Podcasts about health initiative

Your Hormones Are Killing You: Oxytocin, FSH, and the Anti-Aging Protocol Most Doctors Ignore Your hormones are running your love life, your intuition, your longevity, and your brain, and most doctors are getting it completely wrong. Host Dave Asprey sits down with triple board-certified OBGYN Dr. Anna Cabeca to break down the clinical science of oxytocin, female pleasure, hormonal optimization, and why fixing your hormones can make your 70s the best decade of your marriage. Dr. Anna Cabeca is a triple board-certified OBGYN and fellow of gynecology and obstetrics, integrative medicine, and anti-aging and regenerative medicine, with additional board certifications in functional medicine, sexual health, and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. She is the bestselling author of The Hormone Fix, Keto-Green 16, and MenuPause, and has spent decades researching the clinical intersection of oxytocin, cortisol, estrogen, and progesterone on women's hormonal health, metabolism, and longevity. Her work on keto-green nutrition, vaginal and bladder microbiome health, and bioidentical hormone replacement has made her one of the most credentialed and clinically experienced voices in women's functional medicine practicing today. Dave and Dr. Anna break down the real pharmacology of oxytocin, including its role in muscle regeneration, cortisol suppression, mitochondrial signaling, and vagal tone optimization. They expose the toxic ingredients hiding in mainstream lubricants and vaginal hormone creams, including aspartame, parabens, and petroleum derivatives, and explain why the vaginal microbiome is a frontline organ for women's metabolism and anti-aging. They get into the neuroscience of orgasm, pineal gland activation, endogenous DMT release, and the neurochemical cascade behind peak altered states. Dr. Anna also breaks down the Women's Health Initiative disaster, the FDA's recent reversal on bioidentical hormone replacement, and why FSH is a critical and widely overlooked longevity biomarker. High post-menopausal FSH drives neuroinflammation, accelerates bone loss, and degrades brain optimization outcomes, and most physicians are not testing for it. This is essential listening for anyone serious about biohacking, longevity, anti-aging, functional medicine, human performance, brain optimization, and taking full ownership of their biology. You'll Learn: Why oxytocin functions as a regenerative hormone that rebuilds muscle, suppresses cortisol, and supports mitochondria signaling What toxic chemicals are hiding in standard lubricants and vaginal hormone creams and what to use instead How orgasm activates the pineal gland and triggers endogenous DMT release and altered neurological states Why female intuition may be directly linked to mitochondrial density concentrated in the ovaries How elevated FSH drives neuroinflammation, bone loss, and accelerated brain aging in post-menopausal women Why the FDA reversed 30 years of flawed guidance on bioidentical hormone replacement therapy How four days of sensory deprivation supercharges melatonin, oxytocin, and endogenous DMT production Why oxytocin combined with ketamine is being used clinically to break trauma patterns and rewire neural pathways How polyphenols, CoQ10, carnitine, and vagal tone training protect cardiovascular health and support longevity Why polypharma accelerates decline and what functional medicine does differently Thank you to our sponsors! - KILLSwitch | If you're ready for the best sleep of your life, order now at https://www.switchsupplements.com/and use code DAVE for 20% off - Gatlan | Book your free consultation at www.gatlan.com/DAVE - Redmond Real - Leaf Toothpaste | Go to https://redmond.com/asprey and use code ASPREY for 15% off your first order. - Neuronic | Go to www.neuronic.online Code DAVE for $100 off Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights inhealth, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient. Keywords: Dr. Anna Cabeca, The Girlfriend Doctor, oxytocin, bioidentical hormone replacement, FSH, follicle-stimulating hormone, vaginal microbiome, Velve lubricant, Julva, Mighty Maca, cortisol suppression, pineal gland, DMT, neuroinflammation, broken heart syndrome, NT-proBNP, vagal tone, dark retreat, orgasmic meditation, Women's Health Initiative, perimenopause, postmenopause, yoni massage, oxytocin nasal spray, cabergoline, prolactin, Pitocin, CoQ10, carnitine, Arterosil, polypharma, keto-green, The Hormone Fix Resources: • Get An Exclusive Offer On Dr. Anna's Products At: dranna.com/tribe • Get My 2026 Clean Nicotine Roadmap | Enroll for free at https://daveasprey.com/2026-clean-nicotine-roadmap/ • Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today. • Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15 • My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off) • Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off) • Dave Asprey's BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com • Dave Asprey's New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated • Join My Substack (Live Access To Podcast Recordings): https://substack.daveasprey.com/ • Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com Timestamps: 00:00 – Trailer 01:37 – What Is Oxytocin? 07:38 – Clean Lube Launch 09:11 – Toxic Lube Ingredients 17:08 – Oxytocin Prescribing 18:58 – FDA Reverses HRT Warning 26:50 – Dark Retreat & DMT 32:15 – Orgasmic Meditation 42:06 – Female Intuition 46:21 – Broken Heart Syndrome 51:15 – FSH & Hormone Monitoring See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I am honored to connect with Dr. Stacy Sims today. She is a forward-thinking international exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist on a mission to revolutionize exercise and nutrition performance- particularly for women. In our conversation, we discussed the exclusion of women from research in the modern science era and how gender differences begin in utero. We look into the importance of tracking our menstrual cycles, the differences between follicular and luteal phases, and problematic ovulatory cycles, exploring the current research on oral contraceptives, the impact of the Women's Health Initiative, and the kind of training that is essential for women in perimenopause and menopause. We also cover the physiologic changes that occur in perimenopause and menopause, and Dr. Sims shares her thoughts on weight loss resistance, SECO, undereating, the importance of protein, and essential supplements for middle-aged women. I know you will love this invaluable conversation with Dr. Stacy Sims. IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN: Why are women still excluded from many studies? How the physiological differences between men and women begin in utero and continue through adulthood How stress during pregnancy affects the developing fetus How the muscle morphology of women differs from that of men  Why girls need to learn new ways to move and build strength during puberty How tracking menstrual cycle phases helps women optimize their training The potential long-term effects of using oral contraceptives Why a diverse diet is essential for supporting gut health Common misconceptions surrounding hormone therapy Why Dr. Sims recommends creatine for women in perimenopause and menopause Connect with Cynthia Thurlow   Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia's website. Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com  Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow.  Purchase Cynthia's book, The Menopause Gut. Cynthia's Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book The Midlife Pause Supplement Line Connect with Dr. Stacy Sims  On her⁠ website⁠ Instagram⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠ ⁠TikTok

On this episode of Our Better Half, we enjoy an in-depth conversation with Dr. Sarah Girardi, a trailblazing urologist and female sexual health specialist with over 25 years of experience. Together, we unpack the often-neglected world of older adults' sexual health. Dr. Girardi connects the physical and urological realities of aging to the broader relational and emotional aspects of intimacy, drawing on her extensive clinical background to bust long-standing myths and advocate for the well-being of her patients. A primary focus of the discussion revolves around the biological realities of aging and the critical importance of proper anatomical education. Dr. Girardi emphasizes that recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women—regardless of whether they are 20, 60, or 90 years old—are frequently tied to sexual activity, making sexual health history a vital component of standard urological care. Furthermore, she addresses the widespread misconception that painful sex or a compromised sex life is just an inevitable part of growing older that women must accept. Through her practice, Dr. Girardi uses direct, empathetic tools—like using a mirror during exams—to help women understand their own changing bodies and reclaim their sexual vitality. She notes that while physical intimacy changes over time, a lack of compliance from one's anatomy doesn't mean intimacy has to end; rather, partners can discover new ways to pleasure each other beyond standard penetration. The episode also highlights major medical milestones and clarifies the science behind female sexual health treatments. Dr. Girardi discusses the historic November 10, 2025, FDA announcement that officially removed the decades-old black box warning on topical vaginal estrogen, a decision rooted in safety data reviewed during an intensive hearing in September of that year. She explains that topical vaginal estrogen is not absorbed systemically, but instead safely restores a low pH and healthy lactobacillus to the vaginal ecosystem, serving as a powerful defense against life-threatening conditions like urosepsis in older women. Shifting the conversation to non-hormonal desire medications like flibanserin, Dr. Girardi clarifies the public discourse surrounding the "Female Viagra" misnomer. She notes that while Viagra works on a purely physical level by maintaining blood flow to an erection, female arousal and desire operate through complex neural pathways in the brain. Ultimately, Dr. Girardi urges both patients and practitioners to reject a compromised quality of life, navigate past historical fears like the 2002 Women's Health Initiative study, and embrace the healthcare solutions women rightfully deserve. If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our website and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. It really helps support our show! As always, thanks for listening!  

Dr. Lisa Larkin, doctor of internal medicine and 35-year women's health specialist, joins Jon and Will to explain what men need to know about menopause and perimenopause. She covers why women age completely differently than men (fits and starts vs. gradual decline), the biological reasons behind declining libido, sleep disruption, mood changes, and body changes in women's 40s and 50s, and why communication is the single most important thing couples can do during this transition. She also breaks down breast cancer risk assessment (25% of women are high risk and don't know it), the history of hormone therapy from the 2002 Women's Health Initiative scare to where the science stands now, why she opposes high-dose testosterone pellets for women, and why lifestyle beats supplements every time. Dr. Larkin is a breast cancer survivor herself and past president of the Menopause Society.Full episode: https://podfollow.com/mentalkingmindfulness/episode/03387a9002dca750859496876727425e576ad645/viewFull video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-gSueDpfWYFree A2A course access: use code FREE at https://men-talking-mindfulness-a2a.circle.so/checkout/free-accessFree Awareness assessment and Focus app: https://mentalkingmindfulness.com/linkinbio or text MTM to 33777 GET MORE FROM MTM:Text MTM to 33777 — free weekly newsletterSubscribe & Episodes: mentalkingmindfulness.comFREE APP: https://focusnowtrainingapp.com/FREE Assessment: https://focusnowtraining.com/assessment-pageA2A COURSE:12 modules on attention, presence & performance. Self-paced. Built for people who hate the word mindfulness.focusnowtraining.com/a2aBRING FNT TO YOUR TEAM:Custom training for your organization. In-person or online.focusnowtraining.com/contactCo-produced by Robert Lopez | cratesaudio.com

Are hormones really just about hot flashes and libido?In this eye-opening episode of the Wise Divine Women Podcast, Dana Irvine sits down with functional medicine practitioner, yoga instructor, and menopause educator Cindy Dupuie to discuss one of the most important—and misunderstood—topics in women's health: hormone replacement therapy, bone health, brain health, and aging well.Cindy shares her personal journey into early menopause at age 43 and how her experience led her to become passionate about helping women navigate perimenopause, menopause, and beyond. Together, Dana and Cindy explore the evolving science around hormone replacement therapy (HRT), the lasting impact of the Women's Health Initiative study, and why so many women are still struggling to access informed care today. In this conversation, you'll learn:✨ Why estrogen affects every organ system in the body✨ The connection between hormones, metabolism, inflammation, and gut health✨ How hormone health influences bone density, cardiovascular health, and cognitive function✨ Why osteoporosis prevention must start before symptoms appear✨ The importance of strength training, protein, and lifestyle habits during menopause✨ Common misconceptions about hormone replacement therapy✨ How to become a stronger advocate for your own health care✨ Why women need to understand their lab work and ask better questions✨ The role of functional and integrative practitioners in supporting healthy aging✨ How community and education empower women through menopause and beyondDana and Cindy also discuss the importance of personalized care, looking beyond symptoms, and creating a strong foundation through nutrition, movement, stress management, sleep, and hormone balance.Instagram @cindy_dupuie https://www.instagram.com/cindy_dupuie/Website alivingbalance.net https://alivingbalance.netYouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@alivingbalanceFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/cdupuie/Course: Grace In Transition for Women Of A Certain Age https://alivingbalance.net/course/Download Lab Checklist for The Pause Years https://mailchi.mp/ec838eef0e74/lab-checklistTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction to women's health, menopause, and hormonal balance02:00 - Cindy's journey from dietetics to functional medicine for women's wellness05:00 - How estrogen impacts cell function and overall health08:00 - The gap in conventional hormone management practices11:00 - The Dutch Test and hormone monitoring innovations14:00 - The critical connection between gut health and hormones17:00 - Why HRT is like the “icing on the cake” in a foundation of health20:00 - Navigating conversations with healthcare providers about hormone therapy23:00 - The importance of baseline blood tests for preventative health26:00 - The impact of hormones on bone density and osteoporosis risk30:00 - Common barriers in accessing hormone care in the U.S. and Canada33:00 - Strategies for women over 60 to maintain vitality and independence37:00 - The role of lifestyle factors (stress, sleep, exercise) in hormonal and bone health41:00 - Key lab markers to assess bone health and inflammation44:00 - The importance of multifaceted approaches: diet, sleep, stress, and hormones48:00 - Community programs and online courses for women of a certain age“Take a breath and stay curious” — Embrace continuous learning and compassionate advocacy for your health.

