- 12 hours ago
Festival-goers will meet the visionary health innovators, who are featured in the New Voices Health Innovators Hub ( located in Unbothered Wellness Sanctuary) and learn how their businesses are advancing health equity in our communities.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00So I'm really excited to hear about these emerging voices in health care.
00:05This is a cutting-edge panel where we're going to be talking to leaders in fields of health
00:09that are radically changing, and they're going to change the way that we approach our health
00:13every single day. So I'm excited to introduce some of these voices. My name is Dr. Judith
00:21Joseph. I'm a psychiatrist, and let's just jump in. So first, this is Tiffany, and Tiffany
00:28is going to tell us about her business, but I want to introduce the others to you all.
00:35Roshane Sasson from Birthview, and we have Dr. Phyllis from Jean Lean 360, and Antonia
00:45Walters from Jayla Health, and last but not least, Maria from Vulva AI. So Tiffany, please
00:54tell us about your business and about your mission.
00:58Awesome. My name is Tiffany Whitlow. I have the pleasure of serving as our co-founder and
01:02chief development officer at Aclinate, where we are working to empower one million people
01:06to take actions for better health.
01:10Hi, my name is Roshane Sasson. I am...
01:13Can you hear me?
01:17Hi, everyone. My name is Roshane Sasson. I am the founder and CEO of Birthview, a digital
01:23maternal health platform helping moms, families, and clinicians improve their labor and delivery
01:28outcomes and experience.
01:31Hi, I'm Dr. Phyllis. I am a genetic weight loss physician. I lost 100 pounds when I decoded
01:37my DNA and understood how to eat, how to exercise. There's so much misinformation out there when
01:42it comes to wellness, to health, to losing weight. And so our company, Gene Lean 360, empowers women
01:50over 30 to understand your genes, understand your story, and we're on a mission to help
01:57one million women.
01:59Hi, everyone. My name is Antonia Walters. I am the co-founder and CEO of Jayla Health.
02:05We are helping 40 million women going through perimenopause and menopause. And importantly,
02:11we are centering black women in that conversation. So I'm so excited to be here with my fellow
02:17panelists today.
02:19Hello, everyone. It is so loud. Okay, so I'm going to be louder.
02:24Hi, my name is Dr. Marie Yoloko. I am the CEO and founder of Vulva AI. I am a board-certified
02:31urologist that specializes in comprehensive sexual health. So that means that I take care of the
02:35medical and surgical management of sexual dysfunction of all genders. I am one of seven trained in the
02:40world to do this, and I created Vulva AI to help the 85 million women suffering from vulva-vaginal
02:46conditions like recurrent yeast infections, pelvic pain, complex pelvic pain, recurrent urinary tract
02:54infections, and overactive bladder symptoms, which takes on average seven years to get a diagnosis,
02:59three doctor's visits, and $20,000 out-of-pocket costs. We're using predictive AI to help patients
03:06get cheaper, faster, more accurate diagnosis by being their own patient advocate and their own
03:10vulvar specialist.
03:12Thank you. So we're going to start with you, Tiffany. Tell us about clinical research and the future of
03:19how your company is changing clinical research.
03:23Yeah, well, there are drugs that are being created today that are less effective because we are not
03:27included in clinical research. And so like many founders, we started our company with our personal
03:32wise. And so for me, my son was diagnosed with asthma and he was prescribed albuterol. I had no
03:38idea that albuterol was 47% less effective in African-Americans and 67% less effective in
03:44Puerto Ricans. That's a problem. And so we go into communities and through our now included platform,
03:50build trust with people, allow them a platform to share their story because we know through sharing
03:54those lived experiences, we're able to make change on the back end. And we match people with clinical
03:59trial opportunities that are available around them in their local communities because it's funny,
04:04but still five years into this game, we go into a new community and we ask people, are you being
04:09offered an opportunity? And they're still saying no. And pharmaceutical companies are paying for that
04:13support because we do have people who believe in health equity overall and believe you have to go
04:18into communities early and often if you want to see that sustainable change.
04:23Wow, it's so important. And people often believe that our community is not interested in clinical
04:28research, but it's the opposite. I run a clinical research lab in Manhattan. I can't tell you how
04:33many times people say they were never offered a clinical research study or a trial. And that's
04:39becoming one of the major sources of a way to supplement your treatment these days. So information
04:45is really powerful. You're so right. And that's why we knew we had to have that real double-sided
04:49marketplace. And so on now included, it really is about building trust and building relationships with
04:54people that are not just transactional. And on the back end, provide them benefit and resource
04:59through that real access of clinical trial opportunities around their local communities.
