Women Talking Frankly Candace Burch and Kyle McAvoy

Kyle and Candace chat with Natalie Gustafson, PharmD, pharmacist/owner of Lloyd Central Compounding Pharmacy: https://lcrx.com whose expertise and insights on bioidentical hormone therapy (BHRT) we have relied upon for nearly 2 decades!

 

In today’s episode, we review the basics of how and why bioidenticals work, who benefits, how to relieve symptoms, if and when you can’t take hormones, along with other important awarenesses – from bone, breast and cardiovascular health – to the threat from Big-Pharma that could limit our access to BHRT compounding and what we can do to protect our access to bioidenticals.

Some of the key talking points from our wide-ranging discussion :


The numerous benefits of BHRT and how without them disease risks increase dramatically after menopause
The results of the Women’s Health Initiative Study (WHI, 2002) that led to a 60-70% drop in prescribing of synthetic hormones and skyrocketing demand for BHRT
Non-hormonal, natural options for symptom relief in women with a history of breast cancer
Smart use of Calcium, Vitamin K2, & Magnesium to protect bone health/prevent osteoporosis
Why cardiovascular disease is actually a greater threat to women than breast cancer; what we can do to reduce the risks
How pushback from Big-Pharma since the WHI aims to limit the types of hormones compounding pharmacies can produce. We encourage you to contact your local representative/Senator to voice your concern, share your personal story and protect your access to bioidenticals: https://p3rx.org/
Information for patients about hormone compounding restriction concerns: https://compounding.com/
To help offset costs of BHRT not covered by insurance, get a GOODRX card https://www.goodrx.com &/or a Health Savings Account (HSA) to help cover costs.


CONNECT W/CANDACE + KYLE

Candace Burch:

YourHormoneBalance.com

Info@yourhormonebalance.com

Kyle McAvoy:

kylebmcavoy@gmail.com

In today’s episode, Kyle and Candace tackle the all-important subject of heart disease, the number one killer of women. While many campaigns exist to bring awareness to breast cancer screening and testing, the truth is that heart disease poses a much greater threat to us.



In the U.S., 1 out of 31 American women die from breast cancer while heart disease causes 1 out of every 3 deaths, which amounts to over 300,00 dying annually of this often silent disease. In the UK, heart disease kills twice as many women as compared to breast cancer.

 

While we might think that we don’t need to worry about heart disease until we’re older women, it might surprise you to know that an estimated 1 in 16 younger women over 20 years old have coronary heart disease, making it something women of all ages should be aware of.

 

Our guest today is Andrea Nakayama, a functional nutritionist, renowned teacher and thought leader in this emerging field who has trained thousands of others to work with people seeking sustainable ways to prevent chronic medical conditions, like heart disease, through optimal nutrition.

 

We learned so much in our discussion with Andrea, it's hard to know where to begin - but a good place to start would be her functional nutritional model for health and longevity, in her words:

 

“Think of your body as a tree: the roots are made of genes, digestion, and inflammation. The ‘soil’ is influenced by nutrition and lifestyle. Diseases represent the branches of the tree.” Andrea’s work focuses on impacting the soil and the roots. She dislikes diet theories and encourages us to examine insulin resistance and blood sugar issues first. 

 

She also shares with us her FOOD FIRST guidelines for getting the nutrients we need in the foods we eat daily:


Eat the rainbow of fruits and vegetables that contain vital phytonutrients
Every meal/snack should include protein, fat, & fiber
Know your ‘Yes/No/Maybes’. Which foods make you feel good OR bad?

 

Here’s a sampling of some of the other key points we cover in this hugely important, and we trust, eye-opening interview:


High cholesterol and blood pressure are not the only markers women need to be concerned about.
There is too much emphasis on lowering cholesterol levels (overuse of statins) which in turn lowers our hormone levels.
Cholesterol: going beyond the numbers to look at the constellation, the trends: e.g. triglycerides and LDL’s should be examined together. (Aim for triglycerides around 70/under 100).
Insulin resistance is the root cause of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, Diabetes Type 2.
Excessive sugar intake is one of the greatest risk factors for cardiac disease and metabolic disorders.
The good, bad and ugly fats relationship to heart disease.
Most of us can get what we need through a mindful diet, but a great deal of our food is grown in suboptimal soil, so we do sometimes need to supplement. Andrea’s signature supplements include:

Omega fats
Magnesium
B vitamins
Probiotics


 

MORE ABOUT ANDREA:

Website: https://www.andreanakayama.com/

Work w/ someone whom Andrea has trained: https://www.fxnutrition.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreanakayama/

 

+Andrea is sharing the wisdom in a book she is currently writing, due out in late 2024…stay tuned!


CONNECT W/CANDACE + KYLE

Candace Burch:

YourHormoneBalance.com

Info@yourhormonebalance.com

Kyle McAvoy:

kylebmcavoy@gmail.com

Candace & Kyle have another fascinating conversation with Dr. Kenna Stephenson, M.D., a pioneering Family Medicine physician who has dedicated her life’s work to helping women in menopause balance their hormones using the Bioidentical Restoration Model of Care to improve symptoms & quality of life as they age.



Early in her career Dr. Kenna recognized that within the medical profession, there was a notable lack of a scientific approach to menopause medicine, & a tendency among traditional doctors to delegitimate hormonal issues in aging women. Dr. Kenna was all too aware that few, if any, studies in the scientific literature researched the health risks among women in menopause (or perimenopause the years leading up to it), or looked into safer solutions to the ubiquitous use of synthetic hormones shown to have adverse effects over time (increased heart disease, stroke, blood clots, breast cancers).



As a physician dedicated to the art & science of women’s medicine, Kenna knew that there were better alternatives than HRT, as evidenced by the symptom relief & positive health benefits of the patients she had been treating for years with plant-based bioidentical hormones.

As her concerns amplified, Kenna set out to provide hard core evidence that bioidentical hormones are a viable alternative to HRT, one already used in Europe for decades & available to providers & patients in the US. Thus, was conceived the landmark CHOIICE study where researchers led by Dr. Stephenson, looked into the effects of compounded bioidentical hormone therapies in peri & postmenopausal women. 



In this follow-up discussion, Dr. Stephenson continues to guide us in the art & science of natural hormone balance, & how the use of plant-based, bioidentical hormones have led to astounding improvements in symptoms & health outcomes in women, on multiple fronts, from cardiovascular & inflammatory to immune, mood & quality of life bio-markers with NO adverse effects.



For Women seeking answers & alternatives to synthetic Hormone Replacement Therapy:



The CHOIICE study; The effects of compounded bioidentical transdermal hormone therapy on hemostatic, inflammatory, immune factors; cardiovascular biomarkers; quality-of-life measures; & health outcomes in perimenopausal & postmenopausal women

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23627249/



The WISE study following women 65-100 years as they age, charting key aging & longevity health factors.

References: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29217675/

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/aging-woman-s-secret-power-data-proves-it-ncna1231616

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/old-woman-wise-woman-powe_b_798942

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5207430/



Transdermal progesterone: effects on menopausal symptoms and on thrombotic, anticoagulant, and inflammatory factors in postmenopausal women.

Stephenson K, Neuenschwander PF, Kurdowska AK, Pinson B, Price C. Int J Pharm Compd. 2008 Jul-Aug;12(4):295-304. PMID: 23969765



The bioidentical hormone debate: are bioidentical hormones (estradiol, estriol, and progesterone) safer or more efficacious than commonly used synthetic versions in hormone replacement therapy?

Holtorf K. Postgrad Med. 2009 Jan;121(1):73-85. doi: 10.3810/pgm.2009.01.1949. PMID: 19179815 Review.



ABOUT KENNA:

Read Dr Kenna’s groundbreaking books:

Awakening Athena, Resilience, Restoration & Rejuvenation for Women: https://www.amazon.com/Awakening-Athena-Resilience-Restoration-Rejuvenation/dp/0975868101

 

The Holy Gospel of Women’s Health: https://www.amazon.com/Gospel-Womens-Health-Awakening-Athena/dp/B0C4G4J637/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+gospel+of+women%27s+health%2C+kenna+stephenson&qid=1687138101&s=books&sr=1-1

 

Follow Dr. Kenna on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DoctorKenna



CONNECT W/CANDACE + KYLE

Candace Burch:

YourHormoneBalance.com

Info@yourhormonebalance.com

Kyle McAvoy:

kylebmcavoy@gmail.com

Candace & Kyle catch up with their favorite guru/mentor/expert on hormones & hormone testing, Dr. David Zava, Ph.D., Founder/CEO of ZRT Laboratory, one of the foremost hormone testing labs in the US & globally. 



A biochemist by trade & teacher at heart, Dr. Zava didn’t start out trying to build a company.  As a researcher, he wanted to provide health care practitioners & patients with a deeper understanding of the role hormones play in wellness,



“There is no other reason to keep doing the work unless we find a way to make the world a better place.”



In this interview we ask Dr. Zava to help us sort through some of the “WTF!” misleading information about women’s hormones that we have recently seen in the popular press.



Here’s a sampling of the vexed issues we asked Dr. Zava to respond to & we hope you will be reassured by his answers. Happy listening!



Time magazine, May, 2023 “ You Don’t Need to Balance Your Hormones”

Sub head: There’s no proof that it works.

“Dr. Zava, from your vantage point as a biochemist, cancer researcher & founder of ZRT Laboratory having tested the hormones of over 10 million (!) people over the last 2 decades, can you explain to our listeners why the statements in this article are incorrect & misleading?”



NY Times article: Women Have Been Misled About Menopause (2023)

Quote from NYT article “New formulations more closely mimic natural hormones in a woman’s body. There are also new methods of delivery: taking hormones via transdermal patch, rather than a pill, allows the medication to bypass the liver, which seems to eliminate the risk of clots. But the studies supporting the safety of newer options are observational; they have not been studied in long-term, randomized, controlled trials.”



“Dr. Zava, can you comment on the above statement, which in a single paragraph (that never mentions the word bioidenticals), attempts to invalidate BHRT (Bioidentical Hormone Restoration model) & tell our listeners about the safety profile of bioidenticals and how in form & function they most closely mimic natural physiology & our own bodily made (endogenous) hormones.”



“Dr. Zava, what is your reaction to the fact that this lead article in the NYTimes Sunday magazine never once mentions hormone testing?”



Real Simple magazine (May 2023)

“Balancing hormones is a marketing term not a medical term.”



Dr. Zava can you comment on this statement?

Quote: “Because hormones change over the course of the month & because everyone physiologically is different, numbers alone don’t mean much.”



(Dr. Zava describes how he designed hormone test reports to go beyond just numbers.)

REFERENCES:

Please note: Evidence based studies on the benefits of bioidentical hormones are too numerous to list here. For further information email Info@yourhormonebalance.com



The CHOIICE study: The effects of compounded bioidentical transdermal hormone therapy on hemostatic, inflammatory, immune factors; cardiovascular biomarkers; quality-of-life & health outcomes in perimenopausal & postmenopausal women

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23627249/



For science-based reads on all topics hormonal visit https://www.zrtlab.com/blog/

Here is just a sampling of the great articles you can find:



“The Women’s Health Initiative Revisited”

https://www.zrtlab.com/blog/archive/womens-health-initiative-revisited/



“Preventing Breast Cancer: How Hormone Balance Can Help Save Your Life”

https://www.zrtlab.com/blog/archive/preventing-breast-cancer-hormones/



“The Seven Dwarves of Menopause”

https://www.zrtlab.com/blog/archive/seven-dwarves-of-menopause/



CONNECT WITH ZRT LABS (FOUNDED BY DAVID ZAVA)

Zrtlab.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zrtlaboratory/

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer: How Hormone Balance Can Help Save Your Life,  John R. Lee, M.D. , David Zava, Ph.D.



CONNECT W/CANDACE + KYLE

Candace

During today’s episode, we sit down with Dr. Lani Simpson, Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine and the first alternative provider to become a board certified bone densitometirst (C.C.D.). For over 30 years, Lani has educated health care providers about the importance of bone heatlh and has hosted a PBS series on this same topic. She is also the author of “No Nonsense Bone Health Guide” and “No Nonsense Sun Health Guide”.

 

We had a lively discussion with Lani about her own bone health journey: (she found out while testing out a friend’s bone density machine, that she had osteoporosis in her mid 40’s, a real shock to her: Lani has always been an avid athlete).  This experience spurred her to become an expert in all aspects of bone health, and she has dedicated her professional life to spreading her message: protecting your bone health is essential and leads to living a higher quality of life!

 

Some of her main takeaway messages:


Much of bone density and bone quality is genetically based


You don’t know when you’re losing bone: bone density changes have no symptoms until you have a fracture


Current guidelines are inadequate for catching osteopenia and osteoporosis early on


Supplements like Vit D3 and K2 are essential for maintaining bone health


Estrogen is the primary bone density protector of all of the hormones


Thyroid changes affect bone density: adequate thyroid function testing is imperative


Nutrition and exercise both have major impacts on your bone health


Fair-skinned, blue-eyed, small framed individuals are at higher risk for osteoporosis


Smoking and excess alcohol intake have negative effects on bone density


Dump the junk, eat smaller meals, be active: strength train, work on balance and flexibility


Osteopenia and osteoporosis are preventable. Osteoporosis has serious effects on an individual’s quality of life and is associated with higher rates of mortality.

 

Her WTF pet peeve: Women are NOT informed as to what is going to happen after menopause: and measuring bone density is a wonderful tool but too many providers make mistakes and are inadequately trained. Seek out a center that specializes in bone density measurement.

 

CONNECT WITH DR LANI

Website: https://lanisimpson.com/

Read: “Dr Lani’s No Nonsense Bone Health Guide”

https://lanisimpson.com/products/bone-health-guide-book



CONNECT W/ CANDACE + KYLE

Candace Burch: 

YourHormoneBalance.com

Info@yourhormonebalance.com

Kyle McAvoy:

kylebmcavoy@gmail.com 

Dr. Valerie Cacho is the president and founder of Sleep Life Med, a tele-sleep practice in Hawaii and California. Her interests and expertise include: diagnosing and treating medical sleep disorders during perimenopause and menopause, women's sleep concerns, mind-body approaches to insomnia, self-compassion training, clinical hypnotherapy, and promoting sleep health and wellness. Additionally, Dr. Cacho is the CEO of Sleephoria, an online educational and sleep wellness company for women.

 

IN THIS EPISODE WE DISCUSS:


Hot flashes, restless leg syndrome, waking up to pee, insomnia – does this sound familiar?
How do aging and menopause affect your sleep and metabolism?
The CDC 2017 sleep study that finds sleep problems significantly increase among women during perimenopause and menopause
Holistic ways to help you sleep better: Yoga, therapeutic massage, acupuncture, exercise, chamomile tea!
Sleep apnea is significantly underdiagnosed in women. The symptoms of sleep apnea in women and how they are different than in men.  Isn’t snoring normal?
How much sleep should we be getting?  The main stages of sleep.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI)

 

CONNECT W/ DR VAL:

Website: https://sleephoria.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drvalsleepgal/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriecacho/

 

CONNECT W/ CANDACE + KYLE

Candace Burch: 

YourHormoneBalance.com

Info@yourhormonebalance.com

Kyle McAvoy:

kylebmcavoy@gmail.com 

 

RESOURCES:

In this free checklist Dr. Val shares a list of commons reasons why midlife women are exhausted and how you can prepare for a visit with your doctor to find the solution to your exhaustion. 

https://www.sleephoria.health/f/exhaustion-checklist

 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/treatment/cognitive-behavioral-therapy-insomnia

 

Sleep Duration and Quality Among Women Aged 40–59, by Menopausal Status

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db286.htm

 

An exploratory study of salivary cortisol changes during chamomile extract therapy of moderate to severe generalized anxiety disorderhttps://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=chamomile+anxiety+and+cortisol&oq=chamomile+anxiety+and+corti#d=gs_qabs&t=1681164221780&u=%23p%3D9uPnX9isJw8J

 

Brain Basics: Understanding Sleep

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep

 

Michael Walker “Why We Sleep.”



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXflBZXAucQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb6hgt6Ed-Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXu6L1yyjsI


 

Sleep problems during menopause: https://www.menopausenow.com/sleep-disorders/articles/sleep-problems-during-menopause

 

Blogs:



https://www.zrtlab.com/blog/archive/ashwagandha-ancient-medicine-for-modern-adrenals/
https://www.zrtlab.com/blog/archive/phosphatidylserine-protection-from-chronic-stress/
https://www.zrtlab.com/blog/archive/herbal-remedies-insomnia/
https://www.zrtlab.com/blog/archive/healthy-adaptogens/