in San Antonio not uncommonly the whole you know, the whole chicken eggs under the bed kind of thing and whatever.Absolutely raised part of our culture and our tradition is so awesome but and you know what and I did that and but more more importantly than that what I did was this there had been something that was recommended to me at every health food store I had gone to as a sales rep for that natural company, every naturopathic doctors office, every chiropractor I had talked to every every person I had been in contact with with something called the castor oil pack. And I had said no that I wasn't going to do it for the longest time probably about 15 years at that point. Because it was messy I felt like it was too much time it was a hassle didn't make sense to me. I'm like how can this thing that's like you pour castor oil, you know, which is you know what, you know, people that live in the Caribbean people are like oh god don't give me castor oil because they you know take it weekly to you know purge so that they prevent their parasites right this kind of like cultural tradition. I didn't know that. Caribbean islands? Yeah, Caribbean Indian Indian culture as well too. They do that weekly one tablespoon castor oil to purge the gut. Right. So So I was thinking like, I don't want to do that like because I had a misconception of it and how is castor oil put on your body topically gonna go in your body? And how is that going to work and help my gut and you know, just miraculously improve my IBS, right? I'm like, whatever. I didn't believe it. That was my like, cuz I was also you know, my sister's a dentist. So I also have that mindset where it's like, you know, I am very, very, very scientific and I am and the woo woo's. I'm into both of them. I don't want to call naturopath a woo woo but you know, that yeah, I mean, it is it's like, you know, Earth medicine and like the herbs and then the homeopathy and all these different things like just different tools, mindset. These are all different tools, and I think they just were I think they work so good together with Science and these tools are now like natural things are also getting a little bit more science behind them which is excellent and and experience helps too but I had to figure out something different I needed to do something different so then what I said to myself was this you know what? I am going to try that that castor oil pack I don't care if it's a shitty mess whatever I'm going to do it I'm going to try it and I'm going to see if it's going to help me.Now wait a minute. What were your symptoms that you were experiencing at this time? Well, it was it was severe chronic fatigue including like constipation alternating with diarrhea so I had mono antibodies so I was you know and and and stress honestly like I think to me I think the really the biggest problem was just that it was stress like that the stress was just so enormous and then I was putting so much pressure on myself to be the best that I could be so that I could be the best doctor because I wanted to be no I need no I'm I needed to be the best doctor ever because this was super important to me because of what happened to me as child.So what I like getting the history of this and I like listening to your struggle because people don't see that and what they do is they'll go on your YouTube video and say, Oh, she's got it all together.She's so amazing, perfect.Yeah, and people don't realize that you you had kind of a difficult childhood you turn around and then in your quest to become a really good doctor you destroyed yourself. People don't realize that that's the kind of effort that's the kind of mentality it takes to become the queen of Thrones. And all people see is this end product.Yeah exactly. You know what we are one of those this quote this weekend one of my friends said, it's like you know, people see in the one minute of success what people have been doing behind the scenes for like 10 years, right or from in anyone's case it's like their lifetime before that like everything that is created who they are up until this moment right now.There's a saying in the entrepreneur world it only it only took 10 years to be an overnight success. That's right, exactly that right like and that's the thing is that you know, it's like every like everything I look at my life, everything that every journey every every every shitty point, you know those things shitty points are so bad. And now I guess, I'm so happy I swear this is like awesome. A whole new.You know, all those points, they're all part of your journey and it's so important you have to honor them. Do you have a favorite spanish swear word? No, because my mother wouldn't really I know my mother wouldn't really like teach us that right and so because we were in Northern Ontario there weren't too many Spanish people we never got indoctrinated with, with, you know, any of the spanish swear words. My parents were very clean. So we did. I mean, maybe the worst one would be like hijo de puta. I feel bad when I say I'm like my mom, like, no, don't say that. Right.We're gonna send a clip of that to your mom. Oh, no. She's seen and she's up in heaven.Oh that's right! I'm sorry.She passed way this year. Yeah. Do you want to talk about that for a second. Yeah, we can. Yeah, totally. So my mom, you know, she she's also a big driver in why I do what I do because of her suffering with constipation. And, you know, I truly wish that she would have dealt with her constipation earlier on and had the availability of better doctors to be able to get better because you know what people who have constipation for their lives, especially women and overweight then they tend to be highly likely to get some type of hormonal breast hormonal cancers, right? Like breast cancer, right? You have all this weight, you know, constipation, it just it just it's something that can happen very easily. And, you know, my mother's, you know, was one of my very first cancer patients actually, but fortunately she beat stage four breast cancer. She beat it. At stage 4?She did comp a mix of we were so fortunate we actually like we're very personal close personal friends with the oncologist at our hospital because they've actually kind of given her nothing's really going to happen. But we were able to get her breast removed we were able to like do both chemo and radiation. And then she she, you know, suped it all up with adding and all the natural stuff on the side with naturopathic medicine and she did awesome and she survived 10 years 10 years and then what end up happening was it was a stroke. A hemorrhagic stroke out of the blue. But you know, we got 10 more years, which is amazing. And you know, you know, but if she is still like to this day if she had worked better on, I think being better at her bowels. When you're better with your bowels Your life is simply better. Like it's it's just it's just the way it goes you feel better when you poop better, right? Like there's no...Well I think that if you have a if you go to your website, you've got the 50 shades of poo.I love that. Yes, my fifty shades poo. My nasty little secret.So she's got her 50 shades of poo, which you gotta talk about that that really, when we see how people are digesting a lot of that actually can come down to as a kind of a window into what's happening in your body. And so yeah, yeah. So I'm so sorry that your mom died this year.Thanks Ken. Yeah, you know, it has been definitely a huge journey and a lot of it has brought up a lot of different things because she was truly the biggest believer in me, you know, and so to lose that force behind me, but I haven't lost her and that's the thing truly like she's actually here constantly and like, I feel her presence completely. And so I feel guided by her and, and her passing actually just makes me makes me must have this and help more people more, you know, because my goal is to actually reach a billion people and I will do that this is a must in my life. And and the reason why is because, you know, 20% of our population actually deals with like constipation or some form of digestive, like problems. That's a billion people around the world.Oh, it's huge. It's huge. In in certain countries. It's really interesting because when you look at different countries that have digestive issues, it really is the Western world. And now as other countries become more westernized, they're starting to develop these same things. Latin America. Latin America. I mean, Brazil is one of the largest IBS populations also. US Brazil, and then we have these different countries and so, you know, we've always been taught that 20% of the US population has irritable bowel syndrome. And there's that is my explanation as to why we have this huge increase of autoimmune disease and all these other things.Yeah. And the thing is what's really cool is this. So I found stats on constipation, it's 14% in North America 21% in Latin America countries. 7.8% in Asian countries. So it just goes to show right like, and you know, Latin America, like I could say that being a Latin American is that it is it is definitely getting corrupted with a lot of the North American, like the SAD diet, like the standard American diet is really infiltrating into that.The SAD diet. Stsndard American diet. I have never thought aboutYeah, right. Like, because it's like, I mean, you know, and not all Americans are a SAD die, right? Many of us are like, I feel like I'm an American. Many Americans do live a good healthy lifestyle, right. But there are those people who are eating a lot of packaged, processed, you know, fast food, and that's the majority of their of their diet. And that's the type of diet that will really, you know, like be a detriment to your system. And you know, Latin American countries are taking that all up as well to, you know, and I think just just sometimes too, they do eat a very starchy diet and heavy starches also can be a problem for constipation. So that could be a thing too. But it's it's it's really interesting and this is a must for me now like, really I want to help people because my mom's passing I know I probably would have gotten another 10-15 years had her constipation not be a problem and then her not having cancer and not having those, those struggles to go through in life. How did your sister handle it?My sister, so interesting, you know, she couldn't even watch her pass, which was she ended up coming into the room to watch her pass, but she didn't want to. And I found that very interesting, because, you know, she's a healthcare professional as well too, but she's a dentist, so she doesn't necessarily deal with death and dying. You know, I've seen quite a few patients death, and I've been at their bedside for death and dying with my cancer patients. So I'm more used to it so I could deal with it, but my sister keeps on going. That's what she does. So I'm a little bit of the emotional wreckage you know, that like falls apart and is like, you know, crying for months on end. I actually took a sabbatical from clinical practice for six months, Six months? Yeah, I've never done that before but I just need I needed time. Because that was that was an important it's it's one of the hardest things that you deal with when you lose a parent. Right? Like, like the only other thing that I think could be worse would be to lose a child. You know, cuz you never want your children to leave before you. But losing a parent is detrimental but it has also given me a lot of strength. So I feel very honored to have been on that journey with her.Yeah, I lost my dad when I was 21 before I went into medicine but, but I always find it interesting when medical people have to deal with death or illness. And you know, you just start looking at things a little bit differently,Huge differently. And it's funny, we couldn't do anything for my mother we had no, there was nothing to save her in the stroke being hemorrhagic like is just like she was bleeding like they could have gone and got into her brain but we said you know, what are we doing? Like that's not going to be good quality of life. We don't even know she'd come out and she would be a vegetable. And we figured you know, this is her time. And and when I did see my sister was this is that her and I both tried to become the doctors when our mom got the stroke. Right? And but I, I not so well because I get too emotional. So I'm like, I don't want to treat family like you can't do it was too close to you right? But my sister got into like Dr mode, right? You want to see the scans you want to see this and I'm like thank God at least you can do that and I'll I'll be the emotional support you will be. So we're good team that way. So thank God. That's awesome. Yeah.So getting back to when you finally discovered this castor oil pack. So what did it do for you?Well, immediately I started sleeping better. And immediately I started noticing that my my bowel movements were better, better formed. I'd had them a little bit more frequently or when I did have them I'd actually go more. So I'd have more eliminate all at once. So I was pretty impressed with that and then and then you know of course I was also doing other things I was getting IV therapy. I was I was doing other things on top of that. Because I wanted to get better and I wanted to get back into my life right. I felt like I was having to take a big pause and a break and I wasn't happy with I really wanted to be back in the joy of what I was learning and doing. And so I started, I committed to myself to do these packs every single night because I wanted to feel better and that's what I did and and and I thought I would have to take a lot more but only and I ended up having to take one little semester and I got right back into the groove of things. And honestly, I feel it was the castor oil packs that really did something different for my body. And and what I ended up learning and researching years later was that it it of course it works on the digestive system and on the guts and on inflammation like castor oil is a well known, you know, topical, anti inflammatory, it does all those things. But what it did more than anything was that it changed my stress state. It moved me from being in the stress to sympathetic, you know, hardcore, constantly wired to be stressed out. And it moved me into the paused state which is like the parasympathetic and the relaxed state. And I think that above and beyond everything is what I needed more than anything, and I needed to be able to sleep better so that I could I could heal better at night, right? Because I wasn't healing good at night because I couldn't sleep. Right. I would spend hours just like in my mind.I think that that is it's really interesting. And I want to geek out. About castor oil. I'm not very familiar with it, certainly the topical application of it I did a little bit of reading about it. But what's let's get back to the whole stress aspect. It is so fascinating that I have so many people that will go through a profoundly stressful period, and then develop a significant disease. It's almost like insult to injury. Yeah, I'll have people to go through a bad divorce and then they'll show up with crohn's. They're like what there has to be some sort of correlation, all of this with the cortisol and just these inflammatory markers that are all going up. And then don't even get me started. I think that the three pillars of health are our gut, brain and sleep. Basically, we need to make sure that we decrease the inflammatory process in our brain. We need to protect the gut, and you gotta sleep.See I say eat sleep, poop. But the brain is in there for sure, I think the brain is just an extension of the gut. That's my that's my perception of it. I've got, I've got a talk that I give and quite a bit of data where I can actually show that they have taken. And so a lot of lot of traditional doctors will not discuss leaky gut. And you know, but if you say, Oh, it's intestinal permeability, maybe that'll be a little bit more, but it's really well known and they're documented does some people say there's not science, I've got thousands of articles documenting a lot of this, something really wild. And this is how I end up telling my patients I'm like, Look, they did a study where they took human digestive tissue and they put it with inflammatory markers. And then I checked the permeability of it. And they actually showed the different things like zonulin like leaked through and stuff, and then they had different sizes. So there, that's an in vitro study, then there's not a blood brain barrier, same exact inflammatory markers, and they, they show that the blood brain barrier becomes leaky. So we've got leaky gut, leaky brain, it's all tied together,All tied together. And then so this is a thing to talking about cortisol Is that the research that I've looked at is mainly that my focus has been a lot on the stress component and cortisol and and my research has shown that whenever there's an elevated level of cortisol, your gut is impermeable so it goes completely together is that you know like it's that inflammation back to the chicken and egg we were talking about earlier not the chicken under the bed but the chicken and the egg right the chicken and the egg where it's like it's you got inflammation first and then you get stressor you get stress and then you get inflammation so it that's that that whole that's what's playing out there with that. Alright now let's talk geeking out. You are now going to become a teacher to me.Absolutely! Love it!So castor oil. You on your website you have it is the castor oil pack that you wear. yeahSo just tell just teach me just I don't know shit about castor oil. Well, I'm going to show you how to shit with castor oil. But not early. So we all know like Castor Oil of course you know that's it's it's approved by Health Canada. It's approved by the FDA orally for use to for bowel movements or for constipation right and actually at the turn of the century castor was one of those oils that was you know, everywhere and all the little like apothecary pharmacies, right and they would use it along with like things like Ipecac and those all those old herbs. So castor oils are super cool. castor oil actually is a plant of vegetable vegetable plants, some water in a vegetable plant and this vegetable plant actually what's so cool about it is that the bean will kill you but the oil that is extracted from it will heal you so the bean is actually used in like warfare. It's like a biological weapons that it'll kill you it'll stop your DNA replication and they'll kill you within like six hours if you take enough of a dose.The whole been like if you just eat it.Yeah, yeah, yeah, the bean I mean can kill you. So it's, like so many patients have seen it on like CSI and they're always like, Oh my god, I heard that on CSI about like the castor bean. It's like a biological warfare. It's neat. But the oil when it's extracted and cold pressed doesn't contain the component that kills you which is the ricin component. So yeah.Oh wait. Ricin?Yeah, that's from he castor bean.Yeah so ricin it kills you right? It kills your ear it like block your receptors. Oh! I had no idea.Oh yea it's potent neural toxin. Ricin comes from castor bean?Yeah. Castor bean yeah ricin comes from the castor bean. So so the castor oil though however does not contain that, but how castor oil actually like if you were to take a spoonful of castor oil to actually have a bowel movement. What ends up happening is it's not the people think that it's the ricin that makes you you know have explosive diarrhea. That's not the way it works. Castor oil stimulates nitric oxide production within the gut, nitric oxide production within the gut which nitric oxide of course is healing Of course, you know, that simulates paracel in it's a speak to me about it. About nitrous oxide.Oh, nitric oxide. That's that. So nitric oxide, the reason why I'm super interested into it and we know that that is the molecule that stimulates vascel dilation, which increases blood flow. And so we're real big in nitric oxide because we have been working with some sports medicine people without Antrantil, and I'm here once again, plug Atrantil, sponsor of the show. So what as it turns out the polyphenols in there, they actually have been shown to increase nitric oxide. So for sports recovery. And it decreases reactive nitrogen species reactive oxygen species so so we're so we're super big about nitric oxide.So and this is what one of the actions of castor oil does. And so which is which is amazing. And nitric oxide is also, you know, in other research, they're using it as antimicrobials. So there's some really neat, neat, neat research and they actually use it on catheters and such they'll they'll put nitric oxide on it in order to help reduce infection rates. Yeah, it there's that there's really neat, neat, neat information coming out with nitric oxide Of course, it's a you know, gasotransmitter of the digestive system as well too, but the nitric oxide is one of the mechanisms of action but there's also castor oil also stimulates PGE3 and it's it touches on to the receptors in the gut that create parasol cysts. So that's how it gets yourPGE3 is a smooth muscle receptor.A hundred percent exactly so so it creates a paracelsus and smooth muscle of the body if you take it orally, so in the digestive tract but then also in the uterus so that's why there's a contraindications so don't use castor oil if you're pregnant unless you are inducing a baby and you've been you know your midwife or someone has recommended to do that. Because castor oil will stimulate any sleep muscle in the body to go to the bathroom so uterus is the other smooth muscle of the body. So that's enough action to go to the bathroom. Then castor oil topically has been compared to capsaicin which is like hot red hot chili pepper, and red hot chili peppers are known as a very good anti inflammatory The only problem with it is it makes it red and a bit burning is called a rubefacient effect. It gets it gets really really red into the skin when you put... Rubefacient...Rubefacient yeah, right.That's a big word. I didn't learn that in medical school.No well hey...I love it.These canadian naturopaths are smart!So that reddening is uncomfortable for people right and then of course you know like think about it you get like chili pepper on your fingers or your hands what happens if you get a close your eyes it's like burn, so you don't want that but castor oil has the same effect in terms of like reducing edema, reducing the inflammatory markers and not and and not oh also reducing substance piece so your pain perception is reduced with castor oil topically and it's an amazing oil.So it does this topically but that you had a systemic effect. So how does that happen when you put soemthing on topically?So it has to do with the the triglyceride chains in the oil of castor oil. So castor oil is composed of mai

