Episoder

  • “It’s important to look at food first before supplementation.” - Margie Bissinger

    For most people, bone health is not a topic that comes into focus until later in life or when an issue arises. Bone health is strongly linked to quality of life, so it’s never too early or too late to start supporting strong and healthy bones.

    Optimizing your overall health in areas like reducing inflammation, optimizing nutrition, and incorporating resistance training will also help increase bone density and the dynamic capacity of your bones. Anything you can do to help your clients improve their bone health sets them up for improving their lives in the future. If you're a clinician working with women of any age, you have the opportunity to prevent the 25% death rate that we have from osteoporotic fracture.

    Today, I’m excited to be joined by Dr. Lisa Moore and Margie Bissinger for a fantastic roundtable conversation about bone health. They share their extensive experience and insights into bone health, osteoporosis, bone building, bone maintenance strategies, estrogen and breast cancer, and beyond. Our bones generally don’t give us any symptoms until we're at a life-threatening fracture level, so it’s our responsibility to reduce the risk or optimize recovery so that we can positively impact bone health in the long term.

    In today’s episode, Dr. Lisa, Margie, and I discuss the importance of maintaining and building bone density through nutrition and exercise, strategies for those recovering from cancer, tailored exercise protocols, preventative strategies, integrating strength training and balance exercises, mindful movement to reduce the risk of fractures, and more.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/strengthening-bones-osteoporosis-cancer-and-beyond-with-dr-lisa-moore-margie-bissinger/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “Our brain and our thoughts change our biology and chemistry in the body.” - Jane Hogan

    When someone is diagnosed with an autoimmune disease or chronic pain condition, there’s a common pathway we tend to explore. It starts with conventional medicine and medications to suppress symptoms or stabilize the immune system. Then, going deeper to address the root cause, they’ll turn to a functional medicine practitioner who will help with nutrition plans and supplementation. Even with all that, most people will hit a wall where it’s hard to sustain the changes they’ve made. That’s where a coaching model that supports the deeper social and emotional piece comes in.

    When it comes to chronic illness, healing must involve addressing the emotions, fears, and beliefs that no longer serve us. By changing the messages in our brain, we can change our physiologic functions and our biochemistry, even at the level of our labwork, and that’s empowering.

    It’s not about doing things perfectly and never taking a break, but instead recognizing that by incorporating nervous system regulation work and brain retraining strategies, we can accelerate the healing potential of all the tools we’re already using.

    To explore this further, I’m sharing a fascinating interview with Jane Hogan, The Wellness Engineer. After being diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis in her early 50s, Jane dived deep into the world of mind-body medicine. Recognizing that if we want a different output in the body, we need to change the input, she now helps her clients release chronic pain and empower themselves on their healing journeys.

    In this conversation, Jane and I discuss her journey of healing from severe rheumatoid arthritis, the limitations of conventional and functional medicine, the importance of addressing emotional and psychological factors in chronic pain management, strategies and tools to address the mind-body connection, why we need a holistic approach to healing, and more.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/how-to-use-neuroscience-to-heal-chronic-pain-with-jane-hogan/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • Manglende episoder?

    Klik her for at forny feed.

  • “Change is terrifying, especially change when it’s somewhat subversive.” - Dr. Sara Sohn DPT, WCS

    Choosing to go in a different direction from what society tells you to do can be difficult. Making decisions like not overworking, not giving to the ends of your depth, and not focusing on external measures of productivity goes against what many of us have been taught, but that’s what’s necessary if you want to create a practice and a life that is supportive to you.

    Have you ever had a moment where you’re questioning whether you have the energy, time, or mental capacity to take care of a patient? Or a client gets vulnerable and your first reaction is to minimize their issues and internally compare your pain to theirs? These are some of the first signs many of us experience on the journey to burnout.

    Fortunately, there’s a lot you can do to support yourself and come back from burnout or avoid it altogether. By figuring out your North Star, celebrating your accomplishments, and consciously making space for rest and healthy boundaries, you can establish a life that works for you instead of drains you.

    Today, I’m excited to be joined by Dr. Sara Sohn, DPT, WCS, to explore how you can build that next-level life for yourself without burnout. We discuss our experiences with burnout, what it was like for Sara to create an aligned practice, the systemic issues contributing to how common burnout has become, practical strategies for achieving work-life balance, Sara’s "BURN" framework for navigating, and more.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/from-burnout-to-passion-in-our-work-with-physical-therapist-dr-sara-sohn/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “If we can, at the grassroots level, start getting to the patients and the community providers and then start moving up the chain, we can do a lot of amazing work.” - Dr. Juan Michelle Martin

    The pregnancy and postpartum periods are huge eye-openers for most women. There’s such a lack of education around pregnancy and birth that women are often not even aware of their options and the different options for support, including pelvic floor physical therapy and working with a doula or coach.

    After becoming a mom, today’s guest, Dr. Juan Michelle Martin, recognized the significant need for more transparency and guidance and decided to specialize in pelvic and women’s health. Dr. J’s journey is so inspiring. While working in a physical therapy practice that was hyper-focused on productivity, she decided to pivot and build her own practice where she could serve her community and have the flexibility to be present for her family in the way she wanted to be.

    In this conversation, Dr. J and I discuss her journey from traditional physical therapy to establishing her private practice, why she decided to add coaching to her skillset, how it has helped her to improve the way she supports her clients, why it’s essential to address both physical and emotional aspects of health during the perinatal period, the value of coaching in providing comprehensive care, what it means to foster deeper client relationships, how practitioners can work together to improve patient outcomes, and more.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/improving-perinatal-care-with-physical-therapy-and-health-coaching-with-whc-grad-dr-juan-michelle-martin/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “Once I started the program and began practicing and learning, it's hard to describe the freedom and excitement that it brought.” - April Haberman

    Are you wondering about the next step in your career? If you love supporting women and are passionate about women’s health, healing, and helping women lead meaningful lives, women’s health coaching might be for you.

    Today, I’m excited to be joined by April Haberman, a recent Women’s Health Coach certification program graduate who has become a leader in corporate menopause care. After a long career in the non-profit and development space, April wasn’t sure what she wanted to do next. She had a blank slate vision before her but wasn’t sure what a midlife transition would mean for her career. By using all the resources available to her in the Integrative Women’s Health Institute, April has made a dramatic and meaningful change, helping women navigate the kinds of changes that she navigated in the corporate world.

    In this conversation, April and I discuss her decision to become a health coach, her focus on menopause, the experiences that influenced her desire to support women, how community helped her through her midlife career transition, the importance of self-care and a client-centered approach in health coaching, and more.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/whc-graduate-april-haberman-how-to-be-a-leader-in-corporate-menopause-care/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “I'm 31 and feel better than I’ve felt since I was 14. There is hope for you to feel better.” - Camille Dollins

    [TRIGGER WARNING: Suicidal ideation]

    Having to carry on, believe in yourself, and find answers is extremely hard to do when you're in pain.

    In today’s episode, I’m joined by pelvic health expert Dr. Shanti Mohling and Camille Dollins, Lead Marketing Manager here at the Integrative Women's Health Institute and a woman who has navigated her own experience of healing from endometriosis.

    Camille’s story is both inspiring and hopeful, and it’s a credit to her that she held on to the tenacity to push forward and get the care she needed in a system that gaslit her and did not respect what she was going through. Thankfully, Camille is now living very healthfully, and her journey sheds light on a lot of the challenges of navigating the healthcare system with endometriosis, specifically extrapelvic endometriosis. As Dr. Mohling shares, this is a remarkably complex condition to treat and ideally requires the collaboration of a healthcare team.

    As practitioners, we can no longer treat the body and mind as distinctly separate beings. People navigating complex chronic pain need both physical symptom and emotional health experts on their teams to truly make progress on their health journeys.

