If you love drag or do drag, my son Oliver could really use some love from the community
#drag #dragrace #heartsurgerysurvivor
I had a great conversation on @zoe about all things menstruation! Here we are talking about iron deficiency, which it would be fair to call an epidemic, especially for women under the age of 25 (but to be sure we see it among all ages of women who menstruate!).
Iron deficiency is its own medical condition. Anemia is just one consequence! Brain fog, hair loss, restless leg syndrome, and depression can all be a consequence of iron deficiency.
I cover the tests and all the treatment options for heavy bleeding in my book Blood: The Science, Medicine, and Mythology of Menstruation. So after listening to this podcast you want more info, you know here to find it!
I do hope you check out the podcast. We covered so many menstrual-related topics!
I wrote about all the problems with turmeric and curcumin for my latest post for The Vajenda and how novelty data recommends it for anything in menopause.
Special thanks to @kcklatt for fielding my questions!
Did you know that despite more than $150 million in NIH funds we still don’t have good data supporting a formulation that does anything?
One of the biggest researchers into turmeric/curcumin has had 30 papers retracted for scientific misconduct and many more are in question. Also, many papers on turmeric/curcumin come from paper mills.
There are now turmeric and curcumin supplements that are formulated to improve absorption/bioavailability, but we have little data about their safety and efficacy and many countries have reported liver injury from these products.
Despite the lack of quality data supporting its use, the global turmeric/curcumin market is $70 million a year and is estimated to be $112.5 million in 2025. It really does seem that turmeric is the golden spice! It’s no wonder doctors sell it. As I showed you in a previous piece, one just has to sell 8333 bottles at $35 each to net $195k.
Women deserve science, not this kind of dismal data. It’s enraging to think supplement companies don’t have up do any research because the NIH will find these studies. And did you know people writing articles on turmeric and curcumin still reference the researcher who has all those retractions? It’s maddening.
This video is for those people who think selling a supplement is the same as buying a product with your own money and talking about it.
I appreciate I have a lot of new followers, so for the record I don’t take any money from any company in the medical space. That includes Pharma, supplements, diets, sunscreen, skin care, and menstrual products. I don’t have issues with people who do advertisements on social media. It’s just something I have chosen not to do.
I do have issues with providers and celebrities and anyone in the health space who sells or promote scammy products, such as many supplements, hormone pellets and the O-shot. I’ve been calling out medical scams as long as I’ve been online (hello Jade Egg?). You should know that the people promoting these kinds of products are making money hand over fist. Making money by profiting from the gaps in the healthcare system is misogyny.
If I had a Dr. Gunter brand of estradiol patch or hormonal contraception and I posted content about women’s health you would rightly call me biased and might question my recommendations for these products. If I did paid ads for Pfizer, you should rightly be suspicious whenever I spoke about Duavee (one of their products). If you think a doctor having their own pharmaceutical or taking money from Pharma is troubling, you should extend that same concern to supplements.
If you think partnering with @fluevog to design a shoe where a percentage of the profits go to support a charity that delivers menstrual products to people in Northern Canada makes me biased about health content, I got nothing. I wasn’t paid to work with the amazing people at Fluevog, I just love their shoes and it was a freaking honor to be asked and to help a Canadian charity. I’ve worn their shoes since before social media existed!
To those leaving lazy insults. Be more creative. Also, thank you for letting me know I should restrict you. And you might want to learn about this thing called community.
How do you find your sexual desire again after having a baby or during perimenopause?
Renowned gynaecologist @drjengunter answers YOUR questions in this week’s special episode on bodies, including:
“I have never had an orgasm – but I’ve had multiple partners of both genders – why?”
“Do we literally only have one week of normality a month in the menstrual cycle?”
“What is the difference between perimenopause and menopause?”
I was very surprised by some of the answers!
Jen and I spoke about an array of issues, such as sex, periods, menopause and more. Dr. Jen is also the author of bestsellers ‘The Vagina Bible’ and ‘The Menopause Manifesto.’ Her new book ‘Blood’ mixes her trademark blend of expertise and accessibility, empowering readers to understand their bodies better than ever before.
Listen for a wealth of information that we hope will leave you feeling informed, empowered, and ready to embrace the incredible complexity of your own body. Do share this with anyone you think could find it useful, and let me know how you go.
Link in bio
Here is an example of how much money is in the DUTCH test.
It’s not mean to say the DUTCH test is unindicated and that recommending it is a sign of a LACK of expertise, it’s the truth. I can see how a non expert might not have the training to understand why this test is useless, but that doesn’t change the facts.
This practice (associated with Jenn Pike) charges $1997 plus tax (!) to get the DUTCH test and a total of 120 minutes of clinician care.
A board certified GYN or endocrinologist could charge OHIP a total of $315 for all of that care. And the blood word (if needed) would be covered.
Tell me again why people promote this test?
Also, most doctors in Canada don’t charge to review test results, it’s part of being a doctor and the initial billing, so if there was no prescribing there wouldn’t even be a charge for the follow up.
This made my day 😂
Sorry @vancityreynolds
This made my day 😂
Sorry @vancityreynolds
I feel like I am tagged almost every day in some influencer post about the DUTCH test. As a reminder, I have a detailed article about it on TheVajenda.com
If you have not heard about this test, great! Keep it that way!
This test is not recommended by actual experts. If you come across an influencer recommending this test they are either not an actual expert in reproductive hormones or they are a grifter. Those are the only two options. Neither are people from whom you should source information.
Urine testing for estrogen metabolites is of no value in medicine. We have no studies to tell us what to do with these tests. I have seen people refuse menopause hormone therapy because results from this test told them they favored a “bad” estrogen pathway. This is only one way in which unindicated testing can harm people. And of course this test is a way for people to make money, because they charge for interpreting. And of course the grift is in charging to interpret the results, because they will recommend repeating it, often several times a year.
In the world of evidence based medicine we never recommend urine or salivary test for that matter for evaluating reproductive hormones. When testing is needed, we order a blood test.
We never recommend hormone testing, never mind hormone metabolite testing as a baseline, but that is what is promoted on the website for this test. We never recommend managing MHT based on levels, but that is what is recommended on the website. I could go on, but I would get even angrier than I am.
I see real harm from people changing their medical care based on results from the DUTCH test and, of course, people are told to take expensive supplements and I am sure follow restrictive diets based on the results. This is not benign!
When you see people recommending the DUTCH test, my advice would be to block or at least unfollow.
Until we have large scale prospective studies that tell us how this test can help women, it is of no value. Which is where we are currently. This test provides the illusion of care, but it is just an illusion. And you deserve better.
I get asked about supplements a lot, so I decided to organize all my posts in a subheading on my Substack, TheVajenda.com. Look, if the supplement industry isn’t going to give you the information you need for informed consent, I will. I have basic posts on understanding the different types of supplements, as well as the money to be made, the backstory behind the lack of legislation in the US, and posts about specific products.
One issue with supplements is that they often don’t contain what they claim, they can be contaminated with microbials, and be adulterated with pharmaceuticals or even poisons.
In a study published in JAMA (2024), researchers looked at the accuracy of labeling for products containing galantamine, a medication used to treat dementia (primarily Alzheimer’s disease), but it has some off-label indications as well. Galantamine offered a unique opportunity to compare the accuracy of labeling for a prescription product versus a supplement, as galantamine is available as both a prescription (regulated) and as a supplement (unregulated). With the regulated prescription (generics were chosen), the amount of galantamine in the pills was between 97.5% and 104.2% of the amount indicated on the label, which is not an uncommon margin of error, and there was no bacterial contamination. However, with the unregulated, over-the-counter supplement version, the amount of galantamine ranged from less than 2% to as much as 110% percent of what was printed on the label, and only one product contained what is claimed with the same margin of error as the prescription products. In addition, three or 30% of the supplements were contaminated with genes for the enterotoxin produced by Bacillus cereus, which is a cause of food poisoning.
Please head over and check it out so you can be informed. Because you can’t make an informed choice without the I formation!
There is a new study in JAMA looking at 20-year data from the WHI.
There is a lot to cover, so head to The Vajenda tomorrow for a more thorough take.
This study applies to the hormone regimens studied. Meaning Premarin or Premarin plus medroxyprogesterone acetate (Provera).
The conclusions are:
MHT is appropriate for hot flashes/night sweats
The WHI findings do not support the use of either hormone regimen for prevention of heart disease, stroke, or dementia.
Both regimens were associated with a reduction in hip fractures, although they did not conclude that the WHI data supported MHT for prevention of any chronic disease.
The Premarin only arm was associated with a reduction in breast cancer, for women ages 50-59 that was 5 fewer cases per 10,000 women per year.
The Premarin plus medroxyprogesterone acetate arm was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, even for women ages 50-59. The attributable risk was 6 cases per 10,000 women taking hormones per year in this age group.
In some ways, it’s ridiculous to discuss, because Premarin plus medroxyprogsterone is rarely used. However, I do think this study gives us a good idea of what might be the higher end of breast cancer risk with MHT, meaning other therapies are unlikely to be higher. A risk of 6/10,000 is considered rare.
We also know the concerns about heart disease risk are not founded. But the data from the WHI don’t support MHT for prevention of heart disease, stroke, or dementia. Many younger doctors might not remember, but before the WHI some people were handing out Premarin like a supplement for protecting the heart, and the study didn’t support that.
The risks of breast cancer, while real for combination therapy were overblown because the press loves scaring women. The risk of serious eye problems with Viagra-like drugs is in the same risk range as breast cancer is with Premarin and medroxyprogesterone acetate (3.2-8.5 cases per 10,000 person years), and yet we never heard about that!
I have finished my review of the new study that looks at use of MHT beyond age 65. Here is a summary, and for the full piece please head to TheVajenda.com. Remember, this is an observational study, so not definitive.
*****
Estradiol and either progesterone or a progestin continued after age 65 was not associated with an increased risk of mortality, colon cancer, cardiovascular disease, or dementia. These are important takeaways.
This study doesn’t support combined MHT reducing the risk of dementia or the progesterone-based regimens protecting the heart. The data for the progestin-based regimens protecting the heart was a bit all over the place.
Overall, progestin regimens tended to perform better in several domains, which is surprising given the findings of other observational studies.
There was, as expected, an increased risk of breast cancer, more so with progesterone vs progestin regimens, which has not been shown in other observational data. Until now, the data suggested progesterone has a lower risk of breast cancer. The lowest dose of transdermal estradiol wasn’t linked with an increased risk of breast cancer, but whether that is a true effect or not isn’t possible to know.
Progestins were more protective than progesterone for endometrial cancer, and I think this is one of the more important findings. I think this needs further study and might be something for someone at high risk for endometrial cancer to consider when thinking about MHT.
The authors concluded that estrogen plus progestin “exhibited risk reductions in endometrial and ovarian cancers, ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, and venous thromboembolism.” In contrast, estrogen plus progesterone “exhibited risk reduction only in congestive heart failure.”
For those who want to continue MHT past age 65, as long as they are aware of the increased risk of breast cancer and aware that there may be some unanswered questions about progestin vs. progesterone, there is no reason to say they shouldn’t, given the mortality data is neutral and that they understand this is based on observational data.
Crunchy corn salad.
This is one of my favorite crunchy big salad lunches that comes together in less than 15 minutes and is so worth it. Now that corn is in season I am making it a lot. This is for one. What can I say, I like a big salad!
Microwave one ear of corn (I peel almost all of it and leave 1-2 layers on) for 2 minutes on high
Dressing: mix this all in the bowl you will use for the salad:
2 tsp tahini
1 tbsp plain Greek yogurt (full fat, no fat whatever)
Juice 1/2 lime
1 tbsp water
Sriracha to taste
Chop and add to the dressing:
1 cucumber peeled (or unpeeled if it’s the kind that doesn’t need it)
1 red pepper
1 cup cilantro including stems
1 jalapeño
Corn kernels
1/4 cup crumbled feta
Mix and enjoy
I always think a salad like this is going to have a bazillion grams of fiber, so I decided to count and it looks like it’s about 11 or 12 g.
When I want a super mega fiber rich lunch, I make this into a wrap with these carb cutting La Tortilla tortillas (swipe to see). We bought them once because there were essentially no other choices at the store for some strange reason, and when I realized they have 14 g of fiber per serving I was sold. They are one of those good staples to have in the house to quickly bump up the fiber in your day. Sometimes you need those products that just get the job done 😂
Crunchy corn salad.
This is one of my favorite crunchy big salad lunches that comes together in less than 15 minutes and is so worth it. Now that corn is in season I am making it a lot. This is for one. What can I say, I like a big salad!
Microwave one ear of corn (I peel almost all of it and leave 1-2 layers on) for 2 minutes on high
Dressing: mix this all in the bowl you will use for the salad:
2 tsp tahini
1 tbsp plain Greek yogurt (full fat, no fat whatever)
Juice 1/2 lime
1 tbsp water
Sriracha to taste
Chop and add to the dressing:
1 cucumber peeled (or unpeeled if it’s the kind that doesn’t need it)
1 red pepper
1 cup cilantro including stems
1 jalapeño
Corn kernels
1/4 cup crumbled feta
Mix and enjoy
I always think a salad like this is going to have a bazillion grams of fiber, so I decided to count and it looks like it’s about 11 or 12 g.
When I want a super mega fiber rich lunch, I make this into a wrap with these carb cutting La Tortilla tortillas (swipe to see). We bought them once because there were essentially no other choices at the store for some strange reason, and when I realized they have 14 g of fiber per serving I was sold. They are one of those good staples to have in the house to quickly bump up the fiber in your day. Sometimes you need those products that just get the job done 😂
Crunchy corn salad.
This is one of my favorite crunchy big salad lunches that comes together in less than 15 minutes and is so worth it. Now that corn is in season I am making it a lot. This is for one. What can I say, I like a big salad!
Microwave one ear of corn (I peel almost all of it and leave 1-2 layers on) for 2 minutes on high
Dressing: mix this all in the bowl you will use for the salad:
2 tsp tahini
1 tbsp plain Greek yogurt (full fat, no fat whatever)
Juice 1/2 lime
1 tbsp water
Sriracha to taste
Chop and add to the dressing:
1 cucumber peeled (or unpeeled if it’s the kind that doesn’t need it)
1 red pepper
1 cup cilantro including stems
1 jalapeño
Corn kernels
1/4 cup crumbled feta
Mix and enjoy
I always think a salad like this is going to have a bazillion grams of fiber, so I decided to count and it looks like it’s about 11 or 12 g.
When I want a super mega fiber rich lunch, I make this into a wrap with these carb cutting La Tortilla tortillas (swipe to see). We bought them once because there were essentially no other choices at the store for some strange reason, and when I realized they have 14 g of fiber per serving I was sold. They are one of those good staples to have in the house to quickly bump up the fiber in your day. Sometimes you need those products that just get the job done 😂
Crunchy corn salad.
This is one of my favorite crunchy big salad lunches that comes together in less than 15 minutes and is so worth it. Now that corn is in season I am making it a lot. This is for one. What can I say, I like a big salad!
Microwave one ear of corn (I peel almost all of it and leave 1-2 layers on) for 2 minutes on high
Dressing: mix this all in the bowl you will use for the salad:
2 tsp tahini
1 tbsp plain Greek yogurt (full fat, no fat whatever)
Juice 1/2 lime
1 tbsp water
Sriracha to taste
Chop and add to the dressing:
1 cucumber peeled (or unpeeled if it’s the kind that doesn’t need it)
1 red pepper
1 cup cilantro including stems
1 jalapeño
Corn kernels
1/4 cup crumbled feta
Mix and enjoy
I always think a salad like this is going to have a bazillion grams of fiber, so I decided to count and it looks like it’s about 11 or 12 g.
When I want a super mega fiber rich lunch, I make this into a wrap with these carb cutting La Tortilla tortillas (swipe to see). We bought them once because there were essentially no other choices at the store for some strange reason, and when I realized they have 14 g of fiber per serving I was sold. They are one of those good staples to have in the house to quickly bump up the fiber in your day. Sometimes you need those products that just get the job done 😂
Crunchy corn salad.
This is one of my favorite crunchy big salad lunches that comes together in less than 15 minutes and is so worth it. Now that corn is in season I am making it a lot. This is for one. What can I say, I like a big salad!
Microwave one ear of corn (I peel almost all of it and leave 1-2 layers on) for 2 minutes on high
Dressing: mix this all in the bowl you will use for the salad:
2 tsp tahini
1 tbsp plain Greek yogurt (full fat, no fat whatever)
Juice 1/2 lime
1 tbsp water
Sriracha to taste
Chop and add to the dressing:
1 cucumber peeled (or unpeeled if it’s the kind that doesn’t need it)
1 red pepper
1 cup cilantro including stems
1 jalapeño
Corn kernels
1/4 cup crumbled feta
Mix and enjoy
I always think a salad like this is going to have a bazillion grams of fiber, so I decided to count and it looks like it’s about 11 or 12 g.
When I want a super mega fiber rich lunch, I make this into a wrap with these carb cutting La Tortilla tortillas (swipe to see). We bought them once because there were essentially no other choices at the store for some strange reason, and when I realized they have 14 g of fiber per serving I was sold. They are one of those good staples to have in the house to quickly bump up the fiber in your day. Sometimes you need those products that just get the job done 😂
It was a day of baking! Cheesecake with strawberry sauce. No cracks in the cheesecake!!!!
Also a @sallysbakeblog recipe. I have made it several times and it is soooooo tasty.
Made chicken ramen for dinner, recipe from @dishingouthealth and yet again, another winner. Also, the soft boiled egg instructions were perfect.
The boys loved it. And considering Oliver’s appetite has been off since his heart surgery, seeing him scarf it down was good to see!
I made it as is. No notes.
Made chicken ramen for dinner, recipe from @dishingouthealth and yet again, another winner. Also, the soft boiled egg instructions were perfect.
The boys loved it. And considering Oliver’s appetite has been off since his heart surgery, seeing him scarf it down was good to see!
I made it as is. No notes.
This week’s episode…Three hot takes with @drjengunter: The Truth About (Menopause) Supplements, Updates on How Long You Can Safely Use Hormone Therapy, and Is “The Pill” Out With Gen Z?
Supplements have been around for a long time with controversy among many doctors and researchers, but these days, there is an explosion of Menopause Supplements. Are they effective or just snake oil? How are they actually manufactured? How much money is really being made? Can you automatically trust a doctor who is selling a supplement? Dr. Jen Gunter takes on the supplement industry and uncovers just how easy and dubious supplement manufacturing really is. She also discusses the latest update on how long you can safely be on menopause hormone therapy. Finally, while hormone therapy is in, has Gen Z decided that the birth control pill is out? What’s behind the latest social media trend of saying no to The PIll by the younger generation of women? Is it bad for your health or just dangerous propaganda? These questions and more are answered by the internet’s favourite myth-busting OB/GYN.
This week’s episode…Three hot takes with @drjengunter: The Truth About (Menopause) Supplements, Updates on How Long You Can Safely Use Hormone Therapy, and Is “The Pill” Out With Gen Z?
Supplements have been around for a long time with controversy among many doctors and researchers, but these days, there is an explosion of Menopause Supplements. Are they effective or just snake oil? How are they actually manufactured? How much money is really being made? Can you automatically trust a doctor who is selling a supplement? Dr. Jen Gunter takes on the supplement industry and uncovers just how easy and dubious supplement manufacturing really is. She also discusses the latest update on how long you can safely be on menopause hormone therapy. Finally, while hormone therapy is in, has Gen Z decided that the birth control pill is out? What’s behind the latest social media trend of saying no to The PIll by the younger generation of women? Is it bad for your health or just dangerous propaganda? These questions and more are answered by the internet’s favourite myth-busting OB/GYN.
This week’s episode…Three hot takes with @drjengunter: The Truth About (Menopause) Supplements, Updates on How Long You Can Safely Use Hormone Therapy, and Is “The Pill” Out With Gen Z?
Supplements have been around for a long time with controversy among many doctors and researchers, but these days, there is an explosion of Menopause Supplements. Are they effective or just snake oil? How are they actually manufactured? How much money is really being made? Can you automatically trust a doctor who is selling a supplement? Dr. Jen Gunter takes on the supplement industry and uncovers just how easy and dubious supplement manufacturing really is. She also discusses the latest update on how long you can safely be on menopause hormone therapy. Finally, while hormone therapy is in, has Gen Z decided that the birth control pill is out? What’s behind the latest social media trend of saying no to The PIll by the younger generation of women? Is it bad for your health or just dangerous propaganda? These questions and more are answered by the internet’s favourite myth-busting OB/GYN.
This week’s episode…Three hot takes with @drjengunter: The Truth About (Menopause) Supplements, Updates on How Long You Can Safely Use Hormone Therapy, and Is “The Pill” Out With Gen Z?
Supplements have been around for a long time with controversy among many doctors and researchers, but these days, there is an explosion of Menopause Supplements. Are they effective or just snake oil? How are they actually manufactured? How much money is really being made? Can you automatically trust a doctor who is selling a supplement? Dr. Jen Gunter takes on the supplement industry and uncovers just how easy and dubious supplement manufacturing really is. She also discusses the latest update on how long you can safely be on menopause hormone therapy. Finally, while hormone therapy is in, has Gen Z decided that the birth control pill is out? What’s behind the latest social media trend of saying no to The PIll by the younger generation of women? Is it bad for your health or just dangerous propaganda? These questions and more are answered by the internet’s favourite myth-busting OB/GYN.