Speaking of Women's Health

SWH
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The Speaking of Women's Health Podcast is excited to bring you credible women's health information from host and Executive Director, Dr. Holly L. Thacker. Dr. Thacker will interview guest clinicians discussing relevant women's health topics and the latest news and tips.Please  consider supporting Speaking of Women's Health with a monetary donation to help us continue to provide free women's health content. Thank you!

  1. 10h ago

    Lower Pre-Diabetes and Diabetes Risk by Focusing on Insulin Resistance

    Send us Fan Mail Belly fat isn’t just about how your jeans fit. It can be a visceral fat signal that your body is struggling with insulin resistance, the metabolic pattern that quietly drives weight gain, inflammation, and higher risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. I’m Dr. Holly Thacker, and I’m breaking down how to become “less sweet” by improving insulin sensitivity with realistic, science-based steps you can discuss with your clinician. We talk through women-specific red flags that often get missed, including gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, delivering a baby over nine pounds, and PCOS or PMOS. I also explain why the classic “apple-shaped” body pattern is more concerning than weight stored in the hips and thighs, and why fasting glucose plus lipid patterns like high triglycerides and low HDL can reveal cardiometabolic risk early. Then we dig into practical insulin sensitizers: smart nutrition that cuts refined carbs and added sugars, fiber-forward complex carbs, omega-3 fats, strength training to build muscle, and how better sleep can lower metabolic strain including sleep apnea risk. Medication and supplement conversations come with nuance. We cover metformin, GLP-1 therapies like semaglutide, and dual GLP-1/GIP options like tirzepatide, along with safety considerations including compounded products and delayed absorption of oral meds. Finally, we connect metabolic care to menopause care: emerging research suggests menopausal hormone therapy may improve insulin sensitivity and may boost weight-loss results when paired with GLP-1-based treatment for some postmenopausal women, with important guidance on progesterone and uterus protection. Support the show

  2. Oct 28

    Palliative Care Explained: Support, Symptom Relief, and Quality of Life

    Send us Fan Mail Speaking of Women's Health Podcast host Dr. Holly Thacker sits down with Dr. Audrey Henson to have a clear, honest conversation about what palliative care actually means and what it does for real people facing serious illness. Dr. Audrey Henson explains a simple truth most people never hear: all hospice care is palliative, but not all palliative care is hospice. That one distinction can change when families ask for help and how long patients get to benefit from symptom relief and support. Drs. Thacker and Henson talk about where palliative care fits in chronic and advanced disease, including cancer, heart failure, COPD, kidney disease, and neurologic conditions like ALS and Parkinson disease. Then they go straight to the fears patients tell us about most: pain and air hunger. They unpack why the goal is function, not sedation, how anxiety and depression can intensify pain, and why today’s opioid stigma sometimes leaves people suffering unnecessarily. Dr. Henson also shares how palliative teams address addiction risk realistically with monitoring and individualized plans, especially for patients who may live months to years. Support the show

  3. Oct 21

    Why Women Get Dizziness, Vertigo, and Headaches

    Send us Fan Mail Dizziness is one of the most misunderstood symptoms we hear about, and the word itself can hide the real story. Speaking of Women's Health Podcast host Dr. Holly Thacker walks through how women describe dizziness in totally different ways like spinning vertigo, lightheadedness, near-fainting, and migraine-related imbalance and why that distinction changes what we do next. She connects the dots between migraine headaches and women’s hormone shifts across the menstrual cycle, perimenopause, and menopause. She explains classic migraine signs (one-sided pulsing pain, light and sound sensitivity, nausea) plus the phases people rarely get warned about: prodrome, aura, and the postdrome “hangover.” She also talks about cervicogenic headaches that start in the neck and can be mistaken for migraine, which is one reason physical therapy can be a game changer when meds aren’t helping. Then Dr. Thacker gets practical about benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), a common inner ear disorder caused by displaced calcium crystals that can make the room spin when you roll over in bed or tip your head back. She breaks down why falls and head trauma can trigger BPPV, what symptoms to watch for (including nausea and nystagmus), and why canalith repositioning maneuvers and vestibular physical therapy are often the fastest path to relief. She also covers medical red flags like chest pain, irregular heartbeat, severe or sudden headache, or stroke-like symptoms and when you should call 911. Helpful links from physical therapist Vince Whalen: APTA Pelvic Health PT LocatorVestibular Resource/PT LocatorMcKenzie Spine Protocol Resource/PT LocatorSupport the show

  4. Oct 14

    Menopausal hormone therapy can improve health span when prescribed well

    Send us Fan Mail October is National Menopause Awareness Month, and Speaking of Women's Health Podcast host Holly L. Thacker, MD talks about the FDA’s decision to lift boxed warnings on vaginal estrogen and what that means for real patients dealing with genitourinary syndrome of menopause: vaginal dryness, vulvar irritation, painful sex, urinary urgency, and the quiet misery that too many women have been told to “just live with.” She shares why local vaginal estrogen is a powerful, targeted tool and why fear-based labeling distorted care for years, even for women with a history of breast cancer. From there, she zooms out to the bigger question clinicians and patients keep asking: who should consider menopausal hormone therapy, when does timing matter, and what are the real risks versus the exaggerated ones? Support the show

