unPAUSED with Dr. Mary Claire Haver

In this episode, Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with Dr. Corinne Menn to tackle one of the most common questions in women's health: "Can I take estrogen?" As a board-certified OB-GYN, certified menopause practitioner, and 24-year breast cancer survivor, Dr. Menn brings both professional expertise and lived experience to this conversation about who can take hormone therapy, who can't, and what's changed in recent years. Dr. Menn's own story provides powerful context for this discussion. At just 28 years old, during her second year of medical residency, she discovered a lump in her breast just one week before learning her mother had recurrent ovarian cancer. Within days of her mother's sudden death, Dr. Menn received her own devastating diagnosis: breast cancer. What followed was a grueling journey through mastectomy, chemotherapy, and induced menopause while simultaneously completing one of medicine's most demanding training programs. Throughout this conversation, Dr. Menn shares the profound gaps in survivorship care that she experienced firsthand and continues to witness in her patients today. The medical system, she explains, is focused on treating cancer but often fails to prepare women for the marathon of side effects that follow, particularly the devastating impact of estrogen deprivation on sexual health, mental health, bone density, and cardiovascular risk. Guest links: Dr. Corinne Menn Dr. Corinne Menn (Instagram) Dr. Corinne Menn (Facebook) Dr. Corinne Menn (Alloy Health) Dr. Corinne Menn (LinkedIn) Dr. Corinne Menn (TikTok) Dr. Corinne Menn (YouTube) Dr. Corinne Menn (Substack) Dr. Corinne Menn (Young Survival Coalition) Books “The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver “You Are Not Broken: Stop ‘Should-ing’ All Over Your Sex Life,” by Dr. Kelly Casperson This episode explores: •Why family history of breast cancer is NOT a contraindication to HRT •The truth about Factor V Leiden, fibroids, endometriosis, and migraines: what really excludes you from hormone therapy •The concept of "weird Barbie" and why perfect candidates don't exist •How the medical system is focused on treating cancer but often fails to prepare women for the marathon of side effects that follow, particularly the devastating impact of estrogen deprivation on sexual health, mental health, bone density, and cardiovascular risk •How women with BRCA mutations (previvors) can protect themselves from ovarian cancer while managing hormone loss •Why vaginal estrogen should be considered essential for breast cancer survivors •The critical safety difference between oral and transdermal estrogen •Non-hormonal options for managing hot flashes and night sweats •Why one in eight women lose ovarian function before natural menopause •The importance of updated genetic testing if you were tested before 2013-2014 •The profound gaps in survivorship care and why 89% of breast cancer survivors feel their menopausal care is inadequate •How addressing menopausal symptoms helps women stay adherent to life-saving cancer treatments and maintain quality of life. •What comprehensive, individualized care should look like for every woman To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does it look like to begin again at 62 and thrive? Beauty industry pioneer Bobbi Brown joins Dr. Mary Claire Haver for an intimate conversation about her new memoir Still Bobbi, building Jones Road Beauty in her sixties, leaving behind the company that bore her name for 25 years, and redefining what success, purpose, and aging mean in the second half of life. Bobbi Brown revolutionized the beauty industry with her "no makeup makeup" philosophy in the 1990s, sold her company to Estée Lauder, and spent decades as creative director before exiting in her late fifties. But instead of retiring, she launched Jones Road Beauty at 62 during a pandemic, proving that passion and entrepreneurship don't disappear with age, they evolve. In this personal conversation, Bobbi shares her journey from Chicago to building a global beauty empire, the emotional reality of leaving the company with her name on it, and why she refuses to use the term "anti-aging." She opens up about growing up with a mother who struggled with mental illness, losing her brother to HIV, and how weighted vest training and strength over skinny became her midlife mantras. Dr. Haver and Bobbi connect over shared experiences of menopause, hormone therapy, and the relentless pressure of being a founder. They discuss what it means to perform when exhausted, learning to say no, and why the maintenance phase of any transformation whether weight loss or career pivot is often the hardest part. Bobbi's memoir Still Bobbi is a story of resilience, grit, and determination for anyone who thought their best work was behind them. Guest links: Jones Road Beauty Bobbi Brown (Instagram) Bobbi