146. Balancing Hormones Naturally: Dr. Jolene Brighten on Women’s Health, Nutrition & Menopause

Gut issues aren’t always IBS — and for those living with Crohn’s or Colitis, there’s so much more beneath the surface. In this episode, Leanne sits down with dietitian and Crohn’s warrior Eloise Turner for a practical, compassionate deep dive into inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Together, they unpack: The key differences between Crohn’s, Colitis, and IBS The emotional toll of misdiagnosis and food fear What flares and remissions really feel like How nutrition, lifestyle and medication work together Emerging research around emulsifiers and fibre tolerance What every Aussie should know about the “Can’t Wait” card Whether you’re newly diagnosed or supporting a loved one, this episode will give you clarity, understanding and real-life tools to navigate gut health. Thanks to Garmin for supporting today’s episode. Leanne uses the new Vivoactive 6 smartwatch to track her sleep, stress, energy, workouts and menstrual cycle — all from her wrist. With personalised insights like Body Battery™ and smart wake alarms, it’s a powerful way to tune into your body, not just your to-do list. 🎧 Follow, subscribe or share this episode with someone who needs it. 👉 Find Eloise on Instagram @ibddietitianeloise for more gut-friendly tips and support.

In this empowering episode of The Leanne Ward Nutrition Podcast, Leanne sits down with Dr. Jolene Brighten—a board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist, clinical sexologist, and best-selling author of Beyond the Pill and Is This Normal—to delve into the intricate world of women’s hormonal health. Key Topics Discussed: The profound impact of diet and lifestyle choices on hormonal balance Top foods that support women’s hormonal health Effective strategies to reduce cortisol and manage stress Understanding heavy periods: underlying causes and solutions The truth about heavy metals in tampons and their health implications Navigating joint pain during menopause and the role of inflammation Why You Should Listen: Dr. Brighten combines her extensive knowledge in chemistry, nutrition science, and clinical nutrition to provide evidence-based insights that are both practical and transformative. Whether you’re navigating the challenges of menopause, seeking to understand your body’s signals, or aiming to optimize your hormonal health, this episode offers invaluable guidance. Connect with Dr. Jolene Brighten: Website: drbrighten.com Instagram: @drjolenebrighten Books: Beyond the Pill | Is This Normal Subscribe & Review: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback helps us reach more listeners and continue to provide valuable content.

In today’s episode of Leanne Ward Nutrition, I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Stacey Sims, a pioneer in female physiology and performance. A lot has happened since she first joined the podcast almost five years ago, and in this follow-up, we’re diving deep into the latest science on how women can train, fuel, and recover smarter—whether you’re in your prime, perimenopausal, or navigating post-baby life. We’ll cover: Fasted Training for Women: Why it may not be the best strategy for fat loss and how a small amount of protein can improve your workout. Pre-Exercise Nutrition: Why protein is key for everyone, not just those in perimenopause or menopause. Creatine: Why this powerhouse supplement should be a go-to for women of all ages and life stages. Post-Workout Recovery: The importance of getting nutrients within the ideal window for optimal results. Magnesium, Collagen & Adaptogens: Supplements that can help with everything from better sleep to joint health. Saunas and Cold Plunges: When to use heat for performance and metabolic benefits—and why they work differently for women. Dr. Stacey shares evidence-based insights that will empower you to train and recover like a pro, using science to optimize your body’s natural rhythms. Whether you’re a busy mum, a gym-goer, or working through hormonal changes, this episode is packed with actionable tips for feeling your best. Garmin Vivoactive 6 This episode is sponsored by Garmin and their new Vivoactive 6 smartwatch. Whether you’re tracking your steps, workouts, sleep, or stress levels, the Vivoactive 6 helps you stay in tune with your health goals. With advanced features like personalized sleep coaching, body battery, and menstrual cycle tracking, it’s your ultimate fitness companion—stylish, functional, and designed to keep you on top of your well-being. Discover more at garmin.com.au.

Are you or a loved one living with the constant worry of food allergies? Imagine a future where those with food anaphylaxis can achieve complete remission and enjoy life without the fear of reactions. In this episode of The Leanne Ward Nutrition Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Inderpal Randhawa, a leading physician and inventor of groundbreaking therapies, including the Tolerance Induction Program, which is helping thousands of patients achieve remission from severe food allergies. Dr. Randhawa shares eye-opening insights into why food allergies are on the rise globally, how his team uses advanced AI to tackle allergies, and the difference between allergy desensitization and true remission. Leanne and Dr. Randhawa delve into: The difference between an allergy and an intolerance and why it matters The triad of allergies, eczema, and asthma—and how they’re interconnected Emerging research on peanut allergies and tolerance induction therapy Plus, Leanne shares her own experience as a parent of a child with food allergies, sparking a meaningful conversation with Dr. Randhawa on the challenges faced by families worldwide. This episode is a must-listen for anyone affected by food allergies, offering hope and insight into the future of treatment. Share it with those you love who may benefit from these life-changing insights! This Episode’s Sponsors: Take control of your health journey with the Lean Gut Mind Method! If you’re a busy woman struggling with emotional eating, battling cycles of self-sabotage, or feeling lost in the world of fad diets, the Lean Gut Mind Method was designed for you. This science-backed, personalized coaching program targets not only your fat loss, gut health, and hormone goals but also the mental blocks holding you back. Imagine lasting change, with the foods you love in portions that work for your body—no deprivation or extreme restrictions. Start your journey to empowerment today at leangutmindmethod.com and join a community of women worldwide reclaiming their health and happiness. Get expert guidance whenever you need it with the Leanne Ward Nutrition Virtual Clinic! If digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, or stubborn fat loss are keeping you from feeling your best, the Leanne Ward Nutrition Virtual Clinic is here to help. Connect with one of our eight accredited dietitians who will tailor their advice to your needs—all from the comfort of your home, with no commute or waiting rooms. Evening and weekend appointments make it easy to prioritize your health. Visit leannewardnutrition.com/virtual-clinic to book a consultation or explore our nutrition packages and start your journey toward optimal health, on your schedule.

Are you ready to learn about a groundbreaking discovery that could revolutionize your health? Today, we’re diving into the first new vitamin deficiency discovered in 75 years! 🧬 Leanne Ward sits down with Dr. Stephanie Venn-Watson, a renowned veterinary epidemiologist and CEO of Serafina Therapeutics, to explore a hidden vitamin—C15—that could be key to preventing chronic diseases like fatty liver, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. 🐬🧠 In this episode, you’ll hear about: 🐬 How Dolphins Led to a Breakthrough Discovery: Dr. Venn-Watson shares her fascinating work with aging Navy dolphins and how they helped identify this crucial nutrient. 🧬 What is Cellular Fragility Syndrome?: Learn the symptoms, risk factors, and how it may be silently affecting 1 in 3 of us. 🍽️ How to Boost Your C15 Levels: Discover which foods—like grass-fed beef and dairy—are high in C15 and lifestyle changes that can increase your levels. 🔬 Cutting-Edge Research: Dr. Venn-Watson reveals the latest studies showing how increasing your C15 levels can help reverse chronic diseases. Dr. Venn-Watson’s journey from helping dolphins to this human health discovery is captivating, and the insights she shares can be life-changing! 🌍✨ Why you should listen: Actionable Takeaways: Whether you’re dealing with fatigue, inflammation, or other health challenges, you’ll walk away with practical tips to improve your diet and wellbeing. Exclusive Insights: Learn about a new supplement that could help boost your C15 levels and support overall health. Incredible Stories: You won’t want to miss the amazing story of how dolphins’ health led to this discovery—plus, how it’s now changing lives around the world! 👉 Listen now and share this episode with friends and family who could benefit from this game-changing information. Links & Resources: Learn more about the research at DiscoverC15.com Check out the C15 supplement at Fatty15.com where you can get 10% off your first order using my code "LEANNEWARD" Podcast Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by the Garmin Venu3S, a hybrid smartwatch blending function with style. Learn more at Garmin.com

In this episode I welcome Dr Katherine Tonks, a specialist endocrinologist with an interest in obesity and insulin resistance. Katherine completed a PhD looking at insulin resistance in obese and lean people. She believes that optimal care involves a team approach with the patient at the centre and to achieve this she founded Sydney Endocrinology which is the first accredited private secondary care diabetes service on the east coast of Australia. Katherine and I discuss: what endocrinology is; what are the major types of endocrine diseases; what the symptoms of insulin resistance (IR) are and how do you diagnose it; what can we do to reverse or slow IR; what the symptoms are of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and how do you diagnose it; the link between IR and PCOS; how to support teens with a family history of IR; inositol and Ozempic and other weight loss and hormonal drugs. You can follow Kathrine (@drkatherinetonks) and Sydney Endocrinology (@sydney_endocrinology) on Instagram. Garmin Venu 3S  This episode is brought to you by Venu® 3S, Garmin’s latest hybrid smartwatch that is the perfect blend of function and style. Purpose-built with advanced health and fitness features, and the ability to make calls and send texts, the Venu® 3S is more than just a fitness smartwatch, it's your personal on-wrist coach there to support your every goal. It gives you detailed health and wellness insights, such as Body Battery™ energy monitoring, sleep coaching, a morning report, nap detection, stress tracking, a pulse ox sensor, women’s health and pregnancy tracking, meditation, mindful breathing and even a jet lag advisor! With 30+ sports apps, animated workouts and a Garmin coach, you can train purposely and effectively. The Venu® 3S is built for how you move, it can track pushes and offers built-in workouts designed for wheelchair users. With up to 10 days of battery life in smart watch mode, Venu® 3S fitness smartwatch is able to give you a more complete picture of your health. Head over to garmin.com.au to find out more. Please subscribe and leave me a review   If you enjoyed this podcast, please tag me and share it in your Instagram stories and leave me a positive rating or review in the purple Apple Podcast app (in the rating & reviews section underneath the episode lists). This really helps my podcast get prioritised by Apple and helps me disseminate evidence based information to the people that need it the most! Don't forget to subscribe to my podcast so you never miss an episode!  

My guest in this episode is none other than Tiff Hall, one of Australia’s most trusted fitness experts with 20 years of experience training celebrities, professional athletes and everyday women. Tiff is renowned for her 6th Dan Taekwondo black belt and her TV roles as a Gladiator, and a trainer on The Biggest Loser. She is the author of over 11 books including Snack Power, a TEDx speaker and host of the NOVA podcast “Bounce Forward”. She is also the Founder of MYTXO– an online fitness program dedicated to women. Check out more on Tiff's Instagram. On today’s episode, Tiff and I chat about: the post-partum period and how long it lasts; the biggest challenges in it; whether exercise is important and which ones to start with; Tiff’s top tips for busy mums; her advice on losing weight in the post-partum period; and her advice for overwhelmed mums to help them thrive in the first-year post birth? Garmin Venu 3S  This episode is brought to you by Venu® 3S, Garmin’s latest hybrid smartwatch that is the perfect blend of function and style. Purpose-built with advanced health and fitness features, and the ability to make calls and send texts, the Venu® 3S is more than just a fitness smartwatch, it's your personal on-wrist coach there to support your every goal. It gives you detailed health and wellness insights, such as Body Battery™ energy monitoring, sleep coaching, a morning report, nap detection, stress tracking, a pulse ox sensor, women’s health and pregnancy tracking, meditation, mindful breathing and even a jet lag advisor! With 30+ sports apps, animated workouts and a Garmin coach, you can train purposely and effectively. The Venu® 3S is built for how you move, it can track pushes and offers built-in workouts designed for wheelchair users. With up to 10 days of battery life in smart watch mode, Venu® 3S fitness smartwatch is able to give you a more complete picture of your health. Head over to garmin.com.au to find out more. Please subscribe and leave me a review   If you enjoyed this podcast, please tag me and share it in your Instagram stories and leave me a positive rating or review in the purple Apple Podcast app (in the rating & reviews section underneath the episode lists). This really helps my podcast get prioritised by Apple and helps me disseminate evidence based information to the people that need it the most! Don't forget to subscribe to my podcast so you never miss an episode!  

In this episode, I chat with the Accredited Practising Dietitian from The Lifestyle Dietitian, Erika Hung. Erika is a Sydney-based dietitian who specialises in gut health and women's health. She loves nothing more than supporting her clients to reach their health goals and feel their best through delicious food and sustainable diet and lifestyle changes. In the episode, Erika and I discuss: what endometritis is and how it is diagnosed; strong evidenced based nutritional recommendations for endometritis; anti-inflammatory eating for endometritis; supplements, probiotics for endometritis; and cutting out gluten, dairy or coffee for endometritis management. If you’d like to get in touch with Erika, please visit The Lifestyle Dietitian and follow her on Instagram. Use the code WOMENSHEALTH20 to receive 20% of The Lifestyle Dietitian e-book: The Mediterranean Diet: Beginner's Guide To Eating More Mediterranean. Garmin Venu 3S  This episode is brought to you by Venu® 3S, Garmin’s latest hybrid smartwatch that is the perfect blend of function and style. Purpose-built with advanced health and fitness features, and the ability to make calls and send texts, the Venu® 3S is more than just a fitness smartwatch, it's your personal on-wrist coach there to support your every goal. It gives you detailed health and wellness insights, such as Body Battery™ energy monitoring, sleep coaching, a morning report, nap detection, stress tracking, a pulse ox sensor, women’s health and pregnancy tracking, meditation, mindful breathing and even a jet lag advisor! With 30+ sports apps, animated workouts and a Garmin coach, you can train purposely and effectively. The Venu® 3S is built for how you move, it can track pushes and offers built-in workouts designed for wheelchair users. With up to 10 days of battery life in smart watch mode, Venu® 3S fitness smartwatch is able to give you a more complete picture of your health. Head over to garmin.com.au to find out more. Please subscribe and leave me a review   If you enjoyed this podcast, please tag me and share it in your Instagram stories and leave me a positive rating or review in the purple Apple Podcast app (in the rating & reviews section underneath the episode lists). This really helps my podcast get prioritised by Apple and helps me disseminate evidence based information to the people that need it the most! Don't forget to subscribe to my podcast so you never miss an episode!  

In this episode, I am joined by dietitian, Abbey Sissian to talk about how to create a healthier relationship with food. Abbey is a credentialed eating disorder dietitian and is passionate about helping women find food freedom and eat intuitively. In the episode, we discuss: Abbey’s own story and past relationship with food; what intuitive eating means; what are some signs that you may need to improve your relationship with food; what food freedom actually means; how to overcome feelings of guilt or anxiety around food; how to keep our favourite foods in the house without eating them all in one sitting; and Abbey’s take home message for our listeners to make friends with food. If you would like to learn more, check out Abbey's Making Friends With Food course. It is a 4 week online food freedom course that teaches women how to overcome restriction, tune into their hunger and fullness cues, challenge their food fears, decrease overeating and move towards intuitive eating. You can find out more on Abbey's Instagram or on her website. Garmin Venu 3S  This episode is brought to you by Venu® 3S, Garmin’s latest hybrid smartwatch that is the perfect blend of function and style. Purpose-built with advanced health and fitness features, and the ability to make calls and send texts, the Venu® 3S is more than just a fitness smartwatch, it's your personal on-wrist coach there to support your every goal. It gives you detailed health and wellness insights, such as Body Battery™ energy monitoring, sleep coaching, a morning report, nap detection, stress tracking, a pulse ox sensor, women’s health and pregnancy tracking, meditation, mindful breathing and even a jet lag advisor! With 30+ sports apps, animated workouts and a Garmin coach, you can train purposely and effectively. The Venu® 3S is built for how you move, it can track pushes and offers built-in workouts designed for wheelchair users. With up to 10 days of battery life in smart watch mode, Venu® 3S fitness smartwatch is able to give you a more complete picture of your health. Head over to garmin.com.au to find out more. Please subscribe and leave me a review   If you enjoyed this podcast, please tag me and share it in your Instagram stories and leave me a positive rating or review in the purple Apple Podcast app (in the rating & reviews section underneath the episode lists). This really helps my podcast get prioritised by Apple and helps me disseminate evidence based information to the people that need it the most! Don't forget to subscribe to my podcast so you never miss an episode!  

In this episode I’m joined by IBS expert Chelsea McCallum. Chelsea is an online dietitian based in Brisbane, Australia who specialises in irritable bowel syndrome and the low FODMAP diet. We discuss what bloating is, what’s normal vs. abnormal, when bloating might be serious health wise, what the main causes are, how can we resolve bloating and how can we fix constipation. We also discuss gut dysbiosis, laxatives, colon cleanses and tips for bloating suffers when eating out socially. Finally, we end with supplements like probiotics and Chelsea’s top tip to improve bloating quickly. You can learn more from Chelsea on her website and Instagram. Garmin Venu 3S  This episode is brought to you by Venu® 3S, Garmin’s latest hybrid smartwatch that is the perfect blend of function and style. Purpose-built with advanced health and fitness features, and the ability to make calls and send texts, the Venu® 3S is more than just a fitness smartwatch, it's your personal on-wrist coach there to support your every goal. It gives you detailed health and wellness insights, such as Body Battery™ energy monitoring, sleep coaching, a morning report, nap detection, stress tracking, a pulse ox sensor, women’s health and pregnancy tracking, meditation, mindful breathing and even a jet lag advisor! With 30+ sports apps, animated workouts and a Garmin coach, you can train purposely and effectively. The Venu® 3S is built for how you move, it can track pushes and offers built-in workouts designed for wheelchair users. With up to 10 days of battery life in smart watch mode, Venu® 3S fitness smartwatch is able to give you a more complete picture of your health. Head over to garmin.com.au to find out more. Please subscribe and leave me a review   If you enjoyed this podcast, please tag me and share it in your Instagram stories and leave me a positive rating or review in the purple Apple Podcast app (in the rating & reviews section underneath the episode lists). This really helps my podcast get prioritised by Apple and helps me disseminate evidence based information to the people that need it the most! Don't forget to subscribe to my podcast so you never miss an episode!