Dr. Cordovez: Bunnie's Dr. on Sleep, Obesity, & Medicine

Summary

Podcast Title: Dumb Blonde
Host/Producer: Dumb Blonde Productions
Episode: Dr. Cordovez: Bunnie's Dr. on Sleep, Obesity, & Medicine
Release Date: June 9, 2025

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Introduction to Dr. Leah Cordova

In this engaging episode of the Dumb Blonde podcast, host Bunnie XO welcomes Dr. Leah Cordova, affectionately known as Dr. C, to discuss a broad spectrum of health-related topics. Dr. Cordova, an integrative medicine practitioner, brings a wealth of knowledge from her unique background and personal experiences, providing listeners with insightful perspectives on sleep, obesity, and modern medicine.

Dr. Cordova's Journey to Integrative Medicine

Dr. Cordova shares her inspiring journey from Panama to the United States, highlighting the challenges and triumphs she encountered along the way.

• Early Life and Education:
  [08:08] Dr. Cordova: "I was going to practice on a mountain and get paid in mangoes. But then I got married, and I ended up here in Nashville."

• Medical Training:
  [13:35] Dr. Cordova: "It's six years instead of four for medical school in Panama. The entrance exam was highly competitive, with 2,500 applicants for 130 spots."

• Transition to the U.S.:
  [16:23] Dr. Cordova: "Moving to the U.S. introduced me to a different medical culture. For instance, pancreatitis in Panama is often caused by scorpion bites, a condition rare here."

The Importance of Patient-Doctor Relationships

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the vital role of building strong, personal relationships between doctors and patients.

• Personalized Care:
  [06:36] Dr. Cordova: "Something makes it easy. It's so much better to just call me. I've seen everything at least 10 times."

• Establishing Trust:
  [27:25] Dr. Cordova: "You have to establish that relationship. I love you, I respect you, I'm going to take care of you, and you're safe."

Integrative Approaches to Common Health Issues

Dr. Cordova delves into various health topics, offering integrative solutions that combine traditional medicine with holistic practices.

1. Sleep Patterns

• Understanding Sleep Needs:
  [45:09] Dr. Cordova: "We were designed to sleep in two stages. As we age, our sleep patterns change, and we often wake up early due to hormonal shifts."

• Improving Sleep Quality:
  [46:02] Dr. Cordova: "The magic number is five hours of quality sleep, focusing on deep REM cycles that reset the brain."

2. Obesity Management

• Customized Treatment Plans:
  [30:08] Dr. Cordova: "We talk about how you’re sleeping, eating, and feeling. For example, a patient with high cholesterol was able to manage it by addressing insulin resistance."

• Modern Medical Solutions:
  [36:35] Dr. Cordova: "Obesity medicine in 2025 includes powerful injections that target hunger, cravings, and satiety by acting on the gut and brain."

• Lifestyle Integration:
  [38:32] Dr. Cordova: "Exercise, especially weightlifting, increases muscle mass, which boosts metabolism and overall calorie burn."

3. Endometriosis

• Understanding the Condition:
  [41:21] Dr. Cordova: "Endometriosis involves inflammation where tissue outside the uterus responds to hormonal surges, causing pain."

• Management Strategies:
  [42:45] Dr. Cordova: "Calcium and magnesium can help reduce inflammation, and cutting out sugar is crucial as it exacerbates inflammation."

4. Perimenopause

• Recognizing Symptoms:
  [49:26] Dr. Cordova: "Perimenopause can cause vaginal dryness and skin itching due to fluctuating estrogen levels."

• Treatment Options:
  [50:40] Dr. Cordova: "Black cohosh, plant sterols, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can alleviate symptoms if appropriate for the patient."

5. H. Pylori Infections

• Accurate Diagnosis:
  [47:24] Dr. Cordova: "Use stool antigen or breath tests instead of blood tests to accurately diagnose H. Pylori."

• Treatment Recommendations:
  [48:52] Dr. Cordova: "Advocate for proper testing before attempting home remedies, ensuring you're addressing the actual infection."

6. Constipation Solutions

• Dietary Adjustments:
  [52:40] Dr. Cordova: "Increase fiber intake gradually to 35-40 grams daily and ensure adequate hydration to prevent constipation."

• Supplement Recommendations:
  [53:57] Dr. Cordova: "Magnesium glycinate or citrate can aid in bowel movements and relax the brain."

7. Stem Cell Therapy

• Current Practices:
  [54:47] Dr. Cordova: "Stem cells from umbilical cords are more versatile compared to adult stem cells, which are limited in their potential in older individuals."

• Availability:
  [56:30] Dr. Cordova: "Umbilical cord stem cells often require international sourcing, making them less accessible in the U.S."

8. Blood Pressure Management

• Natural Remedies:
  [57:07] Dr. Cordova: "Cutting salt intake, increasing magnesium, regular exercise, and meditation can significantly lower blood pressure."

• Lifestyle Changes:
  [58:45] Bunnie XO: "Diet change is paramount as it often triggers high blood pressure."

9. Mammograms

• Importance and Technology:
  [61:22] Dr. Cordova: "Mammograms are essential for early detection of breast cancer. Modern technology has made the process less uncomfortable."

• Radiation Concerns:
  [63:03] Dr. Cordova: "The radiation from mammograms is minimal and comparable to daily exposure during transatlantic flights."

10. Shingles and PTSD

• Long-term Effects:
  [64:14] Dr. Cordova: "Severe shingles can lead to PTSD, manifested as high anxiety, nightmares, and persistent stress."

• Therapeutic Approaches:
  [64:34] Dr. Cordova: "EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) can help process traumatic experiences associated with shingles."

Listener Questions and Expert Answers

Throughout the episode, Bunnie XO fields questions from listeners, with Dr. Cordova providing expert advice:

1. Endometriosis and Pain Management:
   [41:19] Listener Shannon: Struggles with stage four endometriosis affecting her ability to work.
   [42:45] Dr. Cordova: Suggests calcium, magnesium supplements, and reducing sugar intake to manage inflammation.

2. Perimenopause Itching:
   [49:16] Listener Brandy: Experiences severe itching during perimenopause.
   [49:43] Dr. Cordova: Recommends black cohosh, plant sterols, and hormone therapy to alleviate symptoms.

3. Constipation Without Meat Consumption:
   [52:37] Listener from Missouri: Constipated despite a high-fiber, vegetarian diet.
   [53:02] Dr. Cordova: Advises increasing total fiber intake, ensuring proper hydration, and incorporating magnesium supplements.

4. Mammogram Concerns:
   [61:21] Listener: Worried about the discomfort and radiation from mammograms.
   [61:38] Dr. Cordova: Emphasizes the life-saving benefits of early detection and reassures about the minimal radiation exposure.

5. Post-Shingles Anxiety:
   [63:03] Listener Elizabeth: Suffers from high anxiety and nightmares following a severe shingles episode.
   [64:14] Dr. Cordova: Links the trauma from shingles to PTSD and suggests therapeutic interventions like EMDR.

Concluding Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, Dr. Cordova emphasizes the importance of building strong patient relationships and advocating for one's health. She encourages listeners to take proactive steps in managing their well-being through integrative practices and personalized medical care.

