Have you been told your bone density is “normal” but still worry about fractures? Are you confused about whether a DEXA scan really tells you the whole story about your bone health?

In this episode of Menopause Rescue, Dr. Polly Watson is joined by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Andrew Bush to break down bone health in midlife and menopause and explain why traditional bone density testing may fall short. Together, they explore a more accurate, modern approach to understanding fracture risk and protecting your bones long term.

🌸 Many fractures happen in people with “normal” DEXA scans, showing density alone doesn’t tell the full story.

🌸 Bone health reflects overall health, including nutrition, exercise, inflammation, and hormones.

🌸 Muscle strength plays a major role in determining bone strength.

🌸 Arthritis and bone spurs can falsely elevate DEXA results and mask weak bone.

🌸 REMS is a radiation-free ultrasound technology that evaluates bone structure and fragility risk.

🌸 Knowing whether your bones are strong or fragile matters more than focusing on a T-score alone.

If you’re a midlife woman trying to prevent fractures, stay active, and make informed health decisions, this episode offers clarity, reassurance, and practical insight to help you take control of your bone health with confidence.

📘 Try our 10-minute new patient intro course: https://hormonewellnessmdacademy.teachable.com/p/are-we-a-good-fit-new-patient-welcome-course

🩺 Looking for Personalized Hormone Care in North Carolina?

Hormone Wellness MD serves women across North Carolina. We care for patients in Raleigh, Charlotte, Wilmington, Chapel Hill, Durham, and Greensboro, with virtual visits available statewide.

If you’re ready for expert care rooted in evidence and empathy, we’d love to support you.

Website: https://hormonewellnessmd.com

Email: info@hormonewellnessmd.com

Call: (919) 364-3430

📲 Follow Hormone Wellness MD:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hormonewellnessmd

Podcast: https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast

Are you worried that your menopause symptoms aren’t being taken seriously—or that your experience as a woman of color isn’t reflected in the research? Have you ever wondered why something so “natural” can feel so overwhelming, lonely, and dismissed?

In this episode of Menopause Rescue, host Dr. Polly Watson sits down with pelvic floor physical therapist Dr. Bridget Ochuko to unpack how menopause, structural racism, and access to care collide for women in midlife. Together, they show how understanding your body, your risks, and your options can transform menopause from something you silently endure into a stage of life you navigate with knowledge, agency, and support.

🌸 Menopause is a natural process, but that doesn’t mean women should be expected to suffer in silence or accept miserable symptoms as their fate.

🌸 Dr. Watson and Dr. Ochuko explain how most medical research was done on white men, leaving women—especially women of color—without accurate guidance for diagnosis, treatment, and symptom patterns.

🌸 The episode exposes how historical abuses like the Tuskegee syphilis study, Henrietta Lacks’ story, and non-consensual surgeries on enslaved Black women still shape distrust and inequities in gynecologic care today.

🌸 You’ll learn how menopause symptoms can show up differently across races—such as earlier onset, more severe symptoms, and more joint and muscle pain—and why delayed treatment raises long-term risks like high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease.

🌸 Dr. Ochuko breaks down what culturally competent care really means, including seeing each patient as a whole person, listening to lived experience, and understanding how race, stress, income, and history affect health.

🌸 The conversation gives women concrete advocacy tools: how to “interview” providers, switch when you’re not being heard, and insist that your symptoms and quality of life are taken seriously.

🌸 You’ll also hear why pelvic floor physical therapy is a powerful, often-missing piece of menopause care—helping with leaking, pain with sex, constipation, and reconnecting you to your body with trauma-informed, patient-led support.

If you feel dismissed, confused, or alone in midlife, this conversation reminds you that your symptoms are real, your story matters, and you deserve thorough, respectful care. This episode offers both validation and practical tools so you can advocate for yourself, find the right team, and navigate menopause with more confidence and less fear.

📘 Try our 10-minute new patient intro course: https://hormonewellnessmdacademy.teachable.com/p/are-we-a-good-fit-new-patient-welcome-course

🩺 Looking for Personalized Hormone Care in North Carolina?

Hormone Wellness MD serves women across North Carolina. We care for patients in Raleigh, Charlotte, Wilmington, Chapel Hill, Durham, and Greensboro, with virtual visits available statewide.

If you’re ready for expert care rooted in evidence and empathy, we’d love to support you.

Website: https://hormonewellnessmd.com

Email: info@hormonewellnessmd.com

Call: (919) 364-3430

📲 Follow Hormone Wellness MD:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hormonewellnessmd

Podcast: https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast

Description

In this episode of Menopause Rescue, Dr. Polly Watson and Kate Willis explore the vital components of cardiometabolic health, with a particular focus on deciphering both