I AM YOU

I AM YOU is hosted by Dr. Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights to help women protect the heart that carries them through every stage of life — and step into their power as the CEO of their own health.

In this Ask the Heart Doctor episode, Dr. Alvarez answers some of the most common questions women have about everyday habits that can quietly shape heart health. From exercise and visceral fat to chronic stress, caregiving, alcohol, salt, and caffeine, this conversation breaks down why prevention is not one-size-fits-all — especially for women.

If you have ever wondered why your body seems to respond differently in perimenopause or menopause, or why certain “healthy” habits are not giving you the same results they used to, this episode brings clarity, context, and practical guidance.

With her signature mix of science and compassion, Dr. Alvarez explains:

• What kind of exercise is safest and most effective for the heart — and why any movement is better than none
• Why strength training becomes especially important as women age and lose muscle mass
• Why weight gain around the middle is often visceral fat, and how it raises cardiovascular risk
• How chronic stress — including the stress of caregiving — can affect blood pressure, cortisol, insulin resistance, and overall heart health
• Why women are more sensitive than men to alcohol, and how female physiology changes alcohol metabolism
• Why women can also be more sensitive to salt, particularly during the menopause transition, when hormonal changes affect blood pressure and fluid balance
• How estrogen influences caffeine metabolism, and why caffeine may trigger palpitations, anxiety, or higher blood pressure in some women

This episode is a reminder that prevention is not just about avoiding disease — it is about understanding your body, recognizing what has changed, and taking action early. Because becoming the CEO of your own health means paying attention to the signals your body is sending and making informed choices that protect your heart for the long term.

Visit NitzaMD.com

Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook

I AM YOU is hosted by Dr. Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights to help women protect the heart that carries them through every stage of life — and step into their power as the CEO of their own health.  

In this episode, Dr. Alvarez breaks down one of midlife medicine’s most common—and most dangerous—confusions: treating symptoms without protecting the heart. She explains why many women in their late 30s, 40s, and early 50s are placed on progesterone alone for sleep, racing heart, or “anxiety”… and still feel like something is wrong—because they’re missing the full picture.  

With clarity and urgency, she explains:

• What progesterone does well (calming effects, sleep/mood support, stabilizing the uterine lining)  
• What progesterone does not do: it is not a cardiovascular hormone and does not reduce heart disease risk  
• Why estrogen matters for the heart: endothelial health, vascular flexibility, inflammation, and early prevention signals during hormonal decline  
• A critical safety point: if you have a uterus, you should not take estrogen without progesterone (progesterone protects the uterus)  
• The “timing hypothesis”: a midlife window when hormones can do more than relieve symptoms—they can help preserve vascular function  
• Why “normal labs” can be misleading: “the heart doesn’t read lab reports”—treatment decisions should be grounded in symptoms, risk, and proper evaluation  

This is a direct call-to-action for women who don’t feel like themselves: don’t settle for partial relief while your cardiovascular trajectory quietly worsens. Ask for a real evaluation. Ask about estrogen, progesterone, and timing—because prevention isn’t just feeling better today; it’s protecting your heart for the next decade. And that’s what it means to be the CEO of your own health.  

Visit NitzaMD.com  

Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook  

I AM YOU is hosted by Dr. Nitza Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights so women can speak up, protect the heart that carries them through every stage of life, and step into their power as the CEO of their own health.  

In this Ask a Heart Doctor episode, Dr. Alvarez answers one of the most important (and most overlooked) questions in women’s cardiovascular care: are heart medications actually tested in women the way they’re tested in men? If you’ve ever started a new medication and thought, “Why do I feel so off?”—this episode explains why that experience is common, valid, and often rooted in a system built around male bodies.  

She breaks down how male-centric medicine became the default, why women were historically excluded from clinical studies (including hormone-cycle variability and pregnancy concerns), and how that decision still impacts dosing, side effects, and outcomes for women today. Then she turns it into action: ask to see the research, ask what data exists in women, and consider participating in studies so the next generation has better answers.  

