Most of us know now that all calories are not the same, and the old model of calorie deprivation for weight loss simply doesn't work long-term. Especially in midlife, we can turn into fat storing machines due to hormone change: most importantly, insulin resistance.

Today I'm talking to Dr. Leah Antoniewicz all about insulin resistance- what is it, why does it happen and how do we overcome it with several simple and easy to implement lifestyle changes.  Her positive message will show you how you CAN be successful and achieve your optimally healthy body composition,  and keep it for the rest of your life.

Drop Belly Fat by Reducing Insulin NOT Calories! | Empowering Midlife Wellness

We have SO many requests to join our weight loss optimization program from outside of Houston, or even outside of Texas or the United States - and finally, we have created a plan that can make this work for you no matter where you live! Today I'll be describing how our weight loss optimization plan works, reminding you about the "six pillars for success" over our 12-week program,  and how this could work for you if you live in Texas... or anywhere!

Lose the Fat Forever - Our 12-Week Medical Weight Loss Optimization Program is Now Virtual!

Discover the untold story of testosterone in women and join the call for equitable healthcare options. This video describes how testosterone occurs naturally in women, how to safely replace it, and some curious history of how testosterone replacement for women has been overlooked.
💡 Why is testosterone treatment for women overlooked? Uncover the biases & advocate for change. Learn about crucial hormonal health and why we need FDA-approved testosterone therapies for women now more than ever—especially for those over 50. Insightful, empowering, and a real eye-opener!

The Truth About Testosterone For Women Over 50

Every day I am asked several times if the HORMONE REPLACEMENT causes WEIGHT LOSS, and the answer is a little bit complex - but generally YES! The important thing to know is that it is not the hormone replacement itself that causes weight loss, but the different ways in which it increases your energy, improves with sleep, improves mental outlook, muscle mass, physical strength, and all of those things that we need in order to move more and stick to our healthy nutrition plan.
Apart from ovarian hormones, it's also critical to optimize thyroid and cortisol, which are both hormones that dramatically affect our ability to lose weight. Overall, it's absolutely true that optimizing hormones can help with weight loss - by helping us to stick to our healthy nutrition, exercise, and sleep protocols ....which ultimately are the cause of weight optimization.

Can Hormone Replacement Therapy Help with Weight Loss? Uncovering the Truth

I am delighted to see more attention paid every month to issues regarding menopause and perimenopause,  with articles popping up in every magazine and newspaper, often with celebrities talking about their experiences. We're finally starting to have a voice in the world about this critical time in life. While this is a fantastic development, one of the dark sides is that it has opened up a market for companies to sell products that claim to help with menopause symptoms, but have no scientific backing. 



This is particularly worrisome because it preys on women in a very vulnerable time in life who may be experiencing truly devastating symptoms that have serious future health ramifications. 



Marketing products that are not proven to be helpful, is not only unethical, but is harming women. Today I'm talking about the business of supplements sold to improve menopause symptoms, and discussing the fact that not one single supplement has any scientific backing to support the claims that menopause symptoms are reduced. In the meantime, bioidentical hormone replacement has been rigorously studied and shown not only to be safe, but to have very important health benefits that should not be ignored because of unfounded fears. 



Each of us can make her own decision but today I'm inviting you to think and be smart, and not let people pray on our vulnerability, or assume that we are not smart enough to understand scientific studies. While the ingredients in many menopause symptoms products are very good for numerous things, none of them has been shown to help with the symptoms of menopause. 



This is an invitation to be very careful and not to believe everything that you are told by celebrities who are being paid to deliver a message that is potentially harmful.

Menopause Supplements Myth! Don’t Fall For The Hype!

Today I'm discussing a fantastic option for dealing with one of the most difficult problems that we experience in menopause, which is vaginal dryness and pain, as well as decreased sexual sensation. While hormone therapy is the mainstay for restoring vaginal health, vaginal laser therapy is another tool in the toolbox that is safe for patients who cannot take estrogen due to current or recent breast cancer, or even for patients like myself who just want a little extra boost! This week was time for my annual laser treatment and I will be taking you to the office to watch my laser treatment done live by Dr. Leah. Along with the Juliet vaginal laser, I am having an o-shot with umbilical-derived growth factors, and I will walk you through the pros and cons of all of the options and show you what the experience is like for a real-life patient!

Menopause Aid: Live Vaginal Laser Therapy & O-Shot Procedure | Overcoming Dryness & Pain

Last month my video with Dr. Antoniewicz (@drleahatoz) started the discussion about the importance of diagnosing and treating insulin resistance, not only for weight management but for lifelong health and disease reduction. 
Today we are digging more into this really important and complex topic, and highlighting some more details about what IR is, why it’s important, how we diagnose it and how we can treat it with simple concepts surrounding Nutrition, Movement, Rest and Stress (emotional and physical) management. 

If you didn’t catch Part 1, you can find here!  If you struggle with your weight, sugar addiction or just feel stuck, as  Dr. Leah says, "you are not a bad person trying to get good, you are a sick person trying to get well”. While up to 40% of American women suffer with IR (largely undiagnosed) only a small fraction are getting the help that they need. My hope is that the information you will hear today will inspire you on your wellness journey, and we are here to help you. The recipe for success in healing IR is clear, it works for our patients, and it can work for you too!

Drop Belly Fat by Reducing Insulin NOT Calories! with Dr. Antoniewicz - PART 2 | Menopause Solutions

Have  you been as confused as me about all the controversy that you hear about which fats are the healthiest? Which ones we should avoid and which we should consume more of? What does MUFA, PUFA, trans fat or saturated fat mean? Is a  low-fat diet healthy or should we aim for 30% fat or higher? Today I'll go through a basic introduction to the types of fat that are available in foods, which ones appear scientifically to be the most healthy,  and which ones we should avoid.

The Truth About Fats: The Good, The Bad, and The UGLY | Metabolism 101 | Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith

So much has changed in our understanding of cholesterol and how it affects our risk for heart disease since I was in med school! Until recently we talked about "good cholesterol" and "bad cholesterol" with very little understanding of what those words actually meant. Today I'll attempt to unwind a little bit about what cholesterol does in our body, how to test for the particular lipoproteins that put us at highest risk for heart disease, the importance of ApoB, and most importantly what we can do to reduce our risk of heart disease based on this information.  While this is often a largely forgotten subject for women, it's important to remember that the number one killer of both men and women is cardiovascular disease, and it is critical that we understand our own heart health, and how to optimize it!

Demystifying ApoB and Lipid Panels: Understanding Your Bloodwork Results

Sometimes we have to be our own advocate and ask for the tests that we need since many doctors don't offer very high-level labs that can be critical to maximizing your healthspan and helping you to feel great. Today I'm going to go through a real patient's lab panel and show you what we look for in our office during a hormone consultation. I'll be discussing the difference between "reference ranges" and "optimal ranges" so that you can interpret your own lab values with a critical eye and make sure that you're not missing any opportunities for wellness. I'll include an actual copy of this patient's labs so that you can ask for exactly the same thing when you go to your doctor and you'll be empowered with everything you need to start on your wellness journey! 

LINK - https://completemidlifewellnesscenter.com/private-practice/womens-fasting-panel/ 

If you do get these labs done, we can also discuss them with you virtually -or in person if you find your way to Houston!

Mastering Lab Values: A Vital Handbook for Women in Menopause & Perimenopause

Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith is dedicated to empowering women in midlife to feel fully alive – sexually, relationally, and spiritually. An award-winning gynecologist and best-selling author of Sexually Woke, Dr. Susan believes that a woman can experience her most fulfilling life and truest self at 40, 50, and beyond. 

Join Dr. Susan and her guests as they dive into the secrets of reawakening your sex life, spirituality, relationships, and how to live the second half of life as an open field of possibility in which to play, explore, and finally be your true self.

New tracks tagged #EMPOWERINGMIDLIFEWELLNESS