  5. Oct 7

    Menopause and hormone therapy care after breast cancer

    Send us Fan Mail You can survive breast cancer and still feel like you’re losing your body to menopause and you shouldn’t have to choose between safety and quality of life. October may be breast cancer awareness month, but the questions we tackle here matter in every season: What happens when estrogen deprivation becomes the “collateral damage” of treatment, and why are so many survivors told to simply endure hot flashes, painful sex, recurrent UTIs, bone loss, and fear? We’re joined by Dr. Corinne Men, a board-certified OB-GYN, Menopause Society certified practitioner, and a long-term breast cancer survivor herself. We talk about how young women still get brushed off with “you’re too young,” and what real self-advocacy looks like: tracking symptoms, keeping your records, pushing for referrals, and demanding evidence-based care. We also dig into genitourinary syndrome of menopause (not just “vaginal dryness”), and why low-dose local vaginal estrogen appears in major guidelines, even for many patients on endocrine therapy, when used thoughtfully. We also zoom out to the bigger survivorship picture: BRCA “previvors,” risk-reducing ovary removal, and why hormone replacement therapy is often recommended up to the age of natural menopause to protect heart, brain, bone, and sexual health.  Support the show

  6. Sep 30

    Estrogen and osteoarthritis: Protect your joints, hips and knees

    Send us Fan Mail September is Pain Awareness Month. One in five adults live in chronic pain worldwide. Knee pain is one of the most common types of pain. But sometimes it is not the knee at all, but weak glutes, stiff hips, poor footwear, or hours of sitting that change your mechanics until your joints start protesting. From the Sunflower House, Dr. Thacker digs into osteoarthritis and the everyday patterns that push joint pain from “annoying” to life-limiting, especially for midlife and postmenopausal women. She breaks down what osteoarthritis is (and what it is not), why X-rays can look terrible when you feel fine, and why you can hurt a lot even when imaging seems mild. She also clears up common confusion between osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, then connects the menopause conversation to joints: low estrogen can affect cartilage, tendons, and muscle, and movement matters because cartilage has no direct blood supply. You will also hear why “dead butt syndrome” is a real thing, how glute weakness can drive knee pain, and which simple exercises and physical therapy strategies can improve strength, balance, and long-term mobility. Support the show

  7. Sep 23

    Treating genitourinary syndrome of menopause can protect your bladder and your quality of life

    Send us Fan Mail Vaginal dryness, painful sex, burning and nonstop irritation get brushed off as “normal aging” far too often and the bladder fallout is even easier to miss. We’re talking about genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), a hormone deficiency problem that can affect the vulva, vagina, urethra and bladder, driving overactive bladder symptoms and recurrent UTIs. When GSM is treated, it not only improves comfort and intimacy, it protects urinary health and quality of life. We focus on the most effective first line therapy: vaginal estrogen. Speaking of Women's Health Podcast host Dr. Holly Thacker shares what’s changed in the conversation around safety, including why the data on low dose local therapy is so reassuring, how correct placement keeps absorption minimal and what dosing often looks like for severe symptoms versus maintenance.  If creams or tablets are not a fit or not enough, Dr. Thacker digs into other options. Vaginal DHEA can support tissue health and sexual function through local conversion, and vaginal rings offer convenience for people who want steady therapy. Support the show

  8. Sep 16

    Dementia prevention basics

    Send us Fan Mail Dementia is one of the most feared diagnoses in aging, and it’s also one of the most misunderstood. Speaking of Women's Health Podcast host Dr. Holly Thacker sounds the alarm on a reality many women never hear clearly: by advanced age, dementia becomes incredibly common, yet a large part of risk is shaped by choices we can start making now. The goal is not perfection or panic. It’s building a prevention plan that protects your brain, your independence and your health span.  She digs into why insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome matter for Alzheimer’s disease risk, including how impaired glucose handling may reduce the brain’s ability to clear amyloid proteins. From there, she gets practical about the big levers: restorative sleep and the brain’s nighttime cleanup system, regular exercise (with a special edge for outdoor movement) and why alcohol can quietly sabotage deep sleep and brain function. We also talk about “brain stimulation” in real life, including how hearing loss, vision loss and reduced social connection can accelerate cognitive decline. Support the show

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About

The Speaking of Women's Health Podcast is excited to bring you credible women's health information from host and Executive Director, Dr. Holly L. Thacker. Dr. Thacker will interview guest clinicians discussing relevant women's health topics and the latest news and tips.Please  consider supporting Speaking of Women's Health with a monetary donation to help us continue to provide free women's health content. Thank you!

Information

  • Creator
    SWH
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    238
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Speaking of Women's Health
  • Show Website
    Speaking of Women's Health

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