Hello and welcome back to the Awakening Aphrodite Podcast! This week’s episode is critically important to the greater conversation on women’s health, female empowerment and awakening the divine feminine within. I am absolutely thrilled to introduce you to Dr. Nathan Riley, an allopathic MD who is also known as the holistic OBGYN. Dr. Riley’s patient-centered approach in medicine is informed by his reverence for the human body, mind and spirit– a perspective that is unfortunately lost on the impersonal, business-centered hospital institutions of our world today. As an OBGYN and provider of Hospice and Palliative Care medicine, Dr. Riley’s holistic practice is uniquely grounded in profound experiences of birth and death. Feeling safe, respected and heard in the healthcare space is absolutely critical, and Dr. Riley’s incredible results and raving testimonials demonstrate how being fully present with his patients allows for healing beyond the physical. 

So, what does “holistic” really mean in healthcare and medicine? This question is a core theme in our discussion of hospital-style care, labor and delivery, birth control, menopause and the hormones that make it all happen. Dr. Riley tells us why he places such high importance on getting to know his patients, and how the “7 minute maximum” allotted appointment time in conventional hospitals limits medical providers’ ability to cultivate a safe and trusting environment. We talk about why many women are traumatized by the birth and delivery process in hospitals and how, without adequate support, that trauma can influence future births. Dr. Riley shares his perspective on perinatal care, home births and…birth control! Are women being accurately informed on the pill, the patch, the ring and other methods, and are there consequences to spending years of our lives absorbing these synthetic hormones? We also discuss the relationship between stress and sexual hormones, and how the busy modern lifestyle can impact our health years into the future, increasing the risk of issues with PMS, endometriosis, fertility, birth and menopause. Like I always say, how you live NOW determines how you’ll live later!

Dr. Nathan Riley is truly a gift to this world and I could not be more excited to share this important episode with you. To collaborate with him as a provider, become his patient or learn more about his amazing practice, visit belovedholistics.com and be sure to check out his podcast! Please share this episode with the women in your life or anyone who may benefit from Dr. Riley’s information! And of course, if you feel called to leave a brief review I would be over the moon and very grateful :)

00:09:31 Beginning Of Interview

00:12:50 “Can This Wait?”

00:16:52 The Sacred In The Mundane

00:21:03 Holistic Mindset, Western Hospital Institution?

00:24:04 Does Your Career Path Align With Your Dream Archetype?

00:30:52 What Does “Holistic” Really Mean?

00:33:10 Processing The Trauma Of A “Normal” C-Section

00:40:54 The Issue With Western Hospital Institutions

00:46:30 The “Fix-All” Remedy Of Birth Control

00:55:27 The Duty Of Informed Consent

00:57:10 Birth Control’s Effect On Romantic Compatibility

00:59:58 The Business Of Birth Control Film

01:00:41 Stress And Sex Hormones

01:10:20 Adrenal Fatigue And Menopausal Issues

01:13:48 How To Find Dr. Nathan Riley

HOW TO FIND AMY:

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