Podcasts about progestin

Many women don't realize there's a big difference between synthetic progestins and natural bioidentical progesterone when it comes to hormone support. In this short episode, Tara breaks down the key distinctions between these two types of progesterone, explaining why bioidentical forms are the safest and most effective option for women in midlife. Tara highlights the potential harms of synthetic progestins—which are commonly found in birth control pills, certain IUDs, and some hormone replacement therapies—including increased risks of breast cancer, negative cardiovascular impacts, mood disturbances, and more. In contrast, natural bioidentical progesterone supports sleep, mood, brain health, and overall well-being, without the risks associated with its synthetic counterparts. If you're on hormone therapy or using birth control, Tara encourages you to check what type of progesterone you're taking and consider making a switch if necessary. This episode is full of clear, empowering information to help you make the best choices for your long-term health as you navigate perimenopause and beyond.   Here's what you'll learn in this episode: What's REAL progesterone and what's FAKE? Tara breaks down the difference between bioidentical (aka body-identical) progesterone and synthetic progestins—and why you should absolutely care. Why progestins (the fake stuff) can be harmful Learn about the potential risks progestins carry, including higher chances of breast cancer, cardiovascular issues, and unwanted mood disturbances. How natural progesterone actually supports your health From better sleep to improved mood, bone strength, a happier heart, and even better hair—Tara reveals why this hormone is your BFF in midlife. Where these progestins are hiding Birth control pills, IUDs (hello, Mirena!), and even some outdated hormone replacement therapies are common culprits. Tara drops key brand names and what to watch out for (don't worry, she's listed them in the show notes too). What to do if you think you're on a progestin Tara offers concrete advice on how to talk to your healthcare provider about making the switch—and why there's almost always a natural, better alternative.   Commonly Used Progestins (synthetic forms): • Medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) – used in Prempro, Provera • Norethisterone (Norethindrone) – found in some birth control and HRT pills • Levonorgestrel – used in IUDs (e.g., Mirena, Kyleena, Skyla, Liletta), birth control pills • Norgestrel – in some oral contraceptives • Drospirenone – in pills like Yaz, Yasmin • Desogestrel, Etonogestrel, Dienogest – in various contraceptive options   You may also enjoy these episodes: Episode 96: What is "estrogen kickback" when you start on progesterone HRT? Episode 99: Everything you need to know about progesterone & replacing it, with Carol Petersen     LIVE TRAINING: The Perimenopause Reset: From Exhausted to Energised. Your Proven 3-Step Roadmap to Thrive in Perimenopause—Naturally and Confidently. WHEN: Wednesday, May 14th at 5pm PST / 8pm EST, (which is 10am AEDT on May 15th)  REGISTER HERE [Limited Spots Available]     Mentioned in this episode: HRT Made Simple™ - Learn how to confidently speak to your doctor about the benefits of hormone replacement therapy so you can set yourself up for symptom-free, unmedicated years to come without feeling confused, dismissed, or leaving the medical office minus your HRT script. Hair Loss Solutions Made Simple™ – This course will teach you the best natural, highly effective, and safe solutions for your hair loss so you can stop it, reverse it, and regrow healthy hair without turning to medications. The Hormone Balance Solution™ – My signature 6-month comprehensive hormonal health program for women in midlife who want to get solid answers to their hormonal health issues once and for all so they can kick the weight gain, moodiness, gut problems, skin issues, period problems, fatigue, overwhelm, insomnia, hair/eyebrow loss, and other symptoms in order to get back to the woman they once were. [FREE] The Ultimate Midlife Perimenopause Handbook - Grab my free guide and RECLAIM your confidence, your mood, your waistline and energy without turning to medications or restrictive diets (or spending a fortune on testing you don't need!).

Are you struggling after stopping hormonal birth control? Whether you used the pill, patch, ring, hormonal IUD, or shot—this episode breaks down what really happens when you come off synthetic hormones and how to heal your body from the inside out. In this episode of The Women's Vibrancy Code, host Maraya Brown, unpacks Post-Birth Control Syndrome (PBCS) and the powerful journey of reclaiming your natural hormone balance. Discover the truth about how birth control suppresses your body's natural hormone production, how it impacts your mood, libido, fertility, stress response, and even your attraction to your partner.  We cover: What is Post-Birth Control Syndrome and why it matters How hormonal birth control rewires your brain and alters your stress hormones The 3 Phases of Healing: Detox your liver, repair your gut, and rebalance your adrenals Real stories of women recovering their cycle and reclaiming their vitality The emotional and relationship shifts no one talks about after quitting birth control Hormone-friendly foods, supplements, and the top lab tests to run post-pill Non-hormonal birth control alternatives like the Fertility Awareness Method and copper IUD How to feel more like yourself again—more energy, better mood, deeper connection Whether you're trying to conceive, managing perimenopause, or just ready to get off synthetic hormones, this is a must-listen for every woman seeking hormone harmony and body literacy. Learn how to detox the right way, support your cycle naturally, and take back control of your health. 00:00 – Intro to The Women's Vibrancy Code 01:01 – Why many women go on birth control—and the overwhelm of coming off 03:06 – What is Post-Birth Control Syndrome (PBCS)? Symptoms to look for 04:56 – How hormonal birth control suppresses natural hormone production 06:26 – Progestin vs. progesterone: The key difference and how it impacts your body 08:21 – Birth control's effect on your brain, cortisol, mood, and adrenal function 10:11 – Attraction shifts, pheromones, and relationship changes after stopping the pill 11:51 – Phase 1: Liver Detox & Hormonal Clearance — Foods, supplements & daily detox support 13:56 – Phase 2: Gut Healing & Microbiome Repair — Probiotics, gut-friendly foods & lifestyle shifts 17:31 – Phase 3: Adrenal & Hormonal Rebalancing — Stress reduction tactics, adaptogens, sleep & nervous system regulation 19:01 – Emotional & relationship shifts — How hormonal recovery affects attraction, mood, and identity 21:31 – Non-hormonal birth control options — FAM, copper IUD, condoms, vasectomy 23:11 – What labs to run after stopping hormonal contraception — Dutch Plus, GI Map, SHBG, cortisol curve & more 25:51 – Final thoughts + How to work with Maraya The Women's Vibrancy Accelerator Trifecta: Your 90-Day Health Reset Ready to take your health to the next level? The Women's Vibrancy Accelerator Trifecta offers deep, personalized support to help you regain control of your energy, hormones, and well-being. This program includes: Three one-on-one calls with Maraya Dutch Plus Test and full assessment Bi-weekly live Q&A sessions Self-paced health portal covering energy, hormones, libido, and confidence Podcast listeners get an exclusive discount. Use code PODCAST. Learn more and enroll now: https://marayabrown.com/trifecta/ Free Wellness Resources Access free tools like the Menstrual Tracker, Adaptogen Elixir Recipes, Two-Week Soul Cleanse, Food Facial, and more. Download now: https://marayabrown.com/resources/ Subscribe to The Women's Vibrancy Code Podcast Listen on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Spotify. Connect with the Show Find us on Facebook,  Linkedin | Website | Tiktok | Facebook Group Apply for a Call with Maraya Brown Start your journey with personalized support. Apply here: https://marayabrown.com/call About Maraya Brown Maraya is a Yale and Functional Medicine-trained Women's Health and Wellness Expert (CNM, MSN). She helps women feel energized, confident, and connected to themselves and their lives. With over 25 years of experience, she specializes in energy, hormones, libido, confidence, and deep transformation. Disclaimer The content of this podcast is for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical or professional advice. Listeners should consult with a qualified professional before making any health decisions.

Antonia Roberts and Howard Herrell review several new articles: • Epifoam for postpartum pain lacks evidence of effectiveness compared to simple ice packs while costing nearly $100 per unit• AMH levels above 5.39 are associated with PCOS diagnosis, providing a specific threshold for clinical use• External aortic compression demonstrated as a life-saving technique during severe obstetric hemorrhage• Vaginal estrogen in breast cancer survivors shows no increased risk of cancer recurrence or mortality• Delayed cord clamping in preterm twins reduces mortality by 30% and significantly decreases transfusion needsThen they discuss new birth control options while questioning the value of expensive pharmaceutical products compared to established, less costly alternatives.• New birth control options like Balcoltra ($280/month), FemLyv ($215/month), and Nextstellis ($250/month) offer minimal innovation over generic alternatives costing $10-15/month• Marketing terms like "bioidentical" and "plant-based" are often misleading as all hormonal contraceptives are synthesized from plant precursors• Progestin-only pills like Slynd provide only marginal DVT risk reduction (5 vs 4 per 100,000 person-years) compared to low-dose combined pillsCheck our Instagram for more information and join us again in two weeks for our next episode.00:00:00 Introduction and Epifoam Discussion00:06:27 Financial Impact of Unnecessary Treatments00:11:09 AMH Levels for PCOS Diagnosis00:15:11 External Aortic Compression for Hemorrhage00:20:22 Vaginal Estrogen and Delayed Cord Clamping00:21:51 New Birth Control Products Overview00:31:05 Analyzing Dissolvable Birth Control Pills00:34:22 Slynd: Drosperinone-Only Pill Evaluation00:42:09 Nextstellis and "Bioidentical" Estrogen Claims00:56:37 History of Birth Control DevelopmentFollow us on Instagram @thinkingaboutobgyn.

Jill is a Registered Nurse, Women's Health Expert, and Menopause Educator who is calling B.S. on the “it's all downhill from here” narrative on aging and teaching women how to reconnect with their bodies, support themselves through pausal stages, and advocate for their well-being forever and always. Jill believes education is the key to helping women understand their bodies, manage their health, and advocate for themselves as they age. Jill created The Beginner's Guide to Hormone Replacement Therapy to help women navigate the wild ride from perimenopause through menopause and beyond. In 2022, she launched Pausing Together, an online community for women to connect, learn, and open up discussions on topics that affect "PAUSAL" women. Jill is a medical advisory board member at the Institute of Bioidentical Medicine (IOBIM), whose mission is to improve the standard of care in menopause medicine. Jill is a frequent guest speaker and has been called upon as a “pausal” guest expert on many podcasts so I'm thrilled to have her on Perimenopause Simplified today.   In this episode, we covered: Why is estrogen so important to us? What happens to estrogen in perimenopause? Is it really a case of estrogen dominance? Why is there so much fear around estrogen? What are the benefits of estrogen HRT? Why should progesterone be taken alongside estrogen?  Are there any contraindications for taking estrogen HRT?    Links Mentioned: Jill's Website Jill's Instagram Pausing Together Community + The Beginner's Guide to HRT Estrogen Matters Book   Claudia Petrilli is a Functional Health Coach, Integrative Nutrition Coach, Women's Health Educator, and creator of The Hormone Rescue program. Having experienced debilitating periods, digestive issues, a sluggish thyroid, a pituitary tumor, and perimenopause symptoms in her late 30s, she knows exactly what it's like to get dismissed by doctors and spend years searching for answers.  After making the decision to advocate for her health years ago and investing in her education, she changed her life. Now, she's changing the lives of countless women by teaching them to advocate for themselves and improve their hormone health, so they can feel and look their best -- in their 40s and beyond!   When she's not digging into client cases and learning about women's health, you'll find Claudia with her life partner of 15 years, Mike, and their rescue pup, Dawson, the love of their life.    Free Resources: Perimenopause Daily Checklist Peri-What?! The Must-Have Guide for Navigating Hormone Changes in Your 40s Programs: The Hormone Rescue Perimenopause Made Easy Connect with Claudia:  Instagram Facebook  YouTube LinkedIn Have a question or episode topic suggestion? Please email: claudia@claudiapetrilli.com. Love the show?  Please subscribe, leave a 5-star rating, review, and share with others, so more women can find this podcast for guidance and support through their perimenopause journey! 

In this episode of the Dr. Tyna Show, I'm thrilled to welcome my good friend Nicole Jardim, a renowned women's health coach and menstrual cycle expert. Nicole and I go way back, and her wisdom has profoundly shaped my understanding of women's health. We cover crucial topics like PMS, PMDD, and the impact of birth control, offering invaluable insights for women at every stage of life—from your twenties through menopause and beyond. Whether you're seeking answers about your menstrual cycle or just curious about optimizing your overall health, this episode is a gold mine of information you won't want to miss.  On This Episode We Cover: 02:15 - Lack of research on women's bodies  06:52 - The importance of ovulation  12:57 - Long term effects of birth control  17:05 - Periods are a gage of your health  20:24 - Normal ovulatory cycle  26:08 - Monitoring the last half of your cycle  30:51 - PMS, PMDD & your overall health  36:07 - What to do AFTER the diagnosis  39:34 - Dosing and using melatonin 43:09 - What you need for a good menstrual cycle  46:35 - Exercise, glucose, & preparing for menopause  51:28 - Thyroid dysfunction and post-birth control syndrome  54:41 - Post-birth control syndrome and divorce  57:55 - Nutrient absorption and birth control  59:50 - Progestin only birth control  01:04:05 - IUDs 01:05:47 - Staying fit & ovarian health  01:09:55 - Nicole's programs   01:13:55 - Nicole's book Sponsored By:  Nutrisense Get $30 OFF with code DRTYNA at nutrisense.io/drtyna Kion Try KION and save 20% on monthly deliveries and 10% on one-time purchases at getkion.com/drtyna BIOptimizers  Go to bioptimizers.com/drtyna and use code DRTYNA to save 10% and get a free gift with purchase  Maui Nui Use code DRTYNA for 20% off at mauinuivenison.com Alitura  Use Code DRTYNA20 for 20% off alituranaturals.com Check Out Nicole: Website Instagram Book Disclaimer: Information provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only. This information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, or any information contained on or in any product. Do not use the information provided in this podcast for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or other supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. Information provided in this blog/podcast and the use of any products or services related to this podcast by you does not create a doctor-patient relationship between you and Dr. Tyna Moore. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent ANY disease.

In this month's Fertility and Sterility: Unplugged, we take a look at articles from F&S's sister journals! Topics this month include a review of studies of menstrual fluid (2:18), changing our language regarding progestin protocols (18:35), and nanoscale motion tracing of spermatozoa (26:46). F&S Reviews: https://www.fertstertreviews.org/article/S2666-5719(24)00032-X/fulltext Consider This: https://www.fertstert.org/news-do/language-matters-rename-progestin-priming-progestin-protocols-vitro-fertilization-ivf F&S Science: https://www.fertstertscience.org/article/S2666-335X(24)00037-5/fulltext View the sister journals at: https://www.fertstertreviews.org https://www.fertstertreports.org https://www.fertstertscience.org  

In this week's solo episode of the show, Kelley is back answering your listener questions on health, hormones and wellness routines.Today, you'll hear all about the rise in the use of semiglutide and similar GLP-1 drugs for weight loss. Kelley discusses who these drugs might be right for, and who falls into the category of abusing them. She also emphasizes the importance of addressing underlying lifestyle factors such as emotional eating and supporting blood sugar regulation when considering the use of these prescription medications. From there, she dives into the topic of hormone replacement therapy versus bioidentical hormone replacement therapy: the difference, the risks, the benefits, who is the right candidate and more. Finally, she dives into navigating the postpartum period for all the new mamas out there. She shares all her tips for a healthy transition after giving birth to empower women mentally, physically and emotionally as they work to balance caring for themselves and maintaining their identity, while welcoming a new life into the world. At the end of the episode Kelley shares some on some personal topics like why she has her bee tattoos and why and how she started her coaching business. Join Kelly as she delves into wellness, motherhood, and more, guiding listeners on a journey towards a healthy and fulfilling life amidst the chaos.To connect with Kelley click HERETo book a lab review click HERE 

In today's episode of the PCOS Repair Podcast, I'm answering listener's, just like you, questions about managing PCOS, from supplements, to improving symptoms like and how to lower high testosterone levels. Thank you to everyone who has answered your questions— your curiosity and engagement truly shape our discussions here. Let's get started and tackle some of the most pressing queries from our community.PCOS Q&AI appreciate the courage to reach out with personal health questions. In this, I'm answering a selection of those queries, providing detailed insights into managing PCOS with a blend of medical knowledge and personal and 100's of client experiences.Questions Asked and Answered1. Optimal Dosing for Inositol:You will learn the recommended ratio and dosages for Inositol, how it benefits PCOS symptoms, and the best times and ways to take this supplement.2. Managing High Testosterone in the Absence of Insulin ResistanceExploring how high testosterone can manifest without apparent insulin resistance or elevated LH levels, and what alternative pathways might contribute to this condition.3. Hair Loss SolutionsTips on combating hair loss associated with PCOS, including effective supplements and lifestyle changes that can help improve hair health.4. Alternatives to Progestin for PMS and Mood Evaluating non-hormonal options for managing PMS and mood fluctuations often exacerbated by PCOS.5. Can PCOS Be Cured?Addressing whether PCOS can ever "go away" and strategies to manage symptoms effectively throughout various life stages.6. Does Thin PCOS Have the Same Root Causes as Classic PCOS?Clarifying misconceptions around 'thin PCOS' and discussing how it compares to more recognized forms of the syndrome.Your questions help make the podcast more informative and relatable. Continue to participate by asking your questions in my DMs on Instagram @NourishedtoHealthy. And be sure to follow me and stay tuned as I address these topics and more.You can take the quiz to discover your root cause hereThe full list of Resources & References Mentioned can be found on the Episode webpage at:https://nourishedtohealthy.com/99Let's continue the conversation on Instagram! What did you find helpful in this episode and what follow-up questions do you have?

If you're struggling with a hormone imbalance, resist the temptation to just throw more hormones into the mix  to try and fix it.    In this episode of Biohacking Superhuman Performance, I chat with Dr. Anna Cabeca - The Girlfriend Doctor,  about how environmental toxins and stress can wreak havoc on your hormones, leading to issues like irregular periods and feeling unwell. But, did you know that it can take more than hormones to fix hormones.    The good news? You can improve your hormonal health and even reverse many of these  issues naturally. We explore the importance of detoxification to eliminate those toxins and support your body's natural systems. Dr. Cabeca also highlights that birth control pills might contribute to hormonal imbalances due to synthetic ingredients. But hormones are just one piece of the puzzle. This episode emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach, including diet, stress management, and even creating a more alkaline body environment to improve mood and mental well-being.   We also dive into the power of oxytocin, the "love hormone" and how healthy activities can naturally boost your oxytocin levels. Overall, this episode offers guidance on balancing hormone health whether you're pre-, peri-, or post-menopause.    Anna Cabeca, DO, OBGYN, FACOG, is the best selling author of The Hormone Fix ,  Keto-Green 16 and MenuPause. Dr. Anna is triple-board certified and a fellow of gynecology and obstetrics, integrative medicine, and anti-aging and regenerative medicine. She holds special certifications in functional medicine, sexual health, and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. She lectures frequently on these topics throughout the world to large audiences and is known nationally as The Girlfriend Doctor and is the host of The Girlfriend Doctor show.  Dr. Cabeca has personally developed natural products to help women balance hormones and thrive through menopause including the highly acclaimed Julva® cream for the vulva and MightyMaca® Plus, a powerful superfood blend. She now lives in Dallas with her daughters, horses, and dogs. Thank you to our sponsors for making this episode possible: Neurohacker Collective: Visit neurohacker.com/nathalie and use code NATHALIE BodyBio: Visit BodyBio.com today and get 15% on your first order with code Nathalie Inside Tracker: Use code NIDDAM to save 20% at https://www.insidetracker.com   Find more from Dr. Anna Cabeca: Website: https://drannacabeca.com/  Instagram: @thegirlfrienddoctor Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thegirlfrienddoctorclubhouse  Podcast: The Girlfriend Doctor Podcast Find more from Nathalie: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmholC48MqRC50UffIZOMOQ Join Nat's Membership Community: https://www.natniddam.com/bsp-community Sign up for Nats Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/i7d5m0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nathalieniddam/ Website: NatNiddam.com Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/   What We Discuss:  (1:00) The Girlfriend Doctor - creating comfort in conversation (3:00) How life affects labs  (11:00) Toxins in water (14:40) Detoxifying from birth control  (18:00) It takes more than hormones to fix hormones.  (22:00) Vitamin D and Iodine - why they are crucial.  (29:00) Supporting the body's detoxification pathways (32:27) Annual Mamograms may increase the risk of breast cancer (37:00) BHRT for post menopause  (39:30) Oxytocin - the most powerful hormone in the body (46:20) How to help your system overcome long haul effects of viruses  (53:00) Find more from Dr. Anna Cabeca    Key Takeaways: Exposure to environmental toxins and stress in life greatly affects our hormone health. If you struggle with abnormal menstrual cycles or feel bad all of the time, it can be turned around. You will likely need to work on detoxing from any environmental toxins. We often power through feeling crummy, but you will realize how bad you feel once you start feeling good.  Birth control can be a toxin as it is a synthetic progestin and it suppresses ovarian hormone and natural cycling. (Progestin is the synthetic (human-made) form of progesterone).  It takes more than hormones to fix your hormones. You need detoxification support, adrenal support, dietary support, and alkalization for mental health and mood.  Oxytocin is the most powerful hormone in the body. It is the hormone of love, bonding, and connection. Healthy, happy, joyous activity increases oxytocin in the body (it's the opposite of cortisol!) Some people may benefit from supplementing oxytocin, but the first step is to always clean up the system.  

Should I take progesterone? This may be a question you have been asking yourself lately. I know I've been getting it a lot lately! Progesterone has become a hot topic lately, especially between conventional and functional medicine. It is one of the key hormones we have as women. It's our natural anti-anxiety hormone and is what keeps estrogen in check. But how do we know when we may need to start taking progesterone? And is it really any different from the progestins in birth control?In this episode I'm diving into what exactly progesterone is, when it's beneficial to take it, and why it's a GAME CHANGER for things like perimenopause!You'll hear more about:What progesterone is (and what it isn't)The power of progesterone in the female body (hint: it's not just for your uterus!)What happens to progesterone in your 40'sProgesterone vs progestinThe 3 big women's health issues where progesterone can be a game changerAnd more!If you want to lose weight without the risk of gastroparesis, muscle loss, and rebound weight gain, then use MetaboLift instead!Struggling with balancing your hormones? Grab your copy of the The Gutsy Gynecologist's Guide to Balancing your Hormones: https://drtabatha.com/free-guide/Support your hormone balance- EnergyLift! Connect with Dr. Tabatha:Work with us: Schedule a callDr. Tabatha's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrTabathaDr. Tabatha's IG: https://www.instagram.com/thegutsygynecologist/Dr. Tabatha's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWea1x1abLERehb5yn_nfow

Progesterone and progestin are not the same thing - yet a lot of practitioners prescribe it for birth control and perimenopausal/menopausal symptoms despite the fact that it actually DECREASES our body's natural progesterone production so when you come off it the problem is even worse than before. AND to top that all off progestin actually has properties that oppose those of progesterone. For example progesterone makes us feel calm and sleep better while progestin has the opposite effect! This podcast was packed with a lot of information and I know that can be a lot to take in so we did create a guide for it which can be found in our Facebook community! Lastly we are hosting our first ever weight loss challenge. We have been wanting to do this for a long time but wanted to ensure we were doing this the right way - not jut another challenge where you lose weight in an unsustainable way so you just gain it back right away. You will reduce inflammation, increase energy and accelerate weight loss! You will learn HOW to get your body responding again and be armed with resources like our hormone balancing grocery list, a meal plan, a meal planner, different workouts to choose from, coaching calls with me and a whole lot more! For more details go here: https://www.vitalityoet.com/februarychallenge672046 TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) - Intro + our first ever weight-loss challenge (04:10) - Overview of progestin & progesterone (08:44) - What does low progesterone do? (11:15) - Symptoms of low progesterone (13:49) - Progestins can lead to deficiencies, causing anxiety (14:53) - Progesterone and menopause (16:28) - Effects, benefits, and risks of progestins (19:17) - Two ways to get NATURAL progesterone (20:42) - Risks and signs of low progesterone (22:51) - What you can do to get healthy levels of progesterone (28:55) - Recap + progesterone and progestin guide CONNECT WITH ME ONLINE: ‣ Check out our BRAND NEW workout subscription: ⁠⁠https://www.trainerize.me/profile/vitalityoet/?planGUID=b020a7cf27f6453b9d29ca3dc9bbaf37&mode=checkout⁠⁠ ‣ Join our community! Metabolism and Menopause by Vitality - Secrets for Fat Loss: ⁠⁠https://m.facebook.com/groups/969761266958379⁠⁠ ‣ Schedule a FREE consultation call - ⁠⁠https://calendly.com/d/2p8-mxx-dgf/free-consultation-call-zoom⁠⁠ ‣ Apply for coaching with us! - ⁠⁠https://calendly.com/d/386-k9q-4cg/coaching-application-call-zoom⁠⁠ ‣ Learn more about DUTCH hormone testing with VitalityOET - ⁠⁠https://www.loom.com/share/a567d01c12b44aaf855dcf3d9049d537⁠⁠ ‣ Menopause supplements (use code VITALITY10 for 10% off your order) - ⁠⁠https://shop.nutritiondynamic.com/collections/all⁠⁠ ‣ Instagram: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/vitalityoet.stephanie⁠⁠ ‣ WATCH the podcast on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@metabolismandmenopausepodcast⁠⁠ ‣ All other links: ⁠⁠https://stan.store/vitalityoetstephanie⁠⁠ ‣ Email: ⁠⁠stephanie@vitalityoet.com⁠⁠ ---- © 2024 Stephanie Fusnik & VitalityOET

Estrogen is the main driving hormone in your body that affects just about everything - so let's talk about it! Estrogen is so important for your overall health, not just your reproductive health, because you have estrogen receptors all over your body. We need to stop demonizing estrogen and start talking about all the great things estrogen does for you and your body!You will hear:Systems in your body affected by estrogenThe functions of estrogen and progesterone and keeping them in checkHow conventional medicine is failing womenThe trouble with synthetic hormones after menopauseAnd so much more!Struggling with balancing your hormones? Grab your copy of the The Gutsy Gynecologist's Guide to Balancing your Hormones: https://drtabatha.com/free-guide/Support your hormone balance- EnergyLift! Connect with Dr. Tabatha:Work with us: Schedule a callDr. Tabatha's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrTabathaDr. Tabatha's IG: https://www.instagram.com/thegutsygynecologist/Dr. Tabatha's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWea1x1abLERehb5yn_nfow

In the episode, Cara and Missi review the uses of progestins in both contraception and hormone replacement. Progesterone is an essential hormone in the menstrual cycle and synthetic progestin has a multitude of benefits as well as side effects. This conversation will help midwives make a decision on how to chose the right progestin for the right situation. #gynecology #progesterone #progestin #hormonereplacement #contraception #androgenic #progestational #intendedeffect

In the episode, Cara and Missi review the uses of progestins in both contraception and hormone replacement. Progesterone is an essential hormone in the menstrual cycle and synthetic progestin has a multitude of benefits as well as side effects. This conversation will help midwives make a decision on how to chose the right progestin for the right situation. #gynecology #progesterone #progestin #hormonereplacement #contraception #androgenic #progestational #intendedeffect

We are continuing with our "How to..." series by delving into the world of Oral Contraceptive Pills (OCPs). OCPs, commonly known as birth control pills or simply "the pill," are a form of hormonal contraception designed to prevent pregnancy. But that's not the only thing OCPs are prescribed for.There are two primary types of OCPs: Combination Pills: These OCPs contain two key hormones—estrogen and progestin. Combination pills work by suppressing ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovaries), thickening cervical mucus to impede sperm movement, and altering the uterine lining to make it less receptive to a fertilized egg. Combination pills are available in various formulations, including monophasic (the same hormone dosage in each pill) and multiphasic (changing hormone dosages throughout the cycle). Progestin-Only Pills (Mini-Pills): As the name suggests, progestin-only pills contain only a synthetic form of the hormone progestin. These pills primarily work by thickening cervical mucus and altering the uterine lining, making it less suitable for implantation. Progestin-only pills are often recommended for women who cannot tolerate estrogen or have specific medical conditions that contraindicate estrogen use.In the episode, Dr. Rachel Pope is joined by Dr. Maria Shaker, an OB/GYN expert in Contraception Management, Family Planning, Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery, Minority and Medically Vulnerable Populations, and Obesity in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She is board-certified in Complex Family Planning. Together they discuss how to take OCPs not just for birth control but to also control bleeding or just not have a period. They are taken orally, typically on a daily basis, and contain synthetic hormones that mimic the effects of naturally occurring hormones in a woman's body.Featured in this episode: Combined OCPs Breakthrough bleeding Birth control isn't just for birth control Escape Ovulation History of Birth Control Pills by Dr. Rachel PopeSubscribe to our newsletter here to stay updated and not miss out on new episodes.Submit your questions on anything and everything women's health-related and we will answer them in one of our episodes.

Do you need progesterone? This is a question we, as doctors, hear all the time, and one that is often answered wrong. Today, I'll be breaking down what progesterone actually is and how it's different from progestin. If you've been thinking that you have low progesterone, you don't want to miss this episode!You will hear:The benefits of progesterone... beyond balancing our estrogen or supporting pregnancyWhat progestin is and its side effectsThe biggest difference between progesterone and progestinWhen you might need to consider using a bioidentical progesteroneWhy your birth control isn't helping your health issuesAnd more!If you want to lose weight without the risk of gastroparesis, muscle loss, and rebound weight gain, then use MetaboLift instead!Struggling with balancing your hormones? Grab your copy of the The Gutsy Gynecologist's Guide to Balancing your Hormones: https://drtabatha.com/free-guide/Support your hormone balance- EnergyLift! Connect with Dr. Tabatha:Work with us: Schedule a callDr. Tabatha's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrTabathaDr. Tabatha's IG: https://www.instagram.com/thegutsygynecologist/Dr. Tabatha's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWea1x1abLERehb5yn_nfow

Estrogen Matters with Dr. Avrum Bluming Avrum Bluming received his MD from the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. He spent four years as a senior investigator for the National Cancer Institute. He organized the first study of lumpectomy for the treatment of breast cancer in Southern California in 1978, and for more than two decades he has been studying the benefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy administered to women with a history of breast cancer. Dr. Bluming has served as a clinical professor of medicine at USC and  is the co-author of “Estrogen Matters: why taking hormones in menopause can improve women's wellbeing and lengthen their lives – without raising the risk of breast cancer” with Dr. Carol Tavris.   Hear his story about how he became the advocate for hormones and hormones after breast cancer.   So many people think correlation = causation – case with E and breast cancer – just poor education in our population?   “we don't know what causes breast cancer” – can people handle a grey world?   Estrogen receptor positive doesn't mean estrogen caused the cancer – discuss   Dispel the myth that early puberty and late menopause is a breast cancer risk – dogma – “lifetime exposure” – but women with lots of pregnancies have lower risk.   Should we just work on a re-brand? Go on HRT because if you do get breast cancer you will do better than if you weren't on it?   How do aromatase inhibitors work? People call them “estrogen blockers” so people think estrogen causes cancer and recurrence.  Why only in post-menopausal women?   What's with adipose tissue? People always say it is because adipose tissue increases estrogen – is it estrone ?? Or inflammation?   Doctors don't want to be sued. Do you know of any doctor getting sued for giving hormones in general or after breast cancer?   If estrogen is FDA approved for prevention of osteoporosis – why did the USPSTF say no to prevention and why are we screening for osteoporosis so late (age 65?)   Do you agree with the USPSTF about no for prevention. Your opinion of Progestin causing Breast cancer" Is the placebo arm bad?  Is the risk not actually that high – from 2-4% Is it the synthetic progestin?  Everyone's talking about dementia now – Dr. Bluming's take  There are 25 studies showing E is safe after breast cancer  and 20 review studies– and the HABITS trial is the only one that shows local recurrence and is flawed – how many studies are enough?   Advice for younger physicians who care about this work?   Do you think the world is just crazy? How does Dr. Bluming cope?   We discuss the new Danish study in the British Medical Journal and dissect the data to dispel the fear.   http://www.instagram.com/estrogenmatters https://estrogenmatters.com/ Buy Estrogen Matters https://amzn.to/3POsai5     Did you get my “You Are Not Broken” Book Yet? https://amzn.to/3p18DfK   Join my NEW Adult Sex Ed Master Class: https://www.kellycaspersonmd.com/adult-sex-ed   Join my membership to get these episodes ASAP when they are created and without advertisement and even listen live to the interviews and episodes. www.kellycaspersonmd.com/membership --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kj-casperson/message

Menopause is a natural phase of a woman's life that occurs when she stops menstruating and can no longer bear children. It is a significant milestone that marks the end of reproductive years and the beginning of a new phase of life. However, despite its importance, menopause is often misunderstood and overlooked in our society. This lack of education and awareness about menopause has serious implications for women's health and well-being. Normalizing conversations about women's health is a crucial step towards empowering women and providing them with the knowledge and resources they need to make informed decisions about their bodies. This episode highlights the importance of open and transparent discussions about topics that have traditionally been considered taboo or uncomfortable. We are joined by the incredible Esther Blum, an Integrative Dietitian, Menopause Expert, and Bestselling Author, who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. Our conversation is not only research-based, but also backed by scientific proof and clinical experience. We believe that by sharing our differing perspectives and personal stories, we can help you navigate through the complexities of societal myths and industrial norms. During this episode, we explore the importance of having conversations with the people you care about, and how these conversations can lead to personal growth and transformation. We also discuss the books that have inspired us on our spiritual and business journeys, providing you with valuable resources to expand your horizons. If you're looking to challenge your own beliefs, gain new insights, and be part of a community that supports your personal and professional growth, then this episode is a must-listen. We invite you to join the conversation by sharing your thoughts, commenting, and engaging with our community.   Key Takeaways: [00:01:36] Natural ways to restore hormones. [00:04:11] Empowering women through menopause. [00:07:39] Shortages of hormones. [00:11:05] High stress and perimenopause. [00:17:52] Masturbation and sexual wellness. [00:19:30] Self-advocacy at the doctor's office. [00:23:25] Bio-identical hormones are safe. [00:26:02] Vaginal estrogen and breast cancer. [00:31:01] Importance of progesterone. [00:33:01] Progesterone vs. Progestin [00:36:30] Progesterone hypersensitivity. [00:40:07] Keeping intimacy and connection. [00:43:31] Hormones and menopause resources. Where To Find Our Guest Website: https://estherblum.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gorgeousesther/ Happy Hormone Cocktail: https://estherblum.com/cocktail   Memorable Quotes "And just normalize these conversations, I mean even in my group coaching program I did all full class on like masturbation and vibrators, and I think everyone was just so excited to have like a safe open normal conversation about it because some women, you know I told my friends like do you talk about this with other people like oh God I talk about you but I don't, like why are we not talking about it, where's my 16 year-old son it's like masturbation is just completely normalized for dudes, why is it not normalized for girls." [00:17:35] – Esther Blum "I've really worked on developing a spiritual practice in my life and really partnering with the divine for abundance. And there's, if you're really clear on your goals, right, the problem is it's never that we're not dreaming. It's that we're not dreaming big enough.” [00:41:26] – Esther Blum     RESOURCES MENTIONED: Mighty Maca Plus   To learn more about me, and to stay connected, visit the links below: Website: The Girlfriend Doctor Instagram: The Girlfriend Doctor  

Menopause is a natural phase of a woman's life that occurs when she stops menstruating and can no longer bear children. It is a significant milestone that marks the end of reproductive years and the beginning of a new phase of life. However, despite its importance, menopause is often misunderstood and overlooked in our society. This lack of education and awareness about menopause has serious implications for women's health and well-being. Normalizing conversations about women's health is a crucial step towards empowering women and providing them with the knowledge and resources they need to make informed decisions about their bodies. This episode highlights the importance of open and transparent discussions about topics that have traditionally been considered taboo or uncomfortable. We are joined by the incredible Esther Blum, an Integrative Dietitian, Menopause Expert, and Bestselling Author, who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. Our conversation is not only research-based, but also backed by scientific proof and clinical experience. We believe that by sharing our differing perspectives and personal stories, we can help you navigate through the complexities of societal myths and industrial norms. During this episode, we explore the importance of having conversations with the people you care about, and how these conversations can lead to personal growth and transformation. We also discuss the books that have inspired us on our spiritual and business journeys, providing you with valuable resources to expand your horizons. If you're looking to challenge your own beliefs, gain new insights, and be part of a community that supports your personal and professional growth, then this episode is a must-listen. We invite you to join the conversation by sharing your thoughts, commenting, and engaging with our community.   Key Takeaways: [00:01:36] Natural ways to restore hormones. [00:04:11] Empowering women through menopause. [00:07:39] Shortages of hormones. [00:11:05] High stress and perimenopause. [00:17:52] Masturbation and sexual wellness. [00:19:30] Self-advocacy at the doctor's office. [00:23:25] Bio-identical hormones are safe. [00:26:02] Vaginal estrogen and breast cancer. [00:31:01] Importance of progesterone. [00:33:01] Progesterone vs. Progestin [00:36:30] Progesterone hypersensitivity. [00:40:07] Keeping intimacy and connection. [00:43:31] Hormones and menopause resources. Where To Find Our Guest Website: https://estherblum.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gorgeousesther/ Happy Hormone Cocktail: https://estherblum.com/cocktail   Memorable Quotes "And just normalize these conversations, I mean even in my group coaching program I did all full class on like masturbation and vibrators, and I think everyone was just so excited to have like a safe open normal conversation about it because some women, you know I told my friends like do you talk about this with other people like oh God I talk about you but I don't, like why are we not talking about it, where's my 16 year-old son it's like masturbation is just completely normalized for dudes, why is it not normalized for girls." [00:17:35] – Esther Blum "I've really worked on developing a spiritual practice in my life and really partnering with the divine for abundance. And there's, if you're really clear on your goals, right, the problem is it's never that we're not dreaming. It's that we're not dreaming big enough.” [00:41:26] – Esther Blum     RESOURCES MENTIONED: Mighty Maca Plus   To learn more about me, and to stay connected, visit the links below: Website: The Girlfriend Doctor Instagram: The Girlfriend Doctor  

Your progesterone questions…Answered!  If estrogen is the good witch, for a lot of women, progesterone is the bad witch that causes bloating, weight gain, and moodiness. Some types of progestogens may also increase the risk of breast cancer.  In this episode, I am going to go through the good, the bad, and all the options when it comes to protecting your uterus when using systemic estrogen therapy.   And since I get so many questions about progesterone, I included them all.  In this episode, I cover o   Why a progestogen is prescribed when a woman takes estrogen post menopause o   The difference between a Progesterone, a Progestin, and a Progestogen o   FDA Approved stand-alone progestogens §            Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (Provera™) §            Micronized Progesterne (Prometrium™) o   FDA Approved ORAL Progestogens combined with estrogen o   FDA Approved TRANSDERMAL Progestogens combined with estrogen o   BAZODOXIFENE-The only FDA approved non-progestogen to protect the uterine lining (and is back on the market!)  o   OFF-LABEL options used to substitute for progestogens. §           Levonorgestrol IUD §           The problem with taking unopposed estrogen §          The problem with compounded transdermal progesterone §          The problem with transvaginal progesterone  For more information on this topic:  Episode 31 The TRUTH About Hormone Therapy: Does it CAUSE or Does it PREVENT Breast Cancer? Episode 35 Compounding Hormones: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Episode 51- Transdermal versus Oral Estrogen- What's the Difference? Hot Flash Hell: A Gynecologist's Guide to Turning Down the Heat Slip Sliding Away: Turning Back the Clock on Your Vagina-A gynecologist's guide to eliminating post-menopause dryness and pain Lauren Streicher, MD is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, and the founding medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause. She is a certified menopause practitioner of the North American Menopause Society.  Sign up to receive DR. STREICHER'S FREE NEWSLETTER Dr. Streicher is the medical correspondent for Chicago's top-rated news program, the WGN Morning News, and has been seen on The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, NPR, Dr. Radio, Nightline, Fox and Friends, The Steve Harvey Show, CBS This Morning, ABC News Now, NBCNightlyNews,20/20, and World News Tonight. She is an expert source for many magazines and serves on the medical advisory board of The Kinsey Institute, Self Magazine, and Prevention Magazine. She writes a regular column for The Ethel by AARP and Prevention Magazine.  DrStreicher.com Instagram       @DrStreich Twitter            @DrStreicher Facebook         @DrStreicher YouTube           DrStreicherTV Books by Lauren Streicher, MD  Slip Sliding Away: Turning Back the Clock on Your Vagina-A gynecologist's guide to eliminating post-menopause dryness and pain Hot Flash Hell: A Gynecologist's Guide to Turning Down the Heat Sex Rx- Hormones, Health, and Your Best Sex Ever The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy

OTC Birth ControlThe proverbial ‘pill' or hormonal contraception may be available over-the-counter (or at least a progestin-only version) by year's end. Join guest host, Jake Galdo, as he discusses improved access to care with Erin Raney as the FDA debates over-the-counter status for hormonal contraceptives. The GameChangerWomen's health is a priority area from a public health perspective – the US has lots of room for improvement. One initiative is to allow a progestin-only hormonal contraceptive have over-the-counter status; in other words, be available without prescription. Progestin-only therapy has unique counseling considerations, so pharmacy intervention can help to optimize care. HostJake Galdo, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, BCGPCourse Content and Developer, CEimpactManaging Network Facilitator, CPESN Health EquityCEO, Seguridad GuestErin C. Raney, Pharm.D., BCPS, BC-ADMProfessor of Pharmacy PracticeMidwestern University College of Pharmacy-Glendale References and Resources Opill Rx-to-OTC Switch Program. www.fda.gov/media/167893/download Redeem your CPE hereCPE (Pharmacist) https://learn.ceimpact.com/library/course/5768 Get a membership & earn CE for GameChangers Podcast episodes (30 mins/episode)Pharmacists: Get a membership https://www.ceimpact.com/  CE Information Learning Objectives Upon successful completion of this knowledge-based activity, participants should be able to: 1. Discuss the efficacy of OTC hormonal contraceptive 2. Identify contraindications for OTC hormonal contraceptives  0.05 CEU/0.5 Hr UAN: 0107-0000-23-XXX-H01-P Initial release date: XX/XX/2023 Expiration date: XX/XX/2024 AdditionalCPE details can be found here.Follow CEimpact on Social Media:LinkedInInstagramDownload the CEimpact App for Free Continuing Education + so much more!Follow CEimpact on Social Media:LinkedInInstagramDownload the CEimpact App for Free Continuing Education + so much more!

See all the Healthcasts at https://www.biobalancehealth.com/healthcast-blog In the history of medicine over the last 2 centuries there have been many changes in the recommendations given to patients by their doctors.  In general, to change the way medicine is practiced improving the care of patients, a new treatment had to be opposed by one or two courageous doctors who were willing to put his/her livelihood and status in the society of medical doctors on the line.   Any medical practice that was contrary to the dogma that had been taught to doctors in training was looked down upon by medical peers and often the doctors who were trying to improve the life of their patients were ousted from their practices and lost their livelihood.  I have been one of those doctors trying to improve the practice of medicine in the face of criticism and “name calling” by other doctors who didn't want to change any of their practices.  In all cases it took a decade or more to regain my status and acceptance by other doctors and in some cases the changes I have made for the sake of my patients are still not accepted, and most likely won't be for another decade.  How and why medicine improves is a painful and complicated process that is always opposed at first.  How Progress of Medical Practice Has Been Thwarted by Doctors' Dogma Example #1 Handwashing between examining patients, When Did That Become a Medical Requirement? Doctors now embrace the practice of washing our hands between examining patients, and the practice of wearing one-use disposable gloves to do a vaginal exam on pregnant patients. However, before 1847 doctors didn't believe in hand washing between examining patients. There were no sterile procedures or wash basins available in doctors' suites, and vaginal exams were done on many patients in a maternity ward, one after the other without handwashing. Bacteria had not been discovered in that century and therefore washing away bacteria was unknown, then bacteria were discovered and the presence of dangerous “bugs” that one couldn't see was questioned by the older doctors and the, but Ignaz Semmelweis proved that ha dogma of the day. With the discovery of bacteria by young doctors and scientists presented a change to the practice of medicine that the older physicians in charge didn't accept. Then Dr. Semmelweis showed up on the scene, touting the new knowledge, and insisting that he must wash his hands between Obstetric patients in the ward.  This set off an explosion and pitted the old guard versus one young, new doctor.  His insistence in washing his hands caused the doctors to throw Dr Semmelweis off staff of his hospital and peer pressure caused him to be shunned by all of the physicians on staff. He had a hard time finding a medical practice and ended his life destitute and without anyone recognizing that he was right the whole time.  Medical handwashing became mandatory long after Hungarian physician Ignaz Semmelweis discovered its effectiveness (in 1846) in preventing disease in a hospital environment.  He was before his time, and if he had been listened to, thousands of laboring women would have survived childbirth, instead of dying from childbed fever!  In retrospect we can sympathize with him because we now know he was right, and his refusal to accept a dangerous practice and to help women live through childbirth, was a personally costly stand to make, but was the first step toward an advance in the practice of medicine.  Example #2 Is Estrogen Replacement for Menopause: Dangerous or Healthy? Reference--Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society Vol. 26, No. 12, pp. 1366-1374 DOI: 10.1097/GME.0000000000001405 ß 2019 by The North American Menopause Society Estrogen for menopausal women has always been a hot potato for medicine. Many studies done in the 1950s and 1960s documented the benefit of giving women estrogen after menopause.  Medicine embraced this belief, and the majority of women were put on Premarin, the most popular estrogen replacement.  All went well until late in the 1960s and early in the 1970s doctors noticed that women with uteruses were getting uterine cancer at a very high number and the majority of women were taking Premarin.  Research confirmed that estrogen replacement without progesterone/progestin could cause uterine cancer!  This caused two things to happen:  Research began within the drug companies to see if giving Provera®, a synthetic progesterone, would protect women from uterine cancer; The second thing that happened was that women immediately stopped their Premarin therapy and were suffering all over the US.  “Premarin” and “Estrogen” became bad words in the doctor's offices, on the front page of papers.  This emotional response to a drug name was hard to erase when several years later, when I learned about Premarin replacement through medical school.  About that time Premarin + Provera, Prempro® was introduced to the public as the answer to getting uterine cancer in menopausal women.  That took over a decade to scientifically establish safety, and menopausal women were without their estrogen to relieve their symptoms. It took that much time to produce enough research to prove that estrogen replacement was not going to cause uterine cancer, but they were right. Estrogen of any type when combined with a progestin protects against uterine cancer, not every case of uterine cancer because there are other factors, but the majority of the time.  All was well in regard to E2 during the 1980s-2002 when the next shoe dropped.  In 2002 a flawed study was released from the NIH called the WHI or Women's Healthcare Initiative, which was published with a headline that startled doctors and women patients alike “Post-Menopausal Hormones Cause Breast Cancer and Heart Disease”.  This Press Release Title was a misinterpretation of the data in the NIH Research article that claimed that Estrogen plus Progestin caused heart attacks and strokes!  The truth has been excavated from the huge report describing the study, in the 20 years since the WHI article was published, but the original misinformation won't go away!  The study scared millions of women off hormone replacement and caused doctors to stop prescribing them.  The outcome of the WHI study is that one brand of estrogen, Premarin(estrogens) PLUS Provera a synthetic Progestin, together do cause heart attacks and strokes. However, estrogen (Premarin or estradiol) alone, does not cause either of these diseases and were proven to protect women from getting heart disease and breast cancer!   The original press release of the WHI study should have been titled, Provera, a Progestin, Increases the Risk of Heart Disease and Breast Cancer, and the FDA should have pulled Provera from the market.  If it had been properly titled and interpreted by the publisher, doctors would have just changed the Provera® prescription to a natural progesterone (bio-identical progesterone or Prometrium®, progesterone in oil) to take with estrogen, and women would not have had their quality of life changed for 2 decades without estrogen for their menopausal symptoms.  I am shocked that Provera® is still on the market with this kind of study showing the damage it can do! I believe the FDA is protecting the pharmaceutical company that makes this substance.  I, personally, have not prescribed Provera® since before the WHI when I tested blood levels of my patients and found very high levels of estrone.  As is typical, a fearful headline always stays in people's minds even when it is proven to be a lie, so for 20 years, most women have not been able to treat their menopausal symptoms.  Since 2002 a multitude of studies have been published (usually by women) stating the real benefits of estradiol replacement to prevent: Heart Disease, diabetes, obesity, dementia, arthritis, hot flashes, insomnia, longer life, and many more symptoms of aging.  You might guess, I never stopped giving estrogen to my post hysterectomy patients, and bioidentical progesterone plus estradiol to my patients with a uterus, to protect their uterus from cancer, yet to allow them to have the benefits of estradiol after menopause.  Because I read the whole WHI study, I realized that it was not estrogen, but progestin that caused the problem in the WHI study. However One very old doctor told one of my patients that I was going to “kill” her….he was just ignorant of the study. This seems to be how doctors react when they hear part of the information published about one of the medical treatments in question. Interestingly it is an emotional response that causes them to react negatively to new information instead of investigating it like scientists, which is what we are supposed to be! They have now been proven wrong and I look pretty good to the patients who remember.  You can see why it is both difficult to trust the information given us as doctors, and why even if we know the truth, it is difficult to treat patients in the negative environment that is caused by careless journalists.   This makes it difficult to make changes in medicine for fear someday, a researcher will find fault with it.  Example #3: Medical Advice about Drinking Water with Your Meals 100 years ago the JAMA Journal printed an editorial that said no one should drink water with their meal because it isn't healthy.  There was no scientific research to back up that medical advice and they didn't say what would happen to you if you did drink water with your meals, but they were adamant that it was dangerous.   In the following century doctors have discovered and presented scientific proof that drinking water with your food helps your food digest, makes you feel full now doctors recommend that everyone drinks water with their food!  This is proven with scientific research and finally replaced the previous dogma that restricted patients from the simple habit of drinking water with their meals.  It took a long time to reverse the beliefs of people, and I remember that in the 1970s my parents believed that no one should drink water with food.  The outcome of that habit was that they both had kidney damage as they grew older!  They maintained an environment of dehydration in their bodies which is physiologically dangerous to kidney function.    Conclusion:  So why should we listen to these medical “experts” when they are not advising us in a healthful lifestyle??  Well, about half the time they are right, and half the time they are wrong---it's a toss-up!    How does one tell the difference between bad and good advice from their doctor? You have to ask your doctor and trust her advice. As a doctor I read research that tests a given medical practice then I compare the outcomes of the research with the outcomes of my patients, and if their findings agree with my patients' experiences, then I embrace the research and include it in my medical advice. If not, I don't use that information and wait for a better study to parallel what I see every day.   You can do the same thing. If you think that the advice a doctor gives you is not consistent with your own experience, then you have to decide whether you take the medical advice and use it or not.

