What Your Bloodwork Isn’t Telling You /w Dafna Chazin
If you have ever left a doctor's appointment feeling dismissed, handed a prescription you did not fully understand, or told your labs were "normal" while still feeling terrible, you are not alone. In this episode, Mariah and Monique sit down with registered dietitian Dafna Chazin, who has spent over 15 years in women's health and now specializes in helping women with PCOS regulate their cycles and improve fertility through food and lifestyle changes. Her path to this work was personal, and that is exactly what makes her perspective so worth listening to
Episode Highlights
What Is PCOS and Why Was the Name Just Changed?
Why "Normal" Blood Work Does Not Always Mean You Are Healthy
How Dafna's Program Works: Personalized Plans, Real-Time Feedback, and Learning to Eat for Life
Four Practical Nutrition Habits That Work for Most Women
Why Eating Too Perfectly Can Actually Work Against You
How to Find Dafna and Get Support
What Is PCOS and Why Was the Name Just Changed?
PCOS, long known as polycystic ovary syndrome, was recently renamed to PMOS, which stands for poly endocrine metabolic ovary syndrome. The new name better reflects what the condition actually is: not just a reproductive issue, but a metabolic one that can affect weight, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular health. Dafna explains that many women with PCOS are not getting adequate care because the medical system tends to manage symptoms rather than address root causes. Her work focuses on getting to the source of hormonal imbalance through nutrition, which, she emphasizes, is backed by solid research and produces real, lasting results.
Why "Normal" Blood Work Does Not Always Mean You Are Healthy
One of the most validating parts of this episode is Dafna's explanation of how standard lab ranges often fail women. Most reference ranges were built using a bell curve of mixed populations, and in some cases, data skewed toward male physiology. A result can fall within the "normal" range while still sitting at the edge of optimal function, and if your body happens to be sensitive to that marker, you will feel it. Dafna approaches lab work from a functional medicine perspective, looking not just at whether something flags high or low, but whether it is in the range where your body can actually thrive. Her message: if your doctor says everything looks fine but you still feel like something is off, keep asking questions.
How Dafna's Program Works: Personalized Plans, Real-Time Feedback, and Learning to Eat for Life
Dafna's coaching program combines group support with individual guidance, starting with a comprehensive blood panel to understand each woman's hormonal picture before anything else. From there, every client receives a customized food and supplement plan tailored to their specific results, rather than a generic protocol that may miss the mark entirely. One of the standout features of her program is a meal photo journal where clients upload pictures of what they eat and receive real-time feedback, turning everyday meals into a learning opportunity rather than a pass-fail test. Her larger goal is not perfection but fluency: she wants her clients to understand their own bodies well enough that they never have to start over from scratch again.
Four Practical Nutrition Habits That Work for Most Women
Rather than overhauling everything at once, Dafna shares four evidence-based habits she returns to again and again with clients. First, eat on a consistent schedule with three meals and one to two snacks rather than grazing throughout the day, which can keep insulin elevated for too long. Second, prioritize protein at breakfast, aiming for at least 20 to 30 grams, whether that comes from eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or a protein shake. Third, choose high-fiber carbohydrates like beans, legumes, sweet potatoes, and quinoa to keep blood sugar and energy steady throughout the day and reduce the afternoon crash many women experience. Fourth, take a 10 to 15 minute walk after meals when possible, since even brief movement helps cells draw sugar from the bloodstream, lowering blood sugar and insulin more effectively than a single longer workout session might.
Why Eating Too Perfectly Can Actually Work Against You
In one of the more surprising moments of the episode, Dafna talks about nudging clients to loosen up when their meal journals look too spotless. Rigid, all-or-nothing eating is a setup for the exact cycle she is trying to help women escape: follow the plan perfectly, hit one hard moment, abandon everything, and start over. Her approach actively builds in flexibility from the beginning, because a person who knows how to eat a slice of birthday cake and keep going is far more resilient than someone who has only ever practiced perfection. The GPS analogy she uses is worth keeping in mind: a wrong turn does not erase your destination. You just recalculate and keep going.
How to Find Dafna and Get Support
Dafna works with women dealing with PCOS, irregular cycles, and fertility challenges through her online coaching program, which is available regardless of where you live. She can be found on Instagram at @pcosnutritionistdafna, and her website includes information on her program as well as a way to reach out directly. Whether you are deep in a fertility journey or simply feel like something in your body is off and no one has given you a satisfying answer, she encourages you to get in touch and start a conversation about your goals.
All Heart & Soul's Details:
Website: www.heartandsoulmastermind.com
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Say hi to Mariah on Instagram: @mariahmckechnie
Say hi to Monique on Instagram: @moniqueforcier
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