Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Menopause, and Science for Women 35+

I am delighted to connect with Gretchen Rubin today. She is one of the most insightful and influential observers of happiness and human nature today, with a remarkable gift for clearly conveying complex ideas from science, literature, and her life experiences engagingly, with a lighthearted touch. Gretchen has written many bestselling books, including her latest, Secrets of Adulthood. 

In our conversation today, we explore the open-door metaphor and the concept of drift in Secrets of Adulthood, and Gretchen explains how the proverbs she used in it can help us shape our most significant life choices. 

You will love this invaluable conversation with Gretchen Rubin. She is one of my favorite podcast hosts and authors, with a remarkable talent for conveying information and emotion beautifully and thoughtfully.

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Today, I have the pleasure of connecting with Dr. Sue Varma.

Dr. Varma is a privately-practicing board-certified psychiatrist and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at New York University. She is a nationally acclaimed keynote speaker, medical contributor, media consultant, and advisor to leading television networks and programs.

In our discussion today, we examine the impact of shared life experiences like 9/11 and the pandemic, exploring the role of PTSD and the effects of practical optimism, self-care, and self-reliance. We discuss optimism, its inheritability, and the significance of milestones for women, including transitioning from high school to college, navigating midlife, and addressing feelings of loneliness. We also look into purpose and compassion, the complexities of processing emotions, the challenges of the perfectionism façade, the role of trauma, ACE scores, autoimmunity, and the benefits of mindfulness and meditation. 

Stay tuned for more!

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Bio:

Dr. Sue Varma is a board-certified psychiatrist in private practice and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at New York University (NYU) Langone Health. She is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Varma was the first medical director and attending psychiatrist at the World Trade Center Mental Health Program at NYU Langone Health, treating civilians and first responders in the aftermath of 9/11. Dr. Varma is a nationally acclaimed keynote speaker, medical contributor, media advisor, and consultant to major networks and shows. She regularly appears on the Today Show, Nightly News, CBS Mornings, and Good Morning America and is frequently interviewed by Time, Washington Post, NPR, and beyond. Dr. Varma is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards for her ground-breaking efforts in mental health education and advocacy, including a Sharecare Emmy. Her forthcoming book, “Practical Optimism,” is eagerly anticipated worldwide, with translations in several languages.

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Dr. Varma's book, Practical Optimism: 

The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being

I am delighted to connect with Dr. Rena Malik today. She is a trailblazing urologist who is revolutionizing the conversation around taboo topics. With over 400 million views and 2 million subscribers on her YouTube channel, Dr. Malik has become a leading voice in combatting medical misinformation and empowering individuals with knowledge on critical health issues. 

In our discussion today, we dive into the shame and stigma many women face when addressing genitourinary concerns, offering information on the pelvic floor and pelvic floor dysfunction. We explore urinary tract infections, overactive bladder, and the causes of pelvic floor dysfunction and touch on the impact of incontinence, prolapse, and the changes women experience in perimenopause and menopause. 

This conversation is an invaluable masterclass for women, and I am excited to have Dr. Malik returning in the fall for an exploration of topics related to women’s sexual health issues and arousal in perimenopause and menopause.

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Today, I am thrilled to welcome Jeff Krasno, the Co-founder and CEO of the Commune well-being master class platform and the author of Good Stress, as my guest. Jeff also hosts the Commune podcast, where he has interviewed various luminaries, and writes a weekly personal essay called Commusings to explore spirituality, wellness, and culture. 

In today’s discussion, we discuss the marginal decades, contrasting the allopathic and integrative medicine approaches, looking at the advantages of hormesis and intentional stress, the idea of balance, and the Goldilocks zone. We also dive into the effects of cold and heat therapies on emotional and thermal regulation, the role of heat shock proteins, the impact of distraction and dopamine foraging, the importance of relationships, and the benefits of xenohormetics, polyphenols, and more. 

This conversation with Jeff Krasno is incredibly insightful, and his book is well-written and beautiful to read.

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Bio: 

Jeff Krasno is the co-founder and CEO of Commune, a masterclass platform for personal and societal well-being. He hosts the Commune podcast, interviewing a wide variety of luminaries from Deepak Chopra and Marianne Williamson to Matthew McConaughey and Gabor Maté. Jeff pens a personal weekly essay titled “Commusings” that explores spirituality, wellness, and culture and is distributed to over one million subscribers every Sunday. Jeff is the author of Good Stress, a collection of protocols he created to counteract the "chronic ease" that created our modern epidemic of dis-ease. Good Stress is available March 25, 2025, wherever books are sold.

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I am delighted to reconnect with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon today! She is a dear friend and a physician whose work has profoundly impacted my own work, particularly during the past few years. She previously appeared on the podcast in episode 95 about three years ago.  

