I AM YOU

Dr Nitza Alvarez
  • 5.0 (11)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Weekly

Dr Nitza Alvarez, a board-certified cardiologist and best-selling author, is sharing stories of women who speak up and become the CEO of their own health. For more information, visit NitzaMD.com

  1. Why Menopause Changes Your Heart - Ep 76 - I AM YOU

    1d ago

    Why Menopause Changes Your Heart - Ep 76 - I AM YOU

    I AM YOU is hosted by Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights to help women protect the heart that carries them through every stage of life and step confidently into their role as the CEO of their own health. In this episode, Dr. Alvarez addresses a question many women begin asking in their 40s: Why am I suddenly exhausted, anxious, gaining weight, struggling with brain fog, and experiencing a racing heart when I am doing everything right? Too often, women are told that these changes are simply stress, anxiety, aging, or “just menopause.” But what appears to be hormonal on the surface may also reflect significant changes taking place within the cardiovascular system. Through the story of a healthy, active 46-year-old woman who no longer felt like herself, Dr. Alvarez explains how fluctuating and declining estrogen can affect the blood vessels, metabolism, inflammation, cholesterol, insulin sensitivity, heart rhythm, and long-term risk of heart disease. Estrogen is not only a reproductive hormone. It also plays an important role in keeping blood vessels flexible, regulating inflammation, supporting healthy blood flow, balancing cholesterol, and helping the body respond to insulin. During perimenopause, estrogen can become unpredictable before eventually declining, placing stress on multiple systems at once. With clarity and compassion, Dr. Alvarez explains: Why fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, palpitations, irritability, low libido, and abdominal weight gain are not necessarily random symptomsHow perimenopause and menopause affect blood vessels, metabolism, inflammation, and heart rhythmWhy women may gain weight despite eating well and exercising consistentlyHow cardiovascular risk can begin accelerating during the menopause transitionWhy “normal” test results do not mean that nothing is changingWhich numbers women should monitor, including blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, and insulinWhy symptoms should be treated as valuable health data rather than dismissed as an inconvenienceHow awareness and early prevention can protect the heart over the next five to ten yearsHeart disease does not suddenly begin at age 70. It can develop silently during perimenopause, as arteries become stiffer, inflammation rises, metabolism shifts, and plaque begins to form. What you are feeling is not random. It may be your body signaling that something important is changing. This episode is a powerful reminder that prevention does not begin with a diagnosis. It begins when a woman listens to her body, understands her symptoms, asks better questions, and refuses to accept dismissal. You do not have to wait for something to go wrong before taking your health seriously. Become the CEO of your own health by treating your symptoms as signals, knowing your numbers, and protecting your heart before whispers become warning signs. Listen now, and share this episode with every woman in her 40s who has been told that what she is feeling is “just part of getting older.” Visit NitzaMD.com Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook

    8 min
  2. Can you have heart disease without blocked arteries? - Ep 75 - I AM YOU

    Jul 2

    Can you have heart disease without blocked arteries? - Ep 75 - I AM YOU

    I AM YOU is hosted by Dr. Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights to help women protect the heart that carries them through every stage of life — and step into their power as the CEO of their own health. In this Ask the Heart Doctor-style episode, Dr. Alvarez answers a critical question many women never hear explained clearly: can you have heart disease without blocked arteries? The answer is yes. Dr. Alvarez breaks down why women, especially around perimenopause and menopause, can experience chest pressure, shortness of breath, palpitations, fatigue, or feeling that “something isn’t right” — even after being told their stress test, echocardiogram, or arteries look normal. This episode reframes heart disease beyond the traditional blockage model. Dr. Alvarez explains how the heart is not only supplied by large arteries, but also by a network of small blood vessels that deliver oxygen to the heart muscle. When those small vessels do not relax or function properly, women can experience real cardiac symptoms even without major artery blockages. This is known as microvascular dysfunction. With clarity and urgency, she breaks down: • Why “clean arteries” do not always mean the heart is healthy • What microvascular dysfunction is and why it matters in women • How endothelial dysfunction affects blood flow, inflammation, and vessel flexibility • Why estrogen plays a major role in vascular health • How menopause-related hormonal changes can create early cardiovascular warning signs • Why symptoms like chest pressure, shortness of breath, palpitations, fatigue, indigestion, upper back pain, or neck discomfort deserve proper evaluation • Why women should ask whether doctors are evaluating function — not just blockages • The importance of early markers including blood pressure patterns, fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1c, fasting insulin, advanced lipid testing, ApoB, lipoprotein(a), vascular health, body composition, visceral fat, and hormone patterns. This episode is a direct reminder that women are too often under-recognized, under-diagnosed, and under-treated when it comes to heart disease. Normal tests do not always mean nothing is happening. Sometimes the earliest phase of cardiovascular disease begins as dysfunction, not obstruction. If you feel something is wrong, don’t dismiss it. Don’t stop at “your tests are normal.” Ask better questions. Push for a deeper evaluation. Becoming the CEO of your own health starts with taking your symptoms seriously — because you can have heart disease without blocked arteries. Visit NitzaMD.com  Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook

    9 min
  3. Hormones Are Not Just About Symptoms — Ep. 74 — I AM YOU

    Jun 26

    Hormones Are Not Just About Symptoms — Ep. 74 — I AM YOU

    I AM YOU is hosted by Dr. Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights to help women protect the heart that carries them through every stage of life — and step into their power as the CEO of their own health. In this episode, Dr. Alvarez challenges one of the biggest misconceptions in women’s health: that hormones are only about hot flashes, mood changes, or reproductive symptoms. They are not. Hormones are deeply connected to the cardiovascular system — influencing sleep, heart rate, blood pressure, blood vessel function, inflammation, metabolism, cholesterol, insulin resistance, and the way the body responds to stress. Dr. Alvarez explains why subtle changes during perimenopause and menopause are often dismissed as “normal aging,” “stress,” or “nothing to worry about” — even when they may be early warning signs that the body’s cardiovascular regulation is beginning to shift. She breaks down why women may start noticing changes like lighter sleep, waking up around 3 AM, lower energy, palpitations, weight changes, blood pressure variability, or just feeling “off” — and why these symptoms should not be minimized. Dr. Alvarez explains: • Why perimenopause is not simply a decline in hormones, but a loss of stability in hormonal signaling  • How estrogen affects the brain, circadian rhythm, heart rate, stress response, arteries, blood flow, and vascular health  • Why symptoms like poor sleep, fatigue, palpitations, and weight changes may reflect deeper cardiometabolic changes  • Why normal labs do not always mean nothing is happening  • How insulin resistance, cholesterol changes, inflammation, blood pressure shifts, and vascular dysfunction can begin before standard tests look abnormal  • Why women should look beyond basic labs and consider markers like fasting insulin, advanced lipid testing, ApoB, lipoprotein(a), blood pressure patterns, body composition, visceral fat, and hormone patterns  • Why dismissing hormonal symptoms can lead to incomplete cardiovascular prevention This episode is a call for women to stop minimizing what they feel. Heart disease in women does not always begin with chest pain. Sometimes it begins with sleep disruption, palpitations, fatigue, weight changes, blood pressure changes, or a quiet sense that something in the body has shifted. Your symptoms are not random. They are signals. And prevention begins before disease shows up on a test. Visit NitzaMD.com  Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook

    10 min
  4. What Is Perimenopause Really? - Ep. 73 - I AM YOU

    Jun 19

    What Is Perimenopause Really? - Ep. 73 - I AM YOU

    I AM YOU is hosted by Dr. Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights to help women protect the heart that carries them through every stage of life — and step into their power as the CEO of their own health. In this Ask the Heart Doctor-style episode, Dr. Alvarez reframes perimenopause as more than irregular periods, hot flashes, or poor sleep. What if perimenopause is not the beginning of the end of your hormones, but the beginning of your cardiovascular risk? And what if the symptoms women often dismiss — waking up at 3 a.m., feeling more anxious or irritable, fatigue, palpitations, blood pressure changes, or cholesterol shifts — are actually the body’s early warning signs? Dr. Alvarez explains that perimenopause can begin in the late 30s or early 40s, sometimes even earlier, and that estrogen does not simply decline — it fluctuates. These fluctuations affect the brain, nervous system, blood vessels, inflammation, sleep, metabolism, and cardiovascular health. With clarity and urgency, she breaks down: • Why perimenopause is not the same as menopause  • How fluctuating estrogen affects sleep, cortisol timing, heart rate, and the autonomic nervous system  • Why waking up around 3 a.m. may be more than stress or poor sleep hygiene  • How hormonal instability can affect blood vessels, nitric oxide, inflammation, and vascular tone  • Why blood pressure, cholesterol, insulin resistance, and body composition can begin changing before menopause  • Why women should not wait until something is “wrong” to evaluate their cardiovascular risk  • What a proper cardiometabolic profile should include, such as fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1c, fasting insulin, advanced lipid testing, blood pressure patterns, visceral fat, muscle mass, and hormone patterns This episode is a direct call-to-action: perimenopause is not something to ignore or simply push through. It is a critical window for prevention. If your body feels different, listen to it. Becoming the CEO of your own health starts with recognizing the signals early, asking better questions, and taking your cardiovascular future seriously. Visit NitzaMD.com  Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook

    11 min
  5. You’re Not Crazy — You’re Not Being Understood - Ep. 72 - I AM YOU

    Jun 11

    You’re Not Crazy — You’re Not Being Understood - Ep. 72 - I AM YOU

    I AM YOU is hosted by Dr. Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights to help women protect the heart that carries them through every stage of life — and step into their power as the CEO of their own health. In this episode, Dr. Alvarez addresses a common experience for women entering perimenopause: feeling tired, anxious, disconnected, forgetful, or simply “not like yourself” — only to be told that it is stress, aging, or all in your head. These symptoms are not random, and women are not overreacting. During perimenopause, estrogen does not simply decline. It fluctuates unpredictably, affecting the brain, blood vessels, metabolism, inflammation, and cardiovascular system. This can contribute to brain fog, fatigue, mood changes, anxiety, and heart palpitations. Dr. Alvarez explains why women need to understand the connection between hormonal changes and heart health — and why waiting until something appears on a standard test may mean missing an important opportunity for prevention. With clarity and urgency, she breaks down:  • Why perimenopause can begin in a woman’s late 30s or early 40s — sometimes even earlier  • Why estrogen fluctuations can affect the brain, heart, blood vessels, and immune system  • Why symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, brain fog, and palpitations are not simply signs of stress or aging  • Why up to 42% of perimenopausal women may experience palpitations  • How hormonal changes can increase inflammation and contribute to cardiovascular risk  • Why standard lab results may not capture what is happening during this transition  • Which cardiometabolic markers women should discuss with their doctors, including glucose, insulin, hemoglobin A1c, blood pressure, lipid profiles, ApoB, and lipoprotein(a)  • Why body composition matters beyond weight and BMI — including waist circumference, visceral fat, body fat percentage, and lean muscle mass  • Why hormonal and thyroid markers should also be considered as part of a more comprehensive evaluation This episode is a reminder that prevention begins before a heart attack, before permanent damage, and before something abnormal appears on a test. It begins when your body starts signaling that something has changed. You do not need to wait for something to go wrong to take your health seriously. Listen to your body, ask the right questions, and step into your role as the CEO of your own health. Visit NitzaMD.com Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook

    10 min
  6. Why You Keep Waking Up at 3AM (It’s Not Just Stress) - Ep. 71 - I AM YOU

    Jun 5

    Why You Keep Waking Up at 3AM (It’s Not Just Stress) - Ep. 71 - I AM YOU

    I AM YOU is hosted by Dr. Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights to help women protect the heart that carries them through every stage of life — and step into their power as the CEO of their own health. In this episode, Dr. Alvarez explains why repeatedly waking up around 3:00 AM may not be random — and why it should not automatically be dismissed as stress, anxiety, or normal aging. For many women, especially during perimenopause, disrupted sleep can be an early signal that hormonal changes are affecting the nervous system, circadian rhythm, and cardiovascular health. Dr. Alvarez shares the example of a 48-year-old woman who falls asleep without difficulty but wakes up at the same time each night with a racing mind and a noticeably stronger heartbeat. Although she had been advised to try meditation, magnesium, and better sleep hygiene, the deeper issue was a change in her physiology. With clarity and urgency, Dr. Alvarez breaks down: Why fluctuating estrogen levels can disrupt sleep cycles, temperature regulation, and the body’s nighttime stress responseHow changes in cortisol, norepinephrine, and the autonomic nervous system can trigger early-morning awakeningsWhy waking up feeling warm, restless, or unusually aware of your heartbeat is not necessarily randomHow declining estrogen levels can increase inflammation and make the blood vessels and nervous system more reactiveWhy poor sleep recovery can contribute over time to higher blood pressure, insulin resistance, and blood vessel dysfunctionWhy sleep disruption during perimenopause should be evaluated alongside hormones, sleep patterns, and cardiovascular risk markersDr. Alvarez also addresses several common myths: waking up at night is not always “just stress,” it should not automatically be accepted as normal aging, and women do not have to wait until a serious problem appears on a test before taking action. This episode is a call to listen closely when your body starts whispering. If you consistently wake up at the same time each night, do not dismiss the pattern. Becoming the CEO of your own health starts with recognizing the signal, asking the right questions, and taking prevention seriously before symptoms become larger problems. Visit NitzaMD.com  Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook

    9 min
  7. Why am I always tired even when I sleep? - Ep. 70 - I AM YOU

    May 27

    Why am I always tired even when I sleep? - Ep. 70 - I AM YOU

    I AM YOU is hosted by Dr. Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights to help women protect the heart that carries them through every stage of life — and step into their power as the CEO of their own health. In this Ask the Heart Doctor-style episode, Dr. Alvarez tackles one of the most overlooked symptoms women experience during perimenopause and menopause: feeling exhausted even after a full night of sleep. If you go to bed early, sleep through the night, and still wake up tired, this episode reframes fatigue as more than stress, aging, or “just being busy.” Dr. Alvarez explains that persistent fatigue can be a signal of deeper changes happening in the body — especially involving hormones, inflammation, oxygen delivery, sleep quality, and cardiovascular stress.   With clarity and urgency, she breaks down: Why sleep time and sleep quality are not the sameHow declining estrogen can disrupt deep, restorative sleepWhy inflammation increases during perimenopause and menopauseHow sleep apnea can show up differently in womenWhy snoring, brain fog, morning headaches, insomnia, and fatigue may be signs of sleep-disordered breathingHow poor sleep can affect blood pressure, insulin resistance, weight gain, palpitations, stroke risk, and heart diseaseWhy wearable devices like Oura Ring, Whoop, or Apple Watch may help women gather useful sleep dataWhen a formal sleep study may be neededWhat labs and evaluations to ask about, including hormone status, thyroid panel, cortisol, and sleep quality testingDr. Alvarez also challenges common myths, including the belief that sleep apnea only affects overweight men, or that fatigue is simply part of getting older. Instead, she explains that fatigue may be a physiology signal — your body’s way of showing that something is changing before disease develops. This episode is a direct call-to-action for women who feel tired but dismissed: don’t stop at “I’m just tired.” Ask why your body is not restoring. Becoming the CEO of your own health starts with listening to your body, asking better questions, and getting the right evaluation before symptoms become disease. Visit NitzaMD.com  Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook

    13 min
  8. Why do I feel off but my tests are normal? - Ep. 69 - I AM YOU

    May 22

    Why do I feel off but my tests are normal? - Ep. 69 - I AM YOU

    I AM YOU is hosted by Dr. Nitza I. Alvarez, MD, FACC — board-certified cardiologist, Women’s Heart Specialist, and bestselling author. Each episode shares real stories and expert insights to help women protect the heart that carries them through every stage of life — and step into their power as the CEO of their own health. In this episode, Dr. Alvarez addresses one of the most common and frustrating experiences women face during perimenopause: feeling “off” even when their labs come back normal. If you’ve ever been told “everything looks fine,” “it’s just stress,” or “this is just aging” — while still feeling tired, anxious, foggy, wired, or not like yourself — this episode reframes those symptoms as signals worth taking seriously. Dr. Alvarez explains why normal lab results do not always tell the full story, especially during perimenopause, when estrogen levels can fluctuate dramatically from one day to the next. These hormonal shifts can affect the brain, blood vessels, metabolism, nervous system, inflammation, cholesterol, sleep, and cardiovascular risk. With clarity and urgency, she breaks down: Why estrogen is more than a reproductive hormone — and how it affects the brain, blood vessels, metabolism, and heartWhy perimenopause can make women feel anxious, foggy, tired, wired, and unlike themselvesWhy “normal labs” may miss hormonal fluctuation and early physiologic changesWhy perimenopause can begin in the late 30s and 40sWhat women should consider evaluating beyond basic labs, including:Hormonal patterns, including estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, free testosterone, thyroid markers, and cortisolCardiometabolic markers such as fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1c, fasting insulin, and insulin resistanceAdvanced lipid markers including LDL, HDL, triglycerides, non-HDL cholesterol, ApoB, and lipoprotein(a)Blood pressure and vascular health, including ambulatory blood pressure monitoring when appropriateBody composition, including waist circumference, visceral fat, body fat percentage, and lean muscle massInflammation markers such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, homocysteine, and ferritinDr. Alvarez also shares why these symptoms matter from a prevention standpoint. Perimenopause is not just about symptoms — it can be a critical window to detect early cardiovascular risk before it becomes disease. This episode is a direct call-to-action for women who have been dismissed, minimized, or told to ignore what their body is signaling. Becoming the CEO of your own health starts with asking better questions, understanding what should be evaluated, and taking symptoms seriously before they become something more. Visit NitzaMD.com  Follow @NitzaMD on Instagram and Facebook

    13 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Dr Nitza Alvarez, a board-certified cardiologist and best-selling author, is sharing stories of women who speak up and become the CEO of their own health. For more information, visit NitzaMD.com

Information

  • Creator
    Dr Nitza Alvarez
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    77
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 I AM YOU
  • Show Website
    I AM YOU