Energized host and bestselling author Dr. Mariza Snyder puts the power back in your hands so that you can age powerfully and live life to the fullest. Get ready to navigate your hormone and metabolic journey with wisdom and grace throughout your forties and beyond.
Each episode will leave you feeling empowered with the knowledge of how your body actually works by providing root-cause explanations for the symptoms you’re facing (with a side of real talk) along with proven, research-driven solutions to reset your metabolism, fatigue, and hormones. In each information-packed episode, you will discover solutions designed to reclaim your energy and aliveness so that you can feel ENERGIZED in your body and become the CEO of your health.
Visit www.drmariza.com for hundreds of free recipes and resources, plus game-changing programs, products, and incredible support designed to optimize your metabolism, energy, and brain function as you powerfully navigate the second half of your life.
This podcast was formerly named "Essentially You with Dr. Mariza".
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778: The Fatigue Problem No One Is Solving for Women Over 40 (And The Labs I Order First)
jeudi 1 octobre 2026 • Durée 35:54
You’re exhausted by 2 or 3 PM. Your workouts suddenly wipe you out. Your hair is shedding, your brain feels foggy, and even climbing a flight of stairs leaves you more winded than it used to.
Then you finally ask for help and hear: “Your labs are normal.”
In this solo episode, Dr. Mariza breaks down one of the most commonly missed contributors to persistent fatigue in women: iron deficiency, even before anemia develops. She explains newly released American Society of Hematology ferritin thresholds and why women who were previously told their iron was “normal” may deserve a closer look.
But iron is only one part of the conversation.
Dr. Mariza walks through the bigger clinical picture she considers when a woman says, “I don’t feel like myself anymore,” including thyroid function, mitochondrial energy production, blood sugar, sleep, nutrition, stress physiology, and HPA-axis regulation.
Most importantly, she explains why fatigue is a symptom, not a diagnosis and why neither stress, aging, nor perimenopause should automatically become the explanation for everything you’re experiencing.
Listen now to learn what may be hiding behind your exhaustion and how to have a more productive conversation with your healthcare provider.
IN THIS EPISODE
Why iron deficiency can exist before you become anemic
The new ferritin thresholds women should know about
Why a lab’s reference range and a diagnostic threshold are not always the same thing
Why heavy perimenopausal periods can increase your risk of depleted iron stores
The fatigue, brain fog, headaches, hair shedding, and exercise intolerance that can overlap with perimenopause
How iron, thyroid hormones, nutrition, blood sugar, sleep, and recovery influence mitochondrial energy production
Why “adrenal fatigue” oversimplifies what may actually be happening with the HPA axis
How under-fueling, over-training, poor sleep, circadian disruption, illness, and caffeine can add to the body’s total stress load
The questions to ask when you know something has changed but your labs keep coming back “normal”
QUOTES
“You can be iron deficient before you ever become anemic.”
“Two things can be true at once.”
“I don’t want mitochondrial dysfunction to become another vague label we give an exhausted woman.”
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Find inspiration, connection, and meaningful reads. Join the Book Club now!
https://drmariza.com/bookclub
Order my newest book: The Perimenopause Revolution
http://drmariza.com/book
Stop surviving and start thriving, join Midlife on Fire Collective now
https://drmariza.com/trial
RELATED EPISODES
769: Is It Perimenopause or Something Else? How to Finally Connect the Dots with Dr. Mariza
664: The Hidden Reason You’re Exhausted: How to Fix Cortisol and Boost Stress Resilience in Perimenopause
661: When “Normal” Isn’t Normal: How to Be Heard (and Taken Seriously) at the Doctor’s Office
755: What If Your Body Isn’t Broken, Just Undernourished? The Missing Link Between Nutrients, Hormones & Energy with Ryan Woodbury
777: What We Know Now: The Midlife Lessons No One Taught Us with Jenn Pike
mardi 29 septembre 2026 • Durée 51:57
What happens when the woman who has always been able to handle everything suddenly realizes her body won’t let her operate that way anymore?
In this episode, Dr. Mariza sits down with functional diagnostic nutritionist, medical exercise specialist, bestselling author, and women’s health educator Jenn Pike for a deeply personal conversation about the capacity shift that can happen in perimenopause.
Jenn shares the subtle signs she noticed in her late 30s: alcohol suddenly disrupting her sleep, slower workout recovery, increased soreness, less patience, and a shorter emotional fuse. Eventually, she realized she wasn’t simply stressed. Her body needed her to operate differently.
They unpack what happened when Jenn stopped forcing intense workouts, began respecting her changing energy, reduced her workload, asked for help, and started saying no, even when disappointing people felt uncomfortable.
But this conversation goes even deeper into the identity so many high-functioning women carry: “I’ve got this. I don’t need help.”
Listen now to discover why perimenopause may be an invitation to protect your energy, trust your body, and stop treating exhaustion as the price of a full life.
JENN PIKE
Jenn Pike is a functional diagnostic nutritionist, medical exercise specialist, bestselling author, and women’s health educator who has spent years helping women in perimenopause and menopause better understand their hormones and bodies.
She is also the host of The Simplicity Sessions podcast. In this conversation, Jenn shares her own experience of entering perimenopause in her late 30s and how it forced her to rethink exercise, work, motherhood, boundaries, identity, and the belief that she always had to be the one who could handle everything.
IN THIS EPISODE
The subtle perimenopause signs Jenn started noticing before age 40
Why intense workouts stopped feeling good and how she changed her training
What overstimulation and a shorter emotional fuse revealed about her capacity
How overcommitment and constantly being needed contributed to burnout
Why Jenn had to dramatically rethink how much she could put on her calendar
Learning to ask for help, delegate, and disappoint people without falling apart
Why perimenopause can bring your deepest patterns around productivity and self-worth back up for review
How Jenn moved from being “smart” to feeling wiser, calmer, and more trusting of herself
QUOTES
“The nutrient is actually doing less, and figuring out how to do less better.”
“I taught people to expect that of me.”
“I don't have to be that person to be loved.”
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Order my newest book: The Perimenopause Revolution:
https://drmariza.com/book
Join my brand new Substack: for the woman everyone depends on who is wondering why everything feels harder in midlife >>
https://drmariza.substack.com/
The Simplicity Sessions Podcast:
https://jennpike.com/podcast/
Jenn Pike Website
https://jennpike.com/
Jenn Pike Instagram
RELATED EPISODES
776: What Changes When Your Body Can’t Keep Pushing Like It Used To? With Dr. Taz Bhatia
775: Wide Awake at 3 A.M.? What’s Really Disrupting Your Sleep in Midlife with Morgan Adams
774: Training for Your Grandma Self: How to Build a Body That Lasts
769: Is It Perimenopause or Something Else? How to Finally Connect the Dots with Dr. Mariza
776: What Changes When Your Body Can’t Keep Pushing Like It Used To? With Dr. Taz Bhatia
jeudi 24 septembre 2026 • Durée 54:51
What if perimenopause isn’t simply changing your hormones, but revealing everything your body has been compensating for for years?
In this episode, Dr. Mariza sits down with integrative medicine physician and women’s health expert Dr. Taz Bhatia for an incredibly personal conversation about what happens when the strategies that helped high-functioning women push through for decades suddenly stop working.
Dr. Taz shares how her own perimenopause began with incredibly heavy periods, fatigue, anemia, hair loss, mood changes, and unexpected weight gain.
But one of her biggest surprises came later: as progesterone and estrogen declined, her blood sugar, insulin, cholesterol, A1C, and liver enzymes began creeping upward, revealing just how interconnected hormones and metabolic health really are.
They also explore the emotional transformation of midlife: letting go of people-pleasing, protecting your energy, releasing the need to be the “good girl,” and becoming clearer about who you are and what deserves your attention.
Listen now to rethink perimenopause as an opportunity to understand your body, protect your health, and step powerfully into what comes next.
DR. TAZ BHATIA
Dr. Taz Bhatia is a board-certified integrative medicine physician, women’s health expert, and bestselling author of several books, including The Hormone Shift. Her work explores the connections between hormones, metabolism, stress, nutrition, and whole-body health.
Through her Whole Plus clinics and podcast, Dr. Taz advocates for a more collaborative approach to women’s health that looks beyond symptoms to cognitive, metabolic, cardiovascular, bone, mental, and hormonal health.
IN THIS EPISODE
How extremely heavy periods became Dr. Taz’s first undeniable sign of perimenopause
Why weight gain in midlife isn’t necessarily something women simply have to accept
How estrogen and progesterone shifts can intersect with blood sugar, insulin, cholesterol, and visceral fat
Why the “silent” cardiometabolic changes of menopause deserve more attention
Why your body may stop tolerating the stress, sleep debt, and depletion you once pushed through
How perimenopause helped Dr. Taz stop people-pleasing and build stronger boundaries
Why knowing your own patterns and tracking changes can help you advocate for yourself
How midlife can become an opportunity to redefine your identity, purpose, and power
QUOTES
Perimenopause is really where women come into their own.”
“These are not my battles. This is not my fight.”
“We gotta redefine what fine is.”
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Find inspiration, connection, and meaningful reads: Join my Soulful Shelf Book Club (no cost) here:
https://drmariza.com/bookclub
Join my brand-new Substack: for the woman everyone depends on who is wondering why everything feels harder in midlife:
https://drmariza.substack.com/
The Hormone Shift by Dr. Taz Bhatia:
https://amzn.to/4xJ5VfK
The Superwoman Rx by Dr. Taz Bhatia:
https://amzn.to/4hHkZpn
Dr. Taz Website:
https://doctortaz.com/
Dr. Taz Instagram
Hol+ Wellness Podcast
RELATED EPISODES
775: Wide Awake at 3 A.M.? What’s Really Disrupting Your Sleep in Midlife with Morgan Adams
774: Training for Your Grandma Self: How to Build a Body That Lasts
771: Beyond Hot Flashes: The 103 Symptoms of Perimenopause No One Talks About with Andrea Donsky
769: Is It Perimenopause or Something Else? How to Finally Connect the Dots with Dr. Mariza
775: Wide Awake at 3 A.M.? What’s Really Disrupting Your Sleep in Midlife with Morgan Adams
mardi 22 septembre 2026 • Durée 01:07:05
If you keep waking up at 2:00, 3:00, or 4:00 AM and can’t fall back asleep, your hormones may only be one piece of the puzzle.
In this episode, Dr. Mariza sits down with sleep expert Morgan Adams to unpack why sleep can suddenly fall apart in midlife and what you can actually do about it.
Morgan explains three major forces affecting women’s sleep: declining estrogen and progesterone, rising anxiety and depression, and the enormous demands of being part of the “sandwich generation,” often juggling a career, children, and aging parents simultaneously.
They dig into one of the biggest complaints among midlife women: middle-of-the-night wake-ups. From blood sugar dysregulation and overheating to overlooked breathing issues, Morgan reveals why repeatedly waking at the same time deserves a closer look.
You’ll also learn what not to do when you wake up, the cognitive trick that may interrupt 3 AM rumination, why your wearable can’t replace a sleep study, and whether sleeping separately from your partner could actually protect your health and your relationship.
Listen now for practical strategies to finally get the deeper, more restorative sleep your body needs.
MORGAN ADAMS
Morgan Adams is a sleep coach who helps women struggling with insomnia and disrupted sleep improve their sleep using evidence-based behavioral strategies.
Her work includes cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) principles and practical approaches to middle-of-the-night wake-ups, rumination, evening routines, and sleep optimization. In the episode, she also offers listeners a guide specifically for 3 AM wake-ups and an opportunity to connect with her about insomnia support.
IN THIS EPISODE
Why sleep can suddenly fall apart for women in midlife
What “revenge bedtime procrastination” is and why busy women do it
The surprising reasons you may keep waking up around 3 AM
How blood sugar dysregulation may contribute to nighttime wake-ups
Why overheating may be disrupting your sleep even without night sweats
The overlooked breathing problems that can leave healthy women exhausted
What to do when your brain starts spiraling in the middle of the night
Why a “sleep divorce” might actually become a sleep alliance
QUOTES“My big thing is mindfulness snacks.”
“Sleeping separately doesn’t mean the marriage has failed.”
“It’s not a template. It’s really an individualized kind of puzzle that you kinda have to put together for yourself.”
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Find inspiration, connection, and meaningful reads. Join the Book Club now!
Awake Again at 3am by Morgan Adams
Morgan Adams Website
Morgan Adams Instagram
RELATED EPISODES
774: Training for Your Grandma Self: How to Build a Body That Lasts
771: Beyond Hot Flashes: The 103 Symptoms of Perimenopause No One Talks About with Andrea Donsky
769: Is It Perimenopause or Something Else? How to Finally Connect the Dots with Dr. Mariza
750: The Underlying Cellular Cause of Midlife Fatigue, Brain Fog & Low Motivation with Andrew Salzman
774: Training for Your Grandma Self: How to Build a Body That Lasts with Dr. Stephanie Estima
jeudi 17 septembre 2026 • Durée 58:28
What if one of the biggest questions of perimenopause isn’t simply “How do I feel better right now?” but “Who do I want to be 20, 30, or 40 years from now?”
In this deeply personal conversation, Dr. Mariza sits down with women’s health expert Dr. Stephanie Estima to talk about the side of midlife that rarely makes it into conversations about hormones.
They explore what happens when the high-functioning woman who has always been able to handle everything begins to notice that her capacity has changed. Stephanie shares how she can no longer work the same 10- or 12-hour days she once could, why movement has become essential for her mental clarity, and how perimenopause has made her more discerning about where she puts her energy.
But this conversation goes much deeper than symptoms.
From female friendship and motherhood to living according to your values, Stephanie and Mariza ask what it actually means to build a life and body capable of carrying you through the second half of your life.
You’ll also hear Stephanie’s non-negotiables for longevity, including strength, mobility, joint health, pelvic floor health, and the small habits that compound over decades.
Listen now and start training for the woman you still want to become.
DR. STEPHANIE ESTIMA
Dr. Stephanie Estima is a women’s health expert, chiropractor, bestselling author of The Betty Body, and host of the Better with Dr. Stephanie podcast.
Her work focuses on helping women understand their bodies, optimize health and performance, and build strength and resilience throughout the different stages of life.
In this conversation, Stephanie gets especially personal about her own experience of midlife, motherhood, changing capacity, friendship, fitness, and becoming increasingly comfortable being fully herself.
IN THIS EPISODE
Why your mental and work capacity can feel different in perimenopause
The emotional reality of motherhood as your children grow up
Why female friendship and connection matter more in midlife
The powerful realization that your mid-40s may represent your halfway point
How to tell if your calendar actually reflects what you say you value
Why strength training is one of Stephanie’s longevity non-negotiables
The overlooked role of mobility and joint health as you age
Why pelvic floor health deserves your attention long before older age
QUOTES“I think I have, like, lactic acid of the soul.”
“I really do need people.”
“Are you living in alignment with the things that you say are important to you?”
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Order my newest book: The Perimenopause Revolution
Stop surviving and start thriving, join Midlife on Fire Collective now
The Betty Body by Dr. Stephanie Estima
Better with Dr. Stephanie Podcast
Stephanie Estima Website
Stephanie Estima Facebook
Stephanie Estima Instagram
RELATED EPISODES
773: What’s Really Driving How Fast You Age? The Science of Biological Aging with Nikolina Lauc
771: Beyond Hot Flashes: The 103 Symptoms of Perimenopause No One Talks About with Andrea Donsky
769: Is It Perimenopause or Something Else? How to Finally Connect the Dots with Dr. Mariza
750: The Underlying Cellular Cause of Midlife Fatigue, Brain Fog & Low Motivation with Andrew Salzman
773: What’s Really Driving How Fast You Age? The Science of Biological Aging with Nikolina Lauc
mardi 15 septembre 2026 • Durée 57:50
What if perimenopause isn’t only changing your hormones, but also changing how your body is aging underneath the surface?
In this episode, Dr. Mariza sits down with Nikolina Lauc, CEO and co-founder of GlycanAge, to explore emerging research on immune aging, chronic low-grade inflammation, and the menopause transition.
Nikolina shares research showing just how dramatically markers of “inflammaging” can shift when estrogen declines. In one hormone-blocking study, women gained 9.1 years on GlycanAge markers within six months, while research following twins found the rate of immune aging accelerated during the transition from perimenopause to menopause.
They unpack why this inflammation may be happening even when your traditional labs look normal, what glycans can reveal about how your immune system is functioning, and why biological age is more complex than a single number.
They also explore the research around HRT, exercise, weight loss, fasting, GLP-1 medications, nutrition, and why the same intervention doesn’t work the same way for every woman.
Listen now to discover what may be happening beneath the surface in perimenopause and how better data could help you become more proactive about how you age.
NIKOLINA LAUC
Nikolina Lauc is the CEO and co-founder of GlycanAge, a longevity biotechnology company focused on glycans, immune aging, chronic inflammation, and biological age.
GlycanAge’s research focuses specifically on “inflammaging,” the chronic, low-grade systemic inflammation associated with aging. Its work examines glycan structures on antibodies to better understand whether the immune system is behaving in a more pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory way.
IN THIS EPISODE
What biological age actually means and why there isn’t one universal biological-age number
How chronic low-grade inflammation can develop without obvious symptoms
Why immune-aging markers may accelerate during the menopause transition
How declining estrogen influences inflammation and immune function
Why your hormone and traditional inflammatory labs can look normal while something is shifting
What glycans can reveal about your immune system and inflammaging
What the research suggests about HRT, exercise, weight loss, fasting, and GLP-1s
Why interventions for healthy aging need to be personalized
QUOTES
“There’s never going to be one biological age.”
“Not everybody experiences perimenopause in the same way.”
“There’s no universal diet.”
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Use Code ENERGIZED and Get 10% Off on your GlycanAge Single Order or Subscription
https://www.glycanage.com/dashboard/shop
GlycanAge Website
GlycanAge Instagram
GlycanAge LinkedIn
RELATED EPISODES
771: Beyond Hot Flashes: The 103 Symptoms of Perimenopause No One Talks About with Andrea Donsky
770: The Heart Disease Risk Factor Most Women Aren’t Watching: What Your Blood Sugar and Insulin Can Reveal with Dr. Philip Ovadia
769: Is It Perimenopause or Something Else? How to Finally Connect the Dots with Dr. Mariza
750: The Underlying Cellular Cause of Midlife Fatigue, Brain Fog & Low Motivation with Andrew Salzman
772: The Cost of Holding It All Together: How Overfunctioning Changes Your Hormones, Brain & Metabolism with Dr. Mariza
jeudi 10 septembre 2026 • Durée 44:08
Have you ever looked at the same life you were managing a year ago and wondered, “Why does everything suddenly feel so hard?”
You’re still ambitious. You’re still capable. You’re still the woman everyone depends on. But the stress you once brushed off gets under your skin. Your brain doesn’t feel as sharp. Sleep is changing. Your patience is shorter. And keeping all those plates spinning suddenly requires far more energy.
In this solo episode, Dr. Mariza explores what happens when the profound hormonal and neurological changes of perimenopause collide with decades of over-functioning.
She introduces what she calls the midlife capacity gap: the disconnect between the enormous load many women are carrying and the biological capacity they currently have to sustain it.
You’ll learn why simply pushing harder may widen that gap, how Dr. Mariza is redefining resilience, and why supporting your hormones, brain, metabolism, muscle, and sleep is only part of the conversation.
Because the goal isn’t to make your life smaller. It’s to build a body capable of sustaining the life you actually want while becoming far more discerning about what deserves your energy.
Listen now to rethink what resilience looks like in midlife and start protecting your capacity for what truly matters.
IN THIS EPISODE
Why high-functioning women can feel blindsided by perimenopause
What happens when the woman who always handles everything suddenly has less capacity
How estrogen and progesterone shifts can affect your brain, sleep, mood, and stress response
What over-functioning looks like and why it often gets rewarded
The midlife capacity gap between the load you carry and your biological capacity
Why pushing harder and becoming more disciplined may not be the answer
How to redefine resilience around adapting, recovering, restoring, and thriving
The question Dr. Mariza wants you asking: “Is this actually mine to carry?”
QUOTES
“Perimenopause doesn’t arrive in a vacuum.”
“Endurance is not resilience.”
“Doing less isn’t the same as caring less.”
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Order my newest book: The Perimenopause Revolution
Stop surviving and start thriving, join Midlife on Fire Collective now
The High Functioning Woman on Substack
RELATED EPISODES
771: Beyond Hot Flashes: The 103 Symptoms of Perimenopause No One Talks About with Andrea Donsky
769: Is It Perimenopause or Something Else? How to Finally Connect the Dots with Dr. Mariza
764: Why Your Nervous System Feels Dysregulated (Even When You’re Doing Everything Right) with Roseann Capanna-Hodge
750: The Underlying Cellular Cause of Midlife Fatigue, Brain Fog & Low Motivation with Andrew Salzman
771: Beyond Hot Flashes: The 103 Symptoms of Perimenopause No One Talks About with Andrea Donsky
mardi 8 septembre 2026 • Durée 01:04:42
What if the symptoms disrupting your life are connected to perimenopause, even if you’ve never had a hot flash?
Andrea Donsky spent 14 years in perimenopause and 11 of them with no idea what was happening to her body. Now, as a seven-time published menopause researcher, nutritionist, and bestselling author of Nourishing Menopause, she’s helping women put language to experiences that have been overlooked for far too long.
In this episode, Andrea joins Dr. Mariza to unpack her research into 103+ reported symptoms of perimenopause and menopause and why hot flashes aren’t even among the most common. Fatigue ranks #1, while nine of the top 10 symptoms are cognitive or mental-health related.
They also discuss why women are still being dismissed by healthcare providers, the foundational role of nutrition, blood sugar, sleep, movement, and stress management, and why perimenopause deserves to be viewed as an opportunity to protect your long-term health.
Most importantly, you’ll learn why this transition rarely looks the same from one woman to the next and why having the right vocabulary can completely change how you advocate for yourself.
Listen now to better understand what your changing body may be trying to tell you and the tools that can help you feel like yourself again.
ANDREA DONSKY
Andrea Donsky is a nutritionist, menopause researcher, bestselling author, and co-founder of We Are Morphus. She has worked in health and wellness for 26 years and has spent nearly a decade focused specifically on perimenopause and menopause.
Her research explores women’s real-world experiences during the menopause transition, including more than 100 reported symptoms and women’s experiences seeking care. She is the author of Nourishing Menopause, a research-backed guide combining nutrition, lifestyle, holistic health, and conventional approaches to help women feel their best through this transition.
IN THIS EPISODE
Why Andrea spent 11 years in perimenopause without realizing it
The 103+ symptoms women have reported during perimenopause and menopause
Why fatigue is the #1 reported symptom, not hot flashes
The surprising dominance of brain, cognitive, and mental-health symptoms
Why 40% of women in Andrea’s research reported feeling dismissed by healthcare providers
How nutrition, blood sugar, sleep, movement, and stress support women through this transition
Why HRT can be one valuable tool alongside foundational lifestyle strategies
How perimenopause can become a window of opportunity for protecting long-term health
QUOTES
“I was in perimenopause for 14 years total, 11 of which I had no idea.”
“We know that there’s 103 different symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.”
“The number one symptom across the board is fatigue.”
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Use code DRMARIZA and get 10% off on your Womeness Order
Nourishing Menopause by Andrea Donsky
Sign up now to receive your bonus: "The Nourishing Menopause Bonuses"
Andrea Donsky Website
Andrea Donsky Instagram
Andrea Donsky Youtube
RELATED EPISODES
770: The Heart Disease Risk Factor Most Women Aren’t Watching: What Your Blood Sugar and Insulin Can Reveal with Dr. Philip Ovadia
769: Is It Perimenopause or Something Else? How to Finally Connect the Dots with Dr. Mariza
768: Why Your Period Gets So Weird in Perimenopause + What Actually Helps with Kaya and Yasmin Purohit
750: The Underlying Cellular Cause of Midlife Fatigue, Brain Fog & Low Motivation with Andrew Salzman
770: The Heart Disease Risk Factor Most Women Aren't Watching: What Your Blood Sugar and Insulin Can Reveal with Dr. Philip Ovadia
jeudi 3 septembre 2026 • Durée 55:09
What if the cholesterol numbers you’ve been watching aren’t telling you the whole story about your heart?
In this episode, Dr. Mariza sits down with cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Philip Ovadia to explore why he believes metabolic dysfunction and insulin resistance deserve far more attention when assessing cardiovascular risk, especially for women entering perimenopause and menopause.
Dr. Ovadia shares what he’s learned after 25 years in heart surgery, including why he’s now routinely operating on patients in their 40s and even 30s. They break down the metabolic warning signs that can appear decades before advanced heart disease, from rising blood pressure and waist circumference to fasting insulin, glucose, triglycerides, and HDL.
You’ll also hear their discussion about cholesterol and advanced lipid testing, how changing hormones can affect women’s cardiometabolic health, and why resistance training, real food, muscle, sleep, and blood sugar stability matter.
Plus, Dr. Ovadia explains how continuous glucose monitors can provide real-time insight into your metabolic health and the heart imaging he recommends women discuss with their healthcare providers.
Listen now to discover the metabolic clues your body may be giving you today and how to start protecting your heart for decades to come.
DR. PHILIP OVADIA
Dr. Philip Ovadia is a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon, founder of Ovadia Heart Health Center, and author of Stay Off My Operating Table and Stay Off My Kitchen Table.
After performing thousands of heart surgeries, Dr. Ovadia shifted part of his work toward prevention, helping patients identify and address metabolic dysfunction before it progresses to advanced cardiovascular disease. His virtual practice focuses on improving metabolic health as a strategy for reducing heart disease risk.
IN THIS EPISODE
Why Dr. Ovadia believes insulin resistance deserves more attention in heart disease prevention
The five basic metabolic markers he wants women tracking
Why your personal blood pressure baseline matters in midlife
What fasting insulin can reveal before blood sugar becomes obviously abnormal
Why cholesterol alone may not give you the complete picture of cardiovascular risk
How muscle and resistance training support metabolic and heart health
What a continuous glucose monitor can teach you about food, energy, and blood sugar
When Dr. Ovadia recommends considering coronary artery calcium imaging
QUOTES
“It's never too early to start thinking about this, but it's also never too late.”
“Cholesterol is not the main thing driving heart disease.”
“Low-fat diets, they simply don't work.”
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Order my newest book: The Perimenopause Revolution
http://drmariza.com/book
Stop surviving and start thriving, join Midlife on Fire Collective now
https://drmariza.com/trial
Stay Off My Operating Table by Dr. Philip Ovadia
Dr. Ovadia Website
Dr. Ovadia Facebook
Dr. Ovadia Instagram
Dr. Ovadia Youtube
RELATED EPISODES
769: Is It Perimenopause or Something Else? How to Finally Connect the Dots with Dr. Mariza
750: The Underlying Cellular Cause of Midlife Fatigue, Brain Fog & Low Motivation with Andrew Salzman
650: Unlock Your Health: The Ultimate Biomarker & Lab Blueprint to Thrive in Midlife and Beyond
769: Is It Perimenopause or Something Else? How to Finally Connect the Dots with Dr. Mariza
mardi 1 septembre 2026 • Durée 33:12
Is this perimenopause… or is something else going on?
It’s one of the most common questions Dr. Mariza hears from women in their late 30s and early 40s, especially when their periods are still regular and they’ve never experienced a hot flash.
In this solo episode, Dr. Mariza breaks down why early perimenopause can be so difficult to recognize and the less obvious signs that often appear first, including exhaustion, anxiety, irritability, brain fog, sleep changes, worsening PMS, migraines, and changes in stress tolerance.
She shares three important clues for identifying a possible perimenopause pattern: looking for clusters of symptoms, noticing changes from your normal baseline, and tracking how symptoms change throughout your cycle.
But hormones aren’t always the entire story. Dr. Mariza also explains why thyroid dysfunction, low iron, metabolic issues, nutrient deficiencies, sleep problems, and other conditions deserve investigation, even when perimenopause is part of the picture.
Plus, you’ll learn how to track your symptoms and walk into your next healthcare appointment prepared to ask better questions.
Listen now to connect the dots, understand what your body is telling you, and get clearer on your next steps.
IN THIS EPISODE
Why so many women over 35 aren’t sure whether they’re in perimenopause
The early perimenopause symptoms women often mistake for stress or burnout
Why you can be in perimenopause while still having regular periods
The three clues Dr. Mariza uses to recognize a perimenopause pattern
Why tracking changes from your personal baseline matters
How your menstrual cycle can reveal patterns in mood, sleep, migraines, and energy
What else to investigate, including thyroid, iron, metabolic health, and sleep
How to advocate for yourself when your labs look “normal” but you don’t feel like yourself
QUOTES
“Stop looking at the one symptom that proves you’re in perimenopause. Start looking at the collection of clues and patterns that your body is exposing.”
“Perimenopause doesn’t usually show up with a giant flashing sign.”
“Hormones may be a huge part of the picture without being the entire picture.”
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Order my newest book: The Perimenopause Revolution
http://drmariza.com/book
Comprehensive Perimenopause Lab Guide
Stop surviving and start thriving, join Midlife on Fire Collective now
https://drmariza.com/trial
RELATED EPISODES
768: Why Your Period Gets So Weird in Perimenopause + What Actually Helps with Kaya and Yasmin Purohit
764: Why Your Nervous System Feels Dysregulated (Even When You’re Doing Everything Right) with Roseann Capanna-Hodge
750: The Underlying Cellular Cause of Midlife Fatigue, Brain Fog & Low Motivation with Andrew Salzman
650: Unlock Your Health: The Ultimate Biomarker & Lab Blueprint to Thrive in Midlife and Beyond