Shane Gillis and SNL revisited; Chemda’s Depo-Provera sex shot; the audience’s KATG dreams; celibacy; Keith as a gay man; Weird but True: using emojis = getting sex, the 12,000 calorie burger, Paris etiquette, woman dreamt she ate her engagement ring and she really did, man pulls 220-ton tugboat with 1 finger, brain chip zaps you when you think about overeating

In this episode, your host Dr. Celestine, discusses the recent push to allow birth control to be prescribed and/or administered directly from the pharmacy without a visit to your doctor. We touch on the rules and regulations for this in many states across the country and compare it to the most recent changes in the state of West Virginia. Also, has this not been in many countries way before America got on board?? Listen to the episode to find out how and where you can get your birth control!

Does contraception use decrease abortion rates? What does the research say? Today, Mallory Smyth from Endow joins the show to discuss what researchers have found when looking at the relationship between contraceptive use and abortion. Resources mentioned: - British writings on contraception: Elle on British Women and Abortions - link British Pregnancy Advisory Services on British women and late-term abortions - link - Guttmacher Institute (research arm of Planned Parenthood) studies on contraception and abortion - link - Depo-Provera and monkeys: The Decline of Males by Dr. Lionel Tiger - Economics and contraception: The Bitter Pill by Timothy Reichert - Increased hormones in water supply: Can Birth Control Hormones Be Filtered from the Water Supply? from Scientific American - How birth control changes attraction preferences:  Birth Control Pills Affect Women's Taste in Men from Scientific American  Going Off the Pill Could Affect Who You're Attracted to, Study Finds from Time - Encyclical Letter Humane Vitae of Pope Paul VI (July 25, 1968) - link - Mary Eberstadt on Humanae Vitae: click for video - More writings on the link between contraception and abortion: Human Life International - link All Life League - link

12 - 15 min read. Let's talk about sex baby let's talk about you and me let's talk about all the good things and the bad things, yeah baby. “...to be honest I didn't have sex until I was 21 and I just wanted to wait to find someone that I connected with, I didn't have to be in love or you know be in a relationship or be married or anything like that I just wanted to have a connection… so I waited until I found that” - Addison If you talking to me, we going deep in some way. Gossiping about other people and the weather rarely makes an appearance, but your dreams will. My room is like a spaceship in the jungle. When you go through the house, walk down the hallway to my door, then you enter my room…  your whole energy changes, I witness it every time. It smells like Nag Champa incense with a dash of eucalyptus… or lavender from my oil diffuser. Friends and family will get comfortable and attach themselves to whatever object their soul is screaming for. Anyway, My friend Addison and I meet up about once a week. She makes the effort to visit me before she starts her shift at work. Addison comes into my room, sits on my bed, and pulls out her fun bag. I roll up and it begins, she starts to pour the happenings from the last week onto me, we both do. After some belly laughs and belly breathes, we begin zoning in on what she really wanted to say. I start the phone recorder and spark the j at the same time, starting the conversation on sex and controlled since birth. This goddess has been through surgery in the last year to remove several cysts and is actively finding holistic ways to keep her cysts from growing or coming back all together. We talk about a lot, a shit ton to be more accurate. I was intrigued with her experience on and off birth control, strengthening the notion of societal expectation and women being controlled since birth. We are bringing awareness to some intriguing facts about how birth control manipulates the body to respond in a more linear (masculine) way than our natural feminine cyclic manner. The use of birth control can potentially lead to other serious medical conditions like issues with bone density, loss of libido, liver challenges, and much more. Women taking birth control have experienced light, little, or no blood. When the blood stops, where does it go? Is it backed up like a plumbing system? More importantly, how can one have a sex positive lifestyle without manipulating the body? Addison tells me her story and I want to share some highlights from that conversation. @highgirlsclub on Instagram Listening to the above clip, I would advise anyone taking birth control to check the long term effects it has on your body. In this case, with Addison, the Depo Provera shot, in the long run can cause bone density issues and should not be in the body for more than 2 1/2 years. Also, there are many side effects (just like any drug) when withdrawing from birthcontrol. Birth control hormones for women, manipulates the body to act more linear than the more natural cyclic way women operate. There are many birth control methods on the market today (for men and women). If you are concerned with hormones messing with your natural flow, I suggest doing your research and testing control methods that work for you, the sexually active individual. Of course, abstinence from sex is 100% gaurenteed method for birth control. If you are looking into birth control hormones, be aware at the doctors office. Ask the doctor or physician assistants questions about the different levels of hormones and request alternative methods other than hormone treatments. The doctor and you espcecially can get to know your medical history and start self evaluating what feels good for you and your body. There are many advantages to taking birth control, but do weigh out the disadavantages. Besides the pill, condoms, shots, etc... the pull out method is listed as a method of birth control (with ...

In today's episode, I interview Emma Engelman. Em started trying to conceive shortly after getting married at the age of 23. With no friends who had had kids or were trying to conceive she felt she had very little understanding of menstral cycles or tips or tricks in trying to conceive. She had been on the pill Depo-Provera for 3 years and hadn't had a period during that time. After a year of trying and being unsuccessful, Emm saw an obstetrician who prescribed Clomid. She went on Clomid for 5 months to try and regulate her cycles. She found the hormonal surges and other side effects very challenging. She decided to come off the drugs and try naturally again. Her husband who is a little bit spiritual said: “We need to visualize the baby coming and prepare a nursery”.  So Emm went and bought a fancy nappy bag and pram and found out she had conceived her first child naturally shortly after. To hear more about Emm's first pregnancy in which she got both Pancreatitis and kidney stones, tune into this weeks show. Topics covered: IVF, Clomid, egg transfers, kidney stones, pancreatitis, natural conception.

