On Health for Women

What is vaginal seeding and why is the infant microbiome so important? Two modern medical practices, antibiotic use and cesarean section, carry consequences even when used appropriately. Both practices have been recognized as being overused in recent decades. Studies have demonstrated that babies born by cesarean have a greater lifetime risk of obesity, type one diabetes, asthma, and celiac disease.Joining me today is Doctor Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello. She is one of the most accomplished and respected microbiome researchers in the world and arguably the leading researcher on the infant microbiome, cesarean section, and the microbiome's impact on health. Dr. Dominguez-Bello’s landmark pilot study on the partial repopulation of the vaginal microbiome of babies born by cesarean led to the term vaginal seeding - now a self-help practice being used by some parents and midwives in the United States. We discuss the practice of vaginal seeding, the effects of cesarean section, consequences of antibiotic use, probiotics, and ongoing clinical trials at the forefront of infant microbiome research.“We have evidence that we can normalize the microbiota of babies that are born by c-section if they are exposed to vaginal bacteria, vaginal fluids.” - Dr. Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello.Join Dr. Aviva Romm as she dishes up a weekly dose of the whole truth on health and medicine. To learn more about this episode of Natural MD Radio go to avivaromm.com/restoring-babys-microbiome-after-cesarean/ 

Have you ever been to the doctor to ask about symptoms of adrenal fatigue – like fatigue, anxiety, weight gain, cravings, hair loss, hormonal imbalances, thyroid symptoms – only to be told: “You’re fine, there’s nothing wrong with you?" The dominate medical model has a tendency to overlook women's symptoms and tell us that it's all in our heads, but I have news for you: Your symptoms are not just in your head. You’re not crazy. Something new that doctors don’t recognize yet is going on.In today’s episode of Natural MD Radio I discuss the controversial topic of adrenal fatigue and whether or not it is a real thing, and I bet you'll be surprised by what I have to say! Tune in to learn the science of what's really going on in your body, why the medical system isn’t keeping up, and what you can do to get the care you need to take back your health.“Doctors are taught, ’if we can’t measure it, then it’s not happening.’”-- Dr. Aviva RommJoin Dr. Aviva Romm as she dishes up a weekly dose of the whole truth on health and medicine. To learn more about this episode of Natural MD Radio go to avivaromm.com/adrenal-fatigue-real-thing/

Even though you might not know it, Dr. Philip Landrigan’s work has directly impacted your life. Every time you are fueling your car or walking into your home and don’t have to worry that your child might be exposed to lead paint, it’s thanks to Dr. Landrigan. Dr. Landrigan was the first to document the effects of lead poising on American children, which led to the US government mandating the removal of lead from many products that we interact with on a daily basis. After “getting out the lead,” Dr. Landrigan turned his attention to cleaning up our food supply and bringing to light the risks that pesticides pose to the health of our children and families.So how can you protect your children from environmental toxins? Chemicals are everywhere in today’s world and it’s impossible to protect your child completely from the risks that they pose… but don’t panic! In today’s episode of Natural MD Radio, Dr. Landrigan and I discuss the 3 biggest hazards to your child’s health, and what you can do — starting today — to keep your family safe.“There’s no way that any parent can protect their child completely against chemicals — chemicals are just too ubiquitous in today’s world — my philosophy is to give parents actionable information.” - Dr. Philip LandriganJoin Dr. Aviva Romm as she dishes up a weekly dose of the whole truth on health and medicine. To learn more about this episode of Natural MD Radio go to avivaromm.com/environmental-toxins-with-philip-landrigan/

Laila Ali is a world class athlete, fitness & wellness expert, TV host, cooking enthusiast, founder of the Laila Ali Lifestyle Brand, mother of two, and daughter of the late beloved global icon and humanitarian, Muhammad Ali. In today’s episode, we dive into Laila’s story of how she discovered women’s health as her passion after she retired from her career as a four-time undefeated boxing world champion. Tune in to hear Laila’s own journey to health, how she prioritizes self-care while working as a rockstar entrepreneur and mama, and her practical tips to start cooking and implementing healthy eating habits for you, and your whole family.“Don’t get bitter — get better.” - Laila AliJoin Dr. Aviva Romm as she dishes up a weekly dose of the whole truth on health and medicine. To learn more about this episode of Natural MD Radio go to avivaromm.com/laila-ali/

There’s no doubt about it – antibiotics are a good thing. They save lives every day. But are they as safe as they are common? In today’s episode, we dive into the largest global public health threat facing the world today — antibiotic resistance. The overprescribing and inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics, and the overuse of antibiotics in the food industry, is creating resistant strains of bacteria that no longer respond to antibiotics that used to effectively treat certain infections. Tune in to learn why antibiotics get overprescribed, how you can get the tools and information you need in order to do your part to stop this trend, and my 8 go-to herbal antibiotic alternatives for common infections.“More is not better in the case of antibiotics.” - Aviva RommJoin Dr. Aviva Romm as she dishes up a weekly dose of the whole truth on health and medicine. To learn more about this episode of Natural MD Radio go to avivaromm.com/herbal-antibiotic-alternatives/

Lealah Henderson is a new mom with an empowering birth story to share. I had the pleasure of being part of Lealah’s home birth team, and am thrilled that Lealah is so generous in sharing her beautiful story with my Natural MD Radio community! In today’s episode, we discuss why Lealah decided to have a home birth, how she assembled her dream birth team, and she shares a detailed account of the birth as it unfolded. Tune in to learn firsthand what home birth is like, and how family and community can make all the difference. Note that we do talk graphically about birth in this episode.“I knew that I could do this at home, and I knew I had the support that I needed to do this at home.” - Lealah HendersonJoin Dr. Aviva Romm as she dishes up a weekly dose of the whole truth on health and medicine. To learn more about this episode of Natural MD Radio go to avivaromm.com/home-birth-family-affair/

Did you know that only about 26% of women have taken a close look at their own lady parts? Do you know the difference between a vagina and a vulva? Today we are going to go (down) there! I start by talking about terminology, how to define your parts, and why words are important. Then, in the second half of the episode, I’ll walk you through how to get comfy and take a look for yourself. If you’re not ready for that step, don’t worry — you can still learn a lot about your body simply by tuning in!“When it comes to your lady parts — knowledge is power.” - Dr. Aviva RommJoin Dr. Aviva Romm as she dishes up a weekly dose of the whole truth on health and medicine. To learn more about this episode of Natural MD Radio go to avivaromm.com/lady-parts/

Today I’m joined by Maya Dusenbery, a writer, the editor of Feministing.com, and the author of the new book Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick, which explores how gender bias in the medical system is harming women. In this episode we discuss the unconscious biases against women that exist in medicine, where these biases come from historically, and how activism and spreading awareness can help shed light on the issue. It’s time for the medical system to start trusting women’s voices, and it’s going to take big change from health care providers — and brave action from patients — to make it happen.“Throughout medical history women’s activism has been very important in creating change.” - Maya DusenberyJoin Dr. Aviva Romm as she dishes up a weekly dose of the whole truth on health and medicine. To learn more about this episode of Natural MD Radio go to avivaromm.com/Doing-Harm/

If you’ve been suffering from endometriosis, you know how much it can impact your life — and you might try anything to get relief from the pain. You also know that the only treatments doctors recommend include pain medications, hormonal therapies, and surgery. These treatments have big risks, and aren’t always effective. In this episode I share four supplements and herbs that have been scientifically shown to not only help relieve the pain associated with endometriosis, but actually to reduce lesions and cysts. These natural approaches can be used alone or in combination with conventional treatments. If you, or someone you know, has been suffering from endometriosis, tune in to learn how to take control of your health naturally!“So many women are going to medications or surgery first because they don’t know that there are other options.” - Aviva RommJoin Dr. Aviva Romm as she dishes up a weekly dose of the whole truth on health and medicine. To learn more about this episode of Natural MD Radio go to avivaromm.com/endometriosis-herbs-supplements/

For Dr. Frank Lipman health is more than just the absence of disease — it’s a total state of physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social wellbeing. Dr. Lipman is a widely recognized trailblazer in functional and integrative medicine and the New York Times Bestselling Author of five books. In this episode of Natural MD Radio, Dr. Lipman joins us to talk about his new book How to Be Well. We discuss how millennials inspired Dr. Lipman to write this practical guide to health, why it’s about more than functional or integrative medicine, and how the key to transforming your health is in simple lifestyle changes taken at your own pace.“I’m a big believer in the extraordinary power of ordinary things.” - Dr. Frank LipmanJoin Dr. Aviva Romm as she dishes up a weekly dose of the whole truth on health and medicine. To learn more about this episode of Natural MD Radio go to avivaromm.com/how-to-be-well/