Mental Health, Visibility, and Social Media Impact

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Dr. Gabrielle Lyon sits down with renowned medical correspondent and OB/GYN, Dr. Jen Ashton, for a profoundly personal and candid conversation about navigating life's most intense tragedies while maintaining a public career.

Dr. Ashton bravely opens up about the devastating suicide of her first husband, a world-class surgeon, 18 days after their divorce was finalized. She shares the raw reality of being in clinical shock and how the immense tragedy became an unexpected catalyst for post-traumatic growth.

Dr. Ashton, who holds a Master's degree in Nutritional Sciences, also brings her medical expertise to current health debates:

• The Power of Fitness: Learn how resistance training became Dr. Ashton's lifeline to snap her out of emotional numbness and shock.
• The Hormone Misinformation Crisis: They discuss the flawed data and flawed media that led to 20 years of women being under-treated for menopause after the Women's Health Initiative (WHI).
• GLP-1 Myths: Dr. Ashton breaks down the top myths surrounding GLP-1 medications, the difference between absolute vs. relative risk, and the non-weight related benefits that are just beginning to emerge.
• The Problem with Extremes: They address the societal tendency to seek out quick-fix solutions in health, menopause, and obesity care, arguing that the true sweet spot is in a nuanced, moderate position.
• Finding Love Again: Dr. Ashton shares the unexpected miracle of finding profound love with her current husband, legendary sports executive and TV producer, Tom Werner.

About Jen Ashton: Retiring stiff paper gowns and unrelatable medical advice, Dr. Jennifer Ashton, a Board-certified Ob-Gyn, author, and TV medical correspondent, breaks the barrier between doctor and patient. Affectionately referred to as your all-in-one ‘BFF’/Ob-Gyn, Dr. Jennifer Ashton marries an unparalleled medical background with an accessible‘girl’s-girl’ attitude. Though Dr. Ashton can easily speak to the latest beauty and fashion trends, this Ivy League graduate means business when it comes to women’s health.

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Find Jen Ashton at: 

• Book: Life After Suicide - https://a.co/d/0HvOeSH
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/drjashton
• Web: https://www.joinajenda.com

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Timestamps: 

0:00 - Intro: Tragedy and The Journey of Dr. Jen Ashton 2:05 - The Suicide of a Spouse: The Aftermath of Unimaginable Loss 4:26 - The Clinical Definition of Shock and Shattered Reality 5:10 - How Motherhood Becomes a Lifeline Through Trauma 6:32 - Writing the Book: The Obligation to Talk About Suicide 10:12 - Mental Health vs. Longevity: We Can’t Separate Mind and Body 11:40 - Social Media and the Real-Time Human Experiment on Mental Health 14:12 - The Anchor: How Fitness and Lifting Saved Dr. Ashton 16:29 - Post-Traumatic Growth: Her Children’s Incredible Wisdom 18:20 - Prioritizing Mental Health: The Checkup From the Neckup 19:18 - Suicide is a Disease: It's Not Something You Can "Think Your Way Out Of" 22:25 - Finding Love Again: The Miracle of Tom Werner 24:39 - Meeting Her Husband: A Harvard Grad and Titan in Sports/TV 28:13 - The Responsibility of a Public Figure to Be Transparent 30:04 - Transition to Correspondent: The Iron Man of Medical Communication 34:04 - Distilling Health Information: Why Credentials Matter 34:41 - The Economist Who Wrote a Pregnancy Book (Stay In Your Lane) 37:25 - The Humility of Science: We Must Be Prepared to Be Wrong 38:04 - The WHI Disaster: Flawed Data and Misrepresenting Menopause 40:08 - The Problem with Extremes: Why Moderation is Missing in Health 41:33 - The Narrative Risk: Why Telling Women They Are "Passive Victims" is Insulting 46:33 - Menopause Done Well: A Holistic Approach with Options 48:07 - Are Hormones Safe? Insights from a Practicing OB/GYN 51:08 - Non-Hormonal Options for Menopause Symptoms 53:27 - Favorite Hormone Delivery Method (Pill vs. Patch) 54:14 - GLP-1 Myths: Risk vs. Benefit and Thinking Like a Doctor 56:16 - Non-Weight Related Benefits of GLP-1s (Cognitive, Cardiac, Renal) 57:38 - Absolute vs. Relative Risk: The Math Behind Rare Side Effects 58:42 - Future of Obesity Management: Low-Dose GLP-1, HRT, and Anabolic Agents 1:00:15 - Maintenance Protocols: Why Physicians are DIYing Long-Term Care 1:00:54 - The Biggest GLP-1 Concern: Losing Too Much Muscle Mass 1:02:16 - The Hypothalamic Set Point: Why 90% of Diets Fail 1:06:39 - Society's Fat Shaming Bias: Obesity is a Chronic Disease 1:08:00 - Nutritional Gynecology: Connecting Food and Reproductive Stages 1:10:07 - Meeting the Four S’s: Safe, Simple, Sustainable, and Low Sugar 1:11:50 - Foundational Principles: Why Protein is Everything 1:14:35 - The Biggest Myth: Women Should Never Do Intermittent Fasting 1:16:26 - Hormesis and Adaptation: Applying Pressure to the System 1:17:33 - Resilience is a Practice: The Mental Framework for Internal Strength 1:20:57 - The Sisterhood of Women: Community is Crucial for Support 1:25:24 - Home Base: Tom Werner's Legacy of Helping Veterans

Disclaimers: This episode includes paid sponsorships. 

The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Podcast and YouTube are for general information purposes only and do not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast, YouTube, or materials linked from this podcast or YouTube is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professional for any such conditions.