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

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How fears about hormone therapy are often based on outdated or misinterpreted data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.

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Submit your questions to [email protected] 


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

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Welcome to today’s Midlife Minute.

Today, we’re exploring bloating, constipation, and various other midlife gut woes. 

Stay tuned as I clarify how midlife changes the gut narrative and review the evidence about how to get things moving again.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:


Why your gut motility changes in midlife


How menopause influences the gut-brain connection


Why various types of constipation require different interventions


How changes in your gut bacteria affect the way your gut functions in menopause


How different types of fiber can either help or worsen constipation symptoms, depending on the type of constipation 


The main types of constipation, and how they differ 


How estrogen therapy may influence bowel regularity, and why the route of administration matters


Lifestyle habits that can stimulate bowel movements


Why bloating tends to occur in midlife

Connect with Cynthia Thurlow  


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Check out Cynthia’s website.


Submit your questions to [email protected]


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

Links:

1. Menopause Is Associated with an Altered Gut Microbiome and Estrobolome, with Implications for Adverse Cardiometabolic Risk in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

2. The Intestinal Microbiome and Estrogen Receptor–Positive Female Breast Cancer 

3. Estrogen–gut microbiome axis: Physiological and clinical implications

4. Menopausal shift on women’s health and microbial niches

5. Gut microbiota has the potential to improve health of menopausal women by regulating estrogen

6. Gut-microbiota-targeted diets modulate human immune status

7. Effect of female sex hormone supplementation and withdrawal on gastrointestinal and colonic transit in postmenopausal women

8. Constipation and diarrhea during the menopause transition and early postmenopause: observations from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study

9. Estrogen Rather Than Progesterone Cause Constipation in Both Female and Male Mice

10. Rome IV Criteria

11. Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis 

Gut-Directed Hypnotherapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PubMed)

12. Randomised clinical trial: the efficacy of gut-directed hypnotherapy is similar to that of the low FODMAP diet for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome

13. Gut-directed hypnosis and hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome: a mini-review

14. Review article: gut-directed hypnotherapy in the management of irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease

I am delighted to connect with Sachin Patel today. Sachin is a father, husband, philanthropist, functional medicine practice success coach, speaker, author, breathwork facilitator, and plant medicine advocate. He is passionate about helping people activate their “inner doctor” through lifestyle medicine, breathwork, and greater self-awareness. Having had the privilege of knowing Sachin both personally and professionally, what stands out most is his unwavering commitment to helping people better understand their physiology so they can heal more effectively and live more intentionally.

In today’s conversation, we explore the connection between the autonomic nervous system, the vagus nerve, and overall health. Sachin shares insights on breath dynamics, diaphragm function, coherent breathing, CO₂ tolerance, the Bohr effect, the physiologic sigh, and the often-overlooked role of repressed emotions in physical well-being. We also discuss the importance of nature, circadian rhythms, sunlight, temperature regulation, and Sachin offers his recommendations for women in midlife and beyond. I also highly recommend his new book, Breath, Balance, and Burn, which was recently released.

Stay tuned for a fascinating conversation on breath, healing, and the daily habits that shape how we feel, function, and age.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:


How spending too much time in fight-or-flight mode prevents the body from entering a healing state


How women’s multiple roles and chronic stress, combined with midlife hormonal transitions, can create a “perfect storm” of sympathetic dominance and nervous system dysregulation


How your breath reflects your emotional state 


Why healing becomes difficult when the body remains in a fight-or-flight state


The benefits of coherent breathing for oxygen delivery and nervous system regulation


How the diaphragm serves as an access point to emotional regulation and nervous system control


How our breathing patterns and nervous system state can influence the emotional state of others


Sachin outlines practical techniques to help regulate stress, improve focus, increase energy, and prepare for sleep


How modern indoor living disconnects people from their natural rhythms

Connect with Cynthia Thurlow  


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Check out Cynthia’s website.


Submit your questions to [email protected] 


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 Sachin Patel


On Facebook


On Instagram


On YouTube – The Living Light Reset


Get instant access to The Breathe, Balance, Burn Training Program and Breathwork Bundle

Purchase a copy of Sachin’s Book, Breathe, Balance, Burn: How Fixing the Way You Breathe Resets Your Stress Hormones, Shrinks Your Belly, and Gives You Back the Energy and Calm You Thought Were Gone for Good, on Amazon.

Today, I am honored to connect with Dr. Mary Claire Haver, a board-certified OBGYN who has dedicated her entire adult life to championing women's health. 

Dr. Haver is the visionary creator of the Galveston Diet, the first and only nutrition program ever designed by a female OBGYN for menopausal women. 