Brown (Threads) Bobbi Brown (TikTok) Bobbi Brown (LinkedIn) Bobbi Brown (Facebook) Bobbi Brown (Website) Jones Road Beauty (Instagram)Jones Road Beauty (Facebook) Articles High-Impact Mechanical Loading Increases Bone Material Strength in Postmenopausal Women-A 3-Month Intervention Study (Journal of Bone and Mineral Research) Other Resources Institute for Integrative Nutrition Miracle Balm (Jones Road Beauty) Bobbi Brown Teaches Makeup and Beauty (Masterclass) Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge (Hulu) American College of Culinary Medicine The Bobbi Kit 5.0 (Jones Road Beauty) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens after you lose the weight? Few are focused on this important question about GLP-1 medications. In Part 2 of this conversation on GLP-1s and Midlife Metabolism, triple board-certified endocrinologist Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen continues her discussion with Dr. Mary Claire Haver, going deeper into what happens after weight loss including the physical and emotional changes no one prepares you for, and what the future of these medications looks like. Dr. Salas-Whalen, founder of New York Endocrinology and author of the upcoming book Weightless, tackles the questions women are actually asking: How do I know if I'm getting good care? What about compounding pharmacies? Will I need therapy? And what comes next in obesity medication? The conversation addresses the psychological shifts that happen when you reach your goal weight for the first time in your life. Dr. Salas-Whalen shares what she's learned from following patients long-term and why the maintenance phase is actually the most important part of treatment. Dr. Salas-Whalen also addresses the cost and accessibility crisis around Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, the environmental impact of single-use injection pens, and why direct-from-manufacturer vials (like Eli Lilly's Zepbound vials) are making treatment more affordable. She shares her standard of care for obesity treatment and explains exactly what questions to ask before starting GLP-1 therapy. For women experiencing perimenopause and menopause weight gain, this episode provides useful information about what to expect beyond initial weight loss, how to maintain results long-term, and why proper medical supervision with body composition monitoring is essential for protecting muscle mass and metabolic health. Guest links: Meet Your Endocrinologist - Dr. Salas-Whalen (NY Endocrinology) Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen (Instagram) Books “Weightless: A Doctor's Guide to GLP-1 Medications, Sustainable Weight Loss, and the Health You Deserve” by Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are GLP-1 medications a game-changer for women in midlife—or just another quick fix? In this conversation, triple board-certified endocrinologist Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen joins Dr. Mary Claire Haver to cut through the hype and share what women really need to know about Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and the science behind sustainable weight loss. Dr. Salas-Whalen, founder of New York Endocrinology and author of the upcoming book Weightless, explains why GLP-1 receptor agonists represent a fundamental shift in how we understand and treat obesity—not as a willpower problem, but as a chronic medical condition with biological drivers including hormones, genetics, and metabolism. For women navigating perimenopause and menopause, the conversation gets even more specific. Dr. Salas-Whalen breaks down why estrogen decline drives fat redistribution to the abdomen, increases visceral fat, and makes it nearly impossible to lose weight using the same strategies that worked before. She reveals how GLP-1 medications can address the metabolic changes of midlife while protecting what matters most: muscle mass. Dr. Salas-Whalen shares her clinical experience treating thousands of patients and addresses the viral misinformation circulating online. She explains why obesity is a transgenerational disease influenced by genetics, environment, food accessibility, and even childhood trauma—not personal failure. Guest links: Meet Your Endocrinologist - Dr. Salas-Whalen (NY Endocrinology) Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen (Instagram) Books “Weightless: A Doctor's Guide to GLP-1 Medications, Sustainable Weight Loss, and the Health You Deserve” by Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen Articles Loss of Visceral Fat is Associated with a Reduction in Inflammatory Status in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome (Molecular Nutrition and Food Research) Increased visceral fat and decreased energy expenditure during the menopausal transition (International Journal of Obesity) Sex-specific body fat distribution predicts cardiovascular ageing (European Heart