Hormone Optimizing Warrior M.D.

A fall can happen in one second, but the strength that protects you is built every day. In this episode, we get into the real-world side of osteoporosis prevention, starting with a fall I had that could have ended very differently. I break down why muscle is more than something that looks good in the mirror, why balance can be the difference between a wobble and a fracture, and why bones need more...

Bone loss does not wait for permission. It can build quietly in the background while everything seems fine on the surface. In this episode, we go after the hidden drivers of osteoporosis before the fracture gets the final word. We break down why a scan is only the beginning, why osteopenia should get attention right now, and why real answers require more than another bottle of calcium. This is abo...

Your bones are either carrying you into the future or setting you up for the fracture that changes everything. In this episode, we take bones out of the background and put them where they belong: at the center of aging, strength, and freedom. I'll break down why osteoporosis is not something to wait to think about until after a fracture happens. We get into how bones rebuild, why estrogen matters,...

This is where testosterone therapy meets the long game of heart health. In this episode, we wrap up our deep dive into testosterone therapy and cardiovascular health by tackling one of the biggest questions in hormone optimization: how do we make sure therapy stays safe over the long haul? Along the way, we uncover warning signs many women overlook, reveal the testing strategies that matter most a...

Let's take female testosterone therapy into the zone where the stakes rise and the details matter. I'm breaking down why the right dose can change the game, while the wrong dose can push the body in directions no one should ignore. We go inside the heart, the blood vessels, and the metabolic shifts that can show up when testosterone is in play. This is where hormone therapy stops being guesswork a...

We've been told to think about testosterone mostly through sex drive, but I take us into a much bigger story in this episode. I'm opening the door to a bigger conversation that almost never gets the attention it deserves: testosterone and women's heart health after menopause. When this hormone drops, the effects may reach far beyond the bedroom and into the strength of the body itself. I'll explai...

In this episode, we push past the cholesterol conversation and dig into why calcium scoring may change the way we look at heart risk. I take us inside two cases that make one thing clear: a simple number on a test never tells the whole story. We get into the details of plaque, hormones, stress, sleep, food, movement, menopause, estrogen loss, and the fight patients may face just to get testing app...

Today we're continuing our discussion about heart health and cardiovascular surveillance, and we're specifically focusing on what's true about cholesterol and what to monitor as a woman ages. When it comes to cholesterol, we're often made to believe "the lower the better", but this is not always true. Cholesterol plays an important role in the body, and the truth is more complicated. In this episo...

Recently, I've been speaking about how estrogen and FSH levels are valuable indicators for a woman's cardiovascular health. While not all medical professionals are well-versed in this, it's a topic that needs to be discussed. So, what should you look for when your doctor is monitoring your cholesterol, especially during menopause? In this episode, we're shedding light on the role cholesterol, infl...

Estrogen plays many significant roles in a woman's body, but on this episode of HOW MD, we're talking about why estrogen is so important for heart health. In 2002, women and doctors were told estrogen therapy would increase the risk of a cardiovascular event. But the truth is much more complicated, and when taken correctly, estrogen can be more beneficial despite its potential—and often minimal—ri...

When I started this podcast, I focused largely on overall wellness and even beauty. After looking back on the last three years of my journey, I came to realize it was time for a change. I'm shifting to focus specifically on optimizing hormones for women in menopause and beyond. From now on, I'll be providing hormone tips and strategies you can bring to your medical provider to help you feel your b...

In this episode we're concluding our conversation about breast cancer screening. This part discusses the importance of breast exams and what an ideal breast surveillance process could look like (versus how it looks today for most women). Many women today are bypassing a breast exam by believing that a mammogram is sufficient. Here's the truth: 10% of breast cancers are not picked up by a mammogram...

We're moving on to part 3 of our conversation about breast cancer screening in this episode. Previously, we've covered breast health surveillance in general. Today, we're going to dive into breast cancer screening when a woman is on hormone therapy, as this therapy often brings up concerns for breast cancer risk. So, is there an association between hormone therapy and breast cancer? Although hormo...

In today's episode we're continuing our conversation about breast cancer surveillance, focusing on the risks of getting a regular mammogram. Last week, we discussed the cumulative risk of radiation damage that women are subjected to over decades of annual mammogram screenings. Mammograms also have shortcomings: they don't detect pre-cancer changes. Many women aren't aware of the unintended harm a...

Today we're beginning our conversation about breast cancer screening when on hormone therapy. There are biological markers and overall wellness indicators that need to be assessed every time a woman has an annual checkup when on hormone replacement therapy. Regardless of what therapies she is taking, every woman should have their breast wellbeing monitored, especially as she ages. Is an annual mam...

In this episode I'm concluding our conversation about hormone optimization. Previously, we've discussed the difference between hormone therapy and hormone optimization, as well as the myths and benefits about hormone use for health optimization. Today, we're looking at the bigger picture of overall health and how the rest of your body plays a role in hormone balance. How well our bodies function a...

Last week, I introduced the concept of what hormone optimization is and how it differs from hormone therapy. In this episode, let's focus on exploring the myths about using hormones and how you can use hormone optimization to age on your own terms. Going through menopause means experiencing significant changes in hormone levels, including estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone. These hormone shi...

Hormone optimization is a new and complicated topic, and we're going to begin covering it in today's episode. As women enter menopause and seek hormone replacement therapy as a solution, it's important to have an understanding of how aging impacts the body and how hormone optimization can help. I recently listened to a podcast which compared hormone therapy to home renovation. The host, a retired...

On today's episode we're concluding our conversation about prolapse, specifically focusing on pelvic prolapse. These pelvic floor muscles are a small yet crucial aspect of your overall muscle structure. Women who have given birth vaginally are more susceptible to experience pelvic floor prolapse, making this area of muscles even more important to know about. Menopause can also cause various change...

Let's continue on with our conversation about prolapse. A great number of women experience prolapse after childbirth trauma, but this can also come up many years after menopause when the loss of estrogen starts to impact a woman's pelvic floor muscles and tissues. Women on some form of hormone therapy can still experience issues with prolapse, especially since the replacement dose is nowhere near...

In this episode we're talking about something I haven't yet approached on this show: prolapse, specifically as it relates to a very specific female condition. Many women aren't aware of the vital connection between estrogen and the health of the tissues of their pelvic floor, but you'll learn about it today. A prolapse is caused by a weakening of the pelvic floor that supports the female organs, a...

Today we're continuing our conversation about health insurance, health expenses, and what to consider when you're budgeting for your health. We often forget that health insurance is a business. And just like any other business, there's a lot to know, and it takes a few extra intentional steps to truly understand it. Last episode, we discussed how your health insurance plan is not designed to maint...

In this episode we're diving deeper into health expenses to help you gain insight into where your money is best allocated. In the last episode, we explored how your health insurance is designed to treat illness, not to keep you healthy. Often, saving for your health treatments is the best option if you want to stay healthy. Unfortunately, that's not an option for everybody, especially those who ar...

Let's talk about your health goals for this year and beyond. The truth is that basic self-care practices don't always restore us to the level we desire. That's where seeking additional support comes in, but in order to use that, we first have to understand insurance plans. The first basic question you can ask yourself is this: What kind of expense can actually bring the greatest value to your heal...

How you can achieve your health goals in 2026 and in all the years to come? Life can (and does) get busy, and time can move by quickly. Self-care doesn't always feel easy, but prioritizing self-care is so important if you want to achieve a truly optimal state of health Many people struggle to intentionally dedicate time to their selfcare. Why? It's often due to putting other people's health and we...