THE JOURNAL
Notes from the practice.
Long-form writing on perimenopause, menopause, hormone therapy, and the conditions that get missed in standard care - written for the women I treat and for anyone trying to make sense of what's happening in their own body.
EDITOR'S PICK
Does estrogen hormone therapy cause breast cancer? Here's what the research actually shows.
Did she really say that estrogen doesn't cause breast cancer? Yes. I did. And I stand by it. I know that might feel shocking — maybe even alarming — given what most of us have been told for the past two decades. But the science tells a different story than the headlines did in 2002, and it's time we talked about it.
MARCH 25 · 3 MIN READ
ALL POSTS
When constipation isn’t just IBS: Understanding pelvic floor dysfunction
Chronic constipation? Maybe it's not IBS. If you’ve been diagnosed with chronic constipation due to IBS or told to “just eat more fiber” but you’re still dealing with chronic constipation, straining, or that frustrating feeling of never quite finishing, there might be...
Estrogen and blood clots: what’s the real risk?
If you’ve ever been told you can’t take estrogen because of the risk of blood clots, you’re not alone. This warning traces back to the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study — a huge trial that made headlines in the early 2000s. But here’s the thing: the details really...
Let’s get real about down there: The genitourinary syndrome of menopause
Here’s a topic that doesn’t get nearly enough airtime — and yet, so many women experience it. Let’s dive into something called genitourinary syndrome of menopause, or GSM for short. What is GSM? GSM is the medical term for a collection of symptoms that can...
Perimenopause survival lifestyle hacks
As an internal medicine physician and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, I help women navigate the ups and downs of perimenopause with a holistic, personalized approach. This stage of life can bring real changes—hot flashes, mood swings, sleep issues, weight...
Cracking the cholesterol code
Did you know that September is National Cholesterol Education Month? Yeah, I didn’t either. Let’s just say that my Instagram feed is riveting. It’s just as good a time as any to talk about cholesterol, so let’s do it. What is it, and why does it matter? Cholesterol...
What is perimenopause anyway?
Let’s start with some basic definitions first. Premenopause - The time between the first period and sometime in your late 30s or 40s when hormones are doing their thing and everything is pretty predictable from month to month (or predictably unpredictable for some)....
How did I end up here?
You may be wondering how I got here. When I was practicing as a primary care physician, I saw too many people dismissed or told their symptoms weren’t real or “just a part of getting old.” Honestly, I used to be one of those physicians who didn’t know any better....