With clarity and practicality, Dr. Alvarez covers:

• Are heart medications tested in women? Why the honest answer is often “not enough”  
• Why women can feel more side effects (and why those effects may be underreported)  
• Birth control / hormone therapy interactions: why oral estrogen can matter because of liver metabolism, and why transdermal options may behave differently  
• Pregnancy risk: why some common cardio meds can be harmful to a fetus, and why planning (or lack of contraception) should change the conversation with your doctor  

This episode is a direct invitation to advocate for yourself. If you’re on heart medications and you “don’t feel right,” don’t dismiss it—bring the question back to your provider, ask about interactions, and make sure your plan fits your body and life stage. Becoming the CEO of your own health starts with refusing silent suffering.  

Visit NitzaMD.com

Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook

If this episode resonated, please like, subscribe, and share with a woman you love.  

I AM YOU is hosted by Dr. Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, women’s heart specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights so women can speak up, protect the heart that carries them through every stage of life, and step into their power as the CEO of their own health.    

In this FAQ-style episode, Dr. Alvarez answers real questions about blood pressure and cholesterol—and why so many women are navigating major heart-risk shifts with guidance built from male-only data.  

If you’re in your 40s or 50s and you were told your cholesterol is “suddenly elevated,” Dr. Alvarez breaks down why it’s often not random—and why hormones (especially estrogen changes during menopause) can be a major driver.  

With clarity and urgency, she covers:

• Blood pressure targets: Ideal is <120/80; ≥130/80 meets criteria for hypertension (for women and men), while symptoms like dizziness still matter in real life decision-making.  
• Why menopause changes cholesterol: As estrogen declines, cholesterol metabolism shifts—LDL (“bad”) can rise, HDL (“good”) can fall, and triglycerides may be affected when insulin resistance/weight distribution changes show up.  
• Before you default to cholesterol meds: If a provider is recommending medication during peri/menopause, she urges a conversation about hormones and the “why” behind the change.  
• Statins and women: Why many women report lower tolerance and how differences in metabolism can contribute to side effects.  
• When statins are clearly indicated: If there’s a history like stroke, heart attack, stent placement, open-heart surgery, or a condition requiring therapy, that’s a different risk conversation.  
• Side effects women should watch for: Muscle aches/soreness, joint pain, rising blood sugar/A1c, and concerns some women raise about memory—plus what to discuss with your doctor if symptoms appear.  

This episode is a call-to-action: your lab values and vitals are data—but your lived symptoms are, too. Listen to your body, ask better questions, and remember: becoming the CEO of your own health starts with refusing to be dismissed.    

Visit NitzaMD.com

Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook  

I AM YOU is hosted by Dr. Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights to help women protect the heart that carries them through every stage of life — and step into their power as the CEO of their own health.  

In this Ask the Heart Doctor-style episode, Dr. Alvarez tackles one of the most dismissed symptoms women bring to the ER and to their doctors: palpitations. If you’ve ever been told “your tests are normal” — or worse, “it’s just anxiety” — this episode reframes palpitations for what they often are: a signal, not a diagnosis, and not something to ignore.  

Dr. Alvarez explains why palpitations are especially common during perimenopause and menopause, including data showing that at least 1 in 5 women in the menopause transition report palpitations — and in perimenopause, that number can rise above 40%.  

With clarity and urgency, she breaks down:

•Why hormonal transition can trigger palpitations (and why women aren’t “overreacting”)  

•Why a normal EKG isn’t the end of the story — it’s a snapshot that may miss what’s happening outside the exam room  

•What proper evaluation should include:

•EKG + rhythm monitoring (Holter, extended monitors, patches) based on symptom frequency  

•Why women are less likely to be referred for advanced testing — despite better outcomes with ambulatory monitoring  

•When an implantable loop recorder may be appropriate (especially for sporadic or unresolved palpitations)  

•Thyroid + iron studies, and when structural evaluation matters  

This episode is a direct call-to-action: the most dangerous advice might be doing nothing. If palpitations are affecting your life, ask for a real workup — because women deserve answers, and becoming the CEO of your own health starts with taking your symptoms seriously.  

