Peri-Peri Sauce - Featuring Wendy & Jess of Diabetes Digital

Summary

The Friend Zone – "Peri-Peri Sauce"

Featuring: Wendy & Jess of Diabetes Digital
Release Date: July 15, 2026
Hosts: Dustin Ross, Hey Fran Hey (Francesca), and Assanté
Guests: Wendy & Jess (formerly Food Heaven Made Easy, now Diabetes Digital)

---

Episode Overview

This episode of The Friend Zone dives into women’s metabolic health, focusing on the intersections of perimenopause, insulin resistance, PCOS (now PMOS), and the nuanced experience of managing one’s health as a Black or Brown woman in the medical system. Featuring registered dietitians Wendy and Jess of Diabetes Digital, the show unpacks current science, practical advice, myths, and the lived experiences often missing from clinical conversations. The episode balances educational insights, palpable camaraderie, and signature humor, making even detailed medical topics lively and accessible.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Health Journeys & The Spark for This Conversation

[39:55–42:12]
Jess shares her journey developing prediabetes in her late 30s despite a healthy lifestyle, highlighting how hormone shifts in perimenopause can drastically affect glucose regulation. She found “going to eight doctors” to get a proper diagnosis, and describes severe symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue, brain fog) that were often dismissed by clinicians.

“When I started going through it... there wasn’t anything online. I had to go to eight doctors. It was so sad. Didn’t sleep for a year.”
— Jess (41:10)

2. Understanding Perimenopause & Menopause

[47:35–49:43]

• Perimenopause — The several years before menopause, during which estrogen swings unpredictably and symptoms (e.g., mood swings, sleep disruption) arise. Can last 4–8 years (not 48!).
• Menopause — Twelve months with no period; a point in time, not a process.
• Symptoms vary widely—Not just hot flashes; many women are unaware their symptoms are related to this hormonal shift.
• Early intervention & tracking are critical; not everyone will experience classic symptoms.

“It’s kind of written off. And I do think it’s important… we’re young, we are a little bit in denial about what’s going on.”
— Jess (49:19)

3. Diagnosing Perimenopause & PCOS/PMOS

[50:08–52:48]; [148:09–153:01]

• There’s no single diagnostic test for perimenopause; diagnosis is based on shifting cycles/symptoms over time.
• PCOS terminology has shifted to PMOS (“polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome”) to reflect its complexity—beyond just ovarian cysts.
• Symptoms of PMOS: irregular periods, elevated androgens (testosterone), potential ovarian cysts.

“Now more people are going to get tested, hopefully get the help they need.”
— Jess (150:58)

“Having this name, polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, will help more people feel seen and also get the care they need.”
— Jess (153:53)

4. Insulin Resistance and Strength Training

[55:57–59:58; 151:00–151:58]

• As estrogen declines, particularly in perimenopause and PMOS, the body becomes more resistant to insulin.
• Strength training is highly beneficial for improving insulin sensitivity—Jess and Wendy highlight it as more impactful than cardio for blood sugar control and muscle preservation.
• Cardio is still valuable, especially for digestion and acute blood sugar regulation.

“Strength training makes our body more sensitive to insulin... That is more than enough if you do that two or three times a week.”
— Jess (58:35)

5. Glucose Monitors, Wearables, and Wellness Tech

[62:02–67:39]

• Discussed the pros and cons of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), smart rings (Ōura), and tracking apps.
• Jess: “If you like personalized information and it’s not going to spiral into disordered eating, a CGM for two weeks can be helpful, especially for someone with prediabetes.”
• Caution about becoming obsessed with metrics or drifting from intuitive listening to your body.

6. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Facts, Fears & Nuance

[77:02–85:05; 85:52–92:55]

• Past fears about HRT (breast cancer, heart disease) came from a flawed 2002 study; newer data indicates proper, early use is safe for many.
• HRT can be life-changing for those with severe symptoms or premature menopause; it’s not “one-size-fits-all,” nor a must for everyone.
• Black women have been under-prescribed/over-warned; more informed, individualized conversations are needed.

“The idea that all women should be avoiding these hormones is really outdated and it’s harmful... there’s been a generation of women who have really suffered for no reason.”
— Jess (80:05)

7. Navigating Medical Systems and Advocacy

[125:16–138:29]

• How (and why) to ask your doctor for specific labs (A1C, vitamin D, iron, thyroid, etc.).
• Pushback is common; doctors may resist “extra” labs due to insurance or hierarchical attitudes.
• Strong encouragement for self-advocacy; don’t be afraid to ask questions or seek collaborative, not top-down, care.

“The one place in my life I feel like I can literally say anything and ask anything, no matter how stupid of a question, is the doctor’s office. Otherwise, you’re gonna hear my tires burning rubber out that parking lot.”
— Dustin (134:27)

8. Lifestyle, Diet, and Supplement Myths

[96:53–103:23]

• Exercise (cardio & strength), balanced nutrition (protein, fiber, fat), and sleep have strongest evidence for symptom management.
• Some supplements (maca, black cohosh, creatine) have mixed or limited evidence—worth trial for some, but not panaceas.
• Fear-mongering, rigid food rules, and diet culture only add stress.

9. Special Topics (Listener Q&A Highlights)

• Bloodwork frequency: Yearly testing is sensible for most, even as guidelines vary.
• Pre-diabetes: Hovering at 5.7 A1C doesn’t always progress; annual checks + lifestyle still advised.
• Fibroids: Higher risk among Black women likely due to genetic and healthcare factors; diet may affect risk but not reverse existing fibroids.
  [105:13–109:09]
• Iron and vitamin D deficiency: Especially common in Black women due to absorption differences; sometimes medical interventions (e.g., infusions) are necessary.

“You have to balance out risk and benefit when thinking about anything…when your iron is dipping below a certain point, you can eat all the iron-rich foods in the world and it’s not going to get to a normal range.”
— Wendy (115:23)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the mental strain of health management:
  “Sometimes we’re not able to know how things are affecting us within our bodies…sometimes people are not always making these connections for themselves. [Wearable tech] can help you make sense of it without spiraling.”
  — Jess (64:41)

• On overwhelming ‘wellness optimization’:
  “It becomes even more stressful…and can hold you back from meeting your goals because you become paralyzed…there’s so much I’m supposed to do, so I’m not going to do anything at all.”
  — Wendy (73:36)

• On stigma and the complexity of health:
  "I try to have those conversations with our patients as well, to reduce the stigma and shame, because I don't want people to leave thinking I have insulin resistance, therefore something is wrong with me. That's what medications are for—they are life-saving for so many people."
  — Jess (75:49)

• On Black women, the medical establishment, and trust:
  “There’s valid reasons [for resistance]. He said, ‘What’s worse? Suffering, or trying the medication and seeing if your fears are real?’ Sometimes it just improves your life.”
  — Jess (117:23)

• On critical consumerism in medicine and tech:
  “Sometimes we’re just getting all the information, we don’t know what to do with it—information overload. I hope if you’re testing things, you have specialists who can help you interpret results. Otherwise, it’s just more to process.”
  — Jess (128:24)

• Classic Friend Zone humor meets content:
  “How you going to sue the drug dealer because the dope was wet?...You lay in the mud with pigs, you smell like shit and bacon.”
  — Dustin [discussing Boosie, 04:27]

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Boosie/Current Events & Warm-Up: 01:22–09:13
• Black Business Highlight ("Gooey on the Inside" cookies): 12:27–17:24
• Community Recap (Listener feedback): 17:27–29:18
• Entry to Main Health Discussion w/ Wendy & Jess: 36:54
• Perimenopause & Insulin Resistance: 39:51–59:58
• Tracking, CGMs, & Wearables: 62:02–67:39
• HRT, Advocacy, and Black Women’s Experience: 77:02–94:20
• Iron, Infusions, and Fibroids: 109:28–115:23
• PCOS to PMOS Name Change: 148:09–153:01
• Listener Q&A (A1C, testing labs, advocacy, chronic prediabetes): throughout from [118:44], again at [125:16], [137:25], and [140:06]
• Outro, Gratitude, Where to Find the Guests: 156:21–157:51

---

Final Thoughts

The episode stands out for threading together clinical expertise, vulnerability, humor, and persistent advocacy for listeners—especially Black and Brown women navigating medical spaces that don’t always see or hear them. It encourages personalized, science-informed approaches, compassionate self-advocacy, and mutual support.

"Just because I feel a certain way about something, I never want to get in the way of the information being aired out on this platform properly. Giving options, giving the research, giving the doctors we can tap into... that's important."
— Fran (103:29)

---

For holistic care, community, and science you can relate to, this is a must-listen episode for anyone curious about hormone health and its ripple effects in everyday life.

---

Find Wendy & Jess and more resources:

• DiabetesDigital.co
• Instagram: @DiabetesDigitalCo
• Fran: "You won't find them anywhere else, they're living that offline life!" [155:31–155:48]

---

Stay Black and Protect Your Magic!
(Classic sign-off, 157:51)

Transcript

[A]

At Amica Insurance, we know it's not just what's inside your home that matters. It's who you share it with. That's why we work even harder to protect it. And as a mutual insurance company, we're built for our customers. We prioritize your needs and are here for you when you need us. Amica empathy is our best policy. Visit amica.com and get a quote.

[B]

Today.

[A]

In the fight against Alzheimer's, now matters more than ever. Because now we have treatments. Treatments that could change everything. But now is no time to stop. Now we've got momentum, so now we use it. Now we seize the moment. Now we turn the tide. Now we make a difference and make some noise. Now is the time to get up, get out and join the movement at the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's held in over 600 communities nationwide. And we need you with us, because now is the time for hope. Join the [e-mail] walk

[C]

welcome to the Friends.

[A]

My name is Dustin.

[D]

I'm Francesca, also known as.

[B]

Hey, friend.

[D]

Hey.

[E]

My name is Asante. This is the friend zone.

[D]

This is what I mean when I

[A]

say you don't think.

[D]

I'm thinking you don't.

[C]

That's right. That's right. And when I say this, I mean this. Have y' all heard the latest that taupe eyeball ass Boosie has done this time? Have y' all heard about it?

[D]

I have not.

[C]

Well, baby, you're about to. According to our friends at the Neighborhood Talk. Y' all know how we feel about the Neighborhood Talk. Hello to the Neighborhood talk to the Neighborhood Talk. Especially Kyle. Now, Boosie has reportedly. Actually, I'm gonna read it, but verbatim because I like the first word. The headline reads welp with an exclamation point. Boosie reportedly paid two far right political operatives $600,000 after they claimed they could secure a Trump pardon for his federal gun case. Now he's fighting to get his money back after the pardon never came through, according to reports. We're gonna break it. According to reports, rapper Boosie is taking legal action against two political operatives after allegedly paying them $600,000 to help secure a pardon from President Donald Trump. Boosie reportedly hired Jacob Wall and Jack Berkman of J.M. berkman Associates after they claimed they could help secure clemency that would clear his federal record related to a firearm possession convict felon. Now, y' all know he was just on his ass, his little bitty ass. You know, Booy ain't Got but a briefcase worth of ass. And they said that it was on the Wall recently. He was literally facing jail time. Remember, our fingers were crossed. We were summoning people to help and all that, right? We were tearing in the hopes of him doing a bid and going away. Getting out of our face for a minute. Fortunately, it didn't happen. Now, the rapper was reportedly told by his lawyer that the two men had secured a pardon signed by Trump. However, the pardon never materialized. Now Boosie is seeking to recover half of the payment, which was included in a contract reviewed by news outlet Notice. However, Wall and Berkman have reportedly pushed back, claiming, quote, no provision to return half the fee was ever actually agreed to. An arbitration case is ongoing as Boosie continues to pursue clemency through a separate pardon application submitted directly to the White House. In other words, this dumb ass nigga and paid these crackers 600,000 motherfucking dollars to get a pardon from Donald Trump that they never could get for him, which is illegal, by the way. Let's start there.

[D]

This is why I was waiting to let you finish, because I'm like, we

[C]

had to get the facts out first. Okay?

[D]

How is he trying to fix this when what he was doing in the first place was completely illegal?

[C]

Highly.

[D]

So now he's trying to.

[C]

That's like suing the drug dealer because the dope was wet, right?

[D]

Because they cut it, bitch, Are you retired? Like, this is so. Wow, right?

[C]

Yes. And so let's laugh. Let's laugh at him, right? Because he saw. He's, he's. And the thing about it, and he

[D]

brought this out into.

[C]

He thinks that he. He knows everything so much. Always putting his nose in everybody's business. We've been forced to look at his beige eyeballs, okay? For how long now? Every time we see him, his eyes look just like this for our Patreon viewers, okay? And so I'm laughing. This is what you get for talking about gay people. This is what you get for talking about trans people, bathrooms, trans people and sports. All the things that he talks about that have nothing to do with 16 bars, okay? Hopefully you end up behind them, behind this. That's what you get, Boosie. And also that's what you get for canoodling with the Trump administration in general. That's what the fuck you get for playing dirty. You lay in the mud with. You lay down with pigs. You smell like shit and bacon or whatever the phrase is, okay? And that is what the fuck he gets to this. I say, ha. Okay?

[D]

And we know that's what these people have been doing, right? That's how you get these pardons. By stuff in pockets. But it's correct.

[C]

Corruption. Corruption. He's so and deaf that he don't even realize what he's pushing to the forefront. God bless.

[D]

By talking about this.

[C]

This illegal activity, criminal activity, enterprise even, you know what I'm saying? Because it's a system of. Ain't this a rico? You know what I'm saying? This is a system of getting some sort of criminal activity accomplished. Okay?

[D]

But because they were white men.

[C]

Yeah, you don't even do it that way, dummy. Mark. Markietta Marquiana.

[E]

Dummy.

[C]

Stupid ass nigga. You so dumb and stupid. Hey, take my money, man. $600,000 gone.

[D]

Wow.

[C]

What could you have done with that for the black community you seem to be so concerned with.

[D]

Those white men are bold.

[C]

Got you. They seen him coming and started clapping their hands together and cracking their knuckles. Yeah, yeah, we. They had a fish on the hook when they seen him coming. And so, yeah, it's funny to me. You so dumb and goddamn stupid. Dumb as a box of rocks. Then got caught up with some shit down there. Letting them white boys swindle you like that. That's what your stupid ignorant ass get for running hell. Why you ain't called Ben Crump and why you ain't ask Al Sharpen to take his hair down and come on in the office that morning?

[D]

Stop.

[C]

Why you ain't do that? You know what I'm saying? Hell, Kim Kardashian, you could have called her, okay? All them bitches from All's Fair, you could have called them. You know what I'm saying? I say that because they're fictional characters. Obviously. I'm not talking about real people, but yeah, you could have called them. That's what you get. I just wanted to celebrate his downfall. And I thought this was a great opportunity to do that. That's what you get, Boosie. I know you hate gay people and we still to your music. On that note, that being said, okay and understood 600,000 ways from Sunday, I'd like to welcome everyone to the welcome. Excuse me. That welcome. Maybe that is a new welcome.

[E]

I know. Welcome.

[C]

I want to welcome.

[E]

I mean, you. You just did something there. Come on. I want to be welcome.

[C]

Let's welcome people. Welcome people. All right, so we've welcomed everybody to the friend zone. Hey, friend. This is also your weekly look. I'm all over the place. Your weekly look at all things mental health, mental wellness and mental hygiene. Because who in the Hell would have done what dumbass Boosie did.

[D]

Not any of us.

[C]

How you guys doing?

[D]

Doing good.

[E]

Beige eyes.

[D]

So right. Life could be worse.

[C]

What'd he say on the Friends on. I was about to say the Friend zone on the Wayans brothers when Marlon was doing stand up and he told that audience, look at you back out there in the audience, all black with them yellow eyes. Look like a Coke with lemon. That's what he talked about, you know, so the color of someone's eyeball.

[D]

There's the episode Coke with lemon.

[C]

Especially since we have our guest A Coke with lemon.

[D]

I just said in my head, I said, oh, this would be even funnier with Wendy. A Coke with lemon. Featuring Wendy and Jess of diabetes. Jesus Christ. Wow. We are just.

[C]

Yeah, baby. All to the wall.

[D]

Come on, let's jump in. Oh, well, before we jump in, do you guys have any announcements that you would like to share with our listeners?