Today’s episode is the newest installment of the Pill Reality Series. Malissa shares her experience with Depo Provera. This episode is also sponsored by my 10 Week Fertility Awareness Mastery Group Program. The next session begins next week! You are invited to join us in the Fertility Awareness Mastery program! You'll have an opportunity to master Fertility Awareness, take a deep dive into your cycles, gain confidence charting your cycles, and gain deep insights into the connection between your health, your fertility, and your cycles. Click here to apply now! Topics discussed in today's episode: What drew Malissa to the contraceptive injection (the shot) in the first place What side effects did Malissa experience while taking the shot? How did the shot affect Malissa's libido? The ins and outs of negotiating the switch to a non-hormonal birth control method with your partner How long did it take for Malissa's period to come back? What was Malissa's previous history with hormonal birth control? Why your cycle is important even if you never want to have children? Why loss of libido (as a side effect of hormonal birth control) is a really big deal Connect with Lisa: You can connect with Lisa on her Website, on Facebook, and on Twitter. Resources mentioned: Fertility Awareness 101 FREE Video Series Fertility Awareness Mastery group program Fertility Friday Facebook Group Related podcasts & blog posts: Pill Reality Series Episodes | Fertility Friday FFP 175 |  Dangers of Depo | Side Effects of Injectable Birth Control | Traci Johnstone On-Air Client Sessions | Fertility Awareness Reality Series Fertility Awareness Episodes | Fertility Friday Join the community! Find us in the Fertility Friday Facebook Group Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast in Apple Podcasts! Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic A Special Thank You to Our Show Sponsor: Fertility Friday | 10 Week Fertility Awareness Mastery Group Program This episode is sponsored by my 10 Week Fertility Awareness Mastery Group Program! Master Fertility Awareness and take a deep dive into your cycles and how they relate to your overall health! Click here to apply now!  

In their birth control special, Chelsea Leingang and Christine McManigal go over the 20 different types of pregnancy prevention from abstinence to Depo-Provera, what’s worked for them and what they don’t recommend for others.

In the first part we discussed the pills, patch and ring. This episode will talk about those you don't have to remember to take daily or change weekly - Depo, IUD, and the Implant.We even delve into PERMANENT pregnancy prevention.

We are thrilled to re-visit an early podcast interview with Chrissy Fleishman who induced lactation for her baby born via surrogacy.  There are a couple of reasons why we are re-releasing it now.  One, we thought Chrissy gave a great interview.  She is well-informed and enthusiastic, and her experience has followed a fairly typical pattern - if there is such a thing in inducing lactation!  Second, we want to address a particular experience Chrissy shares.  Chrissy had Depo-Provera injections as a young adult in order to help with menstrual difficulties.  She experienced lactation as a side effect. Recently, there has been some information floating around online suggesting the use of Depo-Provera for inducing lactation.  This source cites a 1994 study done in Papua, New Guinea which 11 out of 12 mothers who had induced lactation with the help of a single Depo-Provera injection were able to fully lactate within a few weeks of starting the protocol.  (Nemba, 1994)  We agreed that this study seemed promising, not only because of the high rate of full lactation but also because the protocol described in the study takes much, much less time than other approaches typically used.  Although Alyssa had looked into this study when writing Breastfeeding Without Birthing, she decided it made sense to take another closer look and to contact some other professionals for their advice.  This podcast episode is about what she discovered (and in some cases  re-discovered).

Dr. Rako has been a psychiatrist in private practice in the Boston area for more than thirty-five years. She both trained and taught at Harvard Medical School's Massachusetts Mental Health Center, a teaching hospital in the Department of Psychiatry. She has become a pioneering expert on women’s reproductive health. She is the author of several books including “The Blessings of the Curse: No More Periods?” and “The Hormone of Desire: The Truth About Testosterone, Sexuality, and Menopause”. In today’s episode, we talk about menstrual suppression, and the idea that periods are optional, and suppressing them medically has a no broader impact on our bodies outside. Topics discussed in today's episode Are periods medically necessary? The relationship between the pill, estrogen, testosterone, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) The relationship between regular menstruation and Iron The impact of the menstrual cycle on cardiovascular health How was Depo Provera Discovered? The disturbing link between hormonal contraceptives, HPV, & Cervical Cancer The link between Depo Provera and Osteoporosis Long-term hormonal contraceptive use, the largest experiment ever conducted on women Connect with Dr. Rako You can connect with Dr. Rako on her website Resources mentioned Susan Rako The Blessings of the Curse: No More Periods? (book) | Susan Rako, M.D. The Hormone of Desire: The Truth About Testosterone, Sexuality, and Menopause (book) | Susan Rako, M.D. That's How The Light Gets In: Memoir of a Psychiatrist | Susan Rako, M.D. Join the community! Find us on the Fertility Friday Facebook Fan Page Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast on iTunes! Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by J-Gantic

For more than 50 years we women have been sold birth control pills. I first came upon it when I was 21 years old. Having given birth to a little girl my second child—and I was concerned about not becoming pregnant again. At that time birth control pills were dolled out for free to women. You just showed up at the Margaret Sanger Clinic, then housed in a building at 17 W. 16th St in New York not far from where I lived. I went there believing this new discovery—the birth control pill—would prevent me from having any unwanted pregnancies in the future. I was given a container of pills and told to take one each day. Believing in this wondrous new discovery, I returned to my apartment and took the first pill. Within two or three hours I felt quite sick. But, trying to be a good girl, I persisted. Over the next three days I swallowed the second and third pill as well. I spent those three days sitting in my king-size bed literally moaning because I felt so unwell. It was at that point I realized that this marvelous new discovery was most certainly not for me. I never touched the birth control pill, or any other pharmaceutical akin to it from that day until this. Meanwhile, over the next 30 years "The Pill" became a worldwide success. Or so it seemed. In the early 1980s "Direct To Consumers" advertising came into being. Women everywhere began to be bombarded on television and in magazines with a lot of hyped information about a wide variety of birth control pills and other artificial drugs, all of which were full of artificial hormones. By now of course birth control pills have become a multi-billion dollar industry. In fact, 50% of all oral contraceptive drugs are now sold worldwide. There's no question that being able to take a pill to prevent pregnancy can be convenient. But at what cost to the health of any woman who takes them long term? It's essential that women learn to balance the risks of taking these pharmaceuticals with their supposed great benefits and convenience. These days, contraceptives are offered in many forms. Most women are prescribed an IUD containing artificial hormones. These are widely used in the UK. Meanwhile, in a few European countries—from Denmark and Sweden to Norway and the Czech Republic—hormone-free intrauterine devices are available. Some of these non-hormonal products are given free in countries with universal government health insurance. In the United States, however, there is only one nonhormonal IUD. It's known as Paragard. And it is by no means the top seller. There all sorts of other products you can use for family planning. These include condoms, diaphragms, spermicides, and other non-hormonal birth control methods such as regular injections and permanent sterilization. So what's the problem? Let's start here: In 2012 a huge study was carried out on Depo-Provera. This is a contraceptive injection based on an artificial hormone called a progestogen. It found that women who received prescribed shots of Depo-Provera every few months more than doubled their risk of developing breast cancer.