05:04That's great. And Roshane, so tell us about how your company is challenging some of the disparities in
05:12healthcare these days.
05:13Yeah, absolutely. Great question. And once again, my company being focused on maternal health,
05:20we've seen that there is a disparity when it comes to data and access. There might be data, but there's not
05:27access to moms. And on top of that, there's no interpretation. There's no understanding about what the
05:33data really means. So what our company does is we offer a portable at-home contraction monitor that moms
05:39can put on their stomach. And not only does it offer insights through our mobile app showing them their
05:44contraction and their labor progress, but we use predictive AI to allow us to interpret that data
05:50and create a personalized labor forecast so that they can know, okay, I'm currently in early labor.
05:56Active labor will start in 10 hours and I'll get into delivery in about 12 or 14 hours. So it's giving
06:03them control. And that's one thing I've realized. Moms typically, it seems like there's a lack of control.
06:09There's a lack of understanding. There's a lack of empowering these moms to get this information,
06:14to get this data, so they can improve their own outcomes themselves instead of relying on others.
06:19And as we look to partner with a few hospitals in New York City, that's one of the routes that we've
06:25chosen to take simply because they have the patient population that is underserved and much needed.
06:31So that's what we do.
06:33Very important because we know the really unfortunate numbers in black maternal health these days.
06:39and the mortality rates. And we know that it's also impacting their postpartum depression rates,
06:45right? Makes sense. If you're not having great outcomes, then you're going to feel, you know,
06:50mental, your mental health is going to suffer as a result. So it's important to have that
06:55technology in our hands. It's something that we can control when there are many things that are out
06:59of our control. And Dr. Phyllis, you are on the cutting edge of maintaining your weight. And we know
07:09that weight issues can impact diabetes. They can impact hypertension. They can impact your mental health
07:17and well-being. Your cancer rates. And your company focuses on the genetics and how do we use genetic
07:24information to help us in our weight management health. So tell us about that. I love how you
07:31highlighted all the things that obesity encompasses. So obesity is akin to the next smoking. It affects
07:36every single organ system. And especially in our community. It's not enough to say, eat less,
07:43exercise more. It's not enough. One size all approaches don't fit for us. And so understanding
07:49why, if you're a friend of the keto diet, why that doesn't work for you, it all comes down to the genetic
07:55level. And when we're empowered with that level of a blueprint to understand our bodies, how we should
08:01supplement our bodies, we don't realize a lot of our food supply is actually undernourished. The food
08:06that we have today is not the same food we had even 30, 40 years ago. And so now we're in this place
08:12where we are overfed, undernourished, blaming ourselves because of having cravings. And cravings
08:18are a sign of micronutrient deficiencies oftentimes or gut imbalances. And we're left guessing. And so what I
08:24love to say is test, don't guess. When we have the access to do things like genetic testing,
08:31you are able to walk away with this blueprint to really change your life and change the life of
08:35your family. Because I don't want to get too nerdy, but talking about epigenetics where you can up
08:40regulate the expression of certain genes and down regulate the expression of other genes. So
08:45sometimes, very oftentimes, when we think about our genetics, we say, I don't want to know my genetics.
08:51I'm scared to know I can't change them. That's not true. Your genes are not your destiny. They're your
08:57strategy. And when you change your lifestyle, you can pass down healthier genetics to your next
09:02generation. So this is so important for both men and women. But especially as women, if we're deciding to
09:09become mothers or moms, you really want to make sure that you are getting your health in check and
09:14priority so that you can pass on that to your next generation. Because health is what? Well.
09:18Yes. And people are using a lot of these weight management drugs these days, but it doesn't
09:25work for everyone. And so tell us about how that information that is specific to your individual
09:31needs and your individual genetics can be helpful. Exactly. So these medications, and she's referring
09:37to GLP-1s, Ozempic, Manjaro, everyone thinks just a little injection is going to take that terrible
09:44stigma of obesity away. It's a Band-Aid. Our cravings are there for a reason. I think a lot
09:49of people, I felt a lot of shame. I was an overweight doctor. So when people say to me,
09:54oh, I feel ashamed, I was like, I was a fat doctor. Like, I win. So just understanding that
10:00those cravings were telling me specifically a story. I thought I couldn't stay away from chocolate.
10:05And really, it was micronutrient deficiencies. I was deficient in things like magnesium,
10:09or I couldn't process certain levels of B vitamins because I needed them methylated for them. There
10:15was issues with my MTHFR gene. Very nerdy. I'm sorry. But just understanding that it's not your
10:21fault. There's nothing wrong with you. You're not broken. You just don't have the right information.
10:26And so even when you're taking a medication that's a Band-Aid, it's covering up the reason why you're
10:31having the craving in the first place. So you're getting rid of the craving, but underneath,
10:35you're still micronutrient deficiency. You're still maybe having issues with your gut. And then
10:41when you come off that medication, you gain the weight right back. So this is why genetics is always
10:45going to be important. Understanding you. You'll see us walking around with tourists that say,
10:50do you know you? Because we don't even know ourselves anymore. So that's a really good place
10:54to start is with genetics. It's really exciting and it's cutting edge. I'm glad that we're part of
10:59that with you. Thank you. And Antonia, you mentioned perimenopause and menopause health. And
11:08you know, within our community, many of us don't know that we go through perimenopause and menopause
11:14sooner, longer, with more severe symptoms, right? And that most doctors only get like one class in
11:22medical school on this. One class. So a lot of the information has to be within the patient's hands,
11:27right? Tell us about how you inform your patients so that they feel empowered.
11:32I'm so glad you asked that question because when it comes to women's health, we focus on fertility.
11:38So everything is baby, baby, baby, baby, baby. And then after that, they're like, okay, good luck.
11:45Figure it out. You got this. And especially for black women, they say you're strong.
11:50You can do that. And that's why we center black women in these conversations.
11:53But you're right. On average, doctors, including GYNs, receive one hour of training for menopause.
12:02And we know that every single woman in this space is going to go through it, right? And I think it's
12:09especially true for black women, like you said. On average, black women start perimenopause one year
12:15early. They start and experience more severe symptoms. So hot flashes, night sweats, but also brain fog,
12:21anxiety, depression. You know, these are things that you just can't put a bandaid over. They affect
12:26your life. They affect your relationships. They affect your identity. And I think that's what
12:31we're building that is so special at JLA. It's recognizing that no, a prescription doesn't just
12:36solve everything. Okay. Right. It's a real identity and change in who you think you are and what you're
12:42going through. So for a lot of what we do is education, right? We have a weekly webinar. We focus on
12:48black women. It's led by board certified GYNs. It's led by our providers because we recognize that
12:55we don't talk about it enough. And if we do talk about it, there's a little bit of a taboo, like,
12:59oh, I don't want to get old, right? But perimenopause starts in your late 30s. And so we really,
13:06as a community, seem to acknowledge that. And we also, I want to say thank you to all the men who are
13:11here because we have a lot of men that come out to us and say, how do I support my wife? How do I
13:15support my sister? How do I be a better father? Because it's not just on women to explain and
13:21solve this problem. It's really on all of us. So thank you for asking that question. We do a lot
13:26of work around that. And it's important. It's not just about losing your period and that's it.
13:31During this phase, your heart health is impacted. So we know that with hot flashes going up,
13:38there's an increased risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, so breaking your bones. And there are
13:44things that you can do to prevent this. And we also know that, well, while black women are more
13:49likely to go through these symptoms with more severity and more length, they're also less
13:54likely to get the support they need in terms of hormonal health therapies. So tell us a bit about
14:00that information in terms of patient options for treatment. So at JLA, we do a couple of different
14:05things. We offer hormone testing. We offer telehealth with black and brown providers who see you,
14:12who understand you, but we also take care of the treatment piece. And so that means providing you
14:17with the latest and greatest evidence-based treatment. So that includes hormone replacement
14:22therapy, which is the top line defense for vasomotor symptoms, hot flashes, night sweats. But it also
14:28includes non-hormonal options for women who don't want to take hormones or who can. It also includes
14:33evidence-backed supplements, right? Because there's so much stuff on Instagram and TikTok and Facebook,
14:39and you don't know what to buy, right? So we're really focused on looking at the data,
14:43making sure we're collecting our own data sets so that it's evidence-based and so that we're creating
14:48that information and we have that information about black women. Because that's what we do. We
14:53center black women. Thank you. And Dr. Maria, you are doing a wonderful work in women's health.
15:02And many times, unfortunately, as women, we don't even think about down there the way that we need to.
15:07Many of us even name our parts incorrectly, right? So tell us about your advocacy work there and your
15:14education in that space. Yes. Thank you so much for that question. You know, honestly, it's so normalized
15:22that we don't know anything about our own bodies. And as we age, our bodies change. And what I learned
15:31when I opened up my first women's health practice was, wow, there are so many changes that happen to
15:37you without your consent, without your knowledge that is bringing you to my office today. And realizing
15:43that so many of these patients, 85 million women today are already suffering from vulva vaginal
15:49conditions. And fun fact, guys, just like perimenopause and menopause, vulva vaginal conditions will affect 100%
15:55of people in their lifetime. And so oftentimes, they go to their gynecologist looking for answers. But even the
16:02gynecologist aren't well trained on this. So on average, it takes seven years to get a diagnosis, three
16:08doctors visits, 35% of these patients will see up to 15 doctors. And that's $20,000 out of pocket costs on top of
16:17their insurance. And when they were in my office, I would be able to do a very simple exam, and then use
16:24science, and then treat and diagnose. And that took 30 minutes. And every single patient would cry. Because
16:32I was the first doctor that ever believed them. And then also, it was so easy. They suffered for decades,
16:38solely because no one understood vulvar anatomy, how it works, how to treat, how to diagnose. And that is
16:46why I created vulva AI. Because thinking about all the doctors that have to learn this, I realized
16:53there's no, there's no way I'm going to able to mass train every single doctor. But I can mass train
16:59every single patient to be their own biggest advocate in the doctor's office. So if you know
17:04your body best, you can then best advocate for yourself as a doctor's office. So at vulva AI, we
17:11build literally your own vulvar specialist directly in your pocket. And that's important because on
17:18social media, words like vulva, vagina, they get blocked. So you have to get that information in
17:24spaces like yours, or else you're not going to get it at all. Yep. Yep. And that lack of knowledge
17:29is literally leads to death and suffering. So one of the fun facts I like to tell people is a healthy
17:35vulva is a healthy bladder. We know that bladder infections have a significant rise in women as
17:41they age with perimenopause and menopause. And that can actually kill people. And so the fact that if
17:47we can prevent a lot of these things by keeping our vulva healthy, understanding the lifespan of
17:53the vulva, understanding how to diagnose, how to treat these conditions and prevent, we can literally
17:58be saving lives. And improving quality of life. Improving the quality of life. We are all about
18:03quality of life over here. So we only have a couple of minutes left. And I'm just going to ask
18:08each person to just give a quick one liner as to what makes their company so cutting edge and stand
18:15out and why you should support them. So we'll start with you. I'll leave you with, I believe that now is
18:21the time for you to be included and take control of your health. We can no longer, as you just heard,
18:27wait on everyone else to make these decisions for us. And so I encourage you to join us. There's a
18:31mobile application. There's a website, but it's nowincluded.com.
18:36I would say that childbirth is a natural process and we should do everything we can to keep it that
18:42way. Everything we can to improve these outcomes that moms are facing and everything we can to give
18:48access to data. Oftentimes, once again, there's a significant lack. And even being able to look at
18:54things such as prenatal care, what that data could mean and transform lives.
19:00So a lot of the components of dementia, cancer, heart disease, stroke are preventable. And so
19:09understanding your genetics is being preventable, preventative versus reactive. Our society is so
19:15focused on sick care and we're not focused on the well care model. So once you understand what's going
19:21on with your genetics, you not only are going to fit better in your clothing, but you're going to be
19:24dealing with less chronic disease. So I would head to geneticweightloss.com to learn more.
19:30I would say no one is coming to save us. When America catches a cold, black people have the flu.
19:37And that's why we center and uplift black women going through perimenopause and menopause. That will
19:42always be our number one mission. That is our number one commitment. I'm not afraid to say it to our
19:47investors, because we see you. We're here for you. Jayla Health, please check us out so we can be
19:52supportive of your journey.
19:55Let's see. So the mission at Vulva AI is teach one, heal many. I'm a big believer that an educated
20:01patient is the strongest advocate for themselves. And so if we can educate the masses, we can then
20:06protect ourselves in a health care system that wasn't meant for us.
20:10Thank you. Let's give our panelists a round of applause.
20:13Thank you. Thank you all so much.
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