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is a highly respected functional medicine provider, the founder of the Institute for Muscle-centric Medicine, a nationally recognized speaker and media contributor, and the author of the book Forever Strong. 

In our conversation, we dive into areas where confusion often clouds our understanding of protein intake. We explore the distinctions between commodities and consumer packaged goods and the impact of sarcopenia and other muscle-related changes that affect women during perimenopause and menopause. Our discussion also goes into the hallmarks of aging, uncovers the critical importance of a specific protein threshold to initiate muscle protein synthesis, and examines the role of food matrices and Leucine thresholds, misconceptions surrounding carbohydrates, and the most effective methods for tracking muscle mass. Additionally, we explore the connections between poor metabolic health and cognitive decline, making this conversation exceptionally relevant and informative. 

I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Lyon's forthcoming book coming out in early October. Her work has played a significant role in shaping my personal and professional life and had a profound impact on many of my female patients and clients. 

I am confident that you will find today’s show with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon as enlightening and valuable as I do.

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Previous Episode Mentioned:

Episode 95 – Why Muscle Is The Organ Of Longevity – with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon

Today, I am delighted to connect with Dr. Omer Ibrahim, a board-certified, fellowship-trained dermatologist and the Co-director of Research at Chicago Cosmetics Surgery and Dermatology. Dr. Ibrahim completed his residency at the Cleveland Clinic. 

In our discussion today, we dive into the concept of hair loss in women, exploring how our hair follicles change during perimenopause and menopause, the prevalence of hair loss and hair thinning, and the many factors that contribute to it, including nutritional deficiencies, chronic stress, heat damage, weight loss (especially with GLP-1 medications), alcohol, and smoking. We discuss the benefits of hormone replacement therapy, essential supplements, red light therapy, PRP, exosomes, and topical and oral medications, and we also cover specific lab tests to request, the impact of endocrine-mimicking chemicals, and how to find qualified hair specialists or dermatologists in your area. 

You will not want to miss this conversation with Dr. Omer Inrahim, and I look forward to having him back on the podcast in the future.

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Bio: Dr. Omer Ibrahim

Omer Ibrahim, MD FAAD, is a board-certified, fellowship-trained dermatologist and co-director of research at Chicago Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology. He completed his residency at Cleveland Clinic, followed by an ASDS-accredited fellowship in cosmetic, laser, and dermatologic surgery at SkinCare Physicians in Boston. Dr. Ibrahim serves as adjunct faculty at Cleveland Clinic and Rush University, where he teaches residents the fundamentals of cosmetic and surgical dermatology.

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We have the second part of our mashup on heart health today, featuring insights from Dr. Stephen Hussey and Dr. Thomas Dayspring on the real drivers of cardiac disease. 

In this episode, Dr. Hussey challenges conventional views on heart disease. Dr. Dayspring dives into the key markers for cardiovascular risk and the essential role of lifestyle changes for heart health. 

Join us for a fresh perspective on heart health.

Ep. 254 Understanding and Optimizing Heart Health with Dr. Stephen Hussey

[8:52] After experiencing a massive myocardial infarction, Dr. Hussey came to realize that chronic stress, metabolic health, and environmental factors play a far more prominent role in heart disease than is commonly acknowledged. Yet the medical system remains fixated on cholesterol as the primary cause of cardiac issues, ignoring evidence that both acute and prolonged stress can directly trigger cardiac events.

[22:11] Due to liability concerns and lack of approval, Western medicine operates within a rigid system that prioritizes standard treatments over potentially effective alternatives like intravenous magnesium sulfate for clot prevention. That limits physicians in exploring innovative approaches despite promising research.

[29:13] Dr. Hussey explains that metabolic heart attacks can occur without arterial blockages due to oxidative stress forcing the heart into an inefficient glucose-dependent state, leading to tissue death instead of cancerous growth. His insight challenges conventional views on heart disease that tie into the historical shift driven by the flawed research of Ancel Keys that vilified saturated fats while promoting processed vegetable oils.

[53:35] Heart attacks are often triggered by stress rather than just cholesterol buildup. Managing stress, along with metabolic health, inflammation, and nervous system balance, is the key to heart disease prevention, with fasting being beneficial across all three areas.

Ep. 352 Lipid Masterclass: Apo-B, Labs and Women's Heart Health with Thomas Dayspring

[00:02:33] APO(b) Levels are essential for assessing cardiovascular risk. Dr. Thomas Dayspring recommends an APO(b) below 80 mg/dL for general health and below 60 mg/dL for optimal longevity. He highlights the benefits of lifestyle interventions before considering pharmacological treatments, especially for those genetically predisposed to high APO(b).