For more than 50 years we women have been sold birth control pills. I first came upon it when I was 21 years old. Having given birth to a little girl my second child—and I was concerned about not becoming pregnant again. At that time birth control pills were dolled out for free to women. You just showed up at the Margaret Sanger Clinic, then housed in a building at 17 W. 16th St in New York not far from where I lived. I went there believing this new discovery—the birth control pill—would prevent me from having any unwanted pregnancies in the future. I was given a container of pills and told to take one each day. Believing in this wondrous new discovery, I returned to my apartment and took the first pill. Within two or three hours I felt quite sick. But, trying to be a good girl, I persisted. Over the next three days I swallowed the second and third pill as well. I spent those three days sitting in my king-size bed literally moaning because I felt so unwell. It was at that point I realized that this marvelous new discovery was most certainly not for me. I never touched the birth control pill, or any other pharmaceutical akin to it from that day until this. Meanwhile, over the next 30 years "The Pill" became a worldwide success. Or so it seemed. In the early 1980s "Direct To Consumers" advertising came into being. Women everywhere began to be bombarded on television and in magazines with a lot of hyped information about a wide variety of birth control pills and other artificial drugs, all of which were full of artificial hormones. By now of course birth control pills have become a multi-billion dollar industry. In fact, 50% of all oral contraceptive drugs are now sold worldwide. There's no question that being able to take a pill to prevent pregnancy can be convenient. But at what cost to the health of any woman who takes them long term? It’s essential that women learn to balance the risks of taking these pharmaceuticals with their supposed great benefits and convenience. These days, contraceptives are offered in many forms. Most women are prescribed an IUD containing artificial hormones. These are widely used in the UK. Meanwhile, in a few European countries—from Denmark and Sweden to Norway and the Czech Republic—hormone-free intrauterine devices are available. Some of these non-hormonal products are given free in countries with universal government health insurance. In the United States, however, there is only one nonhormonal IUD. It's known as Paragard. And it is by no means the top seller. There all sorts of other products you can use for family planning. These include condoms, diaphragms, spermicides, and other non-hormonal birth control methods such as regular injections and permanent sterilization. So what's the problem? Let’s start here: In 2012 a huge study was carried out on Depo-Provera. This is a contraceptive injection based on an artificial hormone called a progestogen. It found that women who received prescribed shots of Depo-Provera every few months more than doubled their risk of developing breast cancer. Of course birth control is not the only reason that women take "The Pill." Many, especially teenagers, are prescribed "The Pill" in an attempt to make their experience of menstruation more bearable hopefully easing monthly cramps and helping to alleviate premenstrual syndrome. What few women regardless of age are aware of—especially young women—is that using artificial hormones, in the form of “The Pill” or any other form, which are doled out almost like candies these days, can seriously undermine their health long-term and do damage to their lives. Austrian geneticist Josef Penninger discovered that there is a dangerous connection between progestin—an artificial hormone used in many birth control pills—and conventional HRT significantly increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer. Researchers at the Institute of Molecular Biology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences have identified the mechanism that allows synthetic sex hormones to influence these cells. It can switch on a hormone in your body known as RANKL within the cells—especially your breast cells—which makes them divide and multiply. It can also prevent cells from dying as they are supposed to in order to make room for new healthier cells. And since stem cells in the breast have the ability to renew themselves, this can make you prone to breast cancer. As Penninger says, “I have to admit it completely surprised me just how massive the effects on the system were. Millions of women take progesterone derivatives in contraceptives and for hormonal replacement therapy.” There are lots of natural alternatives to clearing PMS and the monthly menstrual agonies that women—particularly young women—experience. Homeopathy, acupuncture, and chiropractors can be of tremendous help. Simply supplementing your diet with a good form of magnesium can make a huge difference. Steering clear of plastic water bottles that contain dangerous BPA (Bisphenol A) is also important. So can making simple changes in what you choose to eat, like avoiding packaged convenience foods of all kinds. For many women, just giving up cows milk products including cream, cow’s milk yogurt, and cows milk cheese makes a huge difference in clearing up cramps and PMS. Also, stay away from carbohydrates that come from grains and cereals and refuse to take sugar in any form. Sheep, goat, and buffalo milk make wonderful cheeses, yogurts, and other products. Finally, eat REAL FOODS—proteins from animals that have been raised on green grass, together with organic vegtables and a few fruits. Do this for as short a time as three weeks to a month, and your health can literally be transformed. Try it and find out for yourself.

For more than 50 years we women have been sold birth control pills. I first came upon it when I was 21 years old. Having given birth to a little girl my second child—and I was concerned about not becoming pregnant again. At that time birth control pills were dolled out for free to women. You just showed up at the Margaret Sanger Clinic, then housed in a building at 17 W. 16th St in New York not far from where I lived. I went there believing this new discovery—the birth control pill—would prevent me from having any unwanted pregnancies in the future. I was given a container of pills and told to take one each day. Believing in this wondrous new discovery, I returned to my apartment and took the first pill. Within two or three hours I felt quite sick. But, trying to be a good girl, I persisted. Over the next three days I swallowed the second and third pill as well. I spent those three days sitting in my king-size bed literally moaning because I felt so unwell. It was at that point I realized that this marvelous new discovery was most certainly not for me. I never touched the birth control pill, or any other pharmaceutical akin to it from that day until this. Meanwhile, over the next 30 years "The Pill" became a worldwide success. Or so it seemed. In the early 1980s "Direct To Consumers" advertising came into being. Women everywhere began to be bombarded on television and in magazines with a lot of hyped information about a wide variety of birth control pills and other artificial drugs, all of which were full of artificial hormones. By now of course birth control pills have become a multi-billion dollar industry. In fact, 50% of all oral contraceptive drugs are now sold worldwide. There's no question that being able to take a pill to prevent pregnancy can be convenient. But at what cost to the health of any woman who takes them long term? It’s essential that women learn to balance the risks of taking these pharmaceuticals with their supposed great benefits and convenience. These days, contraceptives are offered in many forms. Most women are prescribed an IUD containing artificial hormones. These are widely used in the UK. Meanwhile, in a few European countries—from Denmark and Sweden to Norway and the Czech Republic—hormone-free intrauterine devices are available. Some of these non-hormonal products are given free in countries with universal government health insurance. In the United States, however, there is only one nonhormonal IUD. It's known as Paragard. And it is by no means the top seller. There all sorts of other products you can use for family planning. These include condoms, diaphragms, spermicides, and other non-hormonal birth control methods such as regular injections and permanent sterilization. So what's the problem? Let’s start here: In 2012 a huge study was carried out on Depo-Provera. This is a contraceptive injection based on an artificial hormone called a progestogen. It found that women who received prescribed shots of Depo-Provera every few months more than doubled their risk of developing breast cancer. Of course birth control is not the only reason that women take "The Pill." Many, especially teenagers, are prescribed "The Pill" in an attempt to make their experience of menstruation more bearable hopefully easing monthly cramps and helping to alleviate premenstrual syndrome. What few women regardless of age are aware of—especially young women—is that using artificial hormones, in the form of “The Pill” or any other form, which are doled out almost like candies these days, can seriously undermine their health long-term and do damage to their lives. Austrian geneticist Josef Penninger discovered that there is a dangerous connection between progestin—an artificial hormone used in many birth control pills—and conventional HRT significantly increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer. Researchers at the Institute of Molecular Biology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences have identified the mechanism that allows synthetic sex hormones to influence these cells. It can switch on a hormone in your body known as RANKL within the cells—especially your breast cells—which makes them divide and multiply. It can also prevent cells from dying as they are supposed to in order to make room for new healthier cells. And since stem cells in the breast have the ability to renew themselves, this can make you prone to breast cancer. As Penninger says, “I have to admit it completely surprised me just how massive the effects on the system were. Millions of women take progesterone derivatives in contraceptives and for hormonal replacement therapy.” There are lots of natural alternatives to clearing PMS and the monthly menstrual agonies that women—particularly young women—experience. Homeopathy, acupuncture, and chiropractors can be of tremendous help. Simply supplementing your diet with a good form of magnesium can make a huge difference. Steering clear of plastic water bottles that contain dangerous BPA (Bisphenol A) is also important. So can making simple changes in what you choose to eat, like avoiding packaged convenience foods of all kinds. For many women, just giving up cows milk products including cream, cow’s milk yogurt, and cows milk cheese makes a huge difference in clearing up cramps and PMS. Also, stay away from carbohydrates that come from grains and cereals and refuse to take sugar in any form. Sheep, goat, and buffalo milk make wonderful cheeses, yogurts, and other products. Finally, eat REAL FOODS—proteins from animals that have been raised on green grass, together with organic vegtables and a few fruits. Do this for as short a time as three weeks to a month, and your health can literally be transformed. Try it and find out for yourself.

Jerilynn is a Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the University of British Columbia. She has spent her career studying menstrual cycles and the effects of the cycle's estrogen and progesterone hormones on women's health. She is the founder (2002) and Scientific Director of the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research (CeMCOR). She is also Director of the BC Centre for the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study (CaMOS) that is studying osteoporosis, fractures and bone density in both women and men. Dr. Prior has studied women's menstrual cycles, perimenopause and the causes for and treatment of osteoporosis. She is the author of Estrogen's Storm Season--stories of perimenopause, and has recently co-authored The Estrogen Errors--Why Progesterone is Better for Women's Health. In today’s show, we talk about the important role that regular ovulation plays not only in a woman’s menstrual cycle and in her fertility but in her overall health in many ways, more specifically with respect to a woman’s bone health, heart health, and breast health. Topics discussed in today's episode Why it is possible to have a regular period and not actually be ovulating regularly What is the relationship between progesterone and ovulation? How having short luteal phases negatively impacts bone density in women What impact do estrogen and progesterone levels during the menstrual cycle have on bone formation and bone loss? What is the impact of hormonal contraceptives on bone health? Do hormonal contraceptives cause bone loss? How does the pill impact bone density in women who start taking it as teenagers? How long does it take for a woman's menstrual cycle to mature? What impact do hormonal contraceptives have on menstrual cycle maturation? What is it about Depo Provera that causes bone loss in the women who take it? The relationship between ovulation and heart health How is breast health impacted by fluctuating progesterone and estrogen levels? How is the menstrual cycle impacted by stress? Connect with Dr. Prior You can connect with Jerilynn on her Website, and on Facebook and Twitter! Resources mentioned The Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research (CEMCOR) | Dr. Jerilynn Prior Ask Us | Submit Your Questions Here | CEMCOR | Dr. Jerilynn Prior Preventative Powers of Ovulation and Progesterone (pdf) Ovulation and Menstrual Cycles Join the community! Find us on the Fertility Friday Facebook Fan Page Subscribe to the Fertility Friday Podcast on iTunes! Music Credit: Intro/Outro music Produced by Sirc of (The Nock)

Queen Neith (pronounced Neat) has served the community in healing capacities for the past 25 years building the self worth of women and helping them maximize their personal power.  In 2010, she began concentrating specifically on teaching transitional wellness when she began practicing a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle. Through this transition, she was able to heal herself from 40 lbs of Fibroid Tumors that have plagued her body for over 17 years after every gynecologist demanded that she have a hysterectomy.  She also lost almost 150 pounds in the process that she gained as a result of listening to the advice of the same doctors who were giving her double doses of the birth control Depo-Provera monthly as a fibroid treatment.

There's a birth control drug that is having a drastic impact on women all over the world. Join Reality In Christ Worship & Word as we interview the Executive Director of the Rebecca Project for Human RIghts in Washington. She is leading the charge to bring to light the injustices that have been thrust upon women do to the dangers of Depo-Provera. We will also hear from women who have had their lives drastically altered due thedrug that still to this day; has a black box warning label which means that it is very dangerous for human consumption.

Can anyone contextualize rape?  Apparently, if you are a proponent of White Privilege Theory, apparently you can.  We will be discussing the latest battle in the War on Women today. Also, TLFR welcomes Elaine Riddick from The Rebbeca Project for Justice back to the program.  New details on the class-action lawsuit for women harmed by Depo-Provera have emerged, and news about the emerging global use of Depo-Provera have recently come to light.  Elaine will be revealing for us the long-term detriment of Depo use and what has happened in areas of the world like Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.   We also welcome Toronto resident Luis Dizon to the show.  Canada has its own March for Life and political struggles with legal abortion.  We will be exploring more about how abortion is being protested by people of conscience to the north of us, Canadian style.  

Today, we maintain that if you knew the truth about Black History in America, you would be pro-life! Elaine Riddick will be joining us again to share recent developments at The Rebecca Project for Justice.  Elaine has been hard at work securing justice for those injured by Depo-Provera injections.  Plus, we will find out how far the pro-abortion forces are willing to go to undermine life-affirming efforts by pro-life people of conscience.  Elaine gives us an inside story you won't want to miss. About Elaine: Elaine Riddick is the Executive Director at the Rebecca Project for Justice. Ms. Riddick is a dedicated Women’s Rights activist who as a Depo Provera and contraceptive expert became the Victims Coordinator for Attorney Willie Gary’s Depo Provera class action lawsuit. Elaine studied psychology at New York City Tech and is building the Elaine Riddick Sister Sanctuary for girls at risk in Georgia—girls who are potential victims of sex trafficking, homeless or pregnant without a place to call home.  Ms. Riddick is an African-American woman who, as a 14-year-old girl in 1968, was forcibly sterilized by the Eugenics Board of North Carolina, after she gave birth to her brilliant Son Tony Riddick a successful businessman in North Carolina. The Eugenics board stated that Ms. Riddick was "feebleminded" and "promiscuous"; therefore, in accordance with the policies of Dr. Alan Guttmacher and Margaret Sanger, Ms. Riddick was sterilized without her consent. Elaine waged a 40 year battle for justice securing 10million dollars for surviving victims in North Carolina. 

Today, what does The Walking Dead and abortionists have in common?  Listen and find out in today's broadcast. We discovered that the Depo-Provera contraception issue we interviewed Elaine Riddick about last week is so much more involved than one interview could cover, so we will continue exploring this topic by interviewing Kwame Fosu, CFO of The Rebecca Project.  The Rebecca Project is spearheading a class-action suit against Pfizer, the manufacturer of Depo-Provera.  We will be asking Kwame about the circustances that have brought the dangers of Depo-Provera to the forefront.  

How can slavery be over, when people on TV are often caught wanting to subjugate their fellow man with those very words?  Letitia, Melissa, and Thomas discuss the latest example coming from MSNBC's Martin Bashir. Plus, the potential bombshell bill in the U.S. Senate that seeks to undo every abortion regulation and restriction in all 50 states, if Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) has his way--we will be analyzing the nature of this legislation and what ramifications it has for legal abortion. There's been a new fight on the field, but this time it comes from the pro-life side.  PLFR has had three members of Abolish Human Abortion on to share their views before, and it is time to evaluate their position and methods, especially as much of the pro-life community are also objects of their criticism as much as abortion supporters are.  Does the term "pro-life" mean "pro-abortion" now?  Guest Cary Michael Bogue talks about his new group on facebook "Abolishing All Abortion Incrementally," the meaning behind the name, and his role in abolishing abortion. And, join us for the amazing Elaine Riddick, the woman who has personally triumphed over the government's attempt to kill her by eugenics.  Elaine is the new national spokesperson on the dangers of Depo-Provera  for The Rebecca Project. She shares with us her personal story, as told in the documentary "Maafa21," what has shaped her beliefs about pro-life issues, and how she is an advocate today for true women's rights. 

Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor Links from today's show: Today's topics: The Obama administration's assault on religious liberty Summary of today's show:Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor go in-depth on the Obama administration's recent ruling that Catholic institutions must violate their religious beliefs and conscience in providing healthcare to employees. They consider Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan's forthright remarks that show how extreme the administration's policies on religious freedom are; the three key points highlighted by the US bishops that define this issue; a series of common questions and answers to clarify what's at stake; the USCCB's point-by-point rebuttal of the White House's response; and a particularly egregious column by the Boston Globe's Joan Venocchi. 1st segment: Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor caught up with their activities of the past week and discussed today's topic. Fr. Chris said it's outrageous what the Obama administration has done with Health and Human Services regulations on the contraception mandate for health insurance coverage. Scot said they will get behind the soundbites and slogan and examine the issue in-depth. 2nd segment: Scot said Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan has been on the forefront of this issue and read from his recent op-ed: Religious freedom is the lifeblood of the American people, the cornerstone of American government. When the Founding Fathers determined that the innate rights of men and women should be enshrined in our Constitution, they so esteemed religious liberty that they made it the first freedom in the Bill of Rights. In particular, the Founding Fathers fiercely defended the right of conscience. George Washington himself declared: “The conscientious scruples of all men should be treated with great delicacy and tenderness; and it is my wish and desire, that the laws may always be extensively accommodated to them.” James Madison, a key defender of religious freedom and author of the First Amendment, said: “Conscience is the most sacred of all property.” Scarcely two weeks ago, in its Hosanna-Tabor decision upholding the right of churches to make ministerial hiring decisions, the Supreme Court unanimously and enthusiastically reaffirmed these longstanding and foundational principles of religious freedom. The court made clear that they include the right of religious institutions to control their internal affairs. Yet the Obama administration has veered in the opposite direction. It has refused to exempt religious institutions that serve the common good—including Catholic schools, charities and hospitals—from its sweeping new health-care mandate that requires employers to purchase contraception, including abortion-producing drugs, and sterilization coverage for their employees. He played the Cardinal's video statement from the USCCB website on this issue. Scot further explained the Cardinal-designate's point about recent Supreme Court cases and how even justices appointed by Obama are saying the administration's interpretation of the first amendment is getting more and more extreme. Fr. Chris said he hears priests refer to it as the persecution of faith. He said this isn't the Church's war on Obama, but the Church calling for the protection of the freedom of conscience. Scot and Fr. Chris pointed out that our rights do not come from the will of the government, but that they are ours by right of our birth and given to us by God himself and this has been emphasized by Pope Benedict XVI, quoting our own Declaration of Independence. Scot said the contraceptive mandate imposed on health plans by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) violates freedom of conscience, which is guaranteed by the First Amendment and several federal laws. The Bill of Rights says we are free to live by our religious beliefs. Forcing all of us to buy coverage for sterilization and contraceptives, including drugs that induce abortion, is a radical incursion into freedom of conscience. Never before in U.S. history has the federal government forced citizens to directly purchase what violates their beliefs. The Supreme Court recently declared in the Hosanna-Tabor case that the Constitution gives a priority place to Freedom of Religion. Scot and Fr. Chris discussed how this isn't just a Catholic issue. The first amendment protects, for example, Jewish nursing homes from having to serve pork in meals to non-Jewish residents. The government cannot force them to under the Constitution. Scot said HHS created this mandate after Congress asked it to develop a list of services all health plans should provide without co-pay. Instead of keeping with the prevention of diseases like breast cancer, sexually transmitted diseases and gestational diabetes, HHS took it upon itself to include sterilizations, contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs. It treats pregnancy as an illness like breast cancer. Fr. Chris said we should talk about ensuring life, not discarding it. Obama is asking Catholics to support something that is radically against what we believe at the core of our faith. Scot said the US Conference of Catholic Bishops have been publishing numerous documents to help us understand this issue. One of the key points is that the mandate treats a healthy pregnancy as a disease in need of “prevention,” like breast cancer or AIDS (which other “preventive services” on HHS's list do legitimately seek to prevent). In reality, some of the mandated contraceptives are associated with an increased risk of AIDS, blood clots leading to stroke, and other ailments. Inclusion of these drugs places HHS's effort to prevent disease at war with itself. Militant pro-abortion people in the administration is trying to stick it to the Church. Fr. Chris said this is why he's so glad the USCCB is mobilizing and people are hearing what this is called for. Scot said the second point they make is that HHS wants abortifacient drugs to be required in every health plan. These drugs cause abortions and employers must subsidize abortion and individual Catholics must pay as part of their general premiums for everyone else's abortion drugs. Fr. Chris said the Church will not support this. Scot said the third point is that the rule violates religious freedom and rights of conscience. The rule has an incredibly narrow religious exemption for “religious employers” (not insurers, schools with student health plans, or families purchasing insurance). Even religious employers are exempt only if their purpose is to inculcate religious doctrine, they hire and serve mainly people of their own faith, and they qualify as a church or religious order in a very narrow part of the tax code. Most religious institutions providing health, educational or charitable services to others have no protection. The head of Catholic Charities USA said even Jesus wouldn't qualify for the exemption because he healed everyone regardless of their belief. Fr. Chris said the bill protects individual churches. Scot said it would not include churches if they have a food pantry that serves non-Catholics. It would force the Church to stop providing public services. Fr. Chris said institutions that don't buy in are threatened with fines and those fines could bankrupt them. It's as if the Obama administration wants to put Catholic charitable organizations out of business. 3rd segment: Scot and Fr. Chris discussed a list of questions and answer put out by the USCCB. the first question is “How important is the right of conscience in American tradition?” Scot quoted Thomas Jefferson: “No provision in our Constitution ought to be dearer to man than that which protects the rights of conscience against the enterprises of the civil authority”. In the past, has the federal government respected conscientious objections to procedures such as sterilization that may violate religious beliefs or moral convictions? Yes. For example, a law in effect since 1973 says that no individual is required to take part in “any part of a health service program or research activity funded in whole or in part under a program administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services” if it is “contrary to his religious beliefs or moral convictions” (42 USC 300a-7 (d)). Even the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, which requires most of its health plans to cover contraception, exempts religiously affiliated plans and protects the conscience rights of health professionals in the other plans. Currently no federal law requires anyone to purchase, sell, sponsor, or be covered by a private health plan that violates his or her conscience. How has the Department of Health and Human Services departed from this policy? By issuing a mandate for coverage of sterilization and contraceptives (including long-lasting injections and implants, and “morning-after pills” that may cause an early abortion) in virtually all private health plans. In August 2011 HHS included these procedures in a list of “preventive services for women” to be required in health plans issued on or after August 1, 2012. On January 20, 2012, HHS reaffirmed its mandate while deferring enforcement against some religious employers until August 2013. Scot noted that the timing means President Obama won't have to stand for re-election with this issue hanging over him. Fr. Chris noted Mitt Romney's recall of how Catholic Charities in Boston had to get out of the adoption business because of this kind of overreach into religious liberty. Scot noted that many Catholics who supported Obama in 2008 who have said how they are disappointed by this ruling and that they won't be supporting Obama in 2012 unless this changes. Obama won in 2008 with a greater portion of the Catholic vote than John McCain. They discussed prominent Catholic Doug Kmiec who supported Obama in 2008 and later was named Ambassador to Malta by Obama has said this has gone too far. Isn't this an aspect of the Administration's drive for broader access to health care for all? Whether or not it was intended that way, it has the opposite effect. People will not be free to keep the coverage they have now that respects their convictions. Organizations with many employees will have to violate their consciences or stop offering health benefits altogether. And resources needed to provide basic health care to the uninsured will be used instead to facilitate IUDs and Depo-Provera for those who already had ample coverage. This is a diversion away from universal health care. Scot said the bishops weren't very strong opposing the initial mandate in the law because they expected the religious exemption to be included and now the only provision was giving the Church an extra year to figure out how to violate our consciences or drop health care coverage for employees and face massive fines. Fr. Chris said Dolan met with Obama in November and came out of that meeting confident of this conscience clause so this is a real shock to the Catholic bishops. Fr. Chris said the media has reported first that the administration was reconsidering, but then said only that they would listen to concerns. What solution to this dispute would be acceptable? Ideally, HHS can leave the law the way it has always been, so those who provide, sponsor and purchase health coverage can make their own decisions about whether to include these procedures without the federal government imposing one answer on everyone. If HHS refuses, it will be especially urgent for Congress to pass the “Respect for Rights of Conscience Act” (HR 1179/S. 1467), to prevent health care reform act from being used to violate insurers' and purchasers' moral and religious beliefs. 