How Weight Gain Affects Perimenopause, PCOS, and Puberty - With Dr. Jennifer Ashton

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Nov 11, 2025

Dr. Jennifer Ashton, a board-certified OB/GYN and former ABC News Chief Medical Correspondent, discusses the intricacies of women's health. She explains nutritional gynecology, emphasizing nutrition's role in hormonal changes. The conversation dives into the rise of early puberty, linking it to environmental factors and lifestyle choices. Dr. Ashton also addresses PCOS, advocating for nutrition-focused treatment strategies. She highlights the importance of understanding the connections between weight, puberty, and menopause, and encourages women's empowerment in health narratives.

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ADVICE

Teach Kids Food Function, Not Rules

Teach kids to judge foods by function: ask whether a food is clean energy or dirty fuel.
Use simple macronutrient lessons (apple = carb) to build lifelong food awareness.

INSIGHT

PCOS Is A Metabolic, Underrecognized Syndrome

PCOS is common, underdiagnosed, and tightly linked to insulin resistance and metabolism.
Dr. Ashton estimates prevalence higher than textbook rates due to metabolic connections.

ADVICE

Manage PCOS By Prioritizing Nutrition

Start PCOS care with nutrition and target modest weight loss of ~5% to improve hormones.
Favor higher lean protein, healthy fats, and lower refined carbs (around ~80–100g/day) for sustainability.

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In the age of social media, we have access to a vast array of opinions and information. But when it comes to a topic as critical as our health, false information can have disastrous implications. Today, we have an expert here to help cut through the noise on women’s health and wellness.

On this episode of The Model Health Show, our guest is Dr. Jennifer Ashton, who has unique and influential credentials in nutrition, obesity medicine, and gynecology. She is a graduate of Columbia Medical School and the former ABC News Chief Medical Correspondent. In this interview, Dr. Ashton is discussing important pillars of women’s health, including the field of nutritional gynecology, how metabolic health intertwines with hormonal changes, and so much more.

You’re going to learn about issues affecting women’s health, ranging from puberty to menopause. We’re going to discuss the environmental factors that can worsen hormonal conditions, and how to understand our bodies as whole, interconnected systems. I hope you enjoy this interview with Dr. Jennifer Ashton!

In this episode you’ll discover:

What nutritional gynecology is. (4:40)
How metabolic health intersects with reproductive hormonal milestones. (5:07)
The pros and cons of specialization in medicine. (9:15)
Why puberty is occurring early and the risks associated with early puberty. (12:56)
Specific steps parents can take to minimize environmental toxins. (16:12)
The three factors that contribute to overweight and obesity. (20:30)
How Dr. Ashton teaches her children about nutrition and macronutrients. (30:02)
The importance of making intentional food choices. (31:21)
What PCOS is and why it can be difficult to diagnose. (34:12)
The percentage of body fat loss that can improve hormonal symptoms. (37:07)
When perimenopause can begin, and why its symptoms are often dismissed. (50:34)
How the menopause conversation can often disempower women. (57:11)
Why Dr. Ashton transformed her level of fitness in her 50s. (1:02:37)

Items mentioned in this episode include:

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The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt - Learn about mental health & social media!
Ajenda by Dr. Jen Ashton - Join Dr. Ashton’s fitness program!
Connect with Dr. Jennifer Ashton - Newsletter / Instagram / TikTok

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