In our conversation today, Dr. Haver shares her background, and we discuss her new book, The Galveston Diet. We examine the glaring systemic gap where the health of middle-aged women remains undervalued and underfunded in research, and our discussion touches on various facets of women's health, including perimenopausal symptoms, the distinction between chronological and endocrine aging, the scientific misconceptions surrounding weight gain and hormones, the advantages of intermittent fasting, inflammation, and macros. We also get into the supplements Dr. Haver finds beneficial for women in middle age, as well as the impact of non-nutritive sweeteners and the role of continuous glucose monitors.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:


Dr. Haver highlights various symptoms of perimenopause


How menopause can increase health risks


How muscle loss with aging can make women more insulin resistant and lead to cardiovascular changes


How the hormonal changes that occur during perimenopause and menopause can impact weight management


What are the benefits of intermittent fasting for perimenopausal women?


How a combination of genetics and lifestyle factors can help women prepare for menopause and manage its symptoms


How sugar, alcohol, and gluten impact inflammation, insulin levels, and blood sugar


How a lack of protein and the wrong types of fats can lead to hunger and satiety issues and lead to muscle breakdown and weight gain in menopausal women


Dr. Haver talks about her book, The Galveston Diet


How do non-nutritive sweeteners impact the gut microbiome and blood sugar levels?


The benefits of using a continuous glucose monitor to track blood sugar levels

Connect with Cynthia Thurlow


Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn


Check out Cynthia’s website.


Submit your questions to [email protected] 


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. Mary Claire Haver


⁠Website⁠


⁠Instagram⁠


⁠TikTok⁠


⁠YouTube⁠


⁠Order a copy of The Galveston Diet.⁠

Today, I have the honor of interviewing Dr. Doris Day, a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in cosmetic and longevity dermatology. She is also a clinical professor of dermatology at NYU, recognized for her dedication and excellence in teaching, and is widely regarded as a leader in the aesthetic dermatology field. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Day is a medical journalist and a prominent media figure.

In our discussion, we examine the basics of perimenopause and menopause from a pathophysiology perspective, including the 30% decline in collagen synthesis that occurs during the first five years of menopause. We explore the skin microbiome, inflammation, and inflammaging, and why hydration, electrolytes, reducing processed sugars, and eating a nutrient-dense diet can have such a visible impact on skin health. Dr. Day also explains her approach to facial balancing and how our bones, fascia, muscles, and fat pads age. We discuss topical agents, advanced interventions including lasers, microneedling, PRF, PRP, stem cells, and growth factors, and even touch on emerging research suggesting that certain laser treatments may help reduce the risk of skin cancer. Throughout the conversation, I also openly shared what I have done to support my skin.

Stay tuned for today’s fascinating conversation about menopause, skin health, collagen loss, and the evolving science behind modern aesthetic dermatology.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:


The sudden skin changes many women experience during early perimenopause


Dr. Day explains how she personalizes skincare routines for each patient


How collagen synthesis rapidly declines during the menopause transition


How hydration, sleep, and nutrition can visibly improve skin tone and puffiness


How inflammation, blood sugar issues, and poor metabolic health contribute to inflammaging and visible skin aging


Why facial balance is more important than trying to erase every wrinkle or line


Dr. Day shares how she combines lasers, topicals, and recovery protocols to support skin healing and collagen production


How fillers and other cosmetic procedures can create an unnatural appearance when used incorrectly

Bio:

Dr. Doris Day, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in cosmetic and longevity dermatology.

She is a Clinical Professor of Dermatology at NYU Langone Health, where she has been recognized with the Award for Dedication and Excellence in the Teaching of Dermatology. Her leadership in aesthetic dermatology has earned her the AAD Presidential Citation and the American Skin Association Award for leadership in dermatology.

Ranked #3 in the United States and #1 in New York by Newsweek as a Top Cosmetic Dermatologist, Dr. Day is a recognized authority in her field. Her work has been cited in leading publications, including The New York Times and Castle Connolly’s NY Magazine Top Doctors listings, for over 20 consecutive years.

Dr. Day is also a medical journalist and a prominent media figure, providing expert commentary on major television programs and podcasts. Her insights are regularly featured in top magazines, and she is a sought-after speaker, delivering numerous lectures every year on cutting-edge aesthetic techniques at both national and international conferences.

Dr. Day has over 100 publications in the medical literature, and she has written four best-selling books: "Rebooting the Biome" (2023), "Beyond Beautiful" (2018), "Forget the Facelift," and "100 Questions and Answers about Acne." She also hosts a popular dermatology show on SiriusXM’s Doctor Radio, a platform where she has been educating the public for over 15 years, earning the AAD’s Golden Triangle Award for Media Excellence.

Her professional affiliations include the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, where she has served on the board of directors; the American Academy of Dermatology, where she was recently elected to the nominating committee; the New York State Dermatology Society; and the American Honors Society of Dental and Facial Aesthetics.

Dr. Day earned her BA in English from Columbia University, an MA in Journalism and Science Writing/Medical Reporting from New York University, and her MD from SUNY Downstate College of Medicine. She completed her dermatology residency at Cornell University College of Medicine, where she served as Chief Resident.

Connect with Cynthia Thurlow  


Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn


Check out Cynthia’s website.


Submit your questions to [email protected] 


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. Doris Day


On her website


Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok