Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Health, and Science for Women 35+ Ep. 221 Pt. 1 An Integrative Approach to PCOS and Menstrual Irregularities with Dr. Felice Gersh
I have the honor of connecting with Dr. Felice Gersh today! Dr. Gersh is an incredible resource! She is a multi-award-winning physician with dual board certification in OB-GYN and Integrative Medicine. She is also a recognized expert on PCOS.
PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) is a syndrome of inflammation, imbalanced hormones, and insulin resistance. It is the most common female endocrine disorder and the leading cause of infertility in women.
This episode is the first part of a two-part series with Dr. Gersh. We dive into PCOS, discuss its foundation, and explain how we are often genetically predisposed to it. We discuss the symptoms and how they can predispose us to autoimmunity and endometrial cancer. We speak about estrogen, the role it plays in PCOS, and how it systemically impacts the ovaries, pancreas, liver, and intestines. We talk about how PCOS modulates inflammation and how shift workers and women with PCOS tend to struggle with circadian rhythm disruption. We also discuss lifestyle changes, supplements, and medication we can use for PCOS.
Dr. Gersh will return to the podcast in the fall to speak about perimenopause and menopause.
I hope you enjoy listening to our discussion as much as I did recording it! Stay tuned for more!
IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:
- Dr. Gersh discusses her career trajectory and explains what motivated her to work with women’s health.
- PCOS is a vital sign of everything to do with female health.
- Oral contraceptives do not regulate women’s cycles. Dr. Gersch explains how they change the entire dynamic of a woman’s physiology.
- Dr. Gersh explains why the bodies of women with PCOS are metabolically unhealthy.
- Why do women who have estrogen do better?
- Some common symptoms of PCOS.
- Every organ in the body is involved with estrogen.
- 80-85% of PCOS women fit into the ovarian ideology and do not make enough estradiol. Dr. Gersh explains why that happens.
- Dr. Gersh talks about the impact of PCOS on the different microbiomes in the body.
- Research has found that the immune cells of women with PCOS take less to create a big inflammatory response.
- Dr. Gersh explains how and why female hearts differ from male hearts.
- Why is estrogen crucial for mitochondrial health?
- Why do women with PCOS have the highest rates of pregnancy-related complications?
- Dr. Gersh talks about the first step in solving the PCOS problem.
- How does PCOD disrupt the circadian rhythm?
- Dr. Gersh discusses supplements and other ways to address PCOS.
Connect with Cynthia Thurlow
Connect with Dr. Felice Gersh
- On her website: Integrative Medical Group of Irvine
- On Instagram
All Dr. Gersh’s books are available on Amazon