EP. 214 - The Meno Besties Roundtable: when to test hormones, the nervous system, desire at midlife and more!

About this episode

A roundtable discussion on hormone testing, thyroid health, and female desire in midlife.

In this fun and rousing roundtable discussion, Dr. Fiona Lovely sits down with two of her favorite podcast hosts and Meno Besties: Zora Benhamou from Hack My Age and Karen Martel from The Hormone Solution . Together, they navigate a conversation on the nuances of hormone therapy, the hidden complexities of the thyroid, and the often-unspoken landscape of female desire in midlife. They even discuss the wildly popular Heated Rivalry show! The conversation dives deep into the necessity of testing hormone levels during perimenopause, with Karen making a compelling case for why "test, don't guess" is a vital rule—especially when thyroid issues can so easily mimic hormonal symptoms. From there, the trio courageously pivots to sexual health, reframing low libido not as a flaw, but as a complex experience often rooted in stress, trauma, and a nervous system stuck in survival mode. They wrap up with a beautiful, anthropological look at menopause as a spiritual promotion, referencing cultures that revere the post-reproductive woman as a wise leader and healer. Episode Highlights: The Hormone Testing Debate: A nuanced look at why testing in perimenopause is essential and how thyroid health…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Fiona Lovely

Guests: Zora Benhamou, Karen Martel

Topics covered

• hormone therapy
• thyroid health
• female desire
• midlife libido
• nervous system
• menopause

Keywords

• hormone testing
• perimenopause
• thyroid issues
• libido
• stress
• trauma
• nervous system
• menopause

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Hack My Age, The Hormone Solution

Books & works: Heated Rivalry

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