Tag Archives | perimenopause

762: Why Women Need to Stop Being “Good Patients” and Start Advocating for Better Healthcare with Dr. Mariza

July 21, 2026 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

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Episode Summary

How many times have you been told, “Your labs are normal,” even though you know something doesn’t feel right?

In this empowering solo episode, Dr. Mariza challenges one of the biggest beliefs women have been conditioned to accept: that being a “good patient” means staying quiet, pushing through symptoms, and trusting a healthcare system that has historically overlooked women’s biology.

She explores how decades of research gaps, delayed recognition of perimenopause, and outdated medical training have left millions of women feeling dismissed, unheard, and convinced that exhaustion, brain fog, anxiety, poor sleep, weight gain, and hormone changes are simply part of getting older.

Dr. Mariza explains why perimenopause is far more than a reproductive transition. It’s a neurological, metabolic, cardiovascular, and whole-body transition that deserves proactive care—not years of unnecessary suffering.

Most importantly, she shares practical strategies for becoming an active partner in your healthcare, including how to prepare for appointments, ask better questions, understand your symptoms, and advocate for the care you deserve.

If you’ve ever left a doctor’s appointment feeling unheard or wondering if it’s “all in your head,” this episode will remind you that your symptoms matter, your intuition matters, and you deserve answers.

IN THIS EPISODE

Why women have been conditioned to become “good patients”
The hidden impact of research gaps in women’s healthcare
Why “your labs are normal” isn’t always the full story
How perimenopause affects the brain, metabolism, heart, and hormones
The questions every woman should ask at her medical appointments
How to prepare for appointments so you become an active partner in your care
The difference between normal lab ranges and optimal health
Why you deserve evidence-based care that prioritizes your long-term health

QUOTES

“You are the CEO of your health.”

“Symptoms are not inconveniences to silence. They are signals to understand.”

“Normal isn’t always the same as optimal.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Stop surviving and start thriving: join Dr. Mariza’s free 5-day challenge beginning July 27th

Order my newest book: The Perimenopause Revolution

Thriving in Perimenopause Survival Guide

Joy & Blokes Lab Testing

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757: The Hidden Emotional Shift of Perimenopause (No One Prepared Us For) with Dr. Melinda Ring

June 23, 2026 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

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Episode Summary

Why do so many women enter perimenopause feeling like the rug has been pulled out from under them?

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Mariza sits down with integrative medicine physician and menopause expert Dr. Melinda Ring to explore why perimenopause often feels so destabilizing and why so many women feel blindsided by symptoms they were never warned about.

Together, they unpack the profound neuroendocrine changes happening during the perimenopause transition and why symptoms like sleep disruption, anxiety, brain fog, overwhelm, stress sensitivity, and feeling “not like yourself” often become some of the earliest signs that something is shifting.

Dr. Ring explains the critical connection between hormones, the stress response system, sleep quality, nervous system regulation, and long-term health outcomes. They also discuss why traditional medical approaches have historically fallen short for women, the growing role of hormone replacement therapy, and why individualized care matters more than ever.

The conversation dives deep into HPA axis dysfunction, trauma, chronic stress, self-compassion, resilience, and the importance of helping women feel safe in their bodies during a time of tremendous change.

If you’ve ever wondered whether what you’re experiencing is normal—or if you’ve found yourself saying, “I don’t feel like myself anymore”—this episode offers both validation and practical guidance.

Dr. Melinda Ring

Dr. Melinda Ring is a board-certified physician, integrative medicine expert, educator, and internationally recognized leader in women’s health and menopause care. She serves as Director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health and is passionate about helping women navigate perimenopause and menopause through evidence-based, whole-person care that addresses hormones, lifestyle, stress, sleep, and long-term health optimization.

IN THIS EPISODE

Why perimenopause often feels so overwhelming and unexpected
The connection between sleep disruption, hormones, and brain health
Why many women feel like they “don’t feel like themselves” anymore
The role of HPA axis dysfunction and chronic stress during midlife
How trauma and long-term stress influence the menopause transition
The evolving conversation around hormone replacement therapy
Why individualized hormone care matters more than one-size-fits-all protocols
How women can build resilience, safety, and self-compassion during perimenopause

QUOTES

“Sleep is the force multiplier.”

“You can’t heal in survival mode.”

“The brain is reorganizing, not just the ovaries.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

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

Dr. Melinda Website

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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

Listen to the Episode Here

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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

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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!

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

June 16, 2026 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

Listen to the Episode Here

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EPISODE SUMMARY

What if one of the biggest missing pieces of perimenopause isn’t hormones at all?

In this eye-opening conversation, Dr. Mariza sits down with Ryan Woodbury, co-founder and co-CEO of Needed, to explore why nutrient deficiencies may be one of the most overlooked drivers of fatigue, brain fog, low energy, poor stress resilience, and other common symptoms women experience during perimenopause.

Ryan shares the surprising personal experience that led her into the world of nutritional science and supplementation, including discovering her own nutrient deficiencies despite following a highly nutrient-dense diet. Together, they unpack the alarming research showing that most women are entering pregnancy, postpartum, and eventually perimenopause already running on depleted nutritional reserves.

They discuss the shortcomings of traditional nutritional recommendations, why so many women remain deficient despite taking standard multivitamins, and how decades of stress, caregiving, disrupted sleep, pregnancies, and modern environmental demands create a perfect storm for depletion.

Dr. Mariza and Ryan also dive into the critical role nutrients play in supporting hormone production, brain function, metabolism, cellular energy, blood sugar regulation, and healthy aging. Most importantly, they offer practical guidance for building a stronger nutritional foundation so women can thrive through midlife and beyond.

If you’ve ever wondered why you still feel depleted despite doing “all the right things,” this conversation will help connect the dots.

RYAN WOODBURY

Ryan Woodbury is the co-founder and co-CEO of Needed, a company dedicated to improving nutritional support for women across every stage of life. With a background in environmental science, nutrition, and food systems, Ryan has become a leading advocate for evidence-based nutrient support for fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause. Her mission is to help women move beyond bare-minimum nutrition and build the foundation needed for lifelong vitality.

IN THIS EPISODE

Why nutrient deficiencies are so common among women entering perimenopause
The hidden impact of stress, caregiving, pregnancy, and postpartum depletion
Why traditional multivitamins often fail to meet women’s nutritional needs
The critical role of vitamin D, magnesium, choline, omega-3s, and B vitamins
How nutrient deficiencies contribute to fatigue, brain fog, and metabolic dysfunction
Why foundational nutrition matters before adding targeted interventions
The connection between blood sugar regulation, inflammation, and hormonal health
How women can build a stronger foundation for energy, cognition, and healthy aging

QUOTES

“95% of women have at least one nutrient deficiency in a very key nutrient.”

“You deserve to get what your body actually needs, not the bare minimum.”

“When women reclaim their energy, they don’t just change themselves, they change the world.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Subscribe now and get 20% off + FREE Shipping on your first NEEDED Supplement Order

Order my newest book: The Perimenopause Revolution

Needed Website

Needed Instagram

Needed Facebook

Needed Academy Instagram

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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!

747: The Silent Shift: Why The Perimenopause Transition Shapes Your Next 40 Years

May 19, 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

“Perimenopause is more than just hot flashes and mood swings—it’s a biological inflection point.”

In this solo episode, Dr. Mariza discusses the deeper, often overlooked changes happening during perimenopause and menopause. It’s more than a reproductive shift; it’s a systemic change affecting the brain, metabolism, hormones, mitochondria, gut health, and more.

Dr. Mariza delves into the silent shift that many women experience—feeling exhausted, stressed, and unproductive despite their best efforts. She explains how perimenopause accelerates aging processes, and why early intervention is key to reducing long-term health risks and preserving vitality.

This episode focuses on actionable steps you can take to support your body during this critical transition—from stabilizing blood sugar and building muscle to optimizing sleep and protecting your brain.

If you’ve been feeling “off” but can’t explain why, this episode is a must-listen.

Be sure to tune in!

IN THIS EPISODE

Why perimenopause is a biological and metabolic inflection point
The connection between hormonal fluctuations, mitochondria, and energy
How perimenopause accelerates aging and increases risk for chronic diseases
Why “just pushing through” is not the solution for midlife women
The importance of early intervention for better long-term health outcomes
Simple strategies for building energy, optimizing brain function, and protecting your future health
How stabilizing blood sugar, improving muscle mass, and prioritizing sleep can reduce inflammation and support resilience