In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver delivers a solo masterclass on the lab work every woman in perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause should understand and request from her doctor. Dr. Haver explains why standard annual labs, built for a general population, routinely miss the specific hormonal, metabolic, cardiovascular, and bone related changes that happen during the menopause transition, and she walks through seven categories of testing that give a far more complete picture of a woman's health.

She starts with an advanced lipid panel, explaining why LDL alone is not enough and why ApoB, Lp(a), and small dense LDL particles matter for women whose cardiovascular risk shifts as estrogen declines. She covers fasting glucose and fasting insulin together, showing how the HOMA IR score can reveal insulin resistance long before a diabetes diagnosis. She addresses bone health in depth, arguing that waiting until age 65 for a baseline DEXA scan is far too late given how much bone density can be lost in the years surrounding menopause, and she details safe vitamin D supplementation ranges and optimal target levels.

Guest links:

The ‘Pause Life

Dr. Mary Claire Haver (Instagram)

Dr. Mary Claire Haver (YouTube)

The Pause Life by Dr. Mary Claire Haver (Facebook)

The Menopause Quiz (The Pause Life)

The Menopause Empowerment Guide (The Pause Life)

Lab Test Checklist (The Pause Life)  

Clinicians List (The Pause Life)

Books

“The New Menopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

“The New Perimenopause: An Evidence-Based Guide to Surviving the Zone of Chaos and Feeling Like Yourself Again,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

For full show notes, please click here.

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver talks with Dr. Jennifer Garrison, a neuroscientist and entrepreneur, about why the ovary should never have been labeled a purely reproductive organ. Dr. Garrison explains that ovaries function like a second brain in the body, sending and receiving chemical signals to nearly every tissue system including the heart, bones, brain, immune system, and metabolism. She walks through her research on the hypothalamus and the brain ovary signaling network, describing how inflammation in this part of the brain may be one of the earliest drivers of aging across the whole body.

The conversation covers why the ovary ages roughly two and a half times faster than the rest of the body, a gap that helps explain the health span difference between women and men. Dr. Garrison and Dr. Haver discuss how poor ovarian function shows up across a woman's life, not only at menopause, contributing to conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome, infertility, early menopause, depression, metabolic disease, and autoimmune disease. They also unpack why autoimmune conditions rise sharply after menopause and why women's immune systems respond differently to viruses than men's.

Guest links:

Jennifer Garrison, PhD (LinkedIn)

Jennifer Garrison (X)

Jennifer Garrison (Bluesky)

Jennifer Garrison (X Prize)
Jennifer Garrison (The Institute)

Books

“The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

“The New Menopause"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

For full show notes, please click here.

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver continues her conversation with exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist Dr. Stacy Sims, moving from what does not work to what actually does for women in perimenopause and menopause. They cover why strength training, not endless cardio, is one of the most powerful tools women have for protecting muscle, bone, and brain health at midlife, and Dr. Sims walks through exactly how to structure a 20 minute strength session for maximum benefit.

The conversation turns to creatine, including why women between 18 and 65 see some of the strongest benefits for brain and heart health, proper dosing, and why timing and mixing matter for bioavailability. Dr. Sims and Dr. Haver also discuss why distance runners can still develop osteoporosis despite years of training, and how chronic under fueling and calcium loss play a role.

Guest links:

Dr. Stacy Sims

Dr. Stacy Sims (Facebook)

Dr. Stacy Sims (YouTube)

Dr. Stacy Sims (Instagram)

Stacy T. Sims, PhD (LinkedIn)

Dr. Stacy Sims Newsletter

Dr. Stacy Sims Microlearning Course

Books

“The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

“The New Menopause"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

“Next Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals Through Menopause and Beyond,” by Dr. Stacy Sims

“ROAR: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong, Lean Body for Life,” by Dr. Stacy Sims

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist Dr. Stacy Sims to unpack why so much fitness and diet advice built on male physiology leaves women confused about why the scale will not move, and why weight loss can feel so much harder for women than for men on the exact same plan. Dr. Sims, author of Roar and Next Level, a former professional cyclist who has taught and coached at Stanford, breaks down why women following the same diet and training program as their male partners often end up tired and stuck rather than leaner and fitter.

The conversation covers the biological reasons women conserve fat in a calorie deficit, how female circadian rhythm differs from male circadian rhythm, and why eating within an hour of waking helps regulate cortisol and appetite hormones like ghrelin and peptide YY. Dr. Sims explains why fasted workouts can backfire for women, why front loading calories earlier in the day supports better metabolic outcomes, and why time restricted eating works with a woman's biology in ways that intermittent fasting often does not.

Guest links:

Dr. Stacy Sims

Dr. Stacy Sims (Facebook)

Dr. Stacy Sims (YouTube)

Dr. Stacy Sims (Instagram)

Stacy T. Sims, PhD (LinkedIn)

Dr. Stacy Sims Newsletter

Dr. Stacy Sims Microlearning Course

Books

“The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

“The New Menopause"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

“Next Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals Through Menopause and Beyond,” by Dr. Stacy Sims

“ROAR: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong, Lean Body for Life,” by Dr. Stacy Sims

Guest links

Karen Tang, MD (Instagram)

Karen Tang, MD (Facebook)

Karen Tang, MD (YouTube)

Karen Tang, MD (LinkedIn)

Karen Tang, MD (TikTok)

GynoMight with Karen Tang, MD (Substack)

Thrive Gynecology

Books

“It's Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health (but Were Never Told),” by Dr. Karen Tang

“The New Perimenopause: An Evidence-Based Guide to Surviving the Zone of Chaos and Feeling Like Yourself Again,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

“The New Menopause"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

For a list of full show notes, please click here.

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with Dr. Karen Tang, a board certified gynecologist and minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon, and author of It's Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health But Were Never Told. This is part one of a two part conversation. Together they take on a question that most women entering perimenopause have never been given the tools to answer: what happens to the gynecologic conditions you have been managing for years when your hormones start to shift?

Dr. Tang opens with endometriosis, dismantling two of the most persistent myths in gynecology: that it goes away after menopause, and that it is cured by pregnancy or hysterectomy. She explains what endometriosis actually is, why it so often goes undiagnosed for an average of seven years, why imaging studies frequently miss it, and what the full range of treatment options looks like for perimenopausal women dealing with painful periods, pelvic pain, and chronic inflammation, including when surgery is the right next step.

Guest links

Karen Tang, MD (Instagram)

Karen Tang, MD (Facebook)

Karen Tang, MD (YouTube)

Karen Tang, MD (LinkedIn)

Karen Tang, MD (TikTok)

GynoMight with Karen Tang, MD (Substack)

Thrive Gynecology

Books

“It's Not Hysteria: Everything You Need to Know About Your Reproductive Health (but Were Never Told),” by Dr. Karen Tang

“The New Perimenopause: An Evidence-Based Guide to Surviving the Zone of Chaos and Feeling Like Yourself Again,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

“The New Menopause"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

For full show notes, please click here.

Family Lore is a weekly narrative podcast that celebrates and investigates ancestral mystique. Each episode begins with a guest sharing a fascinating family legend, followed by a historical deep-dive to uncover the truth and meaning behind the tale.

Available now: link.pscrb.fm/f0281/FLFD

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with Dr. Amy Shah, a physician trained in internal medicine and immunology with a nutrition background from Cornell, and author of the new book Hormone Havoc.

Dr. Haver and Dr. Shah begin the conversation with the gut-hormone-brain connection, explaining how 40% of estrogen is recirculated through the gut, how the estrobolome, the collection of gut bacteria responsible for metabolizing estrogen, determines how much the body retains, and why declining estrogen in perimenopause and menopause triggers a cascade that loosens the tight junctions meant to keep food particles, toxins, and viruses from entering the bloodstream. This leaky gut drives inflammation that accelerates every symptom women are already experiencing, from weight gain and mood changes to sleep disruption and brain health decline. The gut-brain axis, the constant two-way communication between the gut and the brain, means that what is happening in the gut is directly shaping cognitive function, motivation, and emotional resilience in menopause. She also covers how 95% of serotonin is made in the gut, why chronic inflammation reroutes tryptophan away from serotonin and melatonin, and what that means for mood, sleep, and appetite in midlife.

