This is the fourth edition of Ask the Doctor, where I ask functional medicine doctors a ton of questions in a single episode so you can reap the benefits of all of their knowledge (check out the first episode, featuring Dr. Will Cole talking about inflammation, hormone balance, birth control, and more, here; the second episode, which features Dr. Ellen Vora in the most comprehensive conversation about anxiety ever, here; and the third episode all about gut health with Dr. B, the Gut Health MD, here).

I am so excited about today’s guest, who I think is one of the most brilliant women’s health experts in the country—Dr. Aviva Romm. Aviva is a Yale-trained, board-certified family physician with a specialty in women’s health and obstetrics; certified professional midwife; and herbalist. She’s been called “the face of natural medicine in the 21st century” by Prevention Magazine, she is a member of the Yale Integrative Medicine Program’s Advisory Board, and currently serves as an Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. She’s also written some brilliant books, including the Adrenal Thyroid Revolution, which we’re doing a little giveaway for on Instagram, if you want to go check it out.

I asked her basically every hormone-related question I could think of, and all of the ones you shared with me on Instagram. This episode is truly SO comprehensive. We cover:

• What hormones are and why they matter for women
• Common signs you can look for at home that would your hormones are out of whack
• Exactly what tests to ask your doctor for to measure for thyroid issues, adrenal fatigue, and other hormonal issues
• Her thoughts on home hormone testing kits
• The relationship between hormones and energy, and how you can get take care of your hormones to boost your energy
• Easy lifestyle changes you can make to support your thyroid and her Thoughts on thyroid medication
• The relationship between hormones and anxiety and ways to support your hormones to lessen anxiety
• How hormones impact weight gain
• What a shorter or longer cycle means, and how to optimize your cycle generally
• Natural remedies for PMS, including the one food to eat before your period to get rid of PMS
• Her thoughts on seed cycling, which SO many of you asked about
• Steps you can take now to optimize your fertility in the future, and her thoughts on egg freezing
• Her thoughts on hormonal contraception, steps you can take to balance your hormones while on birth control, and how to detox from the pill if you choose to go off it
• The types of diets that are best and worst for hormones, and the individual foods that make the biggest difference in hormone health
• The relationship between hormones and low libido, and her tips to boost sex drive at different phases in your life

You can find more from Aviva at her website, AvivaRomm.com and on Instagram @avivaromm. I’m of course @lizmoody on Instagram and we’d both love to hear any thoughts or reactions or even questions that come up as you’re listening, so screenshot and tag us both on Insta!

Enjoy!

PS: My foodie preset pack is officially live. You can get all 8 presets, designed to make your food pics look as good as they taste, at lizmoody.com/presets. They’re on sale for 50% off for a limited time only!

PPS: Healthier Together is officially a number one best-seller! You can get your copy on Amazon or at lizmoody.com/cookbook.  Please keep sending me your creations on Instagram—they make me so happy!

This episode is sponsored by Garden of Life, one of my all-time favorite brands. I focused on stress-relieving products in this episode, including their Mood Plus probiotic, which is formulated specifically to help with stress and anxiety, and their magnesium chelate, which I take nightly to help avoid constipation and help alleviate anxiety.

Healthier Together cover art by Zack. Healthier Together music by Alex Ruimy.