EPISODE SUMMARY:

As a certified obstetrician and gynecologist, Dr. Julianne Arena helps hundreds of clients improve their health and wellness. In today’s episode, we sat down with Dr. Arena to discuss her journey into practicing integrative medicine, stress and menopause, the O Shot, and the stigmas surrounding conversations about sexual health.

First, we asked Dr. Arena about her journey from working in traditional medicine to practicing integrative medicine. She told us how she used to work as an OBGYN in traditional medicine. However, after attending a conference on integrative medicine in women’s health in 2016, she was inspired to make a shift in her career path. She realized how many aspects of women’s health hadn’t been taught to her when studying traditional medicine. In her schooling, she was taught to simply ask a patient what was wrong, what their symptoms were, and prescribe a medicine to treat the issues. With integrative medicine, doctors look to treat the root cause of a problem rather than just symptoms. After finishing the conference, Dr. Arena was determined to apply what she’d learned to her own practice. After finishing a fellowship on integrative medicine, Dr. Arena returned to her practice and spoke to her partners about including integrative medicine in their services. When her partners declined, Dr. Arena decided to leave her practice and start working in integrative medicine full time. That decision led her to opening her own practice, Waves of Awakening, with a colleague. Now, with her own clients, she makes sure to address not only symptoms but the root cause of issues. She emphasizes communication with patients and performs a multitude of tests on hormones, cholesterol, thyroids, and more.

For supplements, Dr. Arena detailed how research has shown the supplements provided by big corporations may not be as healthy as they are advertised to be, with many of them having missing ingredients and inconsistent dosages. A supplement should be third party tested, gluten free, dairy free, soy free, and consistent with their ingredients. For finding a place with healthy and effective supplements, Dr. Arena suggested looking for a local small health food store to find quality products. One of the supplements Dr. Arena recommends the most is magnesium, since it’s involved in over 400 enzyme reactions in the body and can be chewed up quickly due to stress. There are different types of magnesium, and the kind someone should take depends on the issues a person has. For a person struggling to poop, they should try magnesium citrate. For those just wanting some extra magnesium in their nutrition, magnesium glycerinate is ideal. If a person is struggling with anxiety, they should take magnesium taurate. Diet is also a major factor in nutrition. Dr. Arena suggested a person avoid processed foods and even try a more Mediterranean style diet, which includes fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and grains.

Stress can take a huge toll on the body, especially during menopause. It’s created by cortisol, a hormone from our adrenal glands that creates the “fight or flight” response in our bodies. Dr. Arena described hormones like a symphony; they all have to be balanced and working together. When cortisol levels are off because of stress, the entire body is affected. Nutrition and sleep are two big factors to helping alleviate stress. Along with ensuring you’re getting enough nutrients, you should also create a sleep routine to help relax your body. An hour or so before you go to sleep, turn off all screens. Instead of using your phone or computer, reading or taking an Epsom salt bath will help you calm down and fall asleep faster.

When discussing the services offered by Waves of Awakening, Dr. Arena touched upon was the O Shot. The O Shot is a procedure where blood is drawn from your arm, and platelet rich plasma, a part of the blood that houses growth factors and stem cells, is removed. After administering a strong numbing protocol, the doctor then reinjects the plasma into the clitoris and vagina to improve sexual health and bladder health. Waves of Awakening also offers Cliovana, a non-invasive procedure that uses sound waves to improve blood flow and nerve endings to the clitoral area and bladder health. While the procedures are not covered by insurance, both the O Shot and Cliovana have their own websites and places where you can find a provider in your area to schedule an appointment. Finally, we asked Dr. Arena about her thoughts on the shame surrounding discussions about sexual health. She told us that she’s noticed less shame surrounding sexual health, and she always makes sure to have important and personal conversations about sexual health with her patients.

Dr. Julienne Arena

Dr. Julianne Arena is a renowned obstetrician and gynecologist. Dr. Arena received her underrate degree from Harvard University and graduated from Boston University’s School of Medicine. She completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. Dr. Arena now works in Plymouth, MA at Waves of Awakening, offering services to help clients improve their health and wellness.

In this episode, we discuss…

[0:01] Bossa Bars
[0:45] Guest Introduction
[6:02] Start of Interview
[6:50] Dr. Arena’s Journey with Integrative Medicine
[13:23] The Importance of Client Communication and Testing
[15:54] Supplements and Nutrition
[21:37] Stress and Menopause
[27:50] The O Shot
[31:49] The Stigmas Surrounding Sexual Health Conversations
[36:38] Closing Thoughts
[38:00] Outro

Useful Resources:

Waves of Awakening I [https://wavesofawakening.com/]

Waves of Awakening’s Facebook I [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063588668240]

Waves of Awakening’s Instagram I [https://www.instagram.com/wavesofawakeningmd/?hl=en]

Dr. Arena’s LinkedIn I [https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianne-arena-08626761/]

TRY BOSSA BARS FOR MENOPAUSE AND USE CODE “HOTCOOL10” FOR 10% OFF AT https://bossabars.com/ !

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Better Orgasms with Dr. Julianne Arena