That is the transcript of an interview hosted on Ruth’s Really feel Higher. Stay Free. podcast.
Ruth Soukup: Do you know that perimenopause lasts on common 10 years for most ladies? And when you think about that girls make up 50 p.c of the inhabitants, it is a vital period of time for a subject that will get largely ignored. So why is that? And as girls, what can we do to take extra management of this piece of our life that has such a big impact on our high quality of life, even when nobody’s actually speaking about it?
That’s precisely what we’re going to be speaking about in the present day as we dive in with greatest promoting creator and menopause knowledgeable Dr. Liz Lister. There are such a lot of gold nuggets and takeaways on this interview that you just’re most likely going to wish to take notes. So let’s get began.
Dr. Liz Lyster: Actual.
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Ruth Soukup: At present we’re going to be chatting with Dr. Liz Lister, who’s an OBGYN medical physician, a bestselling creator and speaker, and an knowledgeable in perimenopause and menopause. And in the present day she’s shedding some severe gentle on a subject that’s nonetheless for essentially the most half largely below ignored and misunderstood by the medical neighborhood. Paramenopause, menopause, and hormonal replenishment remedy.
It’s positively a should hear for any lady in your 40s or past. So with out additional ado, I’m so excited to have the ability to introduce you to in the present day’s interview visitor, Dr. Liz Lister. Dr. Liz, thanks a lot for being right here in the present day. I’m so excited to speak to you.
Dr. Liz Lyster: Completely. My pleasure, Ruth. Completely happy to be right here with you.
Ruth Soukup: Yay. So let’s speak about menopause as a result of it’s an enormous factor. It’s a huge, huge factor. And I believe that Earlier than we do this, although, I would like to only ask you about your self, however I completely flaked out on my first query. Like, so excited to leap into this matter. Can’t even wait. However first, inform us slightly bit about your background, as a result of I believe that’s really actually, actually necessary.
So inform us about who you’re, what you do. How you bought to be doing what you’re doing now.
Dr. Liz Lyster: Completely. You guess. So to start with, I’ve Dr. Liz Lister, and I wish to simply assist you to out by saying that I went into menopause after I was 43 and I’m 59 now. So every little thing that we’re going to speak about, all of the questions chances are you’ll ask and every little thing that we go over, I’ve personally skilled, requested myself these questions, seemed along with the analysis in addition to my very own expertise.
I’m an OBGYN, board licensed, I ended delivering infants a very long time in the past as a result of I desire to sleep at evening. Then I saved narrowing my observe, so I ended doing the most important surgical procedures, I’ve my little youngsters, they’re each of their 20s now. And I simply saved narrowing issues down. So it bought to the purpose the place I used to be solely doing workplace gynecology.
After which I had the chance to actually develop into a specialist, an knowledgeable within the hormone stability piece. I had written my first guide by that time limit, and I actually cherished it. And in order that’s the place I’ve been now for developing on it. Effectively, virtually 20 years of the deal with the hormone piece however actually very narrowly that.
And I simply love serving to principally girls, males as effectively, actually of all ages, however primarily girls of their forties and fifties stability their hormones and really feel nice. I believe it’s our birthright to really feel nice, to really feel horny and to actually fulfill on our potential. In order that’s what I’m right here for. It’s my project.
I like that.
Ruth Soukup: I like that. In order that’s fascinating. Did you, you began with hormones actually focusing in on hormones about 20 years in the past. So that may have been earlier than you really skilled menopause. Did that, did something change for you when you began going by way of it your self? Or is it like, Oh, I do know precisely what’s going to occur.
Or did all of it, did it like type of throw you off slightly bit?
Dr. Liz Lyster: Okay. Nice query. It didn’t throw me off too badly for a number of necessary causes. One is my household background is from Argentina. My mother’s retired from being a health care provider, my grandma, these girls had been unbelievable fashions for me of getting older and getting stronger and staying vibrant.
In order that was crucial. The opposite is that I don’t actually know why, however I used to be at all times tuned in to studying about hormones particularly. That actually has been a theme now that you just make me give it some thought. I bear in mind, that is means, I used to be nonetheless delivering infants and I used to be at a lecture and it was speaking about sure hormones and animal research and the event of breast most cancers.
That is earlier than the Ladies’s Well being Initiative. And I simply bear in mind, I bear in mind the place I used to be after I heard that data. So I assume I’ve at all times had a specific draw to that. Sort of distinction that angle and after I was in medical college I adopted the chief resident into an examination room as a result of that’s what you do once you’re a scholar you observe different folks round loads And we went and there was this lady having quite a lot of menopausal signs and truthfully Ruth I don’t bear in mind precisely what we did for her I don’t bear in mind if the physician I used to be following wrote a prescription or not However I do bear in mind how significantly better the lady felt after we listened to her You And talked along with her that left an enormous impression on me.
