Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz is a nationally renowned doctor, expert, speaker, and advocate for integrative women’s health. A Diplomat of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz, MD, received her medical degree in 1996 from the USC School of Medicine and completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Gilberg-Lenz is involved in women’s empowerment and public education and appears frequently as an expert in women’s health and integrative medicine on TV, in print, and online. She is the author of Menopause Bootcamp: Optimize Your Health, Empower Your Self, and Flourish as You Age.

Why do we pathologize perimenopause, as if it’s a problem to be fixed? Amanda chats with Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz, board-certified OB-GYN, integrative women’s health advocate, and author of Menopause Bootcamp. Dr. Gilberg-Lenz breaks down the key indicators of perimenopause, hormone therapy vs botanical supplementation, why estrogen dominance isn’t a medical term, and the importance of intergenerational conversations between women.

Curious about a specific topic? Here’s what they cover:

  • Grassroots menopause movement (1:20) 
  • When perimenopause becomes menopause (6:05)
  • Menopause is one day of your life (7:45)
  • Perimenopausal experiences (8:19)
  • Stress around perimenopause (9:00)
  • Power of language (11:45)
  • Racism and epigenetics (14:22)
  • Common symptoms of perimenopause (15:30)
  • Less common symptoms of perimenopause (18:10)
  • Estrogen receptors in the brain (19:30)
  • Getting to know estrogen (20:20)
  • How estrogen affects inflammation (20:50)
  • Age range of perimenopause (21:40)
  • Long covid or perimenopause (24:00)
  • Lifestyle habits for healthy aging (26:00)
  • Exercise with age (28:25)
  • Mindset and community (30:45)
  • Intergenerational conversations (35:15) 
  • The narrative around female aging (39:10)
  • From maiden to mother to crone (43:30)
  • Sexuality with age (48:00)
  • PMS and perimenopause (49:10)
  • Top botanicals for symptoms (52:00)
  • Entourage effect (52:55)
  • Tablestake supplements and habits (54:20)
  • Melatonin (56:30)
  • Estrogen dominance (57:50)
  • Predatory testing (1:00:05)
  • Hormone therapy (1:04:00) 
  • Bioidentical hormones (1:06:30)
  • Family history of breast cancer (1:10:20) 
  • How early can you start (1:12:50)
  • How eggs change over time (1:14:20)
  • Getting pregnant in 50s+ (1:16:40)
  • Early menopause (1:18:05)
  • What to look for in a doctor (1:21:10)
  • Does pregnancy in your 40s affect perimenopause (1:23:10)

Watch the full interview here or listen below.

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