Visit NitzaMD.com  

Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook  

I AM YOU is hosted by Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights to help women protect the heart that carries them through every stage of life — and step into their power as the CEO of their own health.

In this FAQ-style episode, Dr. Alvarez answers real questions submitted by patients and listeners, focusing on risk factors that affect women differently — and the overlooked health “chapters” that can quietly raise your cardiovascular risk.  

With clarity and urgency, she breaks down:

• Menopause & perimenopause: why this transition can dramatically increase heart risk — and why it can feel like crossing a “portal” where risk spikes  
• Pregnancy complications: how preeclampsia/eclampsia and gestational diabetes can raise long-term cardiovascular risk — and why you should stay monitored even if things “normalize” after delivery  
• Hormone replacement therapy (HRT): does it help or hurt the heart, what the “timing hypothesis” means, and why early evaluation matters
• Autoimmune disease & chronic inflammation: why inflammation acts like “fire in your arteries,” and how conditions like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis can increase cardiovascular risk  

This episode is a direct call-to-action: don’t minimize your risk factors. Track your history, get evaluated, and advocate for yourself — because becoming the CEO of your own health starts with knowing what truly raises your risk and what to do next.  

Visit NitzaMD.com  

Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook  

I AM YOU is hosted by Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights that help women understand their unique heart health, navigate stress, and take charge of their well-being. Dr. Alvarez’s mission is simple: to inspire every woman to become the CEO of their own health—with knowledge, confidence, and community.  

In this special FAQ-style episode, Dr. Alvarez answers the questions she hears most often in her clinic and from listeners—starting with the one that keeps women stuck for years: “Is this anxiety… or is it my heart?” She explains why the only responsible answer is evaluation—not assumptions—and why women should never accept, “It’s just in your head,” without first ruling out cardiac causes.  

With clarity and urgency, she covers:

•Anxiety vs. heart symptoms: why they can look identical, and what to do first  

•Palpitations when tests are “normal”: what rhythm testing actually means (EKG vs. monitors) and how to think about next steps  

•When palpitations may be hormonal: especially during perimenopause and menopause—and why that still deserves a proper workup  

•The truth about “classic” symptoms: why women’s warning signs are often mislabeled as “atypical,” and how that mindset costs lives  

•Testing that matters for women: what a stress test evaluates, why some modalities (including PET/CT) can be better for women, and the real-world insurance challenge  

This episode is a direct call-to-action: trust your body, insist on evaluation, and advocate for yourself as the CEO of your own health.  

For a powerful companion listen, Dr. Alvarez recommends Episode 50, where she and her sister break down how heart issues and anxiety/stress can blur together—and how to navigate that line safely.  

Visit NitzaMD.com  

Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook  

I AM YOU is hosted by Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights that help women understand their unique heart health, manage stress, and take charge of their well-being. Dr. Alvarez’s mission is simple: to inspire every woman to become the CEO of their own health—with knowledge, confidence, and community.  

In this episode, Dr. Alvarez speaks directly to women in their 40s and 50s who are living with unexplained joint pain—and being told the same dismissive line: “Welcome to aging.” She explains why the timing matters, why “normal imaging” does not mean “nothing is happening,” and why midlife joint pain is often an early signal of hormonal shifts and rising inflammation that can also affect cardiovascular risk.  

Dr. Alvarez breaks it down in clear, practical terms, including the data that too often gets left out: more than 70% of midlife women experience musculoskeletal symptoms during the menopause transition, 25% experience symptoms severe enough to impair quality of life, and up to 40% report pain with no structural findings on imaging.  

