“Good surgery matters, but a lot of other things matter too.” - Dr. Sallie SarrelAt the Integrative Women’s Health Institute, we take a multidisciplinary approach to endometriosis care. From balancing the gut and uterine microbiomes to utilizing tools like hormone therapy and GLP-1 agonists, there are many more options available today for women with endometriosis.A big part of this shift resulted from the work of people like today’s guest, my friend and colleague Dr. Sallie Sarrel. After taking 23 years to get her endo diagnosis, Sallie has been a strong voice in advocating for people with endometriosis for her entire career. In addition, for the past seven-plus years, she has partnered with Dr. Andrea Vidali to produce The Endometriosis Summit, which is now expanding globally and highlights the integrative and multidisciplinary conversation we need around endometriosis care.In this conversation, Sallie and I discuss the need for a multidisciplinary approach to endometriosis treatment, her passion for advocacy, the role of physical therapy, nutrition, and mental health in managing endometriosis, misconceptions about menopause and endometriosis, the impact of the Endometriosis Summit, 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/cutting-edge-endometriosis-care-and-research-with-dr-sallie-sarrel/.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/).

“Filmmaking storytelling narratives can create large-scale social change.” - Shannon CohnLike many conditions that primarily affect women, endometriosis is a condition that still has more questions than answers. Conventional medicine tries hard to fit it into a one-size-fits-all box that can be treated with birth control pills and surgery, but in truth, it’s highly individual. What works for one may not work for someone else, and the best path forward is through a transformative amount of research funding and radical new approaches to that research.Today, I’m excited to be joined by producer Shannon Cohn, who is behind the fantastic films “Endo What?” and “Below the Belt.” Shannon is a rockstar in endometriosis advocacy at the highest levels. She’s not just education donors and large funders but also helping individuals share the lived experience of having endometriosis.In this conversation, we discuss challenges in advocacy and research, the need for a multidisciplinary approach, why systemic change is crucial, Shannon’s endometriosis journey, her films' role in raising awareness and driving policy change, and more.As you listen, think about how you could get better care if you're managing endometriosis yourself. Also, check out some of Shannon's recent wins in advocating for better research funding and a more multidisciplinary approach to using this funding. I think you’ll be inspired.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/update-on-the-state-of-womens-health-research-with-shannon-cohn-producer-of-endo-what-and-below-the-belt/.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/).

“Don't chase symptoms, optimize systems.” - Dr. Jessica DrummondFor over ten years, Federica Torri dealt with chronic GI symptoms and sometimes debilitating period pain without any answers about why it was happening. Finally, in late 2023, she received excision surgery and an endometriosis diagnosis. Since then, things have improved, but Federica still isn’t where she wants to be in terms of her vision for her health.In today’s episode, Federica shares her story as a case study to help you learn how we navigate complex chronic illnesses such as endometriosis through the health coaching lens. As part of her health team, you’ll see how we integrate her multidisciplinary practitioners and her day-to-day health behaviors to help her live healthfully with complex chronic illness while recovering from complex surgery.As you listen, look out for how I break down our seven-step system for working with any women's health, chronic or acute illnesses, not just giving them a list of things to do to get well, but helping them integrate these tools in a way that makes sense for their life, vision, and values.When your clients leave their appointment with you, the most important thing is that they feel like they are on the path to living their vision. Healing and living with complex chronic illness is a long-term experience, so clients will always have this underlying vulnerability. Our goal is to fit into their lives, what it means to be healthy at this moment, and how that can continue to expand. I hope that this episode will inform your practice and get you thinking in a coaching mindset, even if you’re working in a clinical setting.If you would like to apply to be a guest case study on a future episode of the podcast, please send an email to support@integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com and include the subject line “Application to be a case study on your podcast.”Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/case-study-endometriosis-with-federica-torri-and-dr-jessica-drummond/.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/).

“Health coaching is an opportunity for us to not just serve other women in creating healthier lives but also for us as women as well.” - Lesley WaldronThe decision to become a health coach creates a significant ripple effect. As coaches, we facilitate individual transformations that empower our clients and help them develop healthier relationships with their families and communities. In addition, many of our past students say that their training positively impacted their own lives and those around them, from their health to flexibility with their time and financial freedom.In today’s conversation, I’m excited to introduce you to Women’s Health Coach Lesley Waldron. After experiencing the power of coaching, Lesley pivoted away from her career as a personal trainer and decided to join the Integrative Women’s Health Institute’s Women’s Health Coach program. Over time, she niched down into a highly successful perimenopause and menopause practice to give her clients the tools and resources to stand independently.Lesley’s journey is a powerful one. It shows how we can find the balance of working on our passions while caring for our families and other important areas of our lives. It also is a great example of how important it is to be open to evolving your work when life’s challenges present themselves.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/menopause-and-caregiving-with-womens-health-coach-lesley-waldron/.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 lot of nuance is involved in a woman’s birth control decisions. From the type that makes sense for her to whether or not she wants to use birth control at all, there’s no single best solution for everyone.Unfortunately, that position doesn’t get much attention in the current media landscape, where sensationalism outperforms accuracy and extreme views overshadow everything else. As educators and influencers, we have to rise above these challenges and provide women with accurate, nuanced information that can guide them in making the best choices for their health.In March 2024, the Washington Post published an article titled “Women are getting off birth control amid misinformation explosion,” and in this episode, I’m sharing my thoughts on this article and how we, as women's health and wellness professionals, can utilize this type of media attention in our practices. I’m talking about the importance of informed consent, the responsibilities of healthcare professionals in educating women, the complexities of hormonal contraceptives, how profit-driven healthcare influences the media, how healthcare professionals can empower women, 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/the-washington-post-article-on-birth-control-i-have-thoughts-with-dr-jessica-drummond/.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/).

“To be able to serve women and bridge that gap so you don't have to access the healthcare system if you don't need to has been a beautiful transition for me.” - Anna OlchoweckiHave you ever felt like you wanted to do more in your career?There are many factors to consider when making the decision to change your career, follow your passion, and embrace new beginnings. That’s why it’s so valuable to hear from others who have been where you are and learn about their journey and lessons along the way.Today, I’m excited to introduce you to our Women's Health Coach graduate, Anna Olchowecki. Anna is a nurse in Canada who came from what she calls the crisis medical system. After 20 years of practicing as an RN, she wanted to focus more on preventative care and optimizing health for women in perimenopause and menopause.Through the program, Anna found a global community of supporters along with the resources she needed to make her career transition and grow a practice she’s excited about. Like many of our graduates, Anna is an innovator, and she’s on a mission to change women’s healthcare in Canada, especially in the workplace.Anna’s story is filled with insights for anyone interested in the future of women's healthcare, holistic approaches, and the journey of health professionals making the transition into coaching.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/meet-iwhi-graduate-womens-health-and-menopause-coach-anna-olchowecki/.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/).

“Never stop believing in yourself and your ability to heal. Find that healing mindset and be your own best advocate.” - Vashti KanaheleProductivity culture in the Western world continues to gain traction, making regulating the nervous system and finding community more foundational than sleep, nourishment, and mindfulness. Without that foundation, our tools simply are not as effective.Many people are living through an epidemic of loneliness, and we find that at the root of many of our clients’ complex illnesses. As coaches, we must help our clients and encourage them to shift into strategies that will strengthen their healing journey. People need communities that are about healing, not only about illness. We can guide them along that path.Today’s guest, women’s health coach Vashti Kanahele, joins me to talk about her book, Passports and Parasites, and share her experiences living around the world while dealing with her own health challenges.In this conversation, Vashti and I discuss her path to becoming a women's health coach, the importance of community, what it was like navigating healthcare systems in different countries, the doctor-coach model she employs to support clients with complex chronic illnesses, why nervous system regulation is a foundational element of overall health and wellbeing, the impact of chronic stress on health, 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/passports-and-parasites-share-your-story-and-grow-your-practice-with-womens-health-coach-vashti-kanahele/.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/).

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.” - Carl JungWorking with trauma and the nervous system is a crucial part of addressing chronic disease. In recent years, functional medicine and conventional medicine are getting better at acknowledging that mental and physical health are not separate issues. They're the same thing.For many people, deep diving into labwork, supplement protocols, and complex nutrition and movement plans doesn’t yield the results they’re going for. It can even sometimes start making people worse if we don’t put these protocols into a context that also addresses the underlying root cause trauma. As practitioners, we have to learn a new skill set to help people heal both mind and body and feel more connected even when they’re hurting.Today, I’m joined by Michael Roesslein to explore what it means to go beyond functional medicine. Starting his career as a trainer, Michael quickly realized that to help his clients the way he wanted to, he needed to be able to support them in their nutrition and overall health. Later, after years in the functional medicine space, Michael became a big advocate for the need to simultaneously address physical and emotional health. In this conversation, Michael and I discuss why it’s crucial to address trauma and nervous system regulation in chronic health conditions, the interconnectedness of physical and emotional health, the role of societal and cultural factors in health challenges, the impact of loneliness and isolation, how self-compassion and personalized somatic healing practices can benefit overall health and well-being, and more.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!Register for FREE for Michael Roesslein’s Beyond Functional Medicine: Deep Healing & Advanced Therapies Summit March 25-31, 2024 https://beyondfunctionalmedicine.byhealthmeans.com/?idev_id=26750Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/beyond-functional-medicine-with-educator-somatic-facilitator-michael-roesslein/.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/).

“Take your time, decide on one thing that you're going to focus on, and keep coming back.” - Pamela WindleThe workplace is where women spend most of their time, and far too often, they’re leaving because they’ve lost sight of themselves due to the transition into menopause. Seeing this trend, workplaces are increasingly investing in ensuring their staff have the right tools and resources to remain at work.Today, I’m joined by Pamela Windle, a Women’s Health Coach who is making waves and actively working to change the UK’s government policy on menopause and menstrual health. While working through her health issues and becoming certified, Pamela saw the massive gap in how women’s health was addressed. Now, she’s talking to leaders of top global companies about how to support the women in their companies to retain them as employees and improve their quality of life at work.In this conversation, Pamela and I discuss her work with the government, why she chose to make the transition into health coaching, the limited understanding of menopause in society and the workplace, her efforts to educate and advocate for better support systems, how her health challenges influenced her career, the difference it makes for he to have the continuing support through the IWHI, why we should commit to continuous learning, 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/changing-the-conversation-on-menopause-in-the-workplace-with-womens-health-coach-pamela-windle/.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/).

Finding an hour for yourself each day can be tricky. Between managing clients, dealing with kids and aging parents, job changes, and life transitions, most of us aren’t prioritizing our sleep foundation. As practitioners, despite being equipped to support people through difficult situations, we are not immune to them. We’re human, and we have to be sensitive to ourselves and recognize when it’s time to tweak our self-care.Today’s guest, Ayurvedic Practitioner, and author Deepa Kannan, found herself in such a situation as she dealt with the challenges of a difficult marriage and divorce, then later, a child with a health condition that left him vulnerable. Through the stress of it all, she went for years on terrible sleep and health issues. After being introduced to functional medicine, Deepa recognized that getting better sleep requires an individualized approach that addresses the whole person.In this episode, Deepa discusses sleep optimization and her book, How to Sleep Better. She shares her sleep challenges and holistic approach to better sleep, which blends Eastern and Western wisdom, the impact of stress on sleep, the benefits of self-care practices like oil massage, the balance between cortisol and oxytocin, the pros and cons of different sleep positions, unique sleep issues faced by women during hormonal transitions, 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-sleep-better-with-sleep-expert-deepa-kannan/.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/).

All our clients are looking for a golden pill to help with sleep.It’s the number one complaint we hear from our clients, but the reality is that it just doesn’t exist. There’s no super supplement that’s going to fix our sleep overnight.What works is creating healthy foundations to optimize sleep.In today’s episode, I’m exploring exercise and supplement strategies for optimal sleep in perimenopause and menopause. I’ll share what research shows about how different types of exercise affect sleep, why it’s crucial to assess stress resilience before introducing intense workouts, foundational movement for better sleep, the biochemistry of sleep, how we can help our clients directly support their brains using evidence-based nutrient supplements, and more.As a women’s health or wellness practitioner, I hope this episode inspires you to tweak your self-care routine so you can get better sleep. Then, I hope you’ll utilize your coaching skills and all the tools you carry to see where your client's foundational sleep strategies can be optimized.Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/perimenopause-menopause-and-sleep/.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/).

Welcome to the Integrative Women’s Health Podcast! Join me, Dr. Jessica Drummond, DCN, CNS, PT, NBC-HWC, and true innovators in the field of women's health for weekly conversations on topics including conventional medicine, integrative medicine, holistic medicine, lifestyle medicine, traditional medicines, and innovative technologies in women's health that you’re not going to find anywhere else.In addition to these insightful expert conversations, you’ll also hear directly from me for deep dives into your hottest questions and coaching sessions with women struggling with health challenges at different stages of the women's health lifespan.I'm so excited to bring you this podcast as an extension of our platform at the Integrative Women's Health Institute, where we’ve been training women's health and wellness professionals in innovative, integrative tools and strategies for women's health that start with foundations of root cause healing for over 20 years. I can't wait to go on this journey with you!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/).