If you have ever been told to just do your Kegels and left wondering if there is actually more to it than that, this episode is going to be a really good one.

Dr. Alessandra Autieri, ND, sits down with Amanda Pereira, our new pelvic health physiotherapist at AWH Port Credit, to break open everything about pelvic health that most women have never been told. We cover why leaking, heaviness, pelvic pain, and urgency are incredibly common but not normal, and what you can actually do about them. We get into why Kegels are not always the answer, and for a lot of women, they are the last thing your body needs right now.

Amanda walks through what a first appointment actually looks like, how virtual pelvic physio works and who it can help, and she shares a simple exercise you can do tonight to start calming your pelvic floor down.

This is the episode we wish someone had given every woman before she ever Googled pelvic floor.

What We Want You to Walk Away With

• Leaking, pelvic pressure, and urgency are very common but they are not normal. There is help available and you do not have to just live with it.

• A pelvic health assessment is not just an internal exam. It is a full conversation about who you are, what you carry, and what your body needs. No physical touch required.

• Kegels are not the default answer for every pelvic floor concern. If your pelvic floor is already holding too much tension, more contraction will make things worse, not better.

• Calves on the couch is the most downregulating position for your pelvic floor. One to two minutes at the end of your day can calm tension, pain, and that heaviness feeling.

  
  

  
  

What does it actually look like to practice what you preach — when you have a baby, two teenagers, a toddler, a full patient schedule, and real life happening all around you?

In this episode, Dr. Michelle Mussar, ND (currently in the thick of postpartum with a baby under one) and Dr. Tracy-Lynn Reside, ND (mom of three, including two teenagers and a toddler) get completely real about the health habits that anchor their lives. Not the polished, perfectly filtered version. The messy, honest, works-for-us-right-now version.

This is the mom spin-off of the non-negotiables episode with Dr. Lauren and Dr. Alessandra — and it hits a little different.

Here's what they get into:

• Meal planning as a lifeline — why Sunday planning isn't about being rigid, it's about eliminating the decision fatigue that drains you by 5 PM. Plus: the shredded chicken hack that keeps protein on track all week.
• Movement that's actually sustainable — how Dr. Michelle rebuilt her relationship with exercise after a rough postpartum recovery, why she treks 25 minutes to a gym she has to pay for (on purpose), and what Dr. Tracy-Lynn does when a sleepless night blows up the 6 AM plan.
• The consistency vs. perfection trap — you don't lose six weeks of progress by missing one week. You only lose it if you don't get back up.
• Water, supplements, and the alarm trick — the low-tech strategies that actually make daily habits stick.
• Nighttime routines that aren't fancy but work — e-readers, app blockers, phone alarms set 75 minutes before bed, and why winding down needs more runway than you think.
• Gratitude that isn't corny — how Dr. Tracy-Lynn uses it to regulate, not toxic-positivity her way through stress.
• Capacity before habits — because if your thyroid, iron, or nervous system are tanking you, no habit stack is going to save you.

If you've ever felt like you're failing at self-care because your life doesn't look like a wellness influencer's — this episode will feel like a deep exhale.

Imperfect consistency beats perfect paralysis every single time.

📍 Resources & Links

• 🌐 Book a visit: advancedwomenshealth.ca
• 🆓 Free 50-minute consult available — reach out if you're on the fence or want to find the right fit
• 📲 Follow Dr. Sarah on Instagram: @drsarah_nd
• 🏥 Advanced Women's Health on Instagram: @advancedwomenshealth
• 🎙️ Mentioned in this episode: Dr. Lauren & Dr. Alessandra's non-negotiables episode — go back and listen if you haven't yet!
• 📱 App mentioned: Be Present (screen time blocker)

💬 Are you a mom trying to figure out your non-negotiables right now? DM us on Instagram — we want to hear what's working for you (and what isn't).

You're eating well. You're exercising. You're taking your supplements. So why do you still feel exhausted, bloated, and like your body is working against you?

You're not imagining it — and you're definitely not failing. In this episode, Dr. Ally and Dr. Katrina sit down to bust the most common health myths they hear in the clinic every single week. The ones that sound like good advice but are quietly keeping women stuck, frustrated, and no closer to feeling like themselves.

This is Part 1 of a two-part series, and it covers a lot:

The myths they tackle in this episode:

• "I'm doing everything right, but nothing is changing" — what's really going on when effort doesn't equal results
• "More supplements = faster healing" — why a bag full of supplements might actually be holding you back
• "If I just cut out more foods, my gut will heal" — the truth about elimination diets and why less isn't always more
• "If I poop every day, I can't be constipated" — yes, really. We go there.
• "My labs came back normal, so I must be fine" — the crucial difference between normal and optimal that your doctor probably never explained

This episode is for you if you've ever felt dismissed, overwhelmed, or like your body just doesn't make sense. Dr. Ally and Dr. Katrina break it all down in plain language — no jargon, no shame, just the clarity you've been looking for.

Your body is always trying to tell you something. This episode will help you finally hear it.

📍 Resources & Links

• 🌐 Book a visit: advancedwomenshealth.ca
• 📲 Follow Dr. Sarah on Instagram: @drsarah_nd
• 🏥 Advanced Women's Health on Instagram: @advancedwomenshealth