Science & Soul with Dr Kristen Holmes
Dr. Stacy Sims: Women’s Data Gaps Are Real. The Truth About Periods, Exercise, Menopause & Nutrition.
Published: 9 April 2025 at 06:00 Europe/London
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Episode notes
For years, Dr. Stacy Sims has fought to break the male-dominated mindset in health and fitness, so that women are represented in the science. Now, she’s ready to share what the research actually reveals about women’s bodies and performance. If you, or the women in your life, want to know what your period says about your health, how exercise impacts menopause, and how your eating habits affect hormones, this conversation covers that and so much more.
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(0:00) Intro
(00:00) Intro
(01:07) Fiverr Ad
(02:47) What Drove Stacy to Study Women's Health and Research
(05:08) The Health Conversations Parents Should Have With Their Daughters
(06:54) Why Exercise Physiology Is Still Male-Dominated
(08:10) Research Design Needs to Be More Inclusive of Women
(10:20) Anatomical Differences Between Men and Women
(14:00) The Long-Ranging Impact When Girls Drop Out of Sports
(15:30) Reframing Health and Performance for Girls
(17:07) ACL Tear Prevention for Women
(18:28) The Dangers of Women Being in a Catabolic State
(21:23) Long-Term Consequences of the Sympathetic Nervous System Being Active
(23:43) Hormonal Birth Control's Impact on Performance
(29:05) Endometriosis in Women
(30:13) The Link Between PCOS and Women's Performance
(32:11) How Can You Create a Healthy Period?
(34:26) How Stress Changes Your Menstrual Cycle
(36:23) LinkedIn Jobs Ad
(37:49) Huel Ad
(38:57) Nutrition's Impact on Your Menstrual Cycle
(41:23) Time-Restricted Eating vs. Intermittent Fasting: What's Best?
(44:36) Sleep Needs for Women
(46:02) Why Women Need a Diverse Gut Microbiome
(48:26) Exercise Should Make You Uncomfortable
(51:40) Is Your Base Fitness Linked to Perimenopause Symptoms?
(52:52) Health Benefits of Heat Exposure and Sauna
(54:01) Cold Plunges: Fad or Real Benefits?
(57:01) What's the Best Cardiovascular Exercise for Women?
(59:10) Is Moderate Intensity Training Undermining Your Health?
(01:01:18) The Research Behind High-Intensity and Sprint-Interval Training
(01:04:49) Do Women Need Low-Intensity Training?
(01:06:44) The Role of Menopausal Hormone Therapy in Women's Health
(01:09:34) Should Women Be on MHT if They Don't Have Menopause Symptoms?
(01:11:14) Birth Control During Perimenopause
(01:12:34) What Does It Mean to Be Human?
(01:13:54) WHOOP Ad
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