A good gynecologist is like a detective. She gathers evidence to diagnose infections. She uncovers the truth behind stages like puberty, pregnancy and perimenopause. Yet many women still feel that their physiology is a mystery.
What if a clue to that mystery hides in our diet? Similar to the gut, certain foods make the vaginal microbiome thrive. New research suggests that the right diet could alleviate symptoms of the most common gynecological diseases.
Dr Jennifer Ashton is former Chief Medical Correspondent at ABC News and is a double-board certified OBGYN. She joins us today to discuss ‘nutritional gynecology’, a term she coined after realizing multiple women’s health issues have a direct relationship to nutrition.
Alongside Jen is King’s College London professor and ZOE’s Chief Scientist Sarah Berry. Sarah shines light on the growing evidence of the role of nutrition in offsetting uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous, symptoms of menopause.
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Timecodes:
00:00 What you eat matters
02:00 Quickfire questions
04:05 What gets treated in gynecology?
07:19 What is the vaginal microbiome?
11:30 This affects the vaginal microbiome
13:46 The new field of nutritional gynecology
15:57 Does estrogen affect appetite?
17:19 The gut bacteria that breaks down estrogen
21:22 How food impacts puberty
23:21 Do glucose spikes affect pregnancy?
28:35 Symptoms of PCOS
33:00 Dr Jen explains endometriosis
37:20 Does diet affect these conditions?
42:00 How to test diet changes on yourself
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
The Food For Life Cookbook
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE:
Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition
Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks
Studies relevant to this episode
Diet and Nutrition in Gynecological Disorders: A Focus on Clinical Studies (2021, published in Nutrients
Effects of caloric intake timing on insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism in lean women with polycystic ovary syndrome (2013), published in Clinical Science
Weight Regulation in Menopause (2022), published in Menopause
Menopause, the gut microbiome, and weight gain: correlation or causation? (2020), published in Menopause
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Episode transcripts are available here.