Welcome to The Betty Rocker Show, the place to be to nourish your mind, love your body, and rock your life.
In today’s episode I’m joined by Dr. Jolene Brighten, a prominent leader in women’s medicine and the emerging science of post-birth control syndrome. We take a deep dive into the menstrual cycle, women’s health, the effects of birth control – and how to best support your system as you go through time.
Since every system in your body is impacted by your hormones, it’s so important to understand how they work – as well as what you might be feeling when they aren’t working optimally – so you can take action to care for yourself, and not be lost in the darkness of misunderstanding and fear about the inner workings of your own body.
My goal in this episode is to empower you as a woman with the knowledge you need to make the best choices for yourself, and know how to advocate for your health to the care providers you work with.
Dr. Jolene Brighten is an international speaker, clinical educator, medical advisor within the tech community, and considered a leading authority on women’s health. Dr. Brighten is also part of the MindBodyGreen Collective and a faculty member for the American Academy of Anti Aging Medicine.
Her work has been featured in the New York Post, Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Huffington Post, Bustle, The Guardian, and ABC News. She is a fierce patient advocate and completely dedicated to uncovering the root cause of hormonal imbalances, empowering women worldwide to take control of their health and their hormones.
In this episode you’ll discover:
Dr. Jolene’s Story
- The importance of having a purpose
- Dr. Brighten’s son’s health diagnosis
- How Dr. Brighten found her purpose
- The importance of being empowered in your choices
- Dr. Brighten’s struggle with Covid-19
- The hormone test Dr. Brighten recommends: Dutch test
- Why chronic conditions are not your fault
- The importance of being resilient
- The 4 Pillars of Health
How your menstrual cycle works (11:09)
- The importance of understanding your hormones
- Beyond the Pill by Dr. Jolene Brighten
- The connection between your brain and your hormones
- What happens during the different stages of the menstrual cycle
- How understanding these basics can be helpful in every stage of life
How birth control can impact your body (16:50)
- Dr. Brighten’s experience with coming off of birth control
- The common dismissal of women and their period symptoms
- Betty Rocker’s experience with coming off of birth control
How birth control works (22:38)
- The history of the pill
- How the pill works in your body
- The importance of understanding how birth control can affect your entire body
- How research can sometimes undermine your experience with your doctor
- The correlation between birth control and your mood
- The importance of listening to women and their concerns
- The importance of being informed and empowered in your choices
How your thyroid is impacted by your hormones (28:54)
- How the thyroid works
- Symptoms you may experience when your thyroid hormones are imbalanced
- Why hypothyroidism is so common in women
- How inflammation impacts the thyroid
The importance of honoring your body (33:41)
- The body positive movement
- Why your weight is an important metric for your health
- How to advocate for yourself at the doctor when it comes to your weight
- The damaging commentary about your weight
- The damaging impact of the scale
- Sarcopenia Obesity
- How advocating for yourself can change the scope of medicine
Post Birth Control Syndrome (39:02)
- What a “syndrome” is
- The symptoms you may experience with Post Birth Control Syndrome
- What happens to your cycle when you come off birth control
- What to do about post birth control acne
- What happens in your body when you come off birth control
- Understanding sexual adaptation
How to support your hormones with your diet (43:21)
- The importance of your diet
- The dietary protocol Dr. Brighten recommends
- How to eat at different stages in your cycle
- Nutrient dense sources of carbs
- Nutrient dense sources of protein
- Why Dr. Brighten doesn’t recommend portion sizes
- The importance of vegetables and greens
- The surprising benefits of broccoli sprouts
- Dr. Brighten’s free One Day Post Birth Control Diet Guide
- The supplements Dr. Brighten recommends
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The importance of Seed Cycling during your cycle (49:00)
- What is seed cycling?
- What seeds to include during the different phases of your cycle
- How seeds can impact your hormones
- How seed cycling can support your gut health
- How to do seed cycling
- The phases of the moon and your cycle
The importance of honoring the women that came before us (55:30)
- How the women before us paved the way for your health care freedom
- The importance of demystifying the menstrual cycle
How to exercise throughout your cycle (58:35)
- The importance of listening to your body
- Why you may want to do low impact workouts leading up to your period
- The research around exercise and your cycle
- How the US Women’s Soccer Team used their cycles to their advantage
- How to use your cycle for a competitive advantage
- Why it’s important to always advocate for your body
How to connect with Dr. Jolene Brighten (60:06)
- Dr. Brighten’s Website
- Instagram: drjolenebrighten
- Facebook: drbrighten
- Dr. Brighten’s Book: Beyond the Pill
Coming up next week we’ll be taking a look at hormone health from a slightly different angle by focusing on our muscle, the organ of longevity. We’ll be talking to Dr Gabrielle Lyon, a brilliant doctor and functional medicine practitioner who’s actually my primary doctor about her concept, muscle-centric medicine. I’m so excited to share her wisdom and knowledge with you!
Love The Betty Rocker Show? We do too! ❤️ Share it with your friends, and subscribe on your favorite podcast player to be alerted when new shows drop!
Love The Betty Rocker Show? We do too!
Share it with your friends, and subscribe on your favorite podcast
player to be alerted when new shows drop!
ABOUT THE BETTY ROCKER SHOW:
Join me for open and thought provoking discussions about health, fitness, and how to stop undermining ourselves – and start taking meaningful action that makes us role models to others…
….and, listen in on my intimate conversations with amazing thought leaders, health care professionals, athletes and celebrities to learn their secrets and insights for overcoming life’s challenges, living longer, healthier, stronger and more #flawsome lives.
New shows are released on a weekly basis during each season of The Betty Rocker Show. Shows alternate between solo episodes with me, and interviews with guests.
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