The Wise Consumer

Is it possible to live an eco-friendly lifestyle when you're on a budget? Is it normal to have a painful period? How do I know if my skincare products are “safe”? What foods should I eat to support my hormones? How can I reduce my exposure to harmful chemicals? Welcome to The Wise Consumer podcast with Madeleine Wisecup! The show that answers all these questions and more! With the help of the experts -- I am talking scientists, toxicologists, endocrinologists, cosmetic chemists -- you’ll get knowledge and know-how to your most pressing health concerns and sustainability questions, straight from the source. This is a space where I, Madeleine, do the heavy lifting so you don’t have to - a space where you can incrementally evolve, live a more mindful life and do good for yourself, your family and the planet in the process. This is where we can let it all hang out (TMI is most welcome!) with like-minded warriors and women wanting to nourish our bodies and grow gradually without comparison or conditions. Join me every week as we explore mindful and healthy living tips, tricks and takeaways to create the kind of slower, sustainable life you’ve been craving. This is our space, our corner of the world where we feel good to do good. Together. Subscribe wherever you get your podcast and make sure to connect with me at http://www.thewiseconsumer.com and on instagram @thewiseconsumer

REPLAY - Does Your Bra Fit? Everything You Need To Know About Bra Sizing 12/14/2022

REPLAY - Does Your Bra Fit? Everything You Need To Know About Bra Sizing Hi friend! I am taking a bit of time off from editing and sharing new podcast episodes for a few weeks while I finish working on a new project (more info coming soon!). The good news is there are plenty of other episodes from previous seasons you can catch-up on (binge!) while I step away from the microphone during these next few weeks. For instance, have you listened to my conversation with world-renowned bra expert and founder of , Laura Tempesta? If you haven’t yet, press play now because you’re in for a treat! More soon! :) ------ Did you know that 80% of women are most likely wearing the wrong bra size?! Crazy right? Weirdly enough, I never really gave much thought to bra sizing until I came across Laura Tempesta’s TedTalk “You’ll Never Look At Bras The Same Way Again!” After watching her TedTalk and realizing that everything I thought I knew about bra sizing was wrong, I figured this was a topic we should unpack and explore on the podcast together. So, here to clear up some of the confusion around bra sizing and to share helpful solutions is the bra expert herself, Laura Tempesta. Laura is a world-renowned bra expert, apparel innovator, and an inventor of multiple patented products. In fact, she is the only American with a Master’s degree in Lingerie Design, and the only person in the world with a custom-designed degree to study the engineering, design, performance and innovation of Sports Bras. Prior to founding , a consumer advocacy group and resource providing bra reviews and education, Laura was Nike’s Sports Bra Innovation Director where she helped guide and develop sports bra innovation. She has been featured as a bra expert in Vogue, Insider, and Better Homes & Gardens and is a TEDx speaker. In short: Laura is on a mission to change the world one poorly fitting sports bra at a time! If you’re tired of continually wasting money on bras that don’t fit and aren’t comfortable and want to learn how to finally find a bra (or sports bra) that fits and properly supports your ‘girls’ then tune-in because we chat about all this and more in today’s episode! The Wise Consumer Show Notes: /episode/index/show/thewiseconsumer/id/25320111

Cycle Syncing 101: What is it, how to get started, and what are the benefits? 12/07/2022

3 Reasons Why Women Should Be Consuming More Omega-3 Fatty Acids 11/30/2022

3 Reasons Why Women Should Be Consuming More Omega-3 Fatty Acids Have you ever noticed that almost every single packaged food item sold at the grocery store contains some form of vegetable oil? I recently walked through the grocery store aisles flipping over packaged foods simply to read their ingredient labels because I was curious, how many products contained vegetable oils? To be honest, I guess I wasn’t really shocked when I realized that almost every item I picked up contained some form of plant-based oil such as sunflower oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, or sesame oil. Even the “healthy” organic foods contained vegetable oil. Pizza? Vegetable oil. Trail mix? Vegetable oil. Ice Cream? Vegetable oil. Fruit Snacks? Pretzels? Protein bars? Vegetable oils! Now, I am not saying that all vegetable oils, which are high in omega-6 fatty acids, are bad. Nor am I saying that we should never eat them again. In fact, our bodies need omega-6s fatty acids as they're essential fatty acids. Meaning, our bodies can’t produce them so we need to get them from an external source. So, what's the problem? The problem is that we are consuming too many omega-6 fatty acids and not enough of their counterpart, omega-3 fatty acids. Which in the long run can become problematic to our health for a variety of reasons. But, as consumers, this is where things tend to get a bit confusing! I mean, aren’t vegetable oils healthy? And, what's the difference between omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids? And, is there a balanced omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio we should strive to achieve? Luckily for us, here to help simplify and unpack all of these questions (and more!) is the one and only Ayla Barmmer, MS, RDN, LDN. Ayla is a registered dietitian nutritionist, functional medicine practitioner and the founder, and CEO, of , a fertility wellness and education brand. Her entire career focus has been to advance the health and empowerment of practitioners, patients and families through nutritional science, functional medicine and evidence-based holistic solutions. In today’s episode Ayla shares why women should consume more omega-3 fatty acids, especially women who are struggling with period pain, have a hormonal imbalance, or pregnant or breastfeeding, the differences between omega-6’s and omega-3s, how to easily add more omega-3 rich foods to your diet, and why she developed FullWell’s Fish Oil supplement. We also go off on a tangent and talk about her passion for herbal medicine and the differences between nervines and adaptogens. I absolutely loved chatting with Ayla and know this is a conversation that will inspire and encourage you along your own personal health journey! The Wise Consumer Show Notes: /episode/index/show/thewiseconsumer/id/25171977

