“Strengthening your gastrointestinal system is foundational to strengthening your immune system.” - Dr. Jessica Drummond

In this post-COVID world, we’re constantly exposed to serious viruses daily. Knowing this, we must optimize our digestive, immune, and nervous systems to improve our resilience to infections, especially if we are high risk or working in a health facility or in other situations where we may be more vulnerable.

The good news is that we have more tools than ever to combat the spread and damage caused by these viruses. From masking and HEPA filtration to ventilation and nasal sprays, there are many strategies that we can use in our homes and workplaces to mitigate the risk of infection. The less exposure, the better.

Today, I’m sharing the second part of our case study with Terry Brown, a 22-year-old physical therapy student navigating a chronic long COVID case. Terry has now been dealing with constant chronic infections for over 18 months, and in our first conversation, we discussed the IWHI seven-step system and strategies to help her start to optimize her health.

In this conversation, Terry and I discuss her progress since our last call, what it’s been like to implement new practices into her busy daily life, strategies for enhancing gut, immune, and nervous system health, the importance of sustainable lifestyle changes, the benefits of stress management practices, specific nutrients and supplements to support your physiologic systems, and more. Let's get into part two, where you'll see exactly how we implement working with clients with complex chronic illnesses.

Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/immunocompromise-after-covid-in-a-physical-therapy-student-live-client-case-study-part-2/.

Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“A COVID infection often reveals deeper vulnerabilities that you didn’t know were there.” - Dr. Jessica Drummond

The COVID virus can be difficult to deal with, even when you’re very healthy. So many factors can influence how your body responds, and we still have a lot left to learn. Unfortunately, that means that for those of us who are struggling with long COVID and the chronic health struggles that it brings, it’s difficult to access help.

The level of medical gaslighting is intense, and most of the medical community can’t wrap their heads around the fact that COVID isn’t going away or weakening in the way they expected.

Today, I’m sharing a special case study using the IWHI seven-step system for navigating a chronic long COVID case. For this case study, I’m talking to Terry Brown, a 22-year-old physical therapy student who got COVID during orientation week at the beginning of physical therapy school. She’s now been dealing with it for over 18 months and shares the ups and downs and the vulnerabilities that may have put her more at risk for long COVID.

In this conversation, Terry and I discuss her health struggles in the year and a half since her initial COVID infection, how factors like anxiety, cortisol levels, and genetic predispositions may have contributed to her condition, our systematic approach to long COVID recovery, strategies for improving immune resilience, the significance of nervous system regulation, the value of individual mitigation tools, and more. Let's dive into this story and learn more about how to take a systematic approach to addressing long COVID from the root cause.

Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/immunocompromise-after-covid-in-a-physical-therapy-student-live-client-case-study-part-1/.

Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“There are multiple - often overlooked - causes of depression.” - Dr. Achina Stein

Depression is more than just a mental health issue. Years of research show that it can be related to your nutrition, chronic infections, environmental toxins, stress, hormones, or problems with cellular metabolism.

Many of us in integrative and functional medicine have recognized this multi-factorial issue, and the Healing Depression Project has put together all the elements in a revolutionary way to help clients with treatment-resistant or chronic depression. I think their unique and highly integrative approach to depression and other brain-based mental and physical health challenges could become an ideal model for addressing many complex chronic illnesses.

Today, I’m joined by the Healing Depression Project Founder and CEO Silvia Covelli and Clinical Director Dr.Achina Stein. While struggling with depression for over 25 years, Silvia realized that the only thing that helped was to combine several different modalities that created a whole-person approach to treating depression. The Healing Depression Project follows a retreat model where clients come to their center to complete the in-person portion of the program and then transition back into their daily lives with ongoing support for a period afterward.

In this conversation, Silvia, Dr. Stein, and I discuss the mission behind the Healing Depression Project, the importance of integrating functional medicine, metabolic psychiatry, and lifestyle changes to address the root causes of depression, Silvia’s struggle with depression, the need for comprehensive treatment, why individualized care is crucial, how the Healing Depression Project supports clients, and more.

Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/healing-depression-project-with-silvia-covelli-dr-achina-stein/.

Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“Even the smallest changes, if they are consistently applied, will result in something positive.” - Kirstin Nussgruber

Cancer isn’t something that just happens out of the blue. Like every other complex chronic illness, it’s influenced by various environmental and individual factors. As practitioners, we can help our clients optimize their health by supporting them holistically with everything from metabolic health and gut health to nervous system regulation and bringing more joy into their lives.

When we can empower our clients to take a proactive role in their health and to realize that working on their health is a lifelong mission, it becomes easier for them to push through the inevitable challenges and commit to their long-term health.

Today, I’m excited to introduce you to cancer nutrition expert, author, and speaker Kirstin Nussgruber, who has extensive experience working with women with cancer to prevent recurrence and to support them during the acute phase of cancer treatment for a more optimal outcome and to be healthier during their cancer journey.

In this conversation, Kirstin and I discuss her journey into cancer care and nutrition studies, the importance of individualized nutrition, proactive prevention, the role of lifestyle in cancer care, how practitioners can empower women dealing with cancer, practical steps to address fears, the critical role of maintaining joy and engagement in life, ongoing monitoring and proactive health management, and more.

Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/delicious-nutrition-to-prevent-and-recover-from-cancer-with-nutritionist-kirstin-nussgruber/.

Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“Reproductive health is the Wild West. You cannot protocol this; you must be willing to create it.” - Dr. Yeni Abraham

Reproductive care is some of the deepest work you can do in the human experience. You can’t go in without empathy, and you have to be prepared to bear witness to the highest highs and lowest lows in the lives of your patients or clients.

For black women in the US, the black maternal health crisis adds a significant layer of complexity to an already complicated experience. Systemic racism in healthcare has created an environment where black women are especially vulnerable during pregnancy and postpartum and are experiencing disastrous consequences.

As providers, we have a responsibility to develop our skills, deepen our relationships in our communities, and trust our instincts because our patients need us to be their advocates. If you’re willing to tune into what your patients need, you can make a significant impact in the fertility world.

Today, I’m excited to be joined by my dear friend and colleague, Dr. Yeni Abraham. Dr. Yeni has one of the most innovative practices in pelvic rehab and integrative medicine in the fertility space, and she's done a fantastic job of integrating manual and visceral therapies with holistic, mindful, and listening medicine.

In this conversation, Dr. Yeni and I discuss what inspired her to do this work, what she's doing to innovate the field of fertility education, the factors contributing to the black maternal health crisis, what we can do to help mitigate this crisis as women's health and wellness professionals, her insights into creating a fertility practice in your community, and more.

Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/a-holistic-approach-to-infertility-and-the-black-maternal-health-crisis-with-physical-therapist-dr-yeni-abraham/.

Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“As women transition through pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause, the physiology is dynamic. We have to check in regularly.” - Dr. Jessica Drummond

A whole-body approach is essential when working on complex cases involving multiple conditions. As a clinician, this is why the pillars of my seven-step protocol for navigating hormonal health are foundational.

In part two of my interview with Women’s Health Coach Aurélie Maire, we’re continuing our in-depth case study on her experience with endometriosis, perimenopause, and long COVID. Aurélie is a biochemist and nutrition scientist and an expert in endometriosis and using yoga to nourish the system with endometriosis.

Remember to check out our previous episode for part one of this conversation if you haven't already done so. If you or your clients are struggling with endometriosis, perimenopause, and/or long COVID, this is a really valuable and vulnerable case study for you.

In this conversation, Aurélie and I discuss the critical elements of a protocol for complex cases like hers, different modalities and practices for nervous system regulation, the importance of a balanced diet, supporting digestive, mitochondrial, and immune health, managing histamine reactions, the need for personalized recommendations for supplements and lifestyle changes, and more.

Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/how-to-balance-hormones-in-perimenopause-with-endometriosis-and-long-covid-live-client-case-study-part-2/.

Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“We have to hold two things gently together: working on optimizing your health while being mindful not to limit the key priorities of your life.” - Dr. Jessica Drummond

With endometriosis - even in cases where it’s very stable and well-managed - symptoms can change and even worsen when circumstances shift. This can be a result of stressful life events but also because of the hormonal shifts that come with perimenopause. In fact, for some women, endometriosis isn’t diagnosed until perimenopause because that’s when the symptoms start to be expressed for the first time.

Knowing this, it’s no surprise that for some women with endometriosis, long COVID can be a trigger for a change in endometriosis expression. Plus, when women are in a lower estrogen state, which can be the case with perimenopause, that alone puts them at higher risk for complications from COVID. For many, it’s the perfect storm of elements that can lead to long COVID.

Today, I’m interviewing one of our Women's Health Coach Certification graduates, Aurélie Maire. Aurélie is a biochemist and nutrition scientist and an expert in endometriosis and using yoga to nourish the system with endometriosis. If you or your clients are struggling with endometriosis, perimenopause, and/or long COVID, this is a really valuable and vulnerable case study for you.

Aurélie brings a wealth of tools from her perspective and her experience, and we are doing a deep dive into her experience of having endometriosis, being hit by long COVID in perimenopause, and a lot of other stressors in her life. This type of situation is not unique to Aurélie, and it’s common among people who are dealing with complex chronic illnesses.

With at least 50% of the US population and a very large percentage of the global population expected to be struggling with long COVID within the next five to six years, we must take a closer look at how we support our clients.

In this episode, Aurélie and I discuss her endo diagnosis, her journey with long COVID and endometriosis, the importance of nervous system regulation, how wearables and tracking have helped, adapting your lifestyle to manage energy limitations, the significance of yoga, breathwork, and mindfulness, finding joy amidst health challenges, why we need to make deliberate choices about our health practices, reconnecting with your body, and more.

We went deep and detailed in this conversation, so we split the interview into two parts. Be sure to tune in to next week’s episode, during which we’ll continue the live case study with Aurélie.

Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/how-to-balance-hormones-in-perimenopause-with-endometriosis-and-long-covid-live-client-case-study-part-1/.

Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).

“My passion is to be able to change things for women. No one should be dismissed; no one should be told it's all in their head. We have so much catching up to do in women's health care.” - Heather Florio

When we work with complex chronic conditions, we have to become very integrative. In our practice, we take a multidisciplinary approach to helping women with bladder pain heal from the root causes by starting with a whole-system assessment.

When it comes to treatment, many of these cases cross systems and require us as practitioners to have a deep and well-understood toolbox to be able to work with these clients who have been struggling for years, if not decades. That toolbox will often include high-quality supplements, which, in many cases, can be safer and more effective than pharmaceuticals.

As practitioners, we need to ensure that the products we recommend to our clients are of good quality and efficacy and of high value for the cost. Today, I’m excited to explore this topic deeper with Heather Florio of Desert Harvest, who has been on the cutting edge of using aloe vera and other natural products for over 30 years.

In this conversation, Heather and I discuss the complexities of bladder pain, the use of aloe vera for managing conditions like interstitial cystitis, challenges with the diagnosis and treatment of complex bladder conditions, the role of diet and supplements in bladder health, the safety of long-term use of natural products, potential autoimmune aspects of bladder conditions, and more.

Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!

Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/how-to-heal-bladder-pain-syndrome-and-interstitial-cystitis-with-top-quality-aloe-as-part-of-the-protocol-with-heather-florio-ceo-of-desert-harvest/.

Connect with me and access our entire platform at IntegrativeWomensHealthInstitute.com (https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/).

Find and follow us @integrativewomenshealth on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@integrativewomenshealth) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/integrativewomenshealth/).