    In today’s episode, Dr. Mohling, Camille, and I discuss the complexities of endometriosis, Camille’s struggles with diagnosis and treatment, how she connected with Dr. Mohling, Dr. Mohling’s extensive surgical experience, the challenges of diagnosing extrapelvic endometriosis, the interconnectedness of physical and emotional health, why we need holistic treatment approaches, what we can do as practitioners to offer integrative support in managing endometriosis, and more.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/what-is-extrapelvic-endometriosis-case-study-with-camille-dollins-and-dr-shanti-mohling/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “Let's empower patients to help themselves. That's going to be the best way to affect change.” - Iris Kerin Orbuch, MD

    Endometriosis is a condition with neurologic, immune-inflammatory, and autoimmune components. While surgical excision is the cornerstone of treatment and necessary for most people to recover fully, we need a multidisciplinary approach to address endo's massive impact on the body comprehensively.

    As practitioners, one of the most important aspects to address is the sensation of safety in the body. To do that, we have to work both with physical tools, like optimizing nutrition, and with trauma and the mental/emotional impact of chronic illness. A part of your work is also to practice your own self-regulation so that being in your presence will help your clients regulate themselves.

    Today, I’m so excited to be joined by a dear friend of mine and one of the top endometriosis surgeons in the world, Iris Kerin Orbuch, MD. For years, Dr. Iris has been outspoken about the need for a multidisciplinary approach to treating endometriosis, and she continues to challenge her colleagues to rethink some of the earlier ways of addressing the condition. Dr. Iris uses an integrative approach to help her patients heal and get on the road to recovery.

    In this conversation, Dr. Iris and I discuss the complexities of endometriosis, the need for an integrative approach to treatment, Dr. Iris’ journey with endometriosis, her advocacy for patients, the challenges of diagnosis, why we need to address the whole body, mind-body medicine, and more.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/getting-better-outcomes-with-endometriosis-excision-surgery-with-dr-iris-orbuch/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “Strengthening your gastrointestinal system is foundational to strengthening your immune system.” - Dr. Jessica Drummond

    In this post-COVID world, we’re constantly exposed to serious viruses daily. Knowing this, we must optimize our digestive, immune, and nervous systems to improve our resilience to infections, especially if we are high risk or working in a health facility or in other situations where we may be more vulnerable.

    The good news is that we have more tools than ever to combat the spread and damage caused by these viruses. From masking and HEPA filtration to ventilation and nasal sprays, there are many strategies that we can use in our homes and workplaces to mitigate the risk of infection. The less exposure, the better.

    Today, I’m sharing the second part of our case study with Terry Brown, a 22-year-old physical therapy student navigating a chronic long COVID case. Terry has now been dealing with constant chronic infections for over 18 months, and in our first conversation, we discussed the IWHI seven-step system and strategies to help her start to optimize her health.

    In this conversation, Terry and I discuss her progress since our last call, what it’s been like to implement new practices into her busy daily life, strategies for enhancing gut, immune, and nervous system health, the importance of sustainable lifestyle changes, the benefits of stress management practices, specific nutrients and supplements to support your physiologic systems, and more. Let's get into part two, where you'll see exactly how we implement working with clients with complex chronic illnesses.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/immunocompromise-after-covid-in-a-physical-therapy-student-live-client-case-study-part-2/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “A COVID infection often reveals deeper vulnerabilities that you didn’t know were there.” - Dr. Jessica Drummond

    The COVID virus can be difficult to deal with, even when you’re very healthy. So many factors can influence how your body responds, and we still have a lot left to learn. Unfortunately, that means that for those of us who are struggling with long COVID and the chronic health struggles that it brings, it’s difficult to access help.

    The level of medical gaslighting is intense, and most of the medical community can’t wrap their heads around the fact that COVID isn’t going away or weakening in the way they expected.

    Today, I’m sharing a special case study using the IWHI seven-step system for navigating a chronic long COVID case. For this case study, I’m talking to Terry Brown, a 22-year-old physical therapy student who got COVID during orientation week at the beginning of physical therapy school. She’s now been dealing with it for over 18 months and shares the ups and downs and the vulnerabilities that may have put her more at risk for long COVID.

    In this conversation, Terry and I discuss her health struggles in the year and a half since her initial COVID infection, how factors like anxiety, cortisol levels, and genetic predispositions may have contributed to her condition, our systematic approach to long COVID recovery, strategies for improving immune resilience, the significance of nervous system regulation, the value of individual mitigation tools, and more. Let's dive into this story and learn more about how to take a systematic approach to addressing long COVID from the root cause.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/immunocompromise-after-covid-in-a-physical-therapy-student-live-client-case-study-part-1/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “There are multiple - often overlooked - causes of depression.” - Dr. Achina Stein

    Depression is more than just a mental health issue. Years of research show that it can be related to your nutrition, chronic infections, environmental toxins, stress, hormones, or problems with cellular metabolism.

    Many of us in integrative and functional medicine have recognized this multi-factorial issue, and the Healing Depression Project has put together all the elements in a revolutionary way to help clients with treatment-resistant or chronic depression. I think their unique and highly integrative approach to depression and other brain-based mental and physical health challenges could become an ideal model for addressing many complex chronic illnesses.

    Today, I’m joined by the Healing Depression Project Founder and CEO Silvia Covelli and Clinical Director Dr.Achina Stein. While struggling with depression for over 25 years, Silvia realized that the only thing that helped was to combine several different modalities that created a whole-person approach to treating depression. The Healing Depression Project follows a retreat model where clients come to their center to complete the in-person portion of the program and then transition back into their daily lives with ongoing support for a period afterward.

    In this conversation, Silvia, Dr. Stein, and I discuss the mission behind the Healing Depression Project, the importance of integrating functional medicine, metabolic psychiatry, and lifestyle changes to address the root causes of depression, Silvia’s struggle with depression, the need for comprehensive treatment, why individualized care is crucial, how the Healing Depression Project supports clients, and more.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/healing-depression-project-with-silvia-covelli-dr-achina-stein/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “Even the smallest changes, if they are consistently applied, will result in something positive.” - Kirstin Nussgruber

    Cancer isn’t something that just happens out of the blue. Like every other complex chronic illness, it’s influenced by various environmental and individual factors. As practitioners, we can help our clients optimize their health by supporting them holistically with everything from metabolic health and gut health to nervous system regulation and bringing more joy into their lives.

    When we can empower our clients to take a proactive role in their health and to realize that working on their health is a lifelong mission, it becomes easier for them to push through the inevitable challenges and commit to their long-term health.

    Today, I’m excited to introduce you to cancer nutrition expert, author, and speaker Kirstin Nussgruber, who has extensive experience working with women with cancer to prevent recurrence and to support them during the acute phase of cancer treatment for a more optimal outcome and to be healthier during their cancer journey.

    In this conversation, Kirstin and I discuss her journey into cancer care and nutrition studies, the importance of individualized nutrition, proactive prevention, the role of lifestyle in cancer care, how practitioners can empower women dealing with cancer, practical steps to address fears, the critical role of maintaining joy and engagement in life, ongoing monitoring and proactive health management, and more.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/delicious-nutrition-to-prevent-and-recover-from-cancer-with-nutritionist-kirstin-nussgruber/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “Reproductive health is the Wild West. You cannot protocol this; you must be willing to create it.” - Dr. Yeni Abraham

    Reproductive care is some of the deepest work you can do in the human experience. You can’t go in without empathy, and you have to be prepared to bear witness to the highest highs and lowest lows in the lives of your patients or clients.

    For black women in the US, the black maternal health crisis adds a significant layer of complexity to an already complicated experience. Systemic racism in healthcare has created an environment where black women are especially vulnerable during pregnancy and postpartum and are experiencing disastrous consequences.

