The Best of Health

Coinciding with World Osteoporosis Day this special episode features two fabulous people: Sarah and Paul McGee - who have an incredible story to share (and have been instrumental in my own journey after a ‘diagnosis’ of Osteoporosis).In the episode Sarah shares her journey from an osteoporosis diagnosis at 53 after two stress fractures and her journey supported by husband Paul, a sports therapist, packed with science-backed practices that took her from osteoporotic to osteopenic in just 5 years.In the episode we discuss the differences in the REMS scanner vs DEXA, learn more about fragility scores and discuss the exercise that supports bone density health - especially for women in perimenopause.I know this episode will inspire and empower other women (as the McGees did for me) to challenge everything you thought about osteoporosis being inevitable or irreversible.

This episode features two powerhouse practitioners joining me to discuss why nutritional therapy needs to reclaim it’s heart alongside the science.Dawn Waldron and Emma Beswick talk about their own personal journeys that lead them to nutrition, nutrigenomics and functional health.Despite knowing these two women well, lucky me - they are friends as well as colleagues, I learnt a lot from this conversation as we delved into the central role of the mitochondria and metabolism in health, and how this understanding has shaped Dawn's work in integrative oncology. Emma explains how her Metabolics Report aims to provide practitioners with a comprehensive view of mitochondrial function and cellular energy production. We openly talk about our shared belief that we've lost the therapy in nutritional therapy. The rush to order tests (gut, hormones, adrenals) means we're not listening to the information sitting in front of us - the client's story. Tests should illuminate, not replace, clinical reasoning.Emma’s musical analogy has been ringing in my brain since we recorded - our genes are the sheet music, but nutrients, movement, and circadian rhythm are the performance instructions - they tell your genes HOW to play.Both Emma and Dawn share more gems of insights, reminders that as practitioners, we're meant to hold space for the art AND science - not just prescribe based on data reports.Emma & Dawn are also (of course) on my Expert Panel of Beyond The Lesions: Unravelling The Endometriosis Puzzle Livestreamed Masterclass 3rd November (booking details 🔗).

Season 6 Episode 2 of The Best in Health podcast is LIVE today 🎉 and for the majority of practitioners, this may challenge what we think we know about Endometriosis This conversation with @larabriden was a difficult but necessary one as Lara shares her "penny drop moment" that revolutionized how she views endometriosis diagnosis and treatment. Research suggests up to 43% of asymptomatic women have superficial lesions. This raises critical questions about diagnosis based solely on these findings.Listen in to hear us discuss how SOME women may be getting the wrong diagnosis for their pelvic pain. Ultimately, medical understanding continues to evolve, therefore, we owe it to women experiencing pelvic pain to question, investigate, and ensure they get appropriate care.Listen to the full conversation - it’s a full frank and honest conversion, and perhaps an apt time for us o question how we support women with pelvic pain / Endometriosis.Don’t forget, if you join my Endometriosis masterclass next month, either in person, or the recordings package - you’ll get the opportunity to join an online Q&A with myself and Lara to continue the discussions.

On season 6 I am delighted to share real women's stories starting with the incredible Paula Rastrick One little-known side effect of menopause and perimenopause - they may make or reveal / unveil ADHD symptoms or harder to manage. Paula shares her personal journey from seeking support, hitting rock bottom and taking the lead in advocating for her own wellbeing post menopause.*Paula's personal story may be triggering relating to her mental health* but I promise you, it's inspiring. Her drive now to research, joining the dots and speaking to other women to understand the science of hormonal sensitivity needs to be heard!

In the penultimate episode of season 5 in my podcast, I speak to the brilliant Rachel Jessey. She talks to us about how she has over the years leveraged her extensive experience with long covid and post-viral conditions to explore and illuminate the complex interactions between the nervous, endocrine and immune systems. We also talk in quite a lot of detail about quantum physics! But please don't be scared by that, you are going to be in love with it especially as she illuminates the concept of structured water.

There is no greater area where we have been demanding the deserved attention to be heard than women’s health. It is undeniable that women’s life stages & female specific conditions have, until recently, been neglected & woefully underfunded in research. But there are amazing clinicians who are at the forefront of women's health research - in this episode, I interview and talk to Dr. Leah Hitchman, who is a globally respected naturopathic clinician specializing in fertility, pregnancy, and holistic reproductive health. In this particular episode, I asked Leah if we could focus on just the ovaries rather than the entire menstrual cycle. And boy did we go really deep… The conversation is so illuminating I cannot wait for you to listen to this. There are some real clinical pearls - let me know if there are elements in this episode you’d like to delve into further!

Spending time speaking with Professor Jerilynn Prior is a humbling experience that always gives me new insight - and this week’s podcast episode does not disappoint. Jerilynn is a professor of endocrinology and metabolism from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, and she has dedicated her career to the study of menstrual cycles and the effects of cycles in their changing estrogen and progesterone hormone levels on women's health. In 2002, she founded the Center for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research Center, better known as CeMCOR. And this houses a wealth of information. Jerilynn is also the director of the British Columbia Center of of the Osteoporosis study, which was studying osteoporosis fractures and bone mineral density, and has followed over 9,000 women and men across the country for 19 years plus a thousand younger women. In this episode, we focus on discussing osteoporosis. She shares with us her ABCs of osteoporosis prevention and treatment. We also, of course, talk about HRT and why she and I both believe that this term should no longer be used. We also delve into the misnomers around using DEXA scans to diagnose osteoporosis.

Perfectly timed for the lead in to World Menopause Day tomorrow, Dr Nicky Keay joins me to talk about her new book The Myths of Menopause - and I can honestly say, this book (I’ve seen the proof) will be a mastery of a resource for women and healthcare professionals. , We delve into talking about myth number 1 of many! - “Menopause only happens in middle-aged women. “ Discuss everything from what perimenopause is, how to know if a woman is in perimenopause and about HRT (how could we not)! Nicky shares a truly unique perspective as a medical doctor but also as a woman who has experienced the challenges of navigating perimenopause and menopause and leaving with a perspective on how we can help women approach this in a more positive way - to build up women’s confidence. Myths of Menopause is available for pre order now using discount code (appropriately) Athena via: https://www.sequoia-books.com/catalog/menopause/ To register for the free book launch event at UCL on4th December 2024 from 6-8pm where YOU can meet some of contributors, ask questions, discuss - book here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/manage/events/1014503225457/details

The finale of Season 4 with special guest Dr Fiona McCulloch ND features an in depth conversation around PCOS and diagnosis - this is a must-listen for all nutritionists and functional medicine practitioners! As a woman with PCOS Fiona is passionate about health education and advocacy for women with PCOS, and serves on the medical advisory committee of the PCOS Awareness Association and as an expert on IVF.ca. She is also a medical advisor to Open Source Health and frequently lectures to professionals at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. Fiona gives us a unique insight to the PCOS updated diagnostic criteria and practice guidelines as well as her own experience of supporting diagnosis with adolescents and adults.

Have you heard of spermadine? If not (and even if you have 😉) this week’s podcast episode should be a real educational delight for you. I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with @lesliesnewprime an Oxford-based entrepreneur born in California and a graduate of Berkeley and Harvard Business School. Leslie is founder of Oxford Healthspan, a Longevity Expert with plenty of life experience and evidence-based science as her basis. Leslie shares her personal story of a diagnosis of an array of autoimmune conditions in the 30’s (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and hypothyroidism) drove to the reject the dire prognosis and instead immersed herself in studying with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition on a quest for a more holistic solution. Leslie shares how her specialist interest in spermadine and it’s use in her own journey to wellbeing, developing her brand of spermadine / Primeadine® as well as diving into how our body makes it, and get it from our diet and how it increases longevity and results she’s seen when embraced by women from perimenopause into menopause.

Back in Season 3 of The Best of Health podcast, I had the first opportunity to feature Dr Mandy Leonhardt in an episode and our friendship and professional relationship has flourished since. I was honoured to have Mandy join me on the expert panel at my womens health masterclass last year and I couldn’t help but ask her back on the pod to develop further into understanding POI - Premature Ovarian Insufficiency. POI is such a hugely complex health condition and women are significantly underserved and dismissed by our existing health system. Mandy’s expertise in POI shines through in this episode and One little golden nugget Mandy leaves with us is if a young woman has a gap of 4 months or more between periods, this need expert health support and investigation. She passionately explains POI, the importance of testing and diagnosis and also the challenges of women with POI getting the right treatment, throughout their life stages. We also steer our conversation towards about PCOS and surgical menopause and discuss the reality of PMDD affecting 5% of women and what is happening with chemicals in the brain in women with this mental health condition. Plus Mandy gives us a little exclusive to her new book coming out in summer 2024, focusing on hormones, skin and hair.

This week on the pod, I’m joined by a dear friend and colleague Dawn Waldron. Dawn is a qualified nutritional therapist and a nutrigenomic expert. Dawn is unique - one of the first K nutritional therapists who specialised in cancer, with over 26 years of knowledge and experience. In this episode we of course delve into what drove Dawn into the specialism of nutrition and cancer - firstly her own experience of breast cancer and later, how a diagnosis of precancer on her tongue lead her interest into nutrigenomics. We discuss how cancer impacts women and methylation and how Dawn supports clients through treatment and building longevity post-cancer. We discuss some of the nutrients that we know are absolutely critical for anyone with a cancer diagnosis and how identifying any genetic SNPs can help us map out and identify commonality in different cancer presentations. Dawn also shares with us her amazing concept of the “Power Journey” - to rebuild back to health after a cancer diagnosis, chemotherapy treatment and the aftermath. I could honestly talk to Dawn all day long - this is a brilliant episode for practitioners and also anyone with an interest in nutrition, nutrigenomics and cancer. As always, take a listen on your podcast platform of choice and drop a comment to share any snippets that particularly resonated with you.

Dr Ghazala Aziz-Scott studied Medicine at Cambridge University and graduated with a Masters in Neuroscience, Medical Ethics and Law. She has been an experienced senior GP in a large NHS partnership in West London for over two decades but is now dedicating her career to Functional Medicine and the use of bioidentical hormones to provide an expertise in integrative women’s health. Ghazala led her career into integrative women’s health and bioidentical hormones and gives us a unique insight to a GP prescribing HRT to women. We are also joined by leading Pharmacist Rizvan Batha who beautifully explains so many concepts like the difference between bioidentical, body identical and compounded hormones and introduces the wonderful concept of hormone restoration. This really is another must listen episode for any women trying to fully understand the options of HRT.