Episode 247: Dr. Anna Barbieri on Hormones, Appetite, and Women’s Health

In this episode of the Food Junkies Podcast, Dr. Vera Tarman welcomes Dr. Anna Barbieri, a board-certified gynecologist and integrative medicine physician who specializes in menopause, perimenopause, PCOS, and PMS. Dr. Barbieri is also a certified menopause practitioner and co-founder of Electra Health, where she blends conventional medicine with holistic, evidence-based approaches to women’s hormonal health.

Together, they explore the fascinating, complex, and often overlooked role hormones play in shaping women’s appetite, cravings, and relationship with food across the lifespan. From the ups and downs of PMS and perimenopause, to the challenges of menopause and PCOS, Dr. Barbieri explains how sex hormones, stress hormones, and appetite-regulating hormones intersect—and what women can do to support their health through these transitions.

💬 Topics covered in this episode:

• What hormones are and how they regulate appetite (ghrelin, leptin, CCK, GLP-1)

• The influence of estrogen and progesterone on hunger and satiety

• Cortisol, stress, and why cravings often center on sugar and carbs

• PMS, perimenopause, and menopause: why cravings change across the cycle and lifespan

• The role of progesterone in mental health, postpartum depression, and brain function

• PCOS, insulin resistance, and appetite regulation

• Visceral fat, metabolic risk, and why body composition shifts after menopause

• Thyroid health, autoimmunity, and the overlap with perimenopausal symptoms

• GLP-1 medications: opportunities and cautions for women’s health

• Hormone therapy (HRT/MHT): benefits, risks, and myths

• Lifestyle and supplement strategies to support hormonal balance

✨ Key Takeaways:

• Hormones are powerful, interconnected, and influence not only physical but also emotional and mental health.

• Appetite changes in PMS, perimenopause, menopause, and PCOS are not simply about willpower—they’re tied to real physiological shifts.

• Cortisol, stress, and sleep disruption can drive cravings and weight gain, particularly in midlife.

• Hormone therapy can help manage symptoms and may protect long-term health, but lifestyle changes—nutrition, movement, stress relief, sleep, and mindful supplementation—remain essential.

• Women can age well with or without hormone therapy by taking intentional steps to support metabolic and emotional health.

🎙️ About our guest: Dr. Anna Barbieri is a practicing gynecologist, certified menopause practitioner, and integrative medicine physician based in New York City. She is a fellow of the University of Arizona’s Integrative Medicine Fellowship and co-founder of Electra Health, a digital platform revolutionizing women’s healthcare. She is passionate about helping women understand their hormones and use both conventional and holistic tools to feel their best.

 

The content of our show is educational only. It does not supplement or supersede your healthcare provider's professional relationship and direction. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified mental health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, substance use disorder, or mental health concern.