Journal) Association between metabolic healthy obesity and female infertility: the national health and nutrition examination survey, 2013–2020 (BMC Public Health) The discovery and development of GLP-1 based drugs that have revolutionized the treatment of obesity (PNAS) Skeletal Muscle as Endocrine Organ (Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology) Preserving Healthy Muscle during Weight Loss (Advances in Nutrition) 32nd European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2025) (S. Karger AG, Basel) Association of Obesity With COVID-19 Severity and Mortality: An Updated Systemic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression (Frontiers in Endocrinology) Adverse Events Related to Tirzepatide (Journal of the Endocrine Society) Weight loss response to semaglutide in postmenopausal women with and without hormone therapy use (Menopause) Clinical development times for innovative drugs (Nature Reviews Drug Discovery) The dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist tirzepatide: a novel cardiometabolic therapeutic prospect (Cardiovascular Diabetology) Dose-dependent pancreatitis risk associated with GLP-1 agonists (Journal of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders) Mortality from type 2 diabetes mellitus across municipalities in Mexico (Arch Public Health) The association between age of menopause and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Nutrition & Metabolism) Obesity in Infertile Women, a Cross-Sectional Study of the United States Using NSFG 2011-2019 (Reproductive Sciences) Bisphenol A and the Risk of Obesity a Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis of the Epidemiological Evidence (Dose-Response) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if weak bones and muscle loss aren't just "normal aging" but the result of decades of misinformation? In this episode double board-certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Vonda Wright joins Dr. Mary Claire Haver to shatter the myth that frailty, fractures, and decline are inevitable for women in midlife. Dr. Wright explains why women can lose up to 20% of their bone mass in just five years after menopause—and more importantly, what we can do to prevent it. She reveals how stress, inadequate nutrition, and neglecting strength training and hormonal health create the very outcomes we've been taught to accept as unavoidable. From the "musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause" that affects 70-80% of women (yet most doctors never discuss) to the science of building bones through strategic lifting, Dr. Wright provides the blueprint for aging with power instead of resignation. This episode also covers: Why your bones are master communicators affecting your brain, metabolism, and more The real story behind frozen shoulder and why it happens to women in perimenopause How to lift weights for longevity Why many women are diagnosed with osteoporosis only after they break something, when it's already too late How estrogen loss drives chronic inflammation Why nutrition, specifically foods that are rich in calcium, are better than calcium supplements to help strengthen bones Dr. Wright also shares her personal journey through perimenopause as an athlete and surgeon, and why she wrote her latest New York Times bestselling book Unbreakable. Guest links: Dr. Vonda Wright Dr. Vonda Wright (Instagram) Articles Longitudinal changes in bone mineral density during perimenopausal transition: the Vietnam Osteoporosis Study (Osteoporosis International) Osteoporosis Due to Hormone Imbalance: An Overview of the Effects of Estrogen Deficiency and Glucocorticoid Overuse on Bone Turnover (International Journal of Molecular Sciences) The musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause (Climacteric) Bone remodeling: an operational process ensuring survival and bone mechanical competence (Bone Research) Biological basis of bone strength: anatomy, physiology and measurement (J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact) Stem Cells for the Regeneration of Tendon and Ligament: A Perspective (International Journal of Stem Cells) Peak bone mineral density in Vietnamese women (Archives of Osteoporosis) Sarcopenia: revised European consensus on definition and diagnosis (Age and Ageing) Sarcopenia (The Lancet) The Conceptual Definition of Sarcopenia: Delphi Consensus from the Global Leadership Initiative in Sarcopenia (GLIS) (Age and Ageing) Sarcopenia definition, diagnosis and treatment: consensus is growing (Age and Ageing) Poster 188: Is Hormone Replacing Therapy Associated with Reduced Risk of Adhesive Capsulitis in Menopausal Women? A Single Center Analysis (Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine) A Narrative Review of Adhesive Capsulitis with Diabetes (Journal of Clinical Medicine) Women, men, and osteoarthritis (Arthritis Care and Research) Gender differences in health: results from SHARE, ELSA and HRS (European Journal of Public Health) The 2022 hormone therapy position statement of The North American Menopause Society (Menopause) The peri-menopause in a woman’s life: a systemic inflammatory phase that enables later neurodegenerative disease (Journal of Neuroinflammation) Vitamin D-Mediated Regulation of Intestinal Calcium Absorption (Nutrients) Prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in women (Post Reproductive Health) Impacts of protein quantity and distribution on body composition (Frontiers in Nutrition) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if your hot flashes are actually warning signs about your cardiovascular health? Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with research cardiologist Dr. Jayne Morgan to talk about the intersection of menopause and heart disease. Dr. Morgan explains why women present with different heart attack symptoms than men, how menopause accelerates cardiovascular risk, and why the medical system still isn't recognizing the connection. You'll learn what hot flashes reveal about stroke and heart disease risk, how arterial stiffening and blood pressure changes happen during the menopause transition, and why hormone therapy started early may be protective for your heart. Dr. Morgan shares which lab tests women should be getting, when to start screening for cardiovascular disease, and what lifestyle changes actually make a difference. She also discusses the role of statins, GLP-1s, and why research done primarily on men has led to treatments that may harm women. This conversation covers what every woman needs to know about protecting her heart through midlife and beyond. Guest links: Dr. Jayne Morgan (Instagram) Dr. Jayne Morgan (YouTube) Dr. Jayne Morgan (TikTok) Healthy Her Series (AIB Network) Jayne Morgan, MD (LinkedIn) : Articles Improving Cardiovascular Clinical Competencies for the Menopausal Transition: A Focus on Cardiometabolic Health in Midlife (JACC Advances) Beta-blockers did not reduce cardiovascular events in selected heart attack patients in the REBOOT trial (European Society of Cardiology) Guidelines in Action: New Considerations for Primary Prevention of Stroke Related to Premature and Early Menopause (Stroke/American Heart Association) Risk of Cardiovascular Disease by Hysterectomy Status, With and Without Oophorectomy: The Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study (Circulation/American Heart Association) Menopause Transition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Implications for Timing of Early Prevention: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (Circulation/American Heart Association) Emerging role of GLP-1 agonists in cardio-metabolic therapy - Focus on Semaglutide (American Heart Journal Plus: Cardiology Research and Practice) Other Resources Breast Cancer Foundation (Susan G. Komen) Dr. Stacy Sims (Dr. Stacy Sims - About) Symptoms of Coronary Heart Disease (NIH) Cardiac Biomarkers (NIH) Framingham Risk Score for Hard Coronary Heart Disease Gates Foundation Announces Catalytic Funding to Spark New Era of Women-Centered Research and Innovation (Gates Foundation) Advancing Postpartum Systems of Care Initiative (American Heart Association) Prevention (World Heart Federation) Assessing the Impact of Lipoprotein (a) Lowering With Pelacarsen (TQJ230) on Major Cardiovascular Events in Patients With CVD (Lp(a)HORIZON) (Clinicaltrials.gov) Sleep Disorders and Heart Health (American Heart Association) To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From selling jewelry in Tennessee living rooms to headlining arenas across America, Leanne Morgan's path to success took 25 years, and it's a story every woman in midlife needs to hear. The comedian and actress sits down with Dr. Mary Claire Haver for a funny and deeply honest conversation about what it really takes to thrive after 50. Leanne shares how severe perimenopause symptoms nearly derailed everything, why one nurse practitioner became her lifesaver, and how going viral in her fifties changed the trajectory of her entire career. She also shares her sleep hacks for touring, why she refuses to stop talking about menopause and testosterone on stage, what she tells her daughters about taking care of their bodies, and why relationships, not retirement, are the secret to a vibrant, joyful healthspan. From her Netflix sitcom to her sold-out tours to presenting at the Emmys, Leanne's journey is proof that your best work, your biggest breakthroughs, and your most joyful years can happen in your fifties and beyond. If you've ever felt invisible, exhausted, or like you've missed your window, this conversation will remind you it's never too late. Guest links: Leanne Morgan Leanne Morgan (Facebook) Leanne Morgan (Twitter/X) Leanne Morgan (Instagram) Leanne Morgan (YouTube) Leanne Morgan (TikTok) Leanne Morgan: I’m Every Woman (Netflix) Leanne (Netflix) Books“What in the World?!: A Southern Woman's Guide to Laughing at Life's Unexpected Curveballs and Beautiful Blessings,” By Leanne Morgan To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if the biggest health study in history got it wrong and millions of women paid the price? In this premiere episode of “unPAUSED," Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with Dr. Avrum Bluming, medical oncologist and former senior investigator at the National Cancer Institute, and Dr. Carol Tavris, social psychologist and co-authors of the life-changing book: Estrogen Matters. In this conversation, they dismantle the 2002 Women's Health Initiative study that terrified an entire generation of women away from hormone therapy and reveal why the fear was based on misinterpreted data, flawed conclusions, and a refusal to correct the record. You'll learn why estrogen actually decreases breast cancer risk, how heart disease kills seven times more women than breast cancer, and why the "lowest dose of estrogen for the shortest time" advice has no scientific backing. This conversation will inform you and empower you to demand better from your own healthcare provider.   If you've ever been told hormone therapy is too dangerous, that your symptoms are "just aging," or that you need to accept suffering in silence, this episode of “unPAUSED” is for you. Dr. Haver, Dr. Bluming, and Dr. Tavris give you the science, the tools, and the truth you need to hear including a free informed consent form and quality of life questionnaire you can bring to your doctor's office today.   Guest links: Estrogen Matters Estrogen Matters (Instagram) Articles Long-Term (≥5-Year) Remission and Survival After Treatment With Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel in CARTITUDE-1 Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma (Journal of Clinical Oncology) Early Exposure to Medicine Inspired Committed Careers in Cancer Care (Yale School of Medicine) Estrogen and cognitive functioning in women: lessons we have learned (Behavioral Neuroscience) Uncertainty about Postmenopausal Estrogen — Time for Action, Not Debate (New England Journal of Medicine) Estrogens for Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease: Putting the Brakes on the Bandwagon (Circulation) Effects of estrogen plus progestin on health-related quality of life (New England Journal of Medicine) Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer: What is the Evidence from Randomized Trials? (Climacteric) Breast cancer and hormone replacement therapy: collaborative reanalysis of data from 51 epidemiological studies of 52,705 women with breast cancer and 108,411 women without breast cancer. Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer (Lancet) Lung Cancer Mortality Higher in Women Who Used Combination Hormone Therapy (JAMA) Depot Medroxyprogesterone Acetate and Risk of Meningioma in the US (JAMA Neurology) The Mortality Toll of Estrogen Avoidance: An Analysis of Excess Deaths Among Hysterectomized Women Aged 50 to 59 Years (American Journal of Public Health) Other Resources Survival Rates for Breast Cancer (American Cancer Society) Eric P. Winer elected ASCO President for term starting in June 2022 (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) ASCO Past Presidents (American Society of Clinical Oncology) ASCO Overview (American Society of Clinical Oncology) Eric Winer, MD (Yale School of Medicine) About WHI (Women’s Health Initiative) The Facts about Women and Heart Disease (American Heart Association) The Million Women Study (Oxford Population Health) The Million Women Study: design and characteristics of the study population (Breast Cancer Research) Philip Sarrel (LinkedIn) QofL Questionnaire Informed Consent Form. No Prior Breast Cancer. How Do you Feel Books “Estrogen Matters,” by Dr. Carol Tavris and Dr. Avrum Bluming“Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me),” by Dr. Carol Tavris and Dr. Elliot Aronson To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to unPAUSED, the podcast where bold, unfiltered conversations take place about what it really takes for women to thrive in the second half of life. Every week, Dr. Mary Claire Haver, a board-certified Obstetrician-Gynecologist, Certified Menopause Practitioner, and #1 New York Times best-selling author, tackles the conversations women actually need to hear. Dr. Haver sits down with a variety of medical experts, CEOs, and risk-takers to discuss everything that matters, from hormones and identity to financial power, relationships, and the tools needed to build the life you want. unPAUSED is about reclaiming your healthspan—not just the number of years you live, but the number of years you live well. Tune in every Tuesday for new episodes of unPAUSED starting October 21st. Subscribe now so you don't miss it. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices