In this episode of RNT Fitness Radio, I’m joined by Dr Nitu Bajekal to talk all about optimising women’s health, and specifically, PCOS. There is a lot of misinformation, myths and conflicting ideas out there around women’s health, and it isn’t spoken about enough. I decided to bring on Dr Nitu to help inform both men and women alike on these topics.
Dr Nitu Bajekal, MD is a Senior Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in the UK with over 35 years of clinical experience in women’s health. Her special interests include Lifestyle Medicine, PCOS, Endometriosis, period problems, menopause, precancer, complex vulval problems and medical education. She is a keyhole surgeon with experience in laparoscopic procedures including robotics.
She is a Fellow of the Royal College and recipient of the Indian President’s Gold medal.
She is one of the first board-certified Lifestyle Medicine Physicians in the UK. She has written the women’s health module for the first UK University based plant based nutrition course.
Dr Bajekal is passionate about spreading health awareness, providing reliable medical and lifestyle information for the general public, doctors, workplaces and schools. She herself follows a vegan lifestyle and her family and she herself have benefited from this.
Dr Bajekal is the co-author of Living PCOS Free along with her daughter and nutritionist, Rohini Bajekal, available for order worldwide, which I’ve linked in the show notes below.
Time Stamps
00:15 - Dr. Bajekal’s book ‘Living PCOS Free’ is about regaining hormonal health
01:28 - What inspired the book?
02:43 - 1 in every 10 women have PCOS
03:47 - Symptoms of PCOS
04:17 - Testosterone is not a male hormone
04:50 - What is androgen excess?
06:22 - The book is a thorough scientific study of hormonal health
06:50 - 1 in 5 women in London aren’t aware of where the vagina and cervix is housed
07:18 - PCOS is not a disease of the ovaries, it’s an endocrine disorder
07:29 - Oxford study shows that even men have characteristics of PCOS
09:29 - PCOS explained in simple words
13:13 - The vicious cycle affecting women with PCOS
14:06 - Feed yourself words of love and self care
14:50 - First steps to take if you think you have PCOS
17:41 - Endometriosis takes 6.7 years to diagnose
20:18 - The 6 pillars of health
23:22 - The health benefits of soy
24:40 - Soy has amino acids are arranged just like the amino acids in egg white
24:54 - Phytoestrogen in soy has been highly misunderstood
25:56 - Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator Effect or SERM Effect
26:43 - Soy helps to reduce hot flushes during menopause
26:51 - Soy helps to mitigate cancer
27:42 - Soy isn’t destroying rainforests
29:39 - If taken with at least a 2 hour window, soy doesn’t affect thyroid medication
30:17 - Focus on health goals instead of weight loss goals
31:30 - The 6 lifestyle pillars
35:08 - The reason we have colour vision
37:06 - Western medication and wellness practices go hand in hand
40:24 - The best way to include oil in your diet
42:43 - How to manage heavy and painful periods
45:31 - Eat iron rich plant based foods
46:35 - Nobody loves your body better than you
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Resources:
Follow Nitu Bajekal:
Books - Living PCOS Free
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