With clarity and compassion, she covers:

• Why joint pain in midlife women is often hormone- and inflammation-driven, not simply “wear and tear”  
• The myths that keep women stuck (including “normal imaging means it’s not serious”)  
• The overlooked connection between chronic inflammation, joint pain, and long-term cardiovascular risk  
• Exactly what to ask your doctor: hormones, inflammatory markers, metabolic risk profile, and how this may change your heart-risk strategy  
• A direct call to action: don’t “push through” in silence—advocate for yourself as the CEO of your own health  

If you’ve been doubting your body because your labs or scans look “fine,” this episode reframes the conversation: your pain is real—and it may be information your heart needs you to take seriously.  

Visit NitzaMD.com

Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook

I AM YOU is hosted by Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights that help women understand their unique heart health, manage stress, and take charge of their well-being. Dr. Alvarez’s mission is simple: to inspire every woman to become the CEO of their own health—with knowledge, confidence, and community.  

In this episode, Dr. Alvarez spotlights a condition that is frequently dismissed—and life-altering when ignored: POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome). You’ll meet “Maya,” a 22-year-old college student whose dizziness, racing heart, and near-fainting episodes were brushed off as anxiety—until the real pattern became impossible to ignore.  

Dr. Alvarez breaks POTS down in plain language, including what’s happening in the body and why it disproportionately affects young women—often flaring with dehydration, heat, illness, fast position changes, prolonged standing, and hormonal transitions.  

With clarity and compassion, she covers:

• What POTS is and how it’s defined (including standing and tilt testing criteria)  
• The symptoms women actually feel—from lightheadedness and palpitations to fatigue, brain fog, GI symptoms, and “anxiety-like” adrenaline surges  
• Why POTS gets missed (and why “normal labs” and “normal blood pressure” don’t rule it out)  
• A practical foundation plan: fluids, electrolytes, sodium, compression, and the right exercise strategy (not “push harder”)  
• How hormones affect symptoms—and why your care plan should acknowledge that reality  
• What to say when you get dismissed (“You’re too young,” “It’s just anxiety,” “Just drink water”)  
• Five steps you can start today to stabilize your day-to-day and identify triggers  

This episode is a direct call-to-action: do not accept dismissal, do not lose years to “maybe it’s in your head,” and learn how to advocate for yourself as the CEO of your own health.  

For a powerful companion story, Dr. Alvarez also recommends revisiting Episode 29 with Hannah, where years of symptoms were dismissed before the right strategy finally helped.  

Visit NitzaMD.com

Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook 

I AM YOU is hosted by Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real conversations and expert insights that empower women to understand their heart health, listen to their bodies, and step fully into their role as the CEO of their own health.

In this deeply personal and eye-opening episode, Dr. Alvarez welcomes a very special guest — Dr. María Isabel Alvarez-Torres, a clinical psychologist specializing in trauma and emotional health… and her sister. Together, they explore the powerful and often overlooked connection between the emotional heart and the physical heart.

Through the story of their mother — a strong, resilient woman who carried the weight of family, responsibility, and unspoken stress — this episode reveals how years of emotional endurance, suppressed trauma, and chronic stress can quietly shape women’s cardiovascular health. What begins as “just stress” can ultimately surface as heart disease, broken-heart syndrome (Takotsubo cardiomyopathy), high blood pressure, or overwhelming anxiety.

Dr. Alvarez-Torres explains how chronic stress rewires the nervous system, how trauma — including Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) — can leave lasting biological imprints, and why many women normalize survival mode without realizing the toll it takes on their hearts. Together, the sisters unpack why women are especially vulnerable, how multitasking and perfectionism fuel chronic stress, and how the body eventually demands to be heard.

This episode also offers hope and tools: learning to pause, recognize stress signals, regulate the nervous system, release stored emotional energy, and seek trauma-informed care when needed. Healing the heart is not just about medication or test results — it’s about compassion, self-awareness, boundaries, and giving yourself permission to rest, feel, and receive support.

This powerful conversation is a reminder that you cannot fully heal the physical heart without honoring the emotional one — and that becoming the CEO of your own health means caring for both.

🎧 Listen.

💬 Share with the women you love.

💪 And join the movement to change how women experience heart health.

Visit NitzaMD.com

Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook