Everything You Need to Know about Functional Approach to POF/POI

Dr. Anna Cabeca joins us today as we’re digging into how to heal naturally if you have premature ovarian insufficiency.

When I was diagnosed with premature ovarian failure/insufficiency (POF/POI) at 28 I was told my only options were donor eggs.

I had no idea that underlying stressors both physical and mental/emotional were contributing to my infertility.

Fortunately, I was able to have both my children with donor eggs – but years later my health really began to suffer.

What I now know for sure is that crucial healing opportunities were missed for me. I see this all the time when we work with clients in our Fab Fertile Coaching program.

It is not about focusing on the POF/POI diagnosis.

Conventional medicine offers very few solutions for POF/POI. It’s either IVF (we’re given a very low chance of success) or donor eggs.

The functional approach addresses the healing opportunities (they are different for everyone and very individualized) and restores balance to the body. Because if your body is under attack it wants to survive not to procreate.

I’m excited to welcome Dr. Anna Cabeca, Emory University-trained and triple board-certified in gynecology and obstetrics, integrative medicine, and anti-aging and regenerative medicine. Dr. Cabeca was diagnosed with POI and was able to reverse the condition and get pregnant naturally with her daughter.

On this podcast you’ll learn:

1) Why POF/POI is not early menopause. Even if you have not had a period for more than 12 months we discuss if it is possible to restart the period again.

2) A POF/POI diagnosis is emotionally devastating – how to how to stay optimistic (especially when well-meaning doctors are telling you that you'll never conceive with your own eggs.)

3) Common issues we see with POF/POI (i.e. food sensitivities, gut infections, mineral imbalance, long term birth control use, autoimmunity, and thyroiditis).

4) We discuss the autoimmune disease and POF/POI and we break down the studies.

5) Why insulin, cortisol, and oxytocin matter and why balancing these is essential for hormone health and POF/POI.

6) When to supplement with bioidenticals. What to do about hot flashes (what do they mean?) Plus help for painful sex/urinary leakage and dryness.

TIMESTAMPS: 06:08- INTRO AND DR. ANNA CABECA'S BIO 07:26- DR. ANNA CABECA'S STORY WITH INFERTILITY 09:38- WHY POI (POF) ISN'T EARLY MENOPAUSE

• Menopause is said to have started when there is not a period for 12 months, why is this not the case for POI?
• Is it possible to regain your period?
• Dr. Cabeca regaining her cycle at 54
• "There are so many things that can affect our hormones"

15:16- HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO STAY POSITIVE AFTER A DEVASTATING DIAGNOSIS?

• "Part of my healing was keeping the earth moving below my feet."
• Focusing on success stories
• Understanding the importance of healing cell to cell communication
• How trauma and grief can affect your nervous system, "Physiology drives behavior."
• Finding hope and not allowing despair to take hold of us, "We can never give up hope."
• "If you see it you can experience it."
• The hormonal disruption caused by trauma
• Why you should establish a "cheer word"

28:25- WHAT ARE SOME COMMON ISSUES YOU ARE SEEING WITH POI?

• Hormonal deficiencies and the feeling that your body is "betraying you"
• Healing the gut, increasing heart rate variability, and other functional approaches to healing
• "When we support the adrenals we support the ovaries."

32:05- WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE AND POI?

• "You cannot separate your mental atmosphere from our physiological atmosphere."
• The tie of autoimmune disease and emotions, "Organs hold emotions."
• How improving one area improves another
• Understanding the toxins in not only our foods but in our lifestyle

37:50- DETOX RECOMMENDATIONS

• Focusing on healthy greens, removing grains, etc
• Common food sensitivities and why to eliminate them on a detox
• Considering the source and how we eat "what we ate, ate"

39:45- HOT FLASHES AND POI

• Supporting our hormones from the bottom up
• Insulin resistance and the harm of snacking

41:55- THOUGHTS ON POI BEING AN AUTOIMMUNE ISSUE, TO BEGIN WITH

• How much we have to learn about the issue and how complex it is

42:45- WHEN WOULD YOU USE BIOIDENTICAL?

• How we cannot rely on bioidenticals alone and the importance of addressing the root cause
• Recommendations for DHEA and why she believes to "start low, go slow"

47:15- THE IMPORTANCE OF ADDRESSING HEART RATE VARIABILITY

• The importance o...