Science, medicine and mythology of menstruation | Dr. Jen Gunter & Dr. Sarah Berry

Learn how your body responds to food. Take our FREE quiz 👉 http://zoe.com/podcast 🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30 https://bit.ly/ZOEDaily30 *Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system In today’s episode, we’re talking about periods. Jonathan and Sarah are joined by “The internet’s gynecologist” Dr Jen Gunter to get a better understanding of our body's behavior during the menstrual cycle. Jen will provide you with her period toolkit and offer solutions to the most common problems of modern-day period health. Dr. Jen Gunter is a gynecologist and pain medicine physician at the Permanente Medical Group in northern California. Her books ‘The Vagina Bible’ and ‘The Menopause Manifesto’ were both New York Times bestsellers. Her 2024 book ‘Blood’ tackles the science, medicine and mythology of menstruation. Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe Timecodes: 00:00 Introduction to Jen Gunter 01:34 Quickfire questions 03:01 Shame culture around menstruation 04:50 The evolution and purpose of the menstrual cycle 07:00 Menstrual cycle mechanics 11:46 Understanding heavy periods and iron deficiency 14:37 Addressing period pain and discomfort 20:28 The brain-ovary connection 24:12 Diet, appetite, and periods: what's the connection? 28:51 Understanding PMS and PMDD 30:03 PMS causes and symptoms 32:34 Treatment options for PMS and PMDD 34:38 Demystifying polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) 38:39 The role of diet and obesity in PCOS 40:18 Advice for managing PMS 43:05 Menstrual cramps and pain management 48:06 Iron supplementation strategies 📚 Dr. Jen Gunter’s books: - The Menopause Manifesto: https://amzn.to/454Y7rU - Blood: The Science, Medicine, and Mythology of Menstruation: https://amzn.to/45lrW81 📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists: - Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati: https://amzn.to/4blJsLg - Recipes for a Better Menopause by Dr Federica Amati: https://amzn.to/4aAzox0 - Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector: https://amzn.to/455DqMz Studies related to today’s episode: Prevalence of Iron Deficiency and Iron-Deficiency Anemia in US Females Aged 12-21 Years, 2003-2020, from the Journal of the American Medical Association Link: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2806540 The Role of Estrogen in Insulin Resistance: A Review of Clinical and Preclinical Data, from The American Journal of Pathology Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002944021002455 Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here: https://gf6hx47iu5g.typeform.com/topicsuggestion Episode transcripts are available here: https://joinzoe.com/learn/category/nutrition/podcast