Nourished to Healthy Blog
Episode #175: Whole-Body Healing: A Holistic PCOS Approach
In this episode of the PCOS Repair Podcast, you’ll get a fresh perspective on what it truly means to heal from PCOS, not just manage symptoms or follow a checklist of tips, but to create a whole-body, sustainable transformation. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing “everything right” and still not seeing results, this episode is a must-listen. You’ll learn why healing PCOS isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing the right things together. You’ll walk through the 8 key areas that support PCOS recovery, from nutrition and movement to emotional wellness and stress regulation, and discover how bringing these pieces into harmony can create powerful shifts in your energy, cycle, and overall wellbeing.
Episode #174: Physical Activity & Your Mindset
When time is tight and energy is low—especially around the holidays—exercise can easily drop off your radar. But what if movement wasn’t just another box to check, but a tool to support your hormones and emotional wellbeing? In this episode of the PCOS Repair Podcast, you’ll learn how to shift your mindset around physical activity so it feels supportive, not stressful. You’ll discover how even small, gentle forms of movement can reduce cravings, boost mood, and help regulate your cycle—no punishment required. Most importantly, you’ll walk away with practical strategies for building a consistent, joyful routine that aligns with your PCOS healing journey.
Episode #173: Natural or Assisted Fertility: Designing Your Path
In this episode of the PCOS Repair Podcast, you’ll gain clarity around one of the most personal and complex decisions women with PCOS face: whether to pursue natural or assisted fertility. Ashlene walks you through the key hormonal factors that influence ovulation and pregnancy with PCOS and helps you understand the role both lifestyle and medical support can play in improving your fertility outcomes. You’ll explore how root causes like blood sugar imbalance or stress can delay ovulation and make conception harder, even if your periods seem “regular.” Whether you’re navigating early fertility challenges or preparing for the future, this episode will help you tune into your body’s signals and choose the path, natural, assisted, or a combination, that feels right for you. Plus, you’ll learn why compassion, testing, and a flexible mindset are essential ingredients for creating a fertility plan that supports your long-term hormone health and emotional wellbeing.
Episode #172: Amanda’s Story: Healing Through Blood Sugar Balance
In this episode of the PCOS Repair Podcast, you’ll meet Amanda, a woman who once felt completely stuck in her PCOS journey. Fatigue, intense cravings, and a chaotic cycle left her feeling hopeless. But everything changed when she discovered the real root of her symptoms. Tune in to hear how Amanda used blood sugar balance to transform her energy, mood, and fertility. You’ll learn how small changes like eating breakfast and listening to her body led to powerful healing and how you can do the same.
Episode #171: MD, Naturopath, or Functional? Choosing the Right PCOS Care
In this episode of the PCOS Repair Podcast, you’ll learn how to confidently choose the right care team to support your PCOS journey. If you’ve ever walked away from an appointment feeling unheard or unsure of your next step, this episode is here to help. This episode will walk you through the roles of OB/GYNs, primary care doctors, naturopaths, and functional medicine providers so you can understand what each offers, and what they might miss. You’ll discover how to match your current goals, whether it’s fertility, cycle regulation, or hormone balance, with the right kind of support. You’ll also hear how to combine different care approaches and watch for red flags like extreme protocols or false promises. Most importantly, you’ll leave empowered to advocate for yourself and create a personalized plan that supports your long-term health.
Episode #170: Saw Palmetto & PCOS: Can This Herb Help Balance Hormones?
In this episode of the PCOS Repair Podcast, you’ll discover how saw palmetto may help reduce stubborn PCOS symptoms like acne, unwanted hair growth, and hair thinning. You’ll learn how this herbal supplement works by blocking the conversion of testosterone into DHT, a potent androgen that often drives these symptoms. This episode also explores when saw palmetto might be appropriate, how to use it safely, and why it’s not recommended if you’re trying to conceive. If you’re looking for natural support to balance lingering androgen levels, this episode will help you decide whether saw palmetto has a place in your PCOS care plan.
Episode #169: Insulin, LH, and PCOS Hormonal Chaos: Understanding the Connection
Wondering why your ovulation is inconsistent or why your LH tests are confusing? In this episode of the PCOS Repair Podcast, we dive into the connection between luteinizing hormone (LH) and insulin, and how their interaction can disrupt your cycle. You’ll learn how elevated insulin impacts testosterone and LH levels, preventing proper ovulation. Most importantly, you’ll walk away with simple, practical tools to support better insulin regulation through food, movement, stress management, and supplements so you can restore hormonal balance and regain control of your cycle.
Episode #168: PCOS and Fertility Treatment Dropout: What Comes Next?
This episode explores the emotional toll of fertility care for women with PCOS, inspired by research exploring why many choose to stop treatment. From IVF to natural cycle tracking, the process can feel like a constant rollercoaster of hope and heartbreak. You’ll hear how emotional burnout, not just medical or financial reasons, is often the true reason women take a break. If you’ve felt overwhelmed, unheard, or unsure how to move forward, this conversation offers comfort, clarity, and practical ways to reclaim agency in your fertility journey.
Episode #167: Ozempic, Weight Loss Medications and PCOS: What You Need to Know
Are GLP-1 medications like Ozempic the missing piece in PCOS care, or just another hype? In this episode, I break down what these drugs actually do, why they’re making waves in the PCOS world, and how to decide if they might be a helpful part of your hormone and weight management plan. You’ll walk away with a better understanding of GLP-1s, their benefits and limitations, and how to have a thoughtful conversation with your provider about whether they fit your personal root-cause healing strategy.
Episode #166: How Jasmine Rebuilt Her Relationship with Food and Hormones
If you’ve ever felt like your body is working against you despite your best efforts, this episode is for you. I’m sharing Jasmine’s story, her battle with PCOS, burnout, and body image, and how everything changed when she stopped trying to force results and started listening to her body. You’ll hear how she rebuilt her cycle, energy, and confidence by nourishing her body and shifting her mindset. This episode is a powerful reminder that healing starts with support, not restriction.
Episode #165: PCOS Isn’t Just a Label: It’s a Clue to Better Health
In this episode of the PCOS Repair Podcast, you’ll learn how to reframe your PCOS diagnosis from a frustrating label into a valuable clue about what your body needs. Instead of seeing it as something to fix, you’ll begin to see your symptoms as your body’s way of guiding you toward hormone balance and better health. This episode helps shift the focus from confusion and self-doubt to clarity and confidence, offering practical ways to turn your diagnosis into a powerful roadmap for healing.
Episode #164: Balance Your Hormones with Omega-3 Power
In this episode of the PCOS Repair Podcast, we explore the powerful impact omega-3 fatty acids have on hormone health, inflammation, and insulin sensitivity. You’ll learn how these essential fats help reduce testosterone, support ovulation, and improve mood, energy, and skin, making them a foundational tool for PCOS healing. Whether you’re getting them through diet or supplements, omega-3s offer real benefits without complicated routines or extreme restrictions.
Episode #163: Love, Boundaries & PCOS: Navigating Hormonal Shifts Together
In this episode, you’ll uncover the powerful, and often overlooked, connection between your relationships and your PCOS symptoms. From partners and family to coworkers and friends, the emotional dynamics in your life can play a major role in your hormonal health. You’ll learn how things like fertility comments, family food traditions, or social pressures at work can quietly elevate stress hormones like cortisol, leading to fatigue, cravings, mood swings, and cycle disruptions.
Episode #162: The Science of Stress & What It’s Doing to Your PCOS
In this episode, discover how chronic stress can quietly sabotage your PCOS healing by disrupting hormone balance, driving insulin resistance, and worsening symptoms like irregular cycles, weight gain, and inflammation. Drawing on cutting-edge research, you’ll learn how your body’s stress response, designed for survival, can become overactivated in modern life, keeping cortisol high and hormones out of balance. You’ll also uncover practical strategies for identifying hidden stressors, repairing your stress response, and creating a lifestyle that supports both your metabolic health and fertility.
Episode #161: PCOS & Insulin Resistance: A Step-by-Step Guide
In this episode, you’ll uncover the truth about insulin resistance in PCOS, how it can exist even when your lab work appears “normal” and why it’s one of the most common yet overlooked root causes. You’ll learn how insulin resistance develops, the hidden ways it impacts energy, cravings, weight, and ovulation, and why recognizing it early can make all the difference in your hormone health. Plus, I’ll share practical steps to spot the signs, understand your test results, and start restoring balance with simple, targeted lifestyle changes that work with your body.
Episode #160: Rachel’s Fertility Breakthrough: A True PCOS Story
In this episode, you’ll hear Rachel’s inspiring story of overcoming PCOS-related fertility struggles by addressing chronic inflammation, a root cause often overlooked. Learn how simple, targeted changes to her diet and lifestyle helped her heal her gut, restore regular cycles, and conceive naturally, all without extreme restrictions.
Episode #159: PCOS and the Workplace: How to Protect Your Energy & Focus
Your daily environment, whether it’s an office, a classroom, or your own living room, can have a huge impact on your PCOS symptoms. In this episode, you’ll discover how to protect your energy, reduce brain fog, and create simple routines that support hormone health in the middle of your real life, not just in a perfectly curated one. Learn how to reset your focus, manage cravings, and build a daily flow that helps you feel better, even on your busiest days.
Episode #158 : The Magic of Magnesium for Hormones, Sleep, and Stress
In this supplement spotlight episode of the PCOS Repair Podcast, we explore why magnesium is a must-have for hormone balance, insulin sensitivity, better sleep, and stress management, all critical for managing PCOS. You’ll learn how low magnesium levels could be fueling your symptoms and how to restore this essential mineral through food and supplements. If you’re dealing with fatigue, cravings, anxiety, or poor sleep, this episode will show you how magnesium can be a powerful tool in your PCOS healing strategy.
Episode #157: How Losing Weight Can Support Your Cycle & Conception
If you’ve ever been told to “just lose weight” to fix your PCOS, this episode is for you. This episode digs into the complex relationship between body weight, fertility, and hormone health, and breaks down why weight is not the root issue. You’ll learn how excess weight can both reflect and worsen PCOS-related imbalances like insulin resistance, inflammation, and stress, and what it actually means to reach a fertility-friendly weight. More importantly, you’ll walk away with practical, compassionate strategies to improve your body composition without harming your hormones. This episode is your guide to moving beyond scale-focused advice so you can truly support your reproductive and metabolic health.
Episode #156: From Stuck to Strong: Building a Growth Mindset with PCOS
This episode of the PCOS Repair Podcast, discusses the fascinating connection between neuroscience, mindset, and PCOS healing. You’ll discover how a growth mindset and intrinsic motivation change your brain, and how these shifts can make it easier to follow through with healthy habits, even when progress feels slow. This episode explores research-backed ways to spark motivation from the inside out, helping you stay consistent with the lifestyle changes that support hormone balance, metabolic health, and long-term PCOS symptom relief.