ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Menopause isn't just about hot flashes or the end of your period. It's a major hormonal transition that can affect nearly every system in the body, including the brain.
In this episode, Debbie Nelson sits down with Dr. Felice Gersh, OB/GYN and integrative medicine physician, to explore what really happens as estrogen and progesterone decline.
Dr. Gersh explains the connection between hormones and brain health, including changes in mood, sleep, cognition, metabolism, and inflammation. She also discusses why women's mental health can shift during perimenopause and menopause and why these symptoms deserve to be taken seriously.
Menopause changes everything, but understanding what's happening can change how we support women through it.
- Why menopause affects much more than reproductive health
- How estrogen and progesterone influence the brain
- Why anxiety, depression, brain fog, and sleep problems may emerge or worsen during menopause
- How hormonal changes can affect inflammation and metabolism
- The connection between menopause and long-term brain health
- Why lifestyle, nutrition, sleep, and movement matter
- What women should understand about hormone therapy
- Why individualized care is important during the menopausal transition
Dr. Felice Gersh, MD, is dual board-certified in OB/GYN and Integrative Medicine and the founder and medical director of the Integrative Medical Group of Irvine.
She is an internationally recognized expert in women's health, hormones, the gut microbiome, and circadian rhythm. Her work focuses on helping women understand how hormones influence health throughout the entire body and how conventional and integrative approaches can work together.
She is also the author of several books on women's health, including Menopause: 50 Things You Need to Know.
This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace individualized medical care. Hormone therapy and other treatments should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional who can consider your individual health history, symptoms, risks, and needs.
