Mary Claire Haver+

Why Women’s Menopause Symptoms Are Often Treated Separately Instead of Connected

Watch my full unPAUSED conversation with physician and author Dr. Lucy McBride about women’s health, navigating the medical system, and what it looks like to care for the whole person: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xkqzfuCNfBI&list=PL8U90xMuKu986oEs-S6gX39_c9T70tQ_D&index=1&pp=iAQB&ra=m What happens when every symptom is treated separately, but no one stops to ask if they might be connected? I’ve had patients come to me on multiple medications. One for sleep. One for palpitations. Another for mood. Each prescribed to address an individual problem. I was guilty of this too. I wanted to help m

If She’s Menopausal and on a GLP-1, Are We Only Treating Half the Problem?

The weight comes off and the chart says success. The muscle and bone that came off with it don’t show up anywhere in that note.

Did You Have PMDD or Postpartum Depression? Here's What It Means for Menopause

Your PMDD and postpartum history are not separate stories from menopause. They are the same story. A 2026 study of 180 women in menopause clinics found that prior reproductive depression, severe PMS, PMDD, and perinatal depression, independently predicted worse depressive symptoms during the transition. Prior depression unrelated to hormones did not, once the reproductive history was accounted for. The published data names the pattern: hormonal mood sensitivity. The clinical reality it misses is that most menopause intakes never ask about it. If your mood shifted with your cycle or after a b

Is Wellness Culture Harming Women’s Health?

Listen to the full episode with Dr. Lucy McBride here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xkqzfuCNfBI&list=PL8U90xMuKu986oEs-S6gX39_c9T70tQ_D&index=1&pp=iAQB&ra=m When did taking care of our health turn into another way for women to feel like they’re failing? More protein. More exercise. More mindfulness. More optimizing. And if you’re still struggling? The message can become that you simply haven’t done enough. Lifestyle matters. Exercise matters. Nutrition matters. But as Lucy points out, the problem is when we’re told these things are necessary AND sufficient for health. You shouldn’t have

How to Get What You Need From a 15-Minute Doctor's Appointment with Dr. Lucy McBride

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 diag

Build Muscle and Strength with Protein, Fiber & Zone 2 training: Your step by step guide

It's not too late to start the challenge. You can start it anytime! Here is the link to request the guide: https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-pause-strong-challenge Order Dr. Haver’s new book, The New Perimenopause today: https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-new-perimenopause-book Is Dr. Haver going to be in your area? Check out her upcoming events here: https://thepauselife.com/pages/events Want to learn more about Dr. Haver and her work in the field of menopause? Check out our website: https://thepauselife.com/ Order Dr. Haver’s #1 New York Times bestselling book, The New Menopause today

Perimenopause Fatigue Isn't in Your Head | New Study Explains Why ⭐

Perimenopause raises psychological symptom burden 52%. And it’s not what you think. A new peer-reviewed study of 7,975 women across 20 countries measured it on the Menopause Rating Scale: 7.3 in perimenopause versus 4.8 in premenopause. We assume that load is anxiety and depression. It isn’t. The single largest jump was exhaustion, up 56%, followed by irritability. Depressive mood and anxiety rose too, but they were the smallest movers, not the headline. And this is the part most coverage skips: the increase held after adjusting for age, education, income, ethnicity, BMI, smoking, alcohol, a

Strong Not Skinny Challenge: How I'm Building Muscle with Protein, Fiber & Zone 2 Training

Join me for the Pause Strong Challenge! It's totally free! Here is a link: to request the guide: https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-pause-strong-challenge Order Dr. Haver’s new book, The New Perimenopause today: https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-new-perimenopause-book Is Dr. Haver going to be in your area? Check out her upcoming events here: https://thepauselife.com/pages/events Want to learn more about Dr. Haver and her work in the field of menopause? Check out our website: https://thepauselife.com/ Order Dr. Haver’s #1 New York Times bestselling book, The New Menopause today: https://

How Does Modern Life Disrupt Your Sleep?

Listen to the fun unPAUSED episode with Dr. Kristen Holmes: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jBOQHC4NELA&list=PL8U90xMuKu986oEs-S6gX39_c9T70tQ_D&index=1&pp=iAQB&ra=m "Good sleep is a skill.” That stopped me in my tracks. Dr. Kristen Holmes explains why modern life can make it genuinely difficult to protect our biological sleep, and why being intentional about sleep may need to start long before the first symptoms of perimenopause. I also share how much I misunderstood about my own health when I was living in chronic sleep debt. --- Order Dr. Haver’s new book, The New Perimenopause today: htt

Menopause Sleep Reset: A Recovery Plan You Can Start Tonight with Dr. Kristen Holmes

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 habi

Why Do I Keep Waking Up at 3 AM During Perimenopause?

Listen to the full unPAUSED episode with Dr. Kristen Holmes here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8Or4gMn-pc8&list=PL8U90xMuKu986oEs-S6gX39_c9T70tQ_D&index=1&pp=iAQB&ra=m#bottom-sheet Why do so many midlife women wake up at 3 AM? Dr. Kristen Holmes explains the role circadian rhythm and amplitude may play, and why the answer isn’t that you did something wrong or somehow sabotaged your sleep. There’s biology behind what’s happening. --- Order Dr. Haver’s new book, The New Perimenopause today: https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-new-perimenopause-book Is Dr. Haver going to be in your area? Ch

Open Access Isn’t Free. It Just Moves the Paywall.

Making research free to read doesn’t make it free. It moves the cost from the reader to the writer, and in women’s health, that can mean the researchers who most need support are the ones left out.

Why Don’t Sleeping Pills Fix Menopause Sleep Problems?

Listen to the full episode of unPAUSED with Dr. Kristen Holmes here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8Or4gMn-pc8&list=PL8U90xMuKu986oEs-S6gX39_c9T70tQ_D&index=1&pp=iAQB0gcJCckLAYcqIYzv&ra=m Being asleep and getting quality sleep are not necessarily the same thing. In this conversation with Dr. Kristen Holmes, we unpack why sleep disruption in menopause may not simply come down to hot flashes, and why sedatives can affect the depth of your sleep. If you’re sleeping but still waking up exhausted, this is an important conversation. --- Order Dr. Haver’s new book, The New Perimenopause today: h

Menopause and the 3AM Wake Up: What Light, Meal Timing and Hormones Do with Dr. Kristen Holmes

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 walk

What It Was Really Like Being an OB-GYN During the First Year of COVID.

The ICU beds were full in the hospital where I worked. Order Dr. Haver’s new book, The New Perimenopause today: https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-new-perimenopause-book Is Dr. Haver going to be in your area? Check out her upcoming events here: https://thepauselife.com/pages/events Want to learn more about Dr. Haver and her work in the field of menopause? Check out our website: https://thepauselife.com/ Order Dr. Haver’s #1 New York Times bestselling book, The New Menopause today: https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-new-menopause-book Want to try our supplements? Order Here: https://the

What If Men Lost Testosterone at Midlife? The Truth About Estrogen and Women's Health.

A little over a year ago, I had the pleasure of joining the @armchairexppod, and it remains one of the most fun, informative, and collegial conversations I've had. Grateful to @daxshepard and @mlpadman for such a thoughtful discussion. If you listened when it first aired, I'd love to hear what stayed with you. Order Dr. Haver’s new book, The New Perimenopause today: https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-new-perimenopause-book Is Dr. Haver going to be in your area? Check out her upcoming events here: https://thepauselife.com/pages/events Want to learn more about Dr. Haver and her work in the f

Why Do People With ADHD Feel So Much Rage?

Listen to the full unPAUSED episode with Dr. Sasha Hamdani, where we discuss emotional dysregulation, rage, sensory sensitivity, and other ADHD symptoms that often go unrecognized: https://youtu.be/tzXxiD9xJW8 Ever feel like a tiny annoyance triggers a huge emotional reaction? For many people with ADHD, that's not a character flaw. It's part of emotional dysregulation, a common but often overlooked aspect of ADHD. A small trigger, like someone chewing, tapping a pen, or making repetitive noises, can feel much bigger than it seems to everyone else. It's not because you're overreacting. ADHD

An ADHD and Menopause Toolkit: What Actually Helps with Dr. Sasha Hamdani

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 opt

Why So Many Women Aren't Diagnosed With ADHD Until Adulthood

Listen to the full unPAUSED episode with Dr. Sasha Hamdani, where we discuss why ADHD has been missed in so many women, how symptoms differ between girls and boys, and what to do if you recognize yourself in this conversation: https://youtu.be/WeGj2lc6szc?si=pggqdQ4py57ddCG- For decades, ADHD research focused primarily on young boys. As a result, many girls with ADHD didn't fit the expected picture and were never recognized. Instead of being disruptive in class, many girls present with inattentive symptoms. They may be quiet, organized enough to get by, helpful, or labeled as daydreamers. Be

Is ADHD Genetic? What the Research Says

✨ Listen to the full unPAUSED episode with Dr. Sasha Hamdani, where we discuss ADHD in women, why it's so often missed, and what to do if you think you may have it. ADHD often runs in families, and many women don't realize it until their child is evaluated. Research suggests ADHD has a heritability of 75–88%, making genetics one of the strongest risk factors. Many adults first recognize their own symptoms while helping their child through the diagnostic process. If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. Recognition can be the first step toward understanding yourself and exploring whether a

Ten Things in the Menoverse That Changed My Brain Chemistry

Ten publications and cultural moments that completely changed how I think, practice, and care for women in midlife.

Why ADHD Isn't Just About Attention

Listen to the full unPAUSED episode with Dr. Sasha Hamdani, where we discuss how ADHD presents in women, why it can become more apparent in midlife, and what to do if you recognize these symptoms in yourself: https://youtu.be/WeGj2lc6szc?si=N7kd2BewEsa5Utgi Many people think ADHD is simply an attention problem. It isn't. ADHD affects how the brain regulates attention, memory, motivation, emotions, energy, sleep, and more. That's why it can show up in ways many women never expect. For some women, symptoms become much more noticeable during the menopause transition. Tasks that once felt autom

Brain Fog, Rage, Overwhelm: The ADHD and Menopause Overlap with Dr. Sasha Hamdani

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

Perimenopause & Menopause: 7 Things Actually Worth Your Money

Not everything is worth your money. What are the things you think are actually worth the money? Let us know in the comments below! Order Dr. Haver’s new book, The New Perimenopause today: https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-new-perimenopause-book Is Dr. Haver going to be in your area? Check out her upcoming events here: https://thepauselife.com/pages/events Want to learn more about Dr. Haver and her work in the field of menopause? Check out our website: https://thepauselife.com/ Order Dr. Haver’s #1 New York Times bestselling book, The New Menopause today: https://thepauselife.com/pages/t

Perimenopause: The Zone of Chaos & Why Your Brain Works Harder to Keep You Ovulating

Perimenopause is often mistaken for a period problem but it isn't. In this video, Dr. Haver breaks down why the earliest signs of perimenopause usually show up as changes in mood, sleep, and cognition, not menstrual changes. As egg supply declines and estrogen levels become erratic, the brain has to work harder to trigger ovulation and drives the hormonal fluctuations behind brain fog, anxiety, and mood swings long before your cycle shifts. Understanding this "zone of chaos" can help you recognize perimenopause earlier and advocate for the care you need. Order Dr. Haver’s new book, The New Per

Calcium Supplements and Osteoporosis: Why Protein Intake Matters More

New research is challenging a common assumption in osteoporosis care: that more calcium is always better. In calcium-replete older women, calcium supplements had little added effect on how well anti-resorptive medications worked, but low protein intake blunted their benefits. This video is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, supplements, or treatment plan. Here is a link to the research article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42463975/ Order Dr. Haver’s new book

When Should Women Get Their First Bone Density Scan?

✨Watch the full unPAUSED Menopause Masterclass episode on labs here: https://youtu.be/c8jUaFBCudc?si=qezDPARSgPOZSOhh When should women get their first bone density scan? Many women are told to wait until age 65 for a baseline DEXA scan. In this episode, I explain why waiting until 65 may be too late for many women. Bone loss begins years earlier, accelerates during the menopause transition, and you can lose up to 20% of your bone mass in the first 5 to 7 years after menopause. We also discuss why vitamin D matters for bone health, what levels we aim for in our clinic, and why understanding

The Truth About The Menopause Belly

Your Body Is Responding Predictably to Hormonal Changes, and We Finally Have More Tools Than Ever to Help

The Real Prescription for Better Brain Health: Habit Stacking

There's no pill for brain health, and that's actually good news. It's not a supplement, not a single habit, but a habit stack built from five things working together. Movement, nutrition, exercise, mental challenges, and social connection each play a distinct role in supporting cognitive health, and research shows their combined effect matters more than any one piece alone. If you're looking for a real, sustainable approach to protecting your brain long-term, this is where to start. Join our free online community where you can learn more and communicate with other women on the journey. htt

Why I Walk at My Desk (It's Not for Cardio) | Avoiding a Sedentary Lifestyle for Longevity

Walking on a treadmill desk isn't cardio, and Dr. Haver wants you to know that's actually okay. In this video, she explains why she walks at her desk anyway: not to hit a workout goal, but to counteract the hours most of us spend sitting for work. Research on longevity consistently points to sedentary behavior as a major contributor to health complications later in life, independent of whether you also exercise. That's why low-intensity movement throughout the day, like desk walking, plays a different role than structured cardio and matters just as much for long-term health. Order Dr. Haver’

Why Ovarian Aging May Be the Missing Piece in Women's Health Research

One of the biggest mysteries in women's health is hiding in plain sight. Our ovaries age at least twice as fast as the rest of our bodies. ✨Watch the full episode of unPAUSED with Dr. Jennifer Garrison, PhD here: https://youtu.be/P-r3sD3QLwM?si=KNadFVx5NrW3l4s6 That isn't just about fertility. Ovaries produce hormones that influence nearly every organ system, including the brain, heart, bones, muscles, metabolism, and immune system. When ovarian function declines decades before many other organs, it may help explain why women's health changes so dramatically during and after menopause. The

What I Got Wrong in Midlife Medicine

Five things I used to preach about menopause, weight, and health, and why I’ve changed my mind.

The Menopause Autoimmune Connection: Why Women Face Higher Risk After Midlife

When we talk about menopause, we often focus on hot flashes, sleep, or bone health. But one of the biggest unanswered questions in women's health may be the immune system. In this conversation, Jennifer Garrison, PhD, explains that women and men have fundamentally different immune responses. ✨Watch the full episode of unPAUSED here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P-r3sD3QLwM&list=PL8U90xMuKu986oEs-S6gX39_c9T70tQ_D&index=2&pp=iAQB&ra=m Women tend to respond differently to viruses and vaccines, yet we still don't fully understand why. We do know one striking fact: about 80% of people living w

The Ovary’s Job Doesn’t End at Menopause: A Top Neuroscientist Explains

in this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver talks with Dr. Jennifer Garrison, a neuroscientist and founder of the Global Consortium for Reproductive Longevity and Equality, 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 pa

Aging Well as a Woman: Introducing the Menospan (Nutrition, Exercise, Mindfulness)

What if the second half of your life could be your strongest? The Menospan is more than a phase, it's a framework for how women can age with strength, clarity, and energy instead of just managing decline. This isn't about slowing down. It's about staying ahead of the changes your body is going through and using them as a launchpad to thrive. Ready to put this into action? Join the Pause Strong Program for a structured plan built specifically for women navigating this stage of life, with expert guidance on nutrition, strength training, and mindset support. 👉 Learn more and join Pause Strong: h

How Perimenopause Changes Your Heart Disease Risk

Estrogen isn't just a reproductive hormone. Your body has estrogen receptors in almost every cell and organ, including the heart. While estrogen is present, it plays a protective role for cardiovascular health, which is why perimenopause marks a meaningful shift in heart disease risk for women. Order Dr. Haver’s new book, The New Perimenopause today: https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-new-perimenopause-book Is Dr. Haver going to be in your area? Check out her upcoming events here: https://thepauselife.com/pages/events Want to learn more about Dr. Haver and her work in the field of menopause

If You Only Change 3 Things for Your Health, Start Here

If you could only focus on a few things to improve your long-term health, where should you start? At the end of this conversation, I asked Dr. Stacy Sims exactly that. ✨Watch the full episode of unPAUSED here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ksDyIHd00hs&list=PL8U90xMuKu986oEs-S6gX39_c9T70tQ_D&index=2&pp=iAQB&ra=m Her advice was surprisingly simple: -Align your circadian rhythm. Eat soon after waking, front-load your meals, and get morning light exposure. -Prioritize movement, especially strength training. You don't have to be perfect. You just have to be consistent. -Follow the 80/20 rule. S

Lift Heavy, Protect Your Brain: Strength, Creatine, and Sauna for Women with Dr. Stacy Sims

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

Calories In, Calories Out: What It Misses About Nutrition

For years, we've been told weight management is simple: calories in versus calories out. But the human body isn't a calculator. ✨Watch the full episode of unPAUSED with Dr. Stacy Sims here: https://youtu.be/CJepcPC6cCM?si=1qn_eYVjItalKL2D In this conversation, Dr. Stacy Sims explains why she prefers to shift the focus away from counting calories and toward what may matter more: the quality of your food, when you eat it, and whether you're getting enough protein and fiber. Not all 2,000-calorie diets have the same nutritional value. A diet built around ultra-processed foods affects your bod

Why a Calorie Deficit Can Make It Harder to Build Muscle

Listen to the full episode of unPAUSED with Dr. Stacy Sims here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CJepcPC6cCM&list=PL8U90xMuKu986oEs-S6gX39_c9T70tQ_D&index=1&pp=iAQB&ra=m For decades, women have been told that eating less is the key to changing their body composition. But building muscle and protecting bone requires something different. As Dr. Stacy Sims explains in this episode of unPAUSED, your body cannot build new tissue if it believes resources are scarce. When you're consistently under-fueling, in a significant calorie deficit, or combining intense exercise with too little food, your body

Can Hormone Therapy Help Prevent Disease, And Not Just Relieve Symptoms?

We were trained to treat menopause as a moment to get through. The science says it’s a health event that deserves real medical care for every woman, at every age.

Why Fasting Works Differently for Women Than Men

Listen to the full episode of unPAUSED with Dr. Stacy Sims here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CJepcPC6cCM&list=PL8U90xMuKu986oEs-S6gX39_c9T70tQ_D&index=1&pp=iAQB&ra=m If you've ever thought, "My partner skips breakfast, fasts until noon, and loses weight...why doesn't it work for me?", this conversation is for you. One of the biggest mistakes women make is assuming our bodies respond to nutrition the same way men's do. As Dr. Stacy Sims explains, women have a different hormonal response after waking. For many women, delaying food for hours after waking can contribute to appetite hormone d

Why Women Gain Weight on the Same Diet as Men: Fueling, Fasting, and Biology with 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 f

Menopause Math: The Broken System Nobody Is Talking About

Is it just us or should there be a better way! Join our free community and share your journey with other women just like you. Here is a link to join: https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-pause-life-community Order Dr. Haver’s new book, The New Perimenopause today: https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-new-perimenopause-book Is Dr. Haver going to be in your area? Check out her upcoming events here: https://thepauselife.com/pages/events Want to learn more about Dr. Haver and her work in the field of menopause? Check out our website: https://thepauselife.com/ Order Dr. Haver’s #1 New York Times b

My Hormone Therapy Routine for Menopause: What I Take, When & Why

This must watch podcast is a step by step guide to what Dr. Haver takes, when she takes it and why she takes it. Here is a direct link but you can also search this channel for her Menopause Masterclass: My Menopause Toolkit - HRT and more https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Lo__0SjOc&list=PL8U90xMuKu986oEs-S6gX39_c9T70tQ_D&index=5 Order Dr. Haver’s new book, The New Perimenopause today: https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-new-perimenopause-book Is Dr. Haver going to be in your area? Check out her upcoming events here: https://thepauselife.com/pages/events Want to learn more about Dr. Haver and

How to Prepare for a Gynecologist Appointment: Questions Every Woman Should Ask

Listen to the full unPAUSED episode with Dr. Karen Tang here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=V_ZwYIH-9Vw&list=PL8U90xMuKu986oEs-S6gX39_c9T70tQ_D&index=1&pp=iAQB&ra=m Don't walk into your next doctor's appointment without a plan. If you're living with endometriosis, fibroids, vulvar symptoms, or entering perimenopause or menopause with unanswered questions, preparation can make all the difference. In this episode, Dr. Karen Tang shares how to make the most of your appointment: write down your concerns, prioritize your biggest questions, bring a support person if it helps, and don't be afraid

Vanishing Vulvas & Menopause: What's Really Happening with Dr. Karen Tang

In part two of this conversation, Dr. Mary Claire Haver continues 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 episode begins with one of the most common complaints women bring into midlife and one of the least discussed: pain, itching, burning, and changes in the vulva and vagina. Dr. Tang opens by explaining why the vulva is among the most sensitive skin on the body, why menopause accelerates changes that most women are neve

Menopause Weight Loss: How Much Protein Do You Need To Preserve Muscle?

Weight loss shouldn't come at the expense of the muscle that protects your metabolism, strength, and independence. Here's how much protein research suggests you need to preserve it.

The Exercise Prescription I Give Every Woman in Menopause

It’s less than you think, and most of it isn’t cardio.

What actually protects your brain in midlife

The hack is the stack - why no single thing will ever be enough.

How Fast Can Medicine Move? Apparently, It Depends Who’s Asking.

A new alcohol study had me celebrating the science and quietly furious about everything around it.

Why Your Skin Changes So Fast After Menopause (And What You Can Do About It)

One of the first places women notice estrogen loss is in their skin. Here's the science behind menopause-related collagen loss and the practical steps that may help.

The Labs I Run on Every Menopausal Patient. Print This. Bring It to Your Doctor.

Standard labs might just miss the things that matter most in midlife.

The GLP-1 Update for Women in Midlife: What’s Changed, What’s New, and What’s Next

New research on GLP-1 medications, hormone therapy, visceral fat, metabolic disease, medication interactions, and what emerging treatments may mean for women in menopause.

Your OB History Is Your Cardiac History

Two new cardiovascular guidelines now formally name women’s reproductive history as cardiovascular risk. Here is what that means for you.

My Grandmother, My Mother, and My Daughters

The Generational Cost of What Women Were Never Told About Midlife Health

What Every Woman Over 40 Needs to Know About Hair Thinning and Hair Loss

Why hair thinning in perimenopause and menopause deserves a real medical workup

What You Really Need to Know About Histamine, Mast Cells, and Your Hormones

The conversation no one had with us in medical school. With Dr. Zachary Rubin.

Why Many Doctors Still Misunderstand Menopause

The education gap, WHI fallout, and what women need to know now

The New Perimenopause with Dr. Mary Claire Haver

A recording from Dr. Mary Claire Haver, MD and Katie Couric's live video

The Menopause Toolkit: What Actually Works

Everything we can actually do, and how to build a personal plan that supports your body in midlife

The Estrogen-Brain Connection

What Brain Scans Reveal, Why Timing Matters for Dementia Prevention, and What You Can Do Right Now

Your Heart After Menopause

Why cardiovascular disease risk doubles after menopause, what is actually happening inside your arteries, and why the standard primary prevention playbook needs rethinking for menopausal women

The New Perimenopause

It’s Here. And It’s for You.

The 10-Year Window Medicine Ignored

Perimenopause lasts up to a decade. Most women are not told it has started. This is what that silence costs, and what The New Perimenopause was written to change.

Your Metabolism Didn’t Betray You

The estrogen-insulin connection your doctor probably never explained, and why what feels like a willpower problem is actually a hormonal one

Where Did My Muscle Go?

The Sarcopenia Crisis Hidden in Normal Aging and Why Building Muscle Now Is Critical for Your Health

I’m Coming to Your City This Spring

This spring I’m hitting the road, and I want you there.

Osteoporosis and Menopause: The Silent Fracture Most Women Miss Until It’s Too Late

Why bone loss accelerates during perimenopause and menopause, how osteoporosis fractures happen, and the steps that can protect your bones now

What Happens When Estrogen Declines? The Whole-Body Impact of Menopause

Menopause is not a single symptom. Estrogen loss reshapes brain, bone, heart, metabolism, and long-term health.

Why I Check Estradiol Levels After Hormone Therapy Begins

Current guidelines say you do not need to monitor estradiol levels after beginning therapy in menopause. I respectfully disagree. Here is the data that changed my mind and my own protocol.

Menopause: The Diagnosis That Comes Too Late

Why defining menopause as “12 months without a period” is failing women

Estradiol, Lp(a), and Women’s Heart Risk

Understanding the powerful connection between hormone therapy and cardiovascular health.

My Patients Don’t Want to Live to 120. They Want Something Better Than That.

What I’m building instead.

I’m an OB-GYN and I Was Never Taught How to Treat Low Sex Drive in Women

What medicine still gets wrong about female desire, hormones, and health