4th segment: Scot said the USCCB issued a response to the White House's contradictory statements on its own contraceptive mandate. The Obama administration, to justify its widely criticized mandate for contraception and sterilization coverage in private health plans, has posted a set of false and misleading claims on the White House blog (“Health Reform, Preventive Services, and Religious Institutions,” February 1). In what follows, each White House claim is quoted with a response. Claim: “Churches are exempt from the new rules: Churches and other houses of worship will be exempt from the requirement to offer insurance that covers contraception.” Response: This is not entirely true. To be eligible, even churches and houses of worship must show the government that they hire and serve primarily people of their own faith and have the inculcation of religious values as their purpose. Some churches may have service to the broader community as a major focus, for example, by providing direct service to the poor regardless of faith. Such churches would be denied an exemption precisely because their service to the common good is so great. More importantly, the vast array of other religious organizations – schools, hospitals, universities, charitable institutions – will clearly not be exempt. Most religious organizations, not just Catholic, would be forced to provide such services. Claim: “No individual health care provider will be forced to prescribe contraception: The President and this Administration have previously and continue to express strong support for existing conscience protections. For example, no Catholic doctor is forced to write a prescription for contraception.” Response: It is true that these rules directly apply to employers and insurers, not providers, but this is beside the point: The Administration is forcing individuals and institutions, including religious employers, to sponsor and subsidize what they consider immoral. Less directly, the classification of these drugs and procedures as basic “preventive services” will increase pressures on doctors, nurses and pharmacists to provide them in order to participate in private health plans – and no current federal conscience law prevents that from happening. Finally, because the mandate includes abortifacient drugs, it violates one of the “existing conscience protections” (the Weldon amendment) for which the Administration expresses “strong support.” Scot said this is about forcing insurers to include them in their plans and individual Catholics must then subsidize those immoral acts. This isn't about directly providing the drugs. Claim: “No individual will be forced to buy or use contraception: This rule only applies to what insurance companies cover. Under this policy, women who want contraception will have access to it through their insurance without paying a co-pay or deductible. But no one will be forced to buy or use contraception.” Response: The statement that no one will be forced to buy it is false. Women who want contraception will be able to obtain it without co-pay or deductible precisely because women who do not want contraception will be forced to help pay for it through their premiums. This mandate passes costs from those who want the service, to those who object to it. Claim: “Drugs that cause abortion are not covered by this policy: Drugs like RU486 are not covered by this policy, and nothing about this policy changes the President's firm commitment to maintaining strict limitations on Federal funding for abortions. No Federal tax dollars are used for elective abortions.” Response: False. The policy already requires coverage of Ulipristal (HRP 2000 or “Ella”), a drug that is a close analogue to RU-486 (mifepristone) and has the same effects.1 RU-486 itself is also being tested for possible use as an “emergency contraceptive” – and if the FDA approves it for that purpose, it will automatically be mandated as well. Scot said the White House is trying to pivot from an unfavorable question to a more favorable. This isn't about a particular drug, but a class of drugs. Claim:“Over half of Americans already live in the 28 States that require insurance companies cover contraception: Several of these States like North Carolina, New York, and California have identical religious employer exemptions. Some States like Colorado, Georgia and Wisconsin have no exemption at all.” Response: This misleads by ignoring important facts, and some of it is simply false. All the state mandates, even those without religious exemptions, may be avoided by self- insuring prescription drug coverage, by dropping that particular coverage altogether, or by taking refuge in a federal law that pre-empts any state mandates (ERISA). None of these havens is available under the federal mandate. It is also false to claim that North Carolina has an identical exemption. It is broader: It does not require a religious organization to serve primarily people of its own faith, or to fulfill the federal rule's narrow tax code criterion. Moreover, the North Carolina law, unlike the federal mandate, completely excludes abortifacient drugs like Ella and RU-486 as well as “emergency contraceptives” like Preven. Scot said some states have policies on this, but they would be overridden by federal law. The state laws don't affect religious employers because federal exemptions sweep them away,but those exemptions would be done away by this. Fr. Chris said the White House is comparing apples and oranges. Claim: “Contraception is used by most women: According to a study by the Guttmacher Institute, most women, including 98 percent of Catholic women, have used contraception.” Response: This is irrelevant, and it is presented in a misleading way. If a survey found that 98% of people had lied, cheated on their taxes, or had sex outside of marriage, would the government claim it can force everyone to do so? But this claim also mangles the data to create a false impression. The study actually says this is true of 98% of “sexually experienced” women. The more relevant statistic is that the drugs and devices subject to this mandate (sterilization, hormonal prescription contraceptives and IUDs) are used by 69% of those women who are “sexually active” and “do not want to become pregnant.” Surely that is a minority of the general public, yet every man and woman who needs health insurance will have to pay for this coverage. The drugs that the mandate's supporters say will be most advanced by the new rule, because they have the highest co-pays and deductibles now, are powerful but risky injectable and implantable hormonal contraceptives, now used by perhaps 5% of women. The mandate is intended to change women's reproductive behavior, not only reflect it. Fr. Chris went back to Pope Benedict who said that the Church's teaching is not based on popularity. It is based on the truth communicated by Jesus Christ. Claim: “The Obama Administration is committed to both respecting religious beliefs and increasing access to important preventive services. And as we move forward, our strong partnerships with religious organizations will continue.”  Response: False. There is no “balance” in the final HHS rule—one side has prevailed entirely, as the mandate and exemption remain entirely unchanged from August 2011, despite many thousands of comments filed since then indicating intense opposition. Indeed, the White House Press Secretary declared on January 31, “I don't believe there are any constitutional rights issues here,” so little was placed on that side of the scale. The Administration's stance on religious liberty has also been shown in other ways. Recently it argued before the Supreme Court that religious organizations have no greater right under the First amendment to hire or fire their own ministers than secular organizations have over their leaders– a claim that was unanimously rejected by the Supreme Court as “extreme” and “untenable.” The Administration recently denied a human trafficking grant to a Catholic service provider with high objective scores, and gave part of that grant instead to a provider with not just lower, but failing, objective scores, all because the Catholic provider refused in conscience to compromise the same moral and religious beliefs at issue here. Such action violates not only federal conscience laws, but President Obama's executive order assuring “faith-based” organizations that they will be able to serve the public in federal programs without compromising their faith. Scot said the bishops are encouraging everyone to contact their Senators and Representatives to ask them to support proposed legislation to protect religious liberty. 5th segment: Scot and Fr. Chris turned to discuss a recent op-ed in the Boston Globe by columnist Joan Venocchi. But not all employees of Catholic institutions are Catholics. Why should their employers impose their religious beliefs on them and deny coverage for birth control and other medical care? As long as those Catholic institutions are getting taxpayer money, they should follow secular rules. That's the Obama administration's argument, and it makes sense. Scot said Venocchi doesn't remember that it's the taxpayers who provide the money that the government disburses to provide services to people. Fr. Chris said the majority of Americans are religious believers, so she forgets that the majority of the people paying the taxes are believers in God who want to protect their conscience. On the larger health care reform issue, this president has the moral high ground, if only he would take it. A church that is supposedly dedicated to feeding the hungry and clothing the naked wouldn't want to leave it to insurance companies and free markets to decide who gets to see a doctor and who gets care - would it? Fr. Chris said he's doesn't understand her point. It's a red herring. People have been receiving health care all along. All the Church is saying is that we cannot support contraception, sterilization, and abortion. Scot said the argument is that if you support universal healthcare, you have to support this mandate. Obama isn't trying to regulate religion or undermine Catholicism. He's telling Catholic leaders they can't regulate the beliefs of those of other faiths. That's fitting in a country that treasures religious freedom, but also values separation of church and state. Scot said Obama is indeed telling Catholics that they can't regular their own beliefs. He said separation of church and state is also misrepresented. It only means the government can't name a particular religion as official. Fr. Chris said this is exactly what the Church wants: freedom from the interference of the state. Scot ended by reciting the First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Freedom of religion is not just how we pray in Church on Sunday, but we live our whole lives every day. This law prohibits the free exercise thereof.