[E]

Yes. For those of you that are so just special to us, our Patreon members, y' all know that friend zone. Well, to everyone listening, y' all know that the Friend Zone is going on break, but especially to our, our Patreon people, we have our final wind down. Y' all know we do it once a month. We're doing it twice this month since I flubbed last month. So tonight, Wednesday, 8:00pm Eastern Standard Time, if you are listening to this episode on July 15th, that's it. That is, we will be doing our wind down. So you can join me, Fran, Dustin Lechat. It will be a time it always is.

[C]

Not the rapper. The not the rapper community.

[E]

But that would be amazing.

[C]

Pop out at the after party like Don Toliver said.

[D]

And although the main show is taking a break for the next two weeks, the Patreon will continue rolling. So if you're over there on patreon.com forward/the friend Zone podcast, you will still be receiving your weekly content.

[C]

That's right.

[D]

That out there. We don't fucking play anything else.

[C]

Yes. First of all, thank you to everybody that pulled up to see me in Chicago telling jokes past Tuesday. Great, great, great. Showed us so much love. Showed you asante and you friends. So much love. Showed the friends on so much love. So it was a great experience. Our meet and greet was fantastic. I got to kick it with my family. My damn family. They was all deep in the audience. You know the Chicago show, the one you don't never want to start no at with me because my family be in there too deep. But great show. Shout out to everybody On Thursday, who came out to St. Louis. That was a special show. They know why it was great to see Everybody's face in St. Louis and feel that love. And I just really want to issue a huge thank you to everybody in St. Louis. Those that came to the meet and greet, those that were at the show, the staff at City Winery St. Louis and City Winery Chicago. Great experience. So up next, Boston, July 21st. Now, if you are in Boston, if you've even ever eaten a Boston baked bean and you live anywhere close to Boston, bring your ass. I need butts in the seats at City Winery Boston. We're gonna have some special people in the audience that night. That's coming up on July 21st. July 24th, Atlanta is time.

[B]

Okay.

[C]

Slap your peach. And then Nashville, Cashville. Okay. On July 26th, all those tickets are [e-mail] I'll see y' all at City Winery on those dates. Please come see me and buy a

[D]

ticket to my fees. And they're in there. I've seen all the comments rolling in.

[C]

Please buy a ticket.

[B]

Please.

[C]

So thank you.

[E]

This is my friend. He on tour. And y' all better go see him.

[D]

Oh, God, not the TikTok I got tell you jokes.

[E]

That's right.

[C]

Yes.

[D]

Perfect. And of course, as always, the link will be down below in the description box. Let's jump into the week's black business. So, Victoria, you know, we love Victoria over on Twitter. He tagged us to this popular tik tocker. I'm sure y' all have seen him. He goes by Daddy Snacks and he. He makes fun of how influencers talks. He'll be like, come with me.

[C]

But he Snacks. Yes, he goes to black businesses.

[D]

And yes, and he highlights businesses that are in trouble or, you know, running slow, whatever the case may be. But he does amazing work.

[C]

And how does he do the intro to Video's friend?

[E]

She hit that.

[D]

I find that she's so funny. But anyways, so Victoria tagged us to one of his most recent videos. He highlighted this spot called Gooey on the Inside. And when I write speaking my language, the way your eyes just killed me,

[C]

it's like it's just in me. Go ahead.

[D]

So it's a woman named Coffee Dublin who opened this cookie shop 10 years ago, right? It's called Gooey on the Inside. One of her cookies went viral recently. It was this s' more cookie. I don't know if y' all saw it. It was topped with a toasted marshmallow. Hot and crispy on the outside, but when you bit right into it, there's this melty, gooey French chocolate on.

[C]

How the hell did she do that?

[D]

So that's. That's the. The way all of her cookies are. They're gooey on the inside, but crispy on the outside. But the s' more one is the one that went viral and really just like, had the traffic going crazy. But unfortunately, she's hit a bit of a rut recently. She actually has three locations, or I should say had three locations. She just had to close one down. And so she reached out to Daddy Snacks to let. To ask if he could help her. And so he posted about her. He actually went, flew into New York, ate the cookies, reviewed them on the spot. They looked amazing. Honestly. She is down on the West Village. In the West Village, 119 Christopher Street.

[C]

I'm gonna go.

[D]

And she has a second one, A second location on Christie street, actually. So it's 1:16.

[C]

Oh, that's cute.

[B]

Right?

[C]

Christie, she has twins and, you know, a literal sister location.

[D]

Okay. You know what? The sister heals. She has the second one at 163 Christie Street. So we want to make sure that these locations stay open. It's unfortunate that her third one had to close down. So if you're interested, the Christie street location is open on the weekends. So Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 2pm to 1am and then the Christopher street location is open every single day, 12 to 10pm Monday through Thursday, and 12 to 12am Friday and Saturday. So check her out. Give her a follow online too. Just type in gooey on the inside on all her platforms. You can check out the website so you can see all of the amazing flavors. Honestly, I'm not like, the biggest cookie person, but this shit looks good.

[C]

When I watch this video, a salted

[D]

chocolate chip, I'm gonna tell you literally, just as I was gonna read some of them. The first one is the chocolate chip chunk. So it's this big chunky chocolate chip. She has a hazelnut cream filling one called the Bueno Bueno. She has birthday cake, which I'm always a fan of. She has a BlackBerry jam on toast cookie, a chocolate chip croissant cookie tart. Yeah, I try that almond raspberry rose, a peach biscoff, and then the S' more one. She also does these molten cookies that come in these mason jars.

[C]

Oh, for sure. You know, I'm drinking out of one now. I will definitely be.

[D]

She calls it a hug in dessert form. So these look amazing on. I love the almond raspberry rose that's probably the one that I would try and I'm gonna be in New York in a couple in like two weeks. So pop in. Right. We popping in. So I. Yeah. So gooey on the inside.com gui on the inside at Christopher street and Christie Street. All the information, as always, will be in the description box. If you're interested in supporting Coffee Dublin. Thank you to Victoria for highlighting that TikTok and letting us send our traffic along with Daddy Snacks.

[C]

Thank you for telling us your secret, Victoria.

[D]

You know what? That's it for this week's Black Business. Let's jump into the recap segment. Last week's episode titled Wind Up Tea. Thank you, Dustin Ross.

[C]

De nada.

[D]

There are some people in the comment that were like, let me guess who came up with this title. It was a shoot this shit episode. No hot button, no segments, just whatever wanted to come up. And those of you listening had a lot to say. Who stood out to you, Asante?

[E]

Shout out to everybody in the Spotify streets. I want to firstly shout out Adrian Reid. 27. 27. Adrian's comment reads, I really enjoyed this episode. It's a nice break from the bullshit that is going on now. Shout out to you, Adrian. It was a nice break from the bullshit that was going on then. Okay. I also wanted to shout out because they were. Oh, I want to shout out Bianca. Bianca's comment reads, I too think about XD every time India Ari is brought up.

[D]

Thank you.

[C]

Exactly.

[E]

That is just love. Also, shout out to I think your name is John. G I A N

[D]

no, maybe it's gin.

[E]

Maybe it's gin. But I know that there was a, there's a flavor. And it was called John, do you? And it was spelled like G I A N, blah blah blah. And I was like, oh, that's cool. So I don't know if it is John. Anyway, the comment reads, love you, Asante, but why you spoil Love island for Fran? Fran, did you finish Love Island?

[D]

No.

[E]

Are you going to?

[D]

That's why I knew that was going to happen. I tried to stay away from the online reveals, which is impossible.

[C]

I even know who won.

[D]

Yeah, it's like I knew it was going to happen. It kind of come to the territory

[E]

like it was going to happen. So we had to have the conversation anyway. But before it got to the finale and it happened anyway.

[D]

So, yeah, sorry, John, I just got to Casa Amore.

[B]

So.

[C]

The House of Love.

[D]

Well, next week maybe I'll be caught up. Maybe.

[E]

Ain't that what it means?

[D]

What? The House of Love. They know what they doing.

[E]

Last comment I want to read. It makes I keep want to sing.

[C]

Your love is like a roller coaster, baby.

[E]

Baby. It comes from Shawna. The comment reads, man, I love a good roller coaster. Per the conversation last week. Dustin. I remember the first time I wrote the Dragster. We were the first ones in the park and ran to get in line. I got paired with this grown ass man and he was screaming louder than me. Lmao. Loved it, Shawna. I would have been that grown ass man.

[C]

Shout out to the dragster, baby. That's a. That's a roller coaster of a lot of lore and a lot of a storied past that got refurbished and they added something to it and it still to this day a world wrecking world. It's the tallest roller coaster in The United States. 420ft tall. God. 420ft tall. Shout out to the dragster.

[E]

Hang time. And I just wanted to clock out so.

[D]

And him saying his. He loosened his.

[E]

Whenever it's loose. I'm like sitting up here freaking out, like, is this sturdy enough? Meanwhile y' all are over there being like, am I gonna get enough hang time?

[D]

Like, oh, I think that was.

[E]

Oh my God. All right, that's it for the wind up teeth for. What did you find out there in those streets?

[D]

So I was on Patreon and Ayanna said, so spend. That makes more of an impression than the same messages that male rappers have been pushing for years.

[C]

Okay.

[D]

Such a double standard when it comes to women. Black people aren't a monolith. Everyone needs representation, whether we agree with it or not, or you can or can relate to it or not. Just don't listen to it.

[C]

Thank you, somebody with some damn sense.

[D]

Chris says, shout out to the parents out there. You can be having the worst day of your life, but these kids will still ask you for some ice cream to go to the park because they don't give a damn. That is the absolute truth. We had Noemi Cardinales. I love your name.

[C]

Me too.

[D]

She says, oh my God. I love. I love this episode. And I just wanted to quickly say how important it is to teach children how to be independent. I'm entering my 10th year shout out to you as a teacher. And each year I teach my students how to organize their desk, their folders and other shared responsibilities, such as wiping desk down at the end of the day or sweeping. I'm a neat freak and I need my classroom clean. I can't even teach if there's anything on the floor. That would be me as a teacher.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

That's amazing, though. I love the network. Right. Because it takes the teachers and the parents to work together to get these kids together. Tiffany had a question for you. She said, Asante Jay Z is performing in London. Did you consider going or was or is? I don't know when that would have taken place.

[E]

I am not. There's no traveling on the docket for right now. I couldn't even make it to CJ here, let alone in London. So it's kind of like. I wish.

[D]

Yeah.

[E]

If you got something for me, let me know, though.

[D]

My last one is Mir that starter. I love that she said not sheltering kids is so big. They need to be able to soak up as much knowledge as they can early. I'm so excited for my daughter who's going to a business camp in New York. She has traveled before, but I know New York is a totally different experience. I hope she learns a lot and it sparks her creativity. First of all, a business camp for kids. How awesome.

[C]

Super dope.

[D]

Please circle back, me and I, starter, and tell us more, because I'd love to hear what that even means. What does that. What are they doing for the camp? What are they studying? What are they discussing? That's really cool. That's it for that episode. The episode before was Asante's episode titled the Museum of you. So on that episode, we imagined what it would look like to build a museum dedicated to ourselves and the things that we choose to tell ourselves. Who stood out to you, Ahsante?

[E]

Shout out to everybody Always in the Spotify streets Shout out to everybody But y' all know us, Stay in the Spotify streets. Um, first comment I wanna share comes from JTG. JTG's comment reads, Asante, the Museum if youf Would Make a Dope Song. Title and concept. Fran as lead singer, Dustin as the leading male in the video, and Asante as the video director.

[C]

I like that. Leading male. I like that.

[E]

The video could be Dustin renting a venue for his partner, displaying all the things he loves about his partner, the things his partner loves. Song hook. I just want to be in the museum of you. Or something along those lines. Shout out to you jt.

[D]

I like that vision. That was good.

[E]

Okay, that was hot. Shout out to Sam. Sam's comment reads, learning that Dustin wants spelling piece as a kid doesn't surprise me. He has a way with words that I aspire to have. I never came across someone that was so articulate and eloquent. All while being humorous. Plus he cusses so good too. That's for real. Sam, that was a loaded comment. And Dustin, you deserve those flowers.

[C]

I appreciate it for it. Felt good to hear.

[D]

Especially the cuss is so good by it.

[C]

I mean I hope I read it appropriately because I feel all of the

[E]

mark, you know, like it just felt. It felt like, you know, important and then warm still. So, you know, shout out to you. Also, I want to share a comment from Just Nicole. Just Nicole comment reads. Thinking about my own pop culture section, the Friend Zone would definitely have a wall with all the lessons, laughter and exposure that this show has given. It has been a huge positive impact on my life as a, as a earlier, as an earlier listener to this day. Shout out to you Just Nicole, you ain't got to say all that just to hang out with us, but we love you. If you put us in your museum, that would be dope. And the last comment that I want to share comes from K K Ajne. Ajna.

[C]

She got a jewelry store.

[E]

Well, K K's comment reads, I love this episode of Sante. This makes me thankful, right? I want to say like, I hope I'm not butchering your name, girl. I'm so sorry K. A K's comment reads, this made me thankful that my grandma took so many pictures from my childhood and I have all those memories. I tell people all the time, take pictures. I lost my nana three years ago and I only have two pictures with her. Create your own museum. Get a photo album. You can. You can get 85 free prints from free print every month. I print out all my pictures and I have started a photo album. The best decision I've ever made.

[C]

I know that's right. Shout out to uk.

[E]

I've been telling people that we just need to get back into the old school. Picture taken like, you know, the camera phones, it's nice, you know, it's easier to pull things back up. But it's just something about that physical and being able to see that and touch that and share that, that is always so beautiful.

[C]

Now, two weeks after K bought that photo album, shit, if I was her friend, I would have to tell K, put the camera down. You know, I got up.

[E]

Stop.

[C]

Not right now. K, put the camera down.

[E]

K. Okay, that is all the comments. There were so many amazing and funny comments.

[D]

There were. It's hard to pick.

[E]

I mean, too many. But that's it for me, friend. What did you find out there in those streets?

[D]

I had a comment from Shame Rando who said Dustin I've been buying a local blend honey to mix in my tea and it's been saving my allergies. It's a little more expensive, but it's def worth it. My sneezing, itchy nose has gone down dramatically. Is that something that you've gotten a chance to try like mixing some eating some local honey? It don't work for you?

[C]

No, it don't.

[D]

Damn.

[C]

But I appreciate the help. Just like everybody that say get a neti pot. Get a neti pot.

[D]

You tried it, it didn't work either.

[C]

Only thing that works is Benadryl on the Dead homies, which is what you feel like after you take it. It's Benadryl. That's the only thing that actually works for me personally. I've tried those remedies like local alcohol. Tried it in Michigan, tried it here in New York as well. And I appreciate the suggestion.

[D]

A lot of people wrote in too. We had See what I mean Comments about the local honey specific.

[C]

See what I mean? Another one, another one.

[D]

We also had Jaguar Wrong. Who said amen. Someone at work just said grand Risings and it pissed me off. Then I looked down at my left arm and remember I had an ankh with the eye of horse in the middle of it on my back, which made me remember she wrote the some full caps. Y' all clowning those tats. And now I've been crying, laughing for the last five minutes and my white co workers confused. Jaguar. Thank you for being a good sport.

[C]

Exactly. We love your tattoos. Even if you got that number 30. What is it called? Cuz it's not. 30

[D]

is crazy. Don't it look like 30 and Jaguar? Those would have been my tattoos. Trust and believe. I know you already know that. That's it for me. What'd you find in them Twitter streets, Dustin Ross? Oh wait, there's actually one more for Asante. Asante had mentioned a movie last week that he couldn't remember the title of. And Jermaine said Inner Space is the movie. Martin Short, Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan love that movie.

[C]

That's a stacked cast.

[D]

I was trying. I remember the movie, but I, I couldn't remember what it was about. But I do remember that cast. But anyway, Dustin Ross, what'd you find in the Twitter streets?

[C]

So we just have one this weekend. It's a doozy. As you all know, the heels are alive because Mitch McConnell is allegedly dead. So this is what.

[D]

Why is it alleged? I keep seeing people saying he is, he isn't.

[C]

That's why. So that's exactly why it's alleged right there. Because people don't know for sure. And there is rumors that. There are rumors. Excuse me, that they are trying to delay announcing his death because if they do, there has to be some sort of special election or something like that. If he. If he kicks the bucket before August 3rd, I believe who started.

[D]

Do we know where this came from? Someone.

[C]

The motherfucker was missing, first of all. And then he had suffered a hard fall or some shit like that and it fucked him up. Yeah.

[B]

Karma.

[C]

Karma.

[D]

So I guess I was wondering where this. Because you know how now with Twitter and online and someone could say anything and then it becomes legs. Yeah. And blogs start writing it too. So what you're saying this might have some legs?

[E]

Yes.

[C]

And so the Twitter user olsole57two o l e soule57two said. Somebody said this was the conversation the grim reaper just had with Mitch McConnel. And they used a clip from Scarface's tiny desk. Here it is. I hear you breathing, but your heart no longer sounds strong. But you're kind of scared of dying you.

[E]

So you hold on and you keep on blacking out.

[C]

Your post is slow. Stop trying to fight the re. Just relax. Let it go. Because there's no way you can fight it. Or you'll still try. And you can try it till you fight it, but you'll still die. Your spirit leaves your body and your mind clears the rigor. Martin starts to set that you. You start your journey in the hours straight.

[D]

That's crazy.

[C]

It was a clip from Scarface performing. I never seen a man cry until I seen a man die. But that had me on the floor just like Mitch. I was on the floor just like Mitch McConnell. And that's all I got this week. That's what he did.

[D]

Anyway, that means that we are done with this week's intro. Let's jump into this week's Hop Hot button conversation featuring Wendy and Jess of Diabetes Digital. A Coke with a lemon. We are so problematic. Let's jump right in.

[C]

Welcome to the Friends.

[E]

This week's podcast is brought to you by Squarespace. Squarespace is the ultimate website platform that catapults you from invisible to iconic. Whether you're igniting your first idea or turbocharging a thriving business, Squarespace arms you with everything you need to dominate online. Build a jaw dropping professional website, grab your dream domain, skyrocket your brand, and get paid all on Squarespace. Squarespace gives you everything you need to offer services and get paid all in one place. From consultations to events and experiences. Showcase your offerings with a customizable website designed to attract clients and grow your business. Get paid on time with professional on brand invoices and online payments. Plus streamline your workflow with built in appointment scheduling and email marketing tools and make smarter business decisions with Squarespace's intuitive built in analytics tools. Review website traffic, learn where to focus engagement and track revenue from bookings, invoices or product sales. All from one place. Check out squarespace.com friendzone for a free trial and when you're ready to Launch, use code FRIENDZONE to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. That's squarespace.com FRIENDZONE for a free trial and code FRIENDZONE to save ten percent off your first purchase of a website

[D]

or domain the summer schedule can get busy really fast, right? With camps, vacations, sports and family time. I Excel, however, makes it easy to keep learning as part of the routine with just a few minutes a day. I Excel is an award winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand what they're learning, whether they're building math confidence, strengthening reading and writing skills, or reviewing their science concepts. IXL is used in 96 out of the top 100 school districts in the U.S. and studies show that kids who use IXL score higher on tests and it's been proven in all 50 states. I know that during the summertime the kids just want to be outside or hopefully they do, or they want to be playing their video games on the phone with their friends, scrolling through their apps and it might not be the easiest time trying to get them to stay sharp on their math, stay sharp on their reading and their studies overall. But like I Excel says, just a few minutes a day will make sure that when school starts in September they're not looking at the screen like oh my God, just completely numbed out from summer. So I think it's worth checking out and it's worth incorporating into their day to day. So if you're interested, you can make an impact on your child's learning this summer by getting IXL now and the Friend Zone listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixl.com friendzone visit ixl.com friendzone to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price. Happy Learning it's important to make sure the space in your home brings you joy and with Wayfair you can treat yourself to new furniture, decor and storage solutions without breaking the bank. Shop Grills, patio lighting, rugs, and so much more on there. Plus installation and assembly services are available so you can kick back with the cucumber eye mask while everything is set up for you. And make sure to shop Wayfair Verified your shortcut to the good stuff. There's specialist hand vet items, checking things like quality and functionality. I'm actually really grateful to our partnership with Wayfair over the past year because I had a guest room that in all the years I've been living here, that guest room has been haunting us. We just didn't really have much to do with it. For real, for real. So it kind of became that closet slash, mini gym, slash anything that needs to be hidden away room. I think everyone has one of those. So finally we got a little fire put under us because we had family members, extra family members staying with us this summer. And we were like, you know what? We finally need to have a proper guest room. And so we put it together with all the Wayfair products. We got a dresser, we got a bed, and it just all worked out so perfectly. We were able to put put together the absolute cutest guest room for our small little guests. And it's been really nice and I've been thankful to the partnership for allowing us to be able to do that quickly with really good quality pieces. And now it's a room that finally, finally has gotten some attention. So if you're ready to upgrade your home for way less, head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home and get your space ready for less. That's Wayfair.com W-A-Y-F-A-I R.com and that's Wayfair. Every style for every home. On this week's episode, we are joined by Wendy and Jess. Formerly known as Food Heaven Made Easy, now known as Diabetes Digital. Let's clap it up. Our girls.

[E]

Hi, Wendy.

[D]

Hi, Jess. Welcome back.

[B]

I don't know how to. Hi.

[A]

Hey.

[C]

We gotta, we gotta come up with a game Sign for y'.

[B]

All.

[D]

For those who are unfamiliar really quickly, Diabetes Digital is a company that Wende and Jess created, is currently serving 41 states.

[C]

Wow.

[D]

For those who are covered by insurance, they can help you manage diabetes, prediabetes, pcos, cholesterol, with online nutrition counseling. They have a diverse range of registered dietitians you can choose from. I saw that half of the staff speak Spanish too. So if you're concerned about that thought of my mom and apparently 1%, there's been a 1% average a 1c drop in their clients and 99% of the pre diabetes clients do not progress to diabetes while in their care. So. So this is huge. Apparently 95% of patients pay $0 out of pocket as well, which is a big one because I know that's the biggest concern nowadays. I was just complaining about my iron being low and me needing to get the, what's it called, the iron infusion. And it's a fourteen, fifteen hundred dollar bill for each transfusion.

[A]

And she was.

[D]

Infusion, excuse me. And she was saying that I should come weekly. And I said, really?

[C]

I bet she was for 15.

[A]

Okay, that should be covered. That if, if you have insurance, the I, because I just got one, it should be covered.

[D]

Yeah, but the fact that that's how much it costs, just, that's my mind because a lot of people aren't covered, you know, and they just casually throw around these prices like, yeah, gonna be 12, 000 by the end of the month. Okay.

[A]

Okay, see you there with low iron. Thank you.

[C]

Right,

[D]

but we talking, you were talking to me about some of the new presentations and conversations that you and Wendy have been developing for your brands and also you working with doctors, I think you were saying, putting together these presentations, discussing PCOS and a lot of our listeners. When I sent out a prompt saying that you guys were going to be here, the biggest question they had was perimenopause and pcos. And they feel like there's just not enough information when they talk to their doctors. They don't feel properly informed. They feel like there's a lot of pushback even in asking questions. And so I thought this was prime time to have you ladies come on and bless us with these presentations that you have been putting together around this topic. So I don't know if you want to jump in and take it away.

[A]

Yes, well, first of all, we always love being here, so thanks for having us.

[D]

We love having you, the warmest host,

[A]

best ever, having us on. And I always feel so comfortable. And yes, I texted you because I had just finished this presentation that I was working on on the connection between blood sugar and perimenopause. And I know that a lot of your audience, because we work with a lot of your audience. I mentioned you, I had one of your patients or sorry, one of your listeners. Yeah, I know they're in, I know they got patience.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

So I know that they are in this age range of like 35 to 45 ish and up. And many people, including myself, don't know that There is a really big connection between like insulin resistance, pre diabetes, diabetes and going through perimenopause and menopause. So that's why I was like, I think this would be interesting. We should chat about this. This is kind of our area of expertise. And also, yes, was very excited to get those questions about PCOs, which they will talk about where they changed the name recently. I saw that in the news.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So we could talk about that too because we have a lot of patients as well with pcos. So I think maybe the first place to jump in is just like, why this topic and why now? Like, why do we. Why does anybody even care? Why do I even care? So for me, it's, it is personal. I. I just turned 43. Happy birthday last week. Happy birthday. Thank you. And when do you.

[C]

That's your Nene year. That's your Nene Leaks year. Because remember, Nene was like, I'm 43. To be exact, I just turned 43. Wow. That's a classic Nene Leaks line.

[B]

So you're here.

[A]

Yeah, well, I don't know that I'm claiming that, but I don't know that. You know, I think she's coming back, right? To Housewives. Do you guys watch Atlanta?

[B]

I thought it was a rumor. I just started rewatching the old seasons.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

She's gonna appear on this 20th year celebration ultimate girl strip series that's coming up. So a brief stint, but a reappearance.

[A]

Love watching Nini. I don't know that I. We'd be friends in real life, but. Sorry, Nene, but you can take that. I'm like, I don't know. But anyway, so as a dietitian and a diabetes educator, right. I've been, we've been working in the field for a long time, over 10 plus years. And it's interesting because when I went to school a while ago, I never learned about that connection. And the only reason I learned about the connection is because I went through it myself where all of a sudden I was in pre diabetes and I was doing everything the same. I was still like doing my exercise. I still, you know, my dietitian, I have a good relationship with food, so it's not like I restrict or anything, but I felt like I was eating pretty balanced and I was like, why am I in pre diabetes? What is going on? And I found out that I have something called. Which I may have mentioned on this pod before, but it's called premature ovarian insufficiency, which is a different diagnosis than perimenopause but it has a similar symptom picture because you're kind of like, like thrust into all of it. Like the fatigue, the blood sugar swings, the brain fog. And like I said, I went from normal glucose to pre diabetes, even though nothing had changed and going. It's so scary because you're like, wait,

[D]

so how do I fix this if I'm supposed I know everything, right?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And the reason I think it relates to the Friend Zone audience is I'm sure there's so many people out there, especially women, who are going, maybe they don't know that they're going through the perimenopause change. And we'll talk about, like, when that starts and all the things, but they just notice all of a sudden they have pre diabetes. Especially in the black and brown communities because we have higher rates of it. And they say that after the risk factor is being 45 or older, but it's never really talked about is, like, why is that a risk factor, especially for women? And it's because when we go through these changes, it affects our hormones and it can lead to just having a harder time with your body processing blood sugar. And so I want to talk about that connection. The thing is, now I was going through this and I still am, but it started at 38 for me. So that's why they call it premature, because technically it's like, oh, you're before 40. I don't want to confuse people because, like, what I have is not what people have. It's very, very, very in common. But for most people, like, they can be going through perimenopause around that time. And. And at that time when I started going through it, what was that, like six years ago? Ish. There wasn't anything online. I had to go to eight doctors. It was so sad. Eight, four. Yes, girl.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

Before I got diagnosed, they're just like, oh. And it was terrible. The symptoms were terrible. Didn't sleep for a year. I always tell people that I do, like, mental health struggle. Diagnosed with adhd, the hot flashes. I don't know if any of you guys are. Well, not you, Dustin and Asante, but. But the other, like, are going, yeah, going through. But the hot. The hot flashes. I was literally. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was on a plane coming back from Hawaii for, like a trip, and all of a sudden I was like, oh, my God, it's so hot. I gotta take my coat off. This is crazy. And it's, it's. It literally started there and then it became like I was not able to sleep at all because I was having these crazy night sweats. So I had to have. I know I had to have the. The temperature at 50 degrees fully naked. And I was still a girl. I was still having hot flat. And I was like, what is going on? So then finally, I had an amazing doctor at Cedar Sinai who diagnosed. But anyways, there's this connection.

[D]

I know your husband was in the bed. Like,

[A]

he was girl. I was like, I can so.

[B]

And.

[A]

And the thing is, I will say, like, I feel like our generation, we never really talked about that with our parents. I just saw my mom suffering from the hot flashes. I remember she would, like, open up the freezer and, like, put her head in the freezer and just be like, hot flashes. And I'm just like, that looks terrible and miserable.

[E]

And.

[A]

And then I'm like. But we didn't really talk about it to know when does this. You know, what is this? How do I. And a lot of doctors at the time. I know it's a lot. There's more in the media now, but they didn't know. Even the GYNs, they were like, you're just stressed. And I'm like, no, something's going on. So, yeah, that's why I think it's important to talk about.

[D]

Yeah. And I don't even remember. I actually just had a con with my mom, like, a month ago, which is crazy because I don't even remember seeing her go through any symptoms. I don't remember hot flashes. I don't remember her experiencing anything. And I just asked her, like, did you experience it? And you were kind of, like, hiding it or just not discussing it, or maybe I just wasn't conscious of what changes she was going through. But she said she didn't really have those symptoms. You know, she said, yes, it's not something she experienced. So that's why I don't remember witnessing it. And I thought, okay, so not everyone goes through this. I guess that's something that I thought was awesome.

[A]

That is so important. Yes. Because not everyone has the same symptoms.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

There are so many different symptoms. Hot flashes is one symptom. But I know, like, people who. They don't have hot flashes at all.

[D]

Right.

[A]

Other symptoms are there's. I feel like. I want to say there's hundreds.

[B]

Don't quote me on that.

[A]

But whoa. Because the thing is, what's happening is your body, especially during perimenopause. So let's start there. So perimenopause is like, the years before your last period, when your estrogen is swinging up and down instead of simply dropping. So that's why you kind of feel all over the place. Your mood is all over the place. Your body is all over the place. Your symptoms. This usually lasts 48 years, but for some people, it can last 10, 48 years. Four to eight. Four to eight. That would be miserable.

[D]

That's a.

[A]

A really long time. It's not that long, thank God. Okay, it's not that long, but. So that's Perry, where you're just feeling all over the place, and it's like, am I. Am I not? And then menopause is more so one single point in time. So it's 12 months with no period. So if you're someone and it's like, I have not had a period for 12 months, you should definitely go to the doctor and get things checked out. And then everything after that is post menopause. So perimenopause is, like, the period leading up to the menopause transition. And perimenopause is when a lot of women are having these symptoms, including the blood sugar connection, like we said. And it's interesting because so many women think, like, they're too young for perimenopause or. And I feel like my friends are annoyed with me, probably Wendy, too, because anytime they bring up symptoms, I'm like, it's perimenopause.

[B]

Annoyed is anytime it comes up, I'm like, talk to Jazz. She knows about perimenopause.

[D]

That's your girl.

[A]

Like, I do feel like a lot of us in our generation, we're still millennials. We're young, right? Like, we are a little bit in denial, I believe, about what's going on. And so even when I have patients and I'm like, you have every single symptom. They're like, no, I'm good. I think it's just stress or it's kind of written off. And I do think it's important to. You said that's you.

[D]

Yeah, totally. Everyone's like, what symptoms have you felt? I'm like, oh, I don't. I don't. I'm not feeling anything different. And I'm. I'm genuinely not. But there's a part of me that wonders if I should go, like, can you go to the obgyn and they can tell you you're in perimenopause? Is there, like, a test, or is it just based on the symptoms and them kind of running down whether you have them or not?

[A]

That it's really tricky because there isn't a single test because your hormones fluctuate. So certain hormones they might look at are fsh, estrogen, but they fluctuate. So it's hard to use those as a diagnostic tool. And again, I'm not a doctor. Go to your doctor. But I'll give you some just general tips. What really we. They look at doctors is the pattern over time. So cycle changes. Are you noticing? And I noticed this too. Like, your cycle all of a sudden is weird. Like, you know, a lot of us, we had. It was very specific, like to a T. And then all of a sudden it's like, oh, this cycle's like three days. This cycle's three months. So that's one symptom.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

As well as the hot flashes, the sleep changes, I think, are one of the biggest symptoms for people. If you're just, like, not sleeping, feeling like. A lot of people say they feel like they just can't handle the same amount of things. Like, you're just crumbling a little bit more. Let's say it's work. Or. I remember I would be in random meetings and just started crying out of nowhere. And I'm so. I don't even know these people. So it's. That's why he was crying from a candy. So it's.

[B]

It's.

[A]

The mood shifts, all of it. And there's a lot of women, too, who get diagnosed with ADHD as well, because it all just comes to a head, essentially. So if you feel like your life is maybe falling apart a little bit, it's. You should get your. You know, get checked out and in terms of how to. Who to meet with, because there are a lot of OB GYNs. I experience this especially six years ago. It's better now. But they don't really get a lot of training on this necessarily. And doctors especially like PCPs. So there is a website called the Menopause Society where people can go and find a practitioner. That's one place. There's also MIDI Health. I used to be a patient there. They take insurance. They're in many states. And then I also want to shout out this doctor if for people in Atlanta. She's incredible. And she's been doing this work for. Before it became more in the media. And her name is Dr. Taniqua Miller, and she has a practice for black women just focused on midlife. So it's called Reva. Reva, I think. Revival, I think. So she would be someone I'd recommend. Or finding people with similar backgrounds as her. And another thing to know is, like, there's. It affects so many different things. And so even if you're like, hey, this feels weird, or all of a sudden my blood sugar is going up, but I'm doing things the same, it might just be worth talking with a doctor who knows how to diagnose. Do you.

[D]

Is there a way to live with perimenopause? Like, should you be eating a certain way? Should there be things you avoiding? Should you not? Because I've seen conversations too, even how you work out. There's people saying you should be lifting really heavy. There's people saying you shouldn't be lifting heavy because that raises your cortisol. And then that works against, you know. So it's like there's just so much. There's so many opposing views when it comes to this. And obviously with a lot of the podcasts, there's people that are licensed, there's people that are not, and you just don't necessarily know which information you should listen to. I tend to just try different things and see what. How my body responds. That's kind of my field of research.

[A]

But, yeah, that's what I was literally gonna say. I was gonna say that. I always go back to this quote that I love. It's from this dietitian, Rebecca Scritchfield. She wrote a book called Body Kindness. And it's the best exercise is the exercise you do consistently.

[D]

Right.

[A]

Because it's very easy to get pull. Especially now online, there's so much where it's like, you need to be doing the sit training, which is sprint interval training, or you need to be. Yeah, like lifting so heavy. But I don't know. I just feel like a lot of people are coming from lifting no weights. And then you're trying to go into this body building, bodybuilding, you'll probably. You're gonna be more susceptible to getting injured.

[D]

Right.

[A]

Especially if you don't have a trainer you're working with, which is not accessible to most people.

[D]

Right.

[A]

So I have some websites that I really like for fitness. One of them is called Fit Bod. I know that for sure. So if you're someone who's like, I don't know where to start with doing strength training, because there is a benefit to doing strength training, and we'll talk about that. But if you are not sure where to start and you want kind of more of a structured program with videos, I really like Fit Bod. The second one is called evlo, which is by. I believe they are. Yeah. Doctors of physical Therapy. And I love them because they do the workouts with you. So they publish their workout. It's all strength training built for women. They publish their workouts. I think it's like four or five days a week. I was doing it for maybe a year. I really liked it. And they're 35 minutes only. And it's all focused on building muscle without burning yourself into the ground. So people are like, I don't know where to. Yeah, if you don't know where to start, I would say Fitbot or Evlo are really good places to start. But the reason why it is helpful to build muscle is because our muscle is very metabolically active and it helps to eat the glucose in the blood. So it's like the more muscle you have, the better your. Theoretically, the more muscle you have, the better you are going to be with managing your blood glucose. And just to talk about, about this a little more in detail for people who are curious. So you guys maybe have heard of insulin and insulin resistance? Does anybody know what insulin resistance is or even what insulin is?

[D]

I'll let you guys say the process on the spot.

[A]

Okay, so insulin's role is to unlock your cells so that glucose can enter them and be used for energy. Glucose is essentially what, what carbohydrates break down into. So asante, what's a carbohydrate?

[E]

One example, we're completing our plate right now. Yeah,

[A]

we've been doing this for ten years.

[E]

The bread.

[B]

The bread.

[E]

The carbs.

[D]

The carbs, yes.

[A]

The bread is an example of a carbohydrate that will break down into glucose. Exactly. Also fruit, also cookies, cake, lollipop, whatever it is. Rice. So that'll break down.

[C]

I love rice.

[A]

And I love rice too. It's the, the best people can miss. They can miss me with the cauliflower rice. Like that's.

[C]

Yeah, subscribe to that.

[A]

I'm sorry, it just doesn't fill you up. And it's not, I mean, for me personally, and it's not satisfying and for many, most of like the patients I work with. Okay, so we mentioned that insulin unlocks your cells, Right. But what happens with insulin resistance is the lock becomes less responsive. So that means that glucose stays in the blood longer. And the pancreas, which is the part of our body that produces insulin, it produces more insulin to compensate. So over time, having more insulin will increase our risk for pre diabetes and type 2 diabetes. But the good thing is that there are things we can do. So that's where the strength training comes into play. Strength training makes our body more sensitive to insulin. So that means, like, if you eat, eat like carbs, your body's able to process them better. Right. So that's why it's so important to incorporate that strength training not only for perimenopause, but also for pcos, because they, they don't work in similar ways, but the insulin resistance within both of them works in similar ways. So that's. Yeah, that's why I would recommend people, if you're not doing train training now, I wouldn't jump into this, like bodybuilding, lifting, because I do think that, that there's a lot of people who wouldn't enjoy that and also get injured. But starting with maybe a program that's two days a week, two to three days a week, where you're hitting all body parts and, you know, going. Even if you go to Planet Fitness, one thing I tell people is you guys know how Planet Fitness has the circuit room where you're just going through for 30 minutes. Like that's strength training. That's. That is more than enough. If you do that two or three times a week and just go through one circuit or two circuits, it doesn't have to be this crazy. What do they call them now? Like, they're the programs.

[D]

Yeah, like the HIT program.

[A]

Strict program. Yeah.

[D]

But isn't walking after you eat equally as if. I mean, maybe not equally as effective, but isn't it also highly beneficial? Because I remember reading or hearing some discourse around that too, like, yes, you should be strength training, but even going for a walk after you eat a meal can have a really positive effect. Effect on your insulin resistance or people that are experiencing that.

[A]

Yes. So they do two different things. They're both really important, and that's why it works in combination. And that's why they recommend 150 minutes of cardio, you know, physical activity per week and two to three days of strength training because they work in conjunction. So what happens with the cardio and the walking after meals is that that eats up the sugar in your blood. Like kind of the, the best, best way to say it is it eats up the sugar in your blood kind of has an immediate effect versus strength training. The effects of that last longer. So they may last up to two, three days where you strength train three days a week. And on average, your blood Sugar or your A1C, which is your average blood sugar over three months may come down versus with walking. It's like, like having an effect usually on like that particular point in time. You want to do both Done daily

[D]

is what makes it highly beneficial.

[A]

That's why it's a beautiful thing. Yeah. Walking after your biggest meal in a day can work wonders for helping manage your blood sugar and also just helping you feel good digestion. So many things.

[D]

Yeah. Because I know there was this craze with the 10,000 steps, and everybody's kind of like, obsessing with. With their wearables and the optimization of their workouts. But I know for me, I was caught up in that for a while and was like, outside walking for, like, an hour and a half. And it was fine because I'm someone that enjoys walking and being outside anyway. But then there came a time where I was like, I feel like I'm just working too hard, and it's easy to burn out when that. When you're trying to keep that consistent. So what I did that helped was after each meal, I would walk for, like, 15, 20 minutes.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

And kind of break it up throughout the day. And by the end of the day, it was the same distance, almost damn near the same time frame, but just done in a way that was more sustainable. And like you said, something that I could stick with because walking for 15, 20 minutes after a meal is easily done for me, regardless of if I have, like, a really busy schedule or if it's a more, you know, easy day. Regardless. So just kind of trying to reframe to how to

[C]

even approach.

[D]

Configure. Yeah. These things that are beneficial, but you got to figure out how to do it for your lifestyle.

[E]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. Like, sometimes it becomes even more stressful. Like, I remember I used to use the sleep tracker, and then I wake up and I'm flustered. I'm like, how did I sleep? And I'm like, well, well, how about I just check in and see how I'm feeling? But you start getting a little manic with all of the trackers, especially now. Yeah. Like, people are using the CGMs a lot now, and they don't necessarily have issues with their blood sugars, but they're becoming a little obsessive about, like, oh, how my blood sugar is, like, fluctuating during the day.

[D]

What is CGMS that you mentioned?

[B]

Yeah, so the CGMs are the continuous glucose monitors. So you're seeing a lot of people now, like, they have that little patch in the back of their arm. Yeah. There's more and more people that are using them, and it basically tracks like your glucose trends throughout the day. And we're seeing more and more people that are using them that don't necessarily have diabetes.

[D]

I was gonna say. I thought that was. I know that was like, diabetics use that on their arm. But I didn't know people are just casually purchasing.

[B]

Oh, yeah, okay. Yeah. There's so many people that are using those now for tracking. And I'm seeing more and more people just, like, at the gym or in the street, and they have, like, the little thing on. I'm like, what's going on? Like, is it just like there's more and more people with. I mean, it is increasing, but I'm like, I don't think it's increasing that much. Where, like, everyone. Yeah, and it's like young. You know, it's. It's a certain demographic. It's usually like young professionals. Like, you know, they're like, they're trying to biohack or whatever it is, you know. But, yeah, like, we've used it, Justin. I have used it just because, like, we've worked with certain CGM companies to do, like, this research for patient purposes, like, just to gather information on, like, the experience and things like that. And, you know, it's like, in the beginning, it's exciting because you're like, oh, I have all this new data, and it's great. But then after a while, you're like, okay, well, what am I going to do with this? Because it kind of just plateaus, like, even with sleep. Right. Or we're walking. If you're somewhat consistent, you're just going to keep getting the same information every day.

[D]

Right.

[B]

So it's like, well, what purpose is all of this information giving me? You know, it just becomes like. It can become stressful because you're like, this is another thing that now I have to, like, manage and track. So. So, you know.

[C]

So you just rip it off and throw it on the floor across the room. Well, once you get to that point with it, you know what I mean?

[B]

Well, it expires in two weeks, so you do have to rip it off anyway.

[C]

You got 14 days.

[A]

So I want to be a contrarian here of a couple things. So, number one is with the CGMs, if you are someone who likes guts, if you're someone like many people, where you like personalized information and that will be helpful to you and it's not going to spiral into, like, this disordered eating pattern. I think the CGM for two weeks, especially for someone with pre diabetes, can be helpful because sometimes we're not able to know exactly how things are affecting us within our bodies.

[D]

Right.

[A]

So one example, and I Feel like I probably said this on this podcast before, but I had, like, a plate of pasta and I was wearing the CGM and I had olive oil on it. And you would think that that would raise. Well, yeah, you may think that that would raise your blood sugar, but for me, it was completely steady and stable. And so it's interesting because, yes, I felt okay, but it was also nice to get that positive reinforcement. Like. Like, we're all unique and this really works well for me. So in that case, I think it can work. But I. I recommend working with a healthcare provider, like a dietitian who's able to, like Wendy said, take that information. It's like, now what? And help you make sense of it without spiraling. So that's one thing I'll say about cgm, but in defensive trackers, I will say, and I literally was just thinking this yesterday. I have an aura ring. I have no affiliation with them whatsoever.

[B]

You.

[A]

I feel like it is the best thing for me personal, Personally, that has helped, like, with my habits, with my health, all the things, because it helps me make connections that I would not otherwise make. For example, I notice, like, if I walk after dinner at night, I found that, like, I always wake up hungry or I wait, not even wake up hungry, but just, like, I didn't get the best sleep. And this is where the CGM comes into play too, because I noticed, like, oh, shoot, like, I'm fine mind going into, like, I'm not hungry for a snack. But I noticed, like, with time, my blood sugar will dip because I was doing walks, like, at night all the time, and I was like, why am I, like, sleeping? Like, weird. It's not great. And then I started, like, having a. My blood sugar was dipping, and then that was affecting just my recovery. Your, you know, your sleep recovery. And so then even if I'm not necessarily hungry because, like, intuitive eating would tell you, like, okay, you're. You're not hungry. Like, maybe don't eat. But I. I ate a snack anyways, like, peanut butter crackers, whatever it was. And I slept so much better. And also, like, the aura ring numbers reflected that and the CGM reflected that. So that's not something that I would put those two things together. Also, I feel like, yeah, some people, for sure. I think there's two types of people. There's those people where it. Well, there's three types. There's one type person where it's like, I don't want any of this information. It's annoying. Like, I'll do me. I Think that's Wendy. I think there's another type of person where it's like, I have this information, I'm spirally out of control, it's not helpful. And then I think there's another type of person where it's like, take it, take with it what you will and you find things that are helpful for you. And also maybe even if you know it's going to be a crazy week, like we were in Columbia for Wendy's birthday, it's like, maybe turn it off because it's just going to make you spiral. You didn't sleep. We're doing the party busting. So I think that there is a time and place for certain people for different things. That's all I'm going to say. But I love, love, love the oura ring so much.

[C]

You make a good case, Jace.

[D]

You did make a good case. I think what got me was you saying that for someone that pasta may have made them spike for you in that moment. It didn't. And it was interesting to have that information in real time. And I'm sure that also helps you determine what should and shouldn't be a part of your daily diet. Right? Just kind of monitoring those spikes. And maybe that's, maybe that's the fear too. It's like, how accurate is it? How much should you be leaning on that information? Because I think that's where I feel like, yes, it's nice having that information, but these companies are still trying to make money and they know that they're tapping into that part of you that needs the reward systems, that needs the data so that you can go and obsess and you know, and then they sell you the new one that gives you more information and it's.

[A]

Exactly, exactly. I agree. That's why I say. Yeah, that's why I say people like two weeks with a dietitian, if you have a concern like pre diabetes, I find it to be helpful if also you don't have a history of disordered eating. Right. There's so many different caveats and it's not something where, yeah, I'm just like continuously doing this. It's just helping people make connections. Also energy wise, again, sometimes people are not always making these connections for themselves. Like, why am I so tired at 3:00'?

[B]

Clock?

[A]

Oh, it's because X, Y and Z, maybe it's easier for them to see. Maybe they're more visual with like the cgm. For some people it's, it's not so I think it just is case by case basis yeah.

[D]

And at least available for the person that does want it, you know, And

[A]

I think that does want it.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

I will say, too, with the Oura ring, Wendy knows I used to get sick all the time. All the time. I swear, I don't think I have been sick in the year that I've had the O ring, because it tells you. I know. I'm like, I don't work for them.

[E]

This is so funny right before you started, because I was about to be like, tell me more about that aura rings.

[A]

It tells you when it. It kind of knows you're getting sick before you do. And so for me, as someone who really likes working out, I find it helpful because calls it. What is it, like minor signs or major signs. And it'll know usually like two days before you're gonna get sick that you are.

[B]

And.

[A]

Yeah. Because it knows your body's kind of fighting something. So for me, those two days, I may. I may not feel it, feel it yet physically in terms of like, oh, shoot, I got to take it easy at the gym or whatever it is. But if I see that, I'm like, oh, no working out at all. And so it just, like, stops saying me, you know, And a lot of people too. It can be helpful, but again, it can go either way.

[D]

No, I listen, I'm with you on. Because even the fitness. My fitness pal app, which I know can be. Jess is already sighing. It can be triggering.

[A]

That's another. That's a whole nother thing.

[D]

It can be triggering for a lot of people. Right. But when I got on back on my journey with, like, my relationship with food and working out again after quarantine kind of had me derailed. I used it for a month or two, and it reminded me of like, like, food. And it helped me remember, like, yeah, you might feel this plate up with this stuff, but this is how it might not be useful for specific goals that you're trying to tap into. And it just reminded me of those things. And so I was able to now have a better gauge for what a plate. What's a well rounded plate, how many carbs, how much protein, how much fat for my particular goals. And that was very useful. But I also also stopped using it once I felt that my mind and my eye had adjusted to what my plate, for me, should look like. And then I stopped using it. But I wouldn't have had that gauge created if I didn't start out with the app. So I see even with the wearables and, you know, it's like they're useful, in my opinion, to help you have a better understanding. But then I think you should lean on building a life where you intuitively, like, I know I should go off walk, you know, I don't want it to always be 10,000 steps. I want to walk until my body tells me, hey, that was a great walk. Get your butt back home. You know what I mean? Like, just trying to lean into that. Because I think the wearables, like you said, they're useful, they're helpful, they're for who they're for. But I also worry that we're leaning into this optimization that's also pulling us further away from our own, own feeling and intuition with eating and working out and just what your body is telling you it needs, you know, a thousand percent.

[B]

I think it's also like with wellness, it's been a big culture shift of like looking for very quick solutions. Like, everything is solution directed. Yeah. A hack. Like, how can I wear this ring? How can I wear this device? How can I get this app. App to like, get a fast result? And really, like all of these devices and apps and technology is just giving you information and then it's up to you, like, what are you going to do with that information and how are you going to apply it into your everyday life in a way that actually makes sense? Right. That is where, yeah, that's where like having that support, like whether it's a dietitian or, you know, a health professional, to like, make sure you're actually incorporating that information in a way that's useful because otherwise it just becomes like more information that you have to process. And we're already in like a very technology forward society. So it's like information overload. And like, for many people it becomes even more stressful and actually can hold you back from meeting your goals because you become paralyzed and you're just like, well, you know, I'm just going to throw in the towel, like, there's nothing that I can do because it's like I. There's so much that I'm supposed to be doing. So I'm not going to do anything at all. All.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

That's why I'm in that first group of people.

[B]

Yeah. You know, a lot of people are.

[C]

A lot of people are, listen, you know, not today.

[B]

Yeah, not today

[D]

with the insulin, with the workout conversations. There are people too that say that they're insulin resistant and they've tried the proper eating, they've tried the working out, they've done all the things, things, all the wearables, and they feel like it's nothing is working. And they're frustrated because people keep telling them there's no way that nothing's working. You are dropping the ball on one of those because it's not possible. And you see that argument all the time under all the YouTube videos, under all the fitness posts of people kind of fighting each other about whether you're lazy because you haven't been able to crack through, you know, this insulin resistance, or people saying, I have pcos, that's why I haven't been able to lose the weight or build the muscle. And I'm curious what your feelings are around that discourse, the fitness mean girls,

[C]

how you feel about that.

[A]

It's really annoying. I see that in the comments too daily, where it's a lot of shaming, it's a lot of. Of negativity. It's a lot of not understanding that we're all different, we're all built different, and that a lot of how we look, almost all of it is genetics, our particular genetics. And I think we have to keep that in mind. Also our health status. A lot of times it is genetic. You may just have been dealt a genetic card that puts you at more risk for having diabetes than someone else. And you could be. Be doing every single thing, quote right, and still get diabetes. And that's okay, too. And that's what we have. We try to have those conversations with our patients as well, to reduce the stigma and shame. Because I don't want people to leave this conversation thinking like, oh, I have insulin resistance and therefore something's wrong with me, I did something wrong. And if I've tried these things and I still have it, it's an issue. That's what medications are for, their life savings.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

For so many people. For example, insulin, before insulin was not invented, but before we came up with a, you know, insulin that people could take. Right. As a medication, if you had type 1 diabetes, you would just die. And so because your body need, your body would not be able to process the glucose and get that into your cells. So I think we. There has to be some reframing too, especially within the black community, that sometimes medications are helpful and life saving. I do think sometimes too, they may be prescribed quickly. And maybe people aren't given the opportunity to try other things. I think that can happen as well. But also maybe you don't want to try anything else. Maybe it's like, child, I'm busy. I don't want to do any of this. Just give me a medication Because I have a lot going on in my life, right. And if that's going to help bring my blood sugar down, I don't have to worry about as many things, then that can work for people as well. Now, I want to talk about the hormone replacement. Oh, sorry, did someone have a question?

[D]

No, no.

[C]

Pointing in agreement.

[A]

I want to talk about the hormone replacement therapy because.

[D]

Oh my God. Can we please. Hrt, baby, this is my hr.

[A]

Oh, Dustin, hold on. What do you know about hrt, right, baby?

[C]

Oh, I hear these things. I hear.

[A]

What's your algorithm looking like?

[C]

Well read.

[A]

Well read the friends, the friend zone. Okay. Hrt. I personally, again, it's not about me, but I will just disclose I'm on HRT and it was life changing for me.

[D]

I need to hear about this

[A]

now. A lot of women, especially black women, we have been scared of hrt. And I want to talk a little bit about that, like some of the history around it. So in 2002, there was a Women's health initiative. Maybe you heard about it, maybe you didn't, but it basically was studying the effects on things like hrt. And it was stopped early because studies suggested that HRT increases the risk of breast cancer and heart disease. So most women stop their prescriptions overnight. Many doctors became hesitant to prescribe these hormones. And I feel like our parents generation were within this because I asked my mom, I was like, did you take hrt? And she said no. And it's because this is like the framing that they had. However, the problem is, and this is what they've now it's, you know, been coming out and well established a lot, like few years is the original headlines didn't capture the full picture. So number one, the average age of participants was 63. And many of these women were already years past menopause. And also they found that women who start hrt in their 50s or within 10 years of menopause had a different risk profile. So we're looking at like kind of different populations and not looking at the nuance of who is going to be most benefited from hrt, and that's going to be women who are younger versus this study looked at women who are older. And so for many healthy women who are starting at the appropriate time, the risks are very, very low. Long story short, basically those headlines influenced an entire generation of doctors. There was outdated fears, There's a lot more nuance, but there's so many more podcasts that cover this. But what I will say is the FDA updated everything. So in 2025, they removed the warnings that on hormone replacement therapy that say that it, you know, causes breast cancer, cardiovascular and dementia for estrogen products. So is it right for everybody? No, but it's helpful for many, many, many people. And I will say, even for me, like, I was having those terrible hot flashes. I wasn't sleeping. Within a week, they went away, literally damn started sleeping. And that's again where the aura, suffering of my aura, where it circle back, hashtag not spons, where it's like the sleep scores, you know, go.

[D]

Everything went up.

[A]

Now that I'm, you know, on the hrt, I can also tell like again, I know we just had this whole conversation, but I can look at if I'm taking like 100 milligrams of progesterone versus 200, like how they both affect, affect my sleep, right. And just like the quality of my sleep. So I find it helpful. But I say that to say that it's not a one size fits all. But the idea that all women should be avoiding these hormones is really outdated and it's harmful. And I feel like there's been a generation of women who have really suffered for no reason.

[D]

Is it an injection? Is it a pill?

[A]

Good question. So there's many different things that you can do for me. And I think most people, you do estrogen as a patch, so you just put a little patch on and then you do progesterogen and they call it bioidentical estrogen and progesterone. You do that as a pill. So I take the estrogen literally right here as a patch. Some people don't absorb the patch as well, so they might do a gel or you might. At one point I was doing both because again, I am a different, different breed where, because I experience the poi, which is very different. Like I have to be on very high levels of estrogen because I went through this younger. So it's replacing what I normally would have versus someone who's more so going through perimenopause in the normal pathway, they won't be on as high of doses. You're probably not gonna be on this combo of different things. And then many women, especially for poi, which is what I have, will also take testosterone. But some women who have, have perimenopause will take testosterone because as women we still produce testosterone. And when you are going through these changes, like that also might be wonky. And so sometimes it can be helpful for just feeling better or how like a lot of women go through low sex drive. It can be helpful for that as well. But that's something definitely talk to your doctor because that's from my understanding not something that's FDA approved. So it has to be case by case the testosterone side of things.

[B]

Right.

[C]

Hrt, FDA related questions. So a few minutes ago you said that in 2025, I think it was the FDA had removed all the warnings that the HRT could cause. The things that you mentioned that was underneath the Trump administration. So how should I feel about that? Because I'm already like really leery of warnings being revealed and protections being removed and stuff. So is that a good thing in this case? Because people should be more open to the HRT without those fears or, or are they up to their same old bullshit and this is just another example of them being care hazardous with our.

[A]

That is such a great question.

[C]

Thank you.

[A]

So I personally yeah I, I look at yeah I would look at the doctors who I respect and what are their opinions and the doctors who I respect, their opinions are very clear that women have been harmed by this WHI study in the fallout around 2002 and a generation has suffered unnecessarily. I also will look at you know publications that I trust like the you can the New York Times did a really great deep dive on this topic too. There was very nuanced, a long article. I can send that to you guys. You can add to the show notes if you want more information on it and you want to want to you know, have you know I, I New York Times is one of my go to's for certain things. Yeah especially but they I like their well section. I think they do a good job with health related stuff so that that makes me feel comforted. I but yeah, I hear what you're saying with Trump. I, I yeah the experts that I follow they've been wanting this so I

[D]

feel comfortable about it. Great information maybe.

[C]

Yeah yeah.

[D]

Poshmark is the leading fashion resale market shaped by real people and real style. They have millions of new and pre loved items from daily wardrobe staples to vintage and luxury fashion. They even have archive worthy pieces that you thought you missed forever. Current essentials and one of one vintage finds is really all there. And I already told you all the hacks if there's something you're looking for go to Poshmark first. There is a huge chance that someone missed their return window because you know how we be shopping and so you can get it new without tags, new with tags, new in a box. It's all available for you. I tend to just go There first, just in case before I check the store that I'm trying to shop at. 9 times out of 10 I'm finding what I'm looking for at half the price. So it really is my favorite hack. So when you're right ready for a closet refresh, you can earn real money too, selling the pieces that you're ready to part with. Reaching more than 80 million users on the platform, it's something that you should really consider. There are new deals and styles and they're listed every day, so don't wait. Find what feels like you shop and share your style on Poshmark Today. Download the Poshmark app and use Code Zone when you sign up to get $10 off your first first purchase or shop [e-mail] zone and get $10 off your first purchase. That's P O S H M a r k.comzone Monday.com AI agents took over

[E]

my work and I absolutely love it.

[A]

Chasing deadlines, writing status reports, updating stakeholders.

[E]

Agents handle the daily grind. Now I stay in the loop only when it matters. Create your own AI agent in minutes

[A]

on Monday dot com.

[D]

So I told you, Jess, that I was at my, my gynecologist, the black gynecologist out here who is amazing. And she was kind of pushy about the hrt and she seemed frustrated, right, Because I wasn't jumping at it. And I told her I felt I needed more information, I needed more time. I told her that, that just because she was suggesting it. I'm not the type of person that's just going to say, all right, doc, let's do it. Like, I'm someone that needs to know, like, needs to read the research, maybe talk to some women in my life that are on it versus women that aren't. I'm also very old school in the sense that I'm like, you know, they didn't have hrt. Like, that's not something that my ancestors or women were like, yeah, let's. We need HRT to be, be healthy and have a, you know, a vibrant life and aging well. So I've just been really hesitant and she was very pushy. And that to me, kind of created more resistance because I was like, why is she so pushy for me to have this? She kept focusing on black women, Black women that we are the population that needs it the most and have been using it the least. And I felt like it was, was, you know, fear mongering about how terrible my life will be.

[C]

That would never work for you either.

[D]

Yeah, you telling me how terrible my life and black women's lives will be because we are not jumping on hrt? And I thought that was so shocking because I'm like, aren't you supposed to be.

[B]

Yeah.

[D]

Sharing this in a more neutral way where I can feel like I'm coming to the decision on my own. Is she back?

[A]

No.

[D]

I don't know.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[C]

Right? I was just.

[D]

But you feel.

[A]

Not in Portland.

[D]

It just. Well, so.

[B]

Oh, really?

[E]

No.

[B]

You never know.

[D]

But you know what I'm saying, Like, it just felt like such a strange way to present that information to me. And then I have spoken to different women, and there's so many opposing views. They're women that are like. Like, why would. Why do you feel you need something to help you with your body as opposed to just creating a lifestyle that creates, you know, the healthiest version of yourself so that everything will fall into place? So that's why I'm kind of stuck, honestly, on not. Not knowing which direction to go, but intuitively I feel like I don't want to do it.

[A]

Why does your doctor. Why is she suggesting it?

[D]

Because of my age.

[C]

That's it.

[A]

Okay, but do you have any symptoms or anything like that?

[D]

No, she was just saying the earlier I do it, the better it'll be for me. Because she said most people wait too late. Most people wait until they have symptoms. And she said if you do this now, you won't even get there. That's basically what she was telling me. And she said it's. It would be the smartest decision I could make because she said I don't even have to be on it long. Something. Is it two years or something like that. She said if I do it for whatever specific. I don't want to make that up. She didn't say that, but she said there's a specific time frame that I could stay with it that will change the rest of my life and that it was worth me considering. That was her position on me starting hrt.

[C]

Wendy and Jess.

[D]

Right.

[B]

Well, I think.

[A]

Okay. Hydration has a lovely hrt.

[B]

Like what you should have.

[A]

Expert on the pod. Because I don't want to step too much outside my scope, I think. Doctor. The doctor. I said, Dr. Taniqua Miller, who. This is her. Been her thing for over a decade. She came and spoke to our team clinically and answered all of our team's questions because there is a lot out there about it. And, like, was really compassionate about setting the record straight, so I would defer to that. But Just from like your experience a woman who is dealing with. Yeah. Woman. The woman to woman.

[C]

Which is a very valid perspective though.

[A]

It is a perspective.

[C]

Yeah. The perspective.

[A]

What I have seen. Well, I don't know that it's the.

[C]

Well, I mean I would go to your doctor you using it.

[B]

But yeah, you're right.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Boots on the ground.

[A]

The thing for me was like there was no alternative. It was this. Or like this is like not saying I was suicidal but like my life was miserable. You. You're not in the same place because also again I had a different situation going on but for me it was. It just changed my life and nothing else. Because you're like, oh, I could do the other. Like there was. I was doing acupuncture. I tried ever. I did a sleep coach everything all of a sudden potions about daughter's exercise. So I had a different experience. I will say again, I want you guys to have a doctor on who can talk more about this. But I have seen some research to suggest what your doctor is saying that some women may benefit like a little bit earlier in the perimenopause. Perimenopause stage because it will like she's saying, lesson symptoms, you know, kind of more long term. And what happens too is estrogen affects everything. That's why there's so many symptoms. Estrogen affects everything in your body that we don't even realize.

[D]

Right.

[A]

And so once you start going low on estrogen sometimes. And I can relate to what your doctor is saying because what happened for me is I was so low for so long that things were really far gone on. And so if somebody would have told me earlier that you should, you can do this and it wouldn't get to as bad as it was. Again, I'm an extreme case. I probably should have been on it four years before to be honest because what I remember like telling doctors I'm having these symptoms like and it's like oh, whatever. And then it just got out of control. So I would have preferred to. However, I do know people who are not on it and I do know like you said, women who are parents generation who they were able to.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Who were able to, you know, make it work anyway. Yeah. Make it work some kind of way. But it does. Again, estrogen affects so many things. So it's like bone density, things like that. You just, you kind of want to get those tests to ask your doctor like say if I'm not going to do this or I'm not interested. Now, now maybe what are some Tests that I can take or some signs to look out for that might be a trigger for you to consider it more versus just it being a blanket. But again, have the doctor on the pod, y', all, and we'll find her brain because she works with the patients on that particular topic. Be more so focused on the symptoms, nutrition, that side of things.

[D]

Wendy, I'm curious what your thoughts are on hrt, girl.

[B]

I don't know anything about hrt.

[C]

That's why we all man right there.

[B]

Take it away. You know, I, I, I've just been learning through Jess and, like, her personal experience, so it's very new to me. I just turned 40, so it's definitely something that, you know, I'm more interested in. But I can definitely see what you're saying, friend, because I agree it's a, like, especially, you know, coming from an immigrant family, that's something that I, I don't know of anyone that has been on hrt. So it is more of a newer concept.

[D]

Right.

[B]

But I am all about, you know, what the research and the science is saying as well. So I, you know, it would be interesting to, like, do a deep dive and see, like, I have come across some information that says that, you know, maybe for some women it might be beneficial with, like, reducing heart disease and, like, what Jess said with, like, bone health and things like that. And so, so, you know, I think it's something for us to definitely be aware about, especially, you know, black and brown women and just, like, staying up to date with what the advances are with that. Right.

[D]

You know, so, yeah, and I think that's it. It's just having the research available so that you can make a more informed decision. Because I just felt the way that it was approached, the way that I was approached didn't help me feel.

[C]

Are you pushing this off on.

[D]

Yeah, because it starts feeling, Feeling one story or something, you know, And I think with our history in the medical industry already, we're so sensitive already, especially if someone feels pushy because you start getting triggered. Like, why do you want me to do this so badly?

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

You know, as a woman especially.

[A]

So, yeah, I'm sure she is thinking it's for the best, but the approach is tough because, yeah, it's definitely giving just blanket solution for everybody. And we like to work with people. And of course, you know, doctor is a doctor and they have their expertise and all these things.

[C]

Absolutely.

[A]

But at the same time, it's a joint decision.

[D]

Right.

[A]

And it's a conversation. It's not a. We don't believe in like the top down approach with healthcare should be a collaboration approach approach. The other benefit of taking it though, and this is part of the purpose of this conversation is it for many people and there are studies to suggest will help with your insulin sensitivity. So it will help with the insulin resistance. And that's what happened with me too where again I mentioned I was had the pre diabetes doing everything the same and we have a lot of patients who are doing all the things, things and they're in this age range where they're probably going through the perimenopause transition and for some of them it's not until they incorporate the HRT that they're able to actually get their blood sugar within range. So that's like the main takeaway that I want people to leave with. It's like if you feel like this came out of nowhere, you're doing all the same things. Maybe you have some of the symptoms I'm talking about and the lifestyle stuff is not working for you. You don't rule this out. Like you have to investigate if this is something that is contributing to your blood sugar going up and it may be the missing piece that's going to help bring it back within range.

[D]

Right. And that's useful information. Is there anything outside of HRT, like more lifestyle based that you could be doing to boost your estrogen levels or even. I know people talk a lot about balancing their hormones. That's a phrase that gets thrown a lot online and I don't know that we necessarily even know what that means. Exactly. Yeah, but what are some lifestyle ways that you could boost those things if at all possible? Yeah.

[A]

Yes. So I know one of your listeners asked this question too and I wanted to go through different things that people can do and the level of evidence. So the strongest consistent evidence is for exercise. We talked about this at the top of the conversation and strength and cardio. So we're looking more so at like what's going to help you thrive, improve your, improve your symptoms, your bone density, your muscle mass, your heart and your metabolic health, strength and cardio. And sometimes it's like not sexy. It's not what people want to hear. It's like I already know that.

[B]

Right.

[A]

But it's just the truth that. And then nutrition and sleep.

[B]

Sleep.

[A]

So again not focusing on just one nutrient because we see out there it's like protein, protein, protein. Protein is definitely important. But you guys know going back to day one, the plate.

[C]

Oh my God, y'. All.

[D]

Oh. Looking at Justin's having A moment.

[A]

Protein is having a moment. We have to look at the whole plate. Because again, if you're. And we had that protein episode. Right. If you're only having a plate of protein, what other nutrients are you not having?

[D]

Like fiber.

[A]

So.

[D]

So you. That protein, right?

[E]

Yes.

[D]

Out here looking bloated.

[A]

Yeah, so bloated. There's also some evidence to suggest that yoga can be helpful, especially for better sleep, because this affects our sleep, Sleep stress. This affects our stress, and just a general improved quality of life. So those are the three things that have the strongest evidence now in terms of emerging and mixed evidence. I know we're hearing about creatine. I think you probably asked me that on the last episode. So that can help because we're talking about the building muscle to help with the insulin sensitivity and all the things glucose, like eating the glucose. So creatine can be helpful. There's some research to suggest, especially alongside slide strength training, if you want to try it and see, it can help preserve your muscle and your strength and from some people may help with recovery. And then there's some emerging research for like, mood, cognition, fatigue. So that can be something people may want to try and see if it helps. And then the ones that are floating around the interwebs a lot, but they have very mixed evidence. One is maca powder. Have you heard of that, Fran?

[D]

Yeah, of course. We talked about that.

[A]

Oh, you put in your. Okay, okay. So there's some small studies can help just for libido. Yes, there you go. Help with sexual function, mood. But there's no consistent evidence that it will change or improve your hormone levels. So that's one. Although I do see it on the Internet all the time.

[D]

I was going to say I. I attest to it, but I know everybody is different, but.

[A]

Oh, that it helps your hormones.

[D]

Yeah, Macaroot for me especially, you know. Yeah. I just. Because, you know, as you age, your energy levels shift and so this, I think, is a really helpful tool.

[A]

Oh, libido for sure.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

There's evidence, but I'm saying, like, like changing your hormone levels, that there's not consistent evidence.

[D]

Enough evidence.

[B]

Right.

[A]

But again, I think it's worth trying. Like, I definitely tried this. I don't know that I noticed that big of a difference, to be honest. But, you know, if you're someone who's like, I just want to try, you know, these things first, go for it.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

And then there's evening primrose oil. That's something that's popular that, you know, but it's the evidence is more so on the weaker side. And then one that I saw the most studies for was called. I don't know how to pronounce it, Black cohosh. Have you guys heard of that before?

[D]

I have, actually. I haven't used it. But you know, Haas, one of my friends, she's like a big. Right. And my friend Cecily, they're big herbalists and so I've seen them use it in different mixtures.

[A]

Okay. Yeah, there is some evidence that. So it's. The studies are mixed and inconsistent, but essentially it's an herbal supplement that can be helpful for some to alleviate menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. Again, some studies say it offers relief. Others are. It says it's pretty weak. So.

[D]

See, you're stepping into. You're stepping into earthy hoes territory now.

[A]

I'm with stepping into the earth crunch of it all. The granola, the. The potions and the powders.

[D]

You got me. I'm listening.

[A]

Brad perks up, so. And there's a couple other ones where it's weak or lacking evidence. So one is wild yam cream with the studies. Have you heard that, friend?

[D]

No, that's.

[A]

You've heard of all.

[D]

Okay.

[A]

So that there was no meaningful benefit over the placebo. Would you guys know what a placebo is?

[D]

Yeah. When they have a testers.

[A]

Yes. To see if there's a. Honestly, the placebo effect is. What was that?

[D]

I'll see. They see if you lie in. You're like, did you really have the

[A]

one that the placebo effect can be really. Can be real. And I don't know, sometimes people are getting a placebo and that's enough for them, like mentally. Because, you know, there's like the psychosomatic of it all.

[D]

Yeah. The mind. Body is so strong. Yeah. You can will yourself to health. Absolutely. I'm telling you, our lane right now.

[A]

The last one that I found was ginseng. So that was inconclusive. However, there is some evidence to suggest that it can be helpful for fatigue and cognition, which people who are going through this transition will have those things, but not necessarily sleep. So take this with a grain of salt. I always say when I come on, people can go on the website, examine.come x a m I N E. It's an evidence. It's a platform where they review the evidence. And you can put any of these things in. And maybe you're like, I want to try it, but I don't know what doses to start with or whatever. Like, put it in examine.com, look through, see what it says. It'll tell you if things are harmful too. From what I looked at, none of this seemed to be harmful at certain doses. Right. That they studied. But again, do your research. And only I would recommend like trying one thing at a time because oftentimes we try 15, 11 things at once and it doesn't know what's doing, what's

[C]

canceling what out, you know?

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

So that's just some of the. Yeah, some of the things that I

[D]

came across and that's helpful. This is why I think it's so important to be able to tap in with you and Wende. Because I just. Because I feel a certain way about something, I never want to get in the way of the information being aired out on this platform properly. You know, like giving options, giving the research, giving the journals, the medical journal, the doctors that we can tap into. Because I'm always going to be the crunchy granola that's like, just eat better and run. But there's people that like, that's fine, but I am eating better, I am running. You know, I'm trying all of the things and I need more. So I'm grateful that you have an opposing view. You know, that's important because I want people to have options, you know, and not be pushed into any. Any which way. But we did. There were a lot of questions. I know you said fibroids isn't necessarily your wheelhouse, but I just wanted to tap into your thoughts, Wendy and Jess, on fibroids. Because there's so many people, black women specifically, that are experiencing fibroids. And it seems, I don't know if it's that we have more information so we're seeing more discourse around it or if it's that more black women are experiencing fibroids. I don't necessarily know the stats behind that, but it's everywhere. It's, it's. I feel like if you talk to any black woman, nine out of 10 have fibroids. And I'm like, what's. And even when I put out the prompt saying, you guys are coming in, do you have any questions or concerns? Nine out of the 10 questions were about fibroids. So I'm curious what your thoughts are on there.

[A]

Okay. My first, first thing I'll say is I think this would be a great topic also for a gynecologist to talk about because they're gonna know more. But I'll just say from a nutrition perspective, I did look at the research and it's probably not what people are gonna want to hear, but. And again, just because there's no research doesn't mean that it's not true. Right? Like, not everything is researched. Or, you know, sometimes research can have bias, things like that. But.

[B]

And it's limited too. It's limited, especially amongst black women.

[D]

I was going to say, especially because it has to do with us, with black women.

[A]

So there's not. There actually wasn't much. But what I did find was the diet may influence risk but not treatment. That was like the overall thing that I was seeing in the studies. So if someone already has fibroids and like, oh, I want to eat a diet to get rid of them, I didn't find any evidence that was concrete to suggest that that was, you know, possible. However, if you want to reduce your risk, what it was saying was higher fiber, like the same things, higher fiber fruits, vegetables are associated with lower fibroid risk, while higher saturated fats, red meat are associated with greater risk. So that's just one thing that I wanted to share with people. And then it is true that us as black folks, I think even I have fibroids. Like when I went and had an ultrasound, like, we do have. Have a higher risk. And I kept trying to figure out why, because like, to me it's like,

[D]

we have high risk.

[A]

Why, why?

[E]

Why?

[A]

But why, but why? Yeah. And so what I found was that there were some genetic differences that may contribute, including specifically differences in how fibroid related genes respond to hormones like estrogen and progesterone. So that was like the, the main. I think that it's inconclusive, but it just sounds like maybe there's something within our genes also. Also healthcare factors. That's something that I came across. So there's differences in access, so there's delayed diagnosis. We know that that's the case for so many things. Like maybe we don't have as good of access or the doctors aren't listening to us or they're dismissing or they're not testing this or that. And so sometimes it's like it gets severe, like in my case, before anything is even diagnosed or done. And this is. I'm someone who is. Has a high health literacy. I'm someone. But they just. I mean, I don't want to make a blanket statement, but. But this, it. They can dismiss us at times. And I think that for black women, like if Serena Williams almost died during pregnancy, I feel like there's not a lot of hope.

[D]

Right. For a lot of us.

[B]

Right.

[D]

Bracket yes.

[A]

So that again, someone who's in that bracket. And so that's why I, I always. I mean, I don't want to say that, but for me, personally, I love working with black doctors. Just because I don't have to worry about that as being a factor like you're already going to. To, you know, look at me a certain way. It's not saying that black doctors are the answer for every black, you know, person or that there is enough black doctors. But I think for me, I. Yeah, I just. That helps. They have all this history. They understand a little bit more. It's thus explaining. So those were the things. And then I also found lower vitamin D levels are more common among black women, and that has been associated with higher fibroid risk. Although association does not prove causation, I have to say that. So just because it's, you know, it seems like there's a correlation, doesn't mean that's the cause. But I will say, just from my clinical experience, almost all my black and brown patients are vitamin D deficient or have been at some point.

[D]

It's so frustrating. It's. It is iron and vitamin D. I don't know what it is. I have tried everything. And. And it's. It's like it never. When I go get my blood work, those are the two things that it seems like I cannot get it together. My blood work is always great. It's always in the green. They're always like, oh, you're so great. Da, da, da. And. But those two, the ferritin or whatever it's called, it's like.

[A]

Yes.

[D]

Doesn't budge. And I've tried the iron pills. I've tried the vitamin D. And they say add whatever else. Make sure you're drinking orange juice when you take it. Like all the hacks. And it's like nothing tried and it's. Nothing is shifting sun, right? Yeah.

[B]

Drink it in the morning.

[A]

Yes. You know that for black people because we have the melanin that makes it harder for us to.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

To absorb.

[D]

Absorb the medic.

[A]

The melon is protective and it's amazing. And you know, they say black don't crack, but then it be in the waste. Can't crack in to get in.

[E]

Would you move

[D]

Supposed to do for that specifically? Because I don't want to do the infusions. I heard a lot of. And this is from people that I know personally that got the infusions. There's a lot that can. There's a lot of risk involved with the. The weekly infusions or just getting regular infusions? I just was like, you know what? This is too much for my crunchy self. I just. I don't want to be getting fusions. I don't. Friend.

[A]

Do you mind sharing what your Ferritin is?

[D]

If, you know, if I remember correctly, it was like at a nine.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[D]

That's so. I'm like, dying.

[A]

So are you really tired or how are you feeling?

[D]

I think because. I think because of my lifestyle, I can't say that I'm really tired, but I know that I could feel better. You know what I mean?

[B]

Like, yeah.

[A]

Yes.

[D]

Like, I know there's a lot that sometimes I lean on my age. I'm like, well, I'm 44. I'm not 20. I'm not. But then I realize, like, no, it could just be that your ferret is crawling low. And so I have to figure that out and I haven't been able to. And you know me, I'm someone that's going to try everything. I take my health very seriously, and it just has not worked.

[A]

Okay, so a couple of things for those who don't know. Ferritin is a storage form of iron, Aaron. So it's can be helpful to know where you stand with your numbers because it. It can affect so many different things. And one of the main things that I see is just like, how people are feeling, their energy levels.

[B]

But it.

[A]

Hair is another one. Like a lot of black folk, like, their hair is thinning and then come out.

[D]

I got one little wisp of a braid, so I can.

[A]

Girl, you and me both. But here's the thing.

[C]

My par got me.

[A]

I just wash my hair, though, so I feel like. But here's the thing. I'll say, okay, so taking off my provider hat and putting on just a friend hat.

[D]

Tell me what.

[A]

Because again, these are the things that have a doctor on to talk about. I'm not a transfusion expert for from iron, you know, but what I will say is I was literally the same boat as you where the Ferritin was not budging for maybe two years of consistent supplementation. I had that transfusion girl, and it was like one of the best things that ever happened to me because

[B]

you

[A]

just don't realize how tired you are until you.

[D]

Yeah. And I know. I can sense that. I'm like, I bet you. And we joked about that in my house because I'm like, I bet you I do it. And I'm gonna feel like a Marvel comic. Like, oh, this is what life's supposed to feel like because you're different, you're

[A]

even lower than me. I know. Like, some functional. Functional medicine providers are like, we have a functional medicine dietitian on our team, Nikki. She's amazing. And they typically like to see ferritin over 50.

[D]

Oh.

[A]

So nine is pretty low. And I would suggest tweaking something if nothing is working. So even if it's like, we can talk about it offline. But I just wouldn't take that as, like, okay, I'm just gonna be okay with it being at nine, because that's no.

[D]

And I haven't been because I'm. I'm legit trying. Like, I was like, so now that I know it's at a nine, what should I be doing? You know, they just give you the liquid. They gave me some liquid to take. I would consistently took it. That's what I'm saying. Like, I'm doing what. What they're suggesting. I'm one of those people that I'm gonna stick to it. It's not a thing where I'm like, oh, I forgot I'm bad with pills or bad, like, I'm gonna do it. And it's like, my body will not budge. And I'm. It's like the most fascinating thing. I eat well. I'm out. I'm active.

[A]

Do you eat red meat?

[D]

You know, it's funny, I just. In the past four or five years, I started incorporating red meat because I had a naturopath that was like, you got to red meat? And she was like, telling me that it would be really useful to my body. And so I started incorporating meat. It. But that didn't shift anything either. And to be honest, and I don't want to put out misinformation, obviously, but I will just say, with my experience, I never had fibroid issues until I started eating meat again.

[A]

Oh, interesting.

[D]

Never had any of those issues. Go to gynecologist for my annual. Started eating meat within a year. Suddenly they were like, did you know you have fibroids, Steroids? What? You know, I was so shocked. And so I started thinking, oh, my God, should I not have changed my diet? And I was kind of, like, pissed at myself because I had been happy with my dad. But then I started having these cravings and then talking to the naturopath, and I was just like, you know, kind of was like, maybe because I'm older, I need to change my diet. It's not enough. Made all these excuses, started eating meat again. I won't say I Regret it because at the time it felt like what I should do. But then I started seeing, you know, these health things start kicking up where I'm like, oh, okay, so maybe plant based was something I should have stuck to. But yeah, I've noticed that correlation. Like I said, I don't want to pass on to misinformation, but for me I saw the difference that it made. Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. I think you also have to balance out risk and benefit when thinking about anything. Like when thinking about whether it's trans, transfusions or what you're going to start incorporating because you know, when your iron is dipping below a certain point, like you can eat all of the iron rich foods in the world at that point, it's just not going to get to a normal range, especially if you're having absorption issues, which it sounds like you are having, because yeah, you're eating all these iron rich foods and it's like the needle's just not moving. And at that point it's like there's all of that stuff is not really going to move the needle. So, you know, you have to kind of balance out. Okay, like, what is it that I'm hearing about the, you know, whatever it is, the infusions or whatever other treatments they're recommending and then balancing that with like, okay, well, what are the risks of having, you know, the low iron or like, how is it that I'm feeling, especially with fibroids? Because you might be bleeding more. Like people that have fibroids or have conditions like endometriosis, they can have heavier periods and so now you're losing even more iron. Right. So your intake.

[D]

I've had the opposite problem. My, my cycle has gotten lighter. So I'm like, yeah, I'm like, so much is changing in that world. So it's just interesting. But you're right, it's something that I should look into as far as the things that I'm finding myself resistant to in the medical field and their suggestions.

[A]

Yeah, it's so hard to know the right balance because it's different for everybody. And, and I, I get it for sure because there's a lot of things that I am resistant to also. But I had a doctor once who, when I was dealing with something and I was like, I don't want it because, you know, black people, like, we also, I feel historically like we don't necessarily trust the medical establishment and sometimes we don't trust the medications and where we can be resistant.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

And there's reason for that.

[C]

Literally me Valid reasons.

[A]

Yeah, there's valid reasons. But he said something like, what's worse? Continuing to suffer through what you're suffering through, or trying the medication and seeing whether or not it's going to be all the thing. The fears that you have. And I was like, oh, that. Because I. I was like, oh, I was dealing with something and it was two years and I'm like, I don't want to take the medication. I don't take medications. And then. Then I took it and I was like, well, this improved my life.

[D]

He was like, damn. So I think it just as real.

[A]

It. It depends. And sometimes it. We all come to things at our own time or we never do. And that's okay. We have our own journeys.

[D]

Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. That's why I'm glad we're having this conversation, because I know there's people on both sides that are like, maybe I need to listen. Yeah. But I wanted to really quickly before you guys guys got out of here, because we did have a lot of people that had questions for you. I did want to ask this one Surround diabetes, specifically where they said their A1C came back at 5.7. I don't necessarily know what that means, but obviously y' all do. They said that is in the pre diabetes range. They said it was scary to hear. And should they be. What should they be eating to bring that number down? Should they be cutting back on carbs?

[B]

Carbs.

[D]

Avoiding carbs altogether? Should they focus on eating more protein? Or is it just like a. Focusing on balancing your nutrition as a whole? But they said that, you know, they're wondering if nutrition and exercise alone can work to lower your A1C because we hear that all the time for everything. But it's like, is that enough?

[B]

Yeah. So a 1C at 5.7, it would be in the prediabetes range, which it's more like borderline, because 5.6 is considered in the normal range. So it's a little higher than what would be considered normal. And then to be diagnosed with diabetes, it would be 6.5 and up.

[D]

Oh, wow.

[B]

Okay. And so it definitely is something to pay attention to because especially as we get older, our agency tends to trend upwards. So if you have an A1C, that's kind of borderline. It's something that I would recommend monitoring every year, year, just to see, like, how those trends are looking, especially if you have a family history of diabetes, because that's going to put you at a higher risk. Interesting. You know, but I think people's first Inclination when getting diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes is to cut out the carbs or like to eat more protein. You know, all the different diets that are out right now that are kind of like, villainizing the carbohydrates, we don't necessarily recommend that. I, I think there's definitely some awareness around carbohydrates that you can have in terms of, like, pairing them with protein and fiber and, you know, really just like, you already know the my play game, like, within the context of balance. Yes. And everyone has different. Everyone responds differently to carbohydrates. Like what Jess was saying. She was wearing the cgm, she ate the pasta, you know, and she, she was expecting a different reaction when it came to her glucose. Everyone responds differently. And so I do think in that case, like, a CGM might be helpful because then you can kind of track the trends and see what might be more helpful for you. So I would think about, you know, what are, what are the carbohydrates that I enjoy? And also, like, what are some nutritious carbohydrates that I can incorporate? Like, sweet potatoes are a great choice. Whole grains, oatmeal. Like, those are all very nutritious. Yeah, exactly. Like incorporating those, but then being mindful of the protein, the fiber, adding some healthy fat in there as well, whether it's like avocado, nuts, seeds, all of those things. And, you know, it's like also level setting with what you're able to do. You know, they mentioned like, okay, well, the movement. There's a lot of, like, supplements. There's so many different things. The mental health component of it, all, right, like, stress can increase your, your cortisol. That can affect, affect your, your glucose levels as well. So really, level setting being like, well, what am I actually able to do right now? Because if you can't focus on nutrition, then, yeah, maybe you could focus on moving a little bit more, reducing your stress levels, sleeping a little bit better, like, picking a couple things that you can start with so it doesn't seem so overwhelming. And I think that that alone can help so much with, like, lowering your A1C. And oftentimes, like, people who have, like a higher health literacy, they, you know, they have the education around nutrition. They might come and, like, they're eating pretty well balanced, but they still have that higher a 1C. And in that case, it's like, well, let's look at your stress levels. Let's see, you know, like, what other things we can do. But having fear around food. I don't think it's going to be like a sustainable approach. I think it's really about, you know, thinking how you can incorporate the foods that you enjoy and then doing other things that help as well.

[C]

Welcome to the Friends. All right, so y', all, it's no secret that we have to keep abreast of everything that's going on because we don't know what we're going to talk about. Thank God for that. Here at the Friend Zone, we say whatever we want to say about whatever we want to say it about. And because of that, we have to stay informed. Which means what? Subscriptions. Okay. As all up the wazoo. We literally have so many subscription services. At least I know I do. And after a while, I literally felt like I was drowning. Every month, every two days, every 10 minutes, it was 1799-8999-9763-1211. Every time, it was a different price just randomly coming out of my account. And I grew tired of that very, very quickly. So thankfully, we started our wonderful relationship with Rocket Money. And we love the fact that Rocket Money organizes everything that we needed to organize so that we can have some harmony and peace in our walk and in our mind. Rocket Money has literally the ability to track subscriptions and cancel unwanted ones within the app. Within just a few days and a few taps, you can set your goals and you can get personalized insights and regular reports. And here's the kicker. You can receive real time alerts for large transactions, upcoming bills, refunds, and low balances. And so those alerts from Rocket Money have really aided me greatly. Rocket Money is a personal finance app that helps find and cancel your unwanted subscriptions, monitors your spending, and helps lower your bills so you can grow your savings. Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Try for zero dollars at Rocketmoney.com zone. That's Rocketmoney.com zone Rocketmoney.com zone

[E]

the colonels cooked up a new ten bucket of the day just for you. Monday 24 nuggets for $10 Tuesday eight piece fried chicken for ten dollars. Wednesday ten wings for ten dollars. Thursday eight tenders for ten dollars. Friday 24 nuggets for. Oh, you guessed it, didn't you? Ten dollars the ten dollar bucket of the day deal every weekday only at KFC. It's finger licking goo prices and participation

[A]

variable supplies last not available on third party ordering platforms. Tax Extra this is a Monday.com ad the same Monday.com designed for every team.

[D]

The same Monday.com with built in AI

[A]

scaling your work from day one the same Monday.com with an easy and intuitive setup. Go to Monday.com and try it for free.

[D]

What should you be asking for when you see your doctor? Should you be saying, hey, I want to check my A1C or like, I think, I think that can be really daunting because there's so much that we want to know is okay about us. But how do you ask, how do you know what lab to ask for when you're getting your blood work done?

[B]

That's a great question. I think, first ask yourself, like, why you want to get the lab work done. Because I think sometimes, like, doctors get frustrated because, you know, we might come and we have a list like, oh, can you order like, like all these things? And they're like, but why? You know what I mean?

[D]

From TikTok.

[B]

What are you looking for? TikTok said, yeah, so understand, like, why you're getting the labs done. And like, those reasons, you know, are completely valid. For example, like, you have a family history of heart disease. You have a family history of diabetes, pre diabetes. You've been in the pre diabetes range in the past. You've had abnormal labs in the past. You have certain symptoms, right? Like, you're like, oh, I'm just so fatigued. I've noticed, especially with, like, thyroid conditions, a very common symptom is, like, the weight fluctuations, and it happens within, like, very short periods of time. Like, you know, also understanding, like, why is it that we're, that we're going to advocate for ordering this test and then some baseline tests that I would recommend, right? Like, if you are at a higher risk for conditions like, you know, insulin resistance, heart disease, especially for black and brown people, you know, the vitamin D deficiency. I would say start with a comprehensive metabolic panel, and that's when they, you know, pretty much just test everything. Yeah, it's just like, one panel, and it includes, you know, a bunch of testing ranging from, like, your glucose to, like, your kidney function. It includes pretty much everything in there. So that's a good baseline test, A1C, which we spoke about a lot for, like, insulin resistance. The lipid panel is going to include, like, cholesterol, but also triglycerides, which tend to be elevated for people that have insulin resistance. I do recommend the vitamin D test because so many of us are deficient in that. So why not, like, get it? And then, you know, you can assess, like, okay, do I need the supplements? Is it just, like, getting a little more sunlight depending on, like, what those levels are the thyroid testing, especially if you have a family history of, like, autoimmune conditions with your thyroid, like, Hashimoto definitely recommend doing that. And then the iron panel, which we spoke about a little bit, where it's not just like the general iron test, but you're getting the ferritin. You're getting, like, all the things done, especially if you're struggling with, like, fatigue and, like, you have those common symptoms. It wouldn't hurt to get that. That as well. And those are generally covered by insurance. You know, if the doctor orders it, there are more, like, specialized tests and they might give you more pushback on those because they might not be covered. Or, like, there might be more of, like, a medical reason that they have to file for ordering those. But I think those are good, like, Intro to Us.

[D]

What do you. What do y' all feel about these, like, companies like Function Health, where they can give you 160 panels sent to your house. House if you send them your blood. What are your thoughts on that?

[A]

Well, one of my friends is the medical director there.

[C]

Oh, thanks

[B]

for.

[A]

Come on. I'm not familiar as much with. With them, and I. So I don't know how Function works. I truly don't. But I will say maybe they do this. I don't know. But I think sometimes we've been talking about, like, information overload. Sometimes it can be hard if we're just getting all the information, we don't know what to do with it. So I would hope that if people were getting, you know, again, the 5011 test, maybe function Houses, where the doctor looks at it with you, I don't know. But where you can take action based on that and also know you, if that's something that's going to make you spiral in all directions if one thing comes a little elevated, because I have a lot of patience patients like that or have had a lot of patients where it's like, girl, you're basically fine. But they. Whether it's health anxiety, they read it. Yeah, they panic. And I'm like, as someone who has worked with thousands of people who have diabetes, pre diabetes, we gonna be all right.

[D]

Because you're with professionals that know who

[A]

have context right on this and also understand what these different labs mean. So as dietitians, like, the labs Wendy said are nutrition related. Like, those are labs we're comfortable with. We work with all the time. For most of our patients, a handful of those. Like, we make sure we test them at different intervals to see how they're improving. But then there's other labs that are more related to, like, this specialist or that specialist. And so I just hope that if people are testing things, you have the specialist to go with it who can help you. You interpret the results and do whatever you need to do, if anything. Right. Calm you down if needed.

[D]

Right. That would be me. 1. One of our listeners also said that when they went to get their blood work done, their doctor told them their doctor didn't order everything that they had asked for and told them that they didn't need to order, that they just need. And they were just asking for standard things like cholesterol, A1C, thyroid. But they said because they had had them done in 2023, they should, quote, unquote, be fine. And she said testing those things yearly was not the standard anymore. And they wanted to know if this was true because we're in 2026. So you're telling me that my blood.

[C]

Get a new doctor. I can answer that question. Get a new doctor. Because.

[A]

What do you mean?

[C]

Right. Just don't worry about it.

[D]

Especially with how your lifestyle changes things.

[A]

Things.

[B]

Right.

[D]

So in three years, you're telling me if I've been eating a fatty beef, that that's not gonna. You know, like, I'm just so curious. Yeah. What this doctor is telling this patient.

[B]

Yeah. I mean, the standards, they're different depending on, like, the regulating board. Like, I will say, like, for the cdc, for example, they might recommend cholesterol testing, like, as long as every six years if you're. Oh, wow. Low risk. So doctors are probably, like, following whatever standards it is that they subscribe to. However, I think that you should have your own standards, especially if. Because I'm not doing that. Like, I'm like, I don't care. Especially if there's, like, a family history. And also, like, so much can happen in six years. Like I said. Right. Like, you're perimenopause.

[E]

Right.

[D]

An autoimmune disease, you know, so much can shift.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, that's too. I personally think it's too long. Like, you know, so if they're giving you all of this pushback, there's ways around it. Like, for example, and we, our patients, they tell us the same thing. They're like, oh, the doctor doesn't want to order. You know, so sometimes we will send in the lab request to, like, advocate for the patient. Or we could just order it ourselves. Like, as dietitians, we can order the labs and, like, the patients could get it, like a lab core. And it's pretty affordable to, you know, do it that way. But I think it does say something like, if there's a doctor that's pushing back so hard, and you're like, these are my concerns. I think it says something about the relationship because they should be, like, listening to you and, like, if you have these concerns that are valid, like, they should be exploring that with you and, like, really explaining, like, okay, well, you know, like. Like, let's weigh this out. If it really gives you a peace of mind or, like, whatever it is, or, like, what are your reasons for, like, wanting this done? It should be more of a conversation versus, Right. I'm just not gonna do this.

[C]

Yeah, you don't need to worry about it. Please.

[D]

And a lot of listeners wrote in saying they deal with. With regular pushback. Like, this seems like this is really common.

[B]

Yeah, they don't want to order it.

[D]

But what. What is it to them? That's what I'm curious about. Like, do they. For every lab, like, it's like, what's.

[E]

Yeah, like, what's the inconvenience portion or making the.

[B]

So sometimes what happens is that, like, if they're doing the blood draws in office, what happens is that the insurance might not cover it because they don't consider it to be essential. And so then the clinic kind of has to eat up the cost. And then it's like, it goes. And they have to, you know. So, like, in the past, doctors have expressed that to me, like, well, the insurance might not cover it or, like, you know, whatever it is, but also you can just be like, send the order to, like, a lab core or, you know, like an. And then you could just handle it through your insurance. And if it. It's not covered, then the lab can bill you, you know, So I think some of the hesitation comes from that. But also, I. I think that doctors. I don't want to generalize, but there is this, like. I don't know. I would say, like, a hierarchy in a way. Like, it's almost like a personality trait where they're just like, you need to do what I say that you should do. And they don't do well with, like, resistance or pushback. That's something that I've seen so many times, especially if your doctor doesn't look like you. And so that could definitely be a part of it too, where they're like, why are you going against what I'm telling you?

[C]

I refuse the one place in my life where I feel like I can literally say anything and ask anything, no matter how. How stupid of a question. It may be to somebody else. Is the damn doctor's office.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

Like, there's no way I would ever feel like I was restricted in that way. Otherwise you're going to hear my tires burning rubber going out that parking lot.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

Okay.

[A]

And I'm glad you have that confidence. There are so many people, and I think sometimes it could be cultural too, where it is this, like, doctor is here and we're here. And I hate when I see that because I do have patients or I've had where I'm thinking, this don't make no sense, or you need a second opinion. But then it's like, no, but my doctor said this. And again, not trying. We love doctors with them every single day. Just like anything. Just like dietitians. There's good ones and there's not so great ones. Or maybe it's like, not the best fit for you. And if you're someone who wants to be more active in your health and wants to have a safety say, like, that's something I expect in my healthc care because that's how we're trained as dietitians. It's like, again, I'm the expert in my own life. We're collaborating. If you're trying to tell me top down, something like, I will be gone and I will. Yeah, I think, because I'm just thinking of my husband too, because, like, I believe, like, culturally in his culture, he's Eritrean. It is more like doctor says and you do. But like, I, I will like, clap back. I'm like, not today.

[B]

Today.

[A]

Not today, Satan. Like, this doesn't. Or like just even again, going back to. I'm not saying this is. I shouldn't be saying this on a podcast, but. Oh, like white people. It's not against you, but I'm just saying I have seen especially too with the white doctors. Sometimes I feel like they don't even see us as human.

[D]

I mean, we've talked about that many times. Even just. And let's. I hate to say it, but it's the truth. Especially with immigrants, when a white person is. And they're here in America, is a white doctor. Oh, my God. Like, like, my mom would never allow me to go against what doctors were suggesting because it was like, girl, are you crazy? Like, you know what I mean? Like, we don't do that. That's authority. And people also have relationships with authority. So I understand that we've talked about that on this show as well. But I, Yeah, I, I've always been the type that I'm Even with my recent interaction with the DO with the gynecologist, she was very pushy. A person that buckles to authority would have said, well, if she's saying this, I have to do this. But I felt like I'm going to do my own research because something didn't feel right, you know? And I wish more people were like that. Not saying that you shouldn't listen to your doctor, but you should have a doctor that will sit with you to hear why you feel resistant as opposed to try to override the fact that you feel resistant. And to me, that's the difference.

[A]

Exactly. Yeah. And then I was gonna say, like, back to the lab ordering, because I had low zinc, too. And I asked my doctor, I was like, hey, my zinc was low. I've been supplementing. Do you mind checking it? And she said, no, because I'm not managing that for you. Because, like, the dermatologist was managing it. But I'm like, well, I'm here at the lab, so I think that's part of it too. It's. If they're not managing it again, they get the results and it's like, what are they going to do about. About it? So that they don't want to check things. Yeah, they're just like, well, I can't. This is not what we're doing. And then I will say too. And again, I love doctors. I have them in my family. Please don't come for me, but I'm just giving my experience of working in many clinics and correct me. D. Email me. I don't know, maybe this is wrong, but the sense that I got as well was that maybe it's like, in their mind, like, bad medical practice to need to order all the tests versus being able to have the clinical expertise to say like, this is this. This isn't that.

[B]

This is this.

[A]

Because I just remember, like, I had a patient who. They were telling me all the symptoms of celiac disease. And I told. I asked the doctor, like, hey, can you order, you know, celiac panel for them? And they're like, no, I don't think it's this. Like, oh, we don't want to be ordering all these tests. Like, I think. Think it's just. Yeah, it's. They. They don't want to look like they're a doctor who's, like, unsure and ordering all these tests, you know, and so that makes sense. That makes sense, right? Just in any profession, maybe. And I said, can we just please, like, everything they're saying, what's the worst that can Happen. Yes. Maybe it's a very long shot, but the way that my mind works, it's like, it could be a long shot, and let's pray that it's not. But, like, what if it is? And because we didn't want to do it, we miss it. And the patient had seen the celiac, and it's just like a long shot

[D]

in the right direction.

[A]

A long shot in the right direction. So I think usually it probably isn't, but in my mind, it's like, if there's that 1% chance that it is. But I don't think that that's how they're trained. And so, yeah, that's.

[D]

And they probably don't have the time. Let's be real here, too. With the amount of patience, they're like, girl, no, I would give you this one or two panels. You see, you can give a point.

[C]

We can go on and get into it, hospital gown and all. I have my whole back out arguing like a. You know what I'm saying? I don't care.

[D]

I love that.

[A]

That's amazing.

[D]

We did have a listener, too, that was asking, is it bad if you're hovering around pre diabetic status for long, for a long period of time, because they've been steady there, like a steady state, and they don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing?

[B]

I mean, I think it's something to pay attention to. Right. Like how I mentioned earlier, it's just something to keep an eye on because it is a sign that, like, your body is not metabolizing glucose in optimal way. And so I definitely recommend, like, annual testing. But if you're doing all of the things right, like you're taking care of your nutrition, you're trying to move, you're regulating your stress and your sleep as well as you can, it can definitely stay in that prediabetes range for the rest of your life. And really, like, even with diabetes, risk factors come when it's uncontrolled. So even for people that have diabetes, they can live a very long and healthy life. With diabetes, it's more so when it passes, when it goes over a certain range, that then you start, you know, becoming at risk for all of the complications that are associated with diabetes. But whether it's prediabetes, diabetes, like, you can definitely live a long and healthy life. But you do need to monitor, like, just to keep an eye on things and see where they are.

[D]

Okay. Yeah. Because they said even at their most fit, their blood sugar was probably a Tenth of a point below pre diabetic status. So they were kind of concerned, like, I'm doing all of the things, you know, and it's still not really shifting full circle.

[A]

That's what. When we check, is it perimenopause? Is it per menopause?

[D]

That is.

[A]

That's the one takeaway. When in doubt, let's look at perimenopause because that's going to. That is the profile. I don't know the person's age, but if again, 35 or older, that's going to be the profile of you're doing all the things. And. And the lab is still hovering, ordering. That's when we want to rule that out to make sure that there's not hormonal things at play that are making it impossible for you to get within range.

[D]

Yeah, right.

[B]

And just remember that with age, it does become harder and harder. Harder to regulate your glucose. So it, it will start to trend upwards. That is normal. It's just like our organs are not working as efficiently as they used to. Oh, my gosh. Yeah. It's just the mortality that just happened, happens. It's just not working as efficiently as, you know, they used to. And so that's where, you know, if, if things are going over a certain threshold, we might want to consider like medication support, looking at other things, you know, that we can do. Because it does become a little bit harder, you know, with keeping those lab values in range, even if you're doing the exact same thing. It's just like the age factor completely changes things over time. Time.

[D]

That's so.

[A]

And I will jump in and add a study. Even when we control for age, like there was a study that for women in this age range. Right. Like, even when we controlled for just like the normal things that happen during aging perime. Like people who are going through per menopause still have an increased risk of developing diabetes. So it's not.

[D]

Wow.

[A]

It is that. And also it's like it's adding more risk on top.

[D]

Top of that.

[B]

Perry.

[A]

Perry.

[B]

Perry.

[D]

Menopause. Jesus. Listen, what do we do? What do we do?

[C]

We need to make some periwinkle merch.

[A]

Perry.

[D]

Perry.

[C]

Yeah.

[E]

What about the gummies? Work for per menopause.

[D]

Oh, well, what is it? The Real Housewives of Rhode Island.

[A]

I'm working on this.

[D]

Apparently one listener said, what's their best approach to weight loss on antidepressants that could be causing their insulin resistance? So it's because they said their doctor, their psychiatrist rather, is not going to change their cocktail just because they want to lose weight. So now they're kind of in this rut because they need to be on these antidepressants. But it's also, they said they've gained, gained 60 pounds in three years due to their chronic anxiety, work related issues. And then the drugs as well, the meds, excuse me. So they're like, what, what do you do with that if a psychiatrist is not gonna make any adjustments?

[C]

Wear it with confidence?

[A]

Well, Yes. Is that so here and now part of it is your here and now body?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I mean, it's so challenging because this is something that I would see a lot when I was working at the hospital, like with, you know, patients that were on the antidepressants because they tend to increase your appetite, they also increase your insulin resistance. And so see the weight gain. And you see it pretty quickly, especially if like, it's a medication that you haven't necessarily been on for like, you know, a really long period of time. And I think that's where the conversation that we're having about the risk and benefit come into place again, where it's like, you know, weighing out the risk. And I'm not sure if it's a situation where like the psychiatrist is just like very against it and they're explaining why, or is it like, is it more of a conversation or is it just like this is the medication that makes the most sense. I do know that for many mental health medications, patients, the side effect is weight gain. So it can be tricky because it's like they can recommend another one, but then it also has that side effect.

[D]

Right.

[B]

And also like everyone, you know, kind of reacts differently to, you know, different medications, especially for the mental health ones, like, switching from one to another can trigger, you know, a whole cascade of symptoms or like, for some people, like crisis, crisis. So I think it's, you know, probably like just taking all of that into account and also just being compassionate with yourself because it's not like you're doing anything wrong. It's not a willpower problem. It's just like some of these medications, they, many of the medications, they have this side effect. And so it's like, okay, how can I preserve my sanity and my mental health and also like, do the best that I can to take care of myself. And so in this situation, I would try as much as possible to, to remove the focus from the weight and kind of try to transition that focus into the things that are working that help you feel better. When it comes to nutrition movement. We spoke about Walking after your biggest meal and how that can help a lot with like insulin resistance, you know, also doing things that help you feel good, especially when talking about like mental health, focusing on the things that you can control and having it be an ongoing conversation with your mental health provider, one that you feel good about, where you don't feel like they're talking down to you, but they're like really being compassionate and you feel like, you know, they have your best interest at heart.

[D]

Right, right. It's so frustrating hearing how many people are experiencing such resistance with their doctors because these are the last people you want to have that type of energy with. Right. It's such a vulnerable space to be in. So I kind of hate that for us, I guess the last one. What are their recommend recommendations around the recent changes of PCOS to pmos? Can they talk about how this change in classification has impacted the healthcare industry thus far and the labs that we can request also dietary changes to regulate insulin. Insulin levels, which I guess we already touched on. So yeah, the PCOs to PMOs. For people who are unfamiliar with what any of that means, we can end there on that topic.

[A]

Yes. So essentially they. There was a global consensus recently to change the name because a lot of people who had PCOS advocated for this as well or people who maybe thought that they had it, or people who weren't getting tested because they're like, well, I don't have cysts on my ovaries. And so they changed it to PMOs. PMOs to iterate that it's a whole body intricate metabolic condition versus an ovarian disorder. So that's the main thing. And I actually do like this name change and yeah, so I think it's a good idea because I think now more people are going to get tested, hopefully get the help that they need. We know that there's a of lot, lot of black and Brown People with PCOS, PMOs who are not getting tested or getting overlooked. So I hope that that helps in terms of how it impacts the treatment. Not really. It's pretty much the same. So in order to get diagnosed you need two out of three things. So one is irregular or infrequent periods. And that's why it's good to just know your baseline. So if you see something change because you can get it also at like many different ages. I went to a talk years ago that was saying that, yeah, sometimes women get it even like later in life or when they're older. So that's one thing. Also high androgen, so testosterone DHEA, DHT, that's a telltale sign that you might have PMOs. So that might be things like excess hair growth, acne or hair thinning and then another symptom. Yeah, I know, I know. They all overlap. That's why it's crazy. And then polycystic ovaries on the ultrasound, so you have to have two of the three. But there are many people who, again, don't have anything with the cyst on the ovaries at all. And because of that, with the past diagnosis, they weren't categorized with having PCOs or PMOs. And now they hopefully will get the care that they need. In terms. I know they asked for labs. It's really looking at the things that I said. So it's. A doctor is going to know more about exactly what they would do. They'll probably do an ultrasound. They'll probably test those androgens like I said, and then they're gonna get a history from you about your cycle. They may look at do a pelvic exam as well to rule out any other conditions. So there's not one single test. It's really based on your symptoms. Labs. And then I said sometimes ultrasound. And then the nutrition stuff we talked about. But one thing I will say, and for people who want more information, all of the things I'm saying are from the PC. I don't know if she changed her name, but the PCOS Nutrition center, it might now be the PMOS Nutrition Center. What's her name? Angela Grassy.

[B]

Angela, yeah.

[A]

She is incredible. And she's been doing this work for her whole career, so definitely go to her website and check out the latest. But one thing that she said has that's really strong in the research and that I've seen in the research too, is strength training. Oftentimes with pcos, women are just focused on cardio because with pcos, it sometimes can be really hard to lose weight, and so they focus on so much cardio. But strength training is really important. And I'm not even saying for weight loss, I'm saying just for PMOS in general because it tends to also come with insulin resistance. So we work with a lot of patients who have PCOS, PMOs, because they're coming to us with pre diabetes and they also have this condition going on. And so strain training, for the reasons I mentioned before, is one of the most effective tools for improving insulin sensitivity and preserving muscle mass. So I always recommend people with PCOS do your strain training. Yes, do cardio, too, but don't skimp

[D]

on that and pcos for those who are. You said it can. It can show up as cysts on your ovaries, but there are also people that. It doesn't show up that way. That's so interesting.

[A]

Exactly. Yes.

[D]

Wow.

[A]

I think we even have a talk on our website if you go to diabetesdigital Co. Webinars. Yes. Okay. We did a really good talk. One of our dietitians, Nikki. This is her. She's also a clinical director. This is her area of expertise. And then there's another dietitian, Julie Duffy, Dylan, who. It's her area of expert expertise. And they did a really great talk on this and how there's so many different types of PC. Pmos. Pcos. And we focus on a compassionate way to manage it beyond the scale, because it's always. They're always told, like, you need to lose weight, but it's. It feels almost impossible to lose weight for people with PMOs. So that was a really good talk. People can check out if they want more information in addition to the PCOS nutrition center.

[B]

Right.

[D]

And then I will say celebrating, because it essentially just means that the medical industry is finally acknowledging. Right. That this is a real thing. Because women for years felt like no one was listening to them with their PCOS symptoms. I did see a lot of conversation around, like, this is a celebration and a huge step forward for women experiencing these symptoms, which I'm glad to hear.

[A]

I know it's so. I think it's so exciting for women, I think especially for black women, because we get under. Diagnosed with so many things, including this or we think of it as. It has to be like, this one body type or that or. And you can have PCOS and so. Or PMOS in so many different body types. You can be thin, you can be in a larger body. And so having this name, which is polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, which better reflects what's going on.

[B]

Right.

[A]

It's like an endocrine thing happening. It will help more people feel seen and also get the care that they need.

[D]

Right.

[C]

I was looking it up to see what the deal was. Come on, and. As opposed to the C. And you just dropped it. Timing.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

So it basically, like, widens the net. Right? Is that.

[A]

Why is the net. Yeah.

[D]

Okay. Well, is there anything that you feel we didn't talk about or touch on before we head out of here? Because I know it was so many questions, and obviously it's impossible to answer everyone's. But I just want to make sure that you guys feel that this was like a well rounded conversation.

[B]

As we head on, I feel like we covered so much and it, it tied back to the Peri Perry, which

[D]

is so important, so

[B]

very well rounded. I know there were like questions about hydration and gut health. We encourage you to work with a dietitian. As I mentioned earlier, you know, we have an incredible team of dietitians. Most of our patients don't pay anything out of pocket. We accept.

[D]

Amazing.

[B]

And we don't just see people with diabetes. We see all conditions, including preventatives. So go to our website, DiabetesDigital co. You can fill out your information and book a visit.

[C]

Yes.

[D]

Perfect. Can you tell everyone where to find the both of you online outside of the Diabetes Digital Co website?

[A]

Child, you can't really find us anywhere these days.

[C]

I'm not online.

[A]

I'm gonna keep my stress low. I'm gonna mind my business and I'm just gonna be the first follower online

[D]

and follow the friend zone.

[E]

Right?

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

My profile is private. But if you want, if you want

[D]

to follow wellness though, right?

[A]

This is my. Well, this is the best thing for my mental health. If you want to follow, get more tips about nutrition and all the things. We have an amazing Instagram run not by us, by our lovely outreach manager, Jenny. And every time, every day and I'm on there, I'm like, oh, I love this post. Love this post. I'm like, oh, that's our, our page. So check us out. It's Diabetes Digital Co on Instagram and all the things. But you will not find us nowhere anywhere else. We are living that offline.

[C]

Real quick.

[E]

Okay.

[C]

They sound like that doctor. No, no.

[D]

Wendy, Jess, thank you guys so much. We are always so, so thankful that we have y' all to really just bring that level of refinement to these more medical and health based conversations. Because that's important, right? Especially in the age of misinformation. So thank you for taking the time out to answer all of these questions and also to present your presentation. I'm glad that you guys thought of us, you know, to share that information. We're grateful for that too. Sante, Dustin. I don't know if y' all have any final words.

[B]

Words.

[C]

I'm maxed out.

[D]

And you know what, thank you to y' all for sitting back and allowing us to have these conversations that are important for us.

[E]

A lot of our audience is black women, so provide us with information than the beautiful Wendy and Jess and the different nuances. So brilliant. And even you friend, like just the different perspectives that you all have to offer. It was not hard to sit back and listen. Let you ladies have your space.

[D]

Thank you for including us and allowing

[B]

us to be present.

[D]

I'mma change the title to Perry Perry Sauce. I think that that would be.

[B]

Yes, I think that perfectly.

[D]

Jess, we thank you so much. And this was another wonderful episode of the Friend Zone. We love you guys. Thank you for listening. We do not take you for granted. And we will catch you guys guys, next week.

[E]

Stay black and protect your magic.

[D]

Bye.

[B]

This is.