There are the stories we tell out loud, and then there are the ones we keep tucked away—the ones that ache the most, because we’ve carried them in silence.

On this episode of On Health, we’re breaking the silence—and the stigma—around some of the most vulnerable, hidden experiences women carry: miscarriage, illness, identity loss, perfectionism, aging, and the loneliness so many of us feel but rarely name.

I’m joined by the phenomenal Dr. Jessica Zucker, clinical psychologist and author of the groundbreaking memoir I Had a Miscarriage, and her latest book, Normalize It, which is just what we need: an invitation to stop apologizing for what we’re going through—and start talking about it.

Together, we explore:

• How grief grows in silence—and thrives in stigma
• What it means when you don’t feel like yourself
• Why midlife isn’t a decline—it’s a reckoning
• What being a “good girl” has cost us
• Why loneliness is a serious health issue
• Why we are more than what we do
• How perfectionism is stealing our joy

This one’s for all the women tired of pretending they’re fine.

Who are aching to be seen.

Who are ready to stop carrying the weight alone.

Looking for supplements for yourself and your family, including some of those I talk about in episodes? You can find those - and your 15% discount on every order here: avivaromm.com/supplements

Mentioned in this episode:

Looking for supplements for yourself and your family, including some of those I talk about in episodes? You can find those - and your 15% discount on every order here: avivaromm.com/supplements

What if you already have what it takes to breastfeed your baby—and just need the right support to unlock it?

This question is at the heart of my conversation with Lisa Paladino, Certified Nurse Midwife, IBCLC, and a fierce advocate for women and babies. Lisa has decades of experience helping families navigate the powerful, joyous, and sometimes confusing, emotional, and occasionally challenging terrain of breastfeeding. Not just a brilliant clinician, but a graduate of both my Women’s Integrative and Functional Medicine and Herbal Medicine for Women training programs… and now, a lifelong friend.

Lisa is the passionate founder of Tongue Tie Experts. She’s spent decades supporting parents through the intense, sacred, and often confusing path of breastfeeding—especially when things don’t go as planned.

Lisa’s journey from hospital-based nurse and midwife to fierce advocate for women’s rights and breastfeeding education is one you won’t forget. And what we unpack in this conversation might change how you see everything from nipple pain to infant sleep—and even adult airway health.

In this episode, we dive into:

• What exactly is an IBCLC—and why it matters
• The silent struggle of mastitis, milk supply issues, and pain
• How breastfeeding shapes your baby’s airway—and possibly lifelong health
• The heartbreak of not making enough milk—and how to support yourself
• Setting yourself up for breastfeeding success before the baby comes
• Why so many moms stop breastfeeding before they want to—and how we can change that
• And yes… we go there with nipple toughening myths, lactation cookies, pumping in broom closets, and airplane glares.

Because we’ve all been there—or know someone who has.

“Breastfeeding is a vital sign of the infant-maternal dyad. If it’s not working, we need to ask why.” — Lisa Paladino

“We’re grown-ass women. Nobody should be telling us what we’re ‘allowed’ to do in birth or postpartum.” — Aviva Romm

In this episode, we dive into:

• You deserve real, informed support—not just platitudes or formula handouts.
• Breastfeeding might be “natural,” but that doesn’t mean it’s easy or intuitive.
• Trusting your instincts is medicine.
• Whether you breastfed for two years, two days, or not at all, you’re still a phenomenal mama.

Looking for supplements for yourself and your family, including some of those I talk about in episodes? You can find those - and your 15% discount on every order here: avivaromm.com/supplements

The Mama Pathway is not your average childbirth education program. It's a powerful virtual membership community and online education experience where traditional midwifery wisdom and modern medicine meet to support you on your most empowered path through pregnancy, birth, and beyond. Go to avivaromm.com/mama-pathway to learn more

Mentioned in this episode:

The Mama Pathway is not your average childbirth education program. It's a powerful virtual membership community and online education experience where traditional midwifery wisdom and modern medicine meet to support you on your most empowered path through pregnancy, birth, and beyond. Go to https://avivaromm.com/mama-pathway to learn more

Looking for supplements for yourself and your family, including some of those I talk about in episodes? You can find those - and your 15% discount on every order here:...

Have you ever left a doctor’s appointment feeling more defeated than when you arrived? Perhaps a diagnosis felt like a life sentence, or a well-meaning comment planted a seed of fear that lingered for months. This isn’t just bad bedside manner; it’s a phenomenon I call “medical hexing.” It’s the subtle, and sometimes not-so-subtle, way that language in medical settings can disempower us, shaping our beliefs and even our health outcomes.

Today, we’re diving deep into the power of words in medicine – how they can both heal and profoundly harm. In this episode I give you the down-low on:

• The Concept of Medical Hexing: How negative language and disempowering beliefs, often unintentionally, can act as a "medical hex," influencing our health beyond just our physical symptoms.
• The Nocebo Effect's Reality: This isn't just "woo-woo." The "evil twin" of the placebo effect, has a neurobiological basis, demonstrating how negative expectations can directly impact our physiology.
• Words as Physiological Triggers: The language used by healthcare providers directly impacts our brain and body, triggering stress responses, altering hormone levels, and even influencing our immune systems.
• The Power Imbalance: The traditional doctor-patient power dynamic can amplify the nocebo effect, making us more susceptible to negative suggestions and limiting our ability to advocate for ourselves.
• Reclaiming Your Agency: It's crucial to recognize your own expertise in your body and health, to question negative prognoses, and to seek out providers who foster trust and empowerment.
• The Body's Innate Healing Capacity: We must shift away from a disease-focused model and recognize the body's remarkable ability to heal, a capacity that can be enhanced or diminished by our beliefs.

For a deeper dive into advocating for yourself within the medical system, be sure to read my book, "Hormone Intelligence." It includes a full chapter dedicated to empowering you to get the supportive, respectful healthcare you deserve.

Looking for supplements for yourself and your family, including some of those I talk about in episodes? You can find those - and your 15% discount on every order here: avivaromm.com/supplements

Mentioned in this episode:

Looking for supplements for yourself and your family, including some of those I talk about in episodes? You can find those - and your 15% discount on every order here: avivaromm.com/supplements