What does proper midlife care actually look like, and who keeps getting left out of it?In this episode, Laura sits down with Dr Caoimhe Hartley - founder of Menopause Health in Dalkey, clinical lead of the Complex Menopause Clinic in the Rotunda, and clinical lead for women's medicine at the new BlackRock Health Women's Health Centre.They talk about the women being told no - those over 60 who feel they have missed the boat on HRT, and those who have come through breast cancer and are still struggling with symptoms. Caoimhe explains where the evidence actually sits on bones, blood vessels and brain, why so much of what gets repeated still comes from the Women's Health Initiative, and how modern HRT differs from the older oral preparations.The conversation moves through midlife weight gain and changing body shape, the rise in adult ADHD diagnoses, and the link between oestrogen and dopamine. They also dig into osteoporosis screening in Ireland, why there is no national DEXA programme, dietary calcium, and the histamine flare some women notice on HRT.Throughout, Caoimhe keeps coming back to the same point - care should be personal, joined up and built around the woman in front of you.

Hi, it's Heather and I'm so glad you're here! Welcome to the newly renamed Health, Harmony and Heather podcast! This space is dedicated to exploring social phenomena, the human condition, and how we can better connect with ourselves, each other, and the planet. In this episode, I'm thrilled to welcome back my personal clinician and friend, Lauren Rosenberg. Lauren is a highly experienced physician associate, internal medicine expert, and the founder of Vent Health, a practice dedicated to shifting the medical focus from disease treatment to true preventative care and health optimization. Today, we are stripping away the stigma and diving deep into the raw science, truth, and real solutions for perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. The days of women suffering in silence are over. The "One Day" Truth: Why menopause is actually just one single day in your life, and what it means for your timeline. The Hormone Rollercoaster: A breakdown of how estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone behave during your cycle—and what happens when they plummet. Symptoms Beyond Hot Flashes: From brain fog, joint pain, and "frozen shoulder" to anxiety, weight gain, and urinary changes. The WHI Study Debunked: The real story behind the 2002 Women's Health Initiative study that scared a generation away from life-saving hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The Power of Peptides: How cutting-edge tools like GLP-1s, Tirzepatide, Retatrutide, and cellular repair peptides can be paired with HRT for total vitality. At-Home Longevity Habits: The non-negotiable lifestyle habits—including grip strength, Zone 2 training, lifting weights, protein intake, and specific magnesium variations—to help you thrive. Connect with Lauren Rosenberg: Learn more at myventhealth.com or follow her on Instagram @MyVentHealth. Virtual Menopause Care: Check out Midi Health (joinmidi.com) for accessible, insurance-based virtual menopause care. Trusted Supplement Brands: Designs for Health, Pure Encapsulations, Thorne, and Metagenics. AirDoctor.  Head to www.AirDoctorPro.com  and use promo code HEATHER to get $250 off select AirDoctor air purifiers, including the 3500, 4000, and 5500 models. Plus, you'll receive a free 3 year warranty, an $84 value, and AirDoctor's 30-day money back guarantee. This is an exclusive podcast only offer, available now! Don't forget to LIKE this video, SUBSCRIBE to the channel, and hit the notification bell so you never miss an episode. Let's live the last third of our lives with vitality, strength, and harmony! #Menopause #Perimenopause #HormoneReplacementTherapy #HealthyAging #Peptides #Longevity #WomensHealth #HealthHarmonyAndHeather Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This powerful clip is from episode 356.In this Microsode, I sit down with Dr. Lorna Brudie—former GYN oncologist and Medical Director at Excel Medical to talk about the Women's Health Initiative, the decades of confusion around hormone replacement therapy, and what happens when women are dismissed instead of investigated. But underneath all of it is something deeper: the danger of disconnecting from your body long enough that exhaustion, brain fog, anxiety, poor sleep, and burnout become “normal.”This episode is a reminder that prevention requires responsibility. No one is coming to advocate for your health harder than you.Missed the Full Episode? Check it out here:LISTEN TO EP 356 ON APPLE PODCASTLISTEN TO EP 356 ON THE SPOTIFY PODCASTWATCH EP 356 ON YOUTUBE⭐️YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS: Please: Subscribe + leave 5⭐️Star rating +review HEREEnjoy! xRxFIND ME ON:️INSTAGRAMSUBSTACKYOUTUBETWITTERTHREADSFIND DR. LORNA ON:IGWEBFREE RESOURCES:

In this episode, we're diving into the complex and often misunderstood topic of menopause and perimenopause. Despite affecting every woman who lives into late life, menopause has long been underfunded, understudied, and minimized both culturally and medically. Today, we'll explore why clinical care for women in the menopause transition has lagged behind, examining the deep historical roots of gender bias in research, the fragmentation of women's healthcare, and the profound impact of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study, which triggered decades of fear and misinformation about hormone therapy. Enroll now in: Under-Recognized, Under-Treated, and Misrepresented Realities of the Perimenopause and Menopause Transition, with Leslie Fuller, ND and Jillian Moehle, ND at https://pages.kharrazianinstitute.com/fuller-moehle-perimenopause00:00 Historical oversight in menopause care06:00 Women's Health Initiative study flaws08:29 Impact of WHI study miscalculation10:28 Misinterpretation of breast cancer risks13:44 Correcting hormone therapy myths17:23 Podcast resources and educational coursesSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/solving-the-puzzle-with-dr-datis-kharrazian. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For far too long, many women have been told their symptoms were normal, exaggerated, or simply something they had to live with—treated as isolated problems instead of part of a much larger hormonal transition happening inside the body. On this episode of The Dr. Hyman Show, I'm joined by Dr. Sharon Malone, host of The Second Opinion podcast and Chief Medical Advisor at Alloy Women's Health. We discuss how menopause and hormone therapy became so misunderstood, the real story behind the Women's Health Initiative study, and why a more individualized, prevention-focused approach to women's health is long overdue. Watch the full conversation on YouTube, or listen wherever you get your podcasts. We explore: Why so many women enter perimenopause completely unprepared—and how symptoms can begin years before menopause officially starts What the Women's Health Initiative actually found, and how one medical narrative reshaped women's healthcare for decades How menopause affects far more than reproduction, including the brain, heart, sleep, metabolism, and bone health What you should know about hormone therapy today, including timing, individualized treatment, and understanding risk in context The daily habits that still matter most for healthy aging, whether or not you choose hormone therapy Midlife health should never be reduced to “just deal with it.” The more women understand what's happening inside their bodies, the earlier they can take steps to protect their long-term health and quality of life. View Show Notes From This Episode Sign up for Dr. Hyman's Brainshaping Academy to learn how to nourish the biological systems that support your mental, emotional, and cognitive health - ⁠Click Here⁠ Get Free Weekly Health Tips from Dr. Hyman https://drhyman.com/pages/picks?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Sign Up for Dr. Hyman's Weekly Longevity Journal https://drhyman.com/pages/longevity?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Join the 10-Day Detox to Reset Your Health https://drhyman.com/pages/10-day-detox Join the Hyman Hive for Expert Support and Real Results https://drhyman.com/pages/hyman-hive This episode is brought to you by Paleovalley, Pique, Perfect Amino, Rho, Sunlighten and BIOptimizers. Head to paleovalley.com/hyman to save 15% off your first order today. Secure 20% off your order plus a free starter kit at piquelife.com/hyman. Go to bodyhealth.com and use code HYMAN20 to get 20% off your first order. Head over to rhonutrition.com and use code HYMAN to get 20% off their entire product line. Visit sunlighten.com and use code HYMAN to save up to $1600 today! Head to bioptimizers.com/hyman and use promo code HYMAN at checkout to save 15%. (0:00) Introduction, survey on hormone use, and Dr. Sharon Malone's expertise   (4:04) Importance of women's health research and historical neglect   (5:35) Lack of education and preparation for menopause   (6:28) Societal and historical biases in women's health   (9:05) Observational studies vs. randomized controlled trials   (13:30) Life cycles, hormonal changes, and stages in women   (19:26) Detailed stages of hormonal changes and perimenopause   (23:00) Misdiagnosis and definition of menopause   (25:02) The term "postmenopausal" and its significance   (26:34) Impact of menopause on organ systems and major symptoms   (31:19) Lifestyle factors and hormone therapy options   (39:25) Black box warning, Women's Health Initiative, and therapy timing   (45:00) Women's Health Initiative findings and breast cancer risk   (47:57) Reinterpreting breast cancer risk and black box warning   (53:21) Personalized hormone therapy and clinical diagnosis   (59:55) Importance of estrogen and bioidentical vs. synthetic hormones   (1:03:35) Addressing sexual health and testosterone use for women   (1:08:05) FDA-approved peptides for women's arousal disorder   (1:09:57) Long-term benefits of hormone therapy   (1:12:43) Early menopause, hormone therapy, and health impacts   (1:15:07) Estrogen's role in brain health and dementia prevention   (1:16:22) Alzheimer's risk in women and hormonal 

If Part 1 was about the field of sexual medicine, Part 2 is about the marriage at the center of it. Dr. Jenni Skyler and Daniel Lebowitz return to their conversation with Dr. Irwin and Sue Goldstein, and this time, the questions get more personal. How do you stay married for fifty years? What does great sex actually look like across the decades? And what happens when a woman who has spent her career in sexual medicine starts experiencing low desire herself? Sue Goldstein opens up about her own journey through peri-menopause and the slow erosion of her libido- what she calls "duty sex", and the medications that brought not just her sex drive back, but a playfulness in her marriage she hadn't realized had gone missing. She walks listeners through her menopause toolbox of five treatments, explains why she's "76 and feels like she's in her 50s", and dismantles the lingering fears from the Women's Health Initiative that have kept generations of women in what she calls hormone prison. Dr. Irwin shares his own daily protocols for sexual health, why he believes most older men are leaving capacity on the table, and the surprising data from their own clinic- that more than half the Vyleesi prescriptions they write are off-label for men. They explore why dopamine is dopamine, regardless of gender. The reality of persistent genital arousal disorder. And a remarkable story of a teenage horseback rider whose chronic arousal turned out to be a herniated disc. This episode is full of practical wisdom, clinical innovation, and one of the most real conversations about long-term love you'll hear all year. The Goldsteins' secret to fifty years of marriage? Best friends, good sex, and the willingness to keep trying new things — including a chocolate sauce on the day before you change the sheets. Irwin Goldstein, MD, IF (he/him/his). Director, San Diego Sexual Medicine 5555 Reservoir Drive, Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92120, Director, Sexual Medicine, UC San Diego Health East Campus, San Diego, CA. Clinical Professor of Urology, University of California at San Diego. Voluntary Clinical Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Services Past President, International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health. Past President, Sexual Medicine Society of North America. Editor Emeritus, Sexual Medicine Reviews, The Journal of Sexual Medicine, International Journal of Impotence Research. Phone: 619 265-8865 - Mobile: 619 987-7432. Email: dr.irwingoldstein@gmail.com. http://www.sandiegosexualmedicine.com. Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SDSexMed. X: http://twitter.com/SDSexualMedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hormone therapy after breast cancer is one of the most nuanced and emotionally charged conversations in women's health.For decades, many women have been told the answer is simply: no.No discussion.No nuance.No consideration of quality of life, sexual health, bone health, brain health, or the individual woman sitting in the exam room.But what does the research actually say?In this episode of Pleasure in the Pause, I welcome back Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith, board-certified gynecologist and certified menopause practitioner, for a grounded, evidence-informed conversation about hormone therapy after breast cancer.This is not a conversation about ignoring risk.It is a conversation about understanding risk clearly, asking better questions, and making informed decisions in partnership with your physician.About our guest: Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith is a Board-Certified Gynecologist and certified menopause practitioner specializing in women's midlife wellness, hormone optimization and sexual wellness. She is the founder of Complete Midlife Wellness Center in Houston, TX, and the best-selling author of "Sexually Woke- Awaken the Secrets to Your Best Sex Life in Midlife and Beyond." She also hosts the popular podcast "Empowering Midlife Wellness." Dr. Susan is the recipient of the Texas Super Doctor award over a dozen times, as well a multiple time recipient of H-Texas magazine's Top Doctor and Top Doctor for Women awards. She also has been chosen as one of Houston's "3 best rated" gynecologists several consecutive years. Dr. Susan is also an ICF certified life and leadership coach, multiple time marathoner and Ironman triathlete, and mother of 3 teenagers. Highlights from our discussion include:What the Women's Health Initiative actually found — and why the headlines created so much confusionWhy breast cancer type matters when discussing hormonesWhat the research shows about hormone therapy and breast cancer recurrenceWhy some women on aromatase inhibitors may still be able to discuss options like progesterone, testosterone, and vaginal estrogen with their doctorHow to prepare for a more informed conversation with your physicianWhy collaborative decision-making matters in women's healthcareThe importance of considering quality of life, sexual health, bones, heart, and brain health — not just risk My hope is that this episode helps you feel more informed, more empowered, and more confident asking questions about your own body and care. If you're seeking to reclaim your pleasure and vitality, join Gabriella at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.pleasureinthepause.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for this enlightening journey into the heart of female pleasure and empowerment.Resources:Dr. Susan Hardwick Smith: https://drsusan.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsusanofficial/ Bluming review article in Cancer journal (2022): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35594465/ Menopause Society consensus paper (January 2026): https://www.imsociety.org/statements/position-papers-and-consensus-statements/ Hormone Replacement Therapy After Breast Cancer: It Is Time Avrum Z. Bluming, MD LINK - https://bit.ly/4st0uji Menopausal Hormone Therapy for Breast Cancer Patients: What Is the Current Evidence? LINK - https://bit.ly/41leKytAmerican Urological Association Guidelines on GSM 2025 https://www.auanet.org/guidelines-and-quality/guidelines/genitourinary-syndrome-of-menopauseCONNECT WITH GABRIELLA ESPINOSA:InstagramLinkedInWork with Gabriella! Full episodes on YouTube.The information shared on Pleasure in the Pause is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any decisions about your health or treatment. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or Pleasure in the Pause.

Perimenopause and menopause can feel confusing, overwhelming and often misunderstood. Michelle and Kevin welcome naturopathic doctor Dr Marianne Trevorrow for an in-depth, evidence-based conversation that cuts through the noise.They unpack what perimenopause and menopause actually are, how to recognize early (and often overlooked) symptoms, and why so many people don't realize what's happening until it disrupts their daily lives. Dr Trevorrow also breaks down the history and misconceptions around hormone therapy, including the lasting impact of the Women's Health Initiative study, and explains what current research really says about safety and effectiveness.The conversation goes beyond hormones to explore the critical role of lifestyle medicine. From plant-forward nutrition and metabolic health to sleep, stress, strength training, and the realities of midlife demands, this episode offers practical insights for navigating this stage of life with clarity and confidence.You'll also learn:Why hormone therapy isn't one-size-fits-allThe difference between systemic and localized estrogen treatmentsHow to think about “on-label” vs. “off-label” therapiesWhy weight gain, sleep disruption, and mood changes are so commonHow diet, fiber, and movement can significantly impact symptomsWhat to watch for with iron levels and nutrient absorptionHow these changes can impact trans people differentlyWhether you're experiencing symptoms yourself or supporting someone who is, this episode is a comprehensive, empowering primer on midlife health.Dr Marrianne Trevorrow's site: https://www.drmarianne.ca/Have a question for Michelle? Have a recipe (or recipe disaster) you want to share? Get in touch at n4noobs@gmail.com or connect with us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/nutrition4noobs) or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/nutrition4noobs)

Episode 2805 - Vinnie Tortorich and Anna Vocino discuss a cholesterol conundrum regarding CAC scores, numbers, and how to naturally balance those numbers. https://vinnietortorich.com/2026/05/a-cholesterol-conundrum-episode-2805 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS Pure Vitamin Club Pure Coffee Club NSNG® Foods VILLA CAPPELLI EAT HAPPY KITCHEN YOU CAN WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE - @FitnessConfidential Podcast Vinnie's workout videos are available to purchase! Choose from a 2-day, 4-day, or 6-day workout–or buy all three at a discount! TO PURCHASE VINNIE'S WORKOUT VIDEOS, CLICK THIS LINK: https://vinnietortorich.com/workout A Cholesterol Conundrum Vinnie recently posted on social media about the Women's Health Initiative. (3:00) The problem with Google is that you can "Google yourself right," so you can always find confirmation bias. There is a growing awareness of what constitutes a "clean" product. (17:00) For example, Anna's spices do not have fillers, preservatives, or anti-caking agents. Vinnie shares a story about a recent consultation. (28:00) CAC scans (calcium score test) are a great guide to see if heart disease will be an issue for you. Repatha was recommended even though the patient's numbers were great, and his calcium score was zero. Consider exploring natural supplements and lifestyle changes to manage cholesterol. The Cholesterol Code movie by Dave Feldman provides good information on cholesterol levels and the benefits of a low-carb diet. Anna goes over some bloodwork numbers and wants to discuss with her doctor. (50:00) Remember that the number ranges given in the results are representative of the general population. (52:00) It is often recommended to take CoQ10 alongside a statin. Statins deplete CoQ10, which can lead to muscle damage. Anna's products are now linked to PureVitamin Club's website. Look under the "Food and Snacks" section so that you can purchase them there, too. (58:30) https://purevitaminclub.com/collections/food-and-snacks The NSNG® VIP GROUP IS NOW CLOSED AGAIN AS OF SUNDAY, MARCH 15TH Anna's next cookbook, Eat Happy Cocktail Hour, is filled with cocktails, mocktails, and appetizers and is available for pre-order right now. If you pre-order, you'll get bonus goodies! You can preorder from a wide variety of booksellers at https://eathappycocktailhour.com/ Save your receipt from wherever you preorder, you'll need it for your bonuses! Physical Release Date is October 2026 A New Sponsor Jaspr Air Scrubbers has a discount code, VINNIE, that gets you $200 off for a limited time. Jaspr offers a lifetime warranty. Go to Jaspr.co for more information or to purchase. (1:05:00) You can book a consultation with Vinnie to get guidance on your goals. https://vinnietortorich.com/phone-consultation-2/ More News Serena has added some of her clothing suggestions and beauty product suggestions to Vinnie's Amazon Recommended Products link. Self Care, Beauty, and Grooming Products that Actually Work! https://www.amazon.com/shop/vinnietortorich/list/3GPVU29UHHPMY?ref_=aipsflist Don't forget to check out Serena Scott Thomas on Days of Our Lives on the Peacock channel. "Dirty Keto" is available on Amazon! You can purchase or rent it here.https://amzn.to/4d9agj1 Please make sure to watch, rate, and review it! Eat Happy Italian, Anna's second cookbook, is available! You can go to https://eathappyitalian.com You can order it from Vinnie's Book Club. https://amzn.to/3ucIXm Anna's recipes are in her cookbooks, on her website, and on Substack —they will spice up your day! https://annavocino.substack.com/ PURCHASE DIRTY KETO (2024) The documentary launched in August 2024! Order it TODAY! This is Vinnie's fourth documentary in just over five years. Visit my new Documentaries HQ to find my films everywhere: https://vinnietortorich.com/documentaries Then, please share my fact-based, health-focused documentary series with your friends and family. Additionally, the more views it receives, the better it ranks, so please watch it again with a new friend! REVIEWS: Please submit your REVIEW after you watch my films. Your positive REVIEW does matter! PURCHASE BEYOND IMPOSSIBLE (2022) Visit my new Documentaries HQ to find my films everywhere: https://vinnietortorich.com/documentaries FAT: A DOCUMENTARY 2 (2021) Visit my new Documentaries HQ to find my films everywhere: https://vinnietortorich.com/documentaries FAT: A DOCUMENTARY (2019) Visit my new Documentaries HQ to find my films everywhere: https://vinnietortorich.com/documentaries

Is progesterone the same as a progestin? It sounds like it should be. It is absolutely not. And that distinction matters more than most women — and many providers — realize.This is the conversation Dr. Carolyn Moyers has multiple times a day in clinic — especially with women in perimenopause who are trying to understand their options, figure out why a previous hormone regimen made them feel worse, or advocate for a prescription that actually fits their biology. It is also one of the most consequential mix-ups in all of menopause medicine, and it is long overdue for a dedicated episode.Bioidentical progesterone and synthetic progestins are not interchangeable. They have different molecular structures, different receptor profiles, and meaningfully different effects on your breast tissue, your cardiovascular system, your sleep, and your brain. The WHI study — the one that scared a generation of women off hormone therapy — tested a synthetic progestin, not bioidentical progesterone. And the breast cancer finding it reported was not even statistically significant. That context has been almost entirely missing from the public conversation. Until now.In this episode:• What bioidentical progesterone actually is — and how it differs from synthetic progestins at the molecular level• The WHI study: what it actually tested, and why its results have been misapplied for 20+ years• Breast cancer risk: the ESTHER study and what the evidence actually shows• Cardiovascular differences between progesterone and MPA (Provera)• Why progesterone is a neuroactive steroid — and what that means for your sleep, anxiety, and mood• Uterine protection: what it is, why it matters, and whether bioidentical progesterone is sufficient• What to do if you don't have a uterus — and whether you still need progesterone• Perimenopause: why the progestogen conversation is completely different when you still have cycles, variable ovarian function, and potentially need contraception• The levonorgestrel IUD, norethindrone acetate 5mg vs. the minipill, and Slynd (drospirenone 4mg) — what each one does and who it's for• Exactly how to advocate for yourself at your next appointmentResources mentioned:• ESTHER Study (Fournier et al.) — progesterone vs. MPA and breast cancer risk• Women's Health Initiative (2002)• Prometrium prescribing information• Labia Logic (@labialogic) — vulvovaginal specialists | Memorial Day vulvar health post: instagram.com/p/DYqK9uvj2M8• Sky Women's Health Podcast — Episode 158: Progesterone Intolerance | podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/episode-158-progesterone-intolerance/id1541657642?i=1000640152675Work with Dr. Moyers: skywomenshealth.com | In-person: Fort Worth, TX | Virtual: Texas & West Virginia

Today, I'm thrilled to connect with Dr. Jordan Emont. He is a board-certified OB-GYN with specialty training in menopause medicine, integrative hormonal care, and sexual health, and is one of fewer than 5,000 physicians worldwide who hold the Menopause Society-certified practitioner designation. In this conversation, we unpack the fear narrative surrounding HRT and clarify the distinctions between estrogen, progesterone, and cancer risk. We explore the impact of the Women's Health Initiative and discuss why rigid dogmatism has no place in women's health, the risks associated with early menopause and premature ovarian insufficiency, individual risk stratification, and contraindications to HRT. We also examine the connection between gut health and colorectal cancer, metabolic health as a modifiable cancer risk, and the emotional side of middle age and hormone replacement therapy. Stay tuned for one of the most important and thought-provoking conversations we've ever had on the podcast. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: How fears about hormone therapy are often based on outdated or misinterpreted data The difference between physiologic hormones and synthetic hormone formulations How the Women's Health Initiative's messaging that HRT causes breast cancer comes from an oversimplification of data How the fear-driven WHI headlines continue to impact women's and clinicians' thoughts about hormone replacement therapy  How women's concerns about menopause, sexual health, and menstrual symptoms are often dismissed The health risks associated with early menopause and premature ovarian insufficiency How declining estrogen levels affect multiple body systems, including gut-related and immune-related pathways Why is insulin resistance a major concern?  True contraindications for avoiding HRT Bio: Dr. Jordan Emont Dr. Jordan Emont is a board-certified OB/GYN and Menopause Certified Practitioner who specializes in menopause care for women who've been dismissed, undertreated, or told their symptoms are just part of aging. He's here to change that conversation. He trained at Yale, Brown, and Columbia, and is now an adjunct clinical faculty member at Stanford. He works at a community health center in the Bay Area, providing care to underserved populations, and runs his own private telehealth practice focused on complex menopause care. Connect with Cynthia Thurlow   Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia's website. Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com  Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow.  Purchase Cynthia's book, The Menopause Gut. Cynthia's Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book. The Midlife Pause Supplement Line Connect with Dr. Jordan Emont On his website Instagram and Substack

In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Dr. Betsy Greenleaf, the first board-certified female urogynecologist in the world, to dismantle the lie that estrogen causes breast cancer, expose the hormone training gap hiding inside every OB/GYN office in the country, and explain why the online HRT explosion isn't liberation; it's the setup for the next Women's Health Initiative.At 41, Dr. Greenleaf was surgically menopausal, prescribed antidepressants for symptoms her doctors blamed on hormones, and living with a lupus diagnosis she'd carried since age 18. When she stopped treating the symptoms and started treating her gut microbiome, the mood swings resolved, the immune dysfunction cleared, and the lupus markers that had defined her health for decades simply disappeared. The conventional medical system had no framework for what happened to her so she went looking for one.If you've ever been handed a hormone prescription with no questions asked, or been told your labs look "normal" while you feel anything but, this episode will give language to what you've already suspected.In this episode, you'll learn:Why your gynecologist, urologist, and endocrinologist almost certainly received zero formal training in sex hormonesWhy only 23% of residents finishing training today feel prepared to treat midlife womenHow chronic stress hijacks your sex hormones and converts them straight to cortisolWhy when tens of millions of women stopped HRT after the Women's Health Initiative, breast cancer rates went up, not downWhy estrogen is not cancerous and why progestins are a different story entirelyHow 90% of your serotonin and 80% of your immune system live in your gutWhy putting a 20-something on testosterone is masking the real problemThe five lactobacillus strains that actually rebalance the vaginal microbiome and why most probiotics don't contain themWhy no probiotic will work until the tissue itself is healthy and the full menu of options that can fix itHow the brain-gut-vagina connection drives libido, and why testosterone is rarely the answer for low sex driveEpisode Timeline00:00 Introduction to Urogynecology and Dr. Betsy Greenleaf03:48 Awakening to Functional Medicine06:34 The Importance of Gut Health08:14 Training Gaps in Hormonal Health11:09 The Dangers of Hormone Mismanagement14:00 Stress and Hormonal Balance16:46 The Role of Lifestyle in Hormonal Health19:21 The Fear of Hormones and Cancer21:55 Understanding Estrogen and Cancer Risks24:01 The Holistic Approach to Health28:38 Integrative Medicine and Continuous Learning31:30 The Role of Tools in Health Management34:19 The Shift from Conventional to Holistic Medicine37:15 Understanding Microbiomes: Gut and Vaginal Health40:05 The Interconnection of Health Systems43:58 Intimacy and Libido: The Psychological and Physical Connection50:38 Navigating Midlife Symptoms and Hormonal Health53:33 Innovations in Health Tracking and Patient EmpowermentWhere to find Dr. Betsy Greenleaf:Website: pauseinstitute.comInstagram: instagram.com/drbetsygreenleafTo talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-callTo get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuideTo purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off.Connect with Dr. Jenn:Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmonsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

