1. Intro to Ovie founder (Who they are/why Ovie exists):

   
   Clare Goodwin is the Founder of Ovie. She is a Registered Nutritionist and exercise scientist who specialises in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).
   Clare was diagnosed with PCOS and insulin resistance when she was an elite athlete at just 25, struggling with unexplained weight gain, acne, and missing periods. She felt so frustrated that she couldn't understand her own body that she spent the initial years of her career working for tech companies. During this time, she recognised the potential of using technology to address PCOS issues and embarked on her journey to become a specialist PCOS clinician.
   
   

2. Can you give a brief PCOS 101 rundown for those who don’t know much about it?

   
   PCOS is a condition when some of our hormones aren’t functioning in our bodies quite as they should be, or aren’t at levels we’d want them to be.  These hormones include our sex hormones like testosterone, but also our metabolic hormones like insulin.  This hormonal imbalance can lead to irregular cycles, acne, unwanted hair growth, hair loss, weight gain, fatigue, and fertility challenges. Other symptoms that are lesser spoken of but can be just as difficult include fatigue, intense hunger and cravings, mood imbalances and poor gut health.
   
   

3. What’s one thing (or a couple if one is too hard!) that you wish you knew about PCOS at the beginning of your PCOS journey?

   
   Having PCOS and gaining weight, and struggling with other very physical symptoms like acne or hair growth or fertility challenges makes you feel like your body is broken—like your body is failing, that it doesn’t know how to do its job correctly. In turn, this can affect your feelings of self- worth and make you feel less of a woman. But none of this is true.
   
   I wish I knew that my body wasn’t broken. My body wasn’t failing me and that I was certainly no less of a woman or person for having PCOS and these symptoms.
   
   The second thing I wish I knew was that there are many things that I could do to improve my symptoms and even put my symptoms into remission.  I didn’t just have to ‘put up with’ PCOS  symptoms.  These things could be medication, supplements, lifestyle or a combination of all three, but that specialist advice would help me find a treatment plan that suited my preferences and lifestyle. 
   
   

4. Is there anything that you think those working in the health/pharmacy space should know to best support customers who come into their store looking for PCOS support? (concrete tips and tricks to help staff)

   
   The International Evidence Based Guidelines for PCOS created by Monash university state that lifestyle treatment should be the first line treatment for PCOS- but there is no one diet or lifestyle advice that works for all women and people with PCOS. 
   
   The hormonal contraceptive pill can be helpful for PCOS symptoms like facial and body hair growth and acne, but make sure it includes an anti-androgen progestin.  Yaz, Yasmin and Diane- 35 are all examples.
   Another anti-androgen they can speak to their doctor about is Spironolactone.
   
   Sleep disordered breathing is very common in PCOS.  Up to 35% of women and people with PCOS may have Sleep Apnea. Those with PCOS driven by insulin resistance are up to 30x more likely to suffer from sleep disordered breathing. And, 80% of sleep apnea cases go undiagnosed which is concerning because it can seriously affect us.  If you offer Sleep Disrupted Breathing studies, this is a great idea to offer to those who meet the eligibility criteria.
   
   One thing that we really recommend avoiding is suggesting that someone should try to lose weight- trust us, they’ve probably been trying to do this for years and it can be very triggering when talking about weight.
      

5. Can you share your top 3-5 lifestyle hacks to help positively manage PCOS?

   
   Food: include protein and fats in every meal, including breakfast and snacks
   Movement: Low intensity exercise is great- find something that you love doing: dance, swim, cycle, hike, yoga, tai chi- whatever lights you up!  
   Sleep:  Don’t cheat on sleep!  7-9 hours sleep a night is one of the best weapons you have at your disposal to improve your PCOS symptoms. 
   
   

6. What supplements or natural health products have you seen benefit those you work with that are looking to support their PCOS?

   
   Inositol is recognised by the international evidence based guidelines for PCOS as having the strongest evidence for PCOS! Inositol is a naturally occurring compound in the body, but it may be lower in women with PCOS. Inositol helps insulin communicate better and so can help improve symptoms of insulin resistance and PCOS.
   
   A B-vitamin complex is really helpful for most people with PCOS and absolutely necessary for those taking Metformin.
   
   Over 50% of women and people with PCOS have high stress hormones and this can exacerbate PCOS symptoms.  Kava Kava is a great herb for helping with managing periods of high stress and many people feel calmer almost immediately. 

Ovie x Eve PCOS Awareness month campaign: 

• 12 week program.
• Customised care plan that is tailored to your goals, symptoms, and PCOS drivers. It covers nutrition, lifestyle (sleep, stress management, movement) supplements, and medication (depending on your preferences)
• 4 group consultation calls (option to pre-submit or ask questions live). There will be two calls in the first month (as this is the biggest learning time) and then one each month after.
• Monthly mindset focuses: these are mindset challenges created by our resident psychologist where we delve into a topic such as body neutrality, overcoming perfectionism and procrastination, values, and many more.  These include video guidance from our psychologist and a workbook to work through during the month. 

Price $247NZD (regular price $347)

Sign up here.