The Perimenopause Solution Podcast 126: Even functional docs/practitioners are missing so much in your bloods/not running the right ones. Must-listen blood work episode.
In this episode, Tara breaks down why blood work is one of the most powerful tools for navigating your health — especially in perimenopause and midlife. She explains how conventional medicine often relies on lab ranges based on unhealthy population averages, which can leave many women feeling dismissed even when they don’t feel well. Instead, Tara advocates for interpreting labs through a functional, optimal range lens, offering a clearer, more personalized picture of what’s really happening in your body.
She dives into the most important blood markers to monitor annually to protect against risks like dementia, heart disease, osteoporosis, and type 2 diabetes — including fasting insulin, glucose, HBA1C, glycomark, cholesterol ratios, and liver health indicators. Tara also highlights the nuances of thyroid and iron metabolism in midlife, why oversimplified interpretations can lead to missed diagnoses, and how comprehensive reviews can uncover root causes behind symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and brain fog.
This episode is packed with empowering, actionable information to help you advocate for better care, understand your body’s signals, and make informed, proactive choices for your health.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
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Comprehensive Blood Work Reviews - Discover the difference between a standard blood test review and a deep dive into the nuances of your results.
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Interpreting Lab Reference Ranges - Learn why the traditional lab ranges might not always reflect the healthiest standards.
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Key Metabolic Markers - Understand which markers are essential to monitor for optimal metabolic health and why they're critical as we age.
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Iron and Vitamin D Insights - Find out why relying solely on ferritin for iron levels and high doses of vitamin D might not be the best approach.
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Thyroid Health Nuances - Explore the complexities behind thyroid markers and why a comprehensive test is more telling.
Your health didn't decline overnight—it took decades of stress, diet choices, and life events to get to this point.
True healing requires commitment, patience, and consistency.
The women who succeed are the ones who stay the course, even when progress feels slow.
If you’re ready to commit to deep, lasting change, BOOK A CONSULT WITH TARA HERE.
You may also enjoy these episodes:
Episode 123: Caution should be taken when supplementing vitamin D, iron & selenium. Do not DIY these supplements!
Episode 22: All about cholesterol, (& how it doesn't cause heart disease).
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