Women’s Health
Hormone Imbalance: Let’s Stop Normalizing It
Hormones control how we feel. As a medical doctor specializing in hormonal health for over 25 years, I understand the immense impact hormone imbalances can have on physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Women are more vulnerable than men to hormone dysregulation issues. For women who are still cycling but also women in perimenopause and menopause,…
Read MoreUnlock the Secrets to Hormone Health for Longevity and Vitality
My favorite podcast host in the past year was Andrew Huberman, PhD. We discussed hormones, gut health, the estrobolome, fertility, vitality, and longevity. While our conversation focused on women’s health, the information we discussed often applies to both men and women. As a bioengineer turned OB/GYN turned precision and functional medicine expert, I have an…
Read MoreCardiometabolic Disease: Too Many Women Are Dying Unnecessarily
Half of the women in developed countries will die of mostly preventable heart disease or stroke. This is one of several shocking statistics that I encountered while researching my latest publication, “Women: Diet, Cardiometabolic Health, and Functional Medicine,” in which I challenge the dogma that women are at lesser risk of cardiometabolic disease than men.…
Read MoreThe Connection Between Thyroid, Weight Gain, and Metabolic Health
An unexplained change in weight is one of the most common signs of a thyroid disorder. Weight gain may signal low levels of thyroid hormones, a condition called hypothyroidism. In contrast, if the thyroid produces more hormones than the body needs, you may lose weight unexpectedly combined with symptoms like palpitations and anxiety. This is…
Read MoreBelly Fat: Why Fat Accumulates As You Age And How To Reduce It
Belly fat or gaining weight around the middle is often considered an inevitable part of the aging process, especially for women as they move into their forties and fifties. I strongly disagree. While our bodies do change as we grow older, belly fat and weight gain over fifty is not something we need to accept.…
Read MoreThyroid, Your Weight, and Metabolism
How’s your thyroid? Do you know your level of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)? It’s estimated that about 60 million Americans, both men and women, struggle with thyroid problems. Most don’t know it. Women struggle with their thyroid more than men. A common sign of a thyroid problem is difficulty losing weight, despite doing all the…
Read MoreMetabolic Health: Why You Must Care and How to Measure It
Are you metabolically healthy? If not, you’re not alone. Only around 12% of Americans have achieved metabolic health.1 What does metabolic health mean and why do we all need to start caring more about it? How do you measure metabolic health? Let’s start by looking at the word metabolism. A lot of people misconceive the…
Read MoreI Weigh: Women, Hormones, Diet Culture, and Body Positivity
When I read an intake form for a new patient and she requests help with weight loss, I pause and I take a deep breath. The territory is full of landmines. On one end of the spectrum, we have diet culture, touting crash diets or unrealistic body-size standards or the latest miracle weight-loss supplement. On…
Read MoreKetogenic Diet: Who Benefits and Who Is at Risk?
The ketogenic diet (“keto”) is often touted as an easy way to lose weight fast, providing impressive weight-loss results for men and women alike. But is it true? How do you separate fact from fiction when it comes to keto when there are so many so-called experts stating keto is safe for everyone? Part of…
Read MoreWomen, Food, and Hormones: Why Keto Doesn’t Work for All Women
Keto diets can be disheartening for women, especially when they witness their male co-workers or partners shedding pounds with relative ease. I first tried to lose weight with a ketogenic diet several years ago. It simply didn’t work for me, unlike my husband who managed to quickly lose several pounds. Neither did keto work for…
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