Tag Archives | women

763: Why So Many High-Functing and Achieving Women Miss the Signs of Hormone Imbalance with Anastasia Sartan

July 28, 2026 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

Listen to the Episode Here

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Episode Summary

Have you ever felt like you become a completely different person during the second half of your cycle?

One week you’re energized, focused, and confident. The next, you’re battling brain fog, irritability, anxiety, exhaustion, and wondering what happened to the version of yourself from just a few days ago.

In this live conversation, Dr. Mariza sits down with entrepreneur, former Snapchat executive, and founder of The Cycle, Anastasia Sartan, to explore the overlooked realities of PMDD, hormone fluctuations, and why women’s changing biology has been largely ignored by the wellness industry.

After struggling with debilitating PMDD while working in the high-pressure tech world, Anastasia set out to create the first functional beverage specifically designed to support women through every stage of their hormonal journey—from the luteal phase and menstruation to perimenopause and menopause.

Together, they discuss how chronic stress, motherhood, the invisible mental load, nervous system dysregulation, and modern work culture amplify hormonal symptoms, leaving many women feeling like they’re constantly pushing through instead of truly thriving.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that your changing hormones aren’t a personal failure. They are an invitation to better understand your body, prioritize rest, and finally embrace products, habits, and support systems that were designed with women in mind.

ANASTASIA SARTAN

Anastasia Sartan is an entrepreneur, former Snapchat executive, data scientist, and founder of The Cycle, the first functional beverage brand created to support women throughout every phase of their hormonal cycle. Inspired by her personal journey with PMDD, she is on a mission to close the gap in women’s wellness by creating innovative products that help women feel supported, understood, and empowered.

IN THIS EPISODE

What PMDD really is and why so many women are misdiagnosed
Why hormone fluctuations dramatically impact mood, energy, and resilience
The hidden connection between chronic stress, motherhood, and hormonal symptoms
How nervous system regulation supports women’s hormonal health
Why women’s wellness products have historically overlooked hormonal cycles
The inspiration behind creating The Cycle functional beverage
Why rest may be one of the most powerful tools for hormone health
How honoring your body’s changing needs helps you thrive through every season

QUOTES

“Periods are a lifestyle, not a medical condition.”

“We had the hormones to scaffold us… until we didn’t.”

“Women deserve products that are designed for women’s biology.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Use code DRMARIZA and get 5% off on The Cycle Functional Drinks

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

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

The Cycle Website

Anastasia Sartan Instagram

RELATED EPISODES

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

761: Finding Your Way Back to Pleasure and Feeling Fully Alive with Gabriella Espinosa

760: The Mindset Shift That Helps You Stop Feeling Stuck with Dr. Rachel Goldman

717: “I Don’t Feel Like Myself Anymore”: The Mental & Emotional Reality of Perimenopause

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!

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

Listen to the Episode Here

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

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

RELATED EPISODES

761: Finding Your Way Back to Pleasure and Feeling Fully Alive with Gabriella Espinosa

759: Tired, Wired & Inflamed? The Sleep Fix Most Women Are Missing with Dr. Michael Breus

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

650: Unlock Your Health: The Ultimate Biomarker & Lab Blueprint to Thrive in Midlife and Beyond

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!

760: The Mindset Shift That Helps You Stop Feeling Stuck with Dr. Rachel Goldman

July 7, 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

Why do so many women reach midlife and suddenly feel like everything is harder than it used to be?

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Mariza sits down with nationally recognized clinical psychologist, behavioral change expert, and author Dr. Rachel Goldman to explore why so many women feel overwhelmed, disconnected from themselves, and stuck during major life transitions.

Dr. Rachel explains how stress, changing responsibilities, shifting identities, motherhood, career demands, and body changes can create a sense of losing yourself—and why the answer isn’t pushing harder, but learning how to respond differently.

Together, they discuss the mindset shifts that help women navigate change with more self-compassion, flexibility, and resilience. They also explore the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and how simple tools from cognitive behavioral therapy can help break patterns that keep us stuck.

Dr. Rachel also shares why self-care doesn’t have to mean adding another overwhelming task to your list. Instead, small intentional moments like movement, breathing, time outside, connection, and creating a reset can completely shift how you show up in your life.

If you’ve been wondering whether you’ll ever feel like yourself again, this episode is a reminder that change doesn’t mean you’ve lost who you are—it may be an invitation to step into your next chapter with more strength and confidence.

DR. RACHEL GOLDMAN

is a nationally recognized clinical psychologist, behavioral change expert, speaker, and author of When Life Happens: The Mindset Shift You Need to Manage Stress, Build Confidence, and Break Free. She helps people manage stress, improve mindset, navigate life transitions, and build confidence through practical, evidence-based tools rooted in psychology and behavioral change.

IN THIS EPISODE

Why so many women feel disconnected from themselves in midlife
How mindset impacts stress, emotions, confidence, and behavior
The importance of self-compassion during seasons of change
Why routines and small habits help create stability during stressful times
How to stop all-or-nothing thinking and create realistic solutions
The connection between body image, aging, and identity shifts
Why resilience comes from building tools before life gets difficult
How to create a personalized stress management toolbox

QUOTES

“Life can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to feel so challenging.”

“We have to create the time.”

“Feeling stuck isn’t who you are. It’s a signal.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

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

Grab the “When Life Happens” book by Dr. Rachel Goldman

Dr. Rachel Goldman Website

Dr. Rachel Goldman Instagram

Dr. Rachel Goldman Facebook

Dr. Rachel Goldman Youtube

RELATED EPISODES

759: Tired, Wired & Inflamed? The Sleep Fix Most Women Are Missing with Dr. Michael Breus

758: Why Your Body Can’t Heal Until It Feels Safe: The Nervous System Shift That Changes Everything with Dr. Dave Rabin

754: How to Find Joy When Life Doesn’t Go According to Plan with Amberly Lago

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

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!

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

Listen to the Episode Here

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

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

Dr. Melinda Instagram

Dr. Melinda Facebook

Dr. Melinda Tiktok

Dr. Melinda Youtube

RELATED EPISODES

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

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

754: How to Find Joy When Life Doesn’t Go According to Plan with Amberly Lago

717: “I Don’t Feel Like Myself Anymore”: The Mental & Emotional Reality of Perimenopause

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!

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

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

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.