    As providers, we have a responsibility to develop our skills, deepen our relationships in our communities, and trust our instincts because our patients need us to be their advocates. If you’re willing to tune into what your patients need, you can make a significant impact in the fertility world.

    Today, I’m excited to be joined by my dear friend and colleague, Dr. Yeni Abraham. Dr. Yeni has one of the most innovative practices in pelvic rehab and integrative medicine in the fertility space, and she's done a fantastic job of integrating manual and visceral therapies with holistic, mindful, and listening medicine.

    In this conversation, Dr. Yeni and I discuss what inspired her to do this work, what she's doing to innovate the field of fertility education, the factors contributing to the black maternal health crisis, what we can do to help mitigate this crisis as women's health and wellness professionals, her insights into creating a fertility practice in your community, and more.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/a-holistic-approach-to-infertility-and-the-black-maternal-health-crisis-with-physical-therapist-dr-yeni-abraham/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “As women transition through pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause, the physiology is dynamic. We have to check in regularly.” - Dr. Jessica Drummond

    A whole-body approach is essential when working on complex cases involving multiple conditions. As a clinician, this is why the pillars of my seven-step protocol for navigating hormonal health are foundational.

    In part two of my interview with Women’s Health Coach Aurélie Maire, we’re continuing our in-depth case study on her experience with endometriosis, perimenopause, and long COVID. Aurélie is a biochemist and nutrition scientist and an expert in endometriosis and using yoga to nourish the system with endometriosis.

    Remember to check out our previous episode for part one of this conversation if you haven't already done so. If you or your clients are struggling with endometriosis, perimenopause, and/or long COVID, this is a really valuable and vulnerable case study for you.

    In this conversation, Aurélie and I discuss the critical elements of a protocol for complex cases like hers, different modalities and practices for nervous system regulation, the importance of a balanced diet, supporting digestive, mitochondrial, and immune health, managing histamine reactions, the need for personalized recommendations for supplements and lifestyle changes, and more.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/how-to-balance-hormones-in-perimenopause-with-endometriosis-and-long-covid-live-client-case-study-part-2/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “We have to hold two things gently together: working on optimizing your health while being mindful not to limit the key priorities of your life.” - Dr. Jessica Drummond

    With endometriosis - even in cases where it’s very stable and well-managed - symptoms can change and even worsen when circumstances shift. This can be a result of stressful life events but also because of the hormonal shifts that come with perimenopause. In fact, for some women, endometriosis isn’t diagnosed until perimenopause because that’s when the symptoms start to be expressed for the first time.

    Knowing this, it’s no surprise that for some women with endometriosis, long COVID can be a trigger for a change in endometriosis expression. Plus, when women are in a lower estrogen state, which can be the case with perimenopause, that alone puts them at higher risk for complications from COVID. For many, it’s the perfect storm of elements that can lead to long COVID.

    Today, I’m interviewing one of our Women's Health Coach Certification graduates, Aurélie Maire. Aurélie is a biochemist and nutrition scientist and an expert in endometriosis and using yoga to nourish the system with endometriosis. If you or your clients are struggling with endometriosis, perimenopause, and/or long COVID, this is a really valuable and vulnerable case study for you.

    Aurélie brings a wealth of tools from her perspective and her experience, and we are doing a deep dive into her experience of having endometriosis, being hit by long COVID in perimenopause, and a lot of other stressors in her life. This type of situation is not unique to Aurélie, and it’s common among people who are dealing with complex chronic illnesses.

    With at least 50% of the US population and a very large percentage of the global population expected to be struggling with long COVID within the next five to six years, we must take a closer look at how we support our clients.

    In this episode, Aurélie and I discuss her endo diagnosis, her journey with long COVID and endometriosis, the importance of nervous system regulation, how wearables and tracking have helped, adapting your lifestyle to manage energy limitations, the significance of yoga, breathwork, and mindfulness, finding joy amidst health challenges, why we need to make deliberate choices about our health practices, reconnecting with your body, and more.

    We went deep and detailed in this conversation, so we split the interview into two parts. Be sure to tune in to next week’s episode, during which we’ll continue the live case study with Aurélie.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/how-to-balance-hormones-in-perimenopause-with-endometriosis-and-long-covid-live-client-case-study-part-1/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “My passion is to be able to change things for women. No one should be dismissed; no one should be told it's all in their head. We have so much catching up to do in women's health care.” - Heather Florio

    When we work with complex chronic conditions, we have to become very integrative. In our practice, we take a multidisciplinary approach to helping women with bladder pain heal from the root causes by starting with a whole-system assessment.

    When it comes to treatment, many of these cases cross systems and require us as practitioners to have a deep and well-understood toolbox to be able to work with these clients who have been struggling for years, if not decades. That toolbox will often include high-quality supplements, which, in many cases, can be safer and more effective than pharmaceuticals.

    As practitioners, we need to ensure that the products we recommend to our clients are of good quality and efficacy and of high value for the cost. Today, I’m excited to explore this topic deeper with Heather Florio of Desert Harvest, who has been on the cutting edge of using aloe vera and other natural products for over 30 years.

    In this conversation, Heather and I discuss the complexities of bladder pain, the use of aloe vera for managing conditions like interstitial cystitis, challenges with the diagnosis and treatment of complex bladder conditions, the role of diet and supplements in bladder health, the safety of long-term use of natural products, potential autoimmune aspects of bladder conditions, and more.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/how-to-heal-bladder-pain-syndrome-and-interstitial-cystitis-with-top-quality-aloe-as-part-of-the-protocol-with-heather-florio-ceo-of-desert-harvest/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “In the last ten years, I really began to appreciate the gap between sports medicine and pelvic health.” - Dr. Ginger Garner

    When you’re living with chronic pain and acute conditions, it’s easy to miss the potential interconnectedness of your symptoms. An appendix issue leads to appendix surgery, a gallbladder issue leads to gallbladder removal, and the list goes on. But what happens when there’s an underlying issue connecting these conditions?

    In the conventional medical system, doctors will likely miss it because of the siloed approach to treatment. Even with a functional medicine approach, it gets tricky. Today’s guest, Dr. Ginger Garner, lived with endometriosis for decades with fertility challenges and a broad range of symptoms before being able to get an accurate diagnosis.

    Ginger’s insights are particularly valuable since she has both the skillset and training to understand her journey from a practitioner’s perspective, as well as experience with her clients and as a patient herself. With that unique lens, she can look back at her story and show us, as women’s health professionals, areas that were missed and where we may need to change the way we screen for endometriosis.

    In this conversation, Ginger and I discuss the potential connection between endometriosis and orthopedic health, the challenges of diagnosis and treatment, the importance of a holistic approach, endometriosis and infertility, the complexity of endometriosis symptoms, challenges with healthcare access in rural areas, the role of physical therapists, the need for legislative advocacy, and more.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/when-multiple-hip-surgeries-is-a-sign-of-endometriosis-with-dr-ginger-garner/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • "It's really important to know that endometriosis is not always progressive." - Katie Edmonds

    A healing journey can be a nourishing experience. When we stop thinking of food as medicine but instead as part of a bigger lifestyle shift with social connection and emotional support, we can see the transformative potential of a truly holistic approach to optimizing our health.

    It’s not about finding the perfect endo diet. Start with eating whole foods and tuning into what your body tells you about what it needs. From there, you can start fine-tuning as you figure out what’s best for your unique body. Give yourself time to get familiar and comfortable and let go of rigidity. Nourishing every part of your body and soul at the same time is critical.

    Today, I’m joined by endometriosis author, educator, and Nutritional Therapist Katie Edmonds to explore why nourishment is an essential part of bringing your endometriosis into symptom remission. Katie wrote the 4-Week Endometriosis Diet Plan and Heal Endo: An Anti-Inflammatory Approach to Healing From Endometriosis. She lives on the North Shore of Kaua`i next to the biggest mahogany forest in the United States (fun fact) with her loving husband and two wonderful “miracle” kiddos. She's absolutely passionate about helping women with endometriosis.

    In this episode, Katie and I talk about why endometriosis requires a holistic approach, Katie’s struggle with endometriosis and fertility issues, the role of stress, the complexity of endometriosis, the impact of diet and lifestyle on symptom management, Katie’s three pillars of nutrition for endometriosis, the value of individualized care, and more.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/hope-and-nourishment-for-people-with-endometriosis-with-katie-edmonds/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “How can we better help ourselves and our clients with endometriosis or other complex conditions navigate perimenopause and menopause?”

    Given some of the pervasive myths around perimenopause and menopause in the endometriosis community, many people are confused about the core challenges they may experience while navigating this transition.

    As with everything when it comes to our health, what is needed are more nuanced conversations. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all fix that suits everyone. For example, for some people, hormone replacement therapy is a crucial element in their toolbox; for others, it’s a bad fit. As coaches and health and wellness practitioners, this is where we can guide our clients to find the best path forward for their specific needs.

    In this episode, I’m doing a deep dive into the research and our unique approach to helping women with endometriosis and other complex conditions navigate this transition. I’m debunking common myths, discussing the importance of personalized treatment protocols, outlining the pillars of our seven-step protocol for navigating hormonal health during these transitions, exploring the interconnectedness of bodily systems, the role of lifestyle factors, risks and benefits of specific treatment options, and more.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/navigating-perimenopause-and-menopause-with-endometriosis/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “Good surgery matters, but a lot of other things matter too.” - Dr. Sallie Sarrel

    At the Integrative Women’s Health Institute, we take a multidisciplinary approach to endometriosis care. From balancing the gut and uterine microbiomes to utilizing tools like hormone therapy and GLP-1 agonists, there are many more options available today for women with endometriosis.

    A big part of this shift resulted from the work of people like today’s guest, my friend and colleague Dr. Sallie Sarrel. After taking 23 years to get her endo diagnosis, Sallie has been a strong voice in advocating for people with endometriosis for her entire career. In addition, for the past seven-plus years, she has partnered with Dr. Andrea Vidali to produce The Endometriosis Summit, which is now expanding globally and highlights the integrative and multidisciplinary conversation we need around endometriosis care.

    In this conversation, Sallie and I discuss the need for a multidisciplinary approach to endometriosis treatment, her passion for advocacy, the role of physical therapy, nutrition, and mental health in managing endometriosis, misconceptions about menopause and endometriosis, the impact of the Endometriosis Summit, and more.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/cutting-edge-endometriosis-care-and-research-with-dr-sallie-sarrel/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

  • “Filmmaking storytelling narratives can create large-scale social change.” - Shannon Cohn

    Like many conditions that primarily affect women, endometriosis is a condition that still has more questions than answers. Conventional medicine tries hard to fit it into a one-size-fits-all box that can be treated with birth control pills and surgery, but in truth, it’s highly individual. What works for one may not work for someone else, and the best path forward is through a transformative amount of research funding and radical new approaches to that research.

    Today, I’m excited to be joined by producer Shannon Cohn, who is behind the fantastic films “Endo What?” and “Below the Belt.” Shannon is a rockstar in endometriosis advocacy at the highest levels. She’s not just education donors and large funders but also helping individuals share the lived experience of having endometriosis.

    In this conversation, we discuss challenges in advocacy and research, the need for a multidisciplinary approach, why systemic change is crucial, Shannon’s endometriosis journey, her films' role in raising awareness and driving policy change, and more.

    As you listen, think about how you could get better care if you're managing endometriosis yourself. Also, check out some of Shannon's recent wins in advocating for better research funding and a more multidisciplinary approach to using this funding. I think you’ll be inspired.

    Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

    Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/update-on-the-state-of-womens-health-research-with-shannon-cohn-producer-of-endo-what-and-below-the-belt/.

    Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

    Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).