• Final Advice:
  [35:13] Dr. Cordova: "Strong is beautiful. It's not about thinness or clothing sizes; it's about emotional and physical strength."

• Encouragement to Advocate:
  [32:06] Bunnie XO: "Always advocate for yourself. Speak up and find your tribe who will listen and support you."

Resources and Contact Information

For listeners interested in Dr. Cordova’s services, she provides the following details:

• Practice Name: Be Well Integrative Health
• Location: Franklin, on the corner of Brentwood and Franklin
• Website: bewellihp.com

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This episode offers a comprehensive look into integrative medicine through the lens of Dr. Leah Cordova’s experiences and expertise. Whether you're grappling with sleep issues, obesity, hormonal changes, or chronic conditions, Dr. Cordova's insights provide valuable guidance for achieving holistic health and wellness.

Transcript

[Bunny XO]

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[Dr. Leah Cordova]

We can totally keep our relationship private.

[Bunny XO]

No. Do you want to or no, no, no, I'm fine. Okay.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

I don't want to like out you to.

[Bunny XO]

No, I wanted to brag to everybody. What? Are you kidding? You fucking put up with my shit all the time. Like, what shit?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

No, there's no shit.

[Bunny XO]

I literally have a crisis every fucking week.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Every week. No, but you crisis.

[Bunny XO]

I'm like, what is happening? I have a new one. No, I have a new one I haven't even talked to you about. I freaking have like this pain in my left side that this is going to get graphic. I'm sorry, but how many are you recording?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yep.

[Bunny XO]

Oh, are you okay? Okay, we can do it. No, we can do it on the podcast because I have no shame. All right, so I was just about to tell you guys my ailment, but let me welcome my favorite human in the world, Dr. Leah Cordova. But I call her Dr. C. And this woman, I'm telling you, is just a gift from God. And I once you guys hear her story and actually get to, like, hear her speak today on the podcast. You guys are going to fall in love with her just as much as I am. Dr. C, thank you for being here.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Thank you for having me. It's so cool, dude.

[Bunny XO]

I'm happy to have you here. You just have always had the best energy.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Thank you.

[Bunny XO]

It's. It's amazing. So I was just going into why I love you so much, too, is because I literally call you every week with a crisis. You're. You're like my personal doctor. So anytime I have an ailment, which is every day, I literally text this woman freaking out. I'm like, do I need a CAT scan? Do I need to do this? What's happened? Like, last week, my eye. That was a crazy thing that was going on with my eye, and she healed it. It was fine. And she always is so calm. You're so calm. Like, when I call you freaking out, you're just like, no, this is how you got to do it. Let's do this. Don't freak out. Everything's fine.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

So, yeah, well, calm.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

It doesn't come easy, but it comes with time. And all of the things that you send me are super easy. It's so much better to just call me. Don't. Don't even worry about freaking out. I've seen everything at least 10 times.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So it makes it easy.

[Bunny XO]

Yes. I was just telling you about my new ailment. So while you're here, let's talk about it.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

What you got?

[Bunny XO]

I keep having this pain on my left hand side when I orgasm, when I poop, and sometimes when I pee it. Like, And I. I've googled it, and they said it's diverticulitis.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Okay.

[Bunny XO]

And I'm, like, freaking out now because you know how I am. I try to fix things.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So just at rest, it doesn't hurt.

[Bunny XO]

No, at rest, it doesn't hurt. But if I'm pushing out or if my muscles are spasming, it hurts.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So that means that something moving in there has to. Has to move to. So something has to move in there to irritate it, which means it's probably something that's inflamed. A ligament, a muscle. It might be a little bit of an ovarian cyst, but something is irritated in there. That high, it could be. Wow, your hip flexor can be up that high. But if it's something that comes and goes, and I tell everybody this, the bad, bad things come and stay. Oh, yeah, they're not going to come say hi. I'll be back next week. If it's really bad, it's going to come and stay. Diverticulitis doesn't let you go.

[Bunny XO]

Okay.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Until you do something about it. So.

[Bunny XO]

See what I'm saying? She always calms me down.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

I would say. Yeah. I would say it's something inflamed, and if it persists a long, long time or it gets worse or it lasts longer, it starts happening at rest, then that's when I'd want to see you. And maybe think about an ultrasound or a scan.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

But nothing is as good as somebody who knows you.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

And I think that helps it be calm. I know you. I know how healthy you are. And it's easy for me to. No, it's not that. And. But it's not that particular life. It ain't.

[Bunny XO]

I love it. She looks at my blood work, too. This woman knows the road map to my soul, so.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Well, it's easy to work with Danny, right?

[Bunny XO]

Yeah. And you. So you. How do you and Danny know each other? Because all of you guys know Danny, who comes on the podcast. You guys absolutely love her. She is friends with Danny also. How do you guys know each other?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Well, we're colleagues. So she's an integrative nurse practitioner, and I am a doctor who did internal medicine. So I trained in the Western internal medicine system and I did a two year fellowship in integrative medicine. So what that means is I can bring the science and the nature into whatever needs to be done to make you better. So Danny does a lot of integrative, and I do a mixture of both.

[Bunny XO]

Yes.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So we're similar, but just a little different.

[Bunny XO]

I love that. It's like. Yeah, it's like your own little flare on it. I dig it so much. So my husband was telling me that you have a really cool story, and I told him I wanted to be wowed on the podcast, so he gave me, like, little bits and pieces of it. But I want to hear your story. Like, where did you come from? Why did you get into medicine? All that jazz.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah. So I was. I'm from Panama.

[Bunny XO]

Okay.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

And I don't think I've ever known anything else. It's always been. I've always known that I was going to be a doctor. But life in Panama was not easy. There was not a lot of opportunities, so I had to keep taking turns and changing directions to do what I needed to do. We ended up in. We moved from Panama to a little town called Mount Pleasant, which is about 30 or 40 miles from here. And then I went to Vanderbilt for school. After that, I decided I'm going to go back home and practice. Anybody who knows me knows I've said this a million times. I was going to practice on a mountain and get paid in mangoes. But then I got married, and I ended up here in Nashville. It just has always felt like the thing that I had to do. It was never easy, but whatever direction life took me, I went with it until I could get back on track. And so I ended up working at St Thomas for a lot of years, and I just couldn't figure out what was missing from my practice. And it ends up that it's the time and the relationship with your patient. It's not possible for someone to call you and say, hey, my right side or my left side hurts, and. And then be able to think through what it could be, unless you know that patient. So then I. I decided to leave the practice of medicine at St. Thomas, and I opened up my little practice where I can spend as much time as I need to to get to know my patient. And that is that practicing medicine calmly is so cool.

[Bunny XO]

I love that. So let's circle back, because you breeze over so much. So you grew up in Panama, and you Even. You just knew that you wanted to help people.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Always. Always. While all the other little girls were playing with Barbies. Yeah, I had a little box of Band Aids, and I would. I would go to watch the boys play soccer, just waiting for one of them to fall. And then I'd. I'd put Band Aids and hydrogen peroxide, and that was my thing. Always, Always, always.

[Bunny XO]

So, like a nurturer from the start. Was there anything that happened to you in your childhood that maybe pushed you in that direction? Or do you think maybe it was, like, from a past life that you were, like, a medicine woman or something?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

You know, I want to believe in. In a past life, I. I had some sort of magic.

[Bunny XO]

I believe you did. For sure. I'm. I'm so into that. And listen, I just did. You can do your past lives. I don't know if you guys know this, but you can do your past lives and your soul contracts on chat. GPT now.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Are you kidding? Kidding.

[Bunny XO]

Yes. We need to do yours. And I would love to see it, because I was. I was a healer in a lot of my past lives. I was also a hooker in one. I was also, like, a military person. Like, it's crazy, but when you go back in your past lives, you start seeing this, and you're just like, this makes so much sense as to why I have been the way I've been my entire life.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

So I would be curious to see if maybe you were, like, a medicine woman and maybe one of your past lives.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

I hope so.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah. I hope so, because you're like a medicine woman now.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

It feels so natural. It feels so natural. Yeah. I love it.

[Bunny XO]

I love it. So how do you get. How do you go to school? Medical school in Panama. How does that happen?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Well, it wasn't easy.

[Bunny XO]

Okay.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

It wasn't easy. I remember I was a little bit lost. So. So it was. There was a big event that happened my senior year in college, and I just didn't have the money to re enroll, and I was kind of rolling around. What am I going to do? I'm never going to get this done. This is going to be horrible. I did that for a while, just trying to find my way. I audited classes while I took the MCATs, and I just kept spinning my wheels. But somebody I met in Miami when I was 21 years old, which, by the way, is a whole nother story.

[Bunny XO]

Oh, yeah. Miami, back in the days, was lit, dude.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Oh, my God, it was lit so good. Somebody in Miami said, why don't you just go to medical school in Panama? And I said, what? Okay. So I found the number, I called, and I said, how much does it cost to go to medical school? And they said, $19. Oh, what? $19 a semester? Seriously? Can I, like, can. Where do I apply? Sign me up.

[Bunny XO]

So is it the same type of medical school that you would have in.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

The US it's a little bit harder.

[Bunny XO]

Wow.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yes. So it's six years instead of four years.

[Bunny XO]

Wow.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

And. And 2, 500 people at least. The year that I applied, 2,500 people took the psychological aptitude test. And if you pass that, then you could take the. The entrance exam. So 2,500 people applied, 130 people got in, and 30 of us graduated. So it's no freaking joke. But I applied, I applied, I got in, I moved to Panama, and I lived with a friend. And of course, everybody said, it's not going to work. You're not going to be able to do it. You're wasting your time going there. But I knew that that's what I had to do. And nothing. Nothing. Things distracted me for sure, but nothing could take that. It wasn't okay to do anything else.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah. It was just etched in your soul.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Etched in my soul. So I lived wherever I had to live.

[Bunny XO]

Yes. Survival Mode.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Survival mode. For six years and finished.

[Bunny XO]

Wow.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

So all six years, just trying to make it grueling and then you finally graduate.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

What happens after you graduate? Do you just instantly get into a practice? Because I heard you say that you were going to get paid by mangoes.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

That's what I wanted.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

That's what. Mangoes and chickens. Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah. So I love that. You're like, I'm a doctor, just pay me a mangoes and chicken.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Mangoes.

[Bunny XO]

I love that.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah. Not the green ones. The. The space between my first and second semester of the last year of medical school. I came to visit my mother here, and I met the man who would be my husband.

[Bunny XO]

Is your family from Panama and then your mom moved here? Yes. Okay, gotcha.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yes. My father is still there. I have siblings there, aunts and uncles. I have a brother and sister here. But it was. It was love. And he tried living there, didn't work. We moved back. And that lasted 11 years.

[Bunny XO]

Oh, yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

No, it's great.

[Bunny XO]

No, I love that. 11 years is a good run, man.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah, yeah, It's a good run.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

So was he a doctor too?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

No. No.

[Bunny XO]

Okay.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

No.

[Bunny XO]

So you moved to the U.S. what was it like doing medicine in Panama and then coming here to do medicine? Was it kind of like a culture shock? A little bit.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

It was a little bit of culture shock. I was amazed at how much sooner things get taken care of here. So by the time a patient comes to the doctor in Panama, it is super far gone, so.

[Bunny XO]

Oh, no.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah. Breast cancers were. Yeah. Were super advanced. It's. It's just on a culture where. Where self care.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Is a priority. Maybe because there's just not that. Not the availability, not the money. I worked at the public hospital, so it was pretty rough. So when I came here, I thought, girl, that's nothing.

[Bunny XO]

Right.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

I've seen it so many times. Yeah. But we also had stuff that you don't see here. Right. So pancreatitis here is usually from alcohol use and pancreatitis there is from a scorpion bite. So. Yeah. So I was always just a little off on my diagnostic skills. And we couldn't feel like you've been.

[Bunny XO]

Bit by a scorpion out here.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Exactly. And yeah, I was off for about six months until I caught on that we had changed latitudes. Yeah. The tropical diseases that didn't exist here, that was a switch. And parasites are so common there, not so common here. Just big differences like that. But in a third world country, in a system where medicine is taught clinically, you have to put your hands on the patient, listen, feel percuss. You have to figure out what's going on before you order any imaging. So that was incredibly valuable. That was really cool to bring with me. Me.

[Bunny XO]

Wow.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah. Before we could order an X ray, you had to know how high up the fluid was in what lung.

[Bunny XO]

Wow.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

So that just made you like precision sharp whenever you got here.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah, yeah.

[Bunny XO]

Because you just knew what to look for.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah, that helps a lot.

[Bunny XO]

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[C]

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[Bunny XO]

So, yeah, take me on this journey of starting your own practice. Because you said that you worked at St. Thomas, which is actually a great hospital. Anytime had, like, heart problems or anything like that, I would always go to St. Thomas, and they always did such a great. When I. They misdiagnosed me with a freaking brain aneurysm last year.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah, it was wild. St. Thomas is actually. Aren't they the ones who. The. The. The. What is it called? Vascular surgeon there was like, you do not have a brain aneurysm. And then I got a second opinion, too. And he was like, you do not have a brain aneurysm. And I was just like, oh, my God, thank you. But, yeah, St. Thomas is like a prestigious hospital. And what did you do there? So were you, like, emergency medicine?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So I. When I came from Panama. So even if you've done a residency in another country, you have to do another one here.

[Bunny XO]

Yikes.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So when I came from Panama, I applied to several residencies and. And. And the one at Baptist. It used to be Baptist. St. Thomas was the. Was the best fit for me. So I did a residency there. And residencies are generally July 1 through June 30. At the end of my residency year, I didn't feel like I knew enough, so I did a chief residency year. And. And by the time that year was over on June 30th was my last day as Chief. July 1st at 9 o' clock, I was in the office ready to see a patient.

[Bunny XO]

So during a residency, you can't have patients or you. Or you're under somebody.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

You're under somebody. So it's the residency, the clinic, at the. With the residents. But once you go from being a resident to being an attending. Yeah. You get paid three or four times more.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah. And not mango, chicken.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

All you. Right. That's right. That's a lot of freaking mangoes. Yeah, that's a lot. You get a lot more mangoes. But it's all you. It's all. You can't turn around and go, what do you think this is? Yeah, it's all you. And I could not, not wait. So. Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

I love the tenacity that you have.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah. Yeah. It always had to happen, Bunny. Like, it always had to happen. There was no. There was no compromising. It just had to happen.

[Bunny XO]

I love that.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

So when you finally get to see your first patient, what's the diagnosis? What. What happened?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Listen, I still, like. I feel like if I could look that chart up and apologize to him. No, this is a horrible story. I don't think I should say it.

[Bunny XO]

We can always cut it if you want. Okay, listen, because you got to tell it now.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Okay, I gotta tell it. Okay. So internist. So internal medicine is everything you can't cut out, right. So blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid, Anything you can't cut out is what I take care of. So most of my patients are either high blood pressure or diabetes or thyroid. On the first day of my. Of my first gig, I was seeing other doctors. Patients that were being put on my schedule just overflow while I built up my clinic. Notoriously, internists are horrible at rashes.

[Bunny XO]

Oh yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Horrible at rashes. So the very first patient, bless his sweet soul, was a rash. And where's the rash? Right. My very first patient with his sweet wife.

[Bunny XO]

Oh, no.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Came for help with a rash on his. On his glance. And.

[Bunny XO]

I remember his glands.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

It's the. You know, the. His penis.

[Bunny XO]

Okay.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

His penis.

[Bunny XO]

Okay, gotcha. I didn't know. I thought it was butthole. I instantly went for. I instantly went for butthole.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

No, I wish was the puddle. It would have felt better like with him facing the other way, you know.

[Bunny XO]

But I gotta look the other eye, buddy.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

I know that he could see it in my face when I went, ah.

[Bunny XO]

Ah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah. And today I have the maturity to say, eh, I don't know. But that day I just.

[Bunny XO]

Did we ever figure out what the rash was?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Well, I gave him a little cream.

[Bunny XO]

Oh, I.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Cream. And it got better.

[Bunny XO]

Oh, good.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So I can't. I cannot say that I knew exactly what that was.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

But it was the most. It was the hardest.

[Bunny XO]

God's got a sense of humor, right?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yes. Yes, it was. It was the one thing I probably could never have solved on the first day of my first job.

[Bunny XO]

Why was it. Was it. Can. Can I ask? Was it like herpes or was it like a heat rash? Or was it like you just. It was like fell under an umbrella of just.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

It was, it was, it was. Listen, I would not have. Even if I had that somewhere on my body, I would probably not have gone to the doctor. Oh, it was such a subtle, tiny little rash.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

That. I mean, I. I cannot imagine what my face was like when I was like.

[Bunny XO]

His wife probably made him go, she's probably like, you're fucking around. We're going to the doctor. You know what I'm saying? That's why she was there with him.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah, Maybe They. They both seem to super sweet. They were a super sweet couple. But it I don't know. Yeah, I still don't know. I've never seen anything like it again. And. And it got better. Yeah. I love that.

[Bunny XO]

She's like, I gave him cream. It cleared up.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Cleared up. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Bunny XO]

So take me on the journey of leaving St. Thomas and opening your own practice is. That's got to be a scary jump.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

It was. Well, I did not know. I didn't know how hard it was going to be or else I wouldn't have done it.

[Bunny XO]

Oh, shit.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

It was so, so complicated. So it started because every patient became really important to me, and. And I find myself. I found myself. No, hold on. You're too complicated. You get the spot right before lunch or you're too complicated. You get the spot. The last one of the day. And I ended up working through lunch, staying an extra hour. So my difficult patience, I would take time away from myself or my kids to take care of. And so it started rumbling in my mind, how can I. How can I deliver this differently? Because what I need to do is form that bond. I think the bond is so therapeutic. I cannot practice medicine unless we have established that I love you, I respect you, I'm going to take care of you, and you're safe. It was hard. It was really hard to do. And so that. It's another point in my life where I couldn't not do it right.

[Bunny XO]

It was just something inside of you. It was like, you have to do.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

You have to do it. You have to do it. So I don't remember. It took a lot of years to finally be okay with saying to the ton of patients that I was taking care of that I had to go. It kept me a long time.

[Bunny XO]

And did some of them follow you?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yes.

[Bunny XO]

Okay.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yes.

[Bunny XO]

Good.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yes. It's wonderful that. That some of them could. And the ones that didn't, I still truly love. And I. And I recently realized that I don't think that they know how important they are to me because when somebody says, hey, you remember me? Of course. Like, of course I remember. How's your mom? How's your grandma? What happened to your son? So, of course, it was just too much. So we went into private practice the year that Covet hit.

[Bunny XO]

Oh, goodness.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

And thank goodness that we were able to see Covet athletes because that kind of carried us for a while there. Every athlete that had Covet had to be. Had to have a cardiac clearance.

[Bunny XO]

Right.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So that kept us alive for. Yeah, for a while.

[Bunny XO]

But it's because you're following your heart and you're Leading with love that God always takes care of you Every jump that you take.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

100%. 100%. Even on the days that are so dark and scary. I know that something good will come with the dawn. I know that something good will come. Yeah, I. I know it. I feel it. I know that my days are just trying to spread that love and. And. And create those bonds that we're supposed to have. I think that this time on earth is for us to be able to touch each other, smell each other, taste really good food, drink really good drinks, and. And have fun in a physical way. But fundamentally, we are here to love one another.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So why people would waste any time being assholes?

[Bunny XO]

Yeah. I don't understand.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah, I don't understand that.

[Bunny XO]

I literally was just lecturing one of my friends the other day because she just. Every time she texts me, it's about some drama, and I'm like, stop polluting your life. You have this life to live, and not forever. Like, it's just.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah, fudgeing.

[Bunny XO]

Have fun. Spread joy. Yeah, be fudgeing happy. Like, it's. It's not that hard to choose happiness every day.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

So tell me what your practice does now, because you said that you take, you know what, modern medicine, and mix it with integrative medicine. So for the listeners at home, what exactly does that entail?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yes. So really, you cannot practice medicine, or at least my type of medicine, without truly knowing the patient. So we sit down and we talk about, how are you sleeping? What are you eating? How do you feel? And we get beyond just the basic lab. So I have a wonderful, wonderful new patient that he was having trouble controlling his cholesterol. He had been everywhere on every medicine, was getting energy treatments for it, and cholesterol and triglycerides were still super high. Well, we talked. We talked about his family history. We did some investigating. I put a glucose monitor on him. He's got insulin resistance, which was driving high cholesterol fixing that. Fix the cholesterol. So I've heard Danny say, and everyone has heard Danny say, things that are caused by lifestyle can be solved by lifestyle. Every once in a while, you need medicine, but most of the time, if you can fix it with changing your life. Change your life.

[Bunny XO]

Yes. I fully, 100% believe in that. Any ailment I've ever had has been from a food I was eating or not working out enough or not sleeping. So I, you know, me, I'm like, I will not take medicine unless I have to. She prescribed me some eye drops the other Day. And I freaking found some Reddit group that like was dedicated. It's called the Floxies. It was dedicated to freaking this type of. And I was like, I love you. I'm not putting this in my eye. And she's like, it's fine, don't do it.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah, no problem. That's the other thing that I, without a, a relationship, a two way relationship, you would not have been able to tell me, hey, let's do erythromycin instead of. Because it doesn't, it doesn't bother me. We could have used either one. But for you to say, let's do that. Fine.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

It's not me, it's you. Oh, yeah. Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

One thing I'm gonna do is advocate.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah. And you should. Everyone, everybody should. Everyone should.

[Bunny XO]

But I preach that on the, from the mountaintops on this podcast is anything. Doesn't matter if it's medical lifestyle, anything. Always advocate for yourself. Always speak up.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Always, always.

[Bunny XO]

You're gonna find your people, you'll find your tribe and they'll listen to you.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yes, that's right. That's right. So. So once you get down to what, what is going on with this person, somebody who's asthma I couldn't get under control. I would not have known. She's exposed to car fumes because in the morning she worked at the, at the daycare greeting the children. So she was out there under the carport.

[Bunny XO]

Wow.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So fixing that fixed her asthma and so much, so much easier. So that's integrative medicine is not just jumping to the medicine. Although you did need a little bit of medicine.

[Bunny XO]

Something was really wrong with your gamma eye.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah. For your eye. But fixing what's causing it is just as important as giving a medicine.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah. So that's. My flavor is mixing. What can we do with what can I give you? Or what other supplements can we use? And. And that works. But I now have obesity medicine.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

That I love.

[Bunny XO]

Which is. Is it like a peptide or what is it?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

No, it's medicine for, for obesity.

[Bunny XO]

Okay.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So being fat is not fun. Right.

[Bunny XO]

Right.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

And it's not easy to change your weight or your metabolic set point that unlocking that is key. If I could shout something from the mountaintops, it's start with loving where you are, what you've got. Because if you hate it, you're not going to take care of it.

[Bunny XO]

Well, and that. And you also feed your mind negative. You know, what your mind feels, the body will follow. And I truly am a huge believer in that one.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Hundred percent. One hundred.

[Bunny XO]

So what is this obesity medicine called?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So, so I wish I could do more of it, but it is basically people come in and say, I'm having trouble losing weight.

[Bunny XO]

Right.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So then we sit down and we talk. What's going on? How are you eating, how are you sleeping, how are you moving? And I, I really enjoyed doing, studying for the, for obesity medicine because there were so many things that I did not know were caused by just how much adipose tissue, just how much fat is around. So things like exchanging oxygen in your lungs is a little bit more complicated when there's more fat than lean muscle. Capillaries don't get good blood flow when there's more fat than muscle. So I remember telling my trainers, man, I feel like I'm gonna pass out. And my trainers would say, keep on going.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

But it is 2025 and it's time for people to know that you don't have to suffer to make changes that will make you healthier and leaner.

[Bunny XO]

Right.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Because strong is beautiful.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

It's not thin, it's not a size of pants. It is strength, emotional strength and physical strength. And that, that's what I want to create more of before I leave this world.

[Bunny XO]

Yes. So the obesity thing that you have, is it just like food counseling or does it and then you figure out for each patient it's different. Like one patient you would give like tris appetite. Another patient, what's something else? Like what's a protocol that you would give three different patients?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah, that's such a great question. I don't think we have a protocol because everybody gets their own, their own thing, but there's something for everybody.

[Bunny XO]

Okay, what about like a, like a 45 year old perimenopausal woman who can't lose the last 5 pounds.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Oh my God.

[Bunny XO]

She's been trying to lose.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

First of all, the practicing obesity medicine in 2025, I said before, is unlike anything we have ever seen. So these injections, whatever your thoughts are about them, they are potent in the gut, in the brain, and in those areas that control hunger, cravings and satiety. We have never had a medicine that shuts off those messages. Like, like, like these do.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

There's a lot of genetics and a lot of hormones involved in, in what you crave and how much you eat and how much calories you burn. It is not calories in, calories out. So a 45 year old, and even from 40 to 50, that perimenopause, your brain starts getting messages that Your ovaries. The hormones that your ovaries produce. Your brain starts getting messages about storing adipose tissue in your midsection. So as our estrogen sputters, we tend to create a little bit more fat deposits in the midsection. Have you noticed? Yeah. So with that, with that type of person, we would probably track macros. Keep the estrogen testosterone as stable as possible, not over exercise. Because what we want to do is tell your body that it's safe to release those fat stores so your body will protect you by. By hanging on to them, but it's safe to release. So kind, gentle exercise. And don't poke the insulin. Bear with carbs.

[Bunny XO]

How do you feel about weightlifting?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Because I feel amazing.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah, because doesn't weightlifting spike insulin also, though, too?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So weightlifting, it can do different things to different people. But the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn just sleeping.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So. And the more muscle you have, the more muscle you will have as you get older. So by the time you're 50, you start losing 2% of muscle mass a year, unless you're doing something about it. So I feel amazing about weightlifting.

[Bunny XO]

Right.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

And if there's an excuse why you're not doing it, get over it.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah, yeah, do it. No, I love it. I weightlift. I weightlift five times a week now. Like, I'm on it. So I have a Patreon community that is obsessed, obsessed with all things medical. Lay down, son. And we're gonna go over there and take some questions from them, if that's okay.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Let's do it. Let's go.

[Bunny XO]

Let's do it. All right, so the first question that we have for you is from Shannon, and she said, I struggle so much with my stage four endometriosis to where I'm worried I'll not be able to continue working. Do you have any advice at this point? Would be great. As many of us women struggle with endo and it seems no one is talking about it. Okay, let's be real. I've had a love hate relationship with push up bras for years. Either they'd gap at the top, dig into my sides, or give that weird, stiff, unnatural lift that felt like armor instead of underwear half the time. I'd end up adjusting it all day or straight up taking it off the minute I got home. Then I tried the Skims ultimate push up bra and it changed everything. It's the only push up I've worn that actually feels like it was made from my body. No weird gaps, no poking wires. And the lift chef's kiss. It's supportive, it's super smooth under clothes and gives that naturally fuller shape without looking overdone. It's honestly the first push up that I forgot I'm wearing. The cups mold perfectly, the band doesn't roll or squeeze and it still makes me feel confident and comfortable all day. Skims just gets it When I first got my hands on the Skims Ultimate Push Up Bra, I was honestly skeptical. I've tried so many bras that promise comfort and a good lift, but they either feel too stiff, too bulky or just didn't fit right. The moment I put went on was game over. It was buttery, soft, hugged all the right places and gave me the kind of lift that felt natural, not forced. It made me feel snatched but effortless if that makes sense. Confident, supported and actually excited to wear a push up bra again. It's one of those pieces you don't just wear for a look, you wear it because it makes you feel good. Skims really nailed it with this one. What I really love about the Skims Ultimate Teardrop Push Up Bra is how versatile it is. It's not just one of those bras you wear for a night out and then shove it to the back of your drawer. The shape is so flattering under everything. Fitted tees, low cut tops, even those tricky dresses and the straps fully adjustable and actually stay put, which feels like a small miracle. I also love that the fabric is super smooth and doesn't show under clothes. It feels luxe without being over complicated. It's one of those rare bras that's cute and functional and honestly, finding both in one piece is a win. Shop the Skims Ultimate Bra Collection and [e-mail] after you place your order, be sure to let them know I sent you select podcast in the survey and be sure to select my show Dumb Blonde in the drop down menu that follows.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Trip Planner by Expedia. You were made to have strong opinions about sand. We were made to help you and your friends find a place on the beach with a pool and a marina and a waterfall and a soaking tide. Expedia Made to travel yeah, this is. This is. Endometriosis is an inflammatory. What's causing pain is inflammation of these little tiny deposits. So every time a woman menstruate has a period, the ovule should go into the fallopian tube and drop through the vagina as part of your period. In people that have endometriosis, the ovule has fallen outside so that there's little pieces of tissue that are hormone receptive just either stuck to your colon or to your bladder somewhere, they've landed in your pelvis every single month. When they get the trigger from the estrogen and progesterone surges, they start swelling up and getting inflamed. So the pain from endometriosis comes from inflammation. Anything you can do, there's medicines, there's surgery, and I'm not a gyn, but anything you can do to decrease the inflammation will help with the pain. Calcium and magnesium before periods help with the inflammation of the endometriosis. And sugar is no good.

[Bunny XO]

Yes.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Sugar is the devil. So it goes. I love it. I love that devil. But it doesn't serve us well when it increases inflammation. So gluten is super inflammatory. Sugar is super inflammatory. Alcohol, because it's mostly. Sugars are super inflammatory. So if you wanted to try to mitigate that pain just for shits and giggles, see what happens when you decrease your sugar just maybe the two weeks before your period.

[Bunny XO]

I haven't had sugar in two and a half years. And it's been a game changer, right, for my body. Game changer for my body and for my mental health.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yep.

[Bunny XO]

My anxiety used to be at a 22. My anxiety's at a 2 now. If I start having a panic attack, I can control it. Like it's. It's been a godsend. I don't think people realize how bad sugar just wreaks havoc on your body for sure.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Because when you don't have. When you, when you have it a lot and you don't have it, you go into withdrawals and it feels horrible.

[Bunny XO]

It's like a drug addiction.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Horrible, awful. But once you get through those first three days and you become a. I really don't eat sugar. How long has it been since I've eaten? So I'm not at a year yet. But I decided, okay, sugar is just not my friend. And you're totally right. My mood is a lot more steady. Things don't hurt like they used to. I can sleep so much better. Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

And sugar, Everything has sugar.

[Bunny XO]

Let's talk about sleep for a second.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Oh, yeah.

[Bunny XO]

So I know a lot of people, like, love to sleep. And I mean, as a teenager, you can sleep like the dead. As you get older, that sleep pattern changes. Why does that sleep pattern change? Why are some women waking up at 4 o' clock in the morning not being able to go back to bed until 6am, 7am again, having that broken sleep? And how can we fix that?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Well, we were designed to be to sleep kind of in two stages. So. So as teenagers, we would wake up a little bit and then go right back to sleep. And then as we get older, we wake up and we start thinking, that plant, that plant in the front, man, she's getting too much sun. And then you start going through the Rolodex. Of all the things to worry about, that's. Number one, is get a hold of that train that wants to take you to worrying about stuff in the middle of the night that you can't do anything about.

[Bunny XO]

Right.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Number one. Number two, it's a lot. A lot of it's related to hormones. And then as we age, you just don't need as much sleep. And it's related to how many cycles of rem. But.

[Bunny XO]

So you don't need as much sleep.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

You don't need as much sleep. Correct.

[Bunny XO]

Okay.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

That's why your grandma gets up at 4.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

But she's asleep by 6, right? Yeah, yeah. But is. Grandma's still getting eight hours in, though?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

No, no, her body simply doesn't need eight hours.

[Bunny XO]

So as we get older, how much sleep do you think we need?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

About five.

[Bunny XO]

I like.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

I think the magic and this, this is individual.

[Bunny XO]

Right.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

But the magic number is five, because you can go into enough REM cycles to reset your brain. And it's only during sleep that you can erase everything from the day before.

[Bunny XO]

Wow.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Otherwise, if you're not sleeping and you're not resting, your brain remembers the car that almost hit you at the Kroger parking lot. And things that have no business in today are still in there. So rest, especially really good, deep sleep clears your brain, prepares you for learning, and that's when you heal wounds.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah. That's amazing way to look at it. I'm like, absorbing it because that's so real.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

Because I get probably about six hours of sleep a night. And I've. There's some days that I wake up at five hours and I'm like, ready to rock and roll.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Great.

[Bunny XO]

But then I tell myself, I'm like, should I get three more hours? You know, because everybody says you need to get eight to ten hours of sleep. And I'm like, who has. First of all, who has the time? Secondly, like, yeah, sometimes I don't want to sleep eight to ten hours.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah. And if you could give yourself a gift, it's. If you. If you could give yourself the gift of sleep, give it to yourself on the front end. So go to sleep early.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Rather than staying asleep longer. Because the quality Quality stuff that heals you is at the beginning of the night.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Wow.

[Bunny XO]

Okay. I didn't know that. And I have been trying to make myself go to sleep early, and I just can't do it. But. Okay, so here's another question from Gina.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Okay.

[Bunny XO]

She said, do you have any home remedies for H. Pylori when antibiotics don't work?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

What a great question. So I do not. I do not. That's. That's the short answer. But H. Pylori is a bacteria, and there's a little bit of. Of controversy about this, whether it's a. A bacteria that's always in your gut that doesn't cause any problems, and it lives happily with the others. But the. The general consensus in medicine is H. Pylori can cause ulcers, and those ulcers can cause gastric cancer. So in general, we want to get rid of H. Pylori. The gold standard for diagnosing H. Pylori is either a stool antigen or a breath test. If you are diagnosing H. Pylori in blood, then you're getting a false positive, because once you've had it and you treat it, you will always have the antibodies. So if you took the medicine for H. Pylori, you eradicated it, but you're checking your blood to see if it's still there, then you're always going to be positive, but the H. Pylori is not actually there.

[Bunny XO]

Wow.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So before you do any. Any home remedies, make sure that what you're. What you're seeing is not just the antibodies, because just like anybody who's ever had mono, you're going to see mono antibodies and not necessarily the mono infection.

[Bunny XO]

So they would need to take a stool sample.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yes. A stool sample or a breath test. Okay. And advocate for yourself. Yes. Tell your doctor. Hey, I really want to know whether it's just the antibody or whether I have a reinfection.

[Bunny XO]

I'm telling you, there's nothing more humbling than pooping in a lunch cart.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Correct. In the hot dog.

[Bunny XO]

The hot dog container. You never just feel so humbled to just stand in a bathroom holding a log. Yeah. It's crazy.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

There's a few things.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah. A few things I don't. And everybody always wants to do those. And I'm like, can we not? But you know what? They're necessary. So you guys, please do it.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

Brandy wants to know, how do you stop perimenopause itching? I've heard this so much from women that say that.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

They get like, the worst itching.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

You mean vaginal?

[Bunny XO]

I'm not sure. I've heard people say that it's on their skin and their ears, like, but does it happen in the vagina, too?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Oh, my gosh. Yeah. That's where I mostly. That's where. That's where most of the itching occurs.

[Bunny XO]

New fear unlocked.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

Holy shit.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

I'm here for you.

[Bunny XO]

Okay. Yeah, no, I'm gonna be dragging my hoot nanny on the carpet like a dog.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah. So it's gonna be wrong. During perimenopause, there's so many estrogen and progesterone surges. It can. There's receptors for estrogen everywhere. Your skin, your brain, your. Your organs and your vagina. So when your levels are sputtering, things change. So in that case, I would. And there's not a real easy way to diagnose perimenopause except to look at the constellation of symptoms, and they're super, super quiet. So you don't really know your perimenopausal until you felt crazy for two years.

[Bunny XO]

Wow.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah. Yeah. Or one of your kids says, mom.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah. Or a Keith Sweat song didn't hit like it used to, you know? Right. You lose. You lose. You lose patience, you lose libido, you lose motivation, and you don't really know that this is happening. So if you're itching and anything else is happening, then be on the lookout for perimenopause symptoms that you can control and go talk to somebody about it. You could do things like black cohosh. You could try plant sterols that could mimic. Or you could just get on a hormone, which we know are safe.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah. Do you suggest HRT for women who are perimenopausal and menopausal?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

If that's right for you, if that's right for the patient, then I don't have a single solitary problem. And when I go, I want a little bit of gel, make sure I have some on. There's just so many receptors that estrogen is so important for.

[Bunny XO]

I love estrogen.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

I love estrogen.

[Bunny XO]

When I was going through my IVF stems, my body was loving the estrogen, hated the progesterone. Loved the estrogen, though. Like, my estrogen levels were, like, over, like, 1500, I think. And I was. I felt great.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

I was thriving.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah. No itching? No, it's no itching.

[Bunny XO]

No itching. I don't ever have any itching. I haven't had itching yet. Thank God. But, you know, listen, I've Heard. I sympathize with these women who have to go through all of that. Yeah. So another one of our Patreon members wants to know pooping. How to poop. I eat fruits and veggies all the time and I still cannot poop. I'm. Is it because I don't eat meat? Help. Constipated from Missouri.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

No, it is not. Because you don't eat meat.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah. Meat clogs some people up.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah. Yeah. Meat can slow transit. You would be surprised at how much fiber fruit doesn't have.

[Bunny XO]

Right, Right. A lot of sugar, right?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Exactly. And you think, oh, my God, this apple. I'm eating fiber. It's got 3 grams of fiber. You need about 35 to 40 and.

[Bunny XO]

30 grams of carbs, Right, Exactly.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Delicious.

[Bunny XO]

But it's.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah, exactly. But it's. So I would say maybe do. Maybe do an audit of how much fiber you're actually getting and see if you can work up to 35 grams. Slowly, slowly. Because if you do it all at once, it's going to cause horrible bloating and cramping. But I bet you're not getting as much as you think you are, number one. Number two, make sure you're drinking plenty of water because all of that stuff has to be liquid. Your colon will continue to draw water from whatever is in it if you are in an under hydrated state. So if you're not well hydrated, you're going to be constipated. And you can add stuff like psyllium husk to your salad. Add extra fiber when you can. I would do a lot of things. Exercise helps.

[Bunny XO]

Magnesium.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Magnesium.

[Bunny XO]

Magnesium glycinate, Man. If you ever have an issue with it, just pile that stuff on. As much as you can take it, I think.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And if you. And if glycinate doesn't work, citrate or oxide will make you go.

[Bunny XO]

Really?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

For sure. Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

Okay.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

And if you take it at night.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

It helps your brain relax. And in the morning, the first thing you do is go to the bathroom.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah, Yeah. I love that.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

I love it.

[Bunny XO]

Hey, we're all going to be pooping, ladies and gentlemen.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

Although my pooping has gotten so much better. But also I've also prioritized fiber. I'm getting like 10 to 20 grams of fiber a meal.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

It keeps you full.

[Bunny XO]

Oh, yeah. It keeps you full. And the bloating is real. Like, there was a. The other day, I was like, I can't eat another one of my meals because I just feel like a freaking hot Air balloon. Like, your tummy just gets so freaking swollen.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

I hate it.

[Bunny XO]

What are your thoughts on stem cells and stem cell therapy?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Okay. I love. Yeah, I love.

[Bunny XO]

My husband does it. I'm scared.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

You know me. I'm scared to put anything in my body.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Well, again, it's got to be the right person for the right reason. So there's things that stem cells are amazing at. So stem cells are baby cells that don't know what they want to be when they grow up.

[Bunny XO]

Right.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So. And when you get them from umbilical cord, they really have no idea what they want to be. So if you put those cells into a spinal cord or if you put those cells into a place where the other cells around and say, hey, let's be muscle cells, or, hey, let's be turn into this kind of cell, or why don't you turn into one of the cells that makes fluid for this joint?

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Baby stem cells can do anything. But the stem cells that we're. That are legal right now in the United States are stem cells that are drawn from. From our body. And my STEM cells are 56 years old, so they already know what they want to be. It doesn't matter what you want me to be. You know, it's harder for. It's harder for older or my own stem cells to want to turn into what we want them to be. So I love stem cells, but I really love stem cells from umbilical cord.

[Bunny XO]

Right. Is that like adrena? Is that like adrenochrome? What is adrenochrome?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

I don't know.

[Bunny XO]

Is that baby blood that everybody talks about taking is like the fountain of youth?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Oh, I don't know. Is that the placenta stuff that they.

[Bunny XO]

I'm not sure. I don't know. I hear people talk about it all the time. So how do you get all these baby stem cells? So are all stem cells baby, or are they a mixture?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So the stem cells here in the States are. I think they're harvested from your. From your own. But in order to get the umbilical cord stem cells, you have to go out of the country. So places like Panama, Mexico, I feel.

[Bunny XO]

Like all the good is not allowed in the US For.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yes, for a while.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah. It's like they don't want us to be our best versions of ourselves, and.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

They don't make it affordable.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah, and then. Yeah, exactly. And then if it does come, it's freaking astronomical. Jen wants to know, is there a way to lower your blood pressure without prescription medicine?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Oh, my Gosh, yes. Yes. There's a million ways to lower your blood pressure. First of all, look at what's going on in your life. Smoking, alcohol, bad sleep, horrible diet. So please remember that Frito Lay has a neuroscientist that helps come up with these recipes. These things are meant to be addicting. That's why you can't eat just one chip. A can of Lipton soup has your day's supply of sodium. Sodium will raise your blood pressure. So if you have a tendency towards hypertension or family history, especially African American and Latinos, we're super salt sensitive, so cutting out the salt is number one. Secondly, magnesium. Magnesium lowers blood pressure like a champ. So a little bit of magnesium at night, you'll go to the bathroom in the morning. Yes. It's a win.

[Bunny XO]

Win.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

It is a super win. Magnesium also decreases stress. So holding, like, holding intention all day long.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah. That'll raise your blood pressure.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Absolutely.

[Bunny XO]

It's even like having a stress on your mind.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Absolutely. Blood pressure beats decrease blood pressure. Exercise decreases blood pressure. And meditating, even if it's five minutes at a time, decreases blood pressure. There's a lot you can do to decrease blood pressure, but you have to want to do it. It's not something that anybody else is going to want for you.

[Bunny XO]

I would. I would just say, first and foremost, diet change, because nine times out of 10, it's something you're eating that's triggering it.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yep.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah. Because there was a time where I went through where my blood pressure was skyrocketing and then it would tank, and it was from eating rice. Rice would send me into, like, these. I still can't eat rice to this day because it does that to me. Freaking insane, right?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah. That's so great that you found that.

[Bunny XO]

I know. And nobody else could find it, not even Danny. And I literally had to just sit there and be like, what is happening? Mimi had to drive me to the hospital so many times because we didn't know what was happening. Like, my fingers would turn blue. Like, it was crazy. And it was all from rice. Jasmine rice. Like, who would have thought.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

I would not have thought that.

[Bunny XO]

Tiffany says thank you for the opportunity to ask questions. I had a hysterectomy nine years ago, but kept one ovary because I did didn't want to go on hormones. Recently, I had a little blood after urinating, but there wasn't any pain at all. It was fresh blood. So I called and went to the doctor. She did a urine test. It was positive for trace. I just went Back today. And another urine test. What can cause small amounts of blood in the urine without any infection or pain after a hysterectomy?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

The hysterectomy was nine years ago.

[Bunny XO]

Yes.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

And there's one ovary. Do we know how old?

[Bunny XO]

No, it's okay.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

It's okay. So your uterus and your ovary are unrelated to your bladder, it sounds like. So the urinary tract and the parts that make the baby are not connected at all. So this would be compared to. Completely unrelated to your hysterectomy. Unless. Unless your ovary has stopped producing hormones and now you're in a perimenopausal state and you've got vaginal dryness. And that can bleed a little bit just because it becomes so delicate and friable. But it's. If I had to guess, I think she had a little bit of cystitis or a little bit of inflammation of that. That. Of the, that little sphincter where the urine comes out. And that could cause it just a little irritation of the urethra or a little bit of cystitis. And if you drink too much water before a urine, before a urinalysis, it's going to look like it's clean.

[Bunny XO]

Right.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Because you're going to dilute that. Wow.

[Bunny XO]

So maybe next time she gets tested, don't drink a ton of water.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

That's right.

[Bunny XO]

Just to be sure.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

That's right.

[Bunny XO]

Perfect. Can we talk about mammograms?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yes.

[Bunny XO]

Because I got my first mammogram about two years ago, but I have been reading all of these horror stories about mammograms and what they do to you and what they do to the breast tissue. Do. What are your thoughts on mammograms?

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So generally good. Yes, generally good. I, you know, it's recommended that we have mammograms three to five years. And the reason why they recommended that is because by the time you find a breast cancer, even if it's this size, we can still take care of it and you have the same. The mortality rate is about the same, but I want to find it when it's. So my personal preference is 12 to 18 months. The technology that we're using for mammograms is so much better. You don't have to do the squeeze. You know, it used to be like, put your breast in the door. Yeah. Put your breast in the door and squeeze it. Right. Yeah. Now the squeeze is not as bad. Yeah. Because the, because the images are so much better.

[Bunny XO]

But I've seen the Lay down ones, too.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

That you can do the ones where.

[Bunny XO]

You lay down and.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah. I find one of those.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Those. Are you talking about an mri?

[Bunny XO]

No, it's a mammogram, so.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Cool. I haven't done that yet.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah, I'll have to send it to.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

You, but I would would say, unless you have a super compelling reason not to, and I can't think of one.

[Bunny XO]

Right.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Do it, if not for yourself, for the people that you love. Because breast cancer is something people shouldn't die of.

[Bunny XO]

Right.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

We can find it so easy. So if you. If you're going to squish your breasts and there's other times in your life when your breasts get squished.

[Bunny XO]

Right.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

If you're going to squish your breasts for 15 seconds.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Let it be for something useful.

[Bunny XO]

For sure. I think that. I think a lot of people are saying that the radiation is what's bad.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

The jury is out on that, too. I. I'm okay with taking my chances about the radiation. It's not that much long. Transatlantic flights get some radiation too, and you don't see people not doing those.

[Bunny XO]

Right.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

So in this case, I just kind of leave it to. To God that I'm gonna give myself a little bit of radiation so that I can be here for my daughters and their kids.

[Bunny XO]

All right, fine. I'll go get my mammogram next. Do it. Okay.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

I've been putting it off, and I try to have every excuse, but I'll do it for sure. All right, let's do one more question. Let's see. Elizabeth said I had shingles really bad almost two years ago. I've had high anxiety, dreams, and nightmares every single night since. Seriously, Every night. Cortisol levels have been tested and we're fine. Help.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Wow, that is. That is super interesting. If the shingles were bad enough that you had a PTSD reaction to. To the shingles, then that's something that is that. And listen, we're getting out there. But that's why my practice is fun, right? Because I can incorporate this.

[Bunny XO]

But it's so real. Because I was going to say the same thing. Maybe it was. It was traumatizing for you 100%.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

If that pain took you to a place that you had never been before, then perhaps it keeps trying to get out. And it's during sleep that you take things that you experienced and put them in the spot where you just remember them. So that's why EMDR is so good for soldiers, because it takes reliving an experience and it tosses it over to the side of the brain where you just remember it. I would be super curious to hear more about that shingles experience and see if that's something that we can. That we can help process. I can't help wondering that her body doesn't feel safe.

[Bunny XO]

Right? Yeah.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Because shingles is no joke.

[Bunny XO]

Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I believe that. 100.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah.

[Bunny XO]

Dr. C, thank you so much for coming. Why don't you tell everybody where your practice is and what your website is, and if they want to book with you and come and meet you and, you know, just join your practice like I have. I literally am never letting you go. Tell them where to go.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Well, I'm in Franklin. I'm right on the corner of Brentwood and Franklin. It's called Be well Integrative Health, and our website is bewell ihp.com. okay. And if I am not the right fit, if. If my model of practice isn't the right thing to for you, drop me a line. Let us help you get you to the right person, because you deserve to be cared for by someone who cares about you. Yes.

[Bunny XO]

I just love your spirit.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Oh, I'm so.

[Bunny XO]

You're just literally. You're like my husband. You guys are just earth angels.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Oh, thank you.

[Bunny XO]

We're lucky to have you.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Bunny XO]

I appreciate you. And thank you so much for coming.

[Dr. Leah Cordova]

Yeah, thanks. Thank you so much. Yay.

[Bunny XO]

Thank you guys for tuning in to another episode of Dumb Blonde. I'll see you guys next week. Bye.