Send us Fan MailThe hardest part of health care isn't always treatment, it's figuring out who should treat you in the first place. Speaking of Women's Health Podcast host Holly L. Thacker, MD sits down with Laura Lipold, MD, Director of Primary Care Women's Health at Cleveland Clinic, to map out how primary care, OB-GYN care and consultative women's health specialists can work together across every life stage.They talk candidly about why so many patients feel stuck right now, from limited access to primary care to the long shadow of menopause misinformation after the Women's Health Initiative. You'll hear practical guidance on what primary care can often handle (Pap tests, HPV and cervical cancer screening, mammogram orders, chronic disease management, obesity and metabolic health, behavioral health support) and when it's time to bring in a specialist for complex menopause and hormone therapy decisions, severe osteoporosis, cancer survivorship, blood clots, transplants, or major cardiovascular history.Support the show

In this episode, I'm back with Dr. Sameena Rahman for Part 2 — and we go places most medical appointments never do. We open with PCOS, GLP-1s, peptides, and ketamine, then shift into what may be the most important hormone conversation I've had on this show: is hormone therapy actually safe for women over 60?Dr. Rahman breaks down why the original Women's Health Initiative study was mismarketed, not flawed — and how that bad marketing set back women's health by two decades. She explains how to think about the risk-benefit calculation for starting hormones later in life, and what screenings actually matter before making that call.We then get into the reality of concierge medicine — why so many doctors are leaving insurance-based practices, and what women who can't afford private care can actually do. And we close on a myth that genuinely alarmed me: the idea that women over 65 no longer need pelvic exams. Dr. Rahman sets the record straight — and explains why genitourinary syndrome menopauIn This Episode: 00:00 - Welcome Back & Recap of Part 101:20 - PCOS Explained: What It Is and Who It Affects02:50 - GLP-1s, Peptides & Ketamine: What the Evidence Actually Says05:10 - Hormone Therapy After 60: Is It Safe?07:30 - The WHI Study: Bad Marketing, Not Bad Science09:20 - Heart Health, Bone Health & Who Should Consider Starting Late11:45 - Why Doctors Are Moving to Concierge Medicine14:00 - The Insurance System Is Rigged Against Women16:05 - What to Do If You Can't Afford a Specialist17:45 - The Pelvic Exam Myth Putting Women at Risk19:15 - Genitourinary Syndrome, Vaginal Estrogen & UTI Prevention20:50 - Final Thoughts & Where to Find Dr. RahmanWant a deeper look? Watch the full episode on YouTube for a more visual experience of today's discussion. This episode is best enjoyed on video—don't miss out!Karen Bigman, a Sexual Health Alliance Certified Sex Educator, Life, and Menopause Coach, tackles the often-taboo subject of sexuality with a straightforward and candid approach. We explore the intricacies of sex during perimenopause, post-menopause, and andropause, offering insights and support for all those experiencing these transformative phases.This podcast is not intended to give medical advice. Karen Bigman is not a medical professional. For any medical questions or issues, please visit your licensed medical provider.Looking for some fresh perspective on sex in midlife? You can find me here:Email: karen@taboototruth.comWebsite: https://www.taboototruth.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taboototruthYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@taboototruthpodcastAbout the Guest:Dr. Sameena Rahman is a board-certified OB/GYN and certified Menopause Practitioner with over a decade of expertise in midlife care, sexual medicine, and concierge gynecology. After training and practicing at leading institutions including USC, the University of Chicago, and Northwestern, she founded The GSM Collective in downtown Chicago to deliver a more personalized, patient-first model of women's healthcare.Nationally recognized for her leadership in sexual and menopausal health, Dr. Rahman serves on the Board of Directors and as Scientific Committee Chair for the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH), where she is also a Fellow (IF). She is a Menopause Certified Practitioner and active member of The Menopause Society's Education Committee, frequently speaking at national and international conferences on culturally informed care and sexual health.Connect with Dr. Sameena Rahman:Website: https://www.thegsmcollective.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gynogirl/Karen Bigman, a Sexual Health Alliance Certified Sex Educator, Life, and Menopause Coach, tackles the often-taboo subject of sexuality with a straightforward and candid approach. We explore the intricacies of sex during perimenopause, post-menopause, and andropause, offering insights and support for all those experiencing these transformative phases.This podcast is not intended to give medical advice. Karen Bigman is not a medical professional. For any medical questions or issues, please visit your licensed medical provider.Looking for some fresh perspective on sex in midlife? You can find me here:Email: karen@taboototruth.comWebsite: https://www.taboototruth.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taboototruthYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@taboototruthpodcastSubstack: https://karenbigman.substack.comLINKS, EXCLUSIVE VIP DISCOUNTS, COURSES & FREEBIES

In this solo episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons takes on one of the most accepted messages in women's health and dismantles it with decades of evidence. Routine yearly mammography screening does not hold up when you actually read the trials. Dr. Jenn walks through the WISDOM trial, the Cochrane Review, the Canadian Breast Cancer Screening Study, and the brand new 2026 American College of Physicians guidelines to make the case that one-size-fits-all screening is not just outdated, it is causing real harm.She also takes on the estrogen myth that has left millions of women suffering through hot flashes, bone loss, brain fog, and lost quality of life for decades. A 1.8 million woman study and the Women's Health Initiative say estrogen is not the villain. The real culprit may be something millions of women are still being prescribed today.If you have ever been told to just get your mammogram every year without a single conversation about the risks or what the data actually shows, this is the episode you have been waiting for.What You'll LearnWhat the 2026 American College of Physicians guidelines say about annual mammography and why radiology groups do not want you to hear itWhat the WISDOM trial found when women received fewer mammograms  and why the results challenge everything we have been toldWhat the Cochrane Review and Canadian Breast Cancer Screening Study concluded after studying hundreds of thousands of women over decadesWhy up to 50 percent of screen-detected cancers may have never grown, spread, or threatened a woman's life and what that means for how we treat themWhy estrogen alone has never been shown to cause breast cancer and what the data actually implicates insteadThe difference between synthetic progestins and bioidentical progesterone and why that distinction could change every conversation about hormones and breast cancerWhat BRCA mutation carriers need to know about hormone replacement therapy after risk-reducing surgeryWhat smarter, safer, individualized breast cancer screening actually looks likeEpisode Timeline00:00 Introduction01:08 This Is an Informed Consent Episode04:00 The WISDOM Trial and the End of One-Size-Fits-All Screening08:30 Fewer Mammograms, No More Advanced Cancers11:41 Why Adding MRI Led to More Biopsies and Zero Benefit15:00 The Only Endpoint That Actually Matters17:30 What the Cochrane Review Actually Found19:30 The Number Every Woman Deserves to Hear23:00 The Canadian Breast Cancer Screening Study27:00 What Overdiagnosis Really Means31:00 The 2026 American College of Physicians Guidelines36:03 The Estrogen Myth41:00 The Women's Health Initiative Unpacked49:00 Birth Control, Progestins, and Breast Cancer Risk53:00 Progestins Are Not Progesterone57:00 BRCA Mutation Carriers and HRT: What the 2026 JAMA Data Shows01:03:00 The Future of Breast Cancer ScreeningStudies Mentioned in This EpisodeThe WISDOM Trial — JAMAThe Cochrane Mammography Review — CochraneThe Canadian National Breast Screening Study: 25 Year Follow-up — BMJ 2014ACP Breast Cancer Screening Guidance Statement — Annals of Internal Medicine 2026Cracks in the Estrogen Carcinogenesis of Breast Cancer — Journal of Clinical Oncology 2026Hormonal Contraception and Breast Cancer Risk — NEJM 2017Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer: Women's Health Initiative — JAMA Oncology 2020HRT After Oophorectomy and Breast Cancer Risk in BRCA Carriers — JAMA Network Open 2026To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-callTo get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuideTo purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off.Connect with Dr. Jenn:Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmonsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

The Shapiro Administration is now two months into its “Healthy Moms, Vibrant Futures” maternal health strategic action plan. The goal is to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity, supported by community input, collaboration from multiple state departments and a 5-year federal grant.A Lebanon County man is charged with making terroristic threats online, against 20 Pennsylvania lawmakers. Pennsylvania State Police arrested and charged 42-year-old Adam Berryhill after they say he posted quote "politically violent" posts including a "hit list" on his X account in late April.President Donald Trump is nominating State Senator and former GOP gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Slovakia.Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the drowning of a 5-month-old girl at a Lancaster County hotel.In Schuylkill County, Pottsville city council voted earlier this week to join the ICE 287(g) program.Chambersburg Borough Council voted earlier this week to end the Franklin County community's 62-year-old fluoridation program in the public water supply. Votes by council were evenly split for and against fluoridation, so the mayor cast the tie-breaking vote to end the program.Mifflin County is being awarded $1.5 million in PennDOT funding, to improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety.As “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” heads into the sunset, keyboardist and Philly resident Corey Bernhard says he's “looking forward to getting back in the mix” and collaborating with Philly's local music scene.

Menopause hormone therapy and your brain: what the evidence says vs. what the algorithm is selling you. Two-thirds of Alzheimer's patients are women. That statistic has fueled a social media narrative that hormone therapy can prevent dementia, but the current evidence doesn't support that claim. In this episode, Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai sit down with OBGYN Dr. Jen Gunter and neuroscientist Dr. Sarah McKay to separate the science from the soundbites. Your Brain On... Menopause Hormone Therapy [Season 7, Episode 1] Get our FREE NEURO Plan Brain Health Playbook: https://thebraindocs.com/playbook In this episode: Why menopause hormone therapy is the gold standard for hot flashes and night sweats but not a proven tool for dementia prevention The Women's Health Initiative: what it actually found, how the press conference distorted the findings, and what we've learned since Why "bioidentical hormones" is a marketing term, not a medical one, and what that means for the products being sold to you How the hypothalamus drives vasomotor symptoms and why sleep disruption may explain much of the cognitive fog women experience at midlife The high placebo response rate with hormone therapy and why dose escalation can mask a missed diagnosis Why the simplistic narrative of "women get more Alzheimer's, so it must be menopause, so give hormones" falls apart under scrutiny How over-testing, unregulated lab panels, and wearable hormone data can create more anxiety than answers The case for perimenopause as a life stage, not a disease, and why medicalizing normal midlife stress upholds harmful structures What the aging brain actually gains: vocabulary, emotional processing, wisdom, complex problem-solving, and the capacity to hold nuance 7 evidence-based actions you can take this week for your brain health, no prescription required Why the FDA's removal of the black box warning on hormone therapy was released without context and what happened next on social media The new neurokinin receptor antagonists and why they could change how we study the relationship between hot flashes and brain health 00:00 Intro 01:09 Why the menopause hormone therapy conversation matters 07:10 Dr. Jen Gunter: the dangerous dichotomy around MHT 10:20 The Women's Health Initiative, revisited 16:25 Who is menopause hormone therapy actually for? 18:20 The placebo response nobody talks about 22:33 When does perimenopause actually start? 26:00 Does MHT actually prevent dementia? 29:11 "Bioidentical" is not a medical term 36:27 The problem with unregulated hormone testing 41:08 How to advocate for yourself at the doctor 44:36 New drugs that could change menopause research 47:17 The pTau217 study and what it means for women on MHT 52:20 Dr. Sarah McKay: what happens in your brain during menopause 59:34 The oversimplified estrogen-Alzheimer's story 1:04:13 When social media primes your symptoms 1:11:18 What the aging brain actually gains 1:21:35 Grandmothers rule the world! 1:25:43 What MHT is actually good for 1:26:28 7 things to do for your brain Dr. Jen Gunter is an OBGYN, pain medicine physician, New York Times columnist, and bestselling author of The Menopause Manifesto, The Vagina Bible, and Blood. She writes The Vajenda on Substack and is one of the most prominent voices challenging misinformation in women's health. Dr. Sarah McKay is a neuroscientist, science communicator, and author of The Women's Brain Book. She is the founder of The Neuroscience Academy and Think Brain training programs. References: North American Menopause Society 2022 Hormone Therapy Guidelines: menopause.org Australasian Menopause Society: menopause.org.au The Vajenda (Substack): jenssubstack.com Get our FREE NEURO Plan Brain Health Playbook: https://thebraindocs.com/playbook Hosted by Drs. Ayesha & Dean Sherzai. Subscribe to The Synapse (free weekly newsletter): thebraindocs.com/newsletter Follow @TheBrainDocs on Instagram

Send us Fan MailWhat if the symptoms women are told to “just live with” are actually signs of hormone imbalance?In this episode of Never Been Sicker, Michael Rubino sits down with Dr. Melissa Miskell to discuss hormone health, aging, inflammation, thyroid issues, brain fog, fatigue, menopause, and why so many women are being dismissed instead of properly tested. The conversation also dives into statins, cholesterol, processed food, environmental toxins, and how modern lifestyles may be contributing to chronic illness and hormone disruption.If you've been struggling with fatigue, brain fog, mood swings, poor sleep, low libido, hot flashes, or simply “not feeling like yourself,” this episode may completely change the way you think about hormones and healthy aging.Timestamps00:00 Intro00:19 Why hormones matter01:24 When hormones start changing02:20 Symptoms women experience03:01 Why women get dismissed04:32 Why doctors avoid hormones05:07 Signs of hormone imbalance05:59 Common symptoms women ignore07:22 What hormone therapy looks like08:29 Improvements women notice first09:40 How long treatment lasts10:48 Hormones, thyroid & lifestyle11:17 Hormones and heart health12:32 Estrogen and dementia13:06 Osteoporosis explained14:12 Inflammation and brain health15:29 Thyroid problems and testing18:37 Low vs high hormones20:48 The biggest hormone myth21:16 Does estrogen cause breast cancer?22:20 The Women's Health Initiative controversy24:19 Hormone replacement controversies26:24 Statins and hormone depletion28:47 Cholesterol, sugar & heart disease31:00 Why we've never been sicker33:11 Why hormones are overlooked34:31 Hormone symptoms in men34:52 You don't have to feel this way35:23 Where to find Dr. Melissa-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Follow Dr. Melissa Miskell

For decades, women and their doctors have been wary of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), especially after menopause, largely due to fear-mongering surrounding breast cancer risk. But what if I told you that much of this fear is based on flawed data, misinterpretations, and sensationalized media reports? In this episode, I dive deep into the truth, myths, and misconceptions around HRT and breast cancer. I'll unpack the infamous Women's Health Initiative study, exposing its significant design flaws and the detrimental impact of its media interpretation. Grab your seat for the Advanced Practice Nutrition Intensive!⁠Topics discussed: - The real story behind the HRT breast cancer scare- Relative vs. absolute risk- Synthetic vs. bioidentical hormones- New science- Beyond symptoms- Navigating your HRT journey

Most women in menopause are focused on the wrong cancer. Colorectal cancer is now the number one cause of cancer death in adults under 55, and rates are rising 3% every year in people aged 20 to 49. For midlife women, the risk window is right now. And almost nobody is connecting these dots. In this episode, Dr. Faris Murad, board-certified gastroenterologist, Mayo Clinic-trained, and founder of Santé Integrated Health & Wellness on Chicago's North Shore, discusses one of the most important conversations in the menopause space that nobody is having. What menopause actually does to your gut, your colon, and your microbiome. Why your GI symptoms since perimenopause started are not in your head. What a polyp actually is and what it means when one is found. Why the prep is no longer the excuse it used to be. And the data point that will genuinely stop you — the Women's Health Initiative found a 37% reduction in colorectal cancer risk among women on combined hormone therapy. This benefit is rarely part of the HRT conversation. It should be. This is the episode that makes you schedule the screening you've been putting off. Medical Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice or to make any lifestyle changes to treat any medical condition in yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any of my guests on my podcast. Find Dr. Faris: Website: https://www.sante360health.com/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/sante360health/ Stay connected with JFW: Watch on the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@jillfooswellness/videosFollow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillfooswellness/ Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jillfooswellness Grab discounts on wellness products: https://www.jillfooswellness.com/health-products Enjoy 20% savings and free shipping at Fullscript for your favorite supplements by leading brands: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/jillfooswellness Subscribe to the JFW newsletter at www.jillfooswellness.com and receive your FREE Guide on How To Create Your Menopause Health Equation Ebook. Schedule your complimentary 30-minute Zoom consultation here: https://calendly.com/jillfooswellness/30-minute-zoom-consultations Join the Group Health Coaching cohort here: https://www.jillfooswellness.com/group-coaching If you're a Chicago-area midlife woman, check out the Chicago Menopause Collective, a nonprofit dedicated to navigating menopause locally with experts: https://chicagomenopausecollective.org

What if the years where you feel less rested, less resilient, less yourself aren't burnout or bad parenting — but a hormonal transition no one prepared you for? This episode tackles a question every woman asks herself: am I losing my edge, or is something actually happening to me? I'm joined by Dr. Mary Claire Haver — the OB-GYN whose work has reshaped how an entire generation of women, doctors, and families talk about midlife, and the first person who made me feel sane in my own body when symptoms started showing up in my early 40s. We talk about why perimenopause is landing earlier than most women expect, why it gets misread as postpartum lag, work stress, or just "getting older," and why so many plugged-in women hear from their doctors that everything looks fine when nothing feels fine. What you'll learn: Why perimenopause is a brain event before it's an ovary event — and the symptoms (brain fog, mood swings, sleep disruption, weight changes, even a frozen shoulder) that can show up years before your periods get irregular, and almost never get connected back to hormones, even by your own doctor The real story of the Women's Health Initiative: what scared a generation of clinicians away from hormone therapy, what the evidence actually says now, and how to think about menopause hormone therapy, vaginal estrogen, and testosterone for women without the fear and without the scams (looking at you, vaginal lasers and pellet pushers) The non-negotiables to start in your 30s and 40s if you can — sleep, protein, lifting heavy, vitamin D, and finding a menopause-certified clinician — plus the five buckets of female sexual function Knowing what's happening inside your own body isn't extra. It's how you stop feeling crazy, find a clinician who actually believes you, and protect the version of yourself who gets to enjoy the decades still ahead. Great Wolf Lodge: Bring your pack together at a Lodge near you. Learn more at GreatWolf.com Merit Beauty: It's time for your makeup and skincare to meet the reality of your daily routine with Merit Beauty.com The RealReal: The most trusted name in authenticated luxury resale. Get 25$ off your first purchase when you go to The RealReal.com/humans

In this episode, Lisa welcomes back Dr. Jerilynn Prior, endocrinologist, UBC Professor Emerita, and founder of the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research (CeMCOR), for a thought-provoking conversation that challenges mainstream narratives about perimenopause and hormone therapy. Dr. Prior shares her research-backed perspective on why perimenopause is often characterized by erratically high estrogen rather than low estrogen, and how this physiological reality reshapes the conversation around symptoms like night sweats, sleep disturbances, heavy flow, and sore breasts. She discusses her randomized controlled trial demonstrating that progesterone is effective for night sweats and sleep in perimenopausal women, and explains why approximately 30% of perimenopausal women experience symptoms severe enough to warrant treatment. Lisa and Dr. Prior also explore findings from the Women's Health Initiative, the difference between treating symptomatic women and prescribing hormones preventively, and why the cultural framing of menopause as a deficiency disease misrepresents what is, for most women, a normal life transition. Tune in as Dr. Prior shares decades of research on the menstrual cycle, ovulation, and the often-overlooked role of progesterone in women's health across the lifespan. Follow this link to view the full show notes page! This episode is sponsored by Lisa's new book, Real Food for Fertility, co-authored with Lily Nichols! Grab your copy here!

“I'm trying to make sure we have artists, the next generation people who can get to the open mic for the first time and learn how to hold a microphone.” - Khafre JayIn the latest How To Write the Future podcast episode, titled “Hip Hop for the Future” host Beth Barany interviews hip hop organizer Khafre Jay where they discuss the importance of hip hop as a culture within the San Francisco Bay Area and his plans for the future to get more community members involved.From his business creating slogan clothing, to building local creative spaces to his beliefs on public health and the impact live music can have on an audience, this episode is sure to broaden your horizons on the entire hip hop culture.ABOUT KHAFRE JAYHailing from Hunters Point, San Francisco—a city with the highest income inequality in the nation—Khafre Jay has dedicated his life to fighting for socioeconomic justice and empowering his community through Hip Hop organizing.Now leading Hip Hop For The Future SPC, Khafre is pioneering the use of Hip Hop to reimagine public healthcare, aiming to increase Black life expectancy and bring transformative resources to marginalized populations.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hiphopforthefuturespcFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/khafrej/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/khafrejay/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khafrejay/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theunapologeticblackguyAlbum: https://music.apple.com/us/album/critical-race-hip-hop/1757033018Website: http://www.hiphopforthefuture.orgSHOW PRODUCTION BY Beth BaranySHOW CO-PRODUCTION + NOTES by Kerry-Ann McDadeEDITORIAL SUPPORT by Iman Llompartc. 2026 BETH BARANYhttps://bethbarany.com/Questions? Comments? Send us a text!Support the show---♦︎ JOIN THE MEMBERSHIP: For fiction writers! You've finished your first draft! Congrats! Now what?Join the Edit the Future: Sci‑Fi/Fantasy Revision Lab. Get premium weekly lessons and a monthly Q&A on Zoom. Subscribe: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2012061/subscribe♥︎ FREE: Sign up here for the Edit Your Novel ChecklistHelps writers revise faster with less overwhelm by focusing first on diagnosis, not fixing. Get yours at http://edityournovelchecklist.com.♡ SHOP: Sci‑Fi & Fantasy 24 Writing Prompts: https://ko-fi.com/s/4ac9160a74❤️ Want to be interviewed on the podcast? => Email us!CONNECT WITH BETHvia emailvia LinkedInCREDITSEDITED WITH DESCRIPT (Affiliate link)MUSIC: Uppbeat.ioDISTRIBUTED BY BUZZSPROUT: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1994465

Episode 369: Dr. Kelly Casperson, interviewed by Sarah Reardon What happens when a urologic surgeon who has spent years treating women's bladder and sexual health sits down to answer every question she wishes her patients had asked sooner? You get this episode. In a role reversal from her usual hosting chair, Dr. Kelly Casperson is interviewed by Sarah Reardon for a wide-ranging, myth-busting conversation on perimenopause, hormone therapy, and what it actually means to advocate for yourself in a medical system that has historically under-served women. No gatekeeping. No fear-mongering. Just the science, the nuance, and the permission to want more. Perimenopause is not just hot flashes. The hormonal shifts of perimenopause and menopause affect your bladder, your sleep, your joints, your skin, your mood, and your sex life — often years before your period stops. Kelly breaks down what's actually happening biologically and why so many women are told their symptoms are "just aging." Local estrogen and systemic HRT are not the same thing — and you may need both. Vaginal estrogen treats the tissue. Systemic hormone therapy treats the whole person. Kelly explains the difference, who benefits from each, and how to have an informed conversation with your provider about what's right for you. DHEA and testosterone belong in the conversation. These hormones are not just for men. Kelly covers the evidence for testosterone and DHEA in women's health — including delivery methods, indications, and why so many women are never offered them. Finding a knowledgeable provider is hard. Here's how to do it. Not every clinician is trained in hormone therapy. Kelly talks about how to identify providers who are, and how to self-educate enough to advocate effectively in any appointment. Gut health, exercise, and alcohol all matter — but not instead of hormones. Lifestyle strategies can amplify hormone therapy; they're not a replacement for it. Kelly cuts through the supplement noise and explains what the evidence actually supports. Gender bias is real, and naming it is the first step. From the Women's Health Initiative fallout to the way women's pain is routinely minimized, Kelly addresses the systemic forces that have shaped (and limited) what women are offered — and how to push back. Listen to my Tedx Talk: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Why we need adult sex ed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Take my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Adult Sex Ed Master Class:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠My Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Interested in my sexual health and hormone clinic? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Waitlist is open⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To learn more about Via vaginal moisturizer from Solv Wellness, visit ⁠⁠via4her.com⁠⁠ and get 20% off your first order. For an additional $5 off, use coupon code DRKELLY5. Clinicians can request patient materials or samples at ⁠⁠hcp.solvwellness.com⁠⁠. Thanks to our sponsor ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Midi Women's Health⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Designed by midlife experts, delivered by experienced clinicians, covered by insurance.Midi is the first virtual care clinic made exclusively for women 40+. Evidence-based treatments. Personalized midlife care.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.joinmidi.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Karen is joined by future Itchy and Bitchy hosts Stephen Miller, an acute care nurse practitioner specializing in cardiovascular disease, and Dr. Keith Hnilica, a veterinary dermatologist, for a wide-ranging conversation about estradiol and hormone replacement therapy. They discuss the recent removal of the FDA black box warning from most menopausal hormone therapy products and the long shadow of the Women's Health Initiative study.Visit our website itchyandbitchy.com to read blog posts on the many topics we have covered on the show.

Dr. Polly Watson did everything right. Medical school, residency, a thriving OB-GYN practice, two kids. And yet somewhere in her mid-thirties she looked up and realized the career she built felt nothing like the one she intended. What followed was a decade of discomfort, reckoning, and a slow, scary pivot to something that felt much better. In this episode, Polly talks about why women's perimenopause symptoms get dismissed, what conventional medicine gets wrong about menopause, and the fear she hid behind a mortgage payment for longer than she'd like. If you've ever had a life that looked fine from the outside but felt wrong on the inside, this one is for you.Guest Bio Dr. Polly Watson is a board-certified OB-GYN with over 20 years of experience, specializing in menopausal, sexual, and functional medicine. She is an expert in addressing a wide range of hormonal concerns, including PCOS, PMS, perimenopause, menopause, low libido, and sexual pain. As a certified practitioner with the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), Dr. Watson integrates holistic care approaches that go beyond traditional medicine through her North Carolina-based practice, Hormone Wellness MD.Her specialized training includes menopausal medicine through The Menopause Society, and sexual medicine through the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health. Dr. Watson partners closely with her patients, utilizing a combination of lifestyle modifications, nutrition, mindfulness, bio-identical hormones, and supplements to optimize hormonal balance and overall well-being.Turning 40 and becoming the doctor your mother deservedDr. Polly Watson spent nearly a decade doing everything right. Eight years of postgraduate training, a full OB-GYN practice, two kids, and a schedule that looked successful from every angle. But somewhere in her mid-thirties, she picked her head up and realized she felt more like an insurance clerk than a physician. What followed wasn't a quick pivot. It was a slow, sometimes terrifying, decade-long journey from conventional medicine into functional gynecology, from following the path to building her own. Along the way she navigated early menopause, a failed first business, a fear she wasn't quite ready to name, and the hard work of becoming the kind of doctor she always intended to be. She got there. And this conversation is about how.Episode HighlightsPolly traces her original drive to become a doctor back to watching her mother go through early menopause at 38 and receive what she describes as abysmal care, a pattern of women not being heard that she would spend her entire career pushing back against.The arrival of electronic health records transformed medicine in ways that left many physicians feeling like they were working for insurance companies rather than patients. Polly felt it acutely, and it became one of the early signals that something needed to change.When patients started arriving with garbage bags full of supplements and questions conventional medicine couldn't answer, Polly followed her curiosity into integrative and functional medicine spaces and found a world of doctors who were actually happy.At 39, sweating through the sheets and struggling to remember the names of drugs she prescribed daily, Polly experienced her own early perimenopause.She breaks down the outdated science behind hormone replacement therapy, debunking the Women's Health Initiative study clearly and accessibly, and makes a compelling case for why the conversation needs to shift from fear to informed decision-making.Polly founded Hormone Wellness MD in January 2019, in her mid-forties, with no formal business training and a previous failed business in her rearview mirror. She reflects honestly on the fear that kept her in the wrong place longer than she needed to be.Her take on menopause as a second adolescence, a chance to separate from old identities and show up with more intention, reframes a transition most women dread into something genuinely worth getting curious about.Polly's story is ultimately about learning to trust the discomfort, even when everything on the outside looks completely fine. She didn't leave conventional medicine because it stopped working. She left because she was finally honest about the fact that it stopped working for her, and that fear, not logistics, was the thing standing in the way. What she found on the other side is a practice she's proud of, patients she actually has time for, and a Tuesday night pottery class where she's learning to stop forcing the clay. Not bad for a decade's worth of slow, scary work.If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to rate the show, follow wherever you listen, and share it with someone who might need to hear it. It genuinely helps more people find these conversations.Guest ResourcesListen to the Menopause Rescue PodcastConnect with Polly on FacebookConnect with Polly on InstagramAre you stuck in people-pleasing mode?Download Stephanie's People Pleasing Playbook to understand where it comes from, how it's showing up, and what it's costing you. www.thebigfouroh.com/peoplepleaserConnectTheBigFourOh.comTBFO on InstagramTBFO on FacebookGet the Email DigestListen, Rate & SubscribeYouTube PodcastsApple Podcasts SpotifyAmazon PodcastsSponsorThe Big Four Oh Podcast is produced and presented by Savoir Faire Marketing/Communications

Menopause care has a memory problem. Many of us were trained in the shadow of the Women's Health Initiative, where “hormones” became shorthand for danger, and a whole generation of clinicians stepped back from menopausal hormone therapy. But the products, delivery methods, and the evidence base have moved on, and women are the ones paying the price when we don't keep up. We're joined by naturopath, educator, and integrative co-prescribing specialist Tracee Blythe to talk through what modern MHT can look like in Australia, especially for perimenopause and menopause symptoms that wreck sleep, mood, joints, relationships and daily function. We unpack body-identical oestradiol and micronised progesterone, why unopposed oestrogen is a different risk conversation, and how route of delivery changes the clinical picture. Transdermal patches and gels can avoid first-pass liver effects and support steadier levels, while vaginal oestrogen can offer targeted relief for genitourinary syndrome of menopause with minimal systemic impact for most women. We also go into the real-world questions practitioners hear every day: what about soy and phytoestrogens, what's food versus supplements, and how do we give evidence-based guidance without fear-mongering? Underneath it all is a bigger theme we keep coming back to: lifespan, health span and joy span. If a tool helps a woman sleep, think clearly, move without pain and feel like herself again, we should be able to discuss it openly and safely as part of holistic care. If you want deeper training, Tracy's webinar on confident, integrative co-prescribing for MHT covers pharmacokinetics, interactions, red flags, monitoring, and when to refer and co-manage. Find Tracy on Instagram at @safe_co-prescribing, and if this conversation helps, subscribe, share it with a colleague, and leave us a review so more women can access better menopause support.Shownotes and references are available on the Designs for Health websiteRegister as a Designs for Health Practitioner and discover quality practitioner- only supplements at www.designsforhealth.com.auFollow us on SocialsInstagram: DesignsforhealthausFacebook: DesignsforhealthausDISCLAIMER: The Information provided in the Wellness by Designs podcast is for educational purposes only; the information presented is not intended to be used as medical advice; please seek the advice of a qualified healthcare professional if what you have heard here today raises questions or concerns relating to your health

This episode unfolds as a candid Q and A, exploring some of the most common and often confusing questions women have about menopause, menopause hormone therapy MHT, and what it really means to age well as a woman. By the time women seek help, many feel unlike themselves. Common symptoms include hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances, anxiety, irritability, and a noticeable decline in mood. Libido often drops. Weight gain can feel sudden and unexplained. Hair may thin. Skin becomes dry, and eyes can feel gritty. Vaginal dryness can lead to discomfort and even pain with intercourse. When women seek care, they are often met with what has historically been considered standard treatment, synthetic hormones, frequently in the form of birth control pills or hormonal IUDs. In some cases, therapies used in older studies such as the Women's Health Initiative are still being prescribed, despite those studies being widely reanalyzed and often misunderstood. This is where understanding the difference between bioidentical and synthetic hormones becomes critical. Bioidentical hormones, such as estradiol and progesterone, are chemically identical to the hormones produced by the human body. Synthetic hormones are structurally different. Over time, research has increasingly suggested that these synthetic compounds may carry more risk, while bioidentical hormones appear to be significantly safer. MHT has been shown to support cardiovascular health, reduce the risk of osteoporosis, and protect cognitive function. There is growing evidence that it may even reduce overall mortality when used appropriately. This reframes the entire conversation. Instead of asking how do I get through menopause, the question becomes how do I support my health for the next 30 to 40 years. A helpful framework is to think in five year increments. Every five years, a woman can reassess. Am I still benefiting from this. Do I want to continue protecting my bones, heart, and brain. For many women, the answer is yes. Others may choose to stop later in life as priorities shift or new health concerns arise. The key is ongoing, informed decision making. Another increasingly common scenario involves women who are well into postmenopause, sometimes 10, 15, or even 20 years beyond their last period, who are just now learning about hormone therapy and wondering if it is too late. We know that starting hormone therapy within 10 years of menopause offers the most significant cardiovascular benefit. Starting later may still help with symptoms, but the protective effects are less clear. There may also be a slightly increased risk of cardiovascular events, particularly when using oral estrogen. When it comes to safety, bioidentical hormones, especially when delivered through the skin via a patch, gel, or cream, carry a very low risk of blood clots. Oral estrogen has a slightly higher risk, which is why transdermal options are often preferred, particularly for women with additional risk factors. That said, no medical treatment is entirely without risk. What matters most is understanding the data, weighing the risks and benefits, and making an informed decision that aligns with personal health goals. Menopause is not simply an end point. It is a transition into a new phase of life. With the right information, support, and care, it can be a time of strength, clarity, and renewed health rather than decline. We Heart Nutrition 20% off with code: GENIUS Wonder Cow Colostrum Supports gut health, immune function 30% off your subscription with code: HORMONEGENIUS www.wondercow.com/hormonegenius

Send us Fan MailFor over 20 years, millions of menopausal women have avoided a treatment that could meaningfully improve their health — not because of solid science, but because of a study that has since been reanalyzed, reframed, and largely walked back by the medical community. If you have ever been afraid of hormone replacement therapy, this episode is for you.In this episode of Cycle Wisdom, Dr. Monica Minjeur walks through the real story behind the Women's Health Initiative study, what its major limitations actually were, and what updated guidelines now tell us about the safety and benefits of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Through the story of Francine — a 52-year-old who suffered three years of hot flashes, brain fog, and sleepless nights out of fear — you will see what becomes possible when women are finally given the full picture.You will learn:Why the original hormone therapy research was fundamentally flawed — and what the science actually shows todayHow bioidentical hormones differ from the synthetic hormones used in the original study — and why that distinction matters enormouslyWhat the real risks of untreated menopause are, including heart health, bone loss, cognitive decline, and urinary tract infectionsIf menopause has been stealing your quality of life, you do not have to keep suffering. Learn more or schedule a free discovery call at radiantclinic.com.

Tana Kaefer, PharmD, joins host John Beckner for a discussion exploring the intersection of menopause, mental health, and hormone therapy. This week's conversation focuses on how evolving evidence has reshaped our understanding since the landmark Women's Health Initiative began.   Kaefer highlights the pharmacist's role in identifying symptoms, guiding patients, and supporting safe, individualized care for those experiencing menopause.    Thank you to Cardinal Health Foundation for sponsoring this episode of Independent Rx Forum.

Is HRT safe? If you have been Googling hormone replacement therapy risks and closing the browser in fear, this episode is for you.If you are waking up at 3 AM with hot flashes and your heart racing, this episode is for you.If menopause brain fog has made you feel like the sharpest version of yourself is gone, this episode is for you.If someone handed you a hormone replacement therapy prescription and you sat in your car too scared to fill it, this episode is for you.You are not losing your mind.You are losing your hormones.And there is a difference.Dr. Tamara Beckford, board-certified physician, FOX 26 health expert, and founder of Truly Balanced Wellness Care, is here to give you something most women never get.The full picture.In this episode of Menopause Stories with Dr. Tamara Beckford, she breaks down everything you need to know about hormone replacement therapy in 2026. What the Women's Health Initiative actually studied. Why bioidentical hormones are not the same as synthetic estrogen. What the newest data says about HRT safety after 50. And how getting your hormone balance right can change your sleep, your menopause symptoms, your memory, your mood, and your weight.This is not a scare story. This is not a sales pitch.This is the conversation your doctor should have had with you already.What this episode covers.Is HRT safe after 50? What the current evidence actually says.The Women's Health Initiative explained. What they studied, what they got wrong, and why it changes everything.Bioidentical hormones vs. synthetic estrogen. The difference in plain language.How hormone replacement therapy helps with menopause brain fog, night sweats, hot flashes, bone health, and heart health.The real connection between hormone balance and weight loss after 40.Perimenopause vs. menopause vs. postmenopause. Where you are and what your options look like.The exact questions to bring to your provider so you walk out with confidence, not confusion.The woman you were before the brain fog, the hot flashes, the exhaustion, and the mood swings?She is not gone.She is just waiting on her hormones.Follow Menopause Stories with Dr. Tamara Beckford so you never miss an episode.Book your complimentary menopause clarity call at www.trulybalancedwc.com

In this interview, Andrea Donsky, a nutritionist, published menopause researcher, menopause educator, author, and co-founder of wearemorphus.com, discusses PCOS and HRT with Dr. Felice Gersh, an integrative gynecologist and women's health expert specializing in hormones, menopause, and the connection between lifestyle and hormonal balance.Topics:Going back to basics with menstruation, periods, cycles, and PCOS.How the female moon rhythm relates to all body systems and hormonal cycles, not just fertility and reproduction, including metabolic and immune functions.The connection between PCOS and inflammation. Why having an imbalance of estradiol (deficient), progesterone (deficient), and progesterone (too abundant) creates a cascade of health issues, including but not limited to insulin resistance and high blood pressure, as well as accelerated aging and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, etc.It's not all bad news; by cycling hormones at physiological doses (equivalent to a younger woman), many chronic health conditions can be prevented or delayed.Discussion around GLP-1 and estradiol, as well as fertility and pregnancy outcomes.Windows of time where hormone replacement can and should happen, and how the data from the Women's Health Initiative is still skewing the data for these recommendations.Why Prempro is still dangerous despite the removal of the black label warning on hormone therapy.What you need to know about bleeding and HRT.Links:Learn more about Dr. Felice Gersh's Practice, Integrative Medical Group of Irvine https://integrativemgi.com/Send us Fan Mail ======Morphus: Menopause Reimagined

