Tag Archives | metabolism

756: What Low-Grade Inflammation Is Really Doing to Your Hormones, Brain & Metabolism with Dr. Mariza

June 18, 2026 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

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Episode Summary

What if inflammation is the missing link behind so many of the symptoms women experience after 40?

In this solo episode, Dr. Mariza breaks down the powerful connection between low-grade chronic inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, hormone changes, brain health, energy production, and accelerated aging. She explains why inflammation is far more than an immune system issue and how it silently influences nearly every aspect of health during perimenopause and menopause.

Many women assume that fatigue, brain fog, stubborn belly fat, poor sleep, anxiety, joint pain, cravings, and declining energy are separate issues requiring separate solutions. But Dr. Mariza reveals how these symptoms are often interconnected through one common underlying process: inflammation.

She also explores why perimenopause is not simply a hormone transition but a metabolic, vascular, and neuroendocrine transition that increases inflammatory burden and changes how the body responds to stress, blood sugar fluctuations, sleep disruption, and hormonal shifts.

Most importantly, Dr. Mariza shares the practical lifestyle pillars she uses to lower inflammation, improve metabolic flexibility, support hormone health, and create the internal environment needed for healthy aging and long-term vitality.

If you’ve been feeling like your body is changing but can’t quite connect the dots, this episode will help you understand what inflammation may be trying to tell you.

IN THIS EPISODE

Why low-grade inflammation is one of the biggest drivers of symptoms after 40
The connection between inflammation, metabolism, hormones, and aging
How perimenopause increases inflammatory burden throughout the body
The labs Dr. Mariza recommends to assess inflammation and metabolic health
Why blood sugar regulation is one of the fastest ways to lower inflammation
The critical role of muscle, movement, sleep, and nervous system regulation
How gut health influences inflammation, immunity, and metabolism
Practical daily habits that help reduce inflammation and support healthy aging

QUOTES

“The goal isn’t simply to lose weight. The goal is creating an internal environment where the body no longer feels the need to stay inflamed.”

“One workout cannot undo eight hours of sitting.”

“When inflammation comes down, everything goes up.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Use code ENERGIZED and get 10% off on your MitoQ Order

Fix Your Metabolism Masterclass

Order my newest book: The Perimenopause Revolution

Joi & Blokes Lab Testing

Blood Sugar Hacks Guide

RELATED EPISODES

755: What If Your Body Isn’t Broken, Just Undernourished? The Missing Link Between Nutrients, Hormones & Energy with Ryan Woodburry

753: The Brain’s Hidden Role in Chronic Pain, Migraines & Fatigue with Dr. Howard Schubiner

751: Bloating, Brain Fog & Hormone Chaos? Your Gut May Be the Root Cause with Dr. Cassie Smith

741: Estrogen, Gut Health, Mitochondria, and Cardiovascular Health: What Changes In Perimenopause with Dr. Siobhan Mitchel

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751: Bloating, Brain Fog & Hormone Chaos? Your Gut May Be the Root Cause with Dr. Cassie Smith

June 2, 2026 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

Listen to the Episode Here

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Episode Summary

“What if your bloating, fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, stubborn weight gain, and hormone symptoms are actually starting in your gut?”

In this episode, Dr. Mariza sits down with Dr. Cassie Smith — dual board-certified endocrinologist, founder of Modern Endocrine, and author of Fix Your Gut, Fix Your Hormones — to unpack the powerful connection between gut health, hormone balance, stress, metabolism, inflammation, and reproductive health.

Together, they dive into how chronic stress, poor gut health, blood sugar dysregulation, inflammation, and lifestyle overload silently impact everything from cortisol and insulin to estrogen, progesterone, thyroid function, and fertility.

Dr. Cassie explains why so many women are told their labs are “normal” while still feeling exhausted, bloated, anxious, inflamed, and disconnected from their bodies — and why gut dysfunction is often the missing piece conventional medicine overlooks.

They also explore the growing metabolic and hormonal crisis happening in younger women, the connection between PCOS, insulin resistance, gut dysfunction, and birth control, and why many women are struggling to restore healthy cycles and fertility later in life.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that hormones do not work in isolation. Your gut, nervous system, metabolism, sleep, stress resilience, and hormones are all deeply interconnected.

If you’ve been feeling like your body is trying to tell you something but nobody has connected the dots yet, this episode will help you understand where healing truly begins.

DR. CASSIE SMITH

Dr. Cassie Smith is a dual board-certified endocrinologist and the founder of Modern Endocrine. After becoming frustrated with the limitations of conventional medicine, she built a practice focused on uncovering the root causes behind hormone dysfunction, metabolic issues, fertility struggles, and gut-related symptoms. She is also the author of the book Fix Your Gut, Fix Your Hormones.

IN THIS EPISODE

Why chronic stress has such a powerful impact on gut health and hormones
How gut dysfunction contributes to fatigue, brain fog, bloating, anxiety, and weight resistance
The connection between estrogen decline, microbiome diversity, and inflammation
Why insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction are rising in younger women
The hidden relationship between PCOS, gut health, cortisol, and fertility
Why birth control is often used as a Band-Aid instead of addressing root causes
The foundational lifestyle habits that support gut and hormone healing
Why slowing down, resting, and reducing nervous system overload matters for recovery

QUOTES

“Your hormones are doing the best they can in the environment you give them.”

“It doesn’t matter how many supplements or hormones we throw at you if the foundations aren’t in place.”

“Your gut is where all healing begins.”

“Your body cannot heal in survival mode.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Get your “Fix Your Gut, Fix Your Hormones” Book by Dr. Cassie Smith

Order my newest book: The Perimenopause Revolution

Modern Endocrine Website

Modern Endocrine Instagram

Modern Endocrine Facebook

Modern Endocrine Tiktok

Modern Endocrine Youtube

Hormones, Metabolism and You Podcast

The Menopause Gut Book by Cynthia Thurlow

RELATED EPISODES

741: Estrogen, Gut Health, Mitochondria, and Cardiovascular Health: What Changes In Perimenopause with Dr. Siobhan Mitchel

743: Why Your Heart Risk Changes in Menopause (And What You Can Do About It) with Dr. Jayne Morgan

738: The Hidden Link Between Inflammation, Hormones & Fertility with Dr. Natalie Crawford

740: Why You’re Bloated, Gaining Weight & Feeling Off in Menopause (It Starts in Your Gut) with Cynthia Thurlow

Free Download: Easy, Practical Tips to Get More Energy!

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735: The Stress–Metabolism Connection: Why You’re Gaining Weight, Craving Sugar & Struggling with Energy

April 7, 2026 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

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Episode Summary

Feeling like you’re doing everything right… but still struggling with unwanted weight, cravings, and low energy?

This episode is for you. We’re unpacking why your metabolism may not be broken at all—and how a dysregulated nervous system could be the real reason your body feels stuck.

For midlife women especially, chronic stress can quietly drive insulin resistance, hormonal shifts, and that frustrating loss of resilience that seems to hit in your 40s and beyond.

So this conversation sheds light on the powerful connection between stress and your ability to create and sustain energy in your body.

You’ll walk away with an empowering perspective on how supporting your nervous system can unlock real, lasting change in your health.

Tune in here to learn how to work with your body—not against it—and start feeling like yourself again!

IN THIS EPISODE

The correlation between stress and your metabolic health
What’s really happening in your body in a stressful state
The negative impacts of stress-induced blood sugar responses
How you can experience a blood sugar spike without eating
Simple tips for calming your nervous system and stabilizing your metabolism and blood sugar levels
Movement recommendations for getting stress out of your system
How to take control of your body in my Midlife On Fire Collective

QUOTES

“This is what’s called a stress-induced blood sugar response, and it’s completely normal in the short term, right? We are built for this…But the problem is, for most of us, this isn’t happening once in a while. It’s happening all the time, and over time research shows that it can lead to higher insulin levels, increased fat storage, especially in the abdomen, and more inflammation and oxidative stress in the body.”

“Your metabolism is deeply connected to your nervous system. So what can you do about this? I want to keep this real simple because this isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing fewer things consistently.”

“If we can start to create more safety in our bodies, it just changes everything. And we deserve that. We deserve to feel safe, because that translates into the safety of the people around us as well.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Join my Midlife on Fire Collective HERE!

Join my 7- Day Metabolism and Hormone Jumpstart HERE!

Order my latest book: The Perimenopause Revolution HERE

Dr. Jason Fung’s book: The Hunger Code

RELATED EPISODES

729: Why Counting Calories Doesn’t Work (And What Actually Controls Hunger) with Dr. Jason Fung

730: The Metabolic Shift After 40: What’s Really Driving Weight, Energy & Mood Changes

732: The Silent Disruptor: How Chronic Stress Hijacks Perimenopause

698: Food Noise, Cravings, and Midlife Weight Gain: How to Regain Control Naturally with Sarah Kennedy

Free Download: Easy, Practical Tips to Get More Energy!

Download the free Energy-Boosting Cheat Sheet now to learn how to unlock abundant health and energy that lasts—in only seconds every day!

730: The Metabolic Shift After 40: What’s Really Driving Weight, Energy & Mood Changes

March 19, 2026 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

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Or, listen on your favorite app: iTunes (Apple Podcasts) | Stitcher | Spotify | Pocketcasts

Episode Summary

Midlife is the time to measure, understand your body, and take proactive steps to support your future self.

In this episode, I’m diving into the massive metabolic shift that happens during perimenopause—and why this stage of life is the perfect time to build true metabolic resilience.

We explore how metabolism doesn’t respond to punishment or extremes, but instead thrives on consistent biological rhythms and supportive daily signals.

Even small, simple habits can create powerful changes when practiced consistently. Because over time, these small shifts can stabilize energy, reduce inflammation, and help eliminate those frustrating crashes.

If you’re ready to feel deeply supported in midlife, this episode will give you the roadmap to start today!

IN THIS EPISODE

One of the MOST important upgrades of your life
Preventing chronic disease and protecting your heart and brain health
Defining your own habits that bring you energy and clarity
Navigating hormone shifts and other physiological changes happening in midlife
Building life-changing habits that you can be consistent with
What to expect from my new FREE jumpstart program!

QUOTES

“I am more committed than ever to protecting my metabolic and brain health. Even on the hard days, because at the center of everything, your energy, your mood, your weight, your resilience, is your cellular energy, your cellular capacity is what’s determining the symptoms.”

“I believe a big part of our midlife journey is building daily habits that protect our cellular energy.”

“Perimenopause is the most rapid intervention window for body composition change. A 2020 study showed the greatest decline in lean muscle mass occurs during perimenopause.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Kickstart your Energy in my FREE 7-day Jumpstart Program HERE!

Order my newest book: The Perimenopause Revolution HERE!

RELATED EPISODES

728: Why Brain Fog Isn’t Random: The Hormone Shift Behind It

727: The Missing Link in Perimenopause: How to Rebuild Energy, Resilience & Hormonal Harmony with Dr. Deanna Minich

725: Exhausted, Wired & Not Yourself? The Hormone Havoc Causing Midlife Burnout with Dr. Amy Shah

#632: The Secret to Optimal Sleep, Resilience, Performance and Emotional Wellbeing with Dr. Kristen Holmes

Free Download: Easy, Practical Tips to Get More Energy!

Download the free Energy-Boosting Cheat Sheet now to learn how to unlock abundant health and energy that lasts—in only seconds every day!

728: Why Brain Fog Isn’t Random: The Hormone Shift Behind It

March 12, 2026 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

Listen to the Episode Here

Or, listen on your favorite app: iTunes (Apple Podcasts) | Stitcher | Spotify | Pocketcasts

Episode Summary

Feeling like even the smallest things are suddenly overwhelming you?

This is actually part of a much bigger hormonal and neurological shift happening beneath the surface.

In today’s episode, I’m covering one of the most common—and least talked about—midlife experiences: the brain-related changes that come with perimenopause.

Even women who experience few classic symptoms like hot flashes are still undergoing silent physiological changes affecting the brain, bones, muscles, metabolism, and cardiovascular health.

We explore why perimenopause can be a destabilizing but deeply transformative recalibration where everything from hormones to lifestyle habits comes up for review.

So I’m breaking down simple daily habits you can start right away to support your brain, stabilize your energy, and reduce overwhelm without adding more to your already full plate.

Ready to clear the fog and feel like yourself again in midlife? Tune in here for the science-backed tools to start today. 🧠

IN THIS EPISODE

The massive neuroendocrine shift happening in midlife
What’s actually happening to the brain during perimenopause
Managing midlife inflammation and your immune system
The benefits of balancing your blood sugar and metabolism
How short bursts of activity can help you reclaim your energy
Honoring your circadian rhythm and prioritizing sleep
Why building strength and resilience in midlife is so important
Managing your nervous system and avoiding cortisol spikes
How to join my FREE 7-day reset challenge to reignite your energy and metabolism!

QUOTES

“Over 70% of women in perimenopause experience brain-related symptoms: mood changes, sleep disruptions, hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, irritability, cognitive shifts, memory lapses, and low stress resilience. Eight out of the 10 most common symptoms in perimenopause are brain-related.”

“This is metabolic neuroscience, and this is exactly why we cannot just push through the brain fog. We need to stabilize glucose. We need to lower insulin spikes. We need a calm cortisol. We need to reduce the inflammatory load.”

“These are the signals that we get to listen to, and that’s why I created something to help you decode those signals and give your body back what it has been asking for.”