The Imperfect PCOS Podcast

Why is it so hard for me to lose weight with PCOS? How do I boost my libido? How do I manage hormone-fueled mood swings and irregular periods? How do I balance my hormones so I can finally be pregnant? 

If you find yourself asking these questions, you’re in the right place. 

I’m your host Cory Ruth, a PCOS Registered Dietitian & fellow PCOS warrior who guides women through PCOS symptom mastery, permanent weight loss, and optimal fertility.

On The Imperfect PCOS Podcast, me and my expert guests help you step into the best version of yourself by helping you take control of your hormones & health - it’s YOUR turn now.

Understanding and Conquering Fibroids with Brooke Davis

Ovarian cysts, heavy periods, and fibroids- oh my. What DON’T we deal with as women?! Fibroids can cause heavy and painful periods, bleeding in between periods, back pain, bladder and bowel pressure, pain with sex, and even miscarriage. 

Today Brooke Davis, a Registered Nurse and Holistic Nutritionist, sits down to help us understand the driving force of fibroids, how they impact our health, and what we can do to prevent and treat them.

Brooke has been fibroid-free for six years now, and has two healthy kiddos. Join us today to learn all about the major risk factors for fibroids like high blood pressure and low vitamin D, the right dietary changes and diet myths we might hear like “you have to go vegetarian”, anti-inflammation strategies, and how to optimize your gut for healthier hormones. 

The Truth About Eating For Your Pregnancy with Ryann Kipping

Wondering what’s on the menu for a healthy pregnancy? Join the club! With so much misinformation floating around, it's like trying to find your way through a maze blindfolded. But don’t worry, Mama.

Ryann Kipping, MPH, RDN, a.k.a. The Prenatal Nutritionist is coming on the show today to ease your mind. In this episode, she’s dishing out answers to those burning questions you've been Googling at 2 AM. "Can I still have my morning coffee?" and "Is sushi off limits now?" – consider them cracked wide open.

This episode is your golden ticket to feeling in control, armed with knowledge, and ready to embrace your cravings without the constant fear of compromising your little one's health. Tune in and say goodbye to unnecessary food restrictions and hello to a happier, healthier pregnancy journey!

Missing Period? Learn Whether PCOS or HA Is To Blame with Lindsey Lusson

Unsure why your period is missing? Google may have let you down so far but my friend and trusted colleague, Lindsey Lusson won’t. Lindsey is a Registered Dietitian who specializes in Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA), period recovery, and fertility.

Listen in today as she dives into: The nitty gritty of HA, or period loss related to over exercise and/or under eating The key differences between PCOS and HA Her story – from being dismissed by a fertility specialist to healing her HA and getting pregnant 3 times naturally to her best tips for period recovery …and so much more!

Sustainble Weight Loss Secrets with Katie Pekera

Ain’t nobody got time for counting calories (especially us workin’ women). In fact, it isn’t even necessary. You can lose weight and keep it off without obsessing over every bite you take.

Take it from today’s guest, Katie Pekera, a Registered Dietitian nutritionist who has had her own 40lb weight loss. In this episode, Katie is sharing her playbook for taking the overwhelm out of weight loss. She’s revealing her tried-and-true methods for losing weight without sacrificing good foods, avoiding after-work stress binges, staying on track while traveling, and so much more.

The Secret Sauce of a Happy Pelvic Floor in Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Beyond

Alright, buckle up because we're diving into a topic that's as crucial as it is overlooked – pelvic floor health. Seriously, why aren't we getting the 411 on this before AND during pregnancy and postpartum? This is a topic that gets the feminist inside of me fired up.

That’s why I’m so excited to sit down with an expert who is filling this major gap in women’s healthcare on the daily. We've got the fantastic Marcy Crouch, PT, DPT, WCS, a badass Mama and Doctor, on the show today. She's on a mission to give women's healthcare the glow-up it deserves. Get ready for some pelvic floor realness – red flags, debunking myths, and tips for a smoother ride through birth and recovery.

Say Goodbye to Emotional Eating with Michelle Yates

“Why can’t I stop emotional eating?” This is something I hear from clients all of the time, and If you find yourself asking the same question, this episode is for you.

Meet Michelle Yates, RD, LMNT. With her personal triumph over an eating disorder and body dysmorphia, she brings that priceless "I've been there" perspective.
Listen in as Michelle shares her own journey and talks about the difference between emotional and binge eating. She’s also chatting about the most common root cause of binge eating and the simple switch that can help you conquer it for good. Grab your headphones and get ready for insights that’ll help you finally relax around food and love your body in a way you never thought possible.

Beat Insulin Resistance and Take Control of Your Blood Sugar with Kristie Messerli

PCOS ladies listen up: 50% of us will develop type 2 diabetes by age 40. Scary, right? But here's the deal: Simple tweaks to how you eat, move, and handle stress can change the future for you.
That’s why I’m bringing on Dietitian & Certified Diabetes Educator, Kristie Messerli to share simple and SUSTAINABLE lifestyle tweaks to help you manage your blood sugars (and lose weight) that don’t involve a life sentence of salad eating.

She’s also diving into some hot topics like why the advice “just lose weight” to manage your blood sugar is crap, why carbs should have a place in your diet, how insulin resistance can impact your libido, and so much more.

Navigating Gestational Diabetes Like a Boss

Questions like: ‘Will gaining too much weight hurt my baby?’ or ‘Did I bring gestational diabetes on myself?’ or ‘Did my PCOS cause this?’ are sadly real questions I’ve gotten from expecting mamas who are scared that by doing normal things like eating carbs or indulging a pregnancy craving or two will hurt their baby (so not true!!).

It's high time we debunk these fears and replace them with cold, hard facts and equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to tackle this diagnosis. That’s why today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to Casey Seiden. Casey is a RDN and certified diabetes care and education specialist who helps women balance their blood sugars before, during, and after pregnancy.

We're chatting about how diet quality matters more than counting carbs, calories, or obsessing over the number on the scale. Plus, we’re diving into simple but powerful ways to manage blood sugar levels and keep you feeling amazing during pregnancy and beyond! So, grab your favorite snack (yes, you can still enjoy those!), kick back, and let's conquer these pregnancy fears together.

Healing Acne and Hair Loss with Care Clark

If hormonal acne and/or hair loss are killing your confidence, I see you. I get it- girrrrl I’ve been there. I know, there's nothing that can make you feel more self-conscious and powerless than buying endless products and praying that one will finally make you feel (and look) like you again.

But what if I told you that you have more power to tame this beast than you might think? Meet Care Clark. Care is a Registered Nurse and hormonal acne specialist who has also been there and brings real, actionable solutions to the table (plus a TON of wisdom and hair/skin product recommendations).

Listen in as she reveals how to tackle these issues from the inside out. It's time to reclaim your skin and hair confidence!

Lower Your Cholesterol Naturally with Ashley Reaver

Let's talk about high cholesterol! This isn't just an "old man's" problem; it's a widespread issue affecting a whopping 90 million adults in the U.S. Yep -- 90 MILLION! And it impacts just as many women as men. That’s why, our guest today, Ashley Reaver, RD is on a mission to help women lower their cholesterol naturally (even if they have a family history!).

You read that right. Medication isn’t the only option and you have the power to lower your levels by making simple tweaks to your diet and lifestyle. That’s exactly what Ashley is digging into today. Plus she’s covering: Why losing weight might not lower your cholesterol, what you need to know about PCOS, insulin resistance, and high cholesterol, the truth about family history, and why you have more control over your health than you think.

Whether you're dealing with high cholesterol personally or supporting a loved one on their journey, don’t miss this episode. And don’t forget to share it with anyone you know who is struggling. It’ll give you a whole new outlook on taking charge of your health!

Debunking PCOS Fitness Myths

With so many fitness “dos” and “don’ts” for PCOS swirling around social media, it’s hard to know where to start in the gym. You might be wondering things like, “Will cardio wreck my hormones?” or “Will lifting heavy weights make it even harder for me to conceive?” “Can I do HIIT?!”

If so, you’re in luck with this episode. Meet personal trainer, PCOS warrior, and mama to be, Keisha Sethi. She’s sharing her wisdom on PCOS and movement. From bogus PCOS fitness advice you should ignore to exercise modifications to consider when pregnant or TTC, she’s covering it all.

Everything You Should Know About Preventing Pregnancy Naturally

When it comes to ditching the birth control pill (and all of its side effects) some of us feel like we might be totally “reckless” or “irresponsible.” We may feel lost, confused, and not sure how to go about preventing pregnancy without it. Here’s the deal: Your birth control choice is your personal decision.

BUT, it’s not the only option, going off of it doesn’t make you irresponsible, and it’s about damn time we had open conversations about all of the alternatives on the table. That’s why, I’m thrilled to have Nathalie Daudet on the show today. Nathalie is a fertility awareness educator, menstrual cycle coach and the founder of Fertility Awareness Project.

Listen in as Nathalie gets real about fertility awareness method (FAM) myths, the taboo around going off the pill, the pros and cons of FAM, the basics of cycle tracking, and more!

Hair Loss SOS: Strategies To Combat Hormonal Hair Challenges in Women

Are you tired of feeling embarrassed or scared about your thinning hair? You're definitely not alone. As women, we experience massive hormonal shifts throughout our lives.

From postpartum hair loss that affects a staggering 40 to 50% of women to the hair-related challenges caused by conditions like PCOS, which impacts 1 in 10 women of childbearing age, it's clear that this is a topic we need to address.

That's where Shab Caspara, the ultimate authority on healthy hair growth and scalp wellness, comes in. Listen in today as Shab, a trichologist aka hair loss expert, guides us through the maze of combating hair loss and the hormonal imbalances that fuel it.

You’ll walk away from this episode feeling empowered, knowing that there’s hope for your hair, even if you’ve tried every shampoo or supplement under the sun. Shab will help you get to the root of your hair loss, once and for all, so you can ditch money-wasting gimmicky products and embrace lifestyle changes that will actually transform your hair health.

Busting Weight Loss Surgery Myths and More

“You don’t need to lose weight. You’re beautiful the way you are.” “Have you tried cutting out carbs?” “Just eat less and move more!” These are just a few of the things women struggling to lose weight with PCOS hear day after day.

It’s exhausting talking to people who don’t get it, especially when considering “extreme” options like weight loss surgery. That’s why today, I’m excited to introduce you to Jamie Mills, an RD who has had weight loss surgery herself, and a fellow warrior who gets it.

In this episode, she’s giving us the rundown on weight loss surgery. From all the different types, to common misconceptions, to the reality of life after weight loss surgery and her own experience with it, she’s spilling it ALL. Pull up a seat and let’s get real.

The Dirt on Navigating Women’s Healthcare with Dr. Shawn Tassone

Meet Dr. Shawn Tassone, aka America's Holistic Gynecologist. He's the first US doc to be double board certified in obstetrics and gynecology by the American Board of Integrative Medicine. With a medical degree and a Ph.D. in mind-body medicine, he's not your typical OB-GYN. He's all about busting women's health myths and giving you the power to take charge of your well-being.

In this episode, we discuss: His backstory, how his mom’s battle with ovarian cancer fueled his passion for gynecology, the science behind low libido Estrogen dominance and the birth control pill, his thoughts on Ozempic Plus, he's got some killer tips on how to make the most of your doctor visits, the hormonal tests you should be asking for when it’s time to dump your doc, and more.

How to Build Body Confidence with Savana Antonation

PCOS weight gain hitting your self-esteem hard? If you answered yes, this episode is for you. Meet Savana Antonation, MSW, RSW. Not only is Savana a body image therapist, but she's also a fellow cyster who understands the emotional struggles that come with PCOS weight gain firsthand.

In this episode, Savana is dishing out the dirt on diet culture and how it affects women struggling with PCOS weight gain. She’s opening up about her body image journey and sharing her best tips for getting through bad body image days.

Tune in and get ready to stop stressing over the number on the scale and start making peace with your body.