Grab the Declutter Guide ... FREE! Visit https://takecontroladhd.com/adhd-declutter and get a head start on your toughest spaces today!--- Here's a story a lot of women know. You've been getting by — maybe not perfectly, but you've been getting by. And then something shifts. Suddenly the coping strategies that used to work don't. The brain fog is different. The irritability is new. And nobody around you — including your doctor — seems to have a particularly good answer for why. For women with ADHD, the answer is often estrogen. And for too long, that connection has been wildly undertreated.Linda Roggli has been living this story and researching it and coaching women through it for twenty years. She's the founder of the ADDiva Network for ADHD Women 40 and Better, and she joins Pete and Nikki to trace the whole arc: what estrogen actually does for the dopamine-depleted ADHD brain, what happens when it starts its perimenopause roller coaster, why the Women's Health Initiative study scared a generation of women away from hormone therapy that could have helped them, and what the science now says about timing, delivery methods, and who it's actually for. It is a lot of information, delivered with the kind of warmth and hard-won clarity that only comes from someone who has personally been told by a doctor, “You're not in menopause” — and then spent decades making sure other women don't get that same non-answer.Links & NotesLinda Roggli — professional certified coach, award-winning author, founder of the ADDiva Network for ADHD Women 40 and BetterDriven to Distraction by Edward Hallowell and John Ratey — the book Linda's therapist recommended at her diagnosis; she read it in the bookstore on the way homeWomen's Health Initiative — the federal study whose 1990s findings caused a generation of women to stop hormone therapy; Linda explains why the study was fatally flawedDr. Patricia Quinn — ADHD specialist whose research on estrogen-only therapy for ADHD womenSupport the Show on PatreonDig into the podcast Shownotes Database (00:00) - Welcome to Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast (01:52) - Patreon.com/TheADHDPodcast (02:55) - ADHD Aging, Hormones, and More (05:18) - Linda Roggli ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

After more than 18 years in insurance-based healthcare, Dr. Samantha Mekrut made a decision a lot of physicians dream about: she left to build something better. The result is Meristem Family Medicine — a direct primary care practice in Medfield, Massachusetts, where patients pay a flat monthly membership fee, appointments run 30 to 60 minutes, and the administrative machinery of insurance billing is nowhere to be found.  See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment  Read the full show notes, memorable quotes, and key takeaways.  In this episode, Tracy sits down with Dr. Mekrut to unpack the real difference between direct primary care and concierge medicine, what it actually takes to make an affordable membership model work, and why eliminating insurance billing overhead is the key that makes it possible.  They also get into Dr. Mekrut's specialty: menopause care for women in midlife. From the flawed rollout of the Women's Health Initiative study to the community library talks she hosts to educate patients without selling them anything, Dr. Mekrut is approaching women's health the way more of us wish the system would.  See Where Your Practice Stands: Take our Practice Growth Readiness Assessment  Read the full show notes, memorable quotes, and key takeaways.  Connect With Us:  Be a Guest on the Show  Thriving Practice Community  Schedule Strategy Session with Tracy  Tracy's LinkedIn  Business LinkedIn Page 

➡️ Get the full show notes and episode breakdown at Biology of Trauma® Podcast - Why Menopause Is When Your Stored Trauma Finally Surfaces  What if the anxiety, the depression, the rage, and the emotional floods did not begin with perimenopause and have been there all along? And menopause is simply when the body can no longer hold them? What if your childhood ACE score is one of the strongest predictors of how severe your menopause experience will be? In this episode, Dr. Aimie talks with Dr. Betty Murray, hormone metabolism expert and functional medicine PhD, to connect two things medicine has kept separate for too long: stored trauma and hormonal health. Estrogen has receptors on every cell in the body except two. When it declines, every cell registers it — and for women carrying decades of chronic stress and stored trauma, that decline removes part of the biological buffer that was holding everything together. Dr. Aimie brings the trauma biology (as referenced in the ACE research, the PTSD and estrogen study) and the Biology of Trauma® framework that explains why menopause is the moment when what the body has been holding finally surfaces. Dr. Murray's hormone science confirms what that framework predicts: how a trauma-informed approach can actually help, why bioidentical hormones and the right labs matter, what the 10-million-woman study actually found, and how the Women's Health Initiative misrepresentation changed women's care for decades. This episode is for every woman who has been handed a prescription instead of a conversation about her hormones. In This Episode You'll Learn: [00:00] Why are hormones, buried emotions, and stored trauma connected — and why is menopause when it all surfaces? [04:45] What is the new lens for reading hormone labs — and why does dosing one-size-fits-all fail 75% of women? [08:00] What is actually happening biologically when a woman in perimenopause feels rage, anxiety, brain fog, and emotional sensitivity? [8:49] How do estrogen's receptors on every cell in the body explain the scope of menopause symptoms? [10:51] What did a 6,000-woman PTSD study reveal about the relationship between estrogen levels and trauma symptom severity? [14:14] What labs should be tested, when should they be tested, and why does the phase of perimenopause change what you are looking for? [21:21] Is the depression diagnosed during menopause actually depression — or a hormone picture being handed an antidepressant? [22:36] How do adverse childhood experiences raise the risk for first-episode major depression during menopause? [27:35] What is the difference between bioidentical and synthetic hormones — and why does delivery mechanism matter? [31:44] What does the 10-million-women retrospective study actually show about hormone replacement and all-cause mortality? [36:41] What did the Women's Health Initiative actually find — and how was a non-statistically significant finding turned into a 25% headline? [38:42] What does Dr. Betty Murray want every woman to know before she leaves this conversation? Resources/Guides: Dr. Betty Murray — Hormone metabolism expert and functional medicine clinician with over 20 years of experience in women's hormonal health, host of the Menopause Mastery podcast, and founder of The Menrva Project — an AI-powered telemedicine platform personalising menopause care across all 50 states. Free Guide: Steps to Identify and Heal Trauma by Dr. Aimie Apigian to help you understand what your body has been holding and how to begin working with it. The Biology of Trauma Book by Dr. Aimie Apigian — Where you can read Chapter 11 on how early life experiences become the preexisting filter through which every subsequent stress — including the hormonal shifts of menopause — is experienced. Foundational Journey — If this episode made you realize that stored trauma may be part of what you are experiencing in perimenopause, the Foundational Journey® is where we begin. A six-week online process working directly with the nervous system — building the biological foundation that has to come first   Related Podcast Episodes: Episode 69 — How Attachment Shapes Our Biology and Behavior Episode 135 — The Hidden Difference Between Stress and Trauma Episode 146 — How Attachment Affects Us for Life

Jon Hyman (CTO & Co-Founder @ Braze) returns to the podcast to share how he balances a mature, public-company roadmap with visionary AI innovation! We deconstruct Braze's quantitative "Product Health" framework - a scoring system used to resolve competing prioritizations and mandate technical remediation. We also discuss shifting engineering leaders to think like GMs, how to realign teams by connecting abstract “vision” to specific releases, goals & outcomes. Plus, Jon's three-tier mental model for AI products, how to identify AI features that actually drive revenue, and reimaging your product for future channels, teams, and skills.   ABOUT JON HYMAN Jon Hyman is the co-founder and chief technology officer of Braze, the customer engagement platform that delivers messaging experiences across push, email, in-app, and more. He leads the charge for building the platform's technical systems and infrastructure as well as overseeing the company's technical operations and engineering team. Prior to Braze, Jon served as lead engineer for the Core Technology group at Bridgewater Associates, the world's largest hedge fund. There, he managed a team that maintained 80+ software assets and was responsible for the security and stability of critical trading systems. Jon met cofounder Bill Magnuson during his time at Bridgewater, and together they won the 2011 TechCrunch Disrupt Hackathon. Jon is a recipient of the SmartCEO Executive Management Award in the CIO/CTO Category for New York. Jon holds a B.A. from Harvard University in Computer Science.   This episode is brought to you by xMatters! xMatters automates the entire incident lifecycle with their purpose-built AI powered workflow, giving your team the context they need to stop disruptions before they start and minimize resolution times. Head over to xmatters.com to learn more!   SHOW NOTES: Braze's operating environment & key focus on product health / roadmap (2:58) What's next for Braze: Research-driven innovation in the AI era (6:16) Ensuring customers utilize the full breadth of features (9:42) The "Swarming" strategy: Reducing engineering escalation tax through support collaboration (14:19) Shifting engineering leadership think like GMs: Moving from completion goals to business outcomes like revenue, growth rates & regional differences (17:29) How engineering leaders can increase business IQ by understanding margins and adoption (18:20) Deconstructing misalignment, the abstract nature of product vision, and connect teams to tangible business outcomes, goals, and specific releases (22:02) Management infrastructure: Quarterly product health reporting and trending metrics (23:20) Forming a mental model for company maturity, building a visionary roadmap, and more innovative engineering initiatives (25:34) Frameworks for AI Decision-Making: Identifying AI features that drive revenue vs. those that only improve stickiness (31:55) Reimagining your product based on different personas, new channels, “AI omniboxes”, and teams / skills of the future (35:44) Breaking down team silos, customer engagement as a shared responsibility, and the future of full-stack roles orchestrating outcome-based workflows & automations (41:50) Rapid fire questions (45:10)   LINKS AND RESOURCES Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green: A historical look at how the disease has shaped the world braze.com   This episode wouldn't have been possible without the help of our incredible production team: Patrick Gallagher - Producer & Co-Host Jerry Li - Co-Host Noah Olberding - Associate Producer, Audio & Video Editor https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-olberding/ Dan Overheim - Audio Engineer, Dan's also an avid 3D printer - https://www.bnd3d.com/ Ellie Coggins Angus - Copywriter, Check out her other work at https://elliecoggins.com/about/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I am thrilled to connect with Dr. Lindsey Berkson today. The audacious and tenacious Dr. Berkson is a distinguished hormone scholar from the highly praised Center for Bioenvironmental Research at Tulane. She is the author of 21 books, and her impact on medical literature continues to grow. With her thoughtful manner and infectious enthusiasm for learning, she educates women about their bodies and health. Our discussion today highlights the importance of supporting the hippocampus and doing targeted cardiovascular exercise. We explore hormone replacement therapy, the timing hypothesis, and why oxytocin is more than just a bonding hormone. We cover endocrine-disrupting chemicals, detoxification, gut health, inflammation, and ways to support immunity, and we examine how oxytocin influences digestion, gut motility, and gut-brain access. We also explain how oxytocin protects our stem cells, prevents gut trauma after colonoscopies, reduces gut inflammation, and supports healthy transit time. Dr. Berkson's new book, The Oxytocin Medicine, is truly an incredible resource and one I will reference often. It is most inspiring! IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: How a shrinking hippocampus alters women's identity and resilience The value of cardio-respiratory fitness and pushing limits for driving resilience How conservative hormone dosing may fail to protect women's health in perimenopause and beyond Women's Health Initiative messaging created a widespread fear of estrogen. Why Dr. Berkson challenges the timing hypothesis  The difference between synthetic progestins and naturally made progesterone Oxytocin and how it functions as a system-wide hormone Importance of detoxification during the perimenopause to menopause transition  Consistent patterns are common among women who age with physical and cognitive resilience. Connect with Cynthia Thurlow   Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia's website Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow  Cynthia's Menopause Gut Book is on presale now! Cynthia's Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book The Midlife Pause Supplement Line Connect with Dr. Lindsey Berkson On her website Substack The Oxytocin Medicine

For nearly two decades, HRT carried a shadow. After the early interpretation of the Women's Health Initiative study in the 1990s, the message across medicine was clear: hormones were dangerous.Millions of women were left in a “hormone desert,” navigating menopause with little more than advice to just grin and bear it.But recently, the initiative was reassessed, and the data tells a far more nuanced story. HRT may play an important role in improving symptoms and supporting cognitive and mental health during midlife. The problem is: the mindset around HRT may now be swinging just as dramatically in the opposite direction.Scroll through social media, and you might believe every woman should be on HRT. Brain fog, mood swings, poor sleep, weight changes, and hormones are increasingly framed as the universal solution.But menopause isn't a single experience, and hormone therapy isn't a single intervention. Some women benefit enormously from it, while others may not need it at all.So how should women and their physicians approach hormone therapy? What do we know about HRT and its effects on mental health?In this episode, I'm joined by the physician president of Obstetrics and Gynecology Associates and menopause-society certified practitioner, Dr. Krista Olsen.We explore how the medical understanding of HRT has evolved and what the evidence actually says about mood, cognition, and mental health during menopause.Things You'll Learn In This Episode From common treatment to medical tabooThe Women's Health Initiative reshaped women's medicine almost overnight. How did its interpretation leave an entire generation of women navigating menopause without support?HRT isn't a one-size-fits-all solutionHormone therapy is increasingly being framed as a universal solution for midlife women. When everyone is told they should be on HRT, what important clinical questions risk getting overlooked?Hormone depletion vs. hormone fluctuationMany of the most disruptive symptoms of perimenopause come from dramatic hormonal swings, not simply low estrogen. How does that distinction change how clinicians approach treatment?Symptom-based care matters more than hormone levelsIn an era of hormone testing kits and online wellness protocols, many women are being told to “optimize” their hormones. But what happens when treatment focuses on numbers instead of lived experience?About the GuestDr. Krista Olsen is the Physician President for Obstetrics and Gynecology Associates and a Board Member of i-Health. She is also a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner in 2024. After majoring in Biology with a secondary concentration in Scandinavian Studies at St.Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, Dr. Olsen attended the University of North Dakota School of Medicine in Grand Forks, North Dakota. She completed her OBGYN residency at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the American Institute for Ultrasound in Medicine. Dr. Olsen is also a certified physician coach working with physicians across the country on weight loss and goal setting, as well as bringing these skills into the clinic setting with her patients. To learn more, go to https://obgynpa.com/. About Your HostHosted by Dr. Deepa Grandon, MD, MBA, a triple board-certified physician with over 23 years of experience working as a Physician Consultant for influential organizations worldwide. Dr. Grandon is the founder of Transformational Life Consulting (TLC) and an outspoken faith-based leader in evidence-based lifestyle medicine.Disclaimer ​​TLC is presenting this podcast solely for information sharing. It is not medical advice or intended to replace the judgment of a licensed physician. TLC is not responsible for any claims related to procedures, professionals, products, or methods discussed in the podcast, and it does not approve or endorse any products, professionals, services, or methods referenced.Work With Me Learn More About My Soon-to-Launch Telemedicine PlatformExciting news. My virtual medical platform is launching soon! If you're looking for personalized, evidence-based care in allergy, immunology, and lifestyle medicine, stay tuned. Visit drdeepa-tlc.org and click on “Learn More” to join the waitlist and be the first to receive updates about services, membership options, and launch details.Precision care. Personalized guidance. Wherever you are.DevotionalsWant to receive a devotional every week from Dr. Deepa? Devotionals are dedicated to providing you with a moment of reflection, inspiration, and spiritual growth each week, delivered right to your inbox. Visit drdeepa-tlc.org to subscribe for free.Trauma Courses CTA Ready to deepen your understanding of trauma and kick-start your healing journey? Explore a range of online and onsite courses designed to equip you with practical and affordable tools. From counselors, ministry leaders, and educators to couples, parents, and individuals seeking help for themselves, there's a powerful course for everyone. Browse all the courses now to start your journey.

I'm thrilled to have Dr. Felice Gersh join me for a two-part conversation focusing on menopause and HRT. She is a prolific voice in the integrative gynecology space, a true mentor, and someone I respect enormously. In the first part today, we dive into progesterone and its wide-ranging systemic effects. We unpack the differences between synthetic and bioidentical hormones, discuss the Women's Health Initiative, examine the role of progesterone in cardiovascular disease, and look at the importance of nitric oxide production. We explore ovarian senescence and how we accelerate our ovarian aging. Dr. Gersh explains how declining nitric oxide production relates to aging and shares ways to achieve optimal health during menopause. We also discuss how PCOS impacts fertility and longevity, how estradiol and progesterone modulate neurotransmitters, and how they impact brain health and cognition in perimenopause and menopause. This is truly a conversation you will not want to miss. Be sure to stay tuned for my second discussion with the insightful Dr. Felice Gersh. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: The value of progesterone beyond simply protecting the uterine lining What progesterone does that synthetic progestins cannot do How the risks and side effects of synthetic progestins unfairly tarnished the reputation of progesterone How progesterone supports nitric oxide signaling and vascular health The essential role progesterone plays in stabilizing the nervous system The role of progesterone in supporting mitochondrial function, musculoskeletal health, and connective tissue repair Symptoms that could appear or worsen when progesterone levels are low Dr. Gersh reframes ovarian aging as a core marker of aging in women  Factors that could impair ovarian function and hormone production Connect with Cynthia Thurlow   Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia's website Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow  Cynthia's Menopause Gut Book is on presale now! Cynthia's Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book The Midlife Pause Supplement Line Connect with Dr. Felice Gersh On her website: Integrative Medical Group of Irvine Instagram All of Dr. Gersh's books are available on Amazon.

Send a textHot flashes. Brain fog. Weight gain. Poor sleep. Anxiety. Low libido.For many women over 40, these symptoms begin during perimenopause and menopause, yet they're often dismissed as simply “normal aging.”In this episode of It's Hertime, Cody Sanders sits down with Dr. Melissa Miskell, a physician with more than 30 years of experience helping women navigate menopause, hormone imbalance, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).Together they break down what bioidentical hormone therapy actually is, how it differs from older synthetic hormone treatments, and why many women still struggle to receive proper hormone care.After the 2002 Women's Health Initiative study, the conversation around hormone therapy shifted dramatically. Many physicians stopped prescribing HRT, leaving countless women navigating perimenopause symptoms and menopause symptoms without clear guidance or support.Dr. Miskell explains how individualized hormone therapy works, why hormone changes impact so many aspects of health, and how restoring hormonal balance may improve both quality of life and long-term health outcomes.This conversation also explores the connection between hormones and heart health, brain health, bone density, and metabolic health—topics every woman should understand as she enters midlife.If you're a woman over 40 experiencing symptoms like hot flashes, fatigue, brain fog, or mood changes, this episode will help you better understand your options and advocate for your health.In This Episode• What bioidentical hormone therapy (HRT) is and how it works • The difference between synthetic hormones and bioidentical hormones • Why many women are dismissed when seeking help for menopause symptoms • What changed in hormone therapy after the Women's Health Initiative study • Why antidepressants are often prescribed instead of evaluating hormones • How hormones influence heart health, brain health, and bone density • Why individualized hormone therapy can improve quality of life in midlife • The first steps women can take if they suspect hormone imbalanceConnect with Dr. Melissa MiskellHormones by Design https://hormonesbydesign.comPINCC (Preventing Cervical Cancer Worldwide) https://www.pincc.orgConnect with Cody SandersFollow Cody for education on women's hormones, metabolic health, and midlife wellness.Instagram https://www.instagram.com/codyjeansandersThe CALM Program (Coaching + HTMA + Metabolic Health Support)It's Hertime Podcast https://www.mixhers.com/pages/podcastMixhers ProductsExplore supplements designed to support women's hormones and oDid you learn something new today? Be sure to subscribe to this podcast and share this episode with all the girls you love. We would appreciate it if you'd also leave us a rating and review on iTunes.Want to join our Mixhers Girl community and keep this conversation going? We'd love to hear your thoughts, feelings and experiences! Join us HERE!Join Mixhers email list and be the first to have access to new products and be the girl in the know!Follow Cody Instagram:@codyjeansanders

For decades, midlife has been framed as a time of decline for women — medically, culturally, and personally. Halle Berry is on a mission to change that. On this episode of The Dr. Hyman Show, she shares how her own menopause journey exposed how little real support exists for the 60 million women navigating this transition. That experience ultimately led her to create ReSpin, the community she couldn't find when she needed it. Watch the full conversation on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. We discuss: • Why menopause is often missed — and how to take back control of your energy, mood, and metabolism • What changes in your brain, bones, and muscle and how to protect them in midlife • How comprehensive testing gives you a personalized roadmap for this phase of life • Why fatigue, low libido, and brain fog aren't “just aging” — and what improves when you address the root cause Your second act can be your strongest. It's a chance to reclaim your strength, your energy, and your future on your own terms. This conversation was recorded live at the Eudēmonia Summit. View Show Notes From This Episode Get Free Weekly Health Tips from Dr. Hyman https://drhyman.com/pages/picks?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Sign Up for Dr. Hyman's Weekly Longevity Journal https://drhyman.com/pages/longevity?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Join the 10-Day Detox to Reset Your Health https://drhyman.com/pages/10-day-detoxJoin the Hyman Hive for Expert Support and Real Results https://drhyman.com/pages/hyman-hive This episode is brought to you by Seed, BIOptimizers, PerfectAmino, BON CHARGE, Made In Cookware and Maui Nui. Go to seed.com/hyman and use code 20HYMAN to get 20% off your first month. Head to bioptimizers.com/hyman and use promo code HYMAN at checkout to save 15%. Go to bodyhealth.com and use code HYMAN20 to get 20% off your first order. Upgrade your routine. Head to boncharge.com/hyman and use code HYMAN for 15% off. Head to madeincookware.com and use the code DRHYMAN for 10% off your order. Learn more about the health benefits of venison and how to get yours, head over to mauinuivenison.com/hyman. (0:00) Halle Berry's health journey and the overlooked issue of menopause (1:21) Introduction to the Eudaimonia Summit (3:27) Women's health problems: Causes and personal stories (7:12) Misdiagnosis, confusion, and the mission to educate (10:01) Women's Health Initiative study and FDA updates (12:48) Hormone therapy and perimenopause symptoms (17:22) Lifestyle's role in hormonal health and disease prevention (22:12) Alcohol, nicotine, and long-term health risks like Alzheimer's (25:26) Early hormone replacement therapy and personalized care (28:15) Sexual health discussions and Halle Berry's ReSpin initiative (32:22) Cultural change, low-tox living, and structural health in menopause (37:01) Menopause symptoms variability and addressing health disparities (39:52) The need for medical education reform and JoyLux's contribution (41:12) Psychedelics in mental health treatment (43:43) Closing remarks and listener engagement (44:00) Disclaimer about podcast content

I'm joined by Dr. Heather Hirsch to debunk the persistent myths surrounding hormone replacement therapy and explain why the 2002 Women's Health Initiative data was so widely misinterpreted. We discuss how optimized estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels can protect your heart, bones, and brain health, helping you move past "normalized suffering" and into a proactive state of longevity. Whether you are in perimenopause or well past the ten-year window, you'll learn how to navigate personalized dosing and clinical data to reclaim your vitality and extend your health span.Want ad-free episodes? Subscribe to Forever Strong Insider: https://bit.ly/4u5VSReListen to “Women's Health by Heather Hirsch, MD” on all your favorite platforms!Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/4l86MlwSpotify: https://bit.ly/4cpmiHuGet Dr. Heather Hirsch's book, “The Perimenopause Survival Guide” here:https://bit.ly/4r2yXUd

Today, I am honored to connect with a friend and fellow nurse practitioner, Marcelle Pick! Marcelle is passionate about transforming how women experience healthcare through an integrative approach. She has successfully treated thousands of women through her unique approach to wellness. Marcelle is currently a faculty member of The Institute of Functional Medicine and has served as a Medical Advisor to Healthy Living Magazine. She has written countless articles and multiple books, including Is It Me or My Hormones? I always think of Marcelle as a pioneer in the women's health/nurse practitioner space. In this episode, we dive into her background and the impact of the Women's Health Initiative. We discuss the limitations of the traditional allopathic model regarding hormones, common misconceptions about adrenal health, perimenopause, and menopause, adverse childhood events and adrenal health, how lifestyle affects our sex hormones, fibroids, endometriosis, PMS, PMDD, and contraception for perimenopause. We speak about endocrine disruptors, mold, and micro toxins. We also get into ways to think about hormone replacement therapy and ways to address intimacy and low libido. I love connecting with other nurses and nurse practitioners! I hope you will love today's conversation with Marcelle as much as I did! IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN: Marcelle was part of the first all-women practice in the country. How the Women's Health Initiative has impacted health care for women. The limitations of the traditional allopathic model are particularly in terms of perimenopause, menopause, and hormones. The less-common labs Marcelle likes to look at for her patients Marcelle shares her approach to unraveling the symptoms of perimenopause. Some unique ways in which Marcelle deals with problems like fibroids and endometriosis. How childhood trauma could lead to adrenal and autoimmune issues, weight-loss resistance, and various other health problems. Many of the things Marcelle recommended for treating PMS and PMDD back in the day (1985) have now become the standard of care. Contraceptive options for women in perimenopause. The impact of stress on adrenal function during perimenopause and menopause. Marcelle dives into liver health and detoxification, chemicals and other factors that could impact our health, and changes we can make to avoid problems and feel better. What Marcelle does to help women with low libido. Connect with Cynthia Thurlow Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia's website Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community (The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow)  Cynthia's Menopause Gut Book is on presale now! Cynthia's Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book The Midlife Pause supplement line Connect with Marcelle Pick On her ⁠website⁠    ⁠Facebook ⁠Instagram⁠ All of Marcelle's books are available on ⁠Amazon

Women are still being told that fatigue, anxiety, heavy bleeding, mood swings, and brain fog are “just part of aging.” But what if they're symptoms of perimenopause and no one is connecting the dots?  Stacy sits down with hormone therapy pioneer Dr. Marcia Harris to separate myth from science around aging, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and midlife mental health. With more than 40 years of experience, Dr. Harris explains how the Women's Health Initiative study reshaped menopause care for decades, why many physicians stopped being properly trained in hormone therapy, and how that gap continues to leave women dismissed and misdiagnosed. They unpack the difference between perimenopause and menopause, why anxiety and exhaustion are often hormonal, not personal, and how estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone impact heart health, bone density, muscle mass, brain function, and overall vitality. Find Dr. Harris: drmarciaharris.com facebook.com/DrMarciaaharris Find Stacy: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠realeverything.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/realstacytoth⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠missionmakersart.com⁠⁠ ⁠⁠missionalchemists.com⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices