unPAUSED with Dr. Mary Claire Haver

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with Melinda French Gates, philanthropist and founder of Pivotal, to talk about her call for a "menopause revolution" — including the $215 million in new funding for women's health she announced in her New York Times essay, bringing her total investment in women's health to more than $600 million in two years. Melinda opens with the numbers driving her urgency: nearly one in three women over forty has menopause symptoms severe enough to disrupt her life, only about one in four gets treated, fewer than a third of OB-GYN training programs teach menopause at all, and just five cents of every dollar spent on medical research goes to women's health. Melinda shares her own story — how, despite what she calls unbelievable privilege and access to the best health care in the world, it took three doctors to get the right care for her symptoms, and how chronic insomnia and brain fog left her doubting herself walking into meetings with world leaders and CEOs. She and Dr. Haver trace how the Women's Health Initiative halted research, education, and hormone therapy almost overnight, why the health care system was built for men's bodies by default, the racial disparities leaving women of color to suffer most with the least treatment, and the new research she's funding through Wellcome Leap into women-specific heart disease and microvascular diagnostics. The episode closes with Melinda's concrete advice for every woman who wants change: advocate for yourself at the doctor's office, educate your friends with credible information, contact your representatives, and vote — because midlife shouldn't be an off-ramp, but one of the most vibrant chapters of a woman's life. Guest links: Melinda French Gates (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/@melindagates Melinda French Gates (Instagram) https://www.instagram.com/melindafrenchgates/ Melinda French Gates (Facebook) https://www.facebook.com/melindagates/ Melinda French Gates (LinkedIn) https://www.linkedin.com/in/melindagates/ Melinda French Gates (X) https://x.com/melindagates Pivotal https://www.pivotal.com/founder Moment of Lift Books https://www.momentoflift.com/ Melinda French Gates at the Gates Foundation https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/leadership/melinda-french-gates Books: "The Next Day," by Melinda French Gates https://www.melindafrenchgates.com/ "The New Perimenopause," by Dr. Mary Claire Haver https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-new-perimenopause-book "The New Menopause," by Dr. Mary Claire Haver https://www.amazon.com/New-Menopause-Navigating-Through-Hormonal/dp/B0CKBZ4K1Z

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with Dr. Mohit Khera, board-certified urologist and Professor of Urology at Baylor College of Medicine, where he holds the F. Brantley Scott Chair in Urology, to tell women the truth about testosterone — the hormone women actually make more of than estrogen, yet still cannot access in a single FDA-approved formulation. Dr. Khera explains why testosterone is one of the most biologically active hormones in the female body, with receptors in the brain, heart, bone, muscle, and genitalia, and why the research to prove its full benefits for women has simply never been funded. He walks through what low testosterone really looks like, how to get tested properly, why women with low libido are so often handed an SSRI that makes things worse, the truth about pellets, creams, and injections, which side effects are reversible and which are not, and the red flags to watch for when looking for a prescriber. He also shares why sexual dysfunction is a couple's disease, what he calls the "hormonally dangerous decade," and the one intervention he's found that makes women feel even better than hormones. Guest links: Dr. Mohit Khera (Instagram) https://www.instagram.com/drmohitkhera/ Dr. Mohit Khera (X) https://twitter.com/DrMohitKhera Dr. Mohit Khera (LinkedIn) https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmohitkhera/ Dr. Mohit Khera (Website) https://drmohitkhera.com/ Dr. Mohit Khera at Baylor College of Medicine https://www.bcm.edu/people-search/mohit-khera-24469 Books: "The New Perimenopause," by Dr. Mary Claire Haver https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-new-perimenopause-book "The New Menopause," by Dr. Mary Claire Haver https://www.amazon.com/New-Menopause-Navigating-Through-Hormonal/dp/B0CKBZ4K1Z

