This podcast episode delves into the complexities of female hormone balance, emphasizing the interconnectedness of hormones, stress, diet, and lifestyle, and advocating for a holistic approach to testing and management.
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Hey everyone, Dr. Justin Marajian Johnny
here back with BeyondWellness Radio.
Today we'll be chatting with Jessica and
Candace, a motheraughter duo from your
hormonebalance.com. We'll be talking
about all things female hormone. Today
we'll be talking about testing. We'll be
talking a little bit about physiology
and science and what's happening and
then also some strategies that you guys
can implement as well. Jess and Candace,
welcome to the podcast. How y'all doing?
Great. Thanks for having us. Awesome.
Nice to meet you guys. Awesome. So, why
don't we just kind of just we chatted in
the pre-in about Candace, how you kind
of started your healthc care journey in
the natural female hormone balance
world. Why don't we just start there a
little bit and then we can kind of bring
everyone up to current day. Yes. Okay.
So, when I got to around 48 years old, I
was uh the mom, the late the late mom uh
coming to motherhood late. I had a
six-year-old and a nineyear-old and I
was having a hot flash every 20 minutes
and a mood swing in between and you know
I was sort of middle of winter open the
windows everybody is freezing so what
put on a sweater what do I care I'm I'm
having mood swing and at one day Ryan my
little one looked at me with tears in
her eyes it was like she didn't
recognize me she was afraid of me and I
I realized that this was uh this was a
milestone moment I was in just turning
you know 50 and I was like so many women
still today not understanding am I in
pmenopause what's happening you know
it's this must be a hormonal thing so I
decided to since I was in the health
education space I was a journalist for
you at that time writing all about
health articles and I thought what the
hell I'm not even looking at my hormones
so I wrote to Dr. John Lee who wrote the
book What Your Doctor May Tell You About
Menopause. Um, and he also wrote What
Your Doctor May Not Tell You About
Premenopause. And he was one of the
first people out there that put this
whole discussion on the map. So, I wrote
to him and I said, "I'm a woman in
menopause. I have two daughters that
I'm, you know, that are afraid of me and
I I I want to learn. I I'm a health
educator. I want to specialize in this.
What can I do?" And his co-author,
Virginia Hopkins, wrote back to me and
said, "Well, Dr. Lee is sort of he's
he's on the way to retirement, but you
know, there's a there's a Dr. David Zava
in Portland, Oregon, who has started
saliva testing, made saliva testing
available for the commercial market,
which it hadn't really been before.
Saliva testing was used in scientific
pro in the scientific province, but
wasn't made available. So I called him
up and went out there and probably had a
hot flash in front of him or a few of
you. He said, 'Th that's good because
I've been looking for someone like you
who can do some education for me and who
knows what hot flash is. And he said,
"So how could I have advertised for
that? I knew I would find you." So
that's kind of how it happened. He
became my mentor. I was hired on the
spot and was there for 12 years. And the
whole emphasis was educate, educate,
educate. At that point in time there was
an explosion of um uh functional
medicine was happening. Jonathan Wright
was doing urine testing. There were
other people in the field but it wasn't
that known um universally and Dr. Zavas
started lecturing for PCCA
pharmaceutical compounding centers of
America. So we were going all over the
country and you know it just ensued that
I met everybody in that space in those
years and learned from them and learned
from you know we were doing testing at
the time we were doing thousands of
tests and now I think they've done
millions of tests over 10 million tests
with ZR. So, I'm really in the saliva
camp and we can talk about that more,
but I think when I left ZRT finally um
because I I you know, it got to be that
you get into the higher echelons and
then you're not really talking to the
people that are that are needing the
help and the information. So, I left and
I I started uh Your Hormone Balance and
it's just an amazing thing that my
daughters are now involved in this too
because they used to run screaming from
the room whenever I would talk about
hormones. She was so sick of it. Not to
mention having to deal with me, right,
crashing my having having my meltdowns.
So, right. Quite the wild ride. Yeah.
And how about you, Jess? Do you want to
interject, too? Yeah. So, I mean, I
obviously I didn't grow up wanting to be
in the hormone business. In fact, it's
probably the last thing I thought I
would do because she was so passionate
about it and always bringing it up. You
know, it was in high school any little
ailment that we had was like, "We should
check your hormones. It's
probably it's probably a hormonal thing.
Your adrenal needs adrenals need help."
You know, she wasn't big on me getting
on hormonal birth control and I did it
anyway. And I ended up just having to go
through my own journey and my own path
and spent about 12 years yo-yo dieting,
gaining and losing the same 45 pounds
and was very much in that restrict binge
mentality. I was on hormonal birth
control. Um, I didn't have a natural
period. I was experiencing a lot of
symptoms when I hit around 30, which
were pretty concerning. Like very low
energy, 3 p.m. crash, very low libido.
The biggest thing was debilitating
migraine headaches. And so it was kind
of that rock bottom moment where I felt
like, okay, I'm ready to go back to my
roots, ask my mom for support and help.
I'm ready to transition off hormonal
birth control, test my hormones. I did
all the things, uncovered all of these
imbalances, and went on to really follow
the protocol that we now support our
clients with, which we weren't doing at
the time. The business wasn't around
quite yet. It almost was. Um, and as a
result, you know, I was able to
transition off hormonal birth control
and get a natural period back and jump
off two years, right? No, it took eight
months after coming off of hormonal
birth control, but that required, and we
can talk about this later, but, you
know, adding in more foods, focusing on
blood sugar support, adding in specific
supplements, bioidentical progesterone
cream, really starting to be intentional
about the movement and the way that I
treated my body. And because I saw such
a huge change, I feel like this is how a
lot of healers and educators and doctors
are in the space that you kind of it was
almost like I didn't have a choice. I
had to help other women to to do this as
well. And so I went back to the
Institute for Integrative Nutrition to
become a board-certified holistic health
coach, took their hormone health
extension course, and really studied
with my mom and then eventually joined
forces as a partner with your hormone
balance. Awesome. Well, let's start just
kind of break down some of the
physiology and what's going on here. So,
we're talking about menopause, we're
talking about pmenopause, and then we're
talking about maybe cycle irregularities
or PMS. So, I just want to kind of frame
things out a little bit and I want to
get your guys take on it. So, menopause
is pretty a little more straightforward,
right? We haven't had a cycle for 12
months, right? Typically 12 complete
cycles, right? No cycles at all. We
start to have the classic symptoms. hot
flashes, could be weight gain, could be
sleep issues, could be vaginal dryness,
mood irritability, skin elasticity.
That's getting your menopause. Then your
permenopause is you're starting to have
some of these menopausal symptoms
throughout the month, but you're still
cycling. Was that that' be the biggest
way to differentiate parmenopause and
menopause. That's a good summary. Yeah.
And then we just have our
run-of-the-mill PMS, which which could
can easily feel like pmenopause, too. I
think the biggest differentiating thing
would be like permenopause is going to
be more throughout the month where PMS
is more going to be that week or so
before your period and into the period.
Is that be the diff the biggest
differentiator there? Well, and also
with pmenopause, one of the number one
signs is irregular cycles and it's not
always that's but that is one of the
first signs is your period starts to
maybe become longer than it ever was
before or you're skipping a period here
and there and ovulatory cycles which
means that you're not producing enough
progesterone because progesterone is
produced upon ovulation. So that's one
of the main um I know uh
differentiators. Yeah. Yeah. And just I
think um you see a lot more hot flashes
with permenopause than you do with PMS.
You you can see them but and then
usually that PMS is that week or soish
time frame where per menopause could be
any time. It may not be at a specific
time during the month. Exactly. Yeah.
The the hormones really start to
fluctuate in pmenopause and that's where
all these symptoms, you know, it's often
called the roller coaster. Women feel
like they're on a roller coaster. they
can't they can't get off and the
symptoms are usually unfamiliar to them,
you know, or or whatever symptom, right?
But but it seems like from what I've
seen in test results over the years, um
even after uh 911, I remember we started
seeing more adrenal stress in the dial
curve of cortisol and seeing more women
with fluctuating hormones who were in
their young, you know, in their late
30s. We used to think of pmenopause
being more of a mid4s onset. Um but but
younger and younger women seem to be
experiencing these hormonal
fluctuations. So where they're you know
they're up and they're down and they
have symptoms of estrogen deficiency and
symptoms of estrogen dominance at the
same time. Um and you know all these
changes in their moods and their memory
and their sleep. And it really is that
pmenopause period that's harder. I think
the bumps are, you know, the they're
more difficult and they and it lasts it
can last for eight to 10 years which
depending on when it started depending
on your stress levels depending on your
nutrition so many women are not eating
properly you know there in especially in
pmenopause I think those years are you
know we've got women who are at the peak
of performance they've got a power
they're in their you know a powerful job
or they've got a full-blown career
they've got kids They've got aging
parents. They're trying to stay thin and
they're they're trying to exercise.
They're trying to get some time in for
themselves. And it's pretty difficult.
And women are so notorious for doing
things for everybody else but
themselves. So when I talk to women that
age, they rarely have time to to
practice self-care. They tend to equate
it with selfishness. That's not
everyone. I mean the rare people realize
but the more stress you're you're
handling the more stress starts to take
center stage in your life the worse that pmenopause
pmenopause
is you know as an experience of of
aging. Yep. And I test women, thousands
of women over the last 15 years, cycling
age in their 40s. And what I'm seeing
more and more of is lower progesterone,
lower DHEA, lower hormones, even women
in their 20 and 30s where it could be at
parmenopausal, even menopausal level. I
see progesterone in that five, six,
seven ng per ml level where healthy, you
know, cycling ludial phase levels maybe
around 15 to 20. So I see significant
drops and and it makes sense because you
will convert progesterone into cortisol
and stress hormones. So the more
stressed you are and stress can come
from hidden inflammatory sources. It can
come from dislycemia. It can come from
inflammatory foods, gluten, gut stress.
How about all the xenoestrogens in the
environment gunking up our
detoxification systems? There's a lot of
issues. And this chronic stress also
then impacts like the feedback loop from
the brain, right? the LH and the FSH
feedback loops that then talk to the
ovaries. Can you talk about the chronic
stress, what it's doing, and and talk
about a little more about the feedback
loop, that HPA access as well? Well, I I
I think that the chronic stress is just,
you know, the inability of women to to
manage their stress. They're trying to
do everything all at once. and and we
see these levels, you know, we're
looking in a test result for a
cortisol pattern that is highest in the
morning. The cortisol awakening response
should be highest. Those levels should
stay robust through the noon and then
start gradually dropping evening into
nighttime. And instead, I'm often very
low levels in the morning and people
saying that they can't get out of bed.
it's so difficult to drag themselves out
of bed and and you know sort of a less
than robust levels at noon and yet these
high levels um higher levels towards
evening and nighttime and you know the
kind of tired but wired syndrome so you
can't get out of bed in the morning and
you can't you're ready to run a marathon
at night and you know I mean the the the
whole hypothalamic pituitary axis
adrenal axis is involved in this this
whole feedback loop is completely offset
the the oversight of homeostasis in the
body is is offset by these cortisol
hormones that start to predominate. I
mean, if if progesterone is low, then
the adrenals go wanting. They're going
to they're going to steal any
progesterone they can get from the
reproductive from its reproductive
pregnanc of progesterone that's so
important. Actually, I was just
listening to an interview with you and
Dan Kish, and you were really
emphasizing the importance of
pregnalone, which I think is still
something that's I I don't think many
people know about it or or think about
taking it, but I think that could be a
real bonus. Is that is that very helpful
to get that HPA axis back on track, the
use of pregnant, I I think it can be
very helpful. But if you want to go one
step above that, I mean, what makes
pregnet alolone? It's cholesterol. So, I
think having healthy animal fats, animal
proteins provide really good building
blocks. Plus, you know, you're going to
get a lot of fat, soluble vitamins,
vitamin A, and you're not getting a
whole bunch of carbohydrate and
processed food with it. You know, if
especially if it's grass-fed or we're
choosing good quality sources, there's a
lot of nutrient intensity there. I think
that's a big one, too. Yeah, absolutely.
I mean, to your point earlier where
you've seen people in their 20s and 30s
that have levels that look like someone
in maybe menopause. Oh, yeah. I had a client
client
who literally just got her period for
the first time pretty much ever and
she's 35 and it's because she has been a
marathon runner since she was basically
16 years old and also struggled with
periods of anorexia and some other
eating disorders and just struggles with
um consistency in her diet. And so her
body was in this state of malnourishment
in addition to, you know, not getting
enough protein or healthy fats, very
much focusing on carbohydrates for her
runs, but not getting in those
anti-inflammatory fats. Um, had been on
birth control at one point, um, and then
was very nutrient deficient from that as
well. And so it can be really hard when
you're working with someone like that to
convince them that they need to eat
more. and correct, you know, and fats
which are higher in calories, right? And
so the building blocks of hormones, but
building blocks, yeah, of you know,
cholesterol being the backbone of sex
hormone production. So, and and that's
not an anomaly, you know, it's
happening. It doesn't necessarily have
to be a marathon runner, but I see women
all the time who are in steep calorie
deficits for years, and then the only
time that they're not in a calorie
deficit is when they are binging. and or
you know intentionally on vacation or
whatever it is. And that's a huge stress
on your body to have those big swings in
addition to, you know, trying to keep up
with maybe their male counterparts
workout routines and hitting HIT
training, you know, four time four or
five times a week, which is what I used
to do, surviving off of caffeine and
energy energy drinks, skipping meals,
fasting before the workouts. And here
you have maybe complete a amenorhea
where you're not having a period at all
or a lot of anovulatory cycles which
then again you're not producing enough
progesterone and the body just doesn't
feel safe enough to ovulate and so we
really have to create that safety uh in
the body in order to you know be begin
to ovulate and create a more regular
cycle without a lot of PMS which is the
goal and that disruption of the
progesterone um goes So you know I think
a lot of people don't understand you say
the word stress and they think of acute
things like accidents injuries um you
know but it's really so much or you know
work stress or money stress or or family
stress but but the but there are the
stressors of overex exercise is a
stressor body. We know that those women
you're talking about, she hadn't had a
period. They're not ovulating. They're
not producing the right amounts of
hormones. And you know, when
progesterone is low or any of the sex
hormones are low, other hormones, it's
like the instruments in the orchestra,
you get this imbalance. So, for
instance, the uh estrogen and
progesterone, if they're they're taking
a hit, they're not going to be able to
do their anti-androgen responsibilities
of keeping androgens in check. So then
you have higher levels of testosterone.
You have, you know, and then you start,
you have symptoms of the acne and the
oily skin and the feeling edgy and
irritable and the weight gain in the
abdomen and and down the road perhaps
some, you know, the development of PCOS.
I I I just think that women don't
realize that undereating, not getting
enough protein, not getting enough good
fat, the building blocks of hormones,
taking, you know, hormone cholesterol
lowering drugs is is lethal for
production of hormones. The different
stresses on our bodies are not always
quite so obvious. But I I think it's
important for women to understand that
it's when you drink coffee on an empty
stomach and call that breakfast and then
run off to do your spinning class madly
exercising five, six days a week. Um,
and a lot of women are doing that and
they're so frustrated. And what's
happening? They're getting belly fat
that they can't lose. A a typical
cortisol uh sign of of imbalanced
cortisol and an HPA axis that is
impaired. You know, that sort of thing
drives people crazy. People don't
understand why they're not sleeping well
when cortisol is high at night. We see
that a lot. What happens with the
appetite hormones? They're on the
sleepwake cycle. They get out of balance
and you've got le you've got grein, the
hunger hormone rising. So, you're
hungrier. You got sugar cravings. And
you've got leptin, the hormone that's
telling you you're full dropping.
There's so many intertwined things that
are going on that that have to be
explained so that people actually get
what you you know what all is going on
and then start to take it apart and and
approach each of these things that we
need to do. And I think a lot of the
lowc calorie dogma and a lot of the
low-fat dogma of like the 90s to to the
2000s. I think women tend to be more
health consscious and this type of
eating is like one of the worst ways to
to to negatively impact your hormones
because then you just you cut out all
the raw material to build your hormones.
And then when you start going into the
calorie model like like Jess said
earlier, well fats has nine grams nine
calories per gram where protein or carbs
have four. So let's cut out the one that
has more. So then you start going lower
calorie again. And then if you go low
fat, then you tend to eat more processed
foods, right? Because the only way you
can get really low fat is either you eat
very lean pieces of protein or you eat a
lot of food that are packaged in these
lowc calorie bags that then avoid a lot
of that the fats or if they have fats in
it, it's processed vegetable oils that
are rancid and oxidized. So it's just
the first thing I think is going back to
a just getting the raw material in. And
then you talked about stress earlier.
lowc calorie dieting can actually be a
stressor or even intermittent fasting if
you're a female who already has hormonal
issues and then you're not allowing
consistent nutrition and stable blood
sugar throughout the day because you're
fasting or doing maybe just coffee in
the morning that can be a stressor too,
right? Yeah, absolutely. I mean it's
there's so many factors. It starts with
how you start your day. I always say
that creates a ripple effect throughout
the rest of the day. So if you are
getting up and I mean especially the
pmenopause age to my mom's point those
are women in their late 30s early 40s a
lot of them tend to have young children
or even teens and so and that's kind of
my primary de demographic for my clients
and it's so hard to you know get your
kids ready and off to work and off to
school and still make time to feed
yourself. And so that's where I see a
lot of the racing to the coffee pot.
then you're stressed in the morning and
your cortisol is already highest in the
morning, which is good because we need
that to get up and go. But if you're
pummeling stress on top of that already
high level and then you know we're
skipping breakfast and then our blood
sugar levels are crashing and then
naturally we're going to reach for
something that's quick and easy, which
isn't always something balanced. And it
creates this kind of vicious cycle
throughout the day. then you're crashing
at 3 p.m. and then that's why you see
the line outside of Starbucks, people
getting their pastries and their coffee
fix and then you know you're getting to
the end of the day and maybe eating this
huge meal before bed and then you're
struggling with sleep and then that
ripples into the next day. And so it
really is, I always say it starts with
the morning and how you nurture your
nervous system in the morning and even
just setting aside that 5 to 10 minutes
to create something quick. Balanced
meals do not have to take a long time.
There's so many things that you can make
um you know, prep chia puddings with
protein in it and um just a a simple
smoothie, a protein smoothie with
healthy fats. I think it really is just
starting with okay, how can I prioritize
myself first before I prioritize
everybody else and even, you know, not
grabbing your phone first thing in the
morning. I think that's something many
of us are guilty of. But then all of a
sudden, the rest of the world has your
attention and has control over your day
versus you being able to have control
over your day and the way that you start
it. And so I just feel like the morning
is, you know, I think people are
obsessed with morning routines, but I
also think that they are incredibly
important and to bio-individualize it to
you as well. I think interestingly, how
about the the uh phone at night that the
people that are on their cell phone at
night and can't sleep and don't have any
idea. They're playing Words with Friends
at 3:00 in the morning. before bed
they're re they're on their cell phones
and they're they there's so many people
that are not aware of the impact of the
blue light upon the you know disruption
of melatonin
um and and that's so you know here we
are in the morning we're on our phone
and at night we're on our phone and in
in both I would I would argue that a lot
of people at this point do know that
blue light is is I hope so an
interference. I think there's obviously
still some people that don't, but I
think that it's an addiction. There's
still it's like we can know that
something isn't necessarily beneficial
for our sleep. And that's something I
work with clients all the time. I know I
know I shouldn't be checking my phone
right before bed, but you know, it's
like at the end of a long day, it is the
easy thing. It's the easy thing to do.
The hard thing to do would be to turn
off your phone and put your laptop away
and not watch TV and really just focus
on your breath or listen to a guided
meditation or read a calming book or
journal. Um, but if you can stick to it
for I say for seven days, just start
with seven days, you will notice the
impact in how you feel so quickly that
you're going to have that motivation to
keep moving because motivation doesn't
just come randomly. It comes from
experiencing results and then feeling
motivated to keep doing what you're
doing. Yeah. I think it's important to
have healthy habits. And the healthier
your nervous system is, the more you can
adapt from, you know, watching TV to go
into sleep. But if you can't do that,
then you have to pace in that time for
your body to adapt and or add in
nutrients like magnesium or theine,
things that will help bring your nervous
system down or or just do simple
strategies of like, hey, when you watch
that TV show, put some blue blocking
glasses on, have all your lights dim
down really low. So you at least
mitigate some of the stress with some
other kind of hobbies or habits in
between there to kind of lessen the the
blow, if you will. Yeah. And I mean, I
think it's interesting, too, that it
sounds like not even that much of a
hack, but starting with if you're the
person who watches a show at night with
your significant other, with your food,
while you're watching the show, and then
you also have your phone next to you,
and you're checking your phone while
you're watching the show, while you're
eating. This is going to impact not only
your cortisol and your stress levels and
your nervous system, but also the
ability to digest and absorb your foods
because you actually assimilate more
nutrients from your food when you slow
down when you eat. And you'll have a lot
more satiety. And so I tell people,
okay, let's not try to do everything
overnight, but let's start with can you
put your phone in a different room and
just be present at least with the show
that you're watching with your partner
and start there. And even just doing
that, I have clients that are like, "Oh
my gosh, I was so much more present. I
enjoyed the experience so much more. I
wasn't anxious because I'm also on my
phone sending emails and you know and
then it's like okay then let's take it a
step further and back it up and have
dinner before you watch the show and
then also keep the phone out of the
dining room and then then after that
okay let's start the show a little bit
earlier give yourself a 20-minut buffer
after the show so you can get in bed and
do something a little bit more calming
um and I think it's you know we got to
we got to layer on I think when we go
from one extreme to the other. That's
where people burn out and they're not
going to be consistent.
Yeah, that too. True. I 100% agree with
that. We just try to have good habits,
layer in some good habits um to try to
neutralize it and try to make sure we
have good sleep. And the the more
fragile someone's nervous system is, the
more we have to be more strengthened.
So, I think some good testing to assess
nervous system function is adrenals.
Adrenals can be a really good window
into adaptation. So looking at your
cortisol rhythm can be a good sign of
how adaptive your HPA axis is. Or also
looking at your DHEA sulfate reserves
from your adrenals because we know that
that's the backup generator as your
ovarian function starts to drop. That
becomes the building blocks to help fill
in what's not being made by the
adrenals. So let's talk more about that, Candace.
Candace.
Well, um I think uh I I mean I noticed
too that often there's low DHEA on board
with women who are, you know, living
this this stress life. And um you know,
it it's can be so helpful to supplement
with DHEA. We I I never I hate to when I
see like a woman I talked to the other
day, 5 foot 10, 138 lbs, 36 years old,
hasn't had a period in ages, wants to
have a, you know, wants to get pregnant,
very concerned about her weight that
she's gaining a little weight at 138
pounds when she's 510. And you know,
she's just got this, she's a tired but
wired person. And her estrogen you see
in these people, these are where you see
the levels that look like menopause.
She's got low estrogen, low
progesterone, low DHEA. Um the cortisols
were, you know, opposite of what they
should be, low in the morning, high at
night. And um you know, I don't like to
have you could look at that test result
and you could say, well, your estrogen's
low, your progesterone's low. let's get
you on some, you know, the the immediate
thing might be if you're at a doctor who
doesn't know any better, let's write a
prescription for these hormones. But you
have to start in a person like that with
adrenal support. That's the first place
to to really to begin. And so that
starts, you know, that gets into doing
all those things that we're talking
about here. And also with supplements, I
think, you know, most people are
deficient in magnesium. Many people are
not using B complex and the B you know
they may be taking B12 to increase their
energy but not aware that all the B all
the B complex the B5 and B6 in
particular are so important for adrenal
support. The adaptogenic herbs that are
out there that can be so uh so helpful.
Um, and DHEA is a great way to help, you
know, the body produce its own convert
to um, uh, testosterone and then to
estrogen preferentially, but the body
knows in its wisdom how to use these
supplements, especially when they are
matching up with um, the receptor sites.
you know, you're you're delivering a
bioididentical form of these hormones so
that they're not synthetic, but they're
made to duplicate the molecular
structure and function of our own
hormones and then they can get in there,
fit onto that receptor site and start
jamming, you know, flip the switches
that matter. I I so I think yeah I mean
we have to utilize I like to see a
duplication of physiology as as close as
we can get to to duplicating to
mimicking physiology is what we want to
do. We want to use, you know,
phytoestrogens, plant-based foods that
have that are similar to estrogen in
their structure and can they're they're
weaker estrogens, but they can mimic
that activity at the cellular level. And
that's the way to begin, I think,
gently, you know, slowly um at some
point if and and then retesting to
monitor how those changes are occurring,
especially if you're using anything like
progesterone. I personally when I was 48
and I had all those symptoms, I started
making changes to my lifestyle, not
drinking coffee so much and not you know
skipping meals and running rushing
around all the time. But I also needed a
little something. I needed some I needed
some support that came in the form. I
remember the first adaptogenic drug uh
uh herb I used was Dong Quai and it it
was so and it it's another estrogen
mimicker and it was such a game changer.
It just took me right out of the black
hole that I was in. um and and other
herbs that I started using. And then
progesterone, I I did end up testing and
find at that point I didn't even know
there was such a thing as you know the a
test. But um when I tested I was awfully
low in all these hormones and a little
bit of progesterone, just the lowest
effective dose, you know, in a in a
topical delivery system, so we're not
having to compromise the gut and the
liver was really magic. I think my girls
would say I I became a person you could
live with again. Yeah. We're like, "Mom,
where's your cream? You should put that on."
on."
And what about what about testosterone,
too? Because I I I looked at some of the
lab markers and kind of looked at
everything. I didn't realize that most
women may not, but the most predominant
hormone in a female's body is actually
testosterone by by two to 3x compared to
estrogen and five to six compared to
progesterone outside of that that
ovulation period. I never knew that.
That's interesting. Now I think most
women they can get pathological levels
of testosterone if they don't manage
their blood sugar. If they have insulin
resistance they develop PCOS. So that's
to a bad level. That's actually the
number one cause of infertility in women
is PCOS which that the androgens and
then that can impact prolactin. But
let's talk about testosterone. Where
does that come in? And are you
supporting testosterone with certain
herbs? Are you doing it via DHEA and
having that trickle downstream those
antigens pathways?
I you know I I am not a big fan of
suggesting I I mean obviously we don't
prescribe anything but I would much
rather go the indirect route of who's
talking about DHEA that will convert and
and also supporting the adrenals and
doing you know strength training I think
is a great way it is a great way to
boost lean muscle and thus you know wake
up those testosterone receptors. I think
taking so many women are doing um the
the pellets uh that that I haven't I
haven't many of the people that come to
us have done pellets and went from hero
to zero. You know, they feel fantastic
at first and then a few months later the
thing the it crashes and they crash and
it's not you know I I there never should
be a hormone taken in isolation. Never.
Well, you can go run a pellet. There's
so many studies on pellets where they'll
do a pellet for four to 6 months and
then the first month it's here, the next
month it's here, next month it's here,
and then if you look at where you were
month one to month four or six, there's
like a 60 or 80% drop. It's like, well,
if you're going to do hormones and
you're not cycling anymore, we want to
keep that hormone pretty stable dayto
day, but when you have that kind of
variation months apart, that's not going
to feel good. It doesn't feel good. And
then what about the conversion to
estrogen? I always think I think that in
men who rush to get testosterone
injections not even realizing that it's
increasing their testosterone levels. It
I mean it can convert to I mean that
it's um um that it's that it's
converting to estrogen and and you see
uh SHBG abnormalities in those people in
in men as well and women. though we don't
don't
usually oh we we don't usually test men
but I have seen interesting situations
with men that are all about testosterone
and don't realize that men and women
share all the same hormones right just
in differing amounts you said I thought
it was interesting too what you said
about testosterone being the main
hormone and I think that's you know the
has a predominance in especially during
menopause because you know the estrogen
the progesterone are down the cortisol
is sort of running the show and
testosterone remains sort of steady.
It's not it's not as influenced by this
fluctuation. So that's where you get,
you know, women who are older were
always dealing with the chin hairs and
and the bad moods and the crabiness and
the weight gain around the abdomen and,
you know, all of those issues that
really um I think relate to that steady
level of testosterone in the absence of
the other supportive hormones as they decline.
decline.
I also think I was going to say I also
think all around just blood sugar
support is for everything that we're
talking about especially with high
testosterone levels it's so incredibly
important to support your blood sugar
and so because we see a lot of insulin
resistance right tied with high high
testosterone and so that's really where
I begin I mean huge fan of
supplementation and everything that
we've been talking about adrenal support
nourishing the nervous system but we can
do all of that as well through
prioritizing blood sugar balance. And
what I see with a lot of clients that
come to us and to me specifically is
they're not actually eating an unhealthy
diet. They're eating a lot of them are
eating whole foods. They listen to
podcasts like this. That's how they find
us, right? So they're listening to all
the health podcasts. They're nourishing
their mind. They're aware of these
things and they're eating whole foods. I
mean, of course, there's not everybody
is eating all whole foods. I don't even
do that myself, but for the most part,
they're aware. The thing that I'm
finding is that they're not aware of how
to properly combine their foods. So,
maybe they're eating, like we talked
about earlier, a chia pudding, but
they're just using the chia seeds and
the almond milk and the fruit and maybe
some oats. And then it's basically carbs
and a little bit of fat and like a tiny
bit of protein. And so, while that's
quote unquote healthy, because we see
that all over Instagram as like a
healthy option, we're gonna look at that
and say, "Okay, let's increase the
protein. I want us to be at a minimum of
20, 25 to 35 grams of protein." Start
with that foundation. Make sure that we
have a really good fiber source so that
we're slowing the absorption of the
carbohydrates. We're bringing in an
anti- couple one to two to three
servings of anti-inflammatory fats. And
then if we are going to have a
carbohydrate, we're choosing a
nutrient-rich carbohydrate that's going
to be able to support. So maybe
glyphosatefree oats or we're doing sweet
potatoes or we're using like a whole
grain bread or something like that. And
so it's not, for me at least, it's not
cutting out carbs completely or
demonizing a specific macronutrient.
It's learning how to properly pair it.
And then I always say bring in bliss
boosts which are it's just my word for
fresh herbs and seasonings, adaptogens,
um superfood powders and things like
that. And so I have a formula called the
sexy six formula that includes these six
things at every meal. And I always
encourage people to do a cup to two cups
or more of low glycemic vegetables at
every meal as well. Obviously, breakfast
is a little bit harder, but if you can't
get it in at breakfast, you know, maybe
do a little green scoop on the side or
just I always throw spinach and my eggs.
You know, there's easy ways of getting
it in. But once we nail that, I see so
many symptoms improve. I mean people can
see a drastic uh I mean I have seen
people completely
uh eliminate their panic attacks just
from balancing their blood sugar and
bring down their anxiety levels and
eliminate the 3pm crash and be able to
release weight more easily. And I'll see
testosterone levels come down as well.
And so it has this huge ripple effect.
And I just don't think it's still not
talked about enough because we are still
in a society, especially as it relates
to weight loss and fitness, that is so
focused on calories and macros. And
while those are important, it completely
negates the balance of foods and the
specific nutrients that you're getting
at each meal. And some of those foods
you're talking about also should do
include and should include the
cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and
brussel sprouts and kale and cauliflower
that are so uh effective at um promoting
proper estrogen
metabolism. Uh which is you know a big
key. There are the what three pathways
the good pathways the bad pathways. We
want it we want to move that estrogen
down the proper pathway so that it's the
body uses it and loses it. It isn't
recirculated. That's where things like
calcium dlucarate and DIM can come in as
supplements if people are estrogen
dominant um to try to to to bring those
estrogen levels, you know, to have
recirculating in the body, which can
happen so so easily. And we see, you
know, high levels of estrone and stored
stored estrogen in women's bodies, which
is a real risk for breast cancer because
estrogen is a growth hormone. We don't
want it, you know, we don't want we need
to regulate its growth activity. It's
what's behind breast cancers and
endometriosis and and the long-term
problems that we see, but also um you
know the early problems that we see in
people like the heavy the heavy painful
periods and you know the cysts and and
all of that fibroids, fear of hugging,
breast tenderness, that kind of thing.
So anyway, with with our diets, yeah,
it's important to get in the crucifer,
not not to eat them raw, but to steam
them, sauté them, bring them in, and and
if it's hard to get the amount of uh
crucifer you need every day, which can
be quite a bit, you you can use the dim,
which is an extract uh that that has
that that sulfor. So when we look at our
estrogens, right, we have the two, four,
the 16, and the two is the more
protective, right? where the four and 16
can be a little bit more cancerous or a
little bit more DNA damaging. Right. So,
we want to you said the sulfur like the
dim or the sulforophane you mentioned calcium
calcium
very the estrogen's down to that that
phase 2 detox that we want that down
pathway and I think Jeffrey Bland talked
about that back in the day. He was one
of the first people to start discussing
that important thing. That's one of the
places where urine testing can be
helpful because you can track that. You
can see if your hormones are
metabolizing down the proper pathways.
We don't I I don't get into that
complexity of testing because I find
most women are just needing to, you
know, they're approaching this and it's
all a learning curve right now. So, just
to start with saliva testing, which is
great because it measures without
needles, you know, without causing
stress. It's really the gold standard of
of adrenal testing because needles can
skew those results. It's non-invasive.
You use it in the p, you know, you can
test at optimal times and then you can
you can see um you know what your levels
are. Uh I forgot what what was I just
lost my train of thought. We're talking
about we're talking about the estrogens
and and um Oh yeah, the tracking of the
path. Two is good, four and 16 are not
quite as good. And then just just to
kind of give some of the nutrients,
right? Your B vitamins, your magnesium,
your your your folate, your B12, your
choline, your knack, and again, some of
the foods, your leafy greens, your eggs,
any beef liver, you know, those are
going to asparagus, all your cruifer,
those are the big things that you can do
to kind of push those estrogens from
four to 16 into that more safer two
range. I'm curious from you, since I
know that you specialize in gut health,
too. What are your thoughts on llutamine
like taking that as a supplement and glycine?
glycine?
Well, I mean I think those are good
nutrients to kind of promote gut
healing, help the interasytes heal, but
you still have to figure out why the
gut's getting raw or irritated to begin
with, right? There could be, you know,
SIBO, bacteria imbalances, there could
be H pylori, maybe we're not breaking
the food down enough, you know,
hydrochloric acid, enzymes, bile. Um,
and you know, on the hormonal side, if
we have a lot of dispiosis, dispiosis
can make that betaglucaronase enzyme.
That's an enzyme that that it basically
junks up estrogen detoxification. So we
we conjugate, we bind it to a protein
and then that protein comes off when we
have a lot of bad bacteria. That enzyme
takes the handcuffs off and doesn't kind
of reabsorb estrogen. Yeah. Then it
reabsorbs. So So it was protein bound.
It's like someone who has handcuffs are
being escorted out of the the club,
right? And then you take the handcuffs
off now they go back and create a
ruckus. It's like that in your body with
with these conjugated hormones. Yeah.
Yeah, I think that's where calcium
dlucarate can be quite helpful.
It inhibits the action of beta gluc glucaronidase
glucaronidase
and also just getting rid of the the bad
bacteria, knocking it down from cutting
out the foods to feed it or using
botanicals to kind of knock down some of
those herbs or or bringing up probiotics
to help crowd out some of them as well.
Totally. Yeah. And I think that's where,
you know, I think I I get it. People get
overwhelmed with all of this stuff and
it's like sometimes I'll hear things
like, "Oh, I just want to focus on my
hormones and then I'll focus on the gut
and the liver and it's like we have to
focus on all of it together." Um, it's
it's so important and I think it is
overwhelming with all of the testing
that's available. And so that is why we
like to simplify it with saliva testing
because we have so many clients that I
mean we've tested thousands at this
point. And I would say, you know, 90% of
the clients that we've worked with that
have had standard blood testing,
everything comes back quote unquote
normal and that's not how they feel, you
know, and they're like, I I feel crazy
and this is not I know that I I don't I
know that things Can you talk Can you
talk more about why though? Like why is
that? What's blood testing missing that
some of the other more functional
testing is picking up? I I can speak to
that just you know the the the thing
about blood testing I remember Dr. Zavi
used to say you know they're
complimentary but you're you're looking
at different things. I I'm I used to
work with Mark Newman who owns the Dutch
he runs the Dutch testing precision
analytics. Yeah, precision analytics.
But we developed that. He actually was
head of the saliva lab at ZRT and he
developed that testing at ZRT and then
he went off started precision analytics.
Um but uh and we do we did blood testing
too. We do blood spot dried blood spot
testing of thyroid all the thyroids and
vitamin D. I've used that before. Is
that accurate for ZRT that the blood
spot? Yeah, I think thyroid you know.
Yeah, Dr. Zava is a big proponent. He's
got lots of papers on that and but the
blood spot can be used in a non-invasive
painless way to measure those things
easily as most doctors don't the
standard doctor isn't going to measure
free T4 and free T3 and TPO antibodies.
So dry blood spot can be used for that.
Um also I'll use that patients that are
hours from like a lab core quest too or
any thyroid. You know if they're hours
away we'll just do a ZRT and have them
complete it. That's perfect. But I mean
the blood the blood the standard blood
draw can create stress because of
needles. You can't you're not going to
prick yourself four times to measure
your dal cortisol curve. That's that's
pretty difficult to get a blood draw
four times in one day to measure that.
It's also not measuring the unbound
fraction of hormone that's left. You
know that the the fraction of hormone
that is becoming unbound because the
pituitary just said, "Hey, she's working
out. we need a little more testosterone
over here. Let's release some and put it
into the cell. Need it. So, when you
measure in saliva, you're really
measuring, you're capturing that 2 to 4%
fraction that's left the bloodstream and
it's moving. It's on its way to the
target tissues. Whereas, you can't get
that in a blood test unless you're
measuring free levels, but that's not a
standard blood draw. So, I'm talking
about a standard blood draw is not going
to it's going to measure bound hormones
bound to their carrier protein in the
bloodstream, not you know the unbound
bioavailable level of hormone. And then
when you get into urine testing, you're
looking, you know, you're really getting
into the weeds. And I I started to say
with with the urine testing and
tracking, you know, when you start with
a saliva test and you see all these if
you see a bunch of imbalances and you've
got high estrogen and you've got, let's
say, a history of of breast cancer in
your family, you might want to go on and
do some of this um testing of uh you
know the uh the what do I mean to say
for the for the for the urine testing?
Yeah. The pathways pathway the urine
because then you could see the
metabolized from 24 to 16 and how it's
being detoxified, right? Yes. Yeah. You
don't. And so are you supportive of the
Dutch testing? I've been using Dutch for
quite a few years, but I've used saliva
15 plus years. What's your take on the
two, you know, looking at hormones from
the urine andor hormones from the
saliva? Well, I'm supportive of it, but
I have to say because we because he
developed it at ZRT, we have the same
exact test. We test all of those all of
those pathways and very completely. Oh,
that's cool. I'll check that out. That's
cool. And you know, I think Dr. Zava
actually encouraged Mark. He he he
developed it and it's brilliant and it's
really popular and I think it has its
place. I just don't think it's a good
place to begin because it's very it's a
difficult test to interpret. You've got
to be working with a functional medicine
doctor. They can be functional medicine
doctors are I like uh Dr. Dr. Kaish's
idea of having a membership kind of uh
uh uh relationship with your doctor so
that you don't just wait till
something's wrong, but you're always
monitoring and you're always being
coached so that you can see how things
are going. And if with saliva testing,
if someone has complications, they're
not getting better from the simple for,
you know, the adrenal support and and
all these things we've been talking
about, then maybe it's time to do the more
more
complex comprehensive testing in urine.
Um, it's also non-invasive. And I think
it's it's just we're measuring different
things. You're measuring metabolites in
urine. You're measuring the breakdown of
hormones. In saliva, you're measuring
the hormones, you know, that are
actually bioavailable. And in blood,
you're measuring bound hormones. So,
you're measuring different things.
You're getting different information.
So, with the Dutch, you're getting free
fraction metabolites, but you're also
getting total. The one thing that I
liked is you could see a lot of HPA
access dysfunction when you see high
amounts of total but very low free or
vice versa high amounts of free very low
total usually there could be like an
anemia or low thyroid. So I liked how
you could see some of the imbalances on
that. Yeah. important. I think people,
you know, the one thing I I find is a
problem is that we get a lot of people
who do not understand their urine test
results there, you know, and that that's
a big problem in the world of testing
anyway, getting the right inter, you
know, getting someone to interpret the
results properly and help you
understand. How many times do you just
get a test result, here are the numbers,
you don't understand what they mean,
there's a range. What are some of the
biggest things on that test that people
miss or even clinicians miss?
On the on which test? On the urine test?
On on the urine or on the saliva test,
the ones that you see the most of? Well,
you know, you have all these there these
myriad metabolites and I they each take
explanation. You know, what does that
really mean? And and how does that just
overwhelming and I don't think that
they're very well explained because most
women I talked to that did the testing
had no idea what it really meant. Maybe
they got some information around the
pathways, but you know, I'm sure doc
What about doctors like you? How much
time do you spend interpreting those
results for your clients when you do
when you run a urine test? Oh, we'll go
over that for 30 minutes. Yeah. Break it
down and and you got to connect it to
their lifestyle to, you know, your okay,
you're you're exercising late, maybe
that's why your cortisol is going up at
night or let's talk about your food.
you're you're skipping meals here
because that that pl so you want to
understand their lifestyle and overlap
it so you understand what's driving it
too and of xenoestrogens that that's
another thing that I think you can get a
better handle on with urine testing and
that that is something we haven't
mentioned but you know we talk about
lack of ovulation causing disruption of
hormone stressors that are not quite as
obvious all the time the undereating all
of these things we've mentioned but what
about the you know we're living in a sea
of toxins
that are duplicating um you know they're
they're estrogen mimickers. So you think
of a a toxin that comes in a
xenoestrogen and BPA. It goes to that
receptor site. It binds to the same
receptor site competes with the
naturally occurring estrogen, kicks the
naturally occurring estrogen off its
receptor site and starts occupying that
site like like somebody who comes to
stay at your house and sleeping on your
couch and won't leave, you know? Right.
Okay. Rid of them. Yeah. And also we we
just we're in a sea of it whether it's
in microplastics in our water. So, we
need, you know, at least a good RO
filter or we're consuming too much
plastics or god forbid you're a cashier
at Whole Foods and you're handling the
receipts that are layered in BPA mean non-stop.
non-stop.
It is interesting how that's changed
now. People say, "Do you want your
receipt?" And you usually say, "No,
because I think people have some idea
that those inks, you know, one of the
things I don't want." Or I take a
picture of it. I'm like, "I got it."
Microlastics in tea bags. Yeah. So, um I
have started using loose tea. I think
that's important. Tea tea maker is
awesome. Just use a little bit of loose
tea. But loose tea, no more tea bags,
people, because there's the numerous
microlastics in there. But, you know,
also plastic in general, not heating
your food in plastic. How about these
foods that are in boil in the bag? What
could be worse? Oh, yeah. Or if you're
microwaving anything in plastic,
people do it all the time. Well, and
also even just the little things you
don't think about like cutting on a
plastic board. Yeah. Plastic cutting
board and then putting that food plastic
utensils. the black plastic. Um, people
use those for, you know, spatulas and,
uh, you know, I think that's a great
first place to start is by being aware
of the plastics because that is, I would
say, yeah, the the most problematic in
terms of how frequently people are using
plastic. Even, you know, even my
husband, he still has some plastic water
bottles that he brings with him to the
gym. And I'm like like I don't want to
be your your coach right now, but please
just yesterday I got him to agree to buy
um a different like a reusable water
bottle. Um yeah, and you know it's those
little things that you don't you don't
think it's that big of a deal, but I
always say think about how frequently
you're using these things. And also if
if you're using something on your skin
or you're ingesting something, think
about not only how often are you using
it, but what is the surface area that
it's covering. So if you're putting body
lotion on your whole body every single
day, that's probably something you want
to switch out quickly. If you're cutting
on your plastic cutting board, you
probably want to start with that. if
you're drinking out of your water
bottle. Um, versus feeling like you have
to switch out everything overnight,
which again can be incredibly
overwhelming. And I don't think any of
us are perfect. Um, as that as that
goes, but I do think an awareness and
finding swaps and brands that perform
really well and are also a similar price
point, which is totally doable now. We
have so many options. I mean, you're
going to find the comet under your sink.
you know, you're trying you you got to
gradually get rid of this stuff, but
cleaning products can be so toxic. Um,
cosmetics, uh, hair, you know, all our
personal care products, hormones in
food, antibiotics, and, you know, the
meat and the hormones that are that
beef, cattle are shot up with, we have
to be aware of all of this stuff and try
to just avoid it as best as possible.
And I think we're living in an era where
we can do that a little more easily. We
have we have good we have good choices.
We have clean. So, here's here's a
simple hack you can do. Just take a
picture of an ingredient label, upload
it the chat GPT, and just say list out
each ingredient and then give it an
environmental wellness group score
because they have all their scores and
then it'll break each thing down and
give it a score and tell you if it's
cancer caused. Oh, I love that. We
usually use the skin deep database on
EWT. It just it just it just basically
uses it through chat GBT. That's
amazing. So, it makes it more because
then you can upload a picture. Have you
heard of Yuka? The Yuka app. You can
just take a picture of the barcode of
any product while you're in the store.
It'll it'll come up with a whole um
rundown of how healthy that is and you
know what what it contains that may be
toxic and killing you.
One thing I mean EWG or cosmetic skin is
great. Those are you mentioning
receipts. I I have a bone to pick with
all these tattoos. What about tattoos? I
mean, you see people with, you know,
their their arms are it's a trendy
thing, especially here in Oregon. And my
god, I'm thinking that ink, it's, you
know, that's that's a it's loaded with
heavy metals. It's also corn in there.
Even corn and some so some food
additives that could be, you know,
allergenic, bad stuff. I know. I have
tattoos. Not a lot. I have like six or
seven little ones. But now, now I'm
questioning, should I get an eighth?
Probably not. I think this is something
we need to raise, though. I haven't I
think I haven't read much about it. I
haven't seen that there's you know now
we're talking about microplastics good.
We need to be talking about the inks in
in tattoos and and how lethal and toxic
they may be. I remember writing some
time ago an article called is your
lipstick make is making you sick?
There's lead in lipstick cadmium and eye
shadow. You know these these things are
they're turning into xenoestrogens and
disrupting your endocrine system. So,
it's that's another big piece of all of
this that we're talking about.
And let's switch gears and talk about
birth control options. I know Jess, you
were talking about your history being on
birth control. I think you said eight
months coming off and getting your cycle
back. Um, if when females come to me and
they want non hormonal methods, I mean,
obviously you have things like a rhythm
method, you have just general barrier
methods, and you have maybe a paragard
IUD, which can have side effects, but at
least it's non hormonal. Um, so those
are kind of the general more non
hormonal. I want to get your take on
those. And then what you did to help get
yourself off of the typical more
hormonal methods, whether it's like a
low estrogen, a yasmin, an ethanol
estradiol. Then they have some of the
synthetic progesterone, the levordestro,
whether it's like the kylina, the
marina, um, Kylina, Marina, and there's
one more.
Um, the big three on the Oh, right. Skyler,
Skyler,
yeah, those are the big three. I think
Marina is the highest and then I think
Kylen is the lowest. So those are like
the synthetic kind of progesterone ones.
Yeah. I don't want to get I was on
hormonal birth control. So uh ethanol
acid everything I cycled through so many
different types of birth control because
because of side effects just I mean I I
was young. I didn't know what I was
taking and yeah, some side effects also,
you know, going to Planned Parenthood
and trying to get it for free and then I
would go and they'd be like, "Oh, you
know, we don't have that one that you
were taking now. Let's get you on
something else." So, I see. Yeah. Yeah.
Switching back and forth. And so, I
mean, the biggest thing with hormonal
birth control pills is that it is
working to prevent pregnancy by shutting
down ovulation and essentially stopping
communication between the brain and the
ovaries. And it's highly recommended by
OBGYNS and doctors for women that are
having painful periods or irregular
cycles or acne or anxiety, depression.
It seems to be it seems to be the
default recommendation. And so what we
have to remember is that it can supp
it's like putting a band-aid on on a
bullet hole, right? It can suppress some
of these problems. And I mean even still
for women with endometriosis for example
sometimes it's almost a necessary evil
for a period of time for the pain. But
then the problem is that again it's
suppressing everything so that when you
decide to eventually come off of
hormonal birth control because you want
to get pregnant or you're getting older,
whatever your reasons are, you're not
feeling well, um you can experience this
cluster of side effects, this resurgence
of symptoms that you went on the pill to
suppress in the first place. and
sometimes they come back with a
vengeance and then there's additional
symptoms. And so, um, that's obviously
with the IUD, it's not necessarily
suppressing ovulation. And I shouldn't
say obviously, but the IUD is not
suppressing ovulation in all cases. I
hormonally. Yeah. Um, I think it was the
Marina IUD that they showed the first
year it suppresses ovulation in about
85% of cases when the dose is its
highest and then it starts to go down
from there. So, you can still be
ovulating, which is why I do prefer if
we're going to choose between the pill
and the IUD, I would choose an IUD over
the pill. Um, but that being
said, once we get to a point where we do want to come off of, especially the
want to come off of, especially the pill, a lot of women will just kind of
pill, a lot of women will just kind of cold turkey it and then they experience
cold turkey it and then they experience all of these symptoms and they're like,
all of these symptoms and they're like, "Oh my god." And then they get scared
"Oh my god." And then they get scared and they go back on it. And so what I
and they go back on it. And so what I always recommend if you can is take 3 to
always recommend if you can is take 3 to 6 months to gradually transition. Don't
6 months to gradually transition. Don't come right off of it. take spend three
come right off of it. take spend three months repleting the nutrients that get
months repleting the nutrients that get depleted specifically from the pill. So
depleted specifically from the pill. So like vitamin C, magnesium, selenium, um
like vitamin C, magnesium, selenium, um the B vitamins and so I mean one of the
the B vitamins and so I mean one of the easiest ways of doing that is just
easiest ways of doing that is just getting on a really high quality
getting on a really high quality prenatal. We love weatal because the
prenatal. We love weatal because the ratios do you know about it?
ratios do you know about it? Okay, weal is one of the best on the
Okay, weal is one of the best on the market. There's so so many prenatalss
market. There's so so many prenatalss that are just what's special about it
that are just what's special about it has it has a higher levels of all of the
has it has a higher levels of all of the B vitamins which a lot of times a lot of
B vitamins which a lot of times a lot of times in uh prenatalss you're actually
times in uh prenatalss you're actually getting very low imbalanced amounts. Um
getting very low imbalanced amounts. Um it has a good amount of choline, a good
it has a good amount of choline, a good amount of magnesium. It has a great
amount of magnesium. It has a great amount of vitamin D3 plus K2 which you
amount of vitamin D3 plus K2 which you don't always find in a prenatal. There's
don't always find in a prenatal. There's 4,000 IU of vitamin D. That's a good
4,000 IU of vitamin D. That's a good amount. So, it's got the right balance
amount. So, it's got the right balance of nutrients. It's also very well
of nutrients. It's also very well studied and researched. The founders
studied and researched. The founders actually started by creating a male
actually started by creating a male prenatal because there weren't many on
prenatal because there weren't many on the market being that men are 50% of the
the market being that men are 50% of the equation. And so, now they have a male
equation. And so, now they have a male and female prenatal. So, I always get a
and female prenatal. So, I always get a woman who wants to transition on a high
woman who wants to transition on a high quality prenatal and then making sure
quality prenatal and then making sure that they are really nourishing
that they are really nourishing nourishing their nervous system. And so
nourishing their nervous system. And so we'll do that through um cycle syncing
we'll do that through um cycle syncing practices where we're cycling certain
practices where we're cycling certain nutrients um with that's a whole another
nutrients um with that's a whole another conversation. We can't really cycle sync
conversation. We can't really cycle sync when we're on hormonal birth control.
when we're on hormonal birth control. But what we can do is we can adopt some
But what we can do is we can adopt some of the practices like bringing down
of the practices like bringing down highintensity exercise especially during
highintensity exercise especially during heightened periods of stress balancing
heightened periods of stress balancing it out with more restorative movement.
it out with more restorative movement. So adding in a lot more walking, yoga,
So adding in a lot more walking, yoga, stretching, mobility, strength training
stretching, mobility, strength training is huge. I try to get all women to
is huge. I try to get all women to strength train. Um, and we'll really
strength train. Um, and we'll really just allow make sure that the body feels
just allow make sure that the body feels as safe as it possibly can. We'll
as safe as it possibly can. We'll obviously bring in some magnesium and
obviously bring in some magnesium and make sure that we're focusing on blood
make sure that we're focusing on blood sugar support. And then once they start
sugar support. And then once they start to transition off of hormonal birth
to transition off of hormonal birth control, they're either not experiencing
control, they're either not experiencing symptoms or they're way reduced. And
symptoms or they're way reduced. And that's what happened in my case. I
that's what happened in my case. I really didn't have any symptoms when I
really didn't have any symptoms when I transitioned off. Other than that, I
transitioned off. Other than that, I didn't have a period. And it took about
didn't have a period. And it took about 8 months of consistency until I got my
8 months of consistency until I got my period back. But that's when I added in
period back. But that's when I added in progesterone, bioidentical progesterone
progesterone, bioidentical progesterone cream, because my progesterone levels
cream, because my progesterone levels were so low since they had been
were so low since they had been suppressed by by the pill. So then in
suppressed by by the pill. So then in terms of well in terms of okay what do
terms of well in terms of okay what do we transition to? We still don't have
we transition to? We still don't have great options. The only uh non hormonal
great options. The only uh non hormonal IUD is the copper IUD and paragard.
IUD is the copper IUD and paragard. Yeah. And unfortunately a lot of women
Yeah. And unfortunately a lot of women experience side effects. They experience
experience side effects. They experience really heavy bleeds pain. Um and so I've
really heavy bleeds pain. Um and so I've I've seen a lot of women that have had
I've seen a lot of women that have had to come off of that including my sister.
to come off of that including my sister. And so I say, you know, it is a
And so I say, you know, it is a bio-individual approach. It can work
bio-individual approach. It can work well for some, but my my choice is the
well for some, but my my choice is the fertility awareness method. And it
fertility awareness method. And it really is just tracking your cycle,
really is just tracking your cycle, taking your basil body temperature. And
taking your basil body temperature. And there's so many wearables that help make
there's so many wearables that help make this so easy. You can get the aura ring
this so easy. You can get the aura ring which is connected to natural cycles
which is connected to natural cycles which basically overnight is taking your
which basically overnight is taking your basil body temperature and then
basil body temperature and then eventually giving you this algorithm
eventually giving you this algorithm once it has enough data that will tell
once it has enough data that will tell you if you're either in a fertile or
you if you're either in a fertile or non-fertile phase. And I mean it's user
non-fertile phase. And I mean it's user dependent so you have to be consistent
dependent so you have to be consistent with it. You have to make sure that you
with it. You have to make sure that you are collecting enough data and then
are collecting enough data and then ideally you're also tracking other
ideally you're also tracking other things like cervical fluid changes,
things like cervical fluid changes, symptom changes and you're not just
symptom changes and you're not just doing that and you know if you're not if
doing that and you know if you're not if you're not trying to get pregnant, you
you're not trying to get pregnant, you don't want to just rely on that
don't want to just rely on that instantly. I would say use backup
instantly. I would say use backup protection even uh during the quote
protection even uh during the quote unquote nonfertile days until you really
unquote nonfertile days until you really have the method down and you feel really
have the method down and you feel really confident that you know how to use it.
confident that you know how to use it. But it is it can be up to
But it is it can be up to 99.6% effective with perfect use.
99.6% effective with perfect use. Yeah, the healthier you are, the more
Yeah, the healthier you are, the more consistent your cycle is. And I just I
consistent your cycle is. And I just I tell my female patients, get a get good
tell my female patients, get a get good app like Flow or Kendara or one of the
app like Flow or Kendara or one of the apps that you mentioned. Get some OPK
apps that you mentioned. Get some OPK strips and test a couple of times in
strips and test a couple of times in your cycle of when you are typically
your cycle of when you are typically ovulating. It's usually it's going to be
ovulating. It's usually it's going to be between 12 to 15 and then two to three
between 12 to 15 and then two to three days on the front and the back side of
days on the front and the back side of that you just have a barrier protection
that you just have a barrier protection with that and then that's usually going
with that and then that's usually going to give you that upwards of 99
to give you that upwards of 99 exactly. And I think the thing though
exactly. And I think the thing though that people have to know is that basil
that people have to know is that basil body temperature tracking only tells you
body temperature tracking only tells you that you have already ovulated, not the
that you have already ovulated, not the ovulation is approaching. Whereas OPK
ovulation is approaching. Whereas OPK tests can give you an idea of when
tests can give you an idea of when ovulation is approaching as well as
ovulation is approaching as well as cervical fluid changes. And so I think
cervical fluid changes. And so I think that's important to note because it's
that's important to note because it's like well it's a little late if you
like well it's a little late if you already ovulated, you know.
already ovulated, you know. Well, with the with the temperature
Well, with the with the temperature though, you could get a little bit of a
though, you could get a little bit of a start because there's a drop first,
start because there's a drop first, right? There's a drop of.3 Fahrenheit
right? There's a drop of.3 Fahrenheit and then a spike. So, I think you may
and then a spike. So, I think you may get a little bit if you see a drop.
get a little bit if you see a drop. Again, if you have multiple methods with
Again, if you have multiple methods with OPK plus you're looking at cervical
OPK plus you're looking at cervical mucus and then you add an extra thing,
mucus and then you add an extra thing, then you you got you're pretty Yeah. I
then you you got you're pretty Yeah. I mean, I like a wearable because
mean, I like a wearable because especially with Aura Ring, if you can
especially with Aura Ring, if you can afford it, it's it's going to filter out
afford it, it's it's going to filter out some of the inconsistencies like if you
some of the inconsistencies like if you cuz temperature readings are really
cuz temperature readings are really finicky, unfortunately. And so, if you
finicky, unfortunately. And so, if you drink alcohol the night before, you were
drink alcohol the night before, you were traveling or you got up to pee a few
traveling or you got up to pee a few times, it can increase your temperature.
times, it can increase your temperature. And because it's by such a small amount,
And because it's by such a small amount, um, it can impact results. So, I like
um, it can impact results. So, I like that. I think orura ranging, it probably
that. I think orura ranging, it probably waits 3 to 4 days of high temperature
waits 3 to 4 days of high temperature readings before it actually confirms
readings before it actually confirms ovulation. It's not going to tell you,
ovulation. It's not going to tell you, oh, you ovulated just because you had
oh, you ovulated just because you had one high temperature a day.
one high temperature a day. Right. Right. That makes sense. I also
Right. Right. That makes sense. I also recommend using a lot of herbs that work
recommend using a lot of herbs that work on the HPA G access like JY or Don Quai
on the HPA G access like JY or Don Quai or or even giving organ glandulars too.
or or even giving organ glandulars too. Um there's a lot of nutrients that are
Um there's a lot of nutrients that are specific to those tissues that can be in
specific to those tissues that can be in those organs. And so those are tend to
those organs. And so those are tend to be a really good reset when you're off a
be a really good reset when you're off a cycle or off not having a cycle, not
cycle or off not having a cycle, not having what happens is the hormones are
having what happens is the hormones are so high because you're giving it
so high because you're giving it synthetically and so it shuts down the
synthetically and so it shuts down the FSH and the LH. So it starts to bring
FSH and the LH. So it starts to bring some of those upstream signaling
some of those upstream signaling hormones. Do you have an organ meat
hormones. Do you have an organ meat capsule that you like?
capsule that you like? There's a couple that are out there. Um,
There's a couple that are out there. Um, I think Ancestral Health, uh, or
I think Ancestral Health, uh, or Ancestral Health has a couple that are
Ancestral Health has a couple that are out there. Also, Ancient Nutrition, they
out there. Also, Ancient Nutrition, they have a couple. And then you got
have a couple. And then you got companies like Biotics have a few and
companies like Biotics have a few and Standard Process has some pretty good
Standard Process has some pretty good ones as well. Yeah. That'll have the
ones as well. Yeah. That'll have the full kind of pituitary ovary type of
full kind of pituitary ovary type of connection feedback. Yeah. I've been
connection feedback. Yeah. I've been wanting to add that in myself for
wanting to add that in myself for energy.
energy. Yeah. Oh, no. I think I think organ
Yeah. Oh, no. I think I think organ meats, if you look at ancestral, you
meats, if you look at ancestral, you know, cultures, organ meats were always
know, cultures, organ meats were always kind of harvested and they were given to
kind of harvested and they were given to the to the women that were going to be
the to the women that were going to be getting pregnant soon in that tribe. And
getting pregnant soon in that tribe. And so there was a lot of intuition that
so there was a lot of intuition that these glands had lots of and so, you
these glands had lots of and so, you know, instead of eating it today, we can
know, instead of eating it today, we can get in supplemental form, which can
get in supplemental form, which can still be great even if you're not of
still be great even if you're not of cycling age or even if you're not like
cycling age or even if you're not like trying to conceive, it's still going to
trying to conceive, it's still going to provide beneficial health. Yeah. You
provide beneficial health. Yeah. You know another herb that I I just started
know another herb that I I just started reading about recently. I was blown
reading about recently. I was blown away, fenugreek, which is an Indian
away, fenugreek, which is an Indian aruvedic Persian herb that has been used
aruvedic Persian herb that has been used for centuries by Indian women.
for centuries by Indian women. Evidently, they use it all through the
Evidently, they use it all through the life cycle. The young girls use it for
life cycle. The young girls use it for period cramps. The older women use it
period cramps. The older women use it for menopausal things. And and they did
for menopausal things. And and they did some studies. I was looking at life
some studies. I was looking at life extensions um research and they did this
extensions um research and they did this uh there there's some pretty good
uh there there's some pretty good randomized trials out there that look at
randomized trials out there that look at women 45 to 58 who had like 500
women 45 to 58 who had like 500 milligrams of fenugreek seed and for
milligrams of fenugreek seed and for like 42 days and there were these
like 42 days and there were these amazing improvements like 31% increase
amazing improvements like 31% increase in estradiol which is the active form of
in estradiol which is the active form of estrogen. Yeah. and um all kinds of
estrogen. Yeah. and um all kinds of symptom relief on the menopause rating
symptom relief on the menopause rating scale like down you know hot flashes 35%
scale like down you know hot flashes 35% down and overall like a 76% improvement
down and overall like a 76% improvement in symptoms so I was I was kind of
in symptoms so I was I was kind of excited about fenugreek I had never I've
excited about fenugreek I had never I've never heard about that but I've seen
never heard about that but I've seen that for increasing testosterone in
that for increasing testosterone in women as well as improving libido women
women as well as improving libido women who are breastfeeding increases breast
who are breastfeeding increases breast milk production too so lots of good
milk production too so lots of good benefits there yeah I mean I I also like
benefits there yeah I mean I I also like I mean maca is wonderful uh white pe
I mean maca is wonderful uh white pe white peony, Shepherd's Purse, uh you
white peony, Shepherd's Purse, uh you know, Vitex or Chase Tree, you know, you
know, Vitex or Chase Tree, you know, you mentioned Don Kai or Black Kohash can be
mentioned Don Kai or Black Kohash can be some good estrogen modulators too that
some good estrogen modulators too that can help. Um and then just getting the
can help. Um and then just getting the diet dialed in. That's so key because if
diet dialed in. That's so key because if we don't have all that cholesterol and
we don't have all that cholesterol and all those fats soluble vitamins, that
all those fats soluble vitamins, that that's the backbone. All of our hormones
that's the backbone. All of our hormones that are like downstream, right? Those
that are like downstream, right? Those are all steroid based hormones, right?
are all steroid based hormones, right? Your progesterone, your estrogen, that's
Your progesterone, your estrogen, that's all that's all going to be um
all that's all going to be um cholesterol based. And then all your
cholesterol based. And then all your upstream like from your pituitary up,
upstream like from your pituitary up, those are all peptide based for the most
those are all peptide based for the most part. That's all protein based. So
part. That's all protein based. So that's why protein and fat together are
that's why protein and fat together are so important for your Oh my gosh. Yes.
so important for your Oh my gosh. Yes. Last night I made my husband and I
Last night I made my husband and I grass-fed steak with herb grass-fed herb
grass-fed steak with herb grass-fed herb butter from Cary Gold. Have you had
butter from Cary Gold. Have you had that? The grass-fed herb one. Oh my
that? The grass-fed herb one. Oh my gosh, it's so good. With mushrooms and
gosh, it's so good. With mushrooms and asparagus. We just had a ton of veggies,
asparagus. We just had a ton of veggies, grass-fed butter, and the steak. It was
grass-fed butter, and the steak. It was so satisfying. It was so so good. Yeah.
so satisfying. It was so so good. Yeah. Yeah, it's it I mean grass-fed butter
Yeah, it's it I mean grass-fed butter makes everything better.
makes everything better. It does. I went carnivore for a week
It does. I went carnivore for a week last week and I had steaks almost every
last week and I had steaks almost every night and I put KY Gold on my steak
night and I put KY Gold on my steak every night. Delicious. You went
every night. Delicious. You went carnivore. That's for a week. What are
carnivore. That's for a week. What are you when you're And I I actually I lost
you when you're And I I actually I lost five pounds. I lo Wow. Oh, I I'm I
five pounds. I lo Wow. Oh, I I'm I mainly kind of do a lower carb keto
mainly kind of do a lower carb keto paleoish.
paleoish. I'll go mainly just meat and veggies.
I'll go mainly just meat and veggies. Like today my wife made me uh some tuna
Like today my wife made me uh some tuna with some cut up kale, some pickles and
with some cut up kale, some pickles and some avocado with some avocado mayo. So
some avocado with some avocado mayo. So it was nice, you know, like maybe 30 40
it was nice, you know, like maybe 30 40 grams of protein, some good fats. And
grams of protein, some good fats. And then, you know, talking about a simple
then, you know, talking about a simple easy breakfast, my kind of patented
easy breakfast, my kind of patented breakfast is coffee with about 20 to 30
breakfast is coffee with about 20 to 30 grams of collagen mixed in and I do a
grams of collagen mixed in and I do a tablespoon of butter, KY Gold, and a
tablespoon of butter, KY Gold, and a tablespoon of MCT oil. So I just do a
tablespoon of MCT oil. So I just do a little kind of butter coffee. So it's
little kind of butter coffee. So it's like you got the fat, you got the
like you got the fat, you got the protein, and it's just, you know, still
protein, and it's just, you know, still got the morning routine going. Kamana.
got the morning routine going. Kamana. So it's this brand new superfood. It's
So it's this brand new superfood. It's mosquite, and it's a superfood, I
mosquite, and it's a superfood, I believe, from Peru. I'll have to double
believe, from Peru. I'll have to double check that, but it's been uh triple lab
check that, but it's been uh triple lab tested. It's been tested for mold, all
tested. It's been tested for mold, all of the things. It's really It's a
of the things. It's really It's a prebiotic, so it's really good for the
prebiotic, so it's really good for the gut, but you can brew it and steep it
gut, but you can brew it and steep it just like coffee. So, for but it's
just like coffee. So, for but it's caffeine-free. So, for people that don't
caffeine-free. So, for people that don't do well with coffee um or have gut
do well with coffee um or have gut health issues, I've been loving that
health issues, I've been loving that because I I haven't been able to drink
because I I haven't been able to drink coffee for six years. It's just a
coffee for six years. It's just a trigger for me for my migraines, but I
trigger for me for my migraines, but I love the taste. And so, this has been
love the taste. And so, this has been great. I feel like I feel the difference
great. I feel like I feel the difference in my gut, too, when I drink it. So,
in my gut, too, when I drink it. So, I'll do kind of what you do, but I'll do
I'll do kind of what you do, but I'll do it with that. And then I'll add a scoop
it with that. And then I'll add a scoop of protein or collagen and some coconut
of protein or collagen and some coconut milk and some cinnamon and I blend it
milk and some cinnamon and I blend it and then I heat it and I put more
and then I heat it and I put more cinnamon on the top and that really
cinnamon on the top and that really tides me over and so that then I have a
tides me over and so that then I have a later breakfast. So I think especially
later breakfast. So I think especially for women too on the go that's such a
for women too on the go that's such a good hack. And you talked about
good hack. And you talked about collagen. Collagen is a third glycine,
collagen. Collagen is a third glycine, right? So we talked about sorry collagen
right? So we talked about sorry collagen is more than a third but it's a a third
is more than a third but it's a a third glutamine. So you talked about glutamine
glutamine. So you talked about glutamine earlier for your gut. got a lot of good
earlier for your gut. got a lot of good gut support with those amino acids that
gut support with those amino acids that are in collagen. Yeah, you can even add
are in collagen. Yeah, you can even add bone broth. Yeah. I want to just ask a
bone broth. Yeah. I want to just ask a quick question. You mentioned knack and
quick question. You mentioned knack and acetal cysteine as being one of your
acetal cysteine as being one of your your essentials and I understand that
your essentials and I understand that it's the precursor to glutathione. Um,
it's the precursor to glutathione. Um, but I see a lot of people now starting
but I see a lot of people now starting to use a cetal glutathione just you know
to use a cetal glutathione just you know directly and I'm wondering what what is
directly and I'm wondering what what is your feeling about do you prefer to
your feeling about do you prefer to provide something like the precursor so
provide something like the precursor so that it converts in the body naturally
that it converts in the body naturally or use go straight to the glutathione
or use go straight to the glutathione the master antioxidant? Yeah, that's a
the master antioxidant? Yeah, that's a great that's a great question. So there
great that's a great question. So there are studies on the fact that glutathione
are studies on the fact that glutathione will not cross the bloodb brain barrier.
will not cross the bloodb brain barrier. So I always recommend NAC. You can do
So I always recommend NAC. You can do glutathione too whether it's reduced
glutathione too whether it's reduced liposomaal or acetilated but you want
liposomaal or acetilated but you want knack because it can cross the blood
knack because it can cross the blood brain barrier convert to
brain barrier convert to glutathion in the brain. Plus knack is
glutathion in the brain. Plus knack is all kinds of women who are trying to get
all kinds of women who are trying to get pregnant. Studies on knack 600
pregnant. Studies on knack 600 milligrams helps with the oxidative
milligrams helps with the oxidative stress with the eggs with the ovaries
stress with the eggs with the ovaries and also it decreases first trimester
and also it decreases first trimester abortion. I not abortion not
abortion. I not abortion not miscarriage. It decreases first
miscarriage. It decreases first trimester miscarriage. So it helps with
trimester miscarriage. So it helps with the oxidation of the egg. So it protects
the oxidation of the egg. So it protects it better from just whatever's happening
it better from just whatever's happening with the free radical stress. Yeah. So
with the free radical stress. Yeah. So it helps with reduce miscarriage and
it helps with reduce miscarriage and then it helps with just egg quality, egg
then it helps with just egg quality, egg health, you'll see AMH levels become a
health, you'll see AMH levels become a little bit more healthier as well. Do
little bit more healthier as well. Do you have a brand that you like using it?
you have a brand that you like using it? Oh, I mean there's a lot of good brands
Oh, I mean there's a lot of good brands out there. As long as you know it's a
out there. As long as you know it's a tier one company like Thor or Designs
tier one company like Thor or Designs for Health or There's a lot of good
for Health or There's a lot of good companies out there. Yeah. Quicksilver
companies out there. Yeah. Quicksilver is good. Yeah. I just try to look at the
is good. Yeah. I just try to look at the back and make sure it's in a in a
back and make sure it's in a in a cellulose capsule that breaks down nice.
cellulose capsule that breaks down nice. I don't love some companies have the big
I don't love some companies have the big tablets. I don't love those as much. And
tablets. I don't love those as much. And just making sure you don't see like rice
just making sure you don't see like rice flour and a lot of that stuff in there.
flour and a lot of that stuff in there. Got to keep it really clean. The quicks
Got to keep it really clean. The quicks is just a liposomaal. Yeah. So
is just a liposomaal. Yeah. So liposomaal is great. Yep. That's nice.
liposomaal is great. Yep. That's nice. But NAC is an easy one because like the
But NAC is an easy one because like the government did studies just three years
government did studies just three years ago comparing NAC to to Roamame and
ago comparing NAC to to Roamame and Oxidil for hair loss and it it
Oxidil for hair loss and it it outperformed Roame and Oxidil in phase
outperformed Roame and Oxidil in phase three clinical trials. Oh my god, that
three clinical trials. Oh my god, that and it helps with some gray hair too
and it helps with some gray hair too because it helps neutralize helps
because it helps neutralize helps support the pseudocatalase enzyme that
support the pseudocatalase enzyme that helps neutralize some of the um hydrogen
helps neutralize some of the um hydrogen peroxide at the follicle level that
peroxide at the follicle level that converts the your hair to to a more gray
converts the your hair to to a more gray color. So there's a lot of good benefits
color. So there's a lot of good benefits with NAC. So just to clarify, you would
with NAC. So just to clarify, you would prefer your preference would be to use
prefer your preference would be to use the NAC versus going straight to the GL
the NAC versus going straight to the GL glutathione because you're saying even
glutathione because you're saying even an acetylized version of glutathione
an acetylized version of glutathione will not cross the bloodb brain barrier.
will not cross the bloodb brain barrier. So I I prefer both, but if I could only
So I I prefer both, but if I could only choose one, if someone was on an extreme
choose one, if someone was on an extreme budget, I would choose Knack every time.
budget, I would choose Knack every time. Uhhuh. Especially when there's breathing
Uhhuh. Especially when there's breathing issues because Knack like they've used
issues because Knack like they've used Knack in a acetalcyine version for
Knack in a acetalcyine version for cystic fibrosis kids since the 70s.
cystic fibrosis kids since the 70s. They'll put them in a nebulizer and it
They'll put them in a nebulizer and it breaks up mucus. It helps with oxidative
breaks up mucus. It helps with oxidative stress. And so you can do knack in a
stress. And so you can do knack in a nebulizer, you know, as you start to get
nebulizer, you know, as you start to get sick. That'll really help with the
sick. That'll really help with the oxidative stress, the low oxygen, the
oxidative stress, the low oxygen, the mucus. And you can just take it orally
mucus. And you can just take it orally to break down any of the mucus that you
to break down any of the mucus that you get when you start to get sick or have
get when you start to get sick or have allergies. So I love knack. It's an
allergies. So I love knack. It's an anti-mucolytic, right? I anti-ucalytic.
anti-mucolytic, right? I anti-ucalytic. It's also antiviral. It's also
It's also antiviral. It's also anti-coagulant. So, there's so many
anti-coagulant. So, there's so many other benefits there. Yeah. I started
other benefits there. Yeah. I started using NAC when I had pneumonia. We lived
using NAC when I had pneumonia. We lived in London for a long time and I would
in London for a long time and I would consistently get these bronchial things
consistently get these bronchial things and the last time I got it, I just could
and the last time I got it, I just could not get over it. And I finally learned
not get over it. And I finally learned about NAC. I took it with some cayenne
about NAC. I took it with some cayenne capsules and I fixed myself. Yeah. So, I
capsules and I fixed myself. Yeah. So, I love it. And then you can nebul if it
love it. And then you can nebul if it starts getting dicey, you can even
starts getting dicey, you can even nebulize it. You just, you know, you can
nebulize it. You just, you know, you can get a prescription from Yucamist or
get a prescription from Yucamist or there's ways you can do it with sterile
there's ways you can do it with sterile saline to to make it really good, too.
saline to to make it really good, too. So, I like that. Um, is there anything
So, I like that. Um, is there anything else on the fertility side? Well, so one
else on the fertility side? Well, so one more thing I want to talk about, right?
more thing I want to talk about, right? I have I see a lot of women who are like
I have I see a lot of women who are like they're in their 20s or 30s, they're
they're in their 20s or 30s, they're fine, and now they're getting into their
fine, and now they're getting into their 40s and like why am I gaining weight?
40s and like why am I gaining weight? And so, the big thing I you know,
And so, the big thing I you know, outside of just having bad habits that
outside of just having bad habits that are compounding over time, when you're
are compounding over time, when you're younger, you have a stronger metabolism.
younger, you have a stronger metabolism. you can overcome stuff, but as your
you can overcome stuff, but as your hormones start to drop as you get older,
hormones start to drop as you get older, as you go into pmenopause, menopause,
as you go into pmenopause, menopause, those hormones make you more prone to
those hormones make you more prone to becoming insulin resistant. And so the
becoming insulin resistant. And so the dietary habits you have in your 20s and
dietary habits you have in your 20s and 30s and maybe the lack of maybe the
30s and maybe the lack of maybe the excess exercise as you get older, maybe
excess exercise as you get older, maybe the exercise drops and now you're more
the exercise drops and now you're more insulin resistant, you have to be
insulin resistant, you have to be tighter on your diet, tighter on your
tighter on your diet, tighter on your exercise to because you got that losing
exercise to because you got that losing battle with insulin. Can you comment on
battle with insulin. Can you comment on that?
that? the uh oh um ju just the fact that as we
the uh oh um ju just the fact that as we get as females get older, same with
get as females get older, same with males, but males don't have the same
males, but males don't have the same hormonal shift that women do, is that as
hormonal shift that women do, is that as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone
estrogen, progesterone, testosterone drops, we start to become more insulin
drops, we start to become more insulin resistant. Yeah. Well, I'm I'm sort of
resistant. Yeah. Well, I'm I'm sort of thinking about first thing, my dog just
thinking about first thing, my dog just came in. Um I I I'm thinking about the
came in. Um I I I'm thinking about the fact that um you know it's so difficult
fact that um you know it's so difficult for women to control the blood sugar
for women to control the blood sugar when their adrenals are kind of in the
when their adrenals are kind of in the ascendancy and and the testosterone as
ascendancy and and the testosterone as well. I mean we know that um higher
well. I mean we know that um higher insulin increases testosterone at the
insulin increases testosterone at the ovarian level too. So that's a big link.
ovarian level too. So that's a big link. Um and we the other thing when I think
Um and we the other thing when I think about overweight in women I think older
about overweight in women I think older women I think about the metabolism
women I think about the metabolism slowing down. I think about um the
slowing down. I think about um the cravings the adrenal issues that promote
cravings the adrenal issues that promote the cravings that promote the blood
the cravings that promote the blood sugar imbalance and thus the you know
sugar imbalance and thus the you know the rise in insulin the the lack of the
the rise in insulin the the lack of the the sleep disruption that disrupts
the sleep disruption that disrupts insulin production as well. And also the
insulin production as well. And also the fact that so many women are, you know,
fact that so many women are, you know, they're not, we talk so often in
they're not, we talk so often in menopause about estrogen deficiency and
menopause about estrogen deficiency and really more often it's about estrogen
really more often it's about estrogen dominance. It's the progesterone that is
dominance. It's the progesterone that is really plummeting the we have so little
really plummeting the we have so little progesterone but we often have estrogen
progesterone but we often have estrogen because it's made in fat cells, right?
because it's made in fat cells, right? It's converted by the aromatase enzyme
It's converted by the aromatase enzyme in fat cells and we have estrogen
in fat cells and we have estrogen dominance that's actually interfering
dominance that's actually interfering running interference with the conversion
running interference with the conversion of T4 to T3 in the thyroid. So you get a
of T4 to T3 in the thyroid. So you get a lot of women will go and have their
lot of women will go and have their their thyroid tested. They get a TSH
their thyroid tested. They get a TSH test and told everything's normal and
test and told everything's normal and yet if you look at the T4 T3 it's not
yet if you look at the T4 T3 it's not converting and that that's in interfered
converting and that that's in interfered with by the insulin resistance as well.
with by the insulin resistance as well. And that causes of course the weight
And that causes of course the weight gain because the thyroid is slowing down
gain because the thyroid is slowing down or is inhibited. You know the thyroid
or is inhibited. You know the thyroid the thyroid is inhibited. it's still
the thyroid is inhibited. it's still functional but it's not it's not um
functional but it's not it's not um optimized in its function. Well, and
optimized in its function. Well, and there's also the fact that with low
there's also the fact that with low progesterone can you know increase
progesterone can you know increase cortisol which then impacts blood sugar
cortisol which then impacts blood sugar which then impacts and then if we're
which then impacts and then if we're dealing with sleep disturbances which
dealing with sleep disturbances which happens in this transition then that
happens in this transition then that also impacts our blood sugar levels. So
also impacts our blood sugar levels. So I think there's so many different it's
I think there's so many different it's multiffactorial.
multiffactorial. Um, I do I would say though that I often
Um, I do I would say though that I often see just because I do work with a lot of
see just because I do work with a lot of people that are struggling with weight
people that are struggling with weight in this age range, I find that there's a
in this age range, I find that there's a lot of habit changes that occur over
lot of habit changes that occur over these years. And so, you know, I know
these years. And so, you know, I know that it can be a little bit more
that it can be a little bit more challenging, but I will say that with
challenging, but I will say that with some tweaks to the balance again of the
some tweaks to the balance again of the foods on your plate and just being being
foods on your plate and just being being really intentional about increasing
really intentional about increasing strength training because this,
strength training because this, especially in the late 30s, 40s, and
especially in the late 30s, 40s, and 50s, is so so crucial for supporting
50s, is so so crucial for supporting insulin sensitivity and for um balancing
insulin sensitivity and for um balancing blood sugar, increasing ing
blood sugar, increasing ing testosterone, which again goes low when
testosterone, which again goes low when we get into this parmen pmenopause
we get into this parmen pmenopause menopause transition. And we're also
menopause transition. And we're also losing bone mass and muscle mass. And
losing bone mass and muscle mass. And so, you know, I see a lot of people that
so, you know, I see a lot of people that are still cardio junkies and um really
are still cardio junkies and um really focused and obsessed with that. And so
focused and obsessed with that. And so if I can get women, because that's my
if I can get women, because that's my primary demographic, to come off of all
primary demographic, to come off of all of the highintensity cardio, to actually
of the highintensity cardio, to actually go for more walks, do more strength
go for more walks, do more strength training, and really prioritize those
training, and really prioritize those three balanced meals with high protein,
three balanced meals with high protein, fiber, and fat, that almost always moves
fiber, and fat, that almost always moves the needle. So the walking is good. And
the needle. So the walking is good. And what's your issue with the high
what's your issue with the high intensity interval stuff?
intensity interval stuff? So women's bodies are very sensitive to
So women's bodies are very sensitive to external stressors because obviously the
external stressors because obviously the body's main priority is to house and
body's main priority is to house and protect a potential fetus. And so unlike
protect a potential fetus. And so unlike men, we're just a lot more sensitive.
men, we're just a lot more sensitive. And so and most of the studies around
And so and most of the studies around HIT training, highintensity cardio have
HIT training, highintensity cardio have been done on a male body because female
been done on a male body because female bodies because of our hormonal
bodies because of our hormonal fluctuations are frustrating and un and
fluctuations are frustrating and un and unpredictable. And so we don't make
unpredictable. And so we don't make great case studies. And so with
great case studies. And so with women, it's not to say that we have to
women, it's not to say that we have to cut out HIT training. It can still be
cut out HIT training. It can still be beneficial for insulin sensitivity, but
beneficial for insulin sensitivity, but it's how you place it. So as you get
it's how you place it. So as you get into the second half of the cycle in the
into the second half of the cycle in the ludial phase and especially the
ludial phase and especially the premenstrual week when resting cortisol
premenstrual week when resting cortisol levels are naturally higher we're less
levels are naturally higher we're less resilient to stress that extra cardio
resilient to stress that extra cardio and hit can just add that extra stress
and hit can just add that extra stress that pushes us over the edge and can
that pushes us over the edge and can actually result in heightened PMS
actually result in heightened PMS symptoms and period issues and then can
symptoms and period issues and then can also I've seen in many cases uh create
also I've seen in many cases uh create anovvulatory cycles. Um, typically
anovvulatory cycles. Um, typically that's paired with other stressors as
that's paired with other stressors as well. But I do see, like I said
well. But I do see, like I said previously, the client that was a
previously, the client that was a marathon runner or the clients that are
marathon runner or the clients that are just obsessed with highintensity cardio
just obsessed with highintensity cardio all month long, oftentimes they are the
all month long, oftentimes they are the ones that are not regularly um,
ones that are not regularly um, ovulating or having irregular cycles.
ovulating or having irregular cycles. So, it's really just about the balance
So, it's really just about the balance and being intentional about when you
and being intentional about when you pepper it in and also making sure that
pepper it in and also making sure that you're balancing it with enough
you're balancing it with enough restorative movement, strength training,
restorative movement, strength training, and rest. And but again, it can be
and rest. And but again, it can be really beneficial like in the first half
really beneficial like in the first half of the cycle, the follicular and
of the cycle, the follicular and ovulatory phases when resting cortisol
ovulatory phases when resting cortisol is naturally lower, we're more resilient
is naturally lower, we're more resilient to stress, we tend to be less insulin
to stress, we tend to be less insulin resistant. we can add in some of that
resistant. we can add in some of that hit training and extra cardio and
hit training and extra cardio and actually that ends up being really
actually that ends up being really beneficial for our goals. So, it's the
beneficial for our goals. So, it's the timing. It's the timing. Yeah. And it's
timing. It's the timing. Yeah. And it's also I think you mentioned this earlier,
also I think you mentioned this earlier, but what time of day are we working out?
but what time of day are we working out? Um are you doing a highintensity workout
Um are you doing a highintensity workout right before bed and then struggling
right before bed and then struggling with sleep whereas maybe if you put that
with sleep whereas maybe if you put that in the morning after you had like your
in the morning after you had like your protein coffee, right? Then it's going
protein coffee, right? Then it's going to be more beneficial for you. That
to be more beneficial for you. That makes sense. I mean all these all these
makes sense. I mean all these all these things that contribute to the stress
things that contribute to the stress response the increase in blood sugar the
response the increase in blood sugar the increase in insulin we have to keep in
increase in insulin we have to keep in mind so then you've got sugar cravings
mind so then you've got sugar cravings in people eating that way remember to
in people eating that way remember to have fiber fiber fiber slows slows the
have fiber fiber fiber slows slows the impact of sugar upon the gut and and um
impact of sugar upon the gut and and um you know brings that down also I think
you know brings that down also I think it's important to think about high
it's important to think about high glycemic foods to become aware of the
glycemic foods to become aware of the glycemic load of those foods that hit
glycemic load of those foods that hit the system with a rush of sugar that is
the system with a rush of sugar that is difficult for the body to to um regulate
difficult for the body to to um regulate the time. So, you know, and and it's
the time. So, you know, and and it's interesting when you look at the low
interesting when you look at the low glycemic versus high glycemic load how
glycemic versus high glycemic load how certain food like one melon, one type of
certain food like one melon, one type of melon may be really high glycemic
melon may be really high glycemic whereas another is not. I can't
whereas another is not. I can't remember. I think it's honeydew is lower
remember. I think it's honeydew is lower than cantaloupe. They're just these
than cantaloupe. They're just these subtle differences. But bringing in all
subtle differences. But bringing in all of this information can help us to keep
of this information can help us to keep that blood sugar insulin controlled or
that blood sugar insulin controlled or you know at least help the adrenals to
you know at least help the adrenals to do their job. Very good. And then I
do their job. Very good. And then I imagine you said you use the Aura ring
imagine you said you use the Aura ring for fertility for ovulation.
for fertility for ovulation. You could also probably use your Aura
You could also probably use your Aura ring for HRV or readiness score too to
ring for HRV or readiness score too to probably gauge what kind of exercise you
probably gauge what kind of exercise you should be doing. I I tell all my female
should be doing. I I tell all my female patients the same thing. Make sure
patients the same thing. Make sure whatever exercise you're doing, make
whatever exercise you're doing, make sure one, you feel better afterwards
sure one, you feel better afterwards than when you started. You should never
than when you started. You should never feel worse. Two, you should be able to
feel worse. Two, you should be able to emotionally repeat it. You shouldn't
emotionally repeat it. You shouldn't feel so depleted, so beaten up. And
feel so depleted, so beaten up. And three, that next day or that night time,
three, that next day or that night time, if it was a morning workout, you should
if it was a morning workout, you should not feel overly tired, overly sore, hit
not feel overly tired, overly sore, hit by a bus. So, if you're doing that, then
by a bus. So, if you're doing that, then you can always adjust the intensity, the
you can always adjust the intensity, the frequency, the duration, so you you can
frequency, the duration, so you you can answer kind of positively to those kind
answer kind of positively to those kind of checks. I love that. That's a really
of checks. I love that. That's a really good rule of thumb cuz I I think too I
good rule of thumb cuz I I think too I mean I used to be this way where it's
mean I used to be this way where it's like if I'm not so sore and can't walk
like if I'm not so sore and can't walk the next day, you know what it's like
the next day, you know what it's like actually you shouldn't be incredibly
actually you shouldn't be incredibly sore and unable to walk, right? The only
sore and unable to walk, right? The only exception is like you're doing a new
exception is like you're doing a new movement for the first time. Okay,
movement for the first time. Okay, you're doing lunges or squats for the
you're doing lunges or squats for the first time. Okay, fine. But outside of
first time. Okay, fine. But outside of that, yeah, you'd be a little bit sore,
that, yeah, you'd be a little bit sore, right? For sure. That makes sense. And
right? For sure. That makes sense. And then just for the listeners listening at
then just for the listeners listening at home, your guys website is your hormone
home, your guys website is your hormone balance. And are you you guys both
balance. And are you you guys both working with patients one-on-one? Can
working with patients one-on-one? Can you talk about what what you do there?
you talk about what what you do there? Yeah, so I'll give this little spiel.
Yeah, so I'll give this little spiel. Um, so over at your hormone balance.com,
Um, so over at your hormone balance.com, we do we offer our hormone testing and
we do we offer our hormone testing and rebalancing packages. So I there's
rebalancing packages. So I there's options to choose between and then you
options to choose between and then you can choose to add on a consultation with
can choose to add on a consultation with my mom, Candace, once your results come
my mom, Candace, once your results come in and she'll interpret the results with
in and she'll interpret the results with you, spend an hour with you. As you can
you, spend an hour with you. As you can tell, she's very passionate. She's very
tell, she's very passionate. She's very invested in every single one of our
invested in every single one of our clients and we also provide a lot of
clients and we also provide a lot of education. There's a whole, you know, we
education. There's a whole, you know, we have a whole rebalancing strategy guide.
have a whole rebalancing strategy guide. So, a lot of support and ideally we love
So, a lot of support and ideally we love for our clients to come back and retest
for our clients to come back and retest in 3 to 6 months and then, you know, to
in 3 to 6 months and then, you know, to add on another call just to see how
add on another call just to see how things have progressed. And then for me,
things have progressed. And then for me, um, I'm with your home and balance, but
um, I'm with your home and balance, but my business is
my business is bodyblissbyjess.com. And I also take
bodyblissbyjess.com. And I also take client sessions, but I focus more, as
client sessions, but I focus more, as you could probably tell in this
you could probably tell in this conversation, on the nutrition side, the
conversation, on the nutrition side, the mindset, the nervous system regulation,
mindset, the nervous system regulation, cycle syncing. So, I'm very much the
cycle syncing. So, I'm very much the tangible next steps person. And I find
tangible next steps person. And I find that mindset is incredibly important as
that mindset is incredibly important as well as we're going through these these
well as we're going through these these tough times. So, um, in these
tough times. So, um, in these transitional years as well. So, yeah,
transitional years as well. So, yeah, that's kind of how we how we operate.
that's kind of how we how we operate. And we have a really great symptom quiz
And we have a really great symptom quiz at your horone balance.com. I know you
at your horone balance.com. I know you were going to put that in the show
were going to put that in the show notes. Yeah. Anyone listening in the
notes. Yeah. Anyone listening in the description will be the first two links
description will be the first two links right right below. Cool. So, yeah, it's
right right below. Cool. So, yeah, it's a just a great quiz to take to kind of
a just a great quiz to take to kind of get a gauge of could some of the
get a gauge of could some of the symptoms you're experiencing be a
symptoms you're experiencing be a hormone imbalance. And then you also
hormone imbalance. And then you also receive via email some free resources
receive via email some free resources and a discount on testing when you take
and a discount on testing when you take that quiz. And I I would like to mention
that quiz. And I I would like to mention that when I when I talk to people and we
that when I when I talk to people and we have our test results, we're looking at
have our test results, we're looking at the test results together. We are also
the test results together. We are also correlating the symptoms because people
correlating the symptoms because people put in all of their symptoms, mild,
put in all of their symptoms, mild, moderate, severe, and then we correlate
moderate, severe, and then we correlate those symptoms with the levels that are
those symptoms with the levels that are showing up on the test results so that
showing up on the test results so that people can understand, yeah, you know,
people can understand, yeah, you know, your estrogen's really low. No wonder
your estrogen's really low. No wonder you have some vaginal dryness there. Um,
you have some vaginal dryness there. Um, yes, I just see uh Dr. James L. Wilson.
yes, I just see uh Dr. James L. Wilson. Someone's making a comment. He's he's an
Someone's making a comment. He's he's an old friend, Dr. Wilson. He he coined the
old friend, Dr. Wilson. He he coined the term adrenal fatigue and uh he, you
term adrenal fatigue and uh he, you know, he first started that that whole
know, he first started that that whole conversation, but it's so it is I think
conversation, but it's so it is I think it's really it really brings it home
it's really it really brings it home when you can put the numbers go beyond
when you can put the numbers go beyond the numbers on a test result and link
the numbers on a test result and link them up with the symptoms you're
them up with the symptoms you're experiencing, then the whole thing
experiencing, then the whole thing starts to come into focus.
starts to come into focus. Very good. Excellent. Well, anything
Very good. Excellent. Well, anything else you want to leave listeners with?
else you want to leave listeners with? I'm going to put Jess. I'm going to put
I'm going to put Jess. I'm going to put your info below as well. So, you'll see
your info below as well. So, you'll see the your hormone balance link. I'll put
the your hormone balance link. I'll put Body Bliss by Jess and then I put the
Body Bliss by Jess and then I put the quiz, the hormonal quiz that you guys
quiz, the hormonal quiz that you guys talked about. So, if you guys are
talked about. So, if you guys are looking for that, just look below in the
looking for that, just look below in the description. You guys will see it there.
description. You guys will see it there. Anything else, Candace or Jess, you want
Anything else, Candace or Jess, you want to leave the listeners with? I I would
to leave the listeners with? I I would just say start slow and grow. I know
just say start slow and grow. I know we've talked about a lot of different
we've talked about a lot of different things and I really like people to feel
things and I really like people to feel like they are empowered with the
like they are empowered with the information and the knowledge instead of
information and the knowledge instead of overwhelmed and that it gets to be this
overwhelmed and that it gets to be this aha moment of okay maybe you know my
aha moment of okay maybe you know my symptoms are I'm not crazy for
symptoms are I'm not crazy for experiencing this my symptoms aren't
experiencing this my symptoms aren't normal and there is support there is
normal and there is support there is help there are people that care and that
help there are people that care and that really want to help and that there's
really want to help and that there's things that I can do that will move the
things that I can do that will move the needle relatively quickly but it doesn't
needle relatively quickly but it doesn't need to be done overnight these simple
need to be done overnight these simple changes can make a world of difference.
changes can make a world of difference. So, just have patience and kindness with
So, just have patience and kindness with yourself and take it one step at a time.
yourself and take it one step at a time. But I definitely think that having
But I definitely think that having professional support is key. And I'd
professional support is key. And I'd like to speak to the women my age um who
like to speak to the women my age um who are in menopause and have been in
are in menopause and have been in menopause for for a while. So many women
menopause for for a while. So many women will say to me, "Well, I'm in menopause.
will say to me, "Well, I'm in menopause. I don't have any hormones anymore,
I don't have any hormones anymore, right? I'm I'm out of hormones. So, what
right? I'm I'm out of hormones. So, what does it matter? Do I really need to care
does it matter? Do I really need to care about my hormones?" And I think you know
about my hormones?" And I think you know what what I often say is well 100 years
what what I often say is well 100 years ago we didn't live much past 50 so we
ago we didn't live much past 50 so we didn't have to worry about this but now
didn't have to worry about this but now we're living to be 85 90 we don't want
we're living to be 85 90 we don't want to be running on empty these hormones
to be running on empty these hormones have roles to play they have functions
have roles to play they have functions in the body that are still very
in the body that are still very essential to your well-being women need
essential to your well-being women need to stay strong as we get older that
to stay strong as we get older that strength training is so important right
strength training is so important right you know all the all these things that
you know all the all these things that we can do to maintain maybe it means
we can do to maintain maybe it means some hormone replenishment But it is
some hormone replenishment But it is big. You know, the adrenals take over
big. You know, the adrenals take over all hormone production at menopause.
all hormone production at menopause. They've got to pick up the slack. So,
They've got to pick up the slack. So, it's adrenal support. It's all the
it's adrenal support. It's all the things we're talking about. It can make
things we're talking about. It can make a huge difference to your third act. We
a huge difference to your third act. We have another 30 years to go here. And we
have another 30 years to go here. And we cannot be running on empty. So, don't
cannot be running on empty. So, don't think that you're done. This is, you
think that you're done. This is, you know, you you these can be the best
know, you you these can be the best years of your life if you if you take
years of your life if you if you take those those steps. And I I hope to
those those steps. And I I hope to encourage I'm in my 70s now and I'm
encourage I'm in my 70s now and I'm still rolling along.
still rolling along. Great on the beach. That's great. Well,
Great on the beach. That's great. Well, thanks so much, Jess and Candace. You
thanks so much, Jess and Candace. You guys talked about a lot of important
guys talked about a lot of important things. You talked about the nutrients
things. You talked about the nutrients be behind hormones. I mean, you go to
be behind hormones. I mean, you go to your typical OB, they very rarely even
your typical OB, they very rarely even talk about nutrients, the building
talk about nutrients, the building blocks, metabolizing hormones, the
blocks, metabolizing hormones, the xenoestrogens. So, we talked about a lot
xenoestrogens. So, we talked about a lot of the the nutrition, talked about the
of the the nutrition, talked about the curving out that kind of blood sugar
curving out that kind of blood sugar roller coaster because that can create
roller coaster because that can create its own hormonal cascade from cortisol,
its own hormonal cascade from cortisol, adrenaline, uh can drop progesterone
adrenaline, uh can drop progesterone out. We talked about some of the diet,
out. We talked about some of the diet, lifestyle things, exercise importances,
lifestyle things, exercise importances, insulin resistance. Anything else you
insulin resistance. Anything else you want to add? The big stuff, some of the
want to add? The big stuff, some of the lab testing, we hit the lab testing, u
lab testing, we hit the lab testing, u the importance of the adrenals in this
the importance of the adrenals in this whole thing. I think that is just
whole thing. I think that is just totally ignored by mainstream medicine.
totally ignored by mainstream medicine. You never hear that kind of touched upon
You never hear that kind of touched upon or talked about how important
or talked about how important cholesterol is in your diet to this,
cholesterol is in your diet to this, right? It's very easy to be on a lowfat
right? It's very easy to be on a lowfat stage, which means cholesterol tends to
stage, which means cholesterol tends to be low as well if you're going low fat,
be low as well if you're going low fat, right? A little known fact that
right? A little known fact that cholesterol is the backbone of hormone
cholesterol is the backbone of hormone production. Cholesterol steroid
production. Cholesterol steroid hormone that Yeah. Well, very good. Feel
hormone that Yeah. Well, very good. Feel like we've covered so much. Have we left
like we've covered so much. Have we left anything out, listeners? I think we hit
anything out, listeners? I think we hit it all there. I'll put the links down
it all there. I'll put the links down below. uh bodyb bliss by Jess and your
below. uh bodyb bliss by Jess and your hormonebalance.com. I'll put it all
hormonebalance.com. I'll put it all there. One more thing to add that I have
there. One more thing to add that I have a podcast myself called women talking
a podcast myself called women talking frankly which I co-host with a a n uh
frankly which I co-host with a a n uh with a nurse practitioner Kyle Makavoy
with a nurse practitioner Kyle Makavoy and we do mostly talk to women in our
and we do mostly talk to women in our age range. We have 55 we have 55 56
age range. We have 55 we have 55 56 episodes now and we've interviewed some
episodes now and we've interviewed some people Dr. Sava Kenneth Stevenson who's
people Dr. Sava Kenneth Stevenson who's one of the premier B she's been doing
one of the premier B she's been doing BHRT for ages. Uh Carol Peterson who's
BHRT for ages. Uh Carol Peterson who's the who's who's one of the she was the
the who's who's one of the she was the compounding pharmacist for uh women's
compounding pharmacist for uh women's international and is now advisor for
international and is now advisor for Quicksilver. So you know some of the
Quicksilver. So you know some of the people that have been in the field I
people that have been in the field I need to ask Dr. Wilson on too, but some
need to ask Dr. Wilson on too, but some of the people I made contact with both,
of the people I made contact with both, you know, that are the matrix of this
you know, that are the matrix of this functional medicine world, the founders
functional medicine world, the founders are on our podcast and it we have some
are on our podcast and it we have some really sometimes we get into the weeds,
really sometimes we get into the weeds, but I think there's a lot of information
but I think there's a lot of information that women can can benefit from and it's
that women can can benefit from and it's fun. We just have a conversation like we
fun. We just have a conversation like we just had today. So, women talk frankly.
just had today. So, women talk frankly. Appreciate it. And then Jess, how about
Appreciate it. And then Jess, how about you? Anything else? I got Solo 2.0
you? Anything else? I got Solo 2.0 podcast. I have a podcast as well with
podcast. I have a podcast as well with my sister. all health, hormones,
my sister. all health, hormones, mindset, personal development. It's
mindset, personal development. It's great, too. Great. We'll have this all
great, too. Great. We'll have this all transcribed and we'll put it in the show
transcribed and we'll put it in the show notes so anyone who's listening can
notes so anyone who's listening can access it. All right, ladies. Nice chat
access it. All right, ladies. Nice chat with you all. Great conversation back
with you all. Great conversation back and forth. I think we put a lot of good
and forth. I think we put a lot of good actionable information. I guess if
actionable information. I guess if someone's listening, it's an hour and a
someone's listening, it's an hour and a half long. Just take one piece of
half long. Just take one piece of content. We'll summarize it all up. Take
content. We'll summarize it all up. Take one thing. If if someone could just take
one thing. If if someone could just take one thing, what would it be? Oh, just
one thing, what would it be? Oh, just one thing. Like, all right, I'm
one thing. Like, all right, I'm overwhelmed. Like, what's that one
overwhelmed. Like, what's that one thing? Support. Take take care. Give
thing? Support. Take take care. Give your adrenal glands some TLC. You know,
your adrenal glands some TLC. You know, the the idea of putting the oxygen mask
the the idea of putting the oxygen mask on before you help anybody else. Look
on before you help anybody else. Look after yourself and look that look after
after yourself and look that look after your adrenals. I mean, I think as a
your adrenals. I mean, I think as a starting point that blood sugar one
starting point that blood sugar one thing if someone wants to take care of
thing if someone wants to take care of themselves, what's the one thing though
themselves, what's the one thing though they can do if they want to take care of
they can do if they want to take care of themselves in general or for the
themselves in general or for the adrenals like your mom said like what's
adrenals like your mom said like what's the one thing
the one thing I think I think they need B complex to
I think I think they need B complex to me.
me. Okay, cool. I say I say really focusing
Okay, cool. I say I say really focusing on protein and fat and fiber at every
on protein and fat and fiber at every meal. Protein, fat, fiber every meal. At
meal. Protein, fat, fiber every meal. At least 25 to 35 grams of protein. I think
least 25 to 35 grams of protein. I think that's a really good first step. Great.
that's a really good first step. Great. Awesome. Well, thanks Jess and Candace.
Awesome. Well, thanks Jess and Candace. I'll I'll end the stream here and we'll
I'll I'll end the stream here and we'll chat with you guys afterwards. Nice
