Confessions of a Male Gynecologist

"A majority of people are overfed but undernourished - eating a lot of calories but not consuming essential nutrients." - Lacey Dunn When it comes to hormones, diet, and lifestyle are huge contributing factors that are often downplayed in conventional medicine. The chronic stress and inadequate nutrition many of us experience create signals in our bodies that can wreak havoc on hormone production....

Infertility is defined as 12 months of trying regularly without conception occurring. Although it's not common, it happens to many couples, and it can be completely devastating when it does. With no known causes of infertility, the conception rate is about 85%, which means about 15% of couples fall within that definition. Over my career, I've sat with hundreds of women and couples who have experie...

Traditional plastic surgery training taught Dr. Anthony Youn that the bigger the operation, the better. This idea was reinforced throughout medical school and residency and stayed with Tony as he built his practice. As he grew, he built up a long waiting list of patients across the country and felt like he had hit the pinnacle of success. Now known as America's Holistic Plastic Surgeon™, Tony has...

"Your normal is different than everybody else's." There's so much misinformation out there about hormones. The misunderstanding of the Women's Health Initiative findings did massive damage to women's health. It basically ruined an entire generation of physicians who now buy into the false narrative on the dangers of hormone replacement. Today I'm doing a review episode all about my book, The Hormo...

The first step to good breast health is having an intimate relationship with your breasts. Since the person themself catches most breast abnormalities, you are in a powerful position to protect them. In my practice, I see a lot of women with breast pain for various reasons, from hormone replacement to premenstrual syndrome. It can range from mild discomfort to pain that's interrupting their lives,...

There's so much information out there about perimenopause and menopause that it can get difficult to distill down into actionable advice. Not to mention the difficulty distinguishing between what's fact and fiction. Today, I'm joined by James Frame and Dr. Deanna Minich from Symphony Natural Health. They use a maca product that I'm a big fan of, and there's here for this episode to share everythin...

One in eight women will get a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, and most don't have a family history. Despite the billions of dollars pumped into research, the rates continue to increase. I know it sounds scary, but I want women to understand that a diagnosis is not a death sentence. There are things you can do and conventional and alternative therapies that mean you can survive and thriv...

Menopause is not something to suffer from; it's a natural state. By definition, a menopause diagnosis requires you to go 12 months without a period. However, that doesn't mean you have to wait 12 months before you can seek out solutions for your symptoms. If you're having symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, irritability, and not having your period, we can order lab work to give us insight into...

We have a lot of responsibility as healthcare providers showing up in the media space. People look to us for information and expect that they can trust what we say. Unfortunately, many people in the health space position themselves as experts without having the relevant qualifications or experience, and the misinformation they share can be very damaging. Today, I'm joined by registered dietitian,...

"Building muscle is key. It's the organ of longevity; we need it." - Jenn Reed As a midlife woman going through menopause, Jenn Reed faced the same challenges many women have to navigate and lost her sense of self. In trying to figure out what she wanted to do with the next phase of her life, she found her passion for fitness and started sharing her journey on Instagram. Today, I'm excited to welc...

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a relatively common condition that affects many women of reproductive age. Despite that, we still lack clear diagnostic criteria, resulting in many women receiving an incorrect diagnosis of PCOS or having PCOS and remaining undiagnosed. September is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Awareness Month, and in honor of that, I'm doing a bit of a masterclass on what it is an...

"The most expensive supplement is the one that doesn't work." Whenever I go on Instagram, I'm inundated with ads from supplement companies. They all make crazy claims about what they can fix, and I'm skeptical. The regulation of the supplement industry is complex, and consumers are faced with labels filled with acronyms and terms that are more confusing than anything else. So, how do you know what...

Culture, politics, medical practices, and scientific understandings of the female body all influence our knowledge of women's health. In today's episode, I'm doing something different and talking about how the medical field is failing women in the United States. The reality of women's health in this country leaves much to be desired, from exclusion from biomedical research to gaslighting by provid...

According to attachment theory, there are four different attachment styles: secure, anxious, fearful-avoidant, and dismissive-avoidant. These are shaped by a child's early interactions with their primary caregiver and, as adults, they tend to show up most clearly in romantic relationships. Today, I'm joined by relationship coach and writer Silvy Khoucasian to explore how these attachment styles sh...

"If we believe we will we, will we. If we believe we won't, we won't." When my mom died 20 years ago, I went on a spiritual journey, leading to massive growth over several years. Eventually, that growth slowed, and I feel like I've stagnated over the last seven years. I knew I needed something but couldn't figure out what it was. After trying masterminds and other programs, I kept hitting the same...

"A supplement is not a substitute for a good foundation; it's an add-on." - Udo Erasmus In the early 90s, I found a book that changed my life and career. It was Udo Erasmus' Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill, and it was a groundbreaking read that blew my mind. Udo's perspective on oils and fats went against all the mainstream recommendations for low-fat diets and butter substitutes and explored how d...

Welcome to Dr. Tassone's tips and tricks for the news cycle of the day! Today, I'm doing things differently and talking about the women's health topics that are doing the rounds on the news and social media. I'll be sharing what you need to know about these topics, separating the truth from the fiction, and empowering you to be the best advocate for your health. In this episode, I'm exploring the...

The thing with research is that new studies tend to get passed around on social media, sensationalized, and spread like wildfire. In many cases, it's probably not something you need to be overly worried about. Today, I'm breaking down a new study that came out earlier this year, reported in the New York Times. It was about menopausal hormone therapy and dementia, and it's been kicking up a stir. I...

Fibroids are a topic I'm constantly asked about in my office, on Instagram, and whenever I do my Saturday Q&As. They are nasty little tumors that grow on and in the uterus, and around 80% of women will have developed fibroids by the time they reach 60 years old. While they're super common, most women don't have symptoms and can leave them without treatment. Unfortunately, fibroids can be difficult...

"A lot of times what the body needs is gentleness." - Dr. Doni Wilson In a world where we're told to do more and push through the pain, it's a hard lesson to learn that sometimes less is more when it comes to our health. Whether that means listening to your body and doing a 15-minute low-impact workout or scaling back in your work, it's not all or nothing. Moderation and tuning in to identify indi...

Which supplements do you recommend? Do they really work? How do you identify which brands are good quality? With so many supplement options available, it can be hard to sift through the noise and find the ones that make sense for you. Plus, just because something is natural doesn't automatically mean it's safe.  For over ten years, I've worked to hone in on the most beneficial supplements, and tod...

"PCOS is something we have to continuously work on managing, so whatever we choose in terms of diet has to be sustainable." - Cory Ruth Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common conditions I encounter in my practice, yet it's surrounded by misinformation. Without a cure, a lot of the information online focuses on restrictive approaches that are difficult to maintain for most women...

Birth control pills have been around for decades, and most of that time, they were viewed as a net positive. Nowadays, you can't say "birth control pills" without being bombarded with their evils. The truth is, they're not evil. If you need the pill for birth control, they're empowering and allow you to be in control of your reproductive health. But physicians prescribe birth control pills for eve...

There's room in the world for all the different ideas. Unfortunately, many of my colleagues would disagree. I've been on Facebook a lot lately, and I've noticed that many doctors who don't share my opinion on alternative medicine jump straight to name-calling. Instead of respectful disagreement or sharing of ideas, culturally, we've gotten to a place where everything is so polarized that it's them...

Hysterectomy is one of the most commonly performed and probably overutilized surgeries worldwide. In most circumstances, a hysterectomy is not done in a life-or-death situation but as a final course of action after other options have been exhausted. Unfortunately, there's still a lot of misinformation and a big gap between how medical professionals approach hysterectomies and the public perception...