How Democrats are turning the horrific slaughter of Christian children by a trans shooter and the subsequent expelling of state lawmakers as a PR victory for their side in a red state that went 60% for Trump in 2020. Plus, turns out even the Progestin only birth control pill causes breast cancer in women. Then, Dinesh D'Souza is here with reaction to the FBI infiltrating churches. And finally, retired U.S. Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor says The Pentagon leak is an embarrassment for globalist regimes.Guests:Aiden Buzzetti | President, The Bull Moose ProjectGrace Emily Stark | Editor, Natural WomanhoodDinesh D'Souza | Host, The Dinesh D'Souza PodcastCol Douglas Macgregor (Ret.) | Former Senior Advisor to the Acting Secretary of Defense

In the patchwork quilt that is America post- Roe, chemical abortion is becoming the new battleground in the states. We discuss the new laws emerging on either side of the abortion pill issue, the looming decision of a Texas federal judge on whether to suspend the FDA's approval of mifepristone, and how a group of hobby pilots are fly abortion patients out of states with bans. Plus, we discuss the new study showing hormonal birth control elevates the risk of breast cancer.  Topics Discussed:Elevated Access & the hobby pilots flying women out of state for abortionsWyoming becomes first state to ban abortion pillsCA bill seeks to protect doctors who mail abortion pills to other statesThe looming decision of a Texas federal judge on whether to suspend the FDA's approval of mifepristoneNew study shows hormonal birth control elevates the risk of breast cancerIntroducing a new segment Links Mentioned:Small Planes and Secrecy: Pilots Fly People to Kansas and Other States For Abortions - KMUW NewsWyoming Becomes First State To Ban Abortion Pills - Detroit CatholicCA Bill Would Protect Doctors Who Mail Abortion Pills To Other States - AxiosBill SB-345 Health care servicesThe Abortion Mecca - Life Dynamics BlogAbortion Pill Ruling Looms Over FDA's Drug Approval Process - AxiosAll Hormonal Contraceptives ‘Carry Small Increased Risk Of Breast Cancer' - The GuardianStudy Finds Same Small Rise In Breast Cancer Risk In Many Forms Of Hormonal Birth Control - Stat NewsCombined and Progestagen-Only Hormonal Contraceptives and Breast Cancer Risk: A UK Nested Case–Control Study and Meta-Analysis - PLOS MedicinePro-Life America Podcast Episode 41: Birth Control – What They're Not Telling YouLime 5 - By Mark CrutcherRate & Review Our Podcast Have a topic you want to see discussed on the show? [Submit it here.]To learn more about what Life Dynamics does, visit: https://lifedynamics.com/about-us/Support Our Work

Ann Marie is back with a solo episode, her last of the year. Get ready as she makes sense of a crazy year she's still trying to make sense of, and looks at taking that wisdom forward, so maybe you can make a little sense of where you are headed too. Highlights: • Why our bodies and brains work overtime to keep us safe – and why we need to recognize it when they do •  It's not all perimenopause• We've got to move what we can and lift heavy things • Duh: hormone therapy is a really good way to deal with perimenopause symptoms • Big pharma is working overtime on us – and no one is watching • Why how we talk about menopause is important • Have you thought about choline? Here's why you might want to• Everyone needs to learn this: Progestin and progesterone are not the same thing • If you want to get to know yourself, quit drinking and eating crap• If you feel called to do something, just do it and find out why later• “Low and slow” for the winJoin the Hotflash Inc perimenoposse:Web: hotflashinc.comTikTok: @hotflashincInstagram: @hotflashincTwitter: @hotflashincEpisode website: HotflashincSee hotflashinc.com/privacy-policy for privacy informationSPONSORS: Become anti-flush cooling clothing | Now shipping to the US! | Use code HOTFLASHINC to get a 20 percent discount Join the Hotflash Inc perimenoposse: Web: hotflashinc.comTikTok: @hotflashincInstagram: @hotflashincTwitter: @hotflashinc Episode website: Hotflashinc See hotflashinc.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Special guest Carolyn J. Crandall, MD, MS, MACP, Professor of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine joins us to talk about hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms.Listen in as they clarify when and how to use hormone therapy to manage menopausal symptoms.You'll also hear practical advice from panelists on TRC's Editorial Advisory Board:Reid B. Blackwelder, MD, FAAFP, Associate Dean of Graduate and Continuing Medical Education at East Tennessee State UniversityAndrea Darby Stewart, MD, Associate Director, Family Medicine Residency at Honor Health Steven E. Nissen, MD, MACC, the Chief Academic Officer at the Heart and Vascular Institute and the Lewis and Patricia Dickey Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner School of Medicine at Case Western Reserve UniversityFor the purposes of disclosure, Dr. Steven Nissen reports a relevant financial relationship with AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Esperion, Medtronic, Novartis, Pfizer, Silence Therapeutics (grants/research support). The other speakers have nothing to disclose. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.Pharmacist's Letter offers CE credit for this podcast. Log in to your Pharmacist's Letter account and look for the title of this podcast in the list of available CE courses.If you're not yet a Pharmacist's Letter subscriber, find out more about our product offerings at trchealthcare.com. Follow or subscribe, rate, and review this show in your favorite podcast app. You can also reach out to provide feedback or make suggestions by emailing us at ContactUs@trchealthcare.com. 

How many individuals who start gender-affirming hormones while adolescence continue into adulthood?

Dr Faris is a rock solid, no bullshit PCOS-OBGYN Queen who really helps us understand all the things we didn't know we didn't know about hormonal birth control. She is totally in your corner and will fight like hell for you, her patients. Dr. Basma Faris is a Board Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist. Dr. Faris attended the University of California at Berkeley where she received a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Sciences. She went on to complete a Masters of Science in Nutrition at Brooklyn College. She received her medical degree from the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences of the University at Buffalo in 2009. She completed her Obstetrics and Gynecology residency at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Faris began her career in healthcare as a Registered Dietitian. You can connect with Dr Faris on IG @drbasmafaris and @pollyprep ! Be the first to know about the release of her new "Prep School" for people with PCOS- coming soon! Visit her website at www.basmafaris.com or www.pollyprep.com . And if you're a busy physician, she has created an amazing course for you too: Nutrition for Busy Physicians (available on her website) TLDL action steps and takeaways: 1) What hormonal birth control (HBC) ACTUALLY does: a) suppress ovulation (but not all of them); b) thicken the cervical mucus (making it more difficult to get pregnant) and c) thins the endometrial lining over time (again, making it more difficult to get pregnant) 2) Types of hormonal birth control options: i) Combination of estradiol (synthetic form of estradiol) and progestin (synthetic progesterone-like hormones). Different pills differ in type of progestin and dosage ii) Progestin-only contraceptives like emergency contraceptive pill (Plan B)- (delays ovulation); there are also progestin-only pills for regular use iii) Injectible contraceptives iv) Implant contraceptives v) Intra-Uterine Devices (IUDs) 3) Some common side effects of HBC: decreased sex drive, increase in anxiety and depression 4) To have a better experience with HBC use, Dr Faris says we should all ask ourselves "What am I trying to accomplish by being on contraceptives?" and communicate this to our doctors 5) Nutrition guidelines to support our bodies (in general but also especially if using HBC): i) Avoid refined carbohydrates ii) Get enough healthy fats in the diet iii) Avoid too much alcohol iv) Get enough fiber 6) Signs your contraceptive isn't working well for you: i) Changes in skin (like acne, facial hair) that you didn't have before ii) Weight changes (including water retention) iv) Mood changes 7) Expectations of starting HBC; there may be: i) Decreased libido ii) Vaginal dryness iii) Changes in bowel function iv) irregular bleeding during the first few months or blood clot risk 8) Is post-pill PCOS a thing? Dr Faris says we're not sure yet 9) If you're experiencing amenorrhea after coming off the pill (6+ months) your body fat may be too low 10) Dr Faris' starting questions to ask about HBC: i) What are my contraceptive options? (ALL of them) ii) Is there anything about me (the patient) that you think should steer me towards one vs the other? Why? --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/curious-women/support

The number one reason women give for not taking estrogen is fear of breast cancer. This fear is based on the 2002 study which has been reevaluated and shown to be flawed in a number of ways. Despite solid proof that estrogen therapy does not cause breast cancer and other serious illness, most doctors continue to exaggerate the risks and undersell the benefits of hormone therapy. The goal of this episode is not to convince you to take estrogen. The goal is to present the data so that you can make an informed decision.  In this episode, Dr. Streicher discusses:  The original PURPOSE of the 2002 Women's Health Initiative (WHI) and how the study was designed.  The INITIAL RESULTS of the WHI study Why the design of the study was PROBLEMATIC Why the results of the WHI were NOT REPRESENTATIVE of the women who take hormone therapy today The results of the RE-ANALYSIS of the WHI How the age of women in the study, the timing of therapy, and the use of statins altered CARDIOVASCULAR data Why the use of PROGESTIN and the kind of progestin in the study changed the results.  Why TRANSDERMAL estrogens have less risk and who should use one The FACTS about the relationship of estrogen and BREAST CANCER The risk of hormone therapy COMPARED to other known risks for breast cancer The medical impact of women NOT taking HT GUIDELINES for taking hormone therapy safely For more information on this topic: Hot Flash Hell: A Gynecologist's Guide to Turning Down the Heat has a more complete discussion of the results of the WHI and includes pros and cons of every type of estrogen currently on the market.  Episode 1: Is It Menopause or Some Other Pause? Episode 2:Think Your Hot Flashes Can't Kill You? Think Again! Episode 11: Vaginal Estrogen is Not Poison Episode 28: The BEST approach for BREAST Cancer Screening and Risk Reduction  Lauren Streicher, MD is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, and the medical director of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Sexual Medicine and Menopause. She is a certified menopause practitioner of the North American Menopause Society.  Dr. Streicher is the medical correspondent for Chicago's top-rated news program, the WGNMorningNews, and has been seen on The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, NPR, Dr.Radio,Nightline, Fox and Friends, The Steve Harvey Show, CBS ThisMorning,ABCNewsNow, NBCNightlyNews,20/20, and WorldNewsTonight. She is an expert source for many magazines and serves on the medical advisory board of The Kinsey Institute, Self Magazine, and Prevention Magazine. She writes a regular column for The Ethel by AARP and Prevention Magazine.  Subscribe and Follow Dr. Streicher on  DrStreicher.com Instagram @DrStreich Twitter @DrStreicher Facebook  @DrStreicher YouTube  DrStreicherTV Books by Lauren Streicher, MD  Slip Sliding Away: Turning Back the Clock on Your Vagina-A gynecologist's guide to eliminating post-menopause dryness and pain Hot Flash Hell: A Gynecologist's Guide to Turning Down the Heat Sex Rx- Hormones , Health, and Your Best Sex Ever The Essential Guide to Hysterectomy

There are currently (in the USA) 4 generations of available progestins in combination birth control pills. Are these differences clinically relevant, or is it all manufacturer marketing? In this session we will review the chemical nature, biology of, and clinical manifestations of the different progestins. We will set the record straight. (This topic was suggested by an OB/GYN senior resident at Lincoln Hospital, South Bronx… Thank you for listening to our podcast and for the wonderful podcast topic suggestion).

See all the Healthcasts at https://www.biobalancehealth.com/healthcast-blog/ I answer many questions about Estrogen Replacement Therapy ERT every day.  Many of these questions are based on outdated information that women, and even doctors have not updated in the last 30 years.  There has been a lot of research on ERT in the last 2 decades and women need to know the truth! Today I will address all the misinformation that is out there. First a few definitions of the lingo doctors use when talking about estrogen:  ERT (estrogen replacement therapy) definition is replacing estrogen, in any form, to women who are menopausal and have had a hysterectomy. Women who have had a hysterectomy do not need progesterone because progesterone is given to protect the uterus from PMP bleeding and uterine cancer. HRT (estrogen and progesterone therapy) definition is replacing estrogen, progesterone, or progestin in any form to women with a uterus.  The progesterone or progestin is given to prevent the uterus from bleeding after menopause and to protect the uterus from uterine cancer. ET and EPT mean the same as ERT + Testosterone, and EPT is HRT+ T in any form. At Biobalance Health® we only use bio-identical estrogen and testosterone in pellet form and bioidentical progesterone, no progestins.   What is the difference between progesterone and progestins? Progesterone is the hormone made by women after ovulation to support the lining of the uterus and a potential embryo.  It is natural and made by the corpus luteum of the ovary.  Progestin on the other hand, is a chemical that was created to balance the estrogens in the birth control pill and oral menopausal medications. Progestins have many side effects and contribute the complications that many women get from oral hormones. Natural progesterone in all forms have very few side effects and protect the uterus from developing uterine cancer. How long can I take Estrogen? Don't stop! The reason women are so confused is that the College of OBGYN placed arbitrary limits on how many years a woman can take the form of estrogen they prescribe—oral synthetic estrogen and progestin…..and they keep moving the limit.  The current limit of how long a woman can take estrogen is arbitrary and not based on non-oral estradiol replacement but guesses and small studies they do on oral estrogen and progestin. They view ERT and HRT both as a one size fits all and it can't be farther from the truth! Does estrogen cause breast cancer? No estradiol DOESN'T cause breast cancer.  Your biggest risks of developing breast cancer are obesity, large intake of simple sugars, insulin resistance, Type II diabetes, alcohol intake and lack of exercise.  Estrogen has been circulating through your body for decades and estrogen doesn't cause breast cells to change into cancer cells. There are some cancers of the breast (ER receptor + breast cancers) that are stimulated to grow by estrogens, and we don't give estradiol to women who have had these breast cancers unless they have had a double mastectomy and did not have positive nodes. Estrogen DOES and can cause uterine lining cancer (not ovarian cancer) called endometrial cancer. We give women with a uterus progesterone to take with their estradiol pellets to counteract the stimulation of the endometrial cells into cancer.  We require our patients to take progesterone (bio-identical) to protect them from any danger from uterine cancer.  Does Estrogen cause blood clots? Oral estrogen can cause a woman to be more likely to get a blood clot. Oral estrogen circulates through the liver first thing before it is circulated through the body and in that way stimulates the production of fibrinogen and other subsets of blood clots to start the “ball rolling”. However, non-oral estrogen (pellets, patches, creams, gels, sublingual tablets, and vaginal tablets) does not have the same effect.  There are many studies in the last 20 years that substantiate this fact, but most doctors have not gotten the message and still advise women who have had a blood clot not to take any estrogen of any kind!  They are wrong.  What does estrogen replacement do for me?  Estrogen keeps women young both physiologically and physically Estrogen prevents osteoporosis Estrogen prevents the vagina from shrinking, prevents it from atrophy (drying out) Estrogen maintains the bladder and prevents incontinence and bladder infections Estrogen prevents painful intercourse after menopause Estrogen keeps a woman's skin soft and her hair growing normally Estrogen prevents hot flashes and night sweats Estrogen prevents insomnia Estrogen prevents heart disease Estrogen maintains the immune system Estrogen prevents Alzheimer's disease and dementia   Why did the physician groups stop estrogen replacement therapy to women?  They reacted to the WHI study with an emotional response before they even read the study and determined whether it was true or not!  The doctor's leadership are so afraid of lawsuits they immediately recommended taking all women off estrogen and not restarting.  Meanwhile woman all over the country were in physical and emotional pain from their lack of estrogen.  Most of the doctors never read the WHI study, but I did!  It did show that PROGESTINs do increase the rate of breast cancer and heart disease, but not progesterone.  They didn't even study progesterone until later when it was proven safe. Progestins also increase the risk of heart attacks in women, but estrogen taken without progestins were safer than taking NOTHING! Let me recap: The WHI study has been proven wrong.  It said that E2 was dangerous and caused breast cancer and heart disease.  It was misinterpreted and the cause of breast cancer and heart disease was finally found to be the progestin (not progesterone) that was used for HRT in the study.  The women who only took estradiol because they had a hysterectomy had a lower rate of breast cancer and heart disease than those women who took HRT and who took nothing! So, what do you do If your doctor doesn't “believe in” estrogen replacement? Find a new doctor!  Don't listen to old, false information repeated by your doctor.  You know what you need.  Women are very astute at self-diagnosis and after menopause to feel better we need estrogen!   Find a doctor to give you non-oral estradiol with or without natural progesterone because this decision can literally save your life! At BioBalance Health we replace estradiol in the safest way to keep women healthy, safe, and without the diseases of aging.  In women with non-estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, we offer estradiol with testosterone in non-oral long acting pellet therapy. You can live well and healthy as you age!

In this short “localize the lesion” podcast, I discuss an OBGYN topic that presents lots of challenges for individuals on the USMLE exams. Audio Download

So last week we talked about oestrogen, and so today, clearly I'm going to move onto the other predominant hormone in the menstrual cycle, progesterone  So, let's get started. Progesterone is famous for ‘fluffing' up the uterine lining in the second half of your menstrual cycle, which occurs after ovulation, and this phase is called the luteal phase.  When we say fluffing up, progesterone is essentially further preparing the uterine lining to allow for implantation of a fertilised egg, whilst halting oestrogen's effects of  cell-proliferation which thickens the uterine lining.  If the egg is fertilised, it will begin stimulating a steady blood supply to the lining to nourish the egg, via the formation of new blood vessels and additionally will trigger the release of nutrients from glands hidden in the endometrial lining (which is just another fancy word for uterine lining). It will also prevent uterine cramping so the egg can stay nice and secure and plays an absolutely essential role in maintaining the endometrial lining and pregnancy throughout.  Progesterone is a muscle relaxant, which is to further support pregnancy by allowing the muscles of our pelvis to open and stretch as the abdomen begins to expand with pregnancy. However, because it is a muscle relaxant, it also relaxes the intestines, which slows down intestinal motility, leading to fewer bowel movements. In people who already have gut health issues (which let's face it, is most of us with endo) this can then lead to constipation in the second half of the cycle. Progesterone is also immune suppressing, and this is so the immune system doesn't reject a potential implanted egg by seeing it as a foreign invader. Coupled with elevated levels of inflammation that build from ovulation to menstruation, we might end up feeling like we have the flu if we don't keep our immune system strong and inflammation down. This is what you may have heard of as the ‘period flu' or ‘PMS flu'. But, that's not all. Progesterone plays a huge role in brain and nervous system health. Firstly, it actually protects and repairs the fatty layer that wraps around the end of nerve fibres – these are called myelin sheaths, though remembering the name is not what's important. What's important is the progesterone allows these to stay intact and functioning, and these myelin sheaths support proper communication between brain neurons (otherwise known as nerve cells) which allows for healthy cognitive function and communication between the brain and nervous system. Think about these myelin sheaths like a sheath on a long sword, the nerve fibre is the sword, the sheath is the fatty layer, and if that sheath starts to get worn down, the sword will be exposed in places and may start to get blunted or rusty. The next way that progesterone supports brain and nervous system health is through its effect on GABA, the calming neurotransmitter. When progesterone is used up in the body, it produces a metabolite, which is just a by-product of progesterone being used – it's sort of what progesterone is transformed into once it's done its job. So, this metabolite is called allopregnanolone and  allopregnanolone binds to GABA receptors. Think of receptors as a lock and key, the receptor is a lock on a cell, whilst the keys are GABA or allopregnanolone. The binding of allopregnanolone to a GABA receptor actually enhances the soothing effects of GABA, creating a sedative like response which can improve sleep, calm anxiety, and generally soothe both body and mind. Progesterone also helps protect us from breast and uterine cancer, supports bone density and heart health. Aaand plays a star role in ovulation, the production of progesterone is essential to kicking off the last hormonal change that aids in ovulation. Finally, progesterone raises our temperature, which is why when using the fertility awareness method for tracking your cycle, you'll use a basal body thermometer to take your temperature upon waking. Before ovulation, your temperature will be 36.11 to 36.50 degrees Celsius, after ovulation, it should rise 36.55-8. to If your temperature jumps up and stays there for three days in a row, you've ovulated and this temp change should be sustained and then drop just before your period as your progesterone levels drop. So just like oestrogen, it's actually an integral hormone to overall health.    Progesterone and the Menstrual Cycle Now you know the benefits, let's look at how it's made and its patterns during the menstrual cycle. Progesterone is made in something called the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum is a short-term gland made from the follicle which the chosen egg ovulates from, and this transformation occurs as ovulation takes place, so mid-way through your cycle. If the chosen eggs becomes fertilised, the corpus luteum will continue to make progesterone to sustain the pregnancy for the first three months of the cycle, if levels aren't high enough, this is when miscarriage can occur. It's why whenever my clients are having trouble conceiving or have miscarried, I like to keep checking their progesterone levels, because shockingly this is not something that is standardly done by doctors in relation to this, not until at least, recurrent miscarriages have occurred. After the first trimester, the progesterone supply comes from the umbilical cord.  Now, if fertilisation doesn't occur, progesterone will be made for between 11 to 17 days post-ovulation, and then drop sharply just before your period, triggering the shedding of the uterine lining. Progesterone goes on to stay low during the menstrual and follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, with oestrogen dominating during this time, and then progesterone dominates after ovulation. So, what happens if there's a problem with progesterone – and why would that occur? The biggest imbalance we see with progesterone is low levels of progesterone. Like oestrogen dominance, there can be two ways that low progesterone occurs.  So the first would be that your progesterone levels are actually normal but are low in contrast to oestrogen, creating an oestrogen dominance affect. Remember, this would only occur in the second half of your cycle, when progesterone is supposed to be higher than oestrogen. Or you actually have low levels of progesterone itself. So, let's look at the first scenario briefly. This would of course occur from elevated levels of oestrogen, in which case, we need to look at what could be affecting that and we covered those points last week.  So what if you actually have low levels of progesterone? The key culprit would be because of lack of ovulation. If we're not ovulating, the main follicle doesn't get a chance to turn into the corpus luteum and produce progesterone. The number one cause of lack of ovulation is some kind of physical or emotional stressor. This occurs because stress hormones like cortisol actually suppress the release of GnRH (which is short for Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone). GnRH is essential to get the menstrual cycle moving, it essentially tells the pituitary glands to make follicle stimulating hormone and lutenising hormone, and follicle stimulating hormone is essential for the growth of the chosen follicle whilst luteinsing hormone is vital to ovulation. When GnRH is suppressed, so are these, and so of course is ovulation and the resulting progesterone levels.  Additionally, cortisol also further prevents ovulation by making the ovaries resistant to the effects of FSH and LH. Now even if ovulation still manages to occur, the downstream suppression of LH and FSH can still lower progesterone production and finally, cortisol actually binds to progesterone receptors, meaning even if progesterone is made, it then can't go on and do its job in the body and is essentially just floating around with nowhere to go and nothing to do. Now remember, a stressor doesn't have to be an actual stressor in your life, it could be inflammation from SIBO, or lack of nutrients from undereating or having SIBO, or over exercising, or living in chronic pain. Now if you have managed to ovulate, and stress isn't an issue, but you have low levels of progesterone, you may have something called luteal phase insufficiency, which is essentially where the corpus luteum is unable to make enough progesterone. Whilst there may be numerous causes and it's always best to work with a practitioner if you are struggling with this, I commonly see this to be a problem in my clients who are unable to absorb enough nutrients from their food due to SIBO, or who have a lot of diarrhoea from SIBO so are underweight. They basically aren't taking in enough nutrients to create healthy follicles.  Another cause would be thyroid issues, whether that's hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, but can affect ovulation and progesterone output. Other conditions can affect ovulation and ultimately progesterone production too, like PCOS and high levels of the hormone prolactin.  Finally, progestin IUDs can also create low progesterone overall. Progestin is not progesterone and therefore works differently in the body, and whilst you may have been told the IUD doesn't stop ovulation, it does for many in at least the first year of use.  Symptoms of low progesterone may sound familiar, because of course, once we have low progesterone, we also have oestrogen dominance, so here are some of the signs: ·      Heavy periods ·      PMS ·      Tender breasts, especially before your period ·      Missing periods ·      Shorter cycles (indicating that progesterone wasn't around long enough to have a full luteal phase) ·      Irregular cycles ·      Miscarriages or fertility struggles ·      Low moods – especially anxiety, anger and irritability in the second half of your cycle ·      Breakthrough bleeding in the luteal phase   Now, when it comes to progesterone, low progesterone is the most common issue we see, so much so, that going through all of my courses, I realised we don't even cover high progesterone levels! However, Dr. Jolene Brighten briefly covers the symptoms of high progesterone in her blog post on hormonal imbalances, so here are the symptoms from her: ·      Irritability ·      Feeling tearful ·      Sore breasts ·      Headaches ·      Tiredness   High progesterone levels can be caused by: ·      Progesterone cream, which is a common treatment used by many people with endometriosis. And according to an article by Clue app., high progesterone can also be caused by: ·      Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) ·      Some ovarian cysts  ·      Certain ovarian tumours  ·      Pregnancy complications Because this is not my area of expertise, I've linked to a couple of evidence-based articles on high progesterone in the show notes.  So, how does progesterone affect endometriosis? Firstly, we have the obvious issue that progesterone counteracts the proliferating effects of oestrogen, so without enough progesterone, there is the risk that oestrogen will go unchecked and could encourage endometriosis growth. However, this is a slightly simplistic view because some endometriosis cells are resistant to the effects of progesterone and some do not even have progesterone receptors at all, so progesterone literally cannot act on those specific cells.  The other benefit of progesterone is that it is immunosuppressive and we know there is significant immune dysfunction in endometriosis, where certain immune cells are creating excessive levels of inflammation but are doing a poor job of cleaning the endometriosis up. Having sufficient progesterone levels can potentially help quiet some of that excessive inflammation in the second half of the cycle.  Finally, progesterone can inhibit the formation of new blood vessels to the endo lesions, which are essential to their growth and development. Now of course, indirectly, if you already have gut issues related to your endometriosis, because of SIBO or adhesions or gut dysbiosis, then the natural rise of progesterone in the second half of the cycle can cause constipation. The answer isn't to supress progesterone, as I hope you can already see the benefits, but it's more so to support your gut, and this could look like different things depending on what is going on with your body. If you have adhesions affecting the transition of food through the gut, daily massage like the I Love You massage or Arvigo can make a huge difference and I see this work so well with many of my constipated clients. I've linked to resources for both of these in my show notes. If it's SIBO related or gut dysbiosis related, obviously taking the necessary steps to heal the gut is essential, but in the short-term, in the second phase of your cycle, you can use some symptomatic relief strategies, which I outline in episode 169 and I've linked to that in the show notes. Another issue you may have with endo is a tight pelvic floor, which when coupled with sluggish intestines, may result in constipation, so any form of pelvic floor relaxation or movement that helps gut motility like yoga, or rebounding or simply walking, is going to help. Of course, we also have the issue that endometriosis can cause anxiety and depression, so if we have low levels of progesterone in the second half of the cycle, those conditions may feel even worse. The answer is of course, to work to balance your oestrogen and progesterone levels with good hormonal practices, including blood sugar balancing, stress management, supporting the detoxification pathways, etc. Everything I cover in this podcast, in my nutrition masterclasses, courses and coaching. As I said last week, one of the most powerful ways to transform your hormones is with blood sugar balancing, so I would begin there. But if your biggest problem is lack of sleep, maybe that's where you start – or if its stress, maybe you bring in meditation. The key is, we want to make sure you're ovulating. Now there are a few key nutrients and some hacks for raising progesterone, and I'm going to keep that for another episode because this podcast is pretty long already! But initially, we really want to get those foundations in place rather than chasing supplements and shiny hacks that are short-lived.  If you're not sure about what your progesterone is doing, you can get a simple blood test. This blood test should be taken five to seven days after ovulation, if you're not sure when you ovulated, then you can do days 19-22 of an average 28-day cycle (remember, this is just an average, 28 is not the ‘perfect' cycle length). If your cycle is much longer, then check with the test provider.  And a great way to actually be sure you're ovulating is to use the Fertility Awareness Method, which uses three different markers you can track daily, to actually know for sure whether you've ovulated or not. I've linked to a couple of resources and episodes on this in the show notes.  So that's it! I hope you now feel confident that you understand how progesterone is made, how it affects endo and how it might be impacting you personally! If you've found this episode helpful, please remember to share with others and let me know what you thought!  Let's get social! Come say hello on Instagram or sign up to my newsletter. Sign up to my free workshop Creating a Roadmap to Endo Healing in 2022: The Foundations Workshop here. Sign up to the wait list for my course, Live and Thrive with Endo here. My new Nutrition for Endo Masterclasses are out now and are on special offer for Black Friday. Get one masterclass for £29.99 (full price £40) or both for £50. Find out more here. My cookbook This EndoLife, It Starts with Breakfast is out now! Get 28 anti-inflammatory, hormone friendly recipes for living and thriving with endometriosis. Order your copy here. If you feel like you need more support with managing endometriosis, you can join Your EndoLife Coaching Programme. A 1-to-1 three month health and life coaching programme to help you thrive with endometriosis. To find out more about the programme and to discuss whether it could be right for you, email me at hello@thisendolife.com or visit my website. This episode is sponsored by The Pod Farm. Learn all about how to start your own podcast with the complete course from The Pod Farm. Aimed at beginners, this course takes a simple and straightforward approach to planning, equipment buying, setting up, recording, editing and hosting your own podcast. With hours of audio and video materials, and downloadable guides and useful links, this multimedia approach aims to have something for every kind of learner. From now until April 15, newsletter subscribers get 20% off the course price. Visit www.thepodfarm.com to enroll or find out more This episode is sponsored by BeYou. Soothe period cramps the natural way with these 100% natural and discreet menthol and eucalyptus oil stick on patches and CBD range. Click here to find out more and to shop: https://beyouonline.co.uk This episode is sponsored by Semaine. Try their supplement for period pain and daily supplement for hormonal balance and PMS prevention with code ENDOLIFE to get 20% off your first order.    Show Notes Progesterone menstrual cycle/imbalances: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279054/#female_the-normal-menstrual-cycle-and-the-control-of-ovulation._1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4653859/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4436586/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5689497/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20595939/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11994369/ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jne.12179 Episode 169: https://www.thisendolife.com/this-endolife-podcast-episodes/symptom-management-supplements-for-the-endo-belly Prolactin https://academic.oup.com/mend/article/4/1/13/2713978 High progesterone https://www.verywellhealth.com/high-progesterone-symptoms-5185751 https://helloclue.com/articles/cycle-a-z/progesterone-101 https://drbrighten.com/hormone-imbalance-symtpoms/ IUD https://nicolejardim.com/how-does-the-mirena-iud-work-is-it-right-for-me/ Fertility Awareness Method https://nicolejardim.com/how-to-track-your-cycle-to-know-if-when-youre-ovulating-when-your-period-will-arrive/ https://www.freebirthsociety.com/blogs/the-free-birth-podcast/fam-understanding-the-basics-of-the-fertility-awareness-method Endo and progesterone https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnint.2020.00026/full https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5077092/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8671374/ Hormone testing https://nicolejardim.com/hormone-testing-cheat-sheet/ https://nicolejardim.com/the-best-way-to-test-hormones/ https://drbrighten.com/when-is-the-best-time-to-test-hormone-levels/ 

In this episode of Hope Natural Health, Dr. Erin speaks about Progestin vs Progesterone. During this episode you will learn: How they are produced and their individual functions in the body Which one to avoid The differences between the two hormones For more on Dr. Erin and Hope Natural Health: Dr. Erin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.erinellis/ Dr. Erin's Website: https://hopenaturalhealth.com/ Hope Natural Health on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChHYVmNEu5tKu91EATHhEiA Hope Natural Health Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/502019330675353

Welcome back to Hunger Hunt Feast! Today we have an honest and topical conversation with Gina Bontempo about taking personal responsibility for your health. This episode is a replay from earlier this year but the message remains truer now than ever. Whether you heard it before, or this is your first time tuning in this conversation is exactly what you need to hear to jump-start your new year and help achieve your optimal success.  We hope this conversation gives you a new lens to see how the social and racial climate can affect your health and lifestyle choices.  QUICK NOTES FROM ZANE:  Eclectic educational and vocational background turned woke at Harvard Theological Divinity School After traveling to several countries she realized that if you live in the US you are privileged. Comparing the success and cultural differences of immigrant minorities to US-born minorities moving to Nashville, TN for the new Daily Wire show hosted by Candace Owens. The message of Candace Owens to elevate the black community Inspired by the writings of Thomas Sowell, Larry Elder, Coleman Hughes. Gina's red pill experience and connecting with Candace Owens Struggling with the body positivity media message targeting women's health in her job as a health writer for a digital media company. Emailed Candace Owens to pitch herself as a guest on Candace's podcast 2 months later, Candace offered her a job to become her manager, the health risks of the body positivity message directed at women. The body positivity message drives profits for media companies Health risks of birth control and synthetic progesterone: Progestin *note: Zane mentions Synthroid mistakenly which is a synthetic thyroid* Making personal health choices to avoid reliance on the healthcare system Gina's health choices during her first pregnancy.  LINKS: IG: @Gmflorio Twitter: @floriogm http://gmflorio.com Zane's Links: Get organic keto meals delivered to your door!! https://trifectanutrition.llbyf9.net/zane ReLyte Electrolytes by Redmond Real Salt https://shop.redmond.life?afmc=Zane Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zanegriggsfitness QUICK EPISODE SUMMARY Introducing Gina Bonatempo Being woke and searching for truth The American dream and American privilege Skin vs. Culture Calling people up to greatness How Gina became woke Obesity, Mass media, and the truth Women are from Venus… Body positivity campaign and social media The dangers of birth control Your health has to be intentional and a priority Health during pregnancy

The Case:  Jenny went on the pill as a teenager to regulate her irregular and heavy periods. After 20 years on the pill, she decided to start a family. Going off the pill led to fatigue, insomnia, hair loss, acne, and when her periods returned after 3 months, they were painful, heavy and irregular. Her symptoms led her to suspect hypothyroidism but her levels came back normal.   The Investigation The first thing I did when I started working with Jenny was to run a full thyroid panel. While her TSH was normal, as her doctor had said, her free hormones were off. I knew that there had to be a connection between Jenny's long history with birth control pills, her menstrual issues, and her thyroid but was the thyroid causing the issue or did the pill create a thyroid problem? To discuss this further, I reached out to Emily Sadri. She's a board-certified women's health nurse practitioner and midwife who runs a functional medicine practice for women in Cleveland, Ohio. She specializes in abnormal bleeding, perimenopause, menopause, and fertility so I knew she would be a great resource for this episode.   How the Birth Control Pill Became So Popular Most people are familiar with the birth control pill and yet, most of the time this medication is prescribed it is not specifically for family planning as it was designed. Instead, women often turn to the birth control pill to help them deal with other issues. For example, it is common for young women to turn to the birth control pill to lessen heavy and/or painful periods. They may also start taking the pill to help them deal with acne or irregular bleeding. This will often happen soon after a woman starts her menses. Emily says this is a bit of an issue because a woman's cycle takes time to find it's rhythm and if a medication is used to regulate that early on, it may never find its own rhythm because the feedback loop between all of the hormones is interrupted.   How Menstruation Works To fully understand why this is an issue, we needed to go back for an anatomy lesson and reconsider what is going on in a girl's body as she starts to cycle. The average age of onset of menses is around 11 years old. Prior to that, the young woman's pituitary gland and hypothalamus (in the brain) start to send out little signals to her ovaries. This feedback look is called HPO access or hypothalamic pituitary ovarian access. It's like the feedback loop. So, the hypothalamus talks to the anterior pituitary. The pituitary gland sends out hormones to stimulate the ovaries and release estrogen. That estrogen is released in little bursts over the years leading up to a young girl's first cycle and may still be firing irregularly during the first year or so of menstruation. The estrogen builds up in the uterine lining which starts to thicken the endometrium (lining of the uterus).  The hormones from the anterior pituitary stimulate the release of a follicle (aka an egg) from the ovary. That first follicle is released prior to the first bleed. The follicle has a lining around it called the corpus luteum which releases progesterone. The progesterone stabilizes that thickened endometrium. When that egg is not fertilized, the body picks up on that and then the endometrium sheds and that is when you get a menses. All of these hormones have to rise and fall in the cycle and find their rhythm in those first few years of menses. And remember, often at this time in a woman's life, she is dealing with other things that can impact the release of these hormones including stress and/or not getting enough sleep.   How the Birth Control Pill Works The birth control pill interrupts the natural feedback loop by introducing hormones that weren't called for or stimulated by the system. The pituitary hormones, the hypothalamus calibrating hormones, that normally communicate with the ovaries, sense the circulating estrogen and progesterone so there's no stimulation required. This quiets the whole system and the body either stops producing or produces very little of its own estrogen and the endometrium doesn't build up as much as it might without the pill.  In a traditional birth control pill, there would be 3 weeks of active pills and a week of sugar pills. The absence of the hormones causes a withdrawal bleed. This is different from actually menstruating. This is one of the biggest myths about being on the pill – it does not regulate your period; it eliminates it and triggers a monthly withdrawal bleed. So, any of the problems that existed before going on the pill haven't been fixed by going on the pill, only paused. Often, women will discover that the pill has only masked the problem.   The Menstrual Cycle is Not Steady It's also important to note that certain birth control pills deliver consistent levels of hormones each day. This is not how the body naturally produces hormones. Progesterone and estrogen ebb and flow throughout the natural cycle. These natural ups and downs are responsible for creating variety in our mood and feelings. Hormones around ovulation can provide feelings of passion or happiness. It may also be a time of creativity and productivity. Whereas later in the cycle, you might be feeling more introspective. Understanding the natural cycles can be a gift, says Emily. Having a steady state of hormones that do not fluctuate as they naturally should can actually lead to even more mood swings and even things like depression, and a lower libido.   Birth Control Pills, Hypothyroidism and Autoimmune Diseases While Emily believes that women should embrace the ups and downs of their natural cycle, she does note that these hormone fluctuations can be problematic for those with autoimmune disease. And while fluctuations can cause flare ups, she still feels that it's important to dig deeper because these responses or flare ups could be a clue to what's really causing the issue. When it comes to the effects the pill might have on hypothyroidism, lab tests may show lower circulating free hormones (even if TSH is fine). This is what we saw with Jenny.   Progestin-Only Birth Control Pills The progestin-only pill is popular for women postpartum for a few reasons. The first is that they already have such high circulating levels of estrogen. The second is that estrogen dramatically increases a woman's risk for blood clots. This option is also preferred by those who are at higher risk of complications. Progestin-only birth control pills work differently than the more common estrogen/progesterone. It doesn't always fully suppress ovulation however, it really suppresses the development of the uterine lining. So over the course of your cycle, your estrogen develops the endometrium and makes it thick and rich (perfect for an egg to implant). Because this birth control pill limits the development of the endometrium, it is not sufficient for an egg to implant. Possible side effects include irregular spotting, depression, mood swings, and mood abnormalities.   Long Term Birth Control Usage Women who are on the pill from an early age to their mid thirties (when things naturally start to change) can develop issues that are hard to diagnose because they never developed a natural HPO access. As women age, they experience hormonal shifts that, when combined with continued use of birth control pills can lead to a variety of issues. These include: Headaches Migraines with aura Thromboembolism Spotting Sore Breasts Constipation Digestive Changes (bloating) Yeast Infections Leaky Gut Nutritional Deficiencies (specifically vitamins C, E, B2, B6, B12, and folic acid) Metabolic Issues (and weight gain) Low Libido These can be exacerbated by poor diet, poor gut function, slow transit times in their colon, as well as the potential for estrogen dominance.   Preventing Hormone Imbalances Any conversation about balancing hormones or starting on birth control pills, according to Emily, should also address nutrition. Estrogen recirculation and excretion of hormones requires good digestion and healthy gut function.  This means eating vegetables and getting sufficient fiber to ensure healthy intestinal motility. Stress management is also important in avoiding hormone imbalance. Stress has become quite normalized for young women and it can lead to serious hormone imbalances. Ongoing stress can elevate levels of cortisol which decreases progesterone, which throws off estrogen levels. Estrogen dominance is another issue to watch out for. This can be driven by the gut recirculating excess estrogen, exposure to environmental toxins, among other things.     Supplements for Hormone Balancing For estrogen dominance, Emily is a fan of Vitex which is an herb that helps balance hormone secretion. She suggests 1000 milligrams daily in the morning as a way to boost progesterone and decrease excess estrogen.   Vitamin E used during the last 7 days of the menstrual cycle and the first 4-7 days of the menses. Vitamin E may help to decrease pain as well as dysmenorrhea. Essentially, you want to use vitamin E for the 10 most symptomatic days of the cycle. Emily recommends taking 1000 milligrams per day in divided doses.    Next Steps in Solving Jenny's Mystery The first step in helping Jenny with her issues was to work on her diet and lifestyle to support reducing inflammation and stress (which as we heard, is so critical for hormone balancing). We then did a DUTCH test (a urine test for hormones) which revealed that Jenny was experiencing estrogen dominance due to poor detoxification of estrogen. Her thyroid labs revealed low free hormones as well as a low T3 uptake showing us that she was binding up too much of her thyroid hormones. This is very common with birth control use and I see it all the time. These were key clues in solving her mystery since her symptoms. The high estrogen was causing the heavy, irregular periods. This was also causing binding which resulted in low free T3 and free T4, even though her TSH is totally fine. The impact to the thyroid likely contributed to the fatigue, sleep issues, and overall feeling off. This is actually one of the common thyroid types that I teach about in my upcoming Thyroid Mystery Solved course (scheduled for release in January 2022). With the mystery solved, it was time to get Jenny feeling better. She took Calcium D-Glucarate  and DIM Evail to facilitate the estrogen detoxification. We also supported her gut health (making sure she was eliminating well and getting rid of the bad bugs). For this she took enzymes,  Microgone, GI Microb, probiotics, and R's Koso (a probiotic drink). We supported her liver with N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC), and LV-GB Complete.   Happy Ending After 4 months her periods normalized, her energy and sleep improved, and her skin started to clear up. And, she got pregnant within 6 months!   Eliminating Health Mysteries This discussion with Emily reminds us that taking the pill to deal with symptoms doesn't typically fix whatever issue caused those symptoms. It merely masks it while you are on the pill – something that is not explained to many young women looking for instant solutions to their menstrual issues. As with Jenny, those symptoms can come back as soon as you go off the pill. In this case, we were able to get to that root cause of her health mystery and help her not only regain her health but conceive as well. Could prolonged use of the birth control pill be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?    Links: Thanks to my guest Emily Sadri.  You can connect with her on Instagram or check out her website (and grab that free guide on balancing your hormones naturally). Suggested Products R's Koso Japanese Fermented Drink (Save 10% by using INNA10 at checkout) Calcium D-Glucarate  DIM Evail Enzymes GI Microb Probiotics N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) LV-GB Complete.   Related Podcast Episodes: Why You Don't Want to Ignore Symptoms of a Hyperactive Thyroid [Ask Inna] Answers to Your Questions about Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's The Case of the Missing Periods w/ Nutritionist, Aynsley Kirshenbaum   Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode -  Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts and remember to rate and review the show! Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com   PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Some of the links provided are affiliate links. This means we may make a very small amount of money should you choose to buy after clicking on them. This will in no way affect the price of the product but it helps us a tiny bit in covering our expenses.

In this episode of the IJGC podcast, Editor-in-Chief Dr. Pedro Ramirez, is joined by Dr. Jennifer Chae-Kim. Dr. Chae-Kim is the author of Outcomes of women treated with progestin and metformin for atypical endometrial hyperplasia and early endometrial cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis, which is the Lead Article of IJGC's December 2021 issue. Dr. Chae-Kim is in her last year of OB/GYN residency at BSW-Temple, and will be pursuing her interests in fertility preservation and fellowship training in REI at the NIH next year. https://ijgc.bmj.com/content/early/2021/11/15/ijgc-2021-002699 Jennifer Chae-Kim (@chae_md) Highlights 1) Endometrial cancer and atypical endometrial hyperplasia are being diagnosed more frequently in reproductive-aged women, who may desire fertility-sparing therapy. 2) Women who received progestin and metformin therapy were found to have lower disease relapse rates than those who received progestin alone. 3) Combined therapy was not associated with significantly different rates of disease remission, pregnancy, live birth. 4) Further research is needed to determine the parameters of clinical application of metformin to progestin therapy.

What is progesterone? What does it do? Do you have enough? What causes low progesterone? What are the symptoms of low progesterone? How do you raise your progesterone level? What 2 big mistakes do most medical practitioners make when it comes to progesterone? Knowledge is power. Uplevel yours in just 20 minutes today!CNN article about jj virgin's son being treated with progesterone for brain injury: https://www.cnn.com/2014/01/18/health/fish-oil-recovery/index.html Dr Laura Briden's article progesterone has superpowers: https://larabriden.com/superpowers-benefits-progesterone/ Letter to the editor of the British Medical Journal stating some side effects with topical progesterone replacement therapy: https://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/10/30/warning-about-natural-progesterone How to increase progesterone with diet https://www.mariongluckclinic.com/blog/six-nutrients-boost-progesterone.html Life-Flo Progesta Care brand otc progesterone: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Flo-Progesta-Care-Natural-Progesterone-Physician-Developed/dp/B000FF9OLQ/ref=sr_1_12_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1549327679&sr=1-12&keywords=progesterone+creamFacebook group link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/healthcouragecollective

To understand this book, you only need to remember a few bio-identical hormone names—estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and thyroids, which include porcine, T4, and T3. If you read outside sources, you must learn others. Return to this reference chapter as needed. Hormones work by attaching to receptor molecules in the human body, and since the natural ones are identical or nearly identical to those made by our glands, they fit like the real thing. Manufactured medicines are foreign substances never found in the body's ecosystem that are made from animals or chemicals. These do not match as closely as the bio-identicals, do not work as well, and have side effects. They are still useful in a few circumstances but should never be taken long-term. I call them “counterfeit” or “fake” to help you sort out the issues. For example, progesterone is bio-identical. In contrast, Provera is a synthetic progesterone imitation. It raises the chances of migraines, weight gain, heart disease, breast cancer, depression, and irregular bleeding. Pregnant women taking it get more miscarriages and their babies have more congenital disabilities. Drugmakers invent sexy copyrighted brand names for their profitable patented compounds. This allows patients to harass doctors by saying, “I saw an ad for…” Pharma also creates chemical names that are hard to pronounce and remember. The brand Celebrex, for example, is the chemical celecoxib—try saying that one. The advantage for the manufacturer is that when medications go off-patent and are sold as generics, the chemical is more difficult to recall than the recognizable brand. The drugmakers use the names to confuse. Progestin, progestogen, and Provera, the artificial ones, sound like natural progesterone. And Premarin, the horse-urine estrogen (this name was from PRegnant MAre's uRINe), gets mixed up with Provera, the synthetic progesterone. These strategies work, so the doctors are just as bewildered as you are:✪ Many journal articles make no distinction between bio-identical progesterone and progestins/progestogens such as Provera. They call both of these progesterone, which implies there is little difference. ✪ Likewise, medical articles call many related substances estrogens, which is accurate but fools both doctors and patients into thinking that they are all alike. Technically, estrogens include bio-identical estradiol, the counterfeits such as Premarin, and the other relatively weak human estrogens, estrone and estriol. These last two are bio-identical but are almost inactive and cause some health issues. ✪ Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) sometimes refers to treatment with bio-identicals and sometimes to treatment with the counterfeits!Support the show (https://paypal.me/dryohoauthor?locale.x=en_US)

The Pill and other hormonal contraceptives shut down your brain in order to avoid pregnancy. With Jenny Koos aka Vulverine - a Justisse reproductive health practitioner and a faculty member of the Justisse College International - discover how hormonal contraception really works. Disclaimer: this episode is not against the Pill. It gives information about hormonal contraceptives to encourage active choice making instead of passive acceptance. I highly recommend that you checkout a previous episode called “What are the different phases of a menstrual cycle?” if you are not familiar with this topic. Facts: • In 2010, Bayer made $1.5 billion from Yaz, then its second best-selling product. • Today, 80% of women will take the birth control pill at some point during their lifetimes. • 50% of women under age 25 use the pill in the US. • 50% of women taking the pill say they want to regulate their periods and are prescribed the pill for this reason first. Find Jenny on: • vulverine.se • boon.tv/vulverine • instagram.com/vulverinekoos Mentioned in this episode: • the Pill • hormonal IUD, vaginal ring, hormonal implant • hormonal glands • Hypothalamus, pituitary gland, ovaries • negative feedback loop • menstrual cycle • estrogen and progesterone • Follicular phase and Luteal phase • Progestin, ethinyl estradiol and gestogens • ovulation • menstruation • withdrawal bleeding • the boomerang effect • uterus and Fallopian tubes • ectopic pregnancy • PMS and PCOS • combined Pill, mini Pill • going off the Pill • endocrine disruptor • Sweetening the Pill or how we got hooked on hormonal birth control, by Holly Grigg-Spall

In this episode of the PRS Global Open Keynotes Podcast, Dr. Brian Labow and Ms. Laura Nuzzi discuss adolescent macromastia (overly-enlarged breasts) and its treatment.   This episode discusses the following PRS Global Open article: “The Impact of Progestin-only Contraception on Adolescents with Macromastia” by Laura C. Nuzzi, Tannishtha Pramanick, Gabrielle G. Massey, Landis R. Walsh, Catherine T. McNamara, Joseph M. Firriolo, Amy D. DiVasta and Brian I. Labow. Read it for free on PRSGlobalOpen.com: http://bit.ly/TeenageMacromastia Ms. Nuzzi is a Clinical Research Manager at the Adolescent Breast Clinic at Boston Children's Hospital. Dr. Labow is a board-certified plastic surgeon, Director of the Adolescent Breast Clinic at Boston Children's Hospital, and Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. Your host, Dr. Damian Marucci, is a board-certified plastic surgeon and Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of Sydney in Australia. #PRSGlobalOpen; #KeynotesPodcast; #PlasticSurgery; Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery- Global Open

In this episode of the PRS Global Open Keynotes Podcast, Dr. Brian Labow and Ms. Laura Nuzzi discuss adolescent macromastia (overly-enlarged breasts) and its treatment. This episode discusses the following PRS Global Open article: “The Impact of Progestin-only Contraception on Adolescents with Macromastia” by Laura C. Nuzzi, Tannishtha Pramanick, Gabrielle G. Massey, Landis R. Walsh, Catherine T. McNamara, Joseph M. Firriolo, Amy D. DiVasta and Brian I. Labow. Read it for free on PRSGlobalOpen.com: http://bit.ly/TeenageMacromastia Ms. Nuzzi is a Clinical Research Manager at the Adolescent Breast Clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Labow is a board-certified plastic surgeon, Director of the Adolescent Breast Clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital, and Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. Your host, Dr. Damian Marucci, is a board-certified plastic surgeon and Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at the University of Sydney in Australia. #PRSGlobalOpen; #KeynotesPodcast; #PlasticSurgery; Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery- Global Open

Welcome back to Hunger Hunt Feast! Today we have an honest and topical conversation with Gina Bontempo about taking personal responsibility for your health.  We hope this conversation gives you a new lens to see on how the social and racial climate can affect your health and lifestyle choices.  QUICK NOTES FROM ZANE:  Eclectic educational and vocational background turned woke at Harvard Theological Divinity School After traveling to several countries she realized that if you live in the US you are privileged. Comparing the success and cultural differences of immigrant minorities to US-born minorities moving to Nashville, TN for the new Daily Wire show hosted by Candace Owens. The message of Candace Owens to elevate the black community Inspired by the writings of Thomas Sowell, Larry Elder, Coleman Hughes. Gina’s red pill experience and connecting with Candace Owens Struggling with the body positivity media message targeting women's health in her job as a health writer for a digital media company. Emailed Candace Owens to pitch herself as a guest on Candace’s podcast 2 months later, Candace offered her a job to become her manager, the health risks of the body positivity message directed at women. The body positivity message drives profits for media companies Health risks of birth control and synthetic progesterone: Progestin *note: Zane mentions Synthroid mistakenly which is a synthetic thyroid* Making personal health choices to avoid reliance on the healthcare system Gina’s health choices during her first pregnancy.   LINKS: IG: @Gmflorio Twitter: @floriogm http://gmflorio.com Questions? You can email your questions to zane@zanegriggs.com. Connect with me at zanegriggs.com or on Instagram @zanegriggsfitness   QUICK EPISODE SUMMARY Introducing Gina Bonatempo Being woke and searching for truth The American dream and American privilege Skin vs. Culture Calling people up to greatness How Gina became woke Obesity, Mass media, and the truth Women are from Venus… Body positivity campaign and social media The dangers of birth control Your health has to be intentional and a priority Health during pregnancy

Before I get into the podcast for this week (which has been slightly delayed due to me having virtually no voice!), I want to talk about my book - today is the official release date of “Getting Pregnant with PCOS”! I’m beyond excited for you all to get your hands on it and read it. It’s been well over a year in the making - many late nights, a heap of research and editing, calls with the publisher and Amazon and lots of reviewing but it’s finally hitting the shelves!The book is an evidence-based approach to treating the root causes of polycystic ovary syndrome and boosting your fertility. I cover everything you need to know about getting pregnant with PCOS and no, it’s not just talking about sex timing and ovulation. That’s obviously included but I want you to not only conceive, but have the healthiest pregnancy possible - rather than just scraping by and spending most of that 9 months eating pickles from the jar because you’re too exhausted to go grab a fork! I go over everything from understanding PCOS and how it affects your fertility; my 5 step lifestyle plan for a healthy pregnancy, child and you as well as troubleshooting if after all of that you’re still struggling to conceive.I’ve worked really hard to make sure this is a really informative - but not boring - read for you all that provides you with some general advice around getting pregnant with PCOS, so I hope you absolutely love it! You can purchase it here - anywhere that has amazon will have access to order it!Now back to today’s podcast! When it comes to fertility, I have the same stance as I do with birth control - it’s a very personal choice. There are so many things that influence our decision - especially on something as major as getting pregnant.Regardless of what you choose, I want to make sure that you’re well informed on your options. Because when we’re informed about our options, we can have an educated discussion with specialists about what’s best for us. So in today’s episode, I’m going through medical fertility treatments so that you can understand a bit more about how these work so you can make an informed decision with your medical specialists and choose what’s best for YOU.This episode is for you if:You’re trying to get pregnant but are strugglingMedical fertility treatment is what you feel most comfortable doing to conceive but want to know your optionsYou want to know more about fertility medications for PCOSYou’re tossing up a couple of options and want some more informationYour doctor has suggested that you do some kind of fertility treatment or take a medication to help and you want to know more before you agree to itYou’ve spoken with your doctors about fertility treatment but you feel like they didn’t have enough time to run you through your optionsSome things we cover in this episode:Common Fertility Medications: Letrozole, Clomid/Clomifene, Metformin, Gonadotropins, Progestin, Immune Modulating MedicationsAssisted Reproductive Treatments: Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), In-vitro Fertilisations (IVF)Surgery: Laparoscopic Ovarian Surgery (Ovarian Drilling), Bariatric SurgeryMy book “Getting Pregnant with PCOS” which goes into detail about both the natural and medical ways of getting pregnant with PCOS and my 5 step lifestyle guide to managing your PCOSResources and References:My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOS

I'm so excited for you to tune into another Q&A episode! Here are the 4 JUICY questions I answer: 1. What can I do to lessen/prevent heavy periods & clotting? 2. How much impact do exterior toxins have on your body/health? 3. How does long term use of an IUD affect your hormones? And 4. Is a post workout drink harmful to my hormones like a preworkout drink is? SUCH awesome questions!! I can’t wait to hear what you think!   What can I do to lessen/prevent heavy periods, clots,? Heavy periods are mostly from EXCESS ESTROGEN-body isn’t detoxifying your estrogen it properly (in your liver &/or gut) Your LIVER processes and metabolizes hormones and then moves it onto the gut where they’re eliminated through poop. Go back to EPISODE 10 to learn more about healing your gut TIPS TO HELP: Reduce/remove caffeine, alcohol & dairy because they increase estrogen, & add in cooked Cruciferous veggies (kale, brussels, cauliflower, cabbage, collards) Check out EPISODE 11 for more info on CAFFEINE & HORMONES. 2. SARAH: How much impact do exterior toxins have on your body/health Skin is your largest organ- it absorbs 80% of what you put on it. Most of the chemicals in conventional products are BANNED in Europe but allowed in the United States Whatever we put on our skin goes right into the bloodstream There are more than 80,000 chemicals on the market & many don't have any safety data. Especially those used in the skin care and beauty industry. The Food and Drug Administration (the agency that regulates cosmetics in the United States) does not have the authority to remove harmful ingredients from the products we put on our bodies every single day. Decades of studies show that health issues such as asthma, cancer, and infertility are on the rise and are due in some part to our ongoing exposure to toxic chemicals—whether it's from the products we use in the shower, when we get ready, on our commute, while we eat lunch or when we clean our homes. Toxic chemicals can alter important biological systems (like the endocrine system, which regulates our hormones). Candles, household cleaning products & environmental toxins put a burden on our liver which slows down our ability to metabolize excess hormones. Go to ewg.org/skindeep for more info & to check your products! Check out EPISODE 8 for more info on SKIN CARE & TOXINS EPISODE 2 for more info on pesticides and hormones. MY ABSOLUTE FAVE SKIN CARE PRODUCTS are SKIN ESSENCE ORGANICS. US website: www.skinessenceorganics.com CANADA website: www.skinessence.ca CODE CORINNE saves you 15% off! And FREE EXPRESS SHIPPING when you spend over $50!   3. How does long term use of an IUD affect your hormones? Copper IUD does not change your hormones- it doesn’t prevent ovulation. The copper ions impair sperm motility and the physical presence of something in the uterus changes the uterine lining so that a fertilized egg cannot implant and develop. NEGATIVES: It causes an INFLAMMATORY reaction in your body, it can cause painful periods, heavy periods, it disrupts the vaginal microbiome and doubles the risk of bacterial vaginosis which causes discharge with a fishy odor. Copper toxicity can lead to anxiety & mood problems. The Hormonal IUD- MIRENA & SKYLA IUD: releases progestin and it thickens cervical mucus, inhibits sperm survival, prevents build up of your uterine lining Progestin is not progesterone. Side effects of levonorgestrel include acne, hair loss, hirsutism, depression, anxiety, headaches, breast pain, yeast infections, and weight gain. It causes ovarian cysts in 5 percent of users. It doesn’t aim to suppress ovulation but it CAN and sometimes does suppress ovulation one study found that it does suppress ovulation in 85 percent of cycles during the first year (when the dose of the levonorgestrel drug is higher), and then in 15 percent of cycles after that. fertility returns to normal almost as soon as you remove a hormonal IUD.  According to endocrinology professor Jerilynn Prior, “regular menstrual cycles with consistently normal ovulation…will prevent osteoporosis, breast cancer and heart disease.” IUDs are still NOT GETTING TO THE ROOT CAUSE of your period problems/hormone imbalances. Other forms of contraception that DO NOT disrupt your hormones: CONDOMS. Sustain Natural Condoms are my fave brand. For more info on the BIRTH CONTROL PILL check out Episode 9.   SOURCES: https://www.larabriden.com/pros-cons-mirena-iud-natural-health/ https://drbrighten.com/iud-side-effects/   4. AMBER: Is a post workout drink harmful to my hormones like a preworkout drink is? Depends on the product! Read the ingredients! If there’s sugar it’s going to cause a blood sugar spike. If there’s whey protein that’s inflammatory to your system. Always look at the ingredients POST WORKOUT FUEL can be an actual MEAL with protein from legumes, quinoa or a vegan protein powder shake.   WAYS WE CAN CONNECT! Come say hi & hang out with me on Instagram! @corinneangelica  Join my FREE TEXT COMMUNITY to get weekly HORMONE HEALTH & MINDSET TIPS texted right to your phone! Text the word "CORINNE" to (855) 691-0508. MY TEXT LIST WILL ALSO BE THE FIRST TO KNOW ABOUT WHEN YOU CAN REGISTER FOR MY UPCOMING 12 WEEK GROUP COUSE how to EAT, MOVE & LIVE for your hormones. This course teaches you SIMPLE STRATEGIES you can implement into your BUSY LIFE to help you NATURALLY heal your hormonal symptoms of an irregular period, PCOS, acne, migraines, fatigue, low fertility, constipation & bloating! I’m teaching you what we should’ve learned in school! You can also click here to get more information on the course! Do you know what imbalances you have? Take this free HORMONE IMBALANCE QUIZ to find out! Interested in setting up a complimentary call with me to chat about your health goals, transitioning off birth control & the services I offer? Head to my calendar to book a call! So grateful you’re here! XO Corinne

Are you thinking of starting a birth control?Are you concerned it will affect your breastfeeding relationship with your baby?Are you confused about which one to choose?Listen to this week’s episode, it is all the information you need.If you are a new listener, we would love to hear from you. Please consider leaving us a review on itunes or sending us an email with your suggestions and comments to badassbreastfeedingpodcast@gmail.comWE HAVE TRANSCRIPTS!! You can also add your email to our list and have episodes sent right to your inbox! Things we talked about:Birth control and breastfeeding concerns [5:17]Breastfeeding and pregnancy [5:58]Not a “one size fits all” situation [6:53]Everyone’s hormones are different [7:04]What if you are trying to get pregnant? [10:00]Birth control options [14:27]Dianne’s suggestion [16:06]Estrogen [23:20]Copper IUD [24:17]Progestin only choices [24:52]Marena and breastfeeding…milk supply [26:24]Anecdotal info [27:11]What if birth control affects supply? [30:57] This week’s shout out [22:02]@midwife Angelinahttps://touchofosun.com*This Episode is sponsored by Original Sprout and Mama Bar Some episodes we mentioned that you should listen to (if you haven’t already) or we think you should just check them out ~https://badassbreastfeedingpodcast.com/episode/075-breastfeeding-myths/https://badassbreastfeedingpodcast.com/episode/134-breastfeeding-and-medications/https://badassbreastfeedingpodcast.com/episode/090-your-period-and-fertility-while-breastfeeding/ Articles we discussedhttps://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/meds/birthcontrol/https://kellymom.com/ages/older-infant/fertility/ Set up your consultation with Diannehttps://badassbreastfeedingpodcast.com/consultations/Follow our Podcast~https://badassbreastfeedingpodcast.comHere is how you can connect with Dianne and Abby~Abby Theuring https://www.thebadassbreastfeeder.comDianne Cassidy http://www.diannecassidyconsulting.com Music we use~Music: "Levels of Greatness" from "We Used to Paint Stars in the Sky (2012)" courtesy of Scott Holmes at freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott Holmes

Take-aways from this episode:-Most birth controls pills are a combination of an estrogen and a progesterone -The main effect of the estrogen component is to stop your body from releasing an egg (inhibit ovulation)-The main effect of the progesterone component is to change the environment of your uterus to make it a poor environment for sperm and/or a fertilized egg (effects on cervical mucus and endometrial lining)-Side effects can depend on the amount of estrogen and progesterone components in the product you are taking-SERIOUS side effects you need to be aware of include signs of blood clots (pain/swelling in legs, shortness of breath, chest pains) or stroke (sudden onset severe headache, blurry vision, facial droop)-Progestin-only pills NEED to be taken at the same time every day (if you miss by 3 hours, consider it a missed dose)-Antibiotics can interact with birth control pills - the most conservative strategy is to use a back-up method while on the antibiotic and for 7 days after-Hormonal contraceptives contain synthetic hormones that stop your body from making its own natural hormones. The bleed you have during your “off week” or “placebo week” is withdrawal from the synthetic hormones, which is different than your natural period when you go through your true menstrual cycleI will be hosting a virtual class called “Know Your Body with Natural Family Planning” on Tues 6/23/20 at 7:30pmSign up here: https://bit.ly/nfppharmworkshop Interested in a complete medication/supplement (including birth control) review with Emily, the NFP Pharmacist -OR- do you want to learn how to prevent pregnancy naturally? Book at www.calendly.com/nfppharmacistFacebook: NFP PharmacistInstagram: @nfppharmacistEmail me: emily@nfppharmacist.comInterested in more resources? Vist www.nfppharmacist.com

Birth control, especially progestin only methods, seem to take a lot of heat regarding their potential role in CAUSING depression. Although past individual studies have suggested a link, the most recent systematic review of 26 studies has debunked that possibility. In this podcast, we will review the study published in 2018, in the journal of Contraception, regarding this topic (Worly. The relationship between progestin hormonal contraception and depression: a systematic review. Contracep. 2018).

We’re sitting down with Bridgit Danner about progesterone and women’s cycles this week on the podcast! Some questions we’re answering today… Progesterone’s role in our body Progesterone connected to sleep and anxiety Progestin versus progesterone (Progestin is what is found in birth control) Reasons women get low progesterone Natural ways increasing progesterone Bioidentical progesterone Want to grab a free phone call with Lahana and her team of dietitans and nutritionists? This phone call we will learn about you and what you’re looking for, along with how we work. Let’s see if we’re a good fit! About Bridgit Danner Bridgit Danner has been a licensed acupuncturist since 2004 and certified Functional Diagnostic practitioner since 2015. She gave over 12,000 treatments in her years working as an acupuncturist & led a staff of 10 at her practice.Her interest in natural health grew from an interest in protecting the environment. Even as a child, she was donating her allowance to Greenpeace and writing cosmetic companies to ask about their practices!While busy running an integrative wellness center in Portland, Oregon, she developed an environmental illness due to toxic mold in her home. Already experienced in hormone management and nutrition, she became acutely aware of the powerful impact of the environment on her health.   She and her family lost their house and everything in it to toxic mold, and moved 1,000 miles to the Arizona desert to heal. Bridgit now educates about toxins and detoxification through her blog, online programs, product shop and Facebook group. She also works with private clients on customized functional medicine protocols for healing. Connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and her website! Connect with Lahana on Facebook, Instagram, and her blog!

Are you someone who’s struggling with an autoimmune disease or know someone who is? If so, then this episode would be really helpful for you! Learn some helpful strategies and solutions for autoimmunity from Dr. Nadia Saleem as she shares her knowledge and expertise on the subject, as well as her own healing journey from Hashimoto’s. You can find all the info and links about this episode at https://holisticwellness.ca/episode54. Topics Discussed in this Episode: Nadia’s struggle with Hashimoto’s and how she took her health in her own hands The steps to healing from Hashimoto’s What an actual diagnosis of Hashimoto’s is and what women need to look for in their blood work Some of the commonalities among women who have Hashimoto’s Progestin vs Progesterone The dangers of progestin-only birth control pills How to tell if you have estrogen dominance Hormone replacement therapy versus bio-identical hormones Where to start if you have a hormonal imbalance. The impact of fasting on hormonal health Why it’s difficult for women to lose weight when they’re in menopause Key Takeaways: Traditionally, what people are testing for when they do their blood work is TSH and maybe T4 if people are lucky. But the things we really need to look at is TSH, T4, T3, reverse T3. And then the two thyroid antibodies that are most commonly looked at anti-TPO and anti-TG. And until we see all of those numbers together, we really can’t make a true diagnosis for Hashimoto’s. Some women have actual values of TSH, T3, and T4 that are fine but still have elevated antibodies. We look at that as just an immune system issue. A lot of Eastern Europeans tend to have Hashimoto’s because of the radiation. There are a lot of hormonal birth control pills and IUDs that have progestin. What people don’t realize is that progestin will increase breast cancer risk and actually make estrogen dominance worse. The non-negotiables when it comes to autoimmunity are nutrition, sleep, lifestyle and stress management, and mindset and mental/emotional work. Those have to be in place for you to get anything else under control.
 Action Steps: Build a healing community around you of people you can trust and who can truly hold you accountable. Try to eliminate, or at least minimize, the stress from your life. Have your blood work done. Test your hormone levels and test for estrogen dominance.   Samantha said: “Wherever you are on your health, you must do the uncomfortable work. You just have to dive in and begin right where you are because there is no right time to begin and your health doesn’t wait for the right time.” Nadia said: ““We don’t want to wait until your antibodies are in the thousands to start working on them, because chances are, they will get there, and why wait until they get there?” “No matter what condition we’re looking at, any type of autoimmune condition, until we get the stress under control, it’s a futile battle… So the stress has to be number one.” Thanks for listening! Important Announcements: Join the Metabolic Reset Program! It’s our high fat, low carb approach to helping women lose weight and balance their hormones. Also, sign up for our weekly newsletter! And if you’re a health practitioner or an entrepreneur, be on the lookout for the Holistic Wellness Business Mentorship program that’s coming soon! If you have any questions, connect with me over on Instagram, @holisticwellnessfoodie. And it would mean so much if you would leave us a rating or a review over on iTunes or Spotify or Stitcher, or whichever platform you’re listening to us on. Take a screenshot of your review and email it over to us, and get our FREE 3-Day Hormone Balancing Meal Plan.   Links to things we talk about in the show: DUTCH Test – Advanced Hormone Testing   Where you can find Dr. Nadia Saleem: Nadia’s Instagram (@dr.nadiasaleemnd) EBL Naturopathic Clinic MyPureBalance   Recommended Products: Matcha green tea Spearmint tea Calming teas Licorice tea   *Shop for these at the Holisticwellness Shop. Enter the coupon code save15 at checkout and get 15% off.   Where you can find me: Samantha’s Facebook Samantha’s Instagram Samantha’s Website Samantha’s Twitter Healthy Hormones for Women Podcast Private Community on Facebook   How you can work with me: 6 Week Healthy Hormones for Women Intensive - Use the coupon code PODCAST at checkout to save 60%. Healing & Dealing with Hashi’s

My guest this week is Dr. Jolene Brighten, a functional naturopathic medical doctor and nutritional biochemist with a focus in women's endocrine health. She is recognized as a leading expert in Post-Birth Control Syndrome and the long-term side effects associated with hormonal contraceptives. Dr. Brighten is the author of ‘Beyond the Pill: A 30-Day Program to Balance Your Hormones, Reclaim Your Body, and Reverse the Dangerous Side Effects of the Birth Control Pill'. She is a speaker, women's health advocate and a medical advisor for one of the first data-driven apps to offer women personalized birth control recommendations. In this episode, Dr. Brighten and I discuss the physical and mental health risks of hormonal birth control and the importance of true informed consent before taking it. Side effects can vary from anxiety and depression to increased risk for stroke, heart attack, thyroid, and adrenal disorders. Dr. Brighten provides us with a careful approach to the pill and how to monitor and maintain one's health while on the pill. Teenage girls specifically are 80% percent more likely to develop depression when taking the combination pill of estrogen and progestin. Those who are on “the pill” have a double risk of suicide after one year of taking it. Learn more about Dr. Brighten here.   The Benefits of Having a Menstrual Cycle The menstrual cycle the 5th vital sign which helps to determine your specific and unique bodily function A menstrual cycle can help determine numerous health issues such as hypothyroidism, poor liver detoxification, iron-deficiency anemia or the making of the wrong type of metabolites. Symptoms from your menstrual cycle are your bodies way of communicating to you This is an opportunity to discover the root cause of many different physical or mental health issues that may be occurring   Why Young Girls Are Being Prescribed Hormonal Birth Control - “The Pill” For symptom management alone before ever giving their body the time to adapt to the new routine in their body Types of symptoms include: irregular periods, menstrual pain, acne, migraines, mood issues like anxiety and depression 60% of women go on the pill for symptom management which can result in major side effects and risks The pill puts you at higher risk for strokes, heart attacks, clots, autoimmune disorders, thyroid and adrenal disorders   Mental Health Risks While Taking The Pill Women taking birth control are 23% more likely to also be prescribed an antidepressant Women prescribed progestin are 34% more likely to be prescribed an antidepressant Progestin is a synthetic hormone, progesterone is a natural hormone Teenage girls specifically are 80% percent more likely to develop depression when taking the combination pill of estrogen and progestin Teens who are taking progestin exclusively, commonly called the mini pill, have two-fold increased risk of depression Young women have 3 times the risk of committing suicide while on the pill Teens have a double risk of suicide after one year of taking the pill The pill is easier to get now more than ever BE AWARE of your daughters' signs and symptoms; Lack of motivation, withdrawals from social activity, raging emotions These are can be normal symptoms of a teen but mixed with the pill they are at a much higher risk of harming themselves   What to Do Before Starting The Pill Before starting the pill, try to spend at least one or more full menstrual cycles documenting your symptoms for each day both physically and emotionally in order to understand your baseline If you can also attain lab testing (thyroid panel, CBC, homocysteine test) before starting that will also allow you to have record of that baseline to refer to should other health issues arise Look into your family health history If your family has a history of inflammatory bowel disease or Crohn's disease use caution A Harvard study found that 5 years on the pill with a family history of Crohn's meant a 300% risk of developing it   How to Maintain Your Health While Taking The Pill Eat a diet filled with whole food Be sure to take a prenatal or multivitamin to help with nutrient depletion Consider taking a probiotics Effects of the pill can strongly affect your microbiome Taking the pill has been shown to have similar effects of an antibiotic   Where to learn more about Dr. Brighten... Website: drbrighten.com Instagram: @drjolenebrighten Twitter: @drbrighten Facebook Dr. Brighten's Book   Connect with Dr. Nicole Beurkens on... Instagram Facebook Drbeurkens.com   Need help with improving your child's behavior naturally? My book Life Will Get Better is available for purchase, click here to learn more. Looking for more? Check out my Blog and the Better Behavior Naturally Parent Program - a resource guide for parents who want to be more effective with improving their child's behavior. Interested in becoming a patient? Contact us here.

Author and women's health naturopathic doctor Dr. Jolene Brighten is an expert in hormonal birth control. She completes her 2-part series by revealing the effects that the pill can have on your brain, mood, and energy levels, plus how you can take back your health! Listen as Dr. Brighten explains how hormonal birth control can deplete certain nutrients and wreak havoc on your body, including the impact it can have on your gut microbiome, thyroid, and cortisol levels. Dr. Brighten also shares the lab tests you should be asking for if you're struggling with brain fog and fatigue, as well as the difference between bioidentical and synthetic hormones. And be sure to grab Dr. Brighten's free guide on what to eat to optimize your hormones so you can get back on track and feel like yourself again!   Freebies From Today’s Episode Get Dr. Jolene Brighten’s free “What to Eat to Optimize Your Hormones” guide by going to JJVirgin.com/pbcs.   Main Points From Today’s Episode Hormonal birth control can deplete certain nutrients, including CoQ10. If you don’t have enough CoQ10, your body can’t make energy. If you’re struggling with brain fog and fatigue, certain lab tests can be helpful. These include a comprehensive thyroid panel, including thyroid antibodies, as well as testing cortisol, DHEA-sulfate, insulin, and hemoglobin A1c levels. A recent study done on 1 million women found that women were more likely to be diagnosed with depression after being on hormonal birth control. Results showed that women who used combination birth control pills were 23% more likely to be prescribed antidepressants.   Episode Play-By-Play [0:56] Introduction to today’s topic [2:40] Dr. Jolene Brighten’s career briefing [4:35] Listener shout-out [7:00] Is brain fog a new thing? [7:42] Hormonal birth control depletes CoQ10. [8:00] The impact of hormonal birth control on thyroid and cortisol levels. [8:30] The connection between hormonal birth control, insulin resistance, and dementia [9:55] There are steps you can take to banish brain fog and feel like yourself again.  [11:37] Hormonal birth control can disrupt your gut microbiome and trigger leaky gut. [12:50] If you're struggling with fatigue and brain fog, it's important to get your thyroid function tested. [14:30] The different types of cortisol testing [15:40] Other lab tests that Dr. Brighten recommends: DHEA-sulfate, insulin, and hemoglobin A1c levels [17:05] Direct-to-consumer lab testing [17:30] Why it’s key to take your health into your own hands [22:56] The effects that hormonal birth control can have on your mood [21:03] Hormonal birth control has been shown to raise levels of C-reactive protein. [25:07] What’s the difference between bioidentical and synthetic hormones? [27:17] Bioidentical hormones act with your body. [28:45] The role of testosterone in women [29:46] DHEA is an anti-aging hormone. [32:02] What’s included in Dr. Brighten’s free guide [34:01] Want a better quality of sleep while also calming your brain? Try JJ’s Sleep Candy! [34:25] Listener’s question: I feel like I eat healthy, but I still have higher blood sugar levels. What can I do? [36:50] The trifecta for blood sugar balance is protein, fiber, and healthy fats. [37:50] How stress can affect your blood sugar levels   Mentioned in this episode: Beyond the Pill: A 30-Day Program to Balance Your Hormones, Reclaim Your Body, and Reverse the Dangerous Side Effects of the Birth Control Pill, by Jolene Brighten Institute for Functional Medicine - Find a Practitioner Julva Cream by Dr. Anna Cabeca Lab testing through Dr. Alan and Amy Beth Hopkins JJ Virgin Sleep Candy You Are Stronger Than You Think Blood Sugar 101: JJ’s podcast with Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo JJ Virgin 7-Day Stop, Drop & Swap Challenge Become part of JJ’s community JJ Virgin Official Facebook page JJ Virgin on Instagram JJ Virgin on YouTube

Dr. Jolene Brighten is an author, speaker, and women's health naturopathic doctor. In the first of her two-part series on hormonal birth control, Dr. Brighten talks with JJ about the harmful consequences of the birth control pill and what you can do to turn your health around! Listen as Dr. Brighten shares why hormonal birth control is often prescribed to manage symptoms and how it can actually end up making things worse. Dr. Brighten also explains how the pill can contribute to weight gain, as well as the issues with hormonal birth control in perimenopausal women, including an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Plus, Dr. Brighten reveals the top foods you should be adding to your diet to detox from the birth control pill and start feeling better again. And don’t forget to subscribe to the JJ Virgin Lifestyle Show so you can find out when the next episode in the series drops!   Freebies From Today’s Episode Get Dr. Jolene Brighten’s free Detox Diet Quickstart Guide by going to JJVirgin.com/pbcs.   Main Points From Today’s Episode Hormonal birth control shuts down your brain’s ability to communicate to your ovaries. It should come as no surprise that a drug as powerful as that can have long-term effects! More than 60% of women are using hormonal birth control to manage symptoms. While hormonal birth control is often prescribed as a quick-fix, it can result in serious consequences and doesn’t address the root cause of the problem. When you’re coming off of birth control, it’s key to care for your liver! Eating broccoli sprouts is a great way to do that since broccoli sprouts are very high in the constituents that help your liver detoxify all of your hormones.   Episode Play-By-Play [0:55] Introduction to today’s topic [3:03] Dr. Jolene Brighten’s career briefing [5:00] Listener shout-out [6:34] How Dr. Brighten became an expert in issues related to hormonal birth control [8:30] 97% to 99% of women have used hormonal birth control at some point in their lives. [9:20] Birth control pills are often prescribed for non-contraceptive reasons. [11.02] The connection between hormonal birth control and weight gain [12:50] Hormonal birth control is known to deplete nutrients that your mitochondria need. [14:15] Issues with hormonal birth control in perimenopausal women [18:04] Reversing the side effects of the birth control pill  [20:12] How to jumpstart detoxification [21:29] Why you should eat broccoli sprouts and how to enjoy them [23:52] The importance of high-quality protein [25:47] Eat plenty of fiber to feed your gut microbiome. [27:10] If you’re over 35 or under stress, you might not be digesting protein well. Try Metabolic Digestive Balance! [28:01] Listener’s question: When I add a bunch of fiber to my diet, I don’t feel well. What should I do? [29:30] It’s key to add fiber to your diet diet over time, not overnight! [31:02] Microbiome Balance contains 7 strains of probiotics and 4 strains of prebiotics.   Mentioned in this episode: Beyond the Pill: A 30-Day Program to Balance Your Hormones, Reclaim Your Body, and Reverse the Dangerous Side Effects of the Birth Control Pill, by Jolene Brighten Vital Choice Metabolic Digestive Balance Dark Chocolate Coconut Fiber Bar Extra Fiber Microbiome Balance You Are Stronger Than You Think JJ Virgin 7-Day Stop, Drop & Swap Challenge Become part of JJ’s community JJ Virgin Official Facebook page JJ Virgin on Instagram JJ Virgin on YouTube

Progestin only contraceptive options include the subdermal implant, Injection, IUS, and pills. Progestin based LARCs provide HIGHLY effective contraception. A common perception in the public community is that these options may result in depression! Do they? Let’s take a look at a systematic review from 2018 on the subject.