This episode of unPAUSED was recorded live at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles in front of an audience gathered to talk about perimenopause, menopause, hormones, sex, brain health, and bone health. Dr. Mary Claire Haver is joined on stage by Dr. Rena Malik, a board certified urologist, pelvic medicine specialist, and sexual health expert, for a wide ranging conversation about what is actually happening in women's bodies during the menopause transition, and what every woman navigating midlife health should know. The conversation moves through the zone of chaos that is perimenopause, the hormonal unpredictability behind mood changes, sleep disruption, brain fog, and rising inflammation. Dr. Haver traces how estrogen loss drives increases in cholesterol, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular risk, and explains why the fastest rate of bone loss happens in perimenopause, two years before a woman's final period, making a bone density baseline in your forties, not your sixties, the smarter move against osteoporosis later in life. Guest links: The ‘Pause Life Dr. Mary Claire Haver (Instagram) Dr. Mary Claire Haver (Facebook) Dr. Mary Claire Haver (YouTube) Dr. Mary Claire Haver (Substack) unPAUSED (Apple Podcasts) Books “The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “The New Menopause"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “Estrogen Matters: Why Taking Hormones in Menopause Can Improve Women's Well-Being and Lengthen Their Lives -- Without Raising the Risk of Breast Cancer,” by Dr. Avrum Bluming For full show notes, please click here .

What if weak bones and muscle loss aren't just "normal aging" but the result of decades of misinformation? In this episode double board-certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Vonda Wright joins Dr. Mary Claire Haver to shatter the myth that frailty, fractures, and decline are inevitable for women in midlife. Dr. Wright explains why women can lose up to 20% of their bone mass in just five years after menopause—and more importantly, what we can do to prevent it. She reveals how stress, inadequate nutrition, and neglecting strength training and hormonal health create the very outcomes we've been taught to accept as unavoidable. From the "musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause" that affects 70-80% of women (yet most doctors never discuss) to the science of building bones through strategic lifting, Dr. Wright provides the blueprint for aging with power instead of resignation. Guest links: Dr. Vonda Wright Dr. Vonda Wright (Instagram) Books Unbreakable: A Women's Guide To Aging With Power , by Dr. Vonda Wright Younger in 8 Weeks , by Dr. Vonda Wright Fitness After 40: Your Strong Body at 40, 50, 60, and Beyond , by Dr. Vonda Wright Guide to THRIVE: 4 Steps to Body, Brains and Bliss , by Dr. Vonda Wright Masterful Care of the Aging Athlete: A Clinical Guide , by Dr. Vonda Wright Raising a Healthy Youth Athlete , by Dr. Vonda Wright For full show notes, please click here .

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with Dr. Lucy McBride, a Harvard and Johns Hopkins trained primary care physician and author of the new book Beyond the Prescription: A Doctor's Guide to Taking Charge of Your Health. Dr. McBride has spent twenty five years watching patients bounce between a rushed medical system and a wellness industry. The conversation opens with a hard truth about modern healthcare: doctors interrupt patients within eleven seconds of them speaking, and fifteen minute appointments leave almost no room to understand the whole person behind the diagnosis codes. Dr. McBride explains why this happened, how insurance incentives reward volume over conversation, and why trust and rapport, not just lab values, are the real birthplace of health. She and Dr. Haver share stories from their own practices, including patients who were given thousands of dollars in tests but never asked a single question about their actual lives. Guest links: Dr. Lucy McBride Dr. Lucy McBride (Instagram) Dr. Lucy McBride (LinkedIn) Dr. Lucy McBride (X) Dr. Lucy McBride (YouTube) Dr. Lucy McBride (Ackerly McBride Group) Beyond the Prescription (Apple Podcasts) Are You Okay? By Dr. Lucy McBride (Substack) Books “The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “The New Menopause,"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “Beyond the Prescription: A Doctor's Guide to Taking Charge of Your Health,” by Dr. Lucy McBride For full show notes, please click here .

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver continues her conversation with Dr. Kristen Holmes, Vice President of Performance Science at Whoop and author of the new book Aligned, moving from the science of circadian rhythm into a practical recovery plan a woman can start using tonight. Dr. Holmes lays out a realistic strength and cardio prescription for women who only have thirty minutes a day, and explains how sleep governs the release of growth hormone and the capacity to build and preserve muscle as we age. She introduces the idea of alignment over willpower, framing consistent habits as infrastructure built around what someone actually values rather than a matter of discipline, and connects that back to the four core psychological needs, purpose, autonomy, self efficacy, and connection, that predict anxiety and sleep quality. The conversation turns to wearables, including what to look for in a tracker, the pitfalls of obsessing over data, and simple, no cost markers like a regular menstrual cycle, resting heart rate, energy, and mood that anyone can track without one. Dr. Holmes and Dr. Haver also cover how alcohol and marijuana affect sleep architecture, when a sedative can help short term versus when it becomes a long term problem, and which supplements, like magnesium, actually have data behind them for sleep and anxiety. The episode closes with a rapid fire round on melatonin, mouth taping, cold plunging, weighted blankets, red light therapy, chronotypes, and napping, followed by the two changes Dr. Holmes would tell a woman to make first if she wants better sleep and recovery starting tonight. Guest links: Dr. Kristen Holmes (Instagram) Dr. Kristen Holmes, PhD (LinkedIn) The Line with Dr. Kristen Holmes (Apple Podcasts) Books “The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “The New Menopause,"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “Aligned: The Data-driven Guide to Performance, Recovery, and Human Potential,” by Kristen Holmes For full show notes, please click here .

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with Dr. Kristen Holmes, Vice President of Performance Science at Whoop and author of the new book Aligned, to unpack why sleep and circadian rhythm matter as much as hormones when it comes to the symptoms women feel in perimenopause and menopause. Dr. Holmes explains the concept of circadian amplitude, the contrast between activity and rest, light and dark, and fed and fasted states that keeps every system in the body running on time, and why women with lower amplitude tend to report more frequent and more severe symptoms. She walks through why morning light exposure is one of the most powerful and underused tools available, how getting outside within the first part of the day sets the timing for melatonin release that night, and why a window is not a substitute for actual daylight. The conversation moves into meal timing, including why the body is more insulin sensitive earlier in the day and how consolidating calories into a shorter window can support better sleep and metabolic health. Dr. Holmes also covers where movement fits, including the specific role of zone two training in recovery, why late night intense exercise can work against sleep, and how alcohol affects women differently than men at the same dose. Dr. Holmes and Dr. Haver also dig into what actually drives a 3am wake up, tracing it back to progesterone, GABA signaling, and the loss of hormonal stability that comes with perimenopause, and why sedatives can mask the problem without improving sleep architecture. The conversation ends with a look at the data connecting circadian misalignment to shift work, mental health, and long term health risk, and what a woman can start doing tonight to build back that rhythm. Guest links: Dr. Kristen Holmes (Instagram) Dr. Kristen Holmes, PhD (LinkedIn) The Line with Dr. Kristen Holmes (Apple Podcasts) Books “The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “The New Menopause,"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “Aligned: The Data-driven Guide to Performance, Recovery, and Human Potential,” by Kristen Holmes For full show notes, please click here .

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver continues her conversation with Dr. Sasha Hamdani, a board certified psychiatrist and ADHD clinical expert who wrote Self-Care for People with ADHD and the forthcoming Too Sensitive, moving from diagnosis into what to actually do once ADHD and perimenopause or menopause start colliding. Dr. Hamdani explains how ADHD symptoms and medication effectiveness shift across the menstrual cycle, tracing the pattern back to the drop in estrogen and rise in progesterone that hits right before a period, and walks through where nonstimulant medication options fit for women who want an alternative to stimulants. She lays out her version of a menopause toolkit, prioritizing sleep, exercise, and nutrition ahead of any prescription, and explains why psychiatrists have reprioritized sleep given new data on how stimulant medication works in the brain. The conversation moves through nutrition and appetite regulation, the role GLP1 medications can play in quieting food noise, and a candid look at which supplements, including omega 3, ferritin, and magnesium, actually have data behind them versus which are marketed with none. Dr. Hamdani connects circadian rhythm and delayed melatonin onset to the sleep struggles common in ADHD, and explains why morning light exposure functions almost like a switch for the brain. Guest links: Sasha Hamdani, MD Sasha Hamdani, MD (Facebook) Sasha Hamdani, MD (YouTube) Sasha Hamdani, MD (Instagram) Sasha Hamdani, MD (TikTok) Sasha Hamdani (LinkedIn) Books “The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “The New Menopause"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “Too Sensitive: Rejection, Resilience, and the Science of Feeling Deeply,” by Dr. Sasha Hamdani “Self Care For People With ADHD,” by Dr. Sasha Hamdani For full show notes, please click here .

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with Dr. Sasha Hamdani, a board certified psychiatrist, ADHD clinical expert, and author of the forthcoming book Too Sensitive, for the first half of a two part conversation on why so many women are discovering ADHD for the first time during perimenopause and menopause. Dr. Hamdani reframes ADHD as a regulation issue rather than a simple attention deficit, and explains why perimenopause does not create the condition but instead unmasks it, as the estrogen scaffolding that lets women mask and compensate for a lifetime starts to fall away. She and Dr. Haver walk through how ADHD tends to present differently in women, often as the inattentive, easily overlooked type rather than the hyperactive presentation the diagnostic criteria were built around, and why that gap has left generations of high achieving women undiagnosed. The conversation moves into the biology behind the brain fog so many women describe in perimenopause, tracing the connection between declining estrogen and dopamine and what that does to memory, focus, and executive function. Dr. Hamdani and Dr. Haver also discuss where hormone therapy fits, including estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone, and how each one can help or complicate cognitive symptoms depending on the person. They also cover how a proper ADHD assessment works during perimenopause and how stimulant and nonstimulant medication options differ. Guest links: Sasha Hamdani, MD Sasha Hamdani, MD (Facebook) Sasha Hamdani, MD (YouTube) Sasha Hamdani, MD (Instagram) Sasha Hamdani, MD (TikTok) Sasha Hamdani (LinkedIn) Books “The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “The New Menopause"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “Too Sensitive: Rejection, Resilience, and the Science of Feeling Deeply,” by Dr. Sasha Hamdani “Self Care For People With ADHD,” by Dr. Sasha Hamdani For full show notes, please click here .

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver delivers a solo masterclass on the lab work every woman in perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause should understand and request from her doctor. Dr. Haver explains why standard annual labs, built for a general population, routinely miss the specific hormonal, metabolic, cardiovascular, and bone related changes that happen during the menopause transition, and she walks through seven categories of testing that give a far more complete picture of a woman's health. She starts with an advanced lipid panel, explaining why LDL alone is not enough and why ApoB, Lp(a), and small dense LDL particles matter for women whose cardiovascular risk shifts as estrogen declines. She covers fasting glucose and fasting insulin together, showing how the HOMA IR score can reveal insulin resistance long before a diabetes diagnosis. She addresses bone health in depth, arguing that waiting until age 65 for a baseline DEXA scan is far too late given how much bone density can be lost in the years surrounding menopause, and she details safe vitamin D supplementation ranges and optimal target levels. Guest links: The ‘Pause Life Dr. Mary Claire Haver (Instagram) Dr. Mary Claire Haver (YouTube) The Pause Life by Dr. Mary Claire Haver (Facebook) The Menopause Quiz (The Pause Life) The Menopause Empowerment Guide (The Pause Life) Lab Test Checklist (The Pause Life) Clinicians List (The Pause Life) Books “The New Menopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “The New Perimenopause: An Evidence-Based Guide to Surviving the Zone of Chaos and Feeling Like Yourself Again,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver For full show notes, please click here .

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver talks with Dr. Jennifer Garrison, a neuroscientist and entrepreneur, about why the ovary should never have been labeled a purely reproductive organ. Dr. Garrison explains that ovaries function like a second brain in the body, sending and receiving chemical signals to nearly every tissue system including the heart, bones, brain, immune system, and metabolism. She walks through her research on the hypothalamus and the brain ovary signaling network, describing how inflammation in this part of the brain may be one of the earliest drivers of aging across the whole body. The conversation covers why the ovary ages roughly two and a half times faster than the rest of the body, a gap that helps explain the health span difference between women and men. Dr. Garrison and Dr. Haver discuss how poor ovarian function shows up across a woman's life, not only at menopause, contributing to conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome, infertility, early menopause, depression, metabolic disease, and autoimmune disease. They also unpack why autoimmune conditions rise sharply after menopause and why women's immune systems respond differently to viruses than men's. Guest links: Jennifer Garrison, PhD (LinkedIn) Jennifer Garrison (X) Jennifer Garrison (Bluesky) Jennifer Garrison (X Prize) Jennifer Garrison (The Institute) Books “The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “The New Menopause"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver For full show notes, please click here .

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver continues her conversation with exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist Dr. Stacy Sims, moving from what does not work to what actually does for women in perimenopause and menopause. They cover why strength training, not endless cardio, is one of the most powerful tools women have for protecting muscle, bone, and brain health at midlife, and Dr. Sims walks through exactly how to structure a 20 minute strength session for maximum benefit. The conversation turns to creatine, including why women between 18 and 65 see some of the strongest benefits for brain and heart health, proper dosing, and why timing and mixing matter for bioavailability. Dr. Sims and Dr. Haver also discuss why distance runners can still develop osteoporosis despite years of training, and how chronic under fueling and calcium loss play a role. Guest links: Dr. Stacy Sims Dr. Stacy Sims (Facebook) Dr. Stacy Sims (YouTube) Dr. Stacy Sims (Instagram) Stacy T. Sims, PhD (LinkedIn) Dr. Stacy Sims Newsletter Dr. Stacy Sims Microlearning Course Books “The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “The New Menopause"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “Next Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals Through Menopause and Beyond,” by Dr. Stacy Sims “ROAR: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong, Lean Body for Life,” by Dr. Stacy Sims

In this episode of unPAUSED , Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist Dr. Stacy Sims to unpack why so much fitness and diet advice built on male physiology leaves women confused about why the scale will not move, and why weight loss can feel so much harder for women than for men on the exact same plan. Dr. Sims, author of Roar and Next Level , a former professional cyclist who has taught and coached at Stanford, breaks down why women following the same diet and training program as their male partners often end up tired and stuck rather than leaner and fitter. The conversation covers the biological reasons women conserve fat in a calorie deficit, how female circadian rhythm differs from male circadian rhythm, and why eating within an hour of waking helps regulate cortisol and appetite hormones like ghrelin and peptide YY. Dr. Sims explains why fasted workouts can backfire for women, why front loading calories earlier in the day supports better metabolic outcomes, and why time restricted eating works with a woman's biology in ways that intermittent fasting often does not. Guest links: Dr. Stacy Sims Dr. Stacy Sims ( Facebook ) Dr. Stacy Sims (YouTube) Dr. Stacy Sims ( Instagram ) Stacy T. Sims, PhD ( LinkedIn ) Dr. Stacy Sims Newsletter Dr. Stacy Sims Microlearning Course Books “The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “The New Menopause"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “Next Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals Through Menopause and Beyond,” by Dr. Stacy Sims “ROAR: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong, Lean Body for Life,” by Dr. Stacy Sims

Guest links Karen Tang, MD ( Instagram ) Karen Tang, MD ( Facebook ) Karen Tang, MD ( YouTube ) Karen Tang, MD ( LinkedIn ) Karen Tang, MD ( TikTok ) GynoMight with Karen Tang, MD ( Substack ) Thrive Gynecology Books “ It's Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health (but Were Never Told) ,” by Dr. Karen Tang “ The New Perimenopause: An Evidence-Based Guide to Surviving the Zone of Chaos and Feeling Like Yourself Again ,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “The New Menopause"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver For a list of full show notes, please click here .

In this episode of unPAUSED , Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with Dr. Karen Tang, a board certified gynecologist and minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon, and author of It's Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health But Were Never Told . This is part one of a two part conversation. Together they take on a question that most women entering perimenopause have never been given the tools to answer: what happens to the gynecologic conditions you have been managing for years when your hormones start to shift? Dr. Tang opens with endometriosis, dismantling two of the most persistent myths in gynecology: that it goes away after menopause, and that it is cured by pregnancy or hysterectomy. She explains what endometriosis actually is, why it so often goes undiagnosed for an average of seven years, why imaging studies frequently miss it, and what the full range of treatment options looks like for perimenopausal women dealing with painful periods, pelvic pain, and chronic inflammation, including when surgery is the right next step. Guest links Karen Tang, MD ( Instagram ) Karen Tang, MD ( Facebook ) Karen Tang, MD ( YouTube ) Karen Tang, MD ( LinkedIn ) Karen Tang, MD ( TikTok ) GynoMight with Karen Tang, MD ( Substack ) Thrive Gynecology Books “ It's Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health (but Were Never Told) ,” by Dr. Karen Tang “ The New Perimenopause: An Evidence-Based Guide to Surviving the Zone of Chaos and Feeling Like Yourself Again ,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “The New Menopause"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver For full show notes, please click here .

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In this episode of unPAUSED , Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with Dr. Amy Shah, a physician trained in internal medicine and immunology with a nutrition background from Cornell, and author of the new book Hormone Havoc . Dr. Haver and Dr. Shah begin the conversation with the gut-hormone-brain connection, explaining how 40% of estrogen is recirculated through the gut, how the estrobolome, the collection of gut bacteria responsible for metabolizing estrogen, determines how much the body retains, and why declining estrogen in perimenopause and menopause triggers a cascade that loosens the tight junctions meant to keep food particles, toxins, and viruses from entering the bloodstream. This leaky gut drives inflammation that accelerates every symptom women are already experiencing, from weight gain and mood changes to sleep disruption and brain health decline. The gut-brain axis, the constant two-way communication between the gut and the brain, means that what is happening in the gut is directly shaping cognitive function, motivation, and emotional resilience in menopause. She also covers how 95% of serotonin is made in the gut, why chronic inflammation reroutes tryptophan away from serotonin and melatonin, and what that means for mood, sleep, and appetite in midlife. Guest links: Dr. Amy Shah ( Instagram ) Dr. Amy Shah ( TikTok ) Dr. Amy Shah Save Yourself With Dr. Amy Shah ( Apple Podcasts ) Books: “Hormone Havoc: A Science-Backed Protocol for Perimenopause and Menopause: Sleep Better. Think Better. Feel Better,” by Dr. Amy Shah

In this episode of unPAUSED , Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with Dr. Sue Varma, a board certified psychiatrist, distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, and author of Practical Optimism . They open by taking on a question that sits at the intersection of psychiatry and menopause medicine: why do some women thrive through the most difficult biological transition of their lives, and what can the rest of us learn from them? Early in the conversation, Dr. Varma shares a finding that reframes everything: only 25% of people are born optimistic, and there is actually a gene for it. The other 75% have to learn it. Dr. Varma explains why optimism is not toxic positivity, what practical optimism actually means, and why both extreme optimists and extreme pessimists end up paralyzed into inaction in different ways. She also addresses what happens when depression, anxiety, and brain fog layer on top of the hormonal changes of menopause and perimenopause, and why so many women are being undertreated as a result. Guest links: Dr. Sue Varma ( Instagram ) Dr. Sue Varma ( Facebook ) Dr. Sue Varma ( LinkedIn ) Dr. Sue Varma Books: “Practical Optimism,” by Dr. Sue Varma “The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “The New Menopause"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “Joyspan,” by Dr. Kerry Burnight “The Relaxation Response,” by Dr. Herbert Benson For full show notes, please click here .

In this solo episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver answers one of the most asked questions she receives: what hormones do you actually take, and why? Rather than a general overview of menopause hormone therapy, this is a fully transparent, clinically grounded walk through her personal protocol, including every formulation she uses, why she chose it, and what the FDA-approved alternatives are for women whose needs or circumstances differ. Dr. Haver opens with systemic estrogen, explaining why she uses a transdermal patch as her primary delivery method, why she added a small dose of oral estradiol for bone protection after finding her serum levels were not reaching the threshold needed to preserve bone density, and why she believes routine estradiol level testing should become standard of care even though current guidelines do not yet reflect the latest absorption data. She walks through the key FDA-approved transdermal and oral estrogen options, including patches, gels, sprays, and oral formulations, covering the differences in delivery, cost, clotting risk, and SHBG implications. For full show notes, please click here.

In this episode of unPAUSED , Dr. Mary Claire Haver continues her conversation with Dr. Natalie Crawford, double board certified obstetrician, gynecologist, and reproductive endocrinologist, and author of The Fertility Formula . In part two of this conversation, Dr. Crawford gets specific about the forces working against our hormones every day, chronic stress, disrupted sleep, inflammatory food, and the endocrine disrupting chemicals most women have never been warned about. She explains how cortisol triggers insulin resistance, how insulin resistance drives inflammation and ovarian dysfunction, and why resistance training and building skeletal muscle is one of the most direct interventions a woman can make at any age, including perimenopause. On sleep, she makes the case that it is the single most under addressed factor she sees clinically, explaining how FSH and LH are released in the early morning hours and why disrupted sleep directly interferes with ovulation, estrogen, and progesterone production. The conversation also covers anti-inflammatory nutrition and gut health, the difference between unscented and fragrance-free, why forever chemicals and phthalates are disrupting the hormone system from inside most women's homes, birth control timing and uterine lining recovery, and what egg freezing actually is and is not, and who it is most likely to benefit. Guest links Natalie Crawford, MD Natalie Crawford, MD ( Instagram ) Natalie Crawford, MD ( TikTok ) Natalie Crawford, MD ( Facebook ) Natalie Crawford, MD ( YouTube ) Natalie Crawford, MD ( LinkedIn ) Books “The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “The New Menopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “The Fertility Formula,” by Dr. Natalie Crawford