So I believe that’s most likely simply being heard. Sure.
Ruth Soukup: Wow. Wow. So let’s speak about that. A number of the emotional challenges that you just see that for ladies that occurred throughout type of this time of life, proper? Perimenopause menopause. And what’s the distinction? Do you suppose between the bodily and the emotional stuff?
Dr. Liz Lyster: Effectively, to start with, there’s no separation. You understand about this, you’ve talked about hormones because the chemistry of our feelings. That’s how I confer with hormones. So there’s actually no separation. The entire, the entire phrase, thoughts, physique, it’s slightly bit deceptive, proper? As a result of our thoughts is totally not separate from the physique.
It’s very built-in. They’re built-in. And so once we take that built-in strategy we do loads higher. We get loads additional. I believe that there’s an enormous connection and never a coincidence. I bear in mind after I turned 40, I used to be not very joyful about it main as much as it. And I didn’t wish to have a celebration.
After which a pal of mine who was in her early forties persuaded me. So I had a celebration. It was quite a lot of enjoyable. And as quickly as I turned 40, I used to be like, Oh, Hey, this feels good. That is good. You understand, you come into your personal, proper? Versus like once you’re in your twenties, I believe lots of people of their twenties.
And Most likely even 30s pondering again for myself may be very externally motivated What are folks pondering like actually bought targeted on that and once you enter your 40s? It’s such a beautiful fabulous alternative in 50s. It simply will get higher Simply that’s what I hear.
Ruth Soukup: Like, I believe the 40s have been my greatest decade to this point.
Like, I’m like, that is nice. If the 50 is even higher than this, then convey it on. I’m going to have the largest social gathering ever.
Dr. Liz Lyster: Precisely. Precisely. After I turned 50, that’s after I went and climbed Kilimanjaro. That was
Ruth Soukup: superb.
Dr. Liz Lyster: That’s superb. Anyone listening who likes mountain climbing. You may climb Mount Kilimanjaro. I imply, you must put together, you must do issues to prepare, but it surely’s not, you recognize, my mom was very afraid that I used to be going to have ice picks and clamps on my footwear and stuff.
She was like picturing…It’s an extended, lovely hike. And so I set myself that problem. Then I discovered from one in every of my sufferers, she goes, Oh, that’s fascinating. After I turned 50, I went to Italy and did a cooking class for every week. And I believed, huh, I by no means, I’m
Ruth Soukup: getting all of the concepts now.
I find it irresistible. I find it irresistible. So what are the, let’s take it again to. Parabenopause menopause. Like what are, are there totally different phases that you just undergo and the way are you aware what, which section you’re in?
Dr. Liz Lyster: Okay, nice query. I wish to reply this query going backwards. So menopause is one entire yr with out your interval, then you definitely’re in menopause.
That’s the kind of official definition. Common age is 51. Okay. Then there’s years earlier than that the place every little thing’s marching alongside, common month-to-month interval, feeling good, sleeping effectively, managing your weight, that issues are doing fairly effectively, that’s good hormone stability and that’s pre. Then there’s this huge area in between which is perimenopause and that may embody every kind of disruptions.
Progesterone goes down first, then estrogen begins to say no or go up and it begins to get erratic. In the meantime, testosterone and DHEA are declining, quite a lot of adjustments happening on high of the menstrual cycle adjustments which might be like everyday adjustments. You’ve bought these, that, that’s the perimenopause section.
Ruth Soukup: And the way, how lengthy does that section final
Dr. Liz Lyster: or extra years, 10
Ruth Soukup: or extra years?
Dr. Liz Lyster: Sure. That lengthy. Not for everyone, not everybody, however what’s most necessary for ladies listening is that if something appears off that to not take the physician’s phrase. Sadly, quite a lot of my sufferers that come to me as a result of their physician stated, effectively, you’re nonetheless having your interval.
So it will possibly’t be your hormones. And that’s completely mistaken. Mm-Hmm. That’s not true. .
Ruth Soukup: So it sounds prefer it’s virtually like that is nonetheless type of an ignored Oh, it’s only a lady factor type of factor. Yeah. In medication, fashionable medication.
Dr. Liz Lyster: Is that true? You’ve gotten that downside in fashionable medication. We have now it in medical analysis.
