UC 417: Empowering Women's Health: Hormones, Heart, and Holistic Healing with Dr Nelum Dharmapriya

In this insightful episode, we sit down with Dr. Nelum Dharmapriya to unpack highlights from a recent U.S. Low Carb Conference that dedicated an entire day to women’s health. From hormone therapy and menopause to gut health and integrative care, this conversation explores the crucial role of nutrition, lifestyle, and mindset in modern women’s health.

Topics Covered

• Highlights from the Low Carb Conference: Dr. Nelum reflects on key takeaways from a day focused on women’s health, including menopause, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), endometriosis, brain health, and cardiovascular risk.
• Hormonal Therapy for Menopause: We explore the evolution of hormone therapy, including body-identical micronized progesterone and estradiol, their benefits, side effects, and long-term impact—especially when therapy is initiated before age 60.
• Personal Perspectives & Natural Approaches: Dr. Nelum shares her own menopause journey and why she shifted from conventional approaches to a more holistic, nutrition- and lifestyle-focused path.
• Root Causes of PCOS & Endometriosis: A deep dive into the underlying factors—such as insulin resistance and gut inflammation—and why current treatments often fall short.
• The Gut-Hormone Connection: Rapidly evolving research into the microbiome reveals its powerful influence on hormones, brain function, immunity, and mood. We touch on fecal transplants, biodiversity, and funding gaps in gut health research.
• Cardiovascular Health in Women: A confronting look at why heart disease is the #1 killer of women, the gender gap in treatment times, and how integrative care and early metabolic screening could change outcomes.
• Nutrition & Self-Care for Menopause: Cyndi and Kim join the conversation to discuss the importance of food, stress perception, and self-care in managing menopausal symptoms.
• GP Care & Medical Gaps: The group shares personal experiences with GPs and discusses the ongoing lack of nutritional education in medical schools—often influenced by pharmaceutical funding.Dr. Nelum Dharmapriya is a GP with a passion for women’s health, integrative medicine, and empowering patients through holistic care.

Quotes What I was told wasn’t working for me or them either, I had to change. I am a nerd with biochemistry! I don’t remember how much nutrition training I had as a doctor so maybe that speaks volumes about how little we actually had. HRT formulations are very different to what they used to be, now they are bio-identical. All medications have only been around for 60years. Estrogen is produced in the ovaries from testosterone. There is a connection between the gut and menstruation. We can remove things but it doesn’t mean it will be resolved. I think mindset has a big impact on the body. Once I got into metabolic health it opened my mind. Our microbiome is influenced by our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. The most common death in women is heart disease, one in three will die from it. Women tend to put everyone else first. 90% of people do not know this way of thinking. You cannot be on this metabolic journey and have a normal GP. We are not taught about the root cause. Everything you learn as a doctor you have to unlearn. There’s a lot that can be done without giving up everything you love.

Where to find Dr Nelum https://wholefoodrevolution.com.au [e-mail] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wholefoodrevolution Cyndi O’Meara Links Website – https://thenutrition.academy/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/cyndiomeara/ https://www.instagram.com/thenutrition_academy