The Hormone Genius Podcast

Teresa Kenney and Jamie Rathjen

Welcome to The Hormone Genius Podcast! Co-hosts Jamie Rathjen and Teresa Kenney desire to be a voice of hope for women across the world. Their mission is to inspire a new generation of women who are educated and informed about the gift and beauty of the feminine design. This is a generation of women who deserve a holistic approach to women's healthcare. Jamie and Teresa want to inspire, inform, and empower their listeners, and to make women the genius of their own hormones! Medical disclaimer: The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional. read less
Health & FitnessHealth & Fitness
S4 Ep. 12: Taking Care of Your Skin & The Surprising Symptoms Of Menopause with Helen Marray-Finlay
Yesterday
S4 Ep. 12: Taking Care of Your Skin & The Surprising Symptoms Of Menopause with Helen Marray-Finlay
Do you want beautiful skin & a healthier path for your whole body in menopause? Then this episode if for you, as we dive into some surprising symptoms of menopause with our guest Helen Marray-Finlay. Helen is a Hollywood makeup artist and skincare expert with over 20 years' experience. Having worked on blockbuster movies like Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End and popular TV shows including Parks & Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Modern Family, Barry, and The Goldbergs, Helen has tried every product imaginable. Through her work, and as a woman going through menopause, Helen realized the lack of safe and effective skincare products specifically formulated for menopausal skin. This realization fueled her passion to create her own line of products that are straightforward, effective, and made with clean and healthy ingredients. As a strong advocate for education around menopause and menopausal skin, Helen is dedicated to empowering women and ensuring they feel confident and beautiful in their skin. Finlay+Green’s skincare line embodies her passion and commitment to making a positive impact on women’s lives. Check our Helen's skincare line for menopause and holiday deals here: https://finlayandgreen.com/ Opinions, statements, and beliefs of our interviewees are not necessarily a reflection of the HG podcast's beliefs and opinions as a whole. Medical disclaimer: The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional.
S4 Ep. 10: The Gift & Wisdom of Breastfeeding with Susan Wirtjes
15-11-2023
S4 Ep. 10: The Gift & Wisdom of Breastfeeding with Susan Wirtjes
You know that grandmotherly wisdom, that when you hear it, it speaks with such deep truths, life experiences, and comforting wisdom, that you can not mistake it. All you want to do is sit and listen, to soak up years and years of listening, teaching and education and caring with a mother's compassionate heart. Well today you will hear that type of woman on The Hormone Genius, as we interview Susan Wirtjes RN IBCLC. Susan has been a Lactation Consultant since 1996. She has a long history of experience in the local Medical Center, working with Mothers and babies in the Family Birth Center, and NICU. She has taught Childbirth Classes, Breastfeeding Class, Baby Care Basics, and Parenting Class. She has taught Nursing Students on the basics of breastfeeding. Susan is a seasoned speaker at conferences and workshops. and currently is working at Guiding Star Cedar Valley with new mothers part-time, and virtually across the state. She is a wealth of knowledge, a delight in all ways, and we hope you enjoy this podcast and share with your friends. Opinions, statements, and beliefs of our interviewees are not necessarily a reflection of the HG podcast's beliefs and opinions as a whole. Medical disclaimer: The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional.
S4 Ep. 9: The Full Scoop on Acne with Jamie & Teresa plus Bonus Acne Toolkit!
08-11-2023
S4 Ep. 9: The Full Scoop on Acne with Jamie & Teresa plus Bonus Acne Toolkit!
Acne effects a huge amount of women up to 85% of women have experienced a form of acne in her lifetime. Up to 25% of women will still struggle with acne even in their 40's, so needless to say, acne is something most of us have experienced this condition and therefore, understanding how acne occurs and how to treat it will be a help to so many of our listeners. Jame & Teresa take a deep dive into the physiology of our skin and why acne occurs, how hormones relate to acne, and how our lifestyles also effect this inflammatory condition. The great news is that there is things that we can do to prevent and get to the root cause of acne. Acne is an inflammatory condition, and reducing inflammation through lifestyle factors including nutritional changes, reducing toxins and stress as well, and supplements to help inflammation as well. There is also good dermatological treatments that can truly help our skin look beautiful and clear. Remember, it is also important to consult your doctor, or consult a good dermatologist for skin help, as well as seek holistic treatment options as well. With all this in mind, we wanted also to provide a FREE TOOLKIT to give you practical solutions to help with acne, available on our website www.hormonegenius.com. So after listening to our podcast and sharing with your friends, go to our website to get the free tool kit today! Medical disclaimer: The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional.
S4 Ep. 8: Putting Women's Health Back in Women's Hands with Dr. Kavita Desai
25-10-2023
S4 Ep. 8: Putting Women's Health Back in Women's Hands with Dr. Kavita Desai
Welcome Dr. Kavita Desai to the Hormone Genius Podcast! Dr. Desai is a women’s health specialist and author of the newly released book, Lady Parts: Putting Women’s Health Back Into Women’s Hands. She has 13 years of clinical pharmacy experience and running her own integrated medical center. After being faced with her mother’s personal journey with Alzheimer’s, Dr. Desai was inspired to redirect her clinical skills to focus on brain health, neurological disease prevention and how these diseases and chronic illnesses affect women. We all want to live long, with a healthy and happy quality of life. We worry about the big diseases like cancer, heart disease, and many of us worry about Alzheimers Dementia. Especially those who have this disease effect a loved one in our family. We will take a deep dive into discussing this disease and how as women we can be aware of the symptoms, how we can change lifestyle factors, how hormones are an important factor in our cognitive health. This is a very informative and helpful podcast is for every woman to listen to, and don't forget to check out Dr. Desai's new book and her new supplement line called Revivele which is just launched! Dr. Desai has a special offer for our Hormone Genius listeners, $100 off her soon to launch supplement system, Essentials by Revivele. Below is the link so please check it out and take advantage of her amazing offer!!! PROMO CODE is Essentials100; Go to the Revivele website link, https://www.revivele.com/. Medical disclaimer: The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional.
S4 Ep. 6: Cycle Wisdom; Women's Fertility and Health with Dr. Monica Minjeur
04-10-2023
S4 Ep. 6: Cycle Wisdom; Women's Fertility and Health with Dr. Monica Minjeur
Welcome, to The Hormone Genius Podcast, a very talented and passionate doctor in the space of women's fertility and health! Dr. Monica Minjeur is a board-certified family medicine physician who has additional certification as a NaPro Medical Consultant as well as training as a FEMM Medical Provider. She recently opened her own medical clinic in Cedar Rapids, Iowa that focuses entirely on evaluation and treatment of women with menstrual cycle & fertility concerns. The goal of Radiant Clinic is to shine light in the darkness that comes from not having answers to underlying menstrual cycle irregularities. The mission of her clinic is to restore natural menstrual cycles to improve health and promote fertility. Great news, Dr. Minjeur has her own podcast! Cycle Wisdom: Women's Health & Fertility, where she unravels the mysteries of the female body. Join Dr. Monica Minjeur, a dedicated physician specializing in women's health, as she shares her expertise and passion for empowering women on their reproductive journey. Tune in for valuable insights, expert advice, and a deeper understanding of your body's natural menstrual cycles. https://radiantclinic.com Opinions, statements, and beliefs of our interviewees are not necessarily a reflection of the HG podcast's beliefs and opinions as a whole. Medical disclaimer: The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional.
S4 Ep. 5: From Chronic Pain with Lyme Disease To Hormone Healing with Alice Schwantes
27-09-2023
S4 Ep. 5: From Chronic Pain with Lyme Disease To Hormone Healing with Alice Schwantes
Jamie & Teresa interview another Hormone Genius redemption story today on our podcast. Alice will show us how through pain and suffering you can learn the genius of your own body, to heal and restore, and become whole again. She will take it to the next level by using her story to help other women to find the same restoration that she has in her own health journey. ALICE SCHWANTES, FCP has a passion and appreciation for fertility, birth, and hormones. As a FertilityCare Practitioner of the Crieghton Model System, a trained birth doula, and a certified Hormone Coach, she is privileged to serve women at every point in their fertility journey. After a career as a scientist, she has grown to appreciate the balance between natural healthcare and western medicine. Finding Creighton gave her the ability to understand her fertility, become her own health advocate, and find healing from a chronic pain condition. She now enjoy teaching women and couples to understand their fertility and choose holistic healthcare. When she's not teaching, you can find her hiking, cooking, listening to podcasts, and spending time with dear friends.Opinions, statements, and beliefs of our interviewees are not necessarily a reflection of the HG podcast's beliefs and opinions as a whole. Medical disclaimer: The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional.
