Fempower Health | A Women's Health Podcast

In celebration of PCOS Awareness Month, Martha McKittrick, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator, shares her expertise on PCOS and how nutrition plays a role. Martha has had a special interest in PCOS since 2000, and can be considered one of the pioneers in the field. She has been published in peer reviewed journals and has lectured across the country is on the Health Advisory Board for the PCOS challenge and advocates for PCOS annually on Capitol Hill. And be sure to look out for her book coming out in 2021. On this episode, she discusses:Common PCOS symptomsThe kinds of healthy diet and lifestyle changes that improve symptomsDifferent medications that are used to treat PCOSMindset and mental health issues around PCOS"It actually takes the average woman a couple years to get diagnosed with PCOS and 50% of women who have PCOS are undiagnosed. Those are just a couple of statistics. I think the biggest thing you can do is be really proactive and do your research and there's an organization among the Health Advisory Board called the PCOS Challenge and they have some great information out there. They're really advocates for PCOS and if you go to their website, they have a whole list of questions and diagnostic criteria and symptoms. Get a notebook, get a file, start writing stuff down, start doing research." - Martha McKittrickResources:Recommended Books on Nutrition Resources and episodes on PCOS Resources and episodes on Autoimmune & Chronic Disease 🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:1. Help others discover Fempower Health:Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.2. Stay connected:Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024** **The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor.  Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.****May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**

This is an interview with Megan Pearson. Megan founded and runs the PCOSAA (PCOS Awareness Association). PCOSAA has made amazing strides in awareness for polycystic ovary syndrome.In this episode, you will learn about:How 10 million (or one in five) women in the United States have PCOSThe mental, physical, emotional and even spiritual impact PCOS has on women’s livesThe symptoms commonly associated with PCOSThe two diagnostic tests available for PCOSNon-traditional treatment optionsHow women can find supportResources:Check out our Find a Doctor resourceResources and episodes on PCOS Recommended Books on Chronic and Autoimmune Diseases 🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:1. Help others discover Fempower Health:Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.2. Stay connected:Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024** **The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor.  Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.****May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**

Jada Shapiro founded Boober. She is also a maternal healthcare expert and the founder of Boober, a marketplace where expectant and new parents find classes and on-demand care providers like birth doulas, postpartum doulas, lactation consultants and mental health therapists for pregnancy to postpartum. She specializes in pregnancy, birth and postpartum and is a birth/postpartum doula, childbirth educator, lactation counselor, birth photographer, mother and step-mother. We talk through all of the topics around breastfeeding, including:How women need better information about breastfeedingMental health issues for women in this season of lifeWhat lactation consultants doThe options around breastfeedingReasons women may not produce enough breast milkWhen babies need chiropractic careBoober provides information and resources for women who are struggling with or want to learn more about lactation. In New York City, women can use this platform to get same-day lactation consultants. “There's a real personal struggle or sense of defeat if they can't fully feed their baby at the breast, so for the lactation consultant to be able to give permission to say, “If you need to use formula, donor breast milk or pump that is okay.” Let's get the baby fed so that we can work on the stepsFor some people, babies just latch right on, and it's really easy. On Instagram we're seeing a lot more now of the hard stuff. We're starting to see that more. I think that people are getting more confident or comfortable sharing that this was really hard.” - Jada ShapiroResources:Resources and episodes on Pregnancy & Motherhood Recommended Books on Pregnancy and Postpartum 🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:1. Help others discover Fempower Health:Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.2. Stay connected:Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024** **The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor.  Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.****May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**

Nina Boyce is a certified hormone and fertility coach. She uses a powerful mix of eastern and western approaches to help women feel whole, healthy and happy.In this episode, you will learn:How stress can cause the reproductive system to shut down or not work properlyThe difference between estrogen and progesterone, and how this impacts how you feel each monthHow to know when you need help from a coach or extra support in your health journeyWhat conditions are a result of hormone imbalancesInfo on the fertility awareness method, DUTCH test and Hair Mineral Tissue Analysis TestsActionable steps you can take to tune in and improve your health"Women need to stop being so afraid. We’re so fearful of food. Most hormone experts tell you that you have to cut out gluten, dairy, carbs, etc. We get scared when we sit down to eat food. We need a healthier relationship with our body.We’ve normalized stress and burnout. We all know that we need to reduce stress. Some things are a way of life that you can’t do anything about. We have to prioritize stress reduction in our daily routines or our bodies are in a fight or flight state, which isn’t conducive to producing hormones."  - Nina Boyce🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:1. Help others discover Fempower Health:Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.2. Stay connected:Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024** **The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor.  Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.****May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**

Sarah Clark is the founder of FabFertile, author of Fabulously Fertile: Supercharge Your Fertility Naturally, and host of the Get Pregnant Naturally podcast. She has supported hundreds of women on their fertility and health journeys. In this interview, she talks about:How gut health impacts your fertilityElimination diets, including which is best for fertilityTests to measure fertility healthSymptoms to look out for to better understand what you can do to optimize your fertilityStudies on mind-body connection and fertility… and much more!ResourcesSarah’s book, Fabulously Fertile: Supercharge Your Fertility Naturally, here.Recommended Books on Fertility / Trying to Conceive Resources and episodes on Fertility and Trying to Conceive 🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:1. Help others discover Fempower Health:Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.2. Stay connected:Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024** **The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor.  Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.****May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**

Kim Ross is a Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Dietitian Nutritionist (NY), Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (FL) and Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner.In this interview, she highlights numerous ways in which women can improve their health naturally. Listen in to learn about:What nutrients do hormones need?How can a nutritionist help with hormone imbalance?Nutrition vs Dieting: What is the Difference?How to make incremental shifts in your eating and lifestyle to decrease toxins and increase healthWhat are the symptoms of malnutrition?“To simplify it, women have a natural rhythm. We function on a moon cycle (a menstrual cycle) in addition to our circadian rhythm, which repeats approximately every 24 hours. When we sleep, eat and move our bodies actually does matter. We have a lot of ups and downs with our hormones throughout the month. What you eat changes that affect. What time you eat and how you eat changes that. If you eat in a good mood or bad mood, that affects things. Our organs detoxify at different times. Our cortisol hormones, in addition to other hormones, increase and decrease at certain times. Our body temperature increases and decreases at certain times.We need to listen to the female intuition as to how our bodies are functioning. I think that people could listen better to what their body needs. If you’re craving something like sugar, maybe you need vitamin C or water. Listening to what you’re craving tells you what nutrients your body might need.Also, respecting and paying attention to the hormonal cycle, which affects the decisions we make every day.” - Kim RossResourcesRecommended Books on Nutrition Resources and episodes on Nutrition & Exercise 🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:1. Help others discover Fempower Health:Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.2. Stay connected:Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024** About Kim RossKim Ross, MS, RD, CDN is an integrative nutritionist with a holistic approach to health. Treatments are aimed at enhancing the body's ability to heal and detoxify itself to prevent and reverse illness. Goal-oriented, Kim creates flexible nutrition programs tailored to the specific objectives of each individual and company. She incorporates a variety of modalities that enhance optimal health including cutting-edge testing, nutraceuticals, homeopathy and herbs. Currently, Kim lectures nationwide on cutting-edge health topics. As an industry expert, she is a consultant to businesses and investors. Furthermore, Kim contributed to the following books: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Boosting Your Immunity, The Whole Life Fertility Plan and Progress Over Perfection. She continues to contribute to various media publications. Kim maintains a private practice in Manhattan.Kim received a BA from University of Michigan and an MS from New York University in clinical nutrition and dietetics. She completed her dietetic internship at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. In addition, Kim has a certificate in holistic nutrition through Designs for Health Institute and completed a fellowship in herbal medicine through the Association for the Advancement of Restorative Medicine (AARM). Kim is also a certified meditation teacher through the School of Positive Transformation.Past affiliations include Equinox fitness clubs, Rockefeller University, NYU Langone Corporate Wellness and NYU Fertility Center. Kim is a member of The Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM), American College for Advancement Medicine (ACAM) and the Association of Restorative Medicine (AARM).**The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor.  Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.****May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**

Hear from expert and author Dr. Alyson McGregor. Alyson is a physician, researcher and writer. She is also the director for the Division of Sex and Gender in Emergency Medicine at Brown University. Her TEDx talk, “Why Medicine Often Has Dangerous Side Effects for Women” currently has over 1.6 million views and she has recently released a new book titled Sex Matters: How Male-Centric Medicine Endangers Women’s Health and What We Can Do About It.Did you know:A woman’s symptoms for a heart attack aren’t the same as a man?Some medicine has only been tested on men but women are recommended the same dosage, which has led to serious problems and even fatalities.Data is finally compelling researchers and even the FDA to provide gender-based recommendations.There is still much to be done to achieve equality for women in healthcare.“Women should feel empowered to take control of their medical care. Welcoming the complexity of the impact of hormones on our health will lead to a greater scientific understanding of women and their reactions to disease. My greatest hope is that women will receive personalized, safe and effective healthcare.” - Dr. Alyson McGregor🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:1. Help others discover Fempower Health:Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.2. Stay connected:Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024** **The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor.  Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.****May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**

This episode of the Fempower Health podcast features best-selling author and wellness expert, Aimee Raupp, MS LAc. Aimee is renowned for her work with fertility, nutrition and women’s health.In this conversation with Fempower Health founder, Georgie Kovacs, Aimee enlightens us about the role genes play in our health, which she discusses in detail in her book, Body Belief.Get answers to questions like:Are you genetically destined to get certain diseases, or do you have some control?How many diseases are actually heritable? (The number is lower than you think!)What environmental influences turn genes on or off?What can you eat to enhance wellness?Resources:Resources and episodes on Fertility and Trying to Conceive Resources and episodes on Nutrition & Exercise 🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:1. Help others discover Fempower Health:Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.2. Stay connected:Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024** **The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor.  Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.****May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**

Hear from Suzanne Munson of Fairhaven Health about lube and your vaginal health. Many women don't understand even the basics about how their bodies work or what is normal.We discuss:What is a health pH for the vagina?What is normal lubrication?What are the consequences when vaginal health is compromised?How can you address vaginal health issues?What changes occur in the vagina during menopause?Talking through the big picture of vaginal health, they go over the contributing elements to vaginal issues, hormones and the best choices for lubricants.Resources:Recommended Books on Fertility / Trying to ConceiveRecommended Books on MenopauseResources and episodes on Fertility and Trying to ConceiveResources and episodes on Perimenopause & Menopause and sign up for the Perimenopause and Menopause newsletter🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:1. Help others discover Fempower Health:Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.2. Stay connected:Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024** **The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor.  Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.****May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**

This episode is an interview with Dr. Paul Gittens, a leading specialist in sexual function for men and women. He discusses the challenges men face to even get to a doctor, much less receive treatment. The cultural norms of men just "toughing it out" or not complaining have undercut their willingness to pursue the right careDr. Gittens also covers:What is the main cause of erectile dysfunction and how do you fix erectile dysfunction?How can you raise low libido and is low libido curable?What are the psychological factors of sex?What are recommended/proven therapies and treatment options, including non-medicinal approaches for erectile dysfunction, low libido and other men's sexual health concerns?What are the main causes for male infertility and what are the treatments for each?"Men’s health is such a big topic. It starts when boys are young. It’s important that we instill in our young boys that we don’t have to be the tough guys. If something’s wrong, they need to talk about it. We also need to educate older men as well. By doing that, men’s health will improve." - Dr. Paul GittensResources:Recommended Books on Sexual Health Resources and episodes on Sexual Health Resources and episodes on Fertility and Trying to Conceive 🎧 Loved the episode? Here's how you can take action:1. Help others discover Fempower Health:Leave a quick review on Apple or Spotify. It’s the easiest way to support our mission and amplify women’s health voices.2. Stay connected:Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, YouTube for real-time updates, expert insights, and relatable conversations.Or join our newsletter to get curated women's health content—on your terms, in your inbox.**Top 50 Health Podcast of 2024** **The information shared by Fempower Health is not medical advice but for informational purposes to enable you to have more effective conversations with your doctor.  Always talk to your doctor before making health-related decisions. Additionally, the views expressed by the Fempower Health podcast guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent.****May contain affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links**