Guest links:

Dr. Amy Shah (Instagram)

Dr. Amy Shah (TikTok)

Dr. Amy Shah

Save Yourself With Dr. Amy Shah (Apple Podcasts)

Books:

“Hormone Havoc: A Science-Backed Protocol for Perimenopause and Menopause: Sleep Better. Think Better. Feel Better,” by Dr. Amy Shah

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with Dr. Sue Varma, a board certified psychiatrist, distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, and author of Practical Optimism. They open by taking on a question that sits at the intersection of psychiatry and menopause medicine: why do some women thrive through the most difficult biological transition of their lives, and what can the rest of us learn from them?

Early in the conversation, Dr. Varma shares a finding that reframes everything: only 25% of people are born optimistic, and there is actually a gene for it. The other 75% have to learn it. Dr. Varma explains why optimism is not toxic positivity, what practical optimism actually means, and why both extreme optimists and extreme pessimists end up paralyzed into inaction in different ways. She also addresses what happens when depression, anxiety, and brain fog layer on top of the hormonal changes of menopause and perimenopause, and why so many women are being undertreated as a result.

Guest links:

Dr. Sue Varma (Instagram)

Dr. Sue Varma (Facebook)

Dr. Sue Varma (LinkedIn)

Dr. Sue Varma 

Books:

“Practical Optimism,” by Dr. Sue Varma

“The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

“The New Menopause"⁠ by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

“Joyspan,” by Dr. Kerry Burnight

“The Relaxation Response,” by Dr. Herbert Benson

For full show notes, please click here.

In this solo episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver answers one of the most asked questions she receives: what hormones do you actually take, and why? Rather than a general overview of menopause hormone therapy, this is a fully transparent, clinically grounded walk through her personal protocol, including every formulation she uses, why she chose it, and what the FDA-approved alternatives are for women whose needs or circumstances differ.

Dr. Haver opens with systemic estrogen, explaining why she uses a transdermal patch as her primary delivery method, why she added a small dose of oral estradiol for bone protection after finding her serum levels were not reaching the threshold needed to preserve bone density, and why she believes routine estradiol level testing should become standard of care even though current guidelines do not yet reflect the latest absorption data. She walks through the key FDA-approved transdermal and oral estrogen options, including patches, gels, sprays, and oral formulations, covering the differences in delivery, cost, clotting risk, and SHBG implications.

For full show notes, please click here.

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver continues her conversation with Dr. Natalie Crawford, double board certified obstetrician, gynecologist, and reproductive endocrinologist, and author of The Fertility Formula. In part two of this conversation, Dr. Crawford gets specific about the forces working against our hormones every day, chronic stress, disrupted sleep, inflammatory food, and the endocrine disrupting chemicals most women have never been warned about.

She explains how cortisol triggers insulin resistance, how insulin resistance drives inflammation and ovarian dysfunction, and why resistance training and building skeletal muscle is one of the most direct interventions a woman can make at any age, including perimenopause. On sleep, she makes the case that it is the single most under addressed factor she sees clinically, explaining how FSH and LH are released in the early morning hours and why disrupted sleep directly interferes with ovulation, estrogen, and progesterone production.

The conversation also covers anti-inflammatory nutrition and gut health, the difference between unscented and fragrance-free, why forever chemicals and phthalates are disrupting the hormone system from inside most women's homes, birth control timing and uterine lining recovery, and what egg freezing actually is and is not, and who it is most likely to benefit.

Guest links

Natalie Crawford, MD

Natalie Crawford, MD (Instagram)

Natalie Crawford, MD (TikTok)

Natalie Crawford, MD (Facebook)

Natalie Crawford, MD (YouTube)

Natalie Crawford, MD (LinkedIn)

Books

“The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

“The New Menopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver

“The Fertility Formula,” by Dr. Natalie Crawford