S4 Ep. 4: Health Awareness Alert: Heart Disease in Women 101
13-09-2023
S4 Ep. 4: Health Awareness Alert: Heart Disease in Women 101
For most women, I don't think we think about losing our lives to heart disease. I think many women worry more about cancer? As a nurse practitioner, I see this every day with my patients, most of them fear breast cancer more than a heart attack, yet heart disease kills women at a rate seven times higher than breast cancer. In fact, one in all female deaths, is due to cardiovascular disease CAD. In general, Cardiovascular disease accounts for more deaths than cancer, accidents, and chronic respiratory issues combined. In The U. S. there are 2200 deaths a day due to CAD which is 1 death every 40 seconds. Needless to say, all of us need to perk up our ears, and our heart and have a better awareness of the risk factors that could impact our own heart health, and what we can do to modify those risks. Literally, our heart beats without resting a moment for each of us. It is the vital organ constantly pumping life through our arteries and veins every second, every minute of the day, so let's take a few minutes to have an awareness of the impact of heart disease particularly in women. Let's start a conversation with ourselves, our healthcare providers, and our loved ones about what steps we can take to keep our hearts pumping happily and healthily for a lifetime! Medical disclaimer: The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional.
S4 Ep. 3: Pietra Fitness; The Benefits of Stretching for Mind, Body and Soul
06-09-2023
S4 Ep. 3: Pietra Fitness; The Benefits of Stretching for Mind, Body and Soul
Today we welcome Karen Barbieri, from Pietra fitness! Pietra fitness combines our spiritual health into movement, strengthening and exercise. According to their website "Many forms of exercise—some of them ancient—have provided effective ways to strengthen the body, heal illness, and promote longevity. We recognize the good and true wherever it is found and do well to utilize physical movements that are helpful." We know that the connection of the mind, body and soul is important for whole health and exercise is at the top if the list of things all of can implement to improve our quality and quantity of lifespan. As with nutrition, there are many tools and models of fitness. Jamie & Teresa want to provide you with options and empower you to choose a path of wellness that fits your values and lifestyle. Pietra combines a Christian meditation/prayer with exercise and all faiths are welcome to join! Our bodies are like a great house or cathedral, and we need to keep both the inside and outside strong. Join us in learning about this unique fitness model today! https://www.pietrafitness.com/about-pietra-fitness Opinions, statements, and beliefs of our interviewees are not necessarily a reflection of the HG podcast's beliefs and opinions as a whole. Medical disclaimer: The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional.
S4 Ep. 2: The Lesser Known Side Effects of Hormonal Birth Control
23-08-2023
S4 Ep. 2: The Lesser Known Side Effects of Hormonal Birth Control
Jamie & Teresa want to empower women to be the genius of their own hormones! Part of that mission is helping women know the side effects of synthetic hormones, and especially the lesser known side effects of hormonal birth control. We will take a dive into some of these lesser known effects and make sure you can make an informed decision around taking these medications into your body. Hormonal birth control effects every system in our bodies, and in many ways is the most direct endocrine system disruptor that we put in our bodies as women. Our understanding of how these hormones effect us is ever evolving in science and medicine, but we know for sure that women themselves know how they feel when they take these medications, and many times the stories of women on the hormonal birth control are not heard! Well we want you to know that we understand that your experience taking birth control are real, and are experienced by many women across the globe. Unfortunately, many doctors do not listen to women, and often keep telling women that these side effects are not important and they dismiss them. It is time to start listening to women and to start giving women options for safer ways to plan their families, to also give them treatments that find the underlying root cause of their period problems and not just band-aid over our menstrual problems. You deserve this, and in fact all women deserve this! Reach out to us and let us know your experience around taking hormonal birth control, was it postive or negative? Do you feel like your medical provider listened to you regarding the symptoms and side effects you were/are experiencing with hormone birth control? Medical disclaimer: The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional.
S4 Ep. 1: We're Back! Summer Fun, Updates & Menstrual Cycle 101
16-08-2023
S4 Ep. 1: We're Back! Summer Fun, Updates & Menstrual Cycle 101
Welcome to the season opener for The Hormone Genius Podcast! We are excited to be up and rolling out content again and hope you are ready for some awesome empowering information over the next year. Jamie and Teresa will give you some updates and fun news, while squeezing in another full run through of the hormones and flow of the menstrual cycle. We call it the 4 by 4 overview since we have 4 main hormones of the cycle; FSH, Estradiol, LH and finally Progesterone, AND we have 4 main phases of the cycle; The Menstrual phase, the Follicular phase, the Ovulatory phase & the Luteal phase. This is the information we want to make sure is drilled into each one of your lovely heads. You should be able to understand the cycle in detail, so you can be educated and empowered to see your cycle as a Vital Sign of Health!!! Join, Jamie & Teresa in Season 4 of The Hormone Genius Podcast now! Please continue to share our podcast, leave a review, and help other women be empowered to become the genius of their own hormones. Check out the book for young women, The Happy Girls Guide to Being Whole on Amazon, and please leave a review! www.amazon.com/Happy-Girls-Guide…Caps%2C176&sr=8-1 Check out Jamie's Hormone Fiat Institute too! www.fiatinstitute.com/ Medical disclaimer: The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional.
S3 Ep. 29: Revitalizing Women's Health with Dr. Marguerite Duane
15-06-2023
S3 Ep. 29: Revitalizing Women's Health with Dr. Marguerite Duane
Today on The Hormone Genius we are joined by Dr. Marguerite Duane who is a guest for the 2nd time and is updating us on her organization, and now non-profit FACTS. Dr. Marguerite Duane, a board-certified family physician and Adjunct Associate Professor at Georgetown University, is co-founder and Executive Director of FACTS – a non profit organization dedicated to educating healthcare professionals about the science supporting fertility awareness based methods. She also works with Modern Mobile Medicine, a direct primary care house-calls based practice serving patients of all ages in the Washington DC area. She is interested in serving an incredible need in the area of medicine by helping to integrate fertility awareness based methods and the science regarding them into the education tracks of doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses and any allied healthcare provider who is interested in learning this important knowledge in women’s health. If you are a medical provider then be looking to attend the conference coming in September called Revitalizing Women’s Health Care Together on the 29th-30th in MInneapolis, MN. One of the featured speakers will be Teresa Kenney from The Hormone Genius! She will be speaking on Menstrual Migraines throughout the Reproductive Lifespan. We will put all the links to the conference below! This episode is all creating the foundation of information, research, and education pathways for all healthcare providers in the area of cooperative and restorative medicine in women's health. Take a look at all the ways you can learn about FACTS and Dr. Duane's work below and don't forget to sign up for the conference if you are a healthcare provider! FACTS Conference: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/revitalizing-womens-health/ FACTS CME Course: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/learn-more/enroll-in-our-elective/ FACTS Webinars: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/learn-more/webinars/ FACTS Elective: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/learn-more/enroll-in-our-elective/ FACTS Ambassador Program: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/learn-more/student-ambassadors/ Become a FACTS Member: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/join/ Support FACTS: https://www.factsaboutfertility.org/learn-more/donation/ Opinions, statements, and beliefs of our interviewees are not necessarily a reflection of the HG podcast's beliefs and opinions as a whole. Medical disclaimer: The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional.
S3 Ep. 28: To Fast or Not to Fast; Nutritional Principles of Fasting & How to Eat with Your Cycle
07-06-2023
S3 Ep. 28: To Fast or Not to Fast; Nutritional Principles of Fasting & How to Eat with Your Cycle
Jamie & Teresa wanted to squeeze in one more nutrition with the menstrual cycle episode this season! This episode will focus on the principles of fasting and incorporating this as a tool to help our bodies and our hormones. The inspiration behind this episode came from Jamie reading the book by Dr. Mindy Pelz called 'Fast Like a Girl', and how it inspired Jamie to really think about how fasting could potentially be a helpful tool for some women to implement. We realize that anytime we bring up nutrition and ways to eat, it can be triggering to many so we want to be sure you know that our goal is to just inform, and we do not want to push any sort of dietary intervention on any woman who feels that it could be harmful to them in anyway. This is why we want you to learn for yourself, talk to your doctor, and healthcare providers about your unique situation and make sure you feel called to any nutritional approach you take for your body. What Jamie & Teresa love is learning ourselves, and we love sharing what we have learned with you our listeners. So consider this a fun interview about what we learned from Dr. Pelz and our own knowledge about the cycle and how we can optimize our nutrition to help our hormones, help our menstrual cycles and performance on so many levels of life. We hope you enjoy this episode and share with your friends! Medical disclaimer: The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional.
S3 Ep. 27: Book Interview with Teresa Kenney WHNP; The Happy Girls Guide to Being Whole
24-05-2023
S3 Ep. 27: Book Interview with Teresa Kenney WHNP; The Happy Girls Guide to Being Whole
Have you been wishing there was a resource for young women that would give them all the information they need to know about their body, their fertility cycle, and their hormones? Do you wish young women knew that there are alternatives to using birth control to treat period problems? In a world where women are often told that their bodies need to be controlled or suppressed, a new book from Lumen Press, in partnership with The Guiding Star Project and the Vitae Foundation, offers a different narrative. Written by women’s health nurse practitioner and co-creator of The Hormone Genius Podcast, Teresa Kenney’s new book The Happy Girl’s Guide to Being Whole aims to set young women free to believe their bodies were made good, and should be supported and respected. With over 22 years of clinical practice, working with women across the reproductive lifespan, and her service on the board of directors of the Guiding Star Project, a national, “wholistic” women’s health movement, Kenney’s experience amounts to a wealth of information for women seeking the truth about their bodies. Jamie will interview Teresa about her new book and what it all entails, how it could change the life of a woman you love, and where you can grab your copy today! It is available at lumenpress.org and on Amazon today, and do not forget to leave a review :) Especially on Amazon to help more women see this book as they are browsing for books about body literacy! https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Girls-Guide-Being-Whole/dp/1735223727/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2C23LSP0CLXJE&keywords=teresa+kenney&qid=1684895726&sprefix=teresa+kenney%2Caps%2C166&sr=8-1 https://www.lumenpress.org/product/the-happy-girls-guide-to-being-whole/ Medical disclaimer: The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional.
S3 Ep. 25: Holistic Support for The Breastfeeding Woman with Therese Dansby
03-05-2023
S3 Ep. 25: Holistic Support for The Breastfeeding Woman with Therese Dansby
We are looking into another female superpower and hormone genius of women's bodies. Her ability to lactate and provide nutritional support for her baby! We interviewed Therese Dansby a lactation consultant who has a personal passion for helping mothers have success with breastfeeding their children. Through her own personal struggles and learning of the science of the feminine design, she went on to get her certification in lactation support and now has a personal practice in Nebraska. She shares her story with Jamie & Teresa and gives us some insights and practical tips in the world of breastfeeding. By the way, Therese has her own podcast called Milk & Motherhood! Get signed up for her new class here with a discount for our HG listeners! https://happymamahealthybaby.freshlearn.com/ The code HORMONEGENIUS15 will get HG listeners 15% off her course and cookbooks! Therese and her husband have been married for almost 15 years and have three delightful children. They live in a small town outside of Omaha where Therese homeschools and works as a private practice lactation consultant. She cares deeply about new mothers being seen, heard, supported, and encouraged in this season of life. In her downtime, she enjoys gardening, baking, reading, and sneaking a nap alongside the baby when she gets the chance! Check out Therese here! Instagram: @happy.mama.healthy.baby Website: happymamahealthybaby.com Podcast: Milk + Motherhood on Apple and Spotify Breastfeeding and Postpartum virtual course: Nourished Beginnings Opinions, statements, and beliefs of our interviewees are not necessarily a reflection of the HG podcast's beliefs and opinions as a whole. Medical disclaimer: The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional.