Women's Health Unplugged

In today’s episode, we talk about an important phrase in women’s health

“Listen to your body”

We’re going to break down when you should actually listen to your body and when listening to your body is actually getting in your way of progress. 

Exercise is an amazing example, given that when we study exercise, we actually make the participants do the exercise. We don’t ask them if they are too tired or if they “feel like it”. The benefits they get come from the doing. Not from doing it if they want to. 

Before you listen to your body, we need to ask a few questions (and we cover them all in the episode). 

Today’s episode was brought to you by the Modern Menopause Summit. With over 40 topics covered, you need to be there!. You can register for your free ticket here. 

In today’s episode, I share the mic with my friend and colleague, Dr. Dolores Fernandez, a Naturopathic Doctor and the owner of Iris personal care products (lube and vaginal moisturizer!)

We talk about the importance of getting connected with vulvovaginal health, how skin is skin is skin and why you need to understand “normal” so you can pay attention to changes. 

IRIS is offering 20% off to women's health unplugged listeners for 1 month after the podcast airs. Use code WHU20 at checkout at www.lovemyiris.com. IRIS is one of our sponsors for the Modern Menopause summit and Dolores shares even MORE information about vaginal health in this special online event.   

Here’s a summary of what we discussed: 

Diagnosing and Treating Gynecological Dermatology Conditions

Takeaway: There is a gap in the healthcare field between gynecology and dermatology, leading to challenges in diagnosing and treating conditions specifically related to vulvar and vaginal health. Specialists often focus narrowly on their area, which can result in missed or misdiagnosed conditions that require a broader interdisciplinary understanding.

Importance of Vaginal Health Awareness

Takeaway: There is a notable deficiency in the general awareness of vaginal health issues across different life stages. Education and open discussion are crucial in recognizing symptoms, avoiding misdiagnosis, and promoting overall vaginal health to ensure proper care and treatment.

Education on Lubricant Products

Takeaway: Lubricants vary widely in quality, and there is a lack of regulation and standardization, which underscores the need for education on the chemistry and quality of personal care products. Understanding key aspects like pH balance, preservatives, osmolarity, and ingredients contribute to making informed choices and preventing adverse reactions.

The Evolving Needs of Vaginal Care

 Takeaway: Women should consider the evolving nature of their vaginal care needs as they age and stay informed about the latest science and product developments. It is imperative for women to adapt their care regimen in response to changes in their bodies to maintain optimal vaginal health.

Normalization and Stigma Reduction in Vulvar Health

Takeaway: Breaking down the stigma and fostering an environment where conversations about vulval health are normalized is essential. Knowledge of one's own anatomy, being vigilant to symptoms, and discussing experiences can encourage a supportive atmosphere, leading to better healthcare outcomes and advancements in research and education related to vulval and vaginal health.

Everyone is touched by Menopause in one way or another. 

It might be you, your partner or your mother. 

Over the last year, I've been working on a project with 25 of the industry's best menopause practitioners to bring you a week-long, completely free event to help you learn about the most recent science around supporting people in menopause. 

We'll be covering concepts from HRT to weight gain, from mood and sleep to cardiovascular health. It will be a complete one-stop experience to help you gain confidence (and feel hopeful) about this stage of life. 

You can register for the event for free here. I'm incredibly proud to host these women who are standing up for better menopause care (that extends beyond a prescription). 

If you have a friend in this stage of life, forward them this email. Seeing each of these practitioners individually wouldn't even be possible! We've brought them together to share their expertise and gift you the resources you need to have a healthy menopause transition. 

Whether you're in your 40s and wondering what's coming or in your 60s and wondering what's next, this event will support you to have the most Modern Menopause possible. 

I hope you are well and look forward to sharing with you at this premier event. 

In today's podcast, we discuss the evidence for changing mammogram guidelines to include women in their 4th decade (40-50). I open with a new promise to bring you more authentic conversations on evidence (and more calling out of the bs online). We also talk about how to make decisions about screening for yourself (and why we are in favour of the breast cancer screening guidelines).

I hope you enjoy the episode. Remember to leave a review after listening so we can reach more women like you. 

Here's an AI-Generated summary of what we talked about in today's episode: 

• Understanding Screening Tests:

  • Screening tests aim to detect diseases early in large populations.
  • Effective screening tests must find diseases at a time when intervention can significantly alter outcomes.

• Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines:

  • Recent guideline changes focus on early detection, especially in younger women.
  • The new age bracket (40-50 years) is targeted due to the aggressive nature of breast cancer in premenopausal women.

• Addressing Misconceptions and Fears:

  • Common myths about mammograms causing breast cancer are debunked.
  • Emphasis on the goal of screening: early detection to save lives, not to cause harm.

• The Role of Mammograms:

  • Mammograms are selected for breast cancer screening due to their accessibility and safety.
  • The podcast clarifies the difference between diagnostic tests and screening tests.

• Critiquing Alternative Screening Methods:

  • Discussion on the lack of evidence supporting alternative methods like thermography.
  • Stress on the importance of relying on scientifically proven screening methods.

• Importance of Evidence-Based Screening:

  • Screening is based on population statistics and the greater good, not individual cases.
  • Encouragement to view public health recommendations within the context of overall population benefit.

• What to do next:

  • Listeners are encouraged to critically assess health information, especially regarding breast cancer screening.
  • Importance of making health decisions based on scientific evidence and personal values.

"What supplements do you take, Jordan?"

This is one of the most common questions I get asked on social media. I will give you the answer, but we will also talk about why you're asking in the first place. 

Wellness behaviours and nutrition have this weird space in medicine where we expect to get our answers online, our advice from friends or our hairstylist and personalized recommendations from an Instagram post. We're going to dive into this and look at why we want validation, hope, and an illusion of safety when we see someone else doing something. 

I also share with you my current and past list of supplements. I share how I made the decision to take them, what I expect the outcomes to be and what I've taken in the past. The episode's purpose is to help you feel hope that you can have a list curated for you that may help your symptoms. 

If you listen and realize you need help, our team of Doctors at Clarity Health is always ready to help residents of Ontario choose the 1-2 supplements that they need to support their health journey. You can submit a web inquiry at www.clarityhealthburlington.ca, and one of our team members will call you back. 

In this episode, we talk about 5 really simple strategies to improve your PMS that are absolutely FREE.

Hormonal health is an important area that is often poorly addressed in conventional care. Understanding and supporting your own PMS symptoms can give you back quality of life. 

In the episode we talk about

• What it means if you suddenly get PMS in your 40s. 
• The biggest pressure on your PMS in your life. 
• 5 free solutions that you can start today. 
• My personal strategies for dealing with PMS. 

If you loved the episode, share it with a friend and be sure to write us a review. 

This episode is about the first period. Many of you have young pre-menstruators and menstruators in your life who would benefit from you knowing the ins and outs of puberty and what to look for around that first period. 

Teens, unfortunately, often have their symptoms chalked up to a "normal teen experience," whether they have a delayed first period, significant acne or rapid changes to body weight. This isn't true, and rapid or extreme development of hormone symptoms often have an underlying hormone condition that should be assessed. 

Young people deserve an assessment if

• They are 15 with no period (whether they have breast development or not)
• They are 13 with no secondary sex characteristics at all. 
• They have rapid changes to their androgen symptoms (acne, body hair growth, body weight changes). 
• They miss their first period and play competitive sports, are petite or maybe eating below their energy needs. 

We cover how to think about each of these areas of health and when to push for assessment in your teen. 

If you need support and live in Ontario, reach out to us at www.clarityhealthburlington.ca and submit a web inquiry. Our clinicians work with all types of hormonal concerns in young people and run evidence-based testing (blood work). 

In this birthday episode, I'm sharing the things I'm noticing about myself as I turn 42 (like how sore I am every day mostly) and talking about the things I'm no longer tolerating about myself this year. 

We often hear the narrative of people over 40 "not tolerating any more bs" from others, but in my opinion, the buck needs to stop with me first. So I've created a list of things that I'm no longer doing. The list includes things like

• Judging Christmas lights
• Having fear about AI
• Not giving 100% in a few areas 
• Being apologetic for quitting something I'm really good at (this one will surprise you). 

I hope you enjoy the episode and it sparks some ideas for your own journey this year. I'm excited to be 42 and excited to keep working on my health. Thanks for being here along for the ride. 

I have a very exciting announcement coming up for those of you over 40 who are interested in hormone health. Stay tuned to the podcast. The announcement comes in February. 

This episode is about goal setting for 2024 and taking back the word "obsession" as a positive and aspirational trait that helps people actually achieve what they desire. 

Since the pandemic, we've had to create such high degrees of self-compassion that we've lost the ability to pursue a goal relentlessly. 

Is it bad if you miss a kid's event to stay the course on your gym goals?

Is it negative for your mental health if you choose a salad?

Is it a slippery slope to be obsessed with your goals?

In this episode, we take back the word "obsession" to mean something much more positive and talk through how to get obsessed with your health so you can get somewhere. 

This is our last episode of 2023. We wanted to leave you on a "goal-setting" track for the holiday season and to help you consider how you want your 2024 to turn out. 

See you in 2024!

Today's podcast episode is broadcast on both of our podcast platforms, Women's Health Unplugged, which is our public-facing podcast. It has over 500,000 downloads and has covered many women's health topics over the last few years. 

Our clinician-facing podcast, The Confident Clinician Podcast, focuses on clinical topics and studies that are changing our practices in integrative care. 

Today's topic is for everyone. We're talking about the term "hormone imbalance" and how damaging this term can actually be. We cover concepts such as

• Why accurate diagnosis is the first step towards getting treatment. 
• Why universal language is an important bridge to connect practitioners. 
• Why using vague terms (like your 'private parts') does a disservice to patients. 
• Which "buckets" of hormone concerns you might fall into, and why we need to accurately label you. 
• Where we go from here.

If you're a patient and are looking for an evidence based clinician in Ontario, you can find our clinic at www.clarityhealthburlington.ca 

If you're a practitioner, be sure to get on the wait list for The Confident Clinician at www.confidentclinicianclub.com to ensure you're the first to access our hormone assessment module in 2024 when our doors open. 

I'm joined today by a guest, Lexi Miles Corrin, who's the owner of WAXON wax bars, a female-only franchise helping women achieve their financial and entrepreneurial goals with over 20 locations expanding all over Canada next year. 

Lexi is also a mother of 4 under 5. 

There's nobody better to talk to us about getting help, showing up with intention in your own life and chasing your dreams than a mother of 4 who is leading other women to pursue their business goals. 

We share so many helpful "get started" points on this podcast and keep the conversation relatable and accessible, regardless of where you are in your journey. 

Lexi talks about the small 'nudges' that we need and the importance of getting clear on what you actually want out of your life to be able to take the next right step. 

Feminine leaders have a special place in my heart. They show up with vulnerability and empathy and ALSO make hard decisions and lead tough conversations. We share how valuable it is to let others into your "workspace" (both at home and at work) who can support you in achieving your goals. We discuss "letting go" of the outcomes and how we've had our hearts broken (but wouldn't want it any other way). 

Enjoy the episode. You can follow Lexi on Instagram here to see all the fun (and chaos!) of having 4 kids and a huge business. 

I've only really known about my ADHD diagnosis for a few years. I had joked about it for years and had friends joke about it for years, but it wasn't until my kids were assessed that I really leaned into identifying as a person with ADHD. 

Working with women for the last 15 years has gifted me the opportunity to help identify ADHD in my patients, and to help them make decisions on how to support themselves. 

In today's episode, we're joined by Dr. Kate Henry, a Naturopathic Doctor whom I connected with over the research on ADHD and our personal experiences. This episode will help you understand your own brain a little better, and give you the first few steps you need to take to get assessed and taken care of. 

We tackle topics such as

• The role of diet (how your ADHD chooses your foods and how your foods worsen your symptoms). 
• The role of medication. 
• The role of accurate diagnosis (especially if you've never been flagged before). 
• How to get help (even with the small things). 

If you want to read Kate's free resources and get connected with her, you can visit her website here. 

Today's episode calls out a new application for an old lab test that you've probably never heard of, or had run on your physical exam. 

We're talking about Urate. 

If you HAVE heard of this test, you probably have gout, or know someone with gout. That's because this lab test (historically) has only been used to assess people for gout. 

In today's episode, we talk about the "new" use for urate testing that will surprise you, and why I'd advocate for the following changes for how we decide to test urate. 

• We should be testing women for uric acid levels if they have no other obvious cardiovascular risks. 
• We should be testing women for uric acid if they have a family history of gout, but don't have gout themselves. 
• We should be re-testing uric acid in women after they transition into menopause. 
• We shouldn't tolerate the current reference range in both Canada and the US, because the reference range is focused on gout. 

I know that talking about cardiovascular disease isn't exciting, but what IS exciting is finding a lab test that helps us predict your future risk of disease. Given that cardiovascular disease is the number 1 killer of women, any hints about your risk are important to me. I'd love it if it was important to you too. 

I love coffee. 

But I've also tried to quit about 100 times in my 20s because I was worried about the effect of coffee on my health and hormones. 

In today's episode, we talk about the actual research (and lack of) for caffeine on female sex hormones and why you can guilt-free have a cup of coffee. 

We also talk about how to manage your caffeine intake to help support your day to prevent anxiety, and sleep disturbance or to use your coffee as a cover-up for your poor nutrition. 

I share what my personal coffee situation looks like these days, what machines I need in my life to help me with my coffee and what you should put in your coffee to have the best cup. 

If you don't follow me on Instagram, most of the memes I post are about coffee and health. You should follow me there to laugh along with me about how much we love coffee. You can find me at www.instagram.com/drjordannd 

In this solo episode, I give you the knowledge and understanding of your bladder changes over the age of 40, and the things you can do to reduce the frequency of UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections). 

The bladder changes when hormones change. The microbiome changes, bladder tone changes and our sensations in our bladder change. This perfect storm can make women more susceptible to infections (UTIs) and increase symptoms such as overactive bladder and painful bladder syndrome (interstitial cystitis). 

We talk about what to do if you get an acute UTI (and then repeat the answer about 10 times to really hit this one home), what to eat to avoid getting a UTI (it's not what you think) and how hormone therapy supports our bladder. 

If you're in Ontario and you're struggling with bladder symptoms, my team at Clarity Health can support people in menopause all across Ontario. Fill in a web inquiry at www.clarityhealthburlington.ca .  One of our patient care coordinators will call you and set you up with the doctor of your dreams. 

Just as an FYI, we swear a lot in this one. Totally unapologetically. The discussion requires swearing. 

Today I have the pleasure of gifting you this incredibly important and raw conversation with Dr. Jody Carrington. A psychologist who is changing the world by teaching us about empathy, connection and true friendship. We cut through some important topics such as motherhood, generational roles, friendships that end and feminine leadership. 

The entire time we recorded I wasn’t sure if I was going to laugh or cry from feeling seen. 

We talked about my office anti-harassment voicemail, my “failed” friendships, our partners taking over “mom roles,” and how frigging hard it is being a leader. 

Dr. Jody’s newest book (coincidentally named Feeling Seen) is about creating connections as the path to health and how to build resiliency in yourself through emotional regulation. 

In Jody’s words, “We need the big people to be okay. And we’re not”. 

Jody also has a podcast, an amazing Instagram account and you can learn more about her on her website. 

When I opened my clinic, 15 years ago, my tagline was "Be open to the possibility of change." 

I felt like my role was to help people think differently about their health, to get out of their own way and to be curious about what health care could be like. 

In today's podcast, we talk about whether or not your doctor has to believe you in order for you to get better. My argument is that for the most part, they don't need to agree with you or believe you for you to get care. 

I also introduce the uncomfortable idea that sometimes, our doctors are right. And when we've carried around beliefs for a long time, it can be hard to hear their perspectives. 

If you've ever felt like your doctor's bedside manner or delivery were a major barrier to you getting better, or if you've ever felt like your story fell flat when you shared it, tune in. I think I'll change your mind about how to think about your health care visits. 

If you're a health care practitioner who wants to get better at communication with your patients, our Practice Negotiator course is open for enrollment until November 9th, 2023. You can register here: https://discover.theconfidentclinicianclub.com/practice-negotiator-register-1

If you've ever wondered if your thyroid is getting in the way of your metabolism and weight goals, this episode is for you. 

Whether you've struggled with hypothyroidism, or have just been curious about your thyroid, I'm sure you've come across many claims that treating your thyroid will "solve" your metabolism or weight problems. 

In today's episode, we break down:

• What's real and what's myth (and what's water weight) and whether treating your thyroid will actually help your metabolism or not.
• Which lab tests you should have if you're suspicious of your thyroid. 
• What to expect from thyroid medication if you need it. 
• How we need to think about the thyroid in the bigger picture of your health. 

People with low thyroid have a myriad of challenges in managing their metabolism. When patients don't feel well, their ability to manage their nutrition and movement is impaired. This episode will help you feel like your thyroid is more connected to your overall health (and not the sole cause of how you feel). 

There is nobody happier than I am that the knowledge about perimenopause is starting to permeate pop culture and general health information. 

But like every pendulum, we often swing things WAY WAY too far. 

What I mean is that every person with ovaries who has learned about perimenopause now thinks that every single symptom that is happening to them is hormonal and that they are knocking on menopause's door. 

This podcast episode is going to help balance out that pendulum and teach you "what else it could be" if you're experiencing fatigue, brain fog, cycle changes or other symptoms. 

Not everything is perimenopause and I want you to know the "other" possibilities so you can have great conversations with your practitioner rather than feeling like your feelings fall on deaf ears. 

If you're struggling with symptoms over 40 I am a BIG advocate of you having a hormonally-literate practitioner, but also, there are specific blood tests and considerations that need to happen to ensure that we've ruled out everything else. 

If you live in Ontario and are in need of support from a health team that understands hormonal transitions, reach out to us at Clarity Health. Fill in a web inquiry at www.clarityhealthburlington.ca and reference the podcast. It will help us place you with a practitioner that excels in the areas that you need support.