What if one of the most important things you could do for your health was simply slow down long enough to listen? In Part 2 of my conversation with Sharon Cassar Galea on PCOS Unfiltered: Nourish, Heal, Thrive, we continue looking beyond individual symptoms and into the bigger picture of women's health. We begin with adenomyosis, what it is, why it can be difficult for women to get answers, and Sharon's functional-medicine perspective on pelvic pain, gut health, pelvic floor support, and the nervous system. We also have an important conversation about hysterectomy and why treatment decisions should be individualized and discussed carefully with qualified healthcare professionals. Sharon shares her perspective on how previous experiences with pain and illness can influence the way we respond to what's happening in our bodies today. We talk about what can change when you become more aware of your own patterns, not obsessing over every symptom, but getting curious about things like stress, food, sleep, energy, and what has been happening in your life. And ultimately, we come back to the message that ties both parts of this conversation together: Listen to your body. No shame. No judgment. Just curiosity
Listening is a great place to start, but lasting change happens when you begin putting these ideas into practice.
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This week, I want you to practice something Sharon and I both talked about toward the end of our conversation:
Create 10 minutes of space before you immediately jump into your day.
Sharon talks about intentionally slowing down in the morning, having a cup of tea, spending time in her garden, walking on the beach, getting outside, and simply being present with her surroundings.
Your version doesn't need to look like hers.
Maybe you:
❤️ Take your coffee outside for 10 minutes
❤️ Sit somewhere without your phone
❤️ Step outside and feel the morning air
❤️ Take a few slow breaths before checking email
❤️ Notice what you hear, see, smell, and feel around you
And then ask yourself:
How am I actually feeling today?
Not what do I need to accomplish?
Not what should I be doing?
Just: How am I?
You don't need an entire morning.
Give yourself 10 minutes to be present before the rest of the world starts asking something from you.
Then notice what your body has to say.
Sharon Cassar Galea joins me for Part 1 of this conversation, bringing more than two decades of experience across nursing, metabolic health, women's health, health coaching, and functional medicine.
Through her work with Embrace Holistic Health, Sharon takes a functional and holistic approach to women's health, metabolic health, hormones, and helping women better understand the bigger picture behind their symptoms.
Want to learn more about Sharon and her work?
🌐 Website:
https://embraceholistichealth.com.au/
▶️ YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@EmbraceHolisticHealth
📸 Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/embrace_functional_medicine/
📘 Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/sharon.c.galea
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❤️ Share this episode with someone who feels stuck or is ready for a fresh perspective.
⭐ Leave a review to help more women discover PCOS Unfiltered.
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Remember:
Your life isn't determined by your past, your diagnosis, or your circumstances. The stories you believe shape the choices you make—and every new choice is an opportunity to create a different future.
⚠️ Podcast Disclaimer
This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health routine.
(0:00) Nervous system stores a lot of memory. It's backed up with your journey. It's backed up with (0:09) your pain and your suffering and your experiences.It's sort of there as a (0:19) data set. You know, it's humming in the background when you're asleep. It's always (0:25) humming in the background.It just wants safety and wants to be reminded that it's safe. (0:31) Any pain, any inflammation, any imbalance, any ill health will set the nervous system off. And (0:38) that's going to be on idle.And that's not going to be or feel safe or happy until (0:45) whatever is going on is fixed. Welcome back to PCOS Unfiltered, (0:53) where we help you understand what your body has been trying to tell you all along. (0:57) I'm your host, Lindsay, nurse turned health coach, two-time author, and your body wisdom guide.(1:03) Here, I help you understand the messages behind your symptoms, so you can stop fighting your (1:07) body and start working with it. Before we jump into today's conversation, I want to give you (1:12) one last reminder because we are officially down to the final few days to register for my free (1:17) stop starting over workshop on September 30th. If you've been listening to the podcast thinking, (1:23) I know there's more going on with my body, but I don't know what to do next.(1:26) This workshop is for you. We're going to step away from the idea that you need another diet, (1:31) another set of rules, or more willpower, and start looking at your health through a (1:35) completely different lens. I'll help you understand why you may keep finding yourself (1:40) back at square one, how to start paying attention to what your body has actually been trying to tell (1:45) you, and some simple ways to start working with your body instead of constantly fighting against (1:50) it.It's completely free, but we are almost here, so don't wait to grab your spot. You'll find the (1:56) registration link in the show notes, and I would absolutely love to see you there. Now, today's (2:01) guest is Sharon Kassar-Ghalia, joining me all the way from Australia, and I think you're going to (2:07) hear very quickly why the two of us connected.Sharon has spent two decades working in health (2:12) and wellness. She has a nursing science background and has worked across clinical care, diabetes (2:17) education, metabolic and hormonal health, functional nutrition, and functional medicine, but Sharon (2:23) hasn't only experienced health care from the practitioner side. She's also experienced what (2:28) it's like to be the patient searching for answers, and that's where so much of our conversation begins.(2:33) We talk about what happens when you know something doesn't feel right, but you keep (2:37) getting passed from specialist to specialist. We get into PCOS and PMOS, gut health, hormones, (2:44) metabolic health, adenomyosis, environmental exposures, nervous system regulation, and the (2:49) importance of looking at the body as a whole rather than a collection of individual symptoms, (2:54) but one of my favorite messages from this conversation is something Sharon says early on. (2:58) You should feel like the CEO of your own body.That doesn't mean you have to have all the answers. (3:05) It means you get to ask questions. You get to be curious.You get to advocate for yourself, (3:11) and if something doesn't feel right, you're allowed to keep looking for answers, (3:14) and I think there's an important shift that happens when we stop immediately asking (3:18) what's wrong with me and instead start asking what's been happening? What's changed? What might (3:25) my body need from me right now? That's body wisdom. As always, this podcast is intended for (3:31) educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. (3:36) The views and clinical perspectives shared by our guest are her own and individual (3:40) health needs and treatment decisions should always be discussed with a qualified health (3:44) care provider.Now go ahead, maybe grab your favorite beverage, get comfortable, (3:49) have something nearby to take some notes, and let's dive in. Here's my conversation (3:53) with Sharon Kassar-Ghalia. (4:31) Let's start there.(4:34) Adenomyosis is the sister to endometriosis, and it causes and creates a lot of pelvic pain (4:44) and irritation. It is more intramuscular than endometriosis itself. Endometriosis moves a (4:55) little bit around the pelvic cavity and can move into different organs all the way up to the basal (5:03) cavity and into the shoulder, whereas adenomyosis will pretty much be a condition where it is sort (5:13) of more in the pelvic area, so more resides in the pelvic area more so.It can create (5:23) infertility issues. It also has issues, has a very strong correlation with gut (5:32) and irritable bowel syndrome, so it is something that women don't often get (5:42) probably diagnosed properly for, and it can be often dismissed, (5:50) because it's not always in an ultrasound, maybe visible or easily picked up. (6:01) When I'm working with clients, I'll treat it in the same way that I treat endometriosis as well, (6:09) and I will look particularly at a lot of pelvic work and fascial release for it, (6:18) but adenomyosis is very much tied in with the nervous system regulation (6:24) and requires a bit of that rewiring to help with the pain, to help with the bladder issues, (6:38) and to help with the bowel.There still can be adhesions between the bowel and the bladder can (6:47) still be found with adenomyosis or adenomyosis, and also in the pouch of Douglas, which is in (6:54) the perineum, which is just in between, which can be quite painful as well. Women can also develop (7:02) cysts as well, and it can actually exacerbate period pain, inflammation, (7:15) heavy periods, irregular bowel movement, so constipation. It's quite more probably functional, (7:24) not functional, but is infunctional than endometriosis is in a way, (7:32) so I think really honouring pelvic floor work and honouring a pelvic physio to work with (7:41) side by side to help with symptoms, but there is that correlation with the gut, (7:51) and there is the correlation with obviously nervous system, but a higher level.We know that (7:59) the level of depression with women with endometriosis is high, but what we're understanding (8:05) a little bit more with adenomyosis is it's a little bit more specific to its condition (8:13) as well, and that's something that I think where women are offered a lot, (8:21) antidepressants and so forth to help with the pain, and also the neurological issues, and also (8:30) just with the pelvic pain and inflammation really, because that can help, SSRIs can help with that, (8:36) and the gut as well. Wow. So, I mean, I feel like a lot of the times, (8:44) at least for endometriosis, women are told to have a hysterectomy kind of as the ultimate, (8:49) you know, I guess, treatment, you want to say, so a hysterectomy with adenomyosis wouldn't (8:58) necessarily take care of things? Not particularly.I feel most of the time, (9:08) you know, hysterectomies are, I mean, well, in the U.S., we know that they're most, (9:14) they're surgeries that are the most necessary. Yeah. And caesareans apparently, (9:21) but having said that, I think hysterectomy is often the answer to a lot of fibroids, (9:31) adenomyosis, and anything related to any issues with the uterus, you know, (9:43) and it isn't the answer.I think we need to look deeper at (9:49) antioxidants. We need to look at the way our, you know, using supplements like, (9:56) you know, NAC, for example, you know, increasing the glutathione levels, (10:02) and just ways that we can increase gut motility to not overly, but just to a certain point where (10:11) we're making better stools, you know, that the Bristol stool is showing it's a four and a five, (10:18) it's not a loose stool, and it's not a difficult stool to pass, because that's what a lot of women (10:22) with adenomyosis will say, you know. It's quite debilitating pain because of that intramuscular (10:32) the pathophysiology of it.So, you know, I think removing a partial hysterectomy or full hysterectomy (10:42) is going to, depending on the age of the woman, is going to open up another can of worms for her, (10:50) because she's going to suddenly, if she's young, go into a fully blown menopause without being (10:56) ready for that, and then risking, you know, the heart disease, dementia, and bone density issues (11:04) later on in life. She's 37, and she's been told she needs to have a hysterectomy because we can't (11:09) manage the adenomyosis. So, I think, you know, unless it's cancer, unless we're looking at a, (11:20) you know, a non-benign state, I would leave hysterectomy as the very last option, and I (11:30) think a lot of the times it is quite unnecessary, and if I can tell somebody, hey, have a think (11:38) about this hysterectomy, because I know you're in pain, and I know it's affecting your quality (11:43) of life.See, people start to judge the quality of life and think, well, this is not living, (11:47) I can't do this anymore. So, if I remove everything, it's just going to fix it all, (11:54) and that's our womb space. You know, that's quite a sacred area.You know, after hysterectomy, (12:03) there's a whole new chapter, you know, that affects the nervous system. We're quite in tune (12:10) with all of our pelvic area, so if we're ripping out organs, essentially, we're also taking away (12:21) that sacral place. We're taking away that core that we're so in tune with, no matter what stage (12:29) of the lifespan we're in, and your nervous system is not ready for that.If you're not ready for (12:37) that emotionally, you know, rehabilitation after that is a long stretch, and look, I've had clients (12:47) who have had a full hysterectomy, and whether that's phantom pain or whatever it is, they're (12:55) still suffering, because I think that whole connection that was severed hasn't fully been (13:03) restored, if that makes sense. Yeah, that's kind of why I asked that question, because I was like, (13:09) from what you're telling me, there's a lot more to it. Yeah, there is, absolutely.Yeah. I mean, (13:17) inflammation, of course, and the nervous system, I mean, it comes up in like, I say this all the (13:24) time, it's like in just about every episode I record, I feel like we talk at some point about (13:29) the nervous system, right? But it does, yeah, but it plays a role, you know, I mean, (13:37) in so many things, and yeah, that's kind of at the root a lot of times. Yes, we talk about (13:42) inflammation being at the root too, but if the nervous system is fired up all the time, that (13:47) is contributing to inflammation, right? Yeah.Nervous system stores a lot of memory. (13:57) It's backed up with your journey. It's backed up with your pain and your suffering and your (14:05) experiences.It's sort of there as a data set. You know, it's humming in the background when (14:16) you're asleep. It's always humming in the background.It just wants safety and wants (14:21) to be reminded that it's safe. Any pain, any inflammation, any imbalance, any ill health (14:28) will set the nervous system off, and that's going to be on idle, and that's not going to be or feel (14:34) safe or happy until whatever is going on is fixed, repaired, healed, until we reach an equilibrium. (14:45) You know what I mean? You probably feel that too, past ill health.I mean, my journey (14:54) with whatever autoimmune issue I was diagnosed with at the end when I was 19, and we're going (14:59) back 30-odd years ago, you know what I mean? It still comes back every now and then to remind me (15:07) it's there, whether that's if I'm not feeling safe, if I'm not feeling secure, if I'm suffering (15:12) pain, if I've got period pain, if I'm suffering some sort of perimenopausal symptom. It'll remind (15:19) me of that. If I feel anxious, that's that reminder.Our nervous system is very primitive (15:26) in that way, and yeah, everyone's throwing it around in their podcasts as well. You know, (15:34) you might get your algorithms on your social media. It's coming up all the time, trauma work, (15:39) nervous system dysregulation work, rewiring, but look at perimenopause.It's neuroplasticity. I (15:48) mean, what's that? That's rewiring of the brain. I mean, what is that? That's the autonomic nervous (15:52) system, and that's all part and parcel of what nervous system is about.In that transition, (15:58) your nervous system gets the biggest shake-up it's ever going to get. Puberty is one, (16:05) but that's a transition that gets really a reboot. That declining estrogen is going to cause your (16:15) nervous system to go into, oh my God, what's happening? We need to hold on to this estrogen.(16:19) Let's go into panic mode. Let's press all the panic buttons and send you off into an anxious (16:25) state because we're ringing the alarm bells, and that's what the nervous system does. (16:32) You know, so I learned to work on that through my journey a long time before social media was (16:42) even a thing.Yeah, that was a big thing for me too because my tipping point was COVID, and so I (16:51) think all the years of stressors and go, go, go, and all of it, and then that final big stressor (17:01) was the tipping point when everything kind of came to a head, and you were mentioning about (17:07) with your journey. I feel like once you kind of tune into that, once you are just aware of (17:16) your nervous system, the role it's playing and the role stress and traumas are playing, (17:23) you're so much more in tune with your body. For me, sometimes if I'm a little bloated (17:30) on a day, I'm like, hmm, did I eat something? What was my stress like, right? Not necessarily (17:37) to an obsessive point, but I just go into that mode of what's going on because I'm so much more (17:44) in tune with it than, of course, I ever was before.I think that's what happens when you (17:51) have been on a journey of ill health. I think you become more intuitive to everything, and I'm the (17:58) same. If I'm bloated or if I'm feeling like a little bit, my energy's off or something, I'm (18:04) like, okay, what did I eat? What happened yesterday? Did I do this? Did I just start (18:09) taking a check and reevaluating what's been happening? I think my nervous system reminds (18:16) me to do that as well, just so in tune with our bodies and how they work that we almost feel like (18:24) they should be working as clockwork, but they don't always, and that's what we do.(18:33) You mentioned even with the glyphosate thing, I wanted to go back to that for a second. I (18:39) thought about that because I know, because I think looking back for me, that was a big (18:43) thing too, right? I know. I hate it, Lizzie.But it's even beyond that. I mean, we're seeing all (18:51) the microplastics and all these other environmental things that, (18:58) yes, sure, at some point we can't control everything, but there is some stuff that we (19:06) can control. Is there any advice for somebody tackling whether it's food or (19:13) forever chemicals in cleaning products, beauty products, whatever it might be? Where do you (19:18) start with that? What would you recommend? Yeah, because raising the point of microplastics, (19:26) especially those PFAS chemicals, those forever chemicals that are already in our system, (19:32) that are very tenacious in the way that they like to stay in our environment, our biological (19:40) environment.I'm all about reducing the chemical burden because I hate how we are overfertilizing (19:53) and I hate seeing it in the street. I hate seeing them spraying. It triggers me because I've learned (20:00) so much about it and how it destroys the gut microbiome and wreaks havoc on our hormonal (20:06) health.So, what I do say to people is make sure you are looking at what you're putting into your (20:13) body food-wise as much as you can. It is expensive to eat organic. I understand that, but try to (20:20) minimize processed foods as much as possible and chemicals.Try to be mindful what you're using on (20:28) your body, your hair care, any moisturizers that you put on your body, your makeup, perfume. I feel (20:38) I've got teenagers and I think this generation loves their perfume. Maybe I didn't realize before, (20:48) but I'm really sensitive to it.So, I find I'll have a group of 17 and 18-year-old kids and (20:57) they'll come here before they go to a party and I can just smell the perfume and cologne and I think, (21:04) oh my goodness me. Perfumes probably are one of the biggest endocrine-disrupting chemicals out (21:11) there. Kids walk out of the house with about 150,000 different chemicals in their bodies (21:18) before they go to school and before they go socializing.Oh my gosh. Girls are transitioning (21:24) to puberty at age seven. Yeah.So, look, we've got to look at all of these things. I mean, (21:32) look at we have Sephora and Mecca Maxima, which are two big cosmetic (21:39) shops or industries and they have a lot of products that are full of chemicals. So, really (21:46) minimize your makeups, minimize what you're using, what you're putting into your body, (21:53) on your body, your drinking water, all of those things.Yeah. They're really important. I think (22:01) the less burden we have on our body, the more your liver is going to love you and it's very (22:08) resilient.The liver loves you. If you love it back, it can be fixed. It can be healed (22:13) if we look after it.So, just be really mindful of that. Yeah. Yeah.Yeah. (22:21) So, as we kind of start wrapping up already, what's one thing that you wish every woman (22:34) with PCOS or PCOS, PMS, PMOS or maybe even just any other struggle with their hormonal health, (22:43) what do you want to tell them? What do you wish they knew before starting their healing journey? (22:52) What I wish they knew, definitely not to be over, well, not to be gaslit by their practitioner. (23:04) I think to feel that they don't have to accept the diagnosis always.(23:13) And I feel that if you, I would say to them, if you feel that you need another opinion, (23:19) seek a second opinion or a third opinion. You are the CEO of your own body. You have the right to (23:28) look further, look deeper.Conventional medicine is great, but also look into functional, (23:37) alternative space, holistic space for other answers because we're not in parts and pieces, (23:45) we're in as a whole. So, looking at symptoms only sometimes doesn't work. There's no band-aid (23:54) effect that's not working because things are going to rear their ugly head again.(23:58) We need to look deep. And I would advise not taking no for an answer. And because I was (24:05) a person that didn't and I fought my way through that and I was sort of, if you told me something, (24:11) I'd second guess it and think, nah, I think I know better, but that's just me, not everyone's (24:15) the same, is trust your intuition, trust your gut.It'll tell you a lot and listen to it, (24:24) really listen. My kids laugh at that because I mentioned that, listen to what's going on. (24:29) In some other recordings I've done, they've used it, so I'm mean now, they've just become (24:33) a funny people.It's like, just listen, like I just listen, mom. You have to listen to your body, (24:39) listen what's happening. (24:42) Yes.No, it's so true, right? I mean, that's my big message with everything I do, is listen to (24:52) your body. No shame, no judgment, right? Just listen, be curious and start understanding what (24:58) your body's trying to tell you instead of punishing it or trying to suppress whatever (25:05) is going on, right? (25:07) Yeah. Sometimes there's big red flags everywhere.Some people will come up, (25:15) but their symptom keeps coming up. Well, listen to what's happening. There's something behind that.(25:21) Yeah. Is there any daily practice that you recommend to your client or maybe you do (25:29) that you believe creates the most long-term impact? (25:37) In my 30s and into some of my 40s, I was go, go, go, Lindsay. I now take time out when I can, (25:48) when it's not a busy morning.I take time out and have at least two mornings a week (25:54) where I'm not go, go, go. I'm present with a cup of tea. I'm present with my herbs.(26:03) I'm present with my garden. I get out and I look at the orange tree right now, (26:08) because the orange tree is flourishing, or it might be the lemon tree in the warmer months. (26:14) I'm present with the environment and I take a beach walk.That, for me, resets. In the summer, (26:24) I swim in the ocean, so that'll be my reset. In winter, I'm not as brave.I wish I was. (26:31) I might get a wetsuit. I think that evolutionary mismatch between us and the environment, (26:38) we need to meet that again.I try two times a week to be present and meet the environment some way. (26:47) Yeah. I love that.That was actually my morning, because I work out most mornings, (26:53) but I do. I like my mornings of just getting up slowly. Sometimes I dive into a little work, (27:00) like I'm just at my own pace.I'm not rushed to do anything. Even for the woman that's listening (27:08) that might have a busy schedule and a busy career and or family, whatever else it might be. There's (27:15) still those moments that you can take throughout the day.It may not be an entire morning, but it (27:20) might be a few minutes here and there. I feel like we can still make the best of it. Yeah.(27:26) Absolutely. It's so important to start your day with your own stress levels and your own (27:34) well-being. Yeah.I love the getting outside component that you mentioned, because that's (27:42) a super important part of that. Yeah. With my protocols, often it'll be, (27:47) get outside in the morning for the first 10 minutes and have your cup of tea or whatever (27:53) out there.Yeah. Just get before you get on your socials or you start answering emails and (27:59) messages, which I probably do too many times of the week, but at least one to two times a week. (28:06) Hearing the birds in the morning, watching the dog get up lazily.(28:12) Yeah. Just being present. Yeah.Love it. Yeah. Yeah.(28:18) Oh, well, it was so great talking to you. One last question is how can people find you and connect (28:25) with you? I'll link everything in the show notes as well, but yeah, what's the best way to find you? (28:31) Yeah, absolutely. On Instagram at embrace underscore functional underscore medicine.(28:39) I'm on Facebook, Sharon Kasegalia. My website is embraceholistichealth.com.au. (28:49) LinkedIn, Sharon Kasegalia. Look, I'm kind of everywhere at the moment on all those platforms, (28:56) on YouTube as the Embrace Functional Medicine Practitioner.Yeah, so there's a few of my reels (29:05) and a few, like, you know, some presentations I've given here and there on gut and (29:11) perimenopause, et cetera. So yeah, I'm around. So yeah, follow me on Instagram.(29:17) Yeah. Awesome. Well, thank you so, so much.Again, this was a great conversation. I feel (29:24) like we could probably just keep going, but I'm about to turn into a pumpkin. (29:29) Yes.No, thanks so much. (29:32) Yes. But yes, I really appreciate you being here.Thank you. (29:37) I appreciate you having me on and offering the opportunity as well. Thanks, Lindsay.(29:44) I hope you enjoyed this conversation with Sharon because I think it brought us right back to one (29:49) of the biggest messages I want you to hear on this podcast. Listen to your body. No shame, (29:54) no judgment, just curiosity.You don't have to understand every symptom or have all the answers, (30:00) but you can start noticing. You can ask better questions. You can advocate for yourself.(30:05) And sometimes you can simply slow down long enough to hear what your body has been trying to tell (30:10) you. And if that message resonated with you today, this is your last chance to join me (30:15) for Stop Starting Over. We're just a few days away from the free workshop on September 30th.(30:21) And if you're tired of starting another plan, trying harder, doing well for a few weeks and (30:27) somehow ending up right back where you started, I created this workshop just for you. We're going (30:32) to look at why that cycle keeps happening and what can change when you stop fighting your body and (30:37) start understanding it. Registration is free and the link is in the show notes.So grab your spot (30:43) now and I'll see you on September 30th. And if you want to keep this conversation going, send me the (30:49) body on Instagram. Tell me what stood out from today's episode, what you're struggling with, (30:54) or what you'd like us to talk about next.I'll also send you the link to join us inside the (30:59) Healthy Ever After community. If you enjoyed today's episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a (31:04) review and share with someone who needs to hear it. Because healing doesn't come from doing more.(31:10) It comes from understanding better. I'm sending you so much love and I'll see you on the next (31:15) episode of PCOS Unfiltered. Nourish.Heal. Thrive.