The Truth About PCOS, Periods & Women’s Hormones with Dr. Hazel Wallace

In this episode, Leana sits down with Dr. Hazel Wallace — medical doctor, registered nutritionist, personal trainer, and founder of The Food Medic — for an honest, no-fluff conversation about the parts of women's health that rarely get explained properly. They get into what's actually happening in your body throughout your cycle, when period pain stops being "normal" and starts being a red flag, and why the supplement industry preys on exactly the confusion that leaves so many women without real answers.

This one is for anyone who has ever been told their pain, their fatigue, or their irregular cycle was "just stress," who has quietly wondered if what they're feeling is normal, or who wants to understand their body well enough to actually advocate for themselves in a doctor's office.

Note: this episode was recorded before the announcement of PCOS's new name. Throughout the conversation, the condition is referred to as PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) rather than its updated name, PMOS (polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome).

Leana and Dr. Hazel get into:

• What's actually happening hormonally in each phase of your menstrual cycle, and why most women were never taught this

• How to tell the difference between normal period pain and a sign that something needs medical attention

• Whether you should train through your period, and how to actually listen to your body instead of forcing a routine

• Iron deficiency and anemia — who's at risk, the symptoms that get missed, and how to actually get tested

• The wild-west world of women's health supplements, and how to tell if one is actually worth taking

• Inositol for PCOS — what it is, how it works, and why it's becoming a first-line option before medication

• The real difference between PCOS and endometriosis, and why both get so often missed or misdiagnosed

• Hazel's own PCOS diagnosis story — the dismissive advice she got, and what actually helped her symptoms go into remission

• Why cutting carbs isn't the answer for PCOS, and what to focus on instead

• The 90-day window before trying to conceive, and what actually matters for fertility — for both partners

• Hazel's personal experience freezing her eggs, and what she wishes she'd known going in

• What IVF actually involves, and why it's often one of several options rather than the first step

• Perimenopause and menopause — when it really starts, how it's diagnosed, and why it can happen earlier than people think

• Nutrition for pregnancy and breastfeeding, and the nutrients that matter most

• Hazel's go-to diet recommendation, and the simple, unglamorous habits she says actually move the needle

"If you are unable to manage your period because of pain or leaking or flow, then that's too much for you. And that's when you should seek help." — Dr. Hazel Wallace

(00:00) — Cold Open: "Women Are Fat and Hairy If They've Got PCOS"
(00:53) — Welcome to Being Human with Dr. Hazel Wallace
(01:45) — The Four Phases of the Menstrual Cycle, Explained
(09:30) — Normal vs. Red-Flag Periods: When to Seek Help
(13:00) — Iron Deficiency, Anemia & the Truth About Supplements
(20:16) — PCOS vs. Endometriosis: Diagnosis Criteria & Medical Bias
(23:03) — Insulin Resistance, Genetics & Living with PCOS Long-Term
(27:50) — Hazel's Own PCOS Diagnosis Story
(30:36) — Training with PCOS, Perimenopause, Menopause & Freezing Her Eggs
(38:00) — Fertility Nutrition, Pregnancy, Stress Management & Closing Thoughts

Stay connected with Leana Deeb:

Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast

TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod

Stay connected with Dr. Hazel Wallace:

Instagram: @drhazelwallace

TikTok: @drhazelwallace

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