What shortcutting our healthcare system looks like for me
🎆 Everything MyAdvo did in 2024 and how my health fared through it
It’s the end of the year, and I can’t stop thinking about Luigi. Or rather, the conversations that (ironically) aren’t happening in the media around what’s wrong with U.S. health insurance. While it’s easier to report on Luigi fandom, I want more patient stories like this (Aetna denied this woman’s prenatal coverage claim after miscarrying) & more insider stories like this (a Cigna executive details the ‘consumerism’ marketing ploy that caused deductibles to rise 20 years ago). Stories that show how common it is for our health to feel out of our control and how our institutions (ie, health insurance) that are supposed to help us have actually no incentive to do so.
On a cheerier note, I just reread last December’s newsletter, and it made me smile to realize that I actually lived my intention of giving myself more space—more space to take time with my changing body.
That intention allowed me to learn a lot about my body. Things no one taught me in Health / Sex Ed in high school, that my parents didn’t even know about, and that my doctors didn’t have time (or perhaps themselves didn’t even know about) to teach me. How did I learn this? By listening to other women’s health stories.
Looking back, 2024 was the year it actually sunk in how much my health affects my wellbeing. I know that sounds so obvious (and maybe it’s just being solidly in my thirties), but it’s felt like finally accepting this new chapter of rediscovering what fuels my vitality (traded in for productivity).
Right now, I feel most proud that I’ve regained a grip on my health at least compared to 2023, recovering from surgery to fix my fractured spine from a boat accident, caregiving and grieving for my grandfather and aunt who passed away, and realizing that my fibroids and soon-to-be diagnosed PCOS symptoms were flaring up.
What’s helped me feel grounded this year has been understanding my health, why I feel the way I do, and how I go about my day, week, month. That doesn’t mean I feel 100% all the time, but it does mean that I’ve been able to lend myself a bit more compassion, which admittedly is something I’m only now learning to do as an adult.
Everything I’ve learned this year leads me to 2025’s intention:
Slow down to speed up.
And in this last newsletter of the year, I’m reflecting how taking time to incorporate alternative medicine and learning from the MyAdvo community helped me cut through the frustration and delays of the healthcare system.
MyAdvo in 2025
Before I recap 2024, I want to thank you for supporting our #BeOneof100 campaign.
We are now 55 founding members strong, supporting each other through our PCOS, endometriosis, and fibroid journeys.
This campaign reminded me just how hard it can be to connect with someone you know who has PCOS, endo or fibroids. Sharing that you live with a chronic gynecological condition can feel deeply vulnerable. Some may not even realize they have a condition because their symptoms have yet to be diagnosed. And for many, their immediate circles simply don’t include others who truly understand.
So I want to express my heartfelt thank you (really 🫶) to everyone who supported our membership drive. Whether you shared, liked, followed, commented, or joined — it means a lot for a growing community like ours.❣️
Come celebrate with us: January 29th, 2025 @ Parsley Health NYC
We’d love for you to join us to officially kick off our community and events programming for 2025. There will be goodie bags, giveaways, and more! Tickets (with early bird discounting) will be available for purchase first week of January, so stay tuned.
Entry is free for all founding members plus a guest. (If you have endometriosis, PCOS, or fibroids and are looking for a support group, there's still time to join us and get your complimentary ticket.)
2024 Wrapped
This year was foundational for MyAdvo. We defined our mission and vision.
Our mission is to empower women to advocate for their health.
Our vision is for every woman to own their healthcare.
We built and gathered our community across our WhatsApp group, newsletter, and Instagram.
Join in here on our conversations about thoracic endo symptoms or which fibroid surgeries is best for you
Watch my latest TikTok on how I manage my PCOS
Follow us on Instagram for quick learns from research papers like this one linking early trauma and reproductive health conditions
We created the educational content so many of us wish we had right after a diagnosis:
We established our brand and core values:
Create agency
Empower yourself and others
Take ownership of our health with self-compassion
Spread lightness & appreciation to encourage thriving not just surviving
We put on 3 incredibly meaningful events:
Screening of endometriosis documentary “Below The Belt” along with a member panel in March (recap here)
Panel on “Why Abortion is Essential Healthcare” in partnership with Planned Parenthood Greater NY (watch video here)
Panel on “Art, Advocacy, and the Fight for Women’s Health” hosted by Salon 21 (recap here)
💖 A Special Thank You
I want to give a big shoutout to two of our members, Cait Reeves and Nicole Notar, who respectively have been critical to MyAdvo’s brand design and social media, as well as Meredith Clinton who I met after our PPGNY event in June and has been instrumental in creating our AdvoKits. I’m also so grateful for the medical expertise of Dr. Elizabeth Poynor, Dr. Navya Mysore, Dr. Alicia Robbins, and Olivia Wagner across our Resources. MyAdvo breathes because of women who believe in our vision that every one of us can own our healthcare.
EOY Founder Health Update
I’m writing this newsletter with really bad period pain and some spiraling thoughts to the tune of, “You’re not doing enough…This isn’t good enough.” I did scroll by an Instagram post reminding me that mental health rates among women with PCOS are extremely high compared to the general population (up to 57% of women experience anxiety and up to 50% may report depressive symptoms).
THAT BEING SAID, I will tell you why I feel so much more in control of my health this past year.
Over 9 months, I’ve been able to significantly improve my PCOS symptoms:
I’ve had 3 consecutive 30-day cycles with consistent ovulation
I know when/what triggers my anxiety & brain fog
My androgen levels (ie, testosterone, DHEA-S) are rebalancing to the point of switching into maintenance
My fibroid symptoms haven’t worsened since last summer:
My period is ~7-8 days long (longer than my usual 3-5 days sans-fibroid but hasn’t gotten longer)
The two fibroids have stayed the same size (and I haven’t grown more)
With a lot less bloating thanks to my new gluten-free diet, my urgency to pee/bladder pressure doesn’t show up as often
In a year of much trial-and-error following my PCOS diagnosis, I was learning so much from the MyAdvo community that I was able to find shortcuts within my own health journey:
I sought out functional medicine first after 3 months of irregular cycles, feeling that chronic fatigue and brain fog. I decided this thanks to the MyAdvo community who shared that they’d often hit a dead end asking for PCOS bloodwork from their OB/GYNs who didn’t see cysts on their ovaries.
Vetting supplements and diet changes with the MyAdvo community. I wish trial-and-error wasn’t part of this PCOS journey but because treatment is often lifestyle based for PCOS, it’s the only way to understand what works for YOU. That being said, there’s so much being thrown at you these days on social media that it’s difficult knowing where to start and what’s effective for most. I really appreciated not being alone starting out my PCOS journey. Even just understanding the different types of Magnesium supplements that exist was a lively conversation in our WhatsApp group!
Continuous monitoring of my fibroids location, size, and number with transvaginal ultrasounds. Every visit to my gynecologist or fertility specialist started with this topic. I had to advocate for myself, pushing back on unnecessary tests (like the saline sonogram) by explaining that my symptoms were manageable and I didn’t need surgery for another year. I emphasized that I was carefully monitoring my fibroid to ensure surgery happened while it was still small and shared my success in keeping it stable for two years. I also clarified my timeline: I want surgery as close to conception as possible to minimize the risk of needing multiple surgeries if new fibroids grow. Navigating this conversation felt like playing middleman between my OB/GYN, who recommended continued monitoring, and my Fertility Specialist, who strongly urged immediate surgery.
Daily tracking of my symptoms, food triggers (red meat or alcohol), and sleep. Admittedly, this has been a bit hard to do across multiple devices. Right now, I’ve consolidated between Natural Cycles as my period tracker and the Oura Ring. I’m excited to share more about how to make this easier in the new year with all of you and how to share it with your providers!
Comparing notes on fertility planning with the MyAdvo community. What I’ve learned in a community like this is the value of finding a few “buddies” who share not only similar health journeys but also similar life stages. Lately, I’ve been grappling with whether my husband and I should create embryos from the eggs I froze three years ago, knowing we hope to have two children in my late 30s. My recent PCOS diagnosis has me wondering about egg quality—especially since there’s no test to confirm their viability right now. Fertility specialists working with some of our endometriosis and PCOS members have suggested making embryos to gauge the dropoff from egg to embryo, and it’s been a critical conversation for me to bring to my own specialist.
Is there still a lot to work through? Absolutely. My PMS can still get really bad to the point where my therapist suggested I look into PMDD. I’ve been getting pretty bad cramps 3-5 days before my period starts. The first 2 days of my period are heavy and clotty. And although I better understand what triggers my anxiety and brain fog, I still struggle with fatigue that makes me feel like I only have 4-6 true hours of productive time during the day (and that’s really only during my follicular phase). Oh and although my b-acne seems to be receding, my face acne is constant and so are those pesky chin hairs and handful of hair that comes out when I wash my hair.
That’s why I’m still planning to take a DUTCH test early next year to better understand the drivers behind my PCOS and fibroids. I’ve learned DUTCH tests can be more of a “nice-to-have” because they’re expensive and not covered by insurance unlike blood work. But, I’m curious about uncovering root causes, especially with persistent symptoms and fibroid recurrence despite normal estrogen levels.
A list of what worked for me in 2024
When it comes to alternative medicine and lifestyle changes complementing each other, I’ll leave you with a list of what stuck after a year of trial-and-error.
Supplements:
Saw Palmetto (with Green Tea Extract): Reduces androgens and the green tea helps fibroid growth.
Omega-3: Decreases inflammation.
L-Theanine: Helps manage stress.
Vitamin D: Improves mood and energy; vital for both PCOS and fibroids (stopped mid-year after reversing deficiency).
Magnesium Glycinate: Enhances sleep quality.
Lion’s Mane: Supports brain fog. (Looking for a better brand so lmk if you have recs!)
I’d already been taking AG1 powder, which has a combination of B-vitamins and more, Vitamin C, Astaxanthin (for skin health) and a Probiotic (for vaginal health).
All in all, I take a total of 17 pills daily, plus the AG-1 powder, costing ~$300+ month—a significant commitment. There’s growing debate about whether alternative / functional medicine is genuine care or just wellness marketing pushing supplements. I’m not going to lie that taking these daily is A LOT and EXPENSIVE, but they have contributed to lowering my androgens, reducing fatigue, and helping me feel balanced. What I appreciate about my functional medicine provider is that I’ve reached a turning point, and she wants to work on streamlining my regimen to maintain progress while consolidating this load. Personally, I believe it shouldn’t be a “this or that” argument between conventional and functional medicine. Both have value, offering patients choices in care. What we truly need is more research to validate supplements and set better standards—beyond flashy Instagram ads.
Diet:
Gluten-Free: The biggest change this year was going gluten-free after my symptoms and tests showed a gluten sensitivity. My bloating, heart burn, and brain fog really improved. It’s really helped reduce inflammation and contributed to getting my cycles back on track.
Going gluten-free isn’t the holy grail for those of us with PCOS, but it’s worth looking into if you suffer from symptoms like bloating and brain fog. Again, the hardest part of treating PCOS is that it’s hyper-personalized for everyone, which is why blood work and working with a functional medicine provider is key.
Alcohol Reduction: I’ve really worked on my relationship with alcohol, especially when I noticed that it would make me depressed and exacerbate my mood swings beyond a hangover. I’ve been trying “sober sprints” (3-5 weeks without drinking) and limiting alcohol to 1-2 drinks on those “on” weeks. This is still a newer experiment for me so have yet to see results show up in my blood work BUT I assure you that I feel so much better. Sadly, a glass of wine doesn’t relax me the way it used to.
Less Red Meat: I’d noticed that eating steak would make me feel sluggish and truly give me meat sweats every night, so I switched to fish and chicken for protein. I do think this has been the biggest contributor to my fibroids staying the same size. There are several studies that point to avoiding red meat as a lifestyle change for women with fibroids. But again, every lifestyle decision is highly personal, especially if you’re working through multiple chronic conditions.
Spearmint Tea: Drinking 2 cups daily is helping with androgen levels.
In the new year, I’m working on convenient meal plans that pack 20-30g per meal. I’ve actually been using chatGPT to help me figure out what these look like for me based on what I most enjoy and where I grocery shop so it stays in budget. I don’t know if it’s just me, but it’s actually pretty hard to intentionally think through how to get so much protein per meal, especially during a full work-day when you don’t have time to cook. But I am so glad we’re finally moving away from the cruel calorie-cutting diets.
Fitness:
Still such a work in progress mainly because I’m still struggling mentally from my back surgery for the spinal fracture 2 years ago. I always get worried that if I push myself too hard, fearing I’ll injure myself, and with my new PCOS diagnosis, I tire out more easily. That said, I’m proud to say I’ve made it back to reformer pilates and have been consistently practicing yoga 1-2 times a week. I even took up running a mile a day thanks to my friend’s December Run Club challenge.
PCOS tends to favor low-impact exercise, and I’ve felt that firsthand—cardio-heavy workouts like boxing or SoulCycle would leave me totally wiped out (not like my friends, who seem to thrive on them!). However, cardio is still beneficial for fibroids, so I’m trying to do 80/20 low-impact and cardio with running (considering running a half marathon in the Spring!) In the new year, I’m excited to explore low to moderate weight lifting to help improve my androgen levels and overall strength.
Stress Management:
This is the hardest part to figure out because it’s really about habit building. Here’s what I strive to do:
Morning Routine (17-20 mins): Gratitude journaling (5 mins), AG-1 drink, and meditation (7 mins).
Evening Routine: 1 hour of screen-free time before bed, including 20 minutes of reading.
Acupuncture: Twice a month.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Twice a month.
Walking: At least 20 minutes daily.
Consistent Eating & Sleeping: Eating breakfast, lunch and dinner at consistent hours every day and sleeping 7-8 hours per night with regular sleep/wake times.
No caffeine 1hr after waking up and only during the follicular phase of my cycle
Traveling less across time zones
I’m excited to share more of my own health and advocacy journey with you in 2025 as well as how MyAdvo is bringing together our community—those impacted by PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids as well as allies of women’s health—in-person and virtually, so their advocacy learnings feel tangible. Together, we’re tackling the isolation created by these conditions and our healthcare system, empowering each other to find the diagnosis and treatment we need, faster and on our own terms.
Happy New Year!
🔖 MyAdvo Monthly Reads
(policy, podcasts, research, trends & more to advocate for yourself)
📚 New stroke guidance from American Heart Association (AMA) highlights women with endometriosis and early menopause
🩺 Study finds that a majority of US rural hospitals do not NOT offer obestric care
🩺 AMA series on “What doctors wish patients knew about endometriosis” — bring this to your next OB/GYN appointment
💉Insurance company Anthem reverses plans to put time limits on anesthesia coverage
⚖️ AZ voted to codify abortion ban in constitution but lawsuit still needed to undo 15-week abortion ban
⚖️ TX sued NY doctor for prescribing abortion pills to a woman near Dallas, testing shield laws
⚖️ Congresswoman Grace Meng introduced the Good Samaritan Menstrual Products Act in the U.S. House of Representatives
📈 TX domestic violence shelters see surge of pregnant women since Roe v. Wade overturned
💊 New endometriosis drug treatment (progestin), Visanne, for women in Australia