What Really Happens To Our Bodies During Pregnancy & How To Get Back To Working Out Safely 11/23/2022

What Really Happens To Our Bodies During Pregnancy & How To Get Back To Working Out Safely So, you just had a baby! Yay, congratulations! Hope you're taking such good care of yourself and baby is doing so well! Now, let me ask you a question -- are you itching to workout again? Are you anxiously awaiting that six weeks postpartum appointment, hoping against hope that your OB will give you the "all clear" to start exercising again? I know I was. Unfortunately, I didn't get the "all clear" to exercise again at my 6-weeks postpartum exam. Rather, my OB wrote me a referral to see a pelvic floor specialist and told me to "take it easy." Bummer. The reality is many of us aren’t ready to get back to our pre-baby exercising regimes after our six weeks postpartum exam, or eight weeks if you had a c-section. Obviously this isn’t the case for everyone but, generally speaking, most of us need to give our bodies a bit more time to heal and strengthen after delivery. But, how much time do most of us need before we can start exercising again? How do we know if our bodies are ready? Or, what if we’re feeling discouraged by the lack of “progress” our bodies are making after pregnancy to “bounce back?” What then!? Here to help answer these questions and more is Dr. Amanda Olson, a pelvic floor specialist, founder of and a Certified Pilates Instructor & Running Coach. (Note: I spoke with Dr. Amanda in episode 88 “” Make sure to give that episode a listen if you haven’t already! It’s jam-packed with helpful tips and information on all things pelvic floor health.) In this episode Dr. Amanda shares what really happens to our bodies, anatomically speaking, when we’re pregnant, how to get back to working out safely after pregnancy, whether or not running with urinary incontinence is a problem, why some women, especially women who’ve experienced c-sections, may take longer to get back into high intensity exercise, how to use vaginal weights, the importance of nutrition, and more! Press play now if you’re ready embrace your amazing postpartum body and to get back out there feeling encouraged and stronger than you were before! /episode/index/show/thewiseconsumer/id/25098459

The Importance of Sleep and How to Get More of It, Especially If You’re a Sleep Deprived Mama 11/16/2022

The Ideal High Chair Position for Baby & How to Use Feeding Utensils with Kayla Richardson MS, CCC-SLP CLC 11/11/2022

5 Ways to Identify an Oral Dysfunction & Best Ways to Treat Tongue-Ties 11/09/2022

The Benefits of a Doula & Why I Think Every Pregnant Person Should Have Access to One 11/02/2022

The Benefits of a Doula & Why I Think Every Pregnant Person Should Have Access to One Did you know that women supported by a doula during childbirth are less likely to need pain medications or require a c-section? In fact, according to a study published by the Cochrane Review, , women supported by a doula are also more likely to have a positive birth experience and endure shorter labors. While more research needs to be conducted the study concluded that "continuous doula support during labour may improve outcomes for women and infants!" This is especially comforting news when you consider the alarming fact that the United States has one of the highest rate of maternal deaths among high-income countries! A recent study published by the , found that in 2020, the US maternal mortality rate was 23.8 deaths per 100,000, ! Even more alarming is the fact that Black women in the United States are nearly three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than White women! This, shares , is primarily due “to systemic racism and discrimination at the individual level, Black women and birthing people face unacceptable (and mostly preventable) risk during childbirth and throughout and after pregnancy.”⁠ ⁠This is unacceptable and, as my guest today, Mabel Bashorun, a certified doula (DONA), Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, and a certified lactation consultant (who also currently happens to be pursuing a career in nurse-midwifery), tells me, "it's a shame, it's a disgrace, and it's a huge stain on the American healthcare system!"⁠ In 2017, Mabel launched with the mission to support and advocate for other women throughout their pregnancy and labor experience. As a Ghanian-American, Mabel takes great pride in serving fellow Black women during pregnancy, with the personal aim to ensure they do not succumb to the maternal mortality crisis that continues to plague the Black community today. ⁠ ⁠In today's episode Mabel and I chat about the benefits of hiring a doula, the differences between a doula and a midwife, why she thinks all women should have access to a doula (regardless of budget), the importance of education, how to advocate for yourself and your birth preferences, the challenges facing Black mothers in the US today, my birth story and how she supported me (because yes, Mabel also happens to have been my doula! :)), and so much more! Press play now! The Wise Consumer Shownotes: /episode/index/show/thewiseconsumer/id/24854760

4 Things Every Woman Struggling with Endometriosis Should Know 10/26/2022