Everyday Wellness with Cynthia Thurlow ™

Ep. 356 Menopause, Heart Health and HRT with Dr. Felice Gersh

Apr 27, 2024

Dr. Felice Gersh, an expert on women's hormones, discusses menopause, heart health, and hormone replacement therapy. They explore the impact of hormonal changes on cardiovascular risks, the use of oral contraceptives, metabolic health in menopause, and proactive strategies for supporting the body during this transition. Topics include the role of estradiol, timing of hormone replacement therapy, risks related to circadian rhythm disruption, arterial changes, cholesterol dynamics, gut health, and cardiac wellness.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

Estrogen's Impact on Women's Cardiovascular Health

01:57 • 13min

Impact of Early Oral Contraceptive Use on Cardiovascular Health in Women

15:06 • 6min

Estradiol's Crucial Role in Metabolic and Vascular Health

21:05 • 12min

Menopause Symptoms, Scalp Health, Moisture Regeneration, and HRT's Impact on Cardiovascular Health

33:28 • 5min

Menopause, Hormonal Changes, and Health

38:47 • 14min

Promoting Healthy Aging and Lung Health with Special Offers

52:35 • 3min

Estradiol's Impact on Heart Health

56:01 • 20min

I am delighted to reconnect with Dr. Felice Gersh today for our fourth discussion.

Dr. Gersh is a globally recognized expert on women's hormones. As the Medical Director of the Integrative Medical Group of Irvine, she often collaborates with numerous research organizations.

In our discussion today, we dive into cardiovascular disease risks and menopause, highlighting the metabolic transition that menopause represents and exploring risk factors like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and PCOS. We get into the use of oral contraceptives, particularly before the age of 20, early puberty, and premature ovarian failure, while examining the role of the RAS system, synthetic hormones, and the differences between estrone and estradiol. We discuss the optimal timing for starting hormone replacement therapy and explain why we should love our menstrual cycles, addressing the risks related to circadian rhythm disruption. We also look at arterial changes, cholesterol dynamics, the autonomic nervous system, gut health and cardiac wellness in menopause, and proactive ways to support our bodies.

I am confident you will find today’s conversation with Dr. Felice Gersh most enlightening and informative.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

Why women need to understand basic female physiology
How pregnancy-induced insulin resistance and leaky gut can lead to cardiovascular issues later in life
Dr. Gersh highlights the importance of metabolic health in pregnancy and menopause
Why it is risky for young women to use oral contraceptives
What irregular bleeding in perimenopausal women might indicate
Why the inflammatory response is critical for survival, even though it may become problematic if not properly regulated
How estrogen is a family of hormones, not a single hormone
How estradiol differs from estrone
Why should menopause be treated like any other hormone deficiency state?
The optimal time for hormone replacement therapy
Why post-menopausal women are more susceptible to heart attacks than men

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Connect with Dr. Felice Gersh

On her website: Integrative Medical Group of Irvine
Instagram

All of Dr. Gersh’s books are available on Amazon

Ep. 297 Dr. Felice Gersh: Estrogen, Immunity & Menopause Mysteries

Ep. 237 Perimenopause and Menopause: What You Didn’t Know with Dr. Felice Gersh

Ep. 221 Part 1- An Integrative Approach to PCOS and Menstrual Irregularities with Dr. Felice Gersh