Women's Fertility & Lifestyle Debate: Dangers Of Not Having A Period! Fasting Can Backfire For Women
Women's Fertility & Lifestyle Debate: Dangers Of Not Having A Period! Fasting Can Backfire For Women
Women's Fertility & Lifestyle Debate: Dangers Of Not Having A Period! Fasting Can Backfire For Women
A panel of leading women's health experts sheds light on the systemic gaps in medical research and care that have long marginalized female physiology. From fertility to menopause, they challenge outdated norms and reveal how hormonal health is deeply intertwined with metabolism, lifestyle, and overall well-being.
The discussion highlights how women’s health has been historically underfunded and misunderstood, resulting in delayed diagnoses for conditions like PCOS and endometriosis. Hormones are framed as vital messengers affecting every organ, with menstrual cycles serving as key indicators of metabolic and reproductive health. Insulin resistance is identified as a root driver of PCOS, while lifestyle factors like sleep, stress, diet, and exercise profoundly influence fertility and perimenopause. The panel critiques overreliance on birth control to mask symptoms, warns against fasting and overtraining, and emphasizes natural cycle awareness. Wearables often misinterpret women’s physiology due to lack of sex-specific data. Fertility declines significantly with age, but proactive measures like egg freezing and optimizing metabolic health can help. Perimenopause begins earlier than commonly recognized, bringing increased risks for mental health crises, yet remains poorly managed. Hormone replacement therapy is presented as a beneficial, underused tool—not for reversing aging, but for supporting brain, bone, and sexual health during this transition.
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00:00
Endometriosis diagnosis takes an average of 7 years due to lack of research funding
05:42
05:42
Less than 1% of $450 billion US research funding goes to women's health despite women being the majority of the population
10:51
10:51
Men have more fast-twitch muscle fibers; women have more endurance fibers affecting performance and metabolism
12:12
12:12
Women's heart attacks are often misclassified as 'atypical' due to diffuse microvascular blockages.
16:58
16:58
Having a menstrual cycle was seen as a flaw in female athletes, but it is actually a sign of health.
19:14
19:14
Women's health complaints are often dismissed due to gender bias
24:54
24:54
There's no real definition of a 'normal' menstrual cycle as every woman's is variable.
26:26
26:26
A normal menstrual cycle is regular and predictable, typically between 25 and 35 days.
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31:09
Irregular menstrual cycles are a red flag for hormonal or systemic problems
33:45
33:45
PCOS is a metabolic response to high insulin levels
35:18
35:18
PCOS may be genetic, causing insulin resistance in the ovaries, leading to high glucose, inflammation, and changes in metabolic and hormonal health.
44:58
44:58
Fasting disrupts hormone pulses and increases cravings in women with PCOS
50:41
50:41
Losing your period is not a badge of honor—it's a health warning.
52:56
52:56
Any change in period flow can be a warning sign of hormonal imbalance
1:01:30
1:01:30
Lab reference ranges are based on population averages, which may lead to accepting sub-optimal levels as normal.
1:03:58
1:03:58
Stage four infiltrating endometriosis was confirmed after a private MRI following years of undiagnosed pain and negative NHS assessments
1:11:20
1:11:20
All stages of endometriosis affect fertility, not just severe cases.
1:15:29
1:15:29
Timing cold water exposure before periods can train the immune system to reduce inflammation in endometriosis
1:20:49
1:20:49
Avoided birth control pills to protect athletic performance
1:31:17
1:31:17
Celiac disease caused chronic inflammation and recurrent pregnancy loss due to undiagnosed malabsorption during critical bone-building years.
1:33:54
1:33:54
Maximize bone density and muscle mass in youth—it pays off as you age
1:35:18
1:35:18
Regulating periods through weight gain instead of birth control
1:40:12
1:40:12
Progesterone-only contraceptives prevent ovulation and reduce estrogen levels, impacting hormonal health.
1:41:20
1:41:20
Estetrol-based birth control pills are now available in the UK
1:51:26
1:51:26
Estrogen drop before menstruation can cause significant dysphoria and mood changes.
2:09:45
2:09:45
Many high-achieving women face emotional distress when dealing with infertility later in life
2:15:55
2:15:55
50% of infertility is due to male factors, yet the burden is often placed on women
2:23:35
2:23:35
Chronic inflammation and insulin resistance harm egg mitochondria and metabolic function, impacting fertility even in healthy women
2:27:15
2:27:15
Marijuana use by men increases the rate of pregnancy loss in their partners
2:31:37
2:31:37
One in four pregnancies end in loss, and two consecutive losses warrant medical evaluation.
2:37:05
2:37:05
Employers should offer flexibility for women to align work with hormonal cycles.
2:41:18
2:41:18
Menopause is defined as one year after the final menstrual period.
2:48:00
2:48:00
Women over 35 who don't feel well should assume perimenopause and seek help
2:57:11
2:57:11
Waiting a year to address menopause can lead to severe health risks including suicide and bone loss
2:57:34
2:57:34
Low estrogen can drastically impact a woman's quality of life at any age
2:59:04
2:59:04
Early perimenopausal hormone therapy improves mood and cognition better than SSRIs.
3:10:43
3:10:43
Menopause allows cutting out unimportant things and becoming more authentic
3:21:54
3:21:54
Women with higher natural testosterone levels experience less frailty as they age.
3:27:43
3:27:43
Low-dose vaginal estrogen has local benefits without systemic risks.
