Breast milk’s superpower goes beyond babies

WHAT’S ON DECK

• Tell Me More:  Are Menstrual Blood and Breast Milk the Key to Healing the Human Body?

• Troublemaker Spotlight: Shizu Okusa, Founder and CEO, Apothékary

• Dear FQ: How Can I Navigate My Return to Work After Maternity Leave?

• Poll the Pack: The Value of Realistic Work-Life Integration

TELL ME MORE

Why blood, breast milk, and the placenta might be the future of health research

What’s the key to groundbreaking health insights across the globe? Start with menstrual blood, breastmilk, and even the placenta. These fluids (and temporary organ) are powerful biological indicators and may even hold the key to treating diseases like Alzheimer’s. 

Recently, researchers have uncovered staggering health insights. The source of this groundbreaking research? Women’s bodies. “In the future, this knowledge may be revolutionary,” says surgeon, author, and lecturer, Dr. Karan Rajan. “Not just to achieve medical breakthroughs―but to destigmatize periods once and for all.”

Here’s a look at the latest: 

The power of period blood

In 2007, scientists discovered that menstrual blood contains stem cells—self-renewing cells that function like a sort of repair system for the human body. This year, researcher Alice van der Schoot hailed menstrual blood stem cells (MenSCs) as a “game-changer” because they double 19 hours faster than traditional stem cells. While the research still has a long way to go, the results for Alzheimer’s are already promising.  

Breast milk’s effects on adults

Breast milk… for adults? Scientists are exploring the power of HMOs (human milk oligosaccharides)—complex milk sugars/carbohydrates found in breast milk. A study at UC San Diego found that one HMO helped reduce artery-clogging plaque in mice and showed promising results for multiple sclerosis. While this research is still unfolding, it could lead to groundbreaking therapies that help us live healthier, longer lives. 

In some countries, breast milk is already being used to treat ailments like eye infections, minor burns, eczema, and diaper rash.

The placenta as a diagnostic tool 

Typically discarded after birth, scientists now realize that there’s value in keeping and analyzing the placenta. This vital tissue holds critical information that could answer questions about reasons for low birth weight, neurological issues in infants, pregnancy hypertension, and even cardiovascular issues in the parent.

"Placentas should not be considered a waste tissue," says Mana Parast, MD, PhD, professor of pathology at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine. "They can teach us a lot about not just what went wrong in a pregnancy, but also inform us about subsequent pregnancies for the health of the pregnant person and baby." Parast’s words are confirmation that the tools for closing the gender health gap might be closer than we think—and even within our own bodies, when we take the time to study them.  

Bottom line: The more we invest in this research, the more breakthroughs we unlock for everyone. Advancing equity in science doesn’t just benefit women—it drives progress for all. 

TROUBLEMAKER SPOTLIGHT

Shizu Okusa, Founder and CEO, Apothékary

Shizu Okusa is a Wall Street alum-turned-wellness entrepreneur. After an intense finance career, including three years as a trader at Goldman Sachs, Shizu craved a more balanced lifestyle after burnout. Fast forward a few years, and she sold her first entrepreneurial venture, JRINK, a cold-pressed juice company. Inspired to revisit her Japanese roots, Shizu saw her next opportunity in the health space: Apothékary, a “Plant-Based Farmacy” serving up viral herbal alcohol alternatives, like red-wine inspired tinctures and “Rosé-Tinted Glasses™.” Now, as Founder and CEO of Apothékary, Shizu’s a respected entrepreneur, and on track to drive over $35 million in sales. How did she go from Wall Street to Well Street? We sat down to find out. 

FQ: What’s the worst career advice you’ve gotten?

To choose the highest paying job over doing what you love.

Life is so short! I have seen firsthand, moving from Wall Street to wellness, how much doing what you love can lead not only to success, but an overall higher quality of life. 

What’s the best piece of non-obvious career advice you’ve gotten?

“Live for eulogy virtues, not resume virtues.”

There are a lot of Buddhist traditions where death is at the forefront because, when you think about death, you think about how you want to live. I used to be so focused on work, not on my eulogy virtues.

What was a “heartbeat moment” for you in your career?

Leaving such an intense career on Wall Street. It inspired me to live a more balanced lifestyle and revisit my Japanese roots and passion for herbal medicine, which led to Apothékary.

This gave me the opportunity to film our first documentary for Apothékary—featuring my mother and father. It’s one of the ways I was able to share my Japanese heritage and further connect with my consumers. A full circle moment.

Imagine you just received the marketing version of an Emmy award. Who are you thanking?

Ted Goldthorpe at BC Partners was my first boss and someone who ultimately saw something in me, when I didn’t even see it myself.

Where have you caused trouble?

I constantly push the envelope for what success looks like. Whether it’s been on Wall Street or building my own businesses, my goal is to always be 10 steps ahead. For example, I will always push for new content or creative when I know something won't land with our audience.

As a founder and CEO, sometimes you must make hard decisions and stick with them, even when no one can see or understand where that decision is coming from. The buck ultimately stops with you.

P.S. Know a troublemaker we should feature? Let us know a friend or colleague you recommend.

DEAR FQ

Your burning career questions answered

Vanessa Buenger of The Female Quotient weighs in:

First off, congratulations! What an incredibly exciting time for you. I recently returned from my own maternity leave, and I can tell you firsthand, it's absolutely possible to be an energized working mom who continues to grow in her career. 

Here are my recommendations:

• Make your desires known to leadership, and do it early. Start having those conversations well before your leave. 

• Be specific and let leadership know your intent to return, your ambition to grow, and where you envision yourself post-maternity leave. Any good leadership team will be thrilled to know you're still committed, and will be eager to retain ambitious talent.

• Be proactive in setting your team up for success while you're away. Actions speak louder than words, so demonstrating your commitment to a smooth transition with comprehensive handover docs and training will go a long way in reinforcing your dedication.

It’s worth noting that if, for any reason, you're considering a career move after maternity leave, ensure you leave your current team on excellent terms. Glowing references are invaluable.

Most importantly, give yourself grace. Becoming a parent is a promotion in itself, a significant and beautiful one. Any workplace worth your time will celebrate that and support you as you embrace your new normal.

P.S. Got a burning career question? Serve it up here to Dear FQ to score advice from a powerhouse leader in our network.

POLL THE PACK

Work-life integration: aligning your career with your life stage

A career that works with your life instead of against it? That’s what workers want, and what research says builds better business.

Flexible work arrangements and family leave policies are just two ways that companies can encourage a healthier work-life integration. And it turns out, employees are healthier and more productive when they can duck out for things like school pickup, without stressing about being offline. 

It’s all part of work-life integration, a more modern approach to work-life balance. Realistic work-life integration starts with leaders modeling behavior that makes sense for employees and teams. As CEO of The Female Quotient, Shelley Zalis, recalls from one of her first jobs, “We were all sitting [in the office] like idiots because nobody would leave—because you'd be ‘bad’ if you left before anybody else. Then, one day, I left, because I really wasn't doing anything. I didn't lose my job.” 

In the end, work-life integration isn’t just about balance—it’s about setting individual boundaries that allow employees to work best, leading to better results for both companies and teams. The boundaries and desk hours of a busy mom will look different than those of a fresh college grad, and it’s important that both are respected, without judgment.  

To more research, boundaries, and building back from burnout. 

Xo,

The FQ

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