Proper, I used to be studying one thing the opposite day about circumstances that have an effect on lower than 1 p.c of the inhabitants get lots of of tens of millions of {dollars}, after which circumstances that have an effect on girls, which is half of the inhabitants, will get Beneath 5, 000, 000 {dollars} funding, or some big discrepancy like that. And that, after all, is said to the pharmaceutical trade as we at the moment have that.
So it’s a problem. It’s a, it’s positively difficult.
Ruth Soukup: And why do you. I imply, even from a pharmaceutical standpoint, like pure revenue looks like it could be increased if you happen to’re coping with half of the inhabitants. So why is, why are girls so ignored?
Dr. Liz Lyster: Effectively, to start with, once we speak about something hormonal and hormone balancing, we wish to follow bioidentical and bioidentical implies that it happens in nature.
Which additionally then implies that you can not take a patent out One thing so
Ruth Soukup: they will’t generate profits on it. So that they’re not .
Dr. Liz Lyster: Yeah sure methods sure issues I imply if we had been targeted on well being and wellness and stopping sickness That may be a tremendous shift. And I believe that girls are taking that upon ourselves to, to convey that shift.
Ladies wish to, we wish to stop sickness. We’re 80 p.c of healthcare customers anyway. So we love the boys and we wish them to be effectively as effectively. And quite a lot of, and males acknowledge this. A variety of the boys that I see in my observe is as a result of a girl of their life despatched them. So we actually, we actually are, girls may be the tail that wags the canine at a societal stage and for certain now we have to do this at a person stage.
You need to advocate for your self.
Ruth Soukup: For certain. How do you suppose having a way of neighborhood helps girls throughout this stage of life? Do you suppose that makes an enormous distinction? Do you see that together with your shoppers?
Dr. Liz Lyster: I do. I positively suppose it makes a distinction. I believe it’s crucial. I like the subject of the blue zones and there’s a specific blue zone the place girls type little teams of 4, little teams of 4, and they’re simply there for one another by way of thick and skinny ups and downs.
So I believe neighborhood is crucial. I believe that it will get slightly bit tough. In the USA, our tradition may be very individualistic. It’s all about, I can robust this out, I’m gonna push by way of. So quite a lot of the ladies, you recognize, I handle busy girls. A variety of them are professionals very A number of challenges that they’re coping with as they’re rising older and going by way of these adjustments And it’s simply that it’s so necessary to recollect That we we want one another.
We want neighborhood I believe that’s occurring. I believe that’s why Podcasts are rising. On-line teams are rising. So long as it doesn’t develop into a spot of complaining that that may be an issue with on-line data, it may be slightly bit restricted.
Ruth Soukup: Yeah, yeah, no, I agree. And, however I additionally see the, the, the superb facet of that, like in our, in our program, as an example, now we have essentially the most amazingly supportive neighborhood.
And I believe, you recognize, I’ve been doing on-line enterprise for a very long time. I’ve grown plenty of totally different manufacturers and communities and issues. And the one factor that I see with this demographic, proper, that we’re on this forties and fifties is nearly for ladies. And I don’t know if you happen to’ve too, proper. While you’re Targeted on your loved ones and elevating your youngsters.
Most of your social community tends to be the mother and father of your pals, youngsters, proper? You’re in sport, you’re going to sporting occasions. And so your pals with all of the, the sporting although, to your mother and father or the, whoever, after which all the sudden your youngsters. Become old they usually go away the home or they’re not doing these actions anymore.
And that entire community type of falls aside. And I see that so typically from girls type of hitting this stage of life the place swiftly your youngsters are older. So it’s not simply, you’re coping with all of the hormonal adjustments which might be occurring. You’re coping with swiftly, I really feel like I’ve misplaced my sense of self.
I don’t know who I’m. As a result of my youngsters are grown and that was my entire life. And I, now I don’t actually have mates as a result of these folks I used to speak to you on a regular basis about our youngsters. We don’t actually have that in widespread anymore. And so now we’re not, you’re not doing like, it’s a, it may be a really like weirdly isolating, discombobulating type of section of life, I believe for extra causes than simply the hormonal stuff that’s happening, do you see that too?
Dr. Liz Lyster: Yeah, completely. I positively see that. That’s why I’m so enthusiastic about getting the hormones balanced as a result of in any other case you possibly can actually find yourself in a darkish place.
Ruth Soukup: Yeah. Due to
Dr. Liz Lyster: all these adjustments occurring round us, I believe it’s so necessary. I imply, now we have to work our brains. We have now to maintain up our pursuits.
And so I like encouraging youthful girls in that space as effectively. What are your pursuits? It’s at all times that the, the one film, it’s a Julia Roberts film the place, how does she like her eggs? The place it takes her loads, she goes by way of loads personally, and by the tip of it, she has to face the query, effectively, what do I like?
Oh, I don’t suppose I’ve seen that film. It’s nice, I’ll consider the title, I’ll point out it. Is it
Ruth Soukup: the? Eat, pray, love. Is that the one?
Dr. Liz Lyster: It’s not that one. I wish to say Runaway Bride. Oh, I wish to say that one. I’ll, I’ll double test on that. However we’ll put it within the present notes. That’s what that’s was my takeaway from that film.
Yeah. And she or he spent a lot time and that is what we’re speaking about is we as girls. We spend a lot time caring for everyone else. One of many phrases I like isn’t any airplane captain ever stated, be sure to assist everybody else earlier than you set your oxygen masks on.
Ruth Soukup: Yeah.
Dr. Liz Lyster: No one, no one ever stated that, and no one ever will.
Proper. And I believe that that’s, That’s the chance, that’s the, the silver lining of all of these distractions and busy that we do when the youngsters are youthful or when now we have different, earlier in our careers, that type of factor. After which we get to paramenopause and even menopause and, and it, it’s like an entire new world.
Alternative to see what it’s that we like. What are we focused on? What will we wish to spend the following few many years doing?

Ruth Soukup: And the way do you wish to, and the way do you wish to really feel good throughout that?
Dr. Liz Lyster: Sure. Thanks for saying that. Trigger for me, it goes with out saying. So thanks for highlighting that. And I wish to additionally, I at all times discuss concerning the fashionable downside that now we have as a result of Ruth, solely like 100 years in the past, most ladies didn’t attain age 50.
Actually? Sure. Like 5 p.c of girls made it to age 50.
Ruth Soukup: Wow.
Dr. Liz Lyster: Yeah. Take into consideration earlier than all the trendy medication that now we have in hospital care and childbirth and that type of factor. Oh yeah. And now half, no less than half of us can anticipate to dwell into our 80s or much more. And scientific research present that individuals who envision themselves residing longer really dwell longer.
Yeah.
Ruth Soukup: Is that true? Yep. That’s fascinating. You understand, however, however then it comes proper again to what do you do proper now to handle your self? As a result of I used to be, I simply interviewed someone for this podcast final week and she or he was a geriatric bodily therapist. I believe that’s what, what her profession was. And, and she or he took an interest.
And after she went on, on maternity go away, she grew to become focused on serving to girls get wholesome as a result of she sees the tip outcome, proper? She spends, she was spending each single day working with individuals who have zero high quality of life, proper? They’re alive. They’ve made it to 80, however they’re not residing. And once you see that, and once you see folks attending to that section the place it’s, it’s virtually on the level the place it’s too late, it’s too little, too late, even you attempt to assist them, however there’s not loads you are able to do.
You then go, the place will we again as much as? And it’s proper now it’s proper on the stage of life the place now you’ve got this. And I cherished the way in which that you just phrased that you just stated, it’s a chance. It is a chance to determine what do I would like the following 30 years of my life to appear like, and the way do I wish to really feel throughout that, that point?
I prefer it. It like type of provides me chills after I give it some thought.
Dr. Liz Lyster: I do know me too. Yeah, precisely. So, okay. Proper.
Ruth Soukup: So let’s return. How, like, how do you differentiate between you’re having these hormonal points, proper? You’re in perimenopause, which is 10 years for, for most individuals. Then there’s all this different stuff happening too, proper?
All of those different signs that we’re experiencing. So how do girls differentiate between perimenopause and signs and different well being points that they’re experiencing and the way do you. Deal with them. Do you deal with them individually? Do you deal with them collectively? What’s what does that appear like?
Dr. Liz Lyster: Okay? I’ll reply these type of in reverse order Positively treating every little thing collectively as a result of the purpose is the quote is her high quality of life for every of my sufferers My goal is her high quality of life However step one is each single factor that’s happening the circumstances and the way they’re altering, what’s she feeling?
Is she having sleep points, temper points, sexual operate points, menstrual points, weight and metabolism points? Any of these are often going to no less than have a hormonal element. Okay, so there’s that. Then after all, there’s all the necessary way of life selections. As I say to my sufferers, I can’t out hormone your way of life.
I can’t provide you with a recipe meaning you could, like for me, return to after I was 20s and youthful and I may simply go to Baskin Robbins at any time when I needed. As quickly as I discover that magic capsule, I’ll let everyone know. However proper now, what now we have are the necessary selections that now we have to make in addition to the hormone stability.
Let’s see, the place else did we wish to go along with that?
Ruth Soukup: So differentiating the signs between the pyramids,
Dr. Liz Lyster: proper? So at all times a hormonal element in my opinion, that’s my bias. That’s my angle on issues. And so I at all times, at all times have a look at that. In order that’s the very first thing is the signs. The second may be very, I do very detailed lab work.
Okay. And my sufferers often, by the point they get to me, they, They’ve tried to advocate for themselves. They’ve tried to request some testing. A variety of medical doctors, if she’s nonetheless having her interval, she’s in her 40s and even into her 50s, if she nonetheless has her cycle, the physician received’t even run any assessments. And in the event that they’re keen to, they’ll do like two or three assessments.
Proper. Actually, actually only a few. So for me, the second step may be very detailed Workup often blood work and generally urine testing as effectively afterward possibly saliva testing However I like to begin with what folks can get performed on their insurance coverage I don’t work with insurance coverage as a result of it’s too constricting. I spend means an excessive amount of time with my sufferers. I did that previously.
I attempted to invoice insurance coverage and I couldn’t make ends meet with my workplace as a result of I simply wasn’t cramming in sufficient folks. You weren’t quick sufficient. I simply was taking too lengthy with every of my sufferers and that was for normal gynecology. With perimenopause and menopause, there’s loads to speak about. So differentiating.
In order that’s, that’s the second step. The third is deciphering to optimum, not simply. Are you within the regular vary? And I’m saying air quotes as a result of plenty of my sufferers, once more, by the point they get to me, they’d this or that examined they usually had been informed it was regular as a result of it was within the vary, like barely, like squeaked into the naked backside of the vary.
Yeah. And after I discuss with them, like, no, that’s, that’s within the vary, but it surely’s not optimum. In order that’s the third. After which the fourth is what I do when it comes to. Utilizing pure approaches, bioidentical hormones, dietary supplements, way of life selections, every little thing I can do. After which the fifth is the long run adjusting, following up.
In order that’s actually necessary, is the being conscious that there’s a hormonal piece to these signs. And second is the detailed testing. I’d say to reply the query, that’s actually the 2 primary. These are my entire 5 steps, however the first two are the principle, yeah, it’s necessary, I
Ruth Soukup: suppose what stands out to me and simply listening to you speak about this and the strategy that you just’re taking, proper.
Couple of issues. Primary, the truth that with the intention to get what you’re speaking about in our Trendy crappy system that now we have with insurance coverage firms and the, like, get them in, get them out, prescribe the meds, prescribe the meds as shortly as doable and go to the following one. Like you must pay for that privately, mainly is what you’re saying.
Like, and that’s not, everybody can do this. Proper. That’s proper. So how unhappy is that? And what a tragic commentary on the place we’re with medication when there may be. Primary, so many issues that you are able to do from a life-style perspective and a pure perspective to be treating what the foundation causes of all the points that your expertise are, relatively than simply placing a bandaid on it and, and, and taking one other prescription.
And. And but, so what does someone do in the event that they’re like, I can’t afford to spend 1000’s of {dollars} to go to a personal place. I’ve insurance coverage. I have to undergo the right channels. How do you discover, how do you discover a health care provider that’s going to be keen to truly have a look at the entire image? Trigger that’s the second factor that stood out to me is that you just’re wanting on the entire image.
You’re doing a full panel. You’re all of the items. Whereas most medication in the present day is. piecemeal, piecemeal, piecemeal, piecemeal, piecemeal. And it’s so fragmented that it doesn’t actually, it by no means actually will get to the foundation of the matter.
Dr. Liz Lyster: Certainly. That’s a very necessary and difficult query. Initially, it’s being true to 1’s personal expertise.
So if I’m going to search for a health care provider, I have to honor my expertise. I could hear nice issues concerning the physician, but when the employees Don’t return my calls, they’re not caring for me, then I could have to preserve wanting. In order that’s crucial. One other is that sadly the generations of medical doctors are an issue proper now.
We have now an entire era of medical doctors educated in replenishment remedy into huge. Deep bother. And it seems that they studied the mistaken girls, used the mistaken hormones and gave them the mistaken, these mistaken hormones, the mistaken means. So there’s issues that we’ve realized and there are medical doctors on the market who sustain with the literature American menopause society, which now’s.
menopause society. They do fairly a superb job conserving medical doctors updated. They’re, they’re virtually there. However they do an enormous overview of the literature each 5 years. So the newest one was in 2022. And so they made a number of issues very, very clear. What’s good is that it’s, I imply, it’s an extended paper. It’s like 20 pages of very detailed, condensed overview of literature, and so on.
However they do a superb job spelling issues out. So, for instance, in the newest one, they realized one thing that I and others like me have identified for a very long time. So, Which was that the Ladies’s Well being Initiative was mistaken a few cutoff by when you want to use hormones, in any other case you’ll find yourself in bother.
So that they removed that cutoff begin date. Additionally they acknowledged, once more, one thing that many people have identified for a very very long time, that there actually isn’t a required age to cease if somebody chooses, if a girl chooses to replenish some hormones. There’s no laborious age the place she has to cease. That’s actually necessary.
After which in addition they did slightly extra discussing of high quality of life which for instance, vaginal dryness, ache with intercourse, recurrent bladder infections, that’s all simply remedied by very low doses of vaginal estrogen, which doesn’t get into the system. So thankfully, these sorts of efforts assist common medical doctors do higher.
For serving to their sufferers. So I’m seeing that I’m seeing girls who graduate from their care with me. What we get every little thing dialed in, we get them feeling nice. After which by that point, possibly I’ve had the chance to no less than do e-mail speaking with their physician or ship them the menopause society place assertion.
I don’t know in the event that they learn it, however no less than they’re, you recognize, perform a little,
Ruth Soukup: little training. I like that.
Dr. Liz Lyster: Sure. Yeah. However I, I’m listening to that. So it’s, it’s crucial to just remember to resonate together with your physician, that they’re listening to you, that they’re not gaslighting you, telling you that you’re simply getting older and also you simply need to dwell with it.
I name that the J phrase, simply,
Ruth Soukup: yeah, no, we completely don’t. However let’s discuss slightly bit extra concerning the hormone alternative remedy. So once you’re speaking about HRT, are there a number of totally different sorts, proper? Is there. Pharmaceutical and pure variations of this, and since you had been speaking about bioidentical hormones, is that the identical factor?
Is that various things? Clarify, clarify how this works to me.

Dr. Liz Lyster: All proper. I like this matter. It’s one in every of, one in every of my favourite subjects. And I at all times wish to admit straight out the gate that I’m positively biased in favor of hormones. There are such a lot of research, 1000’s and 1000’s of girls studied, Within the U S in Europe, somewhere else that affirm that the proper varieties of hormones administered the proper means may be extraordinarily useful.
Okay. So I wish to say my bias proper out of the gate. Okay. I like famous. Yeah. I like to make use of the phrase bioidentical relatively than the phrase pure. That is the place medical doctors get slightly prickly when, once we speak about pure as a result of There are issues that happen in nature that may be very harmful for our well being.
So we wish to watch out with that. The phrase pure is utilized in a advertising and marketing setting to suggest that it’s mechanically secure. Sure. It’s necessary to watch out round that. So I like the phrase bioidentical as a result of what it means is that the hormone that you just’re replenishing with that you just’re placing into your physique is both Virtually or precisely the identical as what our feminine human our bodies used to make loads of.
Ruth Soukup: All proper. Okay.
Dr. Liz Lyster: So our hormone ranges begin to decline no less than in our thirties for lots of stuff in our world and toxins and whatnot. Some folks undergo it even youthful, however no less than by our thirties, even below completely wholesome circumstances, our hormone ranges naturally begin to decline, particularly as effectively males as effectively, however girls for certain.
After which issues additional change after which if we’re fortunate and we dwell lengthy sufficient, our ovaries will go into full retirement. Transcribed After which we’re in menopause. Sure. And so replenishing a few of these hormones, once more, to not the, to not excessive excessive ranges, however simply sufficient to have an incredible high quality of life.
That’s my angle, my strategy. Bioidentical is especially necessary with progesterone. Oh, and Lysate. Progesterone. The ladies’s well being initiative that bought the hormones in bother as a result of It really issued the press launch earlier than the research was printed and the place we medical doctors may learn it and see what was occurring and so the headlines had been prompt of an elevated pattern in direction of extra circumstances of breast most cancers
Ruth Soukup: Nevertheless
Dr. Liz Lyster: These girls, I bear in mind I stated mistaken girls, mistaken hormones, mistaken route of administration.
So that they got a non bioidentical progestin. Not, they weren’t given progesterone. We now know, now we have many, many research, huge research, an enormous research in France that was performed that confirms what I’m speaking about, that bioidentical progesterone doesn’t have that elevated tendency.
Ruth Soukup: Huh. How do you get one and never get, not get caught with the opposite?
Dr. Liz Lyster: Fortunately, it’s very straightforward. And there may be no less than one bioidentical progesterone that’s pharmaceutically obtainable, often coated on folks’s insurance coverage. And in order that’s a simple one. It is a straightforward one for our listeners. Okay. In the event that they’re feeling progesterone calms, the mind helps with nervousness, plenty of nervousness in our world in the present day.
Progesterone can actually assist. It calms the mind to assist with sleep. So girls who’re being given a band support sleeping capsule? Typically progesterone is the foundation trigger, is decrease progesterone. As you talked about, the foundation trigger, that’s the place we wish to function. And so it’s very, crucial to have it’s bioidentical.
And fortuitously that’s, it’s on the market and obtainable. Lotions can be found over-the-counter. The progesterone oral capsules for some girls do even higher when it comes to how they’re damaged down and the way they calm the mind and assist with sleep.
Ruth Soukup: Huh. Attention-grabbing.
Dr. Liz Lyster: What do
Ruth Soukup: you sometimes advocate on your sufferers?
Like what’s the commonest, the most typical strategy that you just take once you say, okay, I believe you want to go on bioidentical hormones. Right here’s what I like to recommend. What does that appear like?
Dr. Liz Lyster: All proper. So to start with, it seems to be just like the measuring ranges, which is to get a baseline. Okay. There’s quite a lot of controversy.
Is blood testing one of the simplest ways? We may argue about that, but it surely’s a baseline. It tells us the place we’re beginning. It additionally reveals if issues are very low as a result of then girls suppose, okay, I’m not imagining issues.
Ruth Soukup: I
Dr. Liz Lyster: even have
Ruth Soukup: no, it’s good to have that affirmation,
Dr. Liz Lyster: proper? Precisely. Precisely. Precisely. So I at all times begin with sleep.
Sleep is critically necessary for hormone stability. If a girl isn’t sleeping, we have a look at why is she waking up with sizzling flashes or evening sweats. So progesterone might be very useful and is a very simple beginning place. One other step may be estrogen. With every little thing I do, beginning very low dose and dealing up from there.
That’s my technique. I believe it’s an effective way for ladies to not find yourself with uncomfortable side effects from an excessive amount of of something. Estrogen, now we have now additionally realized the opposite second out of the 2 most necessary factors about hormone alternative or replenishment remedy, as I wish to name it, is progesterone being bioidentical and estrogen being by way of the pores and skin.

Ruth Soukup: Oh.
Dr. Liz Lyster: Within the Ladies’s Well being Initiative research, they got oral estrogen, and that goes into the abdomen over to the liver, and the liver then is stimulated to make clotting elements. So once you use estrogen by way of the pores and skin, and that is one thing that’s occurred in the previous couple of years, is that girls can now get these items on-line, which I believe that’s okay.
However finally generally a number of the individuals who find yourself coming to me and like, okay, I’ve been doing this on my own for some time. I get ordered my very own blood work and I ordered my very own hormones and I would like somebody to look over all of this. Yeah. So I actually would favor that medical doctors get with this system and be taught and, and stand up to hurry on the literature to allow them to assist their sufferers.
So there might be a patch pharmaceutically obtainable. It may be a gel pharmaceutically obtainable. I positively use compounding pharmacies. They’re effectively regulated, opposite to in style perception. It’s totally different than how the pharmaceutical trade is regulated. So as a result of medical doctors are solely taught in that paradigm, they have an inclination to dismiss compounded hormone preparations.
However for instance, for ladies to have the ability to get any testosterone, No less than in the USA requires utilizing a compounding pharmacy and testosterone might help every kind of points mind sharpness So it helps clear up mind fog helps with metabolism helps with temper It may be a really it will possibly assist with libido It’s not the one factor that impacts libido for us as girls, we’re very advanced creatures.
A variety of issues contribute to motivation and intercourse drive, proper? Libido’s not solely about intercourse. So all of that’s to say that utilizing the proper, that, that’s my strategy, utilizing the proper safer options, estrogen by way of the pores and skin and bioidentical progesterone. These are sometimes going to be a very nice begin.
Ruth Soukup: Like it. So I really feel like I may ask a billion questions on this.
Dr. Liz Lyster: The
Ruth Soukup: section of life I’m in. However is there any means, so is there any approach to not do hormones, proper? Like, and that is only a query for myself of like, okay, at what level do I would like to begin desirous about this? You understand, I’m consuming a wholesome way of life.
I’m advocating a wholesome way of life. I’m speaking about hormonal stability. I’m speaking On a regular basis by way of making the proper way of life selections and meals selections, as a result of what you’re consuming, it makes an enormous, has a big impact on all these hormones. However is there some extent that none of that may work and that you must be on hormones or do some folks just do positive with out the hormones?
Dr. Liz Lyster: All proper. I’m once more saying my bias in favor of hormones. What I’ll say is that each, all these good selections are so necessary for therefore many causes.
Ruth Soukup: Yeah.
Dr. Liz Lyster: And. There, if we’re blessed to dwell lengthy sufficient, there comes some extent the place the ovaries go into full retirement.
Ruth Soukup: Sure. And might’t cease that irrespective of how good you eat.
Dr. Liz Lyster: Yeah. I imply, there’s, there’s folks researching how you can cease that, how you can, I imply, after all they’re it from a fertility standpoint, how, I imply, I’m 59, how you can let girls my age have infants, which I’m not towards that. Nevertheless, do I believe that we have to not have menopause? I positively don’t suppose that I’ve already stated, I believe it’s an enormous alternative and never having a interval anymore is a okay with me.
All proper. So there’s, there’s huge upsides to all of this. There’s an upside. Like the sleek, plenty of issues clean out. So for instance, our bones, our bones, our bones, the perfect factor we are able to do for our bones. After we go into menopause for the long run preservation of bone density goes to be a low dose of estrogen.
Ruth Soukup: That’s big.
Dr. Liz Lyster: It’s actually, actually important. You understand, my mother had breast most cancers when she was in her late sixties. Now she’s in her late eighties and so she’s doing superior. She was mainly cured. I do know we don’t use that phrase with breast most cancers, however that’s what occurred. It’s so. She bought taken off of her hormones and she or he I’ve simply watched her over time.
She’s misplaced most likely like 5 inches in peak as her vertebrae compress in her backbone and she or he, you recognize, similar to journeys and falls and hits the hand on a desk or a counter and breaks one thing. So that is Actually, probably the most necessary elements that hormone replenishment may be useful with.
Ruth Soukup: So it goes again to that high quality of life once you’re 80s.
Dr. Liz Lyster: Precisely. Precisely. And that is reminding me to say one thing that I at all times say to sufferers is tremendous necessary is that if a girl desires to make use of some hormone replenishment, it doesn’t imply she’s caught utilizing it perpetually. A variety of girls, particularly who’re actually targeted on making nice selections and being in nice well being, are involved that, effectively, I’m having such unhealthy sizzling flashes that I can’t sleep by way of the evening, but when I take estrogen to assist that, I’ll be caught taking it perpetually and that’s not true.
Put it into these phases proper now in a section of actually feeling horrible. My vaginal dryness is so unhealthy. I can’t be intimate with my husband or my companion, you recognize, like no high quality of life. So treating, addressing these points, I can really feel snug that I can handle these points and I’m not dedicated perpetually.
I can take it a number of years at a time.
Ruth Soukup: I like that. I believe that that additionally like feels very comforting of not having to decide to one thing for perpetually. And I additionally really feel like I may preserve speaking about this for a really very long time, however I wish to be conscious of time. Inform us slightly bit extra about what it’s that you just do and the way we are able to discover you.
Like, how can folks discover you? You’ve written a number of books and you’ve got another stuff happening. So inform us about that.
Dr. Liz Lyster: Completely. I’ve all types of issues happening. At all times. My web site is at all times one of the simplest ways for folks to achieve me: https://drlizmd.com/ Individuals can write to me, ask me questions, join my e-newsletter that I ship occasionally.
I’d love to provide your listeners a free copy digital copy of my most up-to-date guide, which is Go For Nice: Dr. Liz’s Information to Thrive at Each Age. Like it. GATE is an acronym, acquire data, which your listeners do, notice the reality about hormones, which we talked about, discover your expectations. No magic bullets.
Sorry. Spoiler alert. Advocate for your self and T is for thrive.
Ruth Soukup: I find it irresistible.
Dr. Liz Lyster: Deal with feeling nice at all ages. I actually take into account menopause for me. Once more, I went in after I was 43. So it was a very long time in the past. So I walked the stroll of quite a lot of what I speak about and do with my sufferers. So I actually take into account it to be an enormous alternative.
So I’m making a neighborhood referred to as the Miracle of Menopause. And trigger, trigger that’s how I have a look at it. It’s actually a miraculous time of life. We get to redefine ourselves, possibly outline ourselves if we had been being outlined by others to this point. So I believe it’s only a great alternative as a result of when girls, once we’re doing effectively, Everybody round us does higher.
Ruth Soukup: That’s so true. So true. Oh, Dr. Liz, it was so superb to speak to you and every little thing that you just simply talked about and your guide that you’re giving to everyone, which is so extremely beneficiant.
So get that and positively seize the guide. Take a look at the Miracle Menopause Community. If that is an space of your life, you’re in search of extra help. And simply thanks a lot for being with us in the present day.