Lara Briden's Podcast

There's a lot going on in the luteal phase, but treating premenstrual mood symptoms might be simpler than you think. In this episode, Lara discusses common drivers of hormonal mood symptoms, such as high histamine, high prolactin, and a higher requirement for sodium.  Links: Why progesterone is both good and bad for mood Identifying a link between prolactin and female pain My iodine article ...

If you’ve struggled with irregular periods, you might have noticed it can be a little tricky to figure out exactly what’s going on—and, therefore, exactly what you need to do to get your period back.  In this episode, Lara discusses: the two most common explanations for irregular periods, how to tell them apart, and how hypothalamic amenorrhea is frequently misdiagnosed as PCOS.  Links: Prof Jeril...

If you’ve been diagnosed with endometriosis, the big question is: What type of lesions? In this episode, Lara challenges long-held assumptions to explore: the three types of endometriosis lesions,  emerging evidence that superficial lesions may not explain pain or other symptoms,  alternative explanations for pelvic pain and infertility, including pelvic congestion, immune dysfunction, and gut mic...

Is your low blood sugar a symptom of insulin resistance or mild dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system? In this episode, Lara returns to the topic of hypoglycemia to discuss: the difference between insulin resistance and dysautonomia, why unstable blood sugar does not automatically mean insulin resistance, and  her concerns about continuous glucose monitoring.  Links: Dr Andrew Maxwell's...

Symptoms of hypoglycemia or low blood sugar include light-headedness, headaches, and anxiety. Hypoglycemia can even feel like panic attacks.  In this episode, Lara discusses: why young women are more prone to hypoglycemia, the importance of the autonomic nervous system and a "blunted glucagon response," and  what you can do to feel better.  Links: Prevalence of self-reported symptoms att...

Do you feel hungry all the time? Abnormally hungry? If so, it’s worth trying to figure out why. Potential drivers of abnormally high hunger include insulin resistance, gut and microbiome issues, low blood sugar, and food addiction—just to name a few. In this episode, Lara explores food addiction and some of the controversy around the term. She also discusses the next best steps on the road to reco...

For some women, stopping normal dairy products can relieve period symptoms. But why? In this episode, Lara discusses: the inflammatory effects of A1 casein   how a mast cell histamine response can drive period problems such as premenstrual mood symptoms, heavy bleeding, and pain. Links: Successful mast-cell-targeted treatment of chronic dyspareunia, vaginitis, and dysfunctional uterine bleeding Ch...

Did you know that what’s happening in your gut can affect your periods and hormones?  In this episode, Lara discusses: small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and its role in IBS, how SIBO can drive or worsen endometriosis, insulin resistance, premenstrual mood symptoms, and the fibromyalgia of perimenopause, plus how to treat SIBO.  Links: The curious link between estrogen, mast cells, and h...

Why do antihistamines cause weight gain? And how does hormonal birth control affect metabolism? In this episode, Lara looks at: how common medications affect metabolism why birth control that is *androgenic* is more likely to cause weight gain, and whether natural progesterone is more likely to cause weight gain or weight loss. Links: The histaminergic system as a target for the prevention of obes...

Are you a morning person or an evening person? And could that affect your ability to lose weight? In this episode, Lara looks at chronotype , which is your individual disposition to be awake or asleep at certain times. And how that might affect your overall health and metabolism.

The supplement inositol is a superstar for treating polycystic ovary syndrome. It’s also been clinically trialled for weight loss, thyroid disease, anxiety, insomnia, and premenstrual mood symptoms.  In this episode, Lara looks at: "what is inositol?" and how to get it from diet myo-inositol versus D-chiro-inositol, and  why it's all a little confusing. One thing Lara forgot to ment...

What do post-pill acne, hair loss, and weight gain all have in common? They can all be the result of a temporary surge in androgens when trying to come off certain types of hormonal birth control. In this episode, Lara discusses post-pill androgen symptoms including: why pills like Yasmin are the hardest to come off how androgens can cause weight gain, and natural treatments such as zinc, berberin...

Are premenstrual mood symptoms caused by progesterone or helped by progesterone? And why do antihistamines give such relief? In this episode, Lara discusses premenstrual mood symptoms including: the role of histamine and mast cell activation progesterone sensitivity, and effective natural treatments such as magnesium, iodine, and body-identical progesterone. Links: Lara Briden's mailing list...

There can be a strong hormonal component to abdominal weight gain. And in most people, that hormone is insulin.  In this episode, Lara discusses insulin resistance including: why you could have insulin resistance even if your blood sugar is normal the role of mitochondria, and all the ways to lower insulin and improve metabolism. Links: Online workshop: Metabolic health and vitality for women over...

If you're going to take hormone therapy, it's safer to take hormones that are identical to human hormones. In other words, hormones that are body-identical or bioidentical. The concept of bioidentical used to be controversial but is now conventional and mainstream. In this episode, Lara discusses hormone therapy including: why the concept of bioidentical was controversial when it didn&ap...

Endometriosis is an inflammatory disease that’s affected by hormones but is not caused by hormones. Instead, endometriosis is, at least in part, a disease of immune dysfunction.  In this episode, Lara discusses some of the new endometriosis research including: the link with genes that increase the risk of autoimmune disease the role of a bacterial toxin called lipopolysaccharide or LPS, and new ta...

Were you told you have polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS based on a pelvic ultrasound? That may or may not be an accurate diagnosis because PCOS cannot actually be diagnosed or ruled out with ultrasound. In this episode, Lara discusses PCOS including: why PCOS is an umbrella term the difference between polycystic ovaries and ovarian cysts, and why some women with undereating and endometriosis are...

In a normal period, you should not lose more than about 80 mL of menstrual fluid over all the days of the bleed. That’s equivalent to about five tablespoons spread over all the days of the bleed. In this episode, Lara discusses heavy periods including: the role of hormone imbalance, mast cell activation, and insulin resistance, simple period-lightening strategies such as iron, zinc, and a dairy-fr...

The pill is commonly prescribed to "regulate periods," but it can't actually do that because withdrawal bleeds from contraceptive drugs are not real menstrual cycles.  In episode one of The Lara Briden Podcast, Dr Lara covers: what is a real menstrual cycle why there's no medical reason to bleed monthly on the pill, and  the difference between contraceptive drugs and real hormo...