Deena Emera, PhD - A Brief History of The Female Body, Evolution and A Look Into the Future

04/10/24 • 52 min

Our bodies are a byproduct of millions of years of evolution. MOTHER-nature, as the most iterative technologist, has orchestrated the female form - from the menstrual cycles to orgasms, from pregnancies to menopause. But, how? Why did our biology evolve to be exactly the way it is today?

Deena Emera, PhD is an evolutionary geneticist, author, educator and senior scientist at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. In her latest hit book "A Brief History of the Female Body" she draws on her vast expertise as a biologist, her experience as a mother of four children, and her love of teaching to look far into our evolutionary past, illuminating how and, more importantly, why the female form has transformed over millions of years and its effects on women's health.

Enjoy!

Want to become a MOTHER-sponsor and create some magic together? Reach out to us: https://shorturl.at/0RHLM

(0:00) Intro

(01:10) Unexpected benefits of knowing our evolutionary biology

(04:40) Mother-child conflict during and after pregnancy

(15:43) Evolutionary purpose of the menstrual cycle

(18:32) The endometrium as an embryo sensor

(23:42) How studying the endometrium can help cure cancer

(25:22) Female orgasm from the evolutionary perspective

(33:02) Menopause as a rare evolutionary trait

(38:12) Delaying menopause: current state of the art and goals

(42:06) Reproductive choice

(44:16) The dynamic between biological and technological evolution

(47:34) Current tensions between females and males

Links:

Deena's book "A Brief History of the Female Body" - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brief-History-Female-Body-Evolutionary-ebook/dp/B0BB8SCVDQ

Deena's Boston Globe article "Reproductive choice is at the core of being a female mammal" - https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/20/opinion/reproductive-choice-is-core-being-female-mammal/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enjoy!

Want to become a MOTHER-sponsor and create some magic together? Reach out to us: https://shorturl.at/0RHLM

(0:00) Intro

(01:10) Unexpected benefits of knowing our evolutionary biology

(04:40) Mother-child conflict during and after pregnancy

(15:43) Evolutionary purpose of the menstrual cycle

(18:32) The endometrium as an embryo sensor

(23:42) How studying the endometrium can help cure cancer

(25:22) Female orgasm from the evolutionary perspective

(33:02) Menopause as a rare evolutionary trait

(38:12) Delaying menopause: current state of the art and goals

(42:06) Reproductive choice

(44:16) The dynamic between biological and technological evolution

(47:34) Current tensions between females and males

Links:

Deena's book "A Brief History of the Female Body" - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brief-History-Female-Body-Evolutionary-ebook/dp/B0BB8SCVDQ

Deena's Boston Globe article "Reproductive choice is at the core of being a female mammal" - https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/20/opinion/reproductive-choice-is-core-being-female-mammal/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Grace Blest-Hopley, PhD - Psychedelic Use for Female Health, Hormones, Menstrual Cycle, and Menopause

Could psychedelics start a new era in women's holistic health?

Dr. Grace Blest-Hopley is a Neuroscientist with 10 years of experience researching cannabis, cannabinoids, and psychedelics. She is the founder of Hystelica - the first research organisation in the world focused on understanding women's biology for safe and effective psychedelic use. Grace currently serves as the Chief Scientific Officer at NWPharma Tech and is also the Research Director at Heroic Hearts Project, a charity connecting military veterans with mental trauma to psychedelic therapy options: ayahuasca, psilocybin, and ketamine.

In this episode, you'll hear about the incredible potential of psychedelics in women's health.

Enjoy!

Want to become a MOTHER-sponsor and create some magic together? Reach out to us: https://shorturl.at/0RHLM

(0:00) Intro

(01:16) What is a psychedelic?

(02:33) Why is it important to study psychedelics for women separately?

(11:24) Safety of psychedelic use for women

(13:50) Hystelica's research into psychedelics for women

(15:42) Microdosing and menopause

(19:32) Anti-inflammatory properties of psychedelics

(21:31) Evidence that women process trauma differently

(23:59) The exact mechanism between trauma and disease

(28:44) Neuroscientist's definition of trauma

(31:11) Women in combat and PTSD

(33:52) How indigenous women use of psychedelics

(36:39) Big goal in psychedelics for women's health: Big Data

(38:56) How can anyone participate in Hystelica's research?

Links:

Grace's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/grace-blest-hopley-msc-akc

Hystelica - https://www.hystelica.com/

Hystelica's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wearehystelica/

Heroic Hearts - https://www.heroicheartsuk.com/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Jennifer Garrison, PhD - A New Era in Female Biology, How Ovaries Impact Everything, Ageing and Complexity

Could ovaries hold the keys to our health and longevity? The organs orchestrating life are driving far more than fertility. A groundbreaking wave of scientific research into ovarian function could revolutionize our approach to medicine.

Jennifer Garrison has a PhD in neuroscience, is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Global Consortium for Reproductive Longevity & Equality ("GCRLE") and is an Assistant Professor at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. She is pioneering a new movement to advance science focused on ovarian ageing. Her research lab studies mind-body communication, particularly how age-related changes in the chemical conversation between ovaries and the brain may lead to accelerated decline in females.

Enjoy!

Want to become a MOTHER-sponsor and create some magic together? Reach out to us: https://shorturl.at/0RHLM

(0:00) Intro

(1:18) What does "longevity" really mean?

(2:04) Do women and men age differently?

(6:13) What roles do hormones play in our body?

(10:09) What is "ovarian ageing" and why does it matter?

(13:58) What are the big questions in female ageing research?

(17:41) What can female biology teach us about the universe?

(21:45) Is there a link between PCOS, endometriosis, and menopause?

(26:17) How has Jennifer’s thinking evolved over time?

(26:47) Are biological "ageing clocks" ready for prime time?