The Girlfriend Doctor w/ Dr. Anna Cabeca

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How to take advantage of nature - Couch Talk ClipsIn this couch talk clip, Dr Anna Cabeca & Dr Jack Kruse discuss how to take advantage of nature. Aug 18, 2021

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In this couch talk clip, Dr Anna Cabeca & Dr Jack Kruse discuss how to take advantage of nature.

Dr. Anna Cabeca empowers the modern women to escape the suffering and stereotypes of menopause, returning her to an energetic body, a clear mind, a connected spirit, and a shining example of feminine love.

Come along on a fantastic health journey with Dr. Anna Cabeca and join our thriving community to learn tips to keep you happier, healthier and thriving!!! Join her community to gain knowhow, pure inspiration and motivation with Dr. Anna at DrAnnaCabeca.com

-ABOUT DR. ANNA-

Dr. Anna Cabeca is an Emory University trained and board certified Gynecologist and Obstetrician. In addition, she is board certified in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine and an expert in Functional Medicine and Women's Health. She specializes in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and natural alternatives, successful menopause and age management medicine.

Dr. Cabeca is a frequent national and international speaker on restorative and women's health issues. She serves as a consultant and trainer for other physicians in Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy and Functional Medicine Principles.

Dr. Cabeca is the creator of the highly acclaimed virtual transformational programs: WomensRestorativeHealth.com, SexualCPR.com, and MagicMenopause.com. She is also the creator of the superfoods drink Mighty Maca™ and the new feminine anti-aging cream, Julva™.

-CONNECT WITH DR. ANNA-

Website: http://drannacabeca.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Drannac/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/cabecahealth

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drcabeca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

Hormones, Hot Flashes, and Taking Care Of Your Sexual Health with Dr. Anna Cabeca and Dr. Lauren Streicher Aug 15, 2021

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Dr. Lauren Streicher gives you a deep dive into the menopausal transition and why many women suffer from hot flash hell when they don't need to. Learn how to understand your own body and what it needs so that you can enjoy your sex life after menopause, reduce your risk of breast cancer, and how cannabis is fast becoming a popular way to treat many of the worst menopause symptoms.

Sexual health is often an area of life that many women find uncomfortable to talk about but the experience is fairly similar for all women. When it comes to menopause, the four most common challenges that women want to deal with are: hot flashes, getting more sleep, wanting sex to not hurt, and maintaining a healthy weight.
These issues are not just about quality of life. Hot flashes can also contribute to serious medical conditions that can shorten lifespan. Research has shown that women have a 2.2 times increase in the risk of cardiovascular disease.
When someone has a hot flash, in addition to their internal furnace going out of control there are inflammatory changes occurring in every cell in the body.
Hot flashes are associated with insulin resistance, and when women become more insulin sensitive hot flashes can be reduced or eliminated completely.
One of the biggest challenges as health educators is ensuring women that estrogen is not dangerous and good for them. For the overwhelming majority of women, hormone therapy is one of the most effective and safe treatments there is.
Data shows that estrogen reduces the risk of breast cancer. For women who have breast cancer, there are non-estrogen options to treat your hot flashes.
There are new treatments that are also coming down the pipe right now that will be available for women in the next few years. It takes an average of 20 years for a drug to be developed and reach the pharmacy's shelves.
SSRIs are one of the most common off-label treatments of hot flashes, but the problem with using these antidepressants is that a lot of women end up losing their libido, having trouble with orgasm, or gaining weight.
It takes more than hormones to fix your hormones. You can make lifestyle changes like intermittent fasting and Keto Green which can have a major impact on your hormones and quality of life.
It matters what you put in your mouth. Healthy eating is critically important to a healthy weight and lifestyle. You have to be mindful of how you treat your body long before menopause. When you're 13 years old, you are setting the stage for your body in your 60's.
We're given one body and we have to take care of it and treat it right. We're living longer and almost half our life is after the menopause transition.
One of the things that Dr. Streicher is talking about more with patients is using cannabis to treat menopausal symptoms. Cannabis may not be taught in medical school but it has been in the medical literature for a long time.
One study revealed that 27% of women have tried cannabis at some point in their life to try to relieve their menopause symptoms, but that number is probably much higher. The trouble is that not one is advising these women on how to take cannabis and are taking the wrong thing to address their symptoms.
The onus is on medical professionals to help women understand what they should be doing with cannabis to treat their symptoms.
When it comes to hot flashes, you specifically need a cannabis strain with THC more than CBD and it needs to be Indica rather than Sativa.
It's important to remember that the person at the dispensary is not a medical professional and their advice is anecdotal. Dr. Streicher tells her patients to start slow and go low.
Science has shown that post-menopausal women metabolize cannabis differently than premenopausal women.
Nearly all women have reported that their sleep has improved when they use cannabis to treat their symptoms, which has a beneficial effect on their other symptoms.
Sleep has a direct connection to weight loss. If you're only sleeping for 4 or 5 hours a night, that is directly sabotaging your ability to maintain a healthy weight.
The safest way for women to use cannabis is one of the tinctures that goes under the tongue. It bypasses the gastrointestinal tract and lungs and you'll be able to gauge the effects much quicker.
Your cannabis source needs to be reliable and trustworthy. It matters what you're getting and that the cannabis is consistent.
Vaginal dryness and pain during intercourse is just one part of the greater picture. We need to look at the root cause of decreasing vaginal health.
You get wrinkles on your face and use products to improve them. Your vagina can benefit from the same sort of care.
Many women ignore their vulva in favor of the vagina. Medicating the vagina is only one piece of the puzzle.
Everyone will experience atrophy, thinning of the skin, and pain and discomfort unless we intervene, and the sooner the better. Using topical creams and making them part of your daily routine is critical.
The majority of women are not able to label all the parts of their genitalia. Sometimes it's as simple as putting estrogen on the clitoris to increase the blood flow and the health of all the nerves in the area to make a huge difference in your sex life.
Many gynecologists just do the basics when it comes to the examination. Dr. Streicher focuses on teaching the patient about their own genitals and really understanding where and why they might be experiencing pain.
Vaginal pH level is one of the most important indicators of vaginal health and whether the patient has a healthy microbiome.
The most important part of the examination for a woman experiencing pain is a pelvic floor evaluation. Everyone thinks that having strong muscles is important, which is true, but equally important is having muscles that are able to relax. Pelvic floor pain is often a defense mechanism that needs to be addressed.
Get the mirror out and take a look at your own genitals to get comfortable with what's healthy and what's not.
The treatment for your vulva and your vagina is often different. There are a number of different treatment options depending on the goal and the area of application.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Dr. Streicher's books - drstreicher.com/books

sexmedmenopause.nm.org

Menopause.org

drstreicher.tv

youtube.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

dranna.com/show

Always seek the advice of your own physician or qualified health professional before starting any treatment or plans. Information found here and results are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional and are not intended as medical advice.

How 'blue light' helps wake you up - Couch Talk Clips Aug 13, 2021

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In this couch talk clip, Dr Anna Cabeca & Dr Jack Kruse discuss How 'blue light' helps wake you up.

-ABOUT DR. ANNA-

-CONNECT WITH DR. ANNA-

Website: http://drannacabeca.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Drannac/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/cabecahealth

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drcabeca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

The 4 Key Lifestyle Changes To Prevent 90% of All Heart Disease Aug 08, 2021

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Dr. Steven Masley discusses the #1 killer for most people in the world that almost no one is talking about, heart disease. Learn why 90% of heart disease is completely preventable with simple lifestyle changes, how to turn up your energy and improve your sex life at the same time, common myths around heart health, and what foods you should eat to live a heart healthy life.

Heart disease is the #1 killer for most people in the world today, men and women. For every 1 woman that dies from breast cancer, 6 die from heart disease. Heart disease also impacts how we live including our energy levels, how we feel, and our ability to enjoy sex.
Erectile dysfunction is a major symptom of heart disease. Just managing your blood pressure and cholesterol is not dealing with the underlying issue.
For women, poor circulation as they age also reduces blood flow to the vagina and pelvic region, causing all sorts of sexual health issues.
The standard approach to treating heart disease is pretty disappointing. Doctors look at certain risk factors and basically wait for something bad to happen like a heart attack or stroke. They don't measure heart function or artery age.
We can prevent 90% of heart disease with just pure lifestyle changes, yet we choose to spend 90% of all the money treating heart disease on end-stagee procedures and hospital care and 1% on prevention.
Men and women experience heart disease symptoms differently. For men, it can manifest as the classic tightness in the chest but for women, it can feel like they are just out of breath, which often results in them being misdiagnosed. Sexual issues are also signs that there may be an issue with the heart.
Masley wants people to start measuring their artery age and paying more attention to their nutrition and exercise. Simple improvements to what you eat and how much you move around can have profound effects on your heart health.
Research shows that your blood sugar and blood pressure are your two most important risk factors. Blood sugar is the number one cause of heart disease. If your blood pressure is less than 120/80 without medication you are probably growing plaque at an accelerated rate.
Your gut microbiome also has a major impact on your overall heart health.
If your blood pressure is elevated, it's a sign that your lifestyle does not match your genetic need. To fix that, you should eat more vegetables and fruits. Five cups of fruits and vegetables a day will have a greater impact than taking cholesterol medication.
You also need to exercise. A high-intensity workout is more effective than medication and it makes you feel better.
Sugar and flour have a big impact on your blood pressure. Cutting those out of your diet will result in major improvements.
Meditation to reduce stress hormones is another important step.
Statins can be useful for some people who are very high risk, but for most people, they will reduce your testosterone, increase muscle aches, raise your blood sugar, cause brain fog and memory loss, and lower your energy levels. The goal is to reduce the usage of those medications and make them unnecessary for the majority of people.
If you are on statin medications, there are other nutrients you should take to mitigate the effects it has on your body. There is a time and a place for the medication, but you shouldn't be in them for the rest your of life.
Your gut is like your second brain and your gut microbiome is essential to your overall health. It impacts all the heart risk factors and leaky gut is one of the leading causes of systemic inflammation, a key risk for heart disease.
If your diet is high in sugar and red meat, you're going to form bacteria that increases your risk for heart disease, clotting, and artery restriction. The gut microbiome requires diversity from our diet.
If you're not eating leafy green vegetables, your body becomes more acidic and that can result in weaker bones and muscles. Our gut microbiomes are in a symbiotic relationship and those kinds of vegetables are crucial to fueling the right kinds of gut bacteria.
Of the foods to add to your diet, opt for colorful fiber like vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and chocolate while avoiding grains. The next best is healthy fats and clean protein.
Too many people drink sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages. Diet beverages kill the bacteria in your gut.
You can't rely on willpower solely for your nutrition. You should aim to eliminate unhealthy options from your kitchen so you're not tempted.
The final piece of the puzzle is probiotics and eating food like sauerkraut and miso to rebuild and reinforce your gut microbiome.
Intermittent fasting and a ketogenic diet are also very effective at improving your heart health and general wellbeing.
Getting into ketosis isn't just necessary for women, it's mandatory. It helps manage fat and improves heart health, but it also reduces the risk factors for Alzheimer's Disease.
Beans and nuts are the most powerful food source of alkalinity.
It's not important when you exercise, just that you do. Your aerobic fitness has a big impact on many aspects of your health, but so does muscle mass. High-intensity workouts a couple times a week paired with proper strength training is vital.
Whether you need to eat before or after a workout is up to what your body needs. Test out approaches and see what works best for you. The only important thing to note is that you should consume some form of clean protein after exercise.
Food, nutrients, fitness, and stress management are the four key pillars of heart health.

Mentioned in this Episode:

drmasley.com

youtube.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

dranna.com/show

Who should not do intermittent fasting? - Couch Talk Clips Aug 07, 2021

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In this Couch Talk Clip; Dr Anna & Dr Nadia Pateguana discuss who should not do intermittent fasting.

-ABOUT DR. ANNA-

-CONNECT WITH DR. ANNA-

Website: http://drannacabeca.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Drannac/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/cabecahealth

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drcabeca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

How to normalize your blood sugars - Couch Talk Clips Aug 05, 2021

Show notes

In this couch talk clips; Dr Anna & Dr Nadia Pateguana discuss how to normalize your blood sugars.

-ABOUT DR. ANNA-

-CONNECT WITH DR. ANNA-

Website: http://drannacabeca.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Drannac/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/cabecahealth

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drcabeca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

Hormones, Hair Loss, and Getting Your Health Back On Track with Dr. Anna Cabeca and Dr. Shel Aug 01, 2021

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Have you ever suffered from hair loss or struggled with your hormones? Dr. Shelena Lalji shares her experience of dealing with hair loss, being diagnosed with breast cancer, and how she started her journey to understand her own hormone imbalances and what she did to get her health and hormones back on track. It's an inspiring story filled with a number of insights and tips for women and men dealing with hair loss or hormonal issues.

Shel's hormone journey started in her early- to mid-30's after the birth of her son. Right after postpartum, Dr. Shel began losing large amounts of hair. A clear indication that something was wrong.
A symptom is your body trying to give you a message. It's a way of communicating that your body requires something to get back to optimal health. Most often, it's telling you your hormones are imbalanced.
Her experience trying to get a diagnosis lead to Dr. Shel looking into functional medicine and identifying the root cause of her symptoms. Her hair loss at that point was so bad that she was reluctant to leave her house.
Doing the research into hormone imbalances gave her an intense interest in helping other women suffering from the same issues.
In October of 2019, Dr. Shel was diagnosed with breast cancer, which was just two years after her husband was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease. The stress of that time had a lot to do with her hair loss and hormonal imbalances.
Leading up to that point, Dr. Shel had completely ignored her health while thinking of herself as a self-sacrificing martyr. It wasn't too surprising to hear that her cancer experience started after two years of not focusing on her health.
Shel took her cancer diagnosis as a wake-up call. It was an opportunity to slow down and refocus on what her body needed.
She chose to do chemotherapy with the knowledge that she would probably lose all her hair, so she decided to shave her head preemptively and own the experience. She made it a goal to regrow as much healthy hair as she possibly could once she was done with the therapy.
Hormones go beyond the thyroid but it's often the first place to look. When your thyroid is imbalanced, you can experience weight gain, constipation, fatigue, and hair loss. An overactive or underactive thyroid can cause dry thin hair to grow from your scalp.
When hormone production is disrupted, specifically the hormones T3 and T4, it affects all the processes that happen during the hair growth cycle.
The average person loses 60 hairs each day, but with a hormonal imbalance that number grows and you will replace the hair that falls out at a slower rate.
Alopecia is an autoimmune condition that often occurs alongside hormone imbalances. The good news is that hair loss caused by these conditions can often be reversed and is typically temporary.
Just because you have a thyroid condition today, that doesn't mean that you need thyroid medication for the rest of your life. Solving the underlying problems like an iron deficiency or nutritional deficiency can resolve things.
When you have an inflammatory diet, the inflammation will eventually spread throughout your entire body. By the time you see the effects on a test, it's been happening microscopically for a long time.
Gluten and grains in general are a common source of inflammation in the body. Getting onto a diet like Keto Green and eliminating inflammatory foods can change your life.
When you have excessive daily hair shedding, it's not necessarily reliant on a genetic predisposition. It occurs as a result of an internal balance or upset, like a nutritional deficiency or high-stress levels.
When estrogen and progesterone levels decrease, the male hormones increase and your hair loss can accelerate. The hormonal process of testosterone harms hair follicles and is the source of male pattern baldness. Increasing zinc levels and decreasing cortisol can prevent this process.
In terms of hair care, oil massages strengthen the follicles and strands and prevents breakages and you should avoid pulling your hair too much. Using natural hair care products and a vinegar rinse once a week can help eliminate toxins on your scalp. It's never too soon to eliminate the toxins from your shampoo.
When you are in adrenal fatigue or a sympathetic fight or flight state, that imbalance is going to directly impact the thyroid. The next time you go to your doctor to get your thyroid checked, ask your doctor to check for reverse T3, free T3, free T4, TSH, and both antibodies.
When you are in estrogen dominance, you can have a T3 deficiency, which can be the source of your imbalance.
Women between the ages of 35 and 55 are in a vulnerable time period in terms of hormones and are often in estrogen dominance.
Many women believe that their hormones must be alright if they aren't menopausal yet, but the truth is the disruption starts in their 30's and develops gradually.
There is so much we can do to improve our health without spending money just by addressing our lifestyles and nutrition.
Low-level laser therapy is another solution for thin hair. The laser stimulates the follicle so the hair gets thicker and it regenerates. Another option is hair PRP, where the treatment takes your own stem cell growth factors to regenerate your collagen.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Dr. Shel's hair care products - shop-drshelmd-com.3dcartstores.com/beauty-by-dl.html

drshel.com

youtube.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

dranna.com/show

Why is it important that we manage Insulin? - Couch Talk Clips Jul 31, 2021

Show notes

In this Couch Talk Clip; Dr Anna Cabeca & Dr Nadia Pateguana discuss the importance of managing insulin.

-ABOUT DR. ANNA-

-CONNECT WITH DR. ANNA-

Website: http://drannacabeca.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Drannac/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/cabecahealth

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/drcabeca/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

Pelvic Pain Doesn't Have to be a Life Sentence with Dr. Anna Cabeca and Dr. Allyson Shrikande, Dr. Rucha Kapadia Jul 25, 2021

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Dr. Anna Cabeca visits the Pelvic Rehabilitation Medicine center to talk with Dr. Allyson Shrikande and Dr. Rucha Kapadia about pelvic pain. Find out why it's so hard for pelvic pain to be diagnosed properly, especially after childbirth, what you can do to help relieve pelvic pain during intercourse, and how pelvic floor exercises and therapy can prevent a lifetime of discomfort and pain.

Women often deal with pelvic pain after giving birth, post-surgery, and for a number of other reasons.
Shrikande started the Pelvic Rehabilitation Center out of necessity for herself. During the final year of her residency, she was experiencing classic pelvic floor pain symptoms and was having trouble getting a diagnosis and treatment.
Since the condition doesn't show up on traditional tests like imaging or bloodwork, it's a challenge to get a diagnosis and help beyond pain medication.
It wasn't until Dr. Shrikande found an amazing pelvic floor physical therapist did she find a solution. She became fascinated by the whole field of pelvic floor health.
As a non-operative physician, she focuses on the nerves and the myofascial system.
Cabeca experienced pubic symphysis pain, which led her to learn more about the pelvic system and seek a solution.
The pubic bones have connective tissue that joins the pubic bones together, and that tissue can get inflamed during pregnancy. During childbirth, even if there wasn't a tear or cut exteriorly, there can be a tear on the interior, and depending on how that heals it can cause scarring and pain without being seen.
After childbirth, muscle nerve dysfunction can cause pain with intercourse. The muscles can either be tight or loose and either condition can lead to compressed nerves and soreness before and after intercourse. The goal of the Pelvic Rehabilitation center is to release the inflammation of the nerves and see how the patients do.
A lot of patients feel like they just have to live with the pain, but there are physical therapies that can help, especially when it comes to your sexual health.
We can't get an answer if we're not asking the question and patients need to advocate for themselves. If you are experiencing something, keep digging for an answer.
Cabeca and Dr. Shrikande go over a treatment protocol for a patient experiencing pain while sitting and explain how the treatment will solve the issue.
The most challenging patients are the ones experiencing chronic pain for several years. The issue there is the pain becomes imprinted on your nervous system and it becomes your new normal. It can take more time to reset the nervous system but it is possible.
With any pain issue, it's important to start an anti-inflammatory diet. The Keto Green diet is a great option for kickstarting your anti-inflammatory program.
80% of people will experience incontinence over their lifetime and it's also the #1 reason a caregiver will put someone into a nursing home. This is why pelvic floor exercises and pelvic floor health is so important.
Starting your pelvic floor exercises when you are young have cumulative positive effects throughout your life. Start young and your post-menopausal life will be better as well.
It's important to lubricate and moisturize your skin, and that includes the skin within the pelvis.
When it comes to vaginismus, a yoga program or a dilator can be effective in holding progress, along with pelvic floor relaxation techniques. It's also important for you to have an open, honest relationship with your partner so they can help.
A lot of pelvic floor issues are lateral within the pelvis. The wand is used to go into the canals of the bony pelvis and increase blood flow.
Kapadia spent the majority of her career dealing with neuromuscular medicine for the entire body, but after experiencing pelvic floor pain herself she came across pelvic rehab medicine and has been helping patients with chronic pelvic pain since.
Chronic pelvic pain is something that many people don't want to talk about because it can come with a lot of shame.
If you are currently pregnant, preparing your perineum and pelvis is important for preventing pelvic pain after childbirth. Pelvic floor exercises and massage, as well as yoga, can change the game.
At Pelvic Rehabilitation Medicine, the two biggest issues they see postpartum are tailbone pain and pain during intercourse.
Pain during intercourse is not something you have to live with after childbirth, but that's a common belief.
Pelvic therapy involves both internal and external exercises. Externally, it's about working on the hips, back, and spine, as well as the pubic areas that shift during pregnancy. Internally, the goal is to mobilize the muscles and provide blood flow back to the area that has been compromised during pregnancy.
You don't have to have an episiotomy or a C-section to suffer from scarring internally from childbirth. The pelvis is abundant in blood supply, but that decreases with age and nerve damage. We have to take steps to keep the blood supply active because that's how you build healthy muscles.
Tight, spastic muscles can lead to less oxygen and blood flow in that area, which leads to less healing. Increasing mobility in those muscles with finger therapy and dilator therapy decreases pain and increases pleasure.
Without adequate blood flow, orgasms can become painful, which is where neuro-muscular reeducation occurs.
If you're experiencing pain during intercourse or urination, your next step is to follow up with your gynecologist and advocate for yourself to refer you to a pelvic floor therapist.
In France, pelvic floor therapy is required for up to six months after giving birth. Physical pelvic floor therapy is the first step to reducing pain.
Pelvic Rehabilitation Medicine has opened clinics throughout the country. There are centers in Dallas, Houston, New York, New Jersey, Florida, and more.
We can do more in this country and it starts with advocating for ourselves. If you're having pain with intercourse or bladder/bowel issues, you need to advocate for your health.