[00:24:00] The loss of estrogen during menopause increases APO(a) protein production, leading to higher LP(a) levels. That can elevate cardiovascular risk, and factors like pregnancy complications, PCOS, and lipid issues can indicate future heart disease risk, making early monitoring and appropriate hormone therapy crucial for women's long-term health.

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I am happy to connect with Kristin Rowell today! Kristin is an attorney, Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, and the CEO and Founder of Energetically Efficient. After spending 16 years building a successful business trial practice, she left to create Energetically Efficient so that she could speak to and coach other high-performers on navigating food, exercise, and other lifestyle practices efficiently.

Kristin fell and broke her leg in ten places in 2013. She started meditating and received several nudges from the universe that prompted her to leave her job to pivot and transition into nutritional therapy and coaching.

In this episode, she shares her pain-to-purpose story, and we dive into the role of the ego in soul work, common limiting beliefs, energy work, and why weight gain is not a normal function of aging. We also discuss how chronic stress impacts our hormones, lifestyle choices, nutritional detoxification, why muscle is the organ of longevity, and Kristin’s favorite foods to take with her when she travels.

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Bio:

Kristin Rowell is a lawyer, Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, and CEO/Founder of Energetically Efficient. After spending 16 years building a successful business trial practice, she left to create Energetically Efficient so that she could speak to and coach other high-performers on how to efficiently navigate food, exercise, and other lifestyle practices to maximize their energy and become their best self each day. The foundation of Kristin's coaching centers on energy and consciousness, which makes her unique. Kristin also provides 1:1 coaching to professionals seeking to make a career transition, given that she successfully navigated that transition herself. Kristin is releasing her first cookbook this year, called Eating Efficiently. Kristin lives in Minneapolis with her two gorgeous Golden Retrievers, Catch & Belle.

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Today, I am delighted to connect with my physician colleague, Dr. Vivek Lal. He is a physician-scientist, a double board-certified physician, an innovator, and an entrepreneur. He is also the Director of Clinical Innovation at the Marnix Heersink Institute of Biomedical Innovation and Professor and Director of the Pulmonary Microbiome Lab at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

In today's conversation, we dive into the lung microbiome, examining the anatomy and physiology of the lungs, gas exchange, and why air is medicine. We discuss the realities of lung function, looking at the lung microbiome, dysbiosis, the concept of leaky lung, and the gut-lung relationship, and explore how lifestyle, exercise, and nutrition impact lung health and how sleep deprivation and stress can lead to lung infections and inflammation. We also get into specific diagnoses related to lung health, the effects of environmental toxins, and the latest cutting-edge research on probiotics that may benefit lung health, and touch on the consequences of long-term steroid use for chronic conditions and how menopause impacts the lung microbiome.

I know you will love this invaluable conversation with Dr. Vivek Lal.

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Bio: Dr. Vivek Lal

Dr. C. Vivek Lal, MD, is a physician-scientist, innovator, and entrepreneur. He is the Director of Clinical Innovation at the Marnix Heersink Institute of Biomedical Innovation, Professor, and the Director of the Pulmonary Microbiome Lab at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Dr. Lal is the founder of Alveolus Bio, Inc., a biotech platform company that does FDA-approved pulmonary drug development. He is also the founder and CEO of ResBiotic Nutrition, Inc., a company that makes science-backed wellness supplements, and Urgent Care for Children, a Southeast US-based urgent care chain headquartered in AL.

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Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Jen Scheinman, a registered dietitian and one of the lead educators at Timeline Nutrition. 

In our discussion, we dive into Urolithin A as a postbiotic nutrient and explain why we cannot get enough through nutrition alone. Jen shares common midlife symptoms she observes in her patients and clients, including changes in body composition, mood, skin health, and fatigue. We explore the impact of immunosenescence, mitochondrial dysfunction, and the connection between mitochondria and estrogen, and Jen discusses regional differences in diet and the microbiome, how birth delivery methods, infant feeding choices, and antibiotics shape gut health, and offers practical lifestyle strategies for improving skin health. We also touch on the latest research into the skin benefits of topical application of Urolithin A.

I know you will find this conversation invaluable, and I look forward to having Jen back later this year to dive even deeper into the science behind Urolithin A.

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Bio: Jennifer Scheinman

Jennifer Scheinman is a seasoned Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with over 25 years of experience in the field of nutrition and wellness. She holds a master’s degree in integrative and functional nutrition and has advanced training from the Institute of Functional Medicine. Jen’s expertise in cellular health and aging makes her a sought-after speaker and media expert. As the Senior Manager of Nutrition Affairs at Timeline, she educates healthcare providers and consumers on the role of Urolithin A in supporting mitochondrial health and longevity. Beyond Timeline, Jen is a writer, speaker, and nutrition coach, helping women optimize their health and vitality during the menopause transition and beyond.

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