PCOS Oracle

22/06/2022

In episode 94 of the PCOS Oracle Podcast, I speak with Dr. Heather Rhodes about the lifestyle habits that can cause a hormone imbalance and tips to restore healthy hormone levels.
 
In this episode Dr Heather talks about

Dr Heather's health journey

How your body responds to stress

What stress even looks like to your body

Signs your body is in a stressed state

How to really listen to your body

Ditch the weight loss pursuit and focus on nourishing your metabolism

10/02/2022

We've been misinformed about PCOS and it's root cause. In this video I delve into the true root cause of PCOS.

When diagnosed, doctors commonly focus on the high male hormones and as a result we end up fixating on finding ways to lower them. We never get told the root cause, what's really driving those male hormones. Because the high male hormones, irregular cycle and polycystic ovaries are all signs/symptoms of PCOS. Remember PCOS is a syndrome.
https://youtu.be/zKbvy902NSk

27/01/2022

I've spent an endless amount of hours searching online for the best reputable brands that provide supplements that are natural, pure and created with care. These are my favourite supplements for PCOS!
https://youtu.be/dsxH-05ZBRs

These are my favourite supplements for PCOS!Saturée https://saturee.com.au/f/despina use code 'DES' for 5% OFFAncient Minerals Magnesium Oil Spray https://am...

18/01/2022

Must have health gadgets for 2022!
In today's video I share with you 3 health gadgets that I love and recommend for 2022.
I recommend the best health gadgets for fertility tracking, weight loss, blood sugar optimisation and metabolic health.
https://youtu.be/93XSvCSRHwA

12/01/2022

🙅Your metabolism isn't broken and you don't have to live with a slow metabolism forever. But, unfortunately, a lot of the ways you read online, that are said to boost the metabolism are in fact putting you further into a low metabolic state.
So how do we REALLY boost and heal our metabolism?
✔️The thyroid is often referred to as a ‘hormone powerhouse’. This is because it plays a role in various functions in the body including metabolism and ovulation. Resolving a sluggish thyroid will help progesterone production (which happens to be thermogenic).
👉Eat every 3-4 hours
👉Avoid excessive workouts
👉Eat carbs. Avoiding carbs means we inhibit thyroid hormone production. T4 is converted into T3, the active form of thyroid hormone, in the liver. But for this process to take place, the liver needs glucose. If the liver does not have adequate glucose, T3 levels will be low and as a result, there will be a decrease in ATP production.
👉Saturated fats like coconut oil are pro thyroid
✔️Add salt
Salt restriction causes an increase in stress hormones like adrenalin. Adding salt increases thermogenesis and lowers stress.
⚠️Avoid PUFAs
"They damage mitochondria, causing respiration to be uncoupled from energy production. Use of oxygen isn’t directly proportional to the production of ATP. Mitochondria is producing more carbon dioxide without necessarily producing more ATP."- Dr Ray Peat
⚠️"Serotonin can reduce the production of energy by inhibiting mitochondrial respiratory enzymes (Medvedev, 1990, 1991), and appears to interfere with the use of glucose (de Leiva, et al., 1978, Moore, et al., 2004)."
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbYnFHF-MYi0Z-nRLbowC9A

04/01/2022

We are 4 days into 2022, have you made some changes to your daily habits? Most importantly are you consistent? Improvement in your health happens when you are consistent.
We all have bad habits that we wish to ditch and good habits that we want to implement into our daily life.
Keep it simple:
➡️Eat Breakfast
Sleep minimises the rise in cortisol, however, it fluctuates throughout the night depending on your blood sugar levels.

A spike in cortisol levels is what wakes us up in the morning. Cortisol then decreases through the day. By eating within 30-60 minutes of waking we can blunt the cortisol spike.

In addition, we've been fasting for around 12 hours or more depending on when your last meal was and when you wake up in the morning.

In the morning our stored glycogen levels are low and when glycogen levels are low, stress hormones rise in order to manufacture glucose. Without adequate amounts of glycogen we cannot make thyroid hormones.

🍽️So breakfast is an important meal because it replenishes glycogen levels, keeps blood sugar levels stable and supports the thyroid (kickstarting the metabolism).
➡️Prioritise Sleep
A lack of sleep can have a huge impact on our overall health and wellbeing.
⚠️A study found sleeping 5 hours a night for 1 week, reduced insulin sensitivity by 24%.
Due to all the technology we have around us and the hustle mindset we lived by, we lot become disconnected from our circadian rhythm.
👉Melatonin is secreted at 9pm which makes you feel sleepy
👉Our deepest sleep happens at 2am
👉5:30am cortisol is released to start the waking process
➡️Eat regularly throughout the day
Not eating for many hours decreases our glycogen stores.
Adrenaline is secreted to release more glycogen (as long as it's available) but also releasing fatty acids, when fat is broken down.

17/11/2021

How to Improve Hair health is something so many of us wonder. Doing a simple google search you find queries for 'hair loss treatment', 'hair loss prevention', 'hair loss cure'.
Hair issues can appear in many forms, whether it's hair loss, hair thinning, dry brittle hair, oil/greasy hair, even grey hair. As we cover in this episode, hair issues can happen for various reasons. But most importantly there is a way to support and reverse many hair related issues.
Find out
• The Causes/reasons for hair problems like hair loss/hair thinning etc
• Whitney also discusses the reason behind grey hair
• Nutrition tips to nourish the hair
https://youtu.be/MUJTh4Vgfdo

17/11/2021

How to Improve Hair health is something so many of us wonder. Doing a simple google search you find queries for 'hair loss treatment', 'hair loss prevention', 'hair loss cure'.
Hair issues can appear in many forms, whether it's hair loss, hair thinning, dry brittle hair, oil/greasy hair, even grey hair. As we cover in this episode, hair issues can happen for various reasons. But most importantly there is a way to support and reverse many hair related issues.
Find out
• The Causes/reasons for hair problems like hair loss/hair thinning etc
• Whitney also discusses the reason behind grey hair
• Nutrition tips to nourish the hair

https://youtu.be/MUJTh4Vgfdo

11/11/2021

Is juice something you really need to fear and avoid?!?🤷
The answer is NO🙅
We have been led to believe fruit and fruit juices are the worst thing you could eat, all because they contain sugar (more specifically fructose)😲🥴
Firstly let's get this whole fruit is bad out of the way...
Fructose actually has some incredible benefits!
🍎Fructose has little effect on blood sugar and insulin
👉Ingestion of fructose has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. It enters the cell without the need of insulin. This makes it an ideal food for diabetics.
🍊"Fructose is more thermogenic than glucose. This means that the body uses more energy after eating fructose rather than glucose, so less energy will be available to be stored as fat" (Zemel, Kolderup Astrid, Svihus, Birger, 2015)
🍉Also, you would have to eat lots of fruit for the fructose to be harmful. De Novo Lipogenesis (DNL) in humans is negligible. So fructose found in fruit isn't the issue. The problem is High Fructose Corn Syrup find in processed foods.
👉Now there's nothing wrong with sipping on some fruit juice. Of course strive to have more fresh fruit as it's more satiating. But orange juice is great way to get in key vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, magnesium and potassium.
➡️“Fruit juices are high in salicylates so it’s like drinking organic aspirin (very anti-inflammatory).”- Dr. Lita Lee
🧃Fruit juices, like orange juice are disaccharides which makes them an easy to digest carb. So if you have a low metabolic rate and lack the necessary digestive enzymes, juices are a great way to get key nutrients while mitigating any digestive issues like bloating.
❌Avoid those with additives
❌If they contain ascorbic acid (a synthetic form of vitamin C)

09/11/2021

Feeling stressed?😬
Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, quickly depletes various nutrients. To help mitigate the adverse effects stress causes the body include these vitamins and minerals in your diet.
🍫Magnesium calms your nervous system and prevents excessive cortisol.
🍊High amounts of vitamin C are found in the adrenal glands and get released in response to stress.
🥔Potassium levels are significantly reduced in response to stress.
🥛Vitamin B6 has an important role in adrenal functioning. It is involved in the production of our adrenal hormones and in the conversion of food to energy. So, low levels of vitamin B6 can affect the body’s ability to process food into energy. Resulting in symptoms like fatigue and muscle weakness.
🦪Prolonged stress can deplete zinc in the blood. Zinc acts on normalizing cortisol levels.
🧂Sodium-Salt restriction causes an increase in stress hormones like adrenalin. This causes us to retain sodium and excrete potassium which in turn leads to water retention and high blood pressure.
We are constantly exposed to various stressors and so our bodies are being depleted of nutrients. It is therefore essential to replenish your body with these lost vitamins and minerals so your body can return to homeostasis.
So consume a range of wholefoods that provide your body with these key nutrients. If necessary, choose a good quality supplement as an additional source.
⚠️Before buying a supplement always read the label. Some companies may use additives, unwanted fillers, bulking agents, binders and dyes.
Vitamin C supplements tend to use ascorbic acid, a synthetic form of vitamin C which is usually derived from GMO corn.
👉Natural supplements will list food sources.

04/11/2021

Are you paying attention and listening to your body?
Are you working on mitigating the stressors in your life?
The symptoms we experience are signs/messages given by the body to let us know something needs to change.
We need to take a step back and reassess all things in our life from diet, lifestyle, spiritual and mindset.
Some key markers to look at include
✔️Body temperature-97.8 °F or 36.6°C in the morning and 98.6°F or 37°C early afternoon. Do you have cold hands and feet?
✔️Pulse rate-A pulse rate of 75-90 bpm is a sign of a high metabolic rate.
✔️Menstrual cycle-do you have a regular menstrual cycle, are you ovulating every month?
✔️Bowel movements-How frequent are your bowel movements?
✔️Energy levels- do you have consistent energy levels throughout the day or do you feel fatigued and have an energy slump around 2pm?
✔️Sleep quality-Do you sleep well throughout the night or do you wake up around 1-3am?
These are just some health markers to pay attention to. Listen to your body. Give it the nourishment and care it needs to get you though the many stressors of daily life.

02/11/2021

Through conducting your own research, I'm sure you have come across lots of conflicting papers and wondered, well who is right and what should I follow or believe?

Nutrition research is super helpful and valuable. But how do you know if this piece of research is accurate or something to follow if researchers find completely different results?

In episode 88 of the PCOS Oracle podcast, I speak with Jacqui Niehaus (biostatistician turned health coach) about the challenges of nutrition research. Jacqui covers some really interesting an eye opening information when it comes to reading and analysing nutrition research papers.

Here's what we discuss in the interview

-Why we see so many conflicting research papers on nutrition
-Relative risk vs absolute risk
-The flaws in nutrition research methodologies
-The Nuances in interpreting published papers-How to analyse a paper to identify if it's applicable to you and if it should be taken into consideration
-Because of all these flaws and nuances, Jacqui identifies a better way to do research!

This was a super interesting interview and I'm certain you will enjoy it and will gain some valuable tips that you can use next time you are researching nutrition papers and looking for answers.

https://www.pcosoracle.com/jacqui-niheaus-nutrition-research-challenges/

02/11/2021

Is your workout suppressing your thyroid and slowing down your metabolism?🤷
Exercise isn’t bad. The problem is how much exercise a person does and how they are supporting their body pre and post workout.
👉Here’s the deal.
Exercise is one of those “good” types of stress. But it’s a stress on the body, nonetheless.
It’s common to think that because exercise has so many benefits for our overall health and wellbeing, there can be no adverse effects.
➡️But that is just not true.
When dealing with hormonal issues like PCOS, there is a fine line between doing too much exercise and not doing enough. If you train too long or too intensely, you can end up creating even more hormone havoc.
🥇Many people look to athletes as an example of how they should exercise and of course, there’s nothing wrong with that. It can give you inspiration and the motivation to exercise. But many don’t realize that just because athletes look ‘fit’ or ‘healthy’ on the outside, it doesn’t mean they are healthy on the inside.
👉A study found endurance athletes that put their bodies through prolonged intense training and competitive races suffer from chronically higher cortisol levels. Researchers have also uncovered thyroid disorders are among the most common endocrine conditions among athletes.
Women with PCOS tend to suffer from low thyroid and high cortisol, so over-exercising will set you back or push you further away from achieving hormonal balance and reversing your symptoms.
Measure your body temperature pre-workout and then post-workout. If after the body has returned to its rested state (and after a nourishing meal) your post-workout BBT is low, this is an indication that your thyroid has been negatively impacted.
Testing your pulse can give you a further indication of cortisol levels.

01/11/2021

🙆‍♀️Change isn't always easy, but it is often necessary.
To make change less scary and overwhelming, there are a few things you need to understand and accept when making changes.
✔️Start slow. Don't dive straight into making huge drastic changes, instead ease into it. This will make the change(s) feel less overwhelming and more sustainable.
✔️Don't expect things to be perfect. Whenever we make changes and start something new, we always expect things to be perfect and that we will have everything figured out in the beginning. But the truth is it won't be perfect. Things might go wrong, you might even want to give up.
Let's be real, you probably won't have it all figured out when you first start and that's okay. No one has it all figured out. We are all unique, making changes requires trial and error. There will be lots of experimenting.
✔️Find an approach that works for you and stick to it.
✔️Don't compare yourself to others. We are all different and at different stages in our life.
✔️Be patient! Things take time.

29/10/2021

🙋‍♀️What's going on in your body when you don't nourish your cells with glucose and the nutrients they need and want to thrive.
Look.
We can convert fats and proteins into energy. But carbs are the preferred source and it's less stressful and inflammatory to the body if you just give it carbs.
So here's the thing.
I've said this in a previous post, but the body requires a steady supply of glucose to fuel cells and keep blood sugar levels stable. When the body isn't given glucose, it goes through a process called gluconeogenesis to make it.
⚠️Stress hormones like cortisol rise to break down muscle protein. The liver uses amino acids to create glucose.⁠ ➡️The glucose is released into the bloodstream, the mitochondria (acts like a furnace) converts the glucose into ATP (a molecule that stores energy in a form that be used to drive many processes in the body).

🤔So if the body doesn't need carbs or glucose why is the body going through a whole process to manufacture it?

Stress hormones rise for 2 reasons:
👉when there is not enough fuel to meet the energetic demands
👉inflammation
Hunger cues are signs given by the body because it wants fuel and it's a sign of a functioning metabolism.
✔️Eating every 3-4 hours helps with blood sugar balance, lowers cortisol and supports the thyroid so your metabolism remains high.
❌Stop skipping meals
❌Stop exercising in a fasted state
❌Stop following low carb diets
❌Stop following very low calorie diets

27/10/2021

This NutriSense review explains how their program, which combines a CGM device, health tracking app and one-to-one support from a registered dietitian, can help you understand your glucose levels and optimize them.

Nutrisense.io code 'PCOSORACLE' for $25 off
My NutriSense CGM review-https://www.pcosoracle.com/nutrisense-cgm-review/
Podcast interview with Molly Downey RDN, LDN (Nutrition Manager at NutriSense) https://www.pcosoracle.com/molly-downey-nutrisense-how-cgm-can-help/

In the review, I will be sharing my experience using the continuous glucose monitor and NutriSense app. I will also show you some of the incredible data the app provides. I want to give you enough information so that you can decide for yourself if the NutriSense program and continuous glucose monitor is right for you.

26/10/2021

So you've come across the benefits of intermittent fasting including weight loss, improved insulin levels, autophagy, and are thinking of giving it a go.
But here's the problem...
❌There are not enough studies looking at IF on women. Those that have been done on women show a different story. One study (found in Obesity Research) found that after 3 weeks of IF, blood sugar control worsened in women but wasn't the case in men.
⚠️Rats subjected to intermittent fasting for 3 months had a decrease in overall body weight, but researchers found an increase in abdominal fat tissue, damage in the cells of the pancreas which release insulin, markers of insulin resistance and increased levels of free radicals.
⚠️Another study found in PLoS found that female rats that fasted for 3-6 months experienced a reduction in the size of their ovaries, stopped ovulating and had sleep problems.
🙅Fasting is a stressor. So by adding IF to the mix, in addition to all the other stressors we are exposed to on a daily basis (emotional, physical) is not very supportive for healing our hormones or metabolism.
At first we feel great because stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline are high. ⁠Going long periods without eating puts stress on the liver, adrenals and suppresses the thyroid which then slows down the metabolism.
👉Not eating for many hours decreases our glycogen stores. Adrenaline is secreted to release more glycogen (as long as it's available) but also releasing fatty acids, when fat is broken down. But as most of our diets have been chronically high in PUFAs these are released into the bloodstream during stress.
Cortisol increases to break down tissue, like muscle, thymus gland, to make glucose.⁠
⚠️Having no appetite is something to address as this is a sign the body is under stress.

21/10/2021

⚠️Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels is something that should concern everyone.
As I mentioned in yesterdays post, the aim isn't to completely avoid blood sugar spikes, because of course if you have a meal containing carbs, your blood sugar will spike. But the goal is to work on preventing large spikes and addressing chronically elevated spikes that take several hours to come down (which is a sign glucose is not being used efficiently).
Blood Sugar Balancing Tips include:
🍗🥔Balanced meals- combine protein with carbs. Eating protein with a carb will lead to a gradual glucose response.
🕧Eat every 3-4 hours
The body requires a steady supply of glucose to fuel our cells and keep blood sugar levels stable. When we do not provide the body with carbs/sugar, stress hormones rise to make glucose through a process called gluconeogenesis. So the body manufactures glucose, through breaking down tissues, when cells do not have enough fuel to meet the energetic demands being put upon it.
🥥Coconut oil activates the metabolism and keeps blood sugar stable.
⚠️Unsaturated oils tend to lower the blood sugar. Decreased blood sugar is a basic signal for the release of adrenal hormones. They lower blood sugar in at least three ways.
1. Damages mitochondria
2. Suppresses the activity of the respiratory enzyme
3. Tends to direct carbohydrate into fat production
☕You don't have to avoid your hot cup of coffee for better blood sugar levels!
Caffeine raises the metabolism and because of this, it also raises your need for nutrients.
When you drink coffee, you need to make sure you there is adequate fuel (glycogen) in the tank to meet the increase. If there is inadequate blood glucose to meet the demands of improved metabolism, the stress response is activated.
⚠️The common symptom of feeling anxious or shaky/jittery after drinking coffee is from a lack of nutrients, which causes low blood sugar.

20/10/2021

It’s normal for blood sugar to fluctuate slightly throughout the day. However, frequent blood sugar swings (peaks and dips) over time causes chronic inflammation and damage to the body's blood vessels and nerves.
Maintaining healthy blood sugar levels is something that should concern everyone.
High Blood sugar (Hyperglycemia) occurs when there is too much sugar in the bloodstream. Insulin, a hormone released by the pancreas, works to take sugar out of the bloodstream and send it to the cells of the body.
➡️As insulin continuously rises to meet those high blood sugar levels, the cells become desensitised to insulin and prevents them from using it properly which leads to insulin resistance.
Signs of high blood sugar include
⚠️Increased cravings for carbs/sugar
⚠️Increased thirst
⚠️Frequent urination
⚠️Fatigue
⚠️Decreased energy levels and midday crashes
⚠️Blurred vision
⚠️Headaches
⚠️Brain fog
The aim isn't to completely avoid blood sugar spikes, because of course if you have a meal containing carbs, your blood sugar will spike. We should be working to avoid the chronically elevated spikes that take several hours to come down (which is a sign glucose is not being used efficiently).
Low blood sugar (Hypoglycemia) occurs when blood sugar levels drop below healthy levels.
Signs of low blood sugar include:
⚠️Irritability
⚠️Hunger
⚠️Headaches
⚠️Dizziness
⚠️Blurred vision
⚠️Shakiness
⚠️Anxiety
⚠️Confusion
⚠️Excess sweating
‼️Severe low blood sugar that goes untreated can be very dangerous, it can cause loss of consciousness or death.
⬇️Reactive hypoglycaemia is where fasting blood sugar levels are normal before eating, but roughly 1 and half to 5 hours after eating, blood sugar levels drop very low.
⬆️The body overproduces insulin to compensate for its low sensitivity to insulin. Now, the overproduction of insulin leads to a severe drop in blood sugar levels.

19/10/2021

Our bodies main source of energy is glucose (sugar) and we get this from the food we eat. The sugar we get from food enters our bloodstream after digestion. Now insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas, that works to take sugar out of the bloodstream and send it to the cells of the body.
Blood sugar management is one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve your health and hormones.
The body requires a steady supply of glucose to fuel our cells and keep blood sugar levels stable. When we do not provide the body with carbs/sugar, stress hormones rise to make glucose through a process called gluconeogenesis. So the body manufactures glucose, through breaking down tissues, when cells do not have enough fuel to meet the energetic demands being put upon it.
Now the body doesn't burn one fuel source. Some tissues prefer fat and some glucose. Cells are able to switch between fuel sources- described as metabolic flexibility.
🧠The brain can use fat for energy but it prefers glucose.
Some cells within the body do need glucose, e.g. red blood cells, parts of the kidney and our eyes. They can only use glucose because they lack a mitochondria and therefore are dependent on glucose to function.
✔️The thyroid needs glucose to function optimally. In the liver, T4 is converted into T3, the active form of thyroid hormone. Now for this process to take place, the liver needs glucose. If the liver does not have adequate glucose, T3 levels will be low and as a result, there will be a decrease in ATP production.
💪At rest, muscle mostly burns fat. By increasing the metabolism: building muscle, eating more glucose and eating regularly, a person can burn more fat at rest.
When blood sugar levels are stable, energy levels, mood, appetite, memory, and concentration improve.
https://youtu.be/lrLioxqZFAU

18/10/2021

Keep your workouts functional and fun 🤗
🙋‍♀️Looking for an exercise program and nutritional recommendations that support your metabolism, hormones and helps you reverse your PCOS symptoms?https://www.pcosoracle.com/work-with-me/

18/10/2021

Are you getting your minerals?🤷
When you start to make changes to your diet it's common to focus on the calories and macronutrients. Understanding the 3 macronutrients: carbs, protein and fats is a great starting point and foundational to any nutrition plan. But it's important to also understand what minerals the body needs to function.
Minerals are also needed to make enzymes and hormones. Here are 6 minerals to include:
🦪Copper (Cu)↔️Needed for energy production, regulates iron in the body, skin and hair colour, strong bones, supports the nervous system.
Foods: oysters, shellfish, liver, mushrooms, dark chocolate
🥛Calcium(Ca)🧀↔️Needed for strong bones and teeth, to carry out bodily functions including muscle contraction and controlling heart rate.
⚠️A deficiency in calcium can stimulate the parathyroid glands to produce more parathyroid hormone which increases calcium absorption, but also removes calcium from the bones.
Foods: milk, cheese and other good quality dairy products.
🍫Magnesium (Mg)↔️Keeps PTH down, helps with sleep, PMS cramps, headaches, bloating, constipation. Mg is needed to absorb and retain calcium.
Foods: chocolate, coffee, green leafy veg, bone broth.
🍊Potassium (K)↔️Pushes sugar into the cells. This helps decrease the effect on insulin. Needed for thyroid, adrenal and nerve function.
Foods include oranges, apricots, potatoes, mushrooms, coconut water, milk.
🦐Selenium (Se)🥚↔️Antioxidant that supports thyroid function.
Healthy levels of selenium are necessary for the conversion of T4 to T3.
Foods include brazil nuts, liver, shellfish, eggs, cottage cheese.
🧂Sodium (Na)↔️Salt restriction causes an increase in stress hormones like adrenalin. This causes us to retain sodium and excrete potassium which in turn leads to water retention and high blood pressure.
"Sodium stimulates energy metabolism, increases carbon dioxide production and protects against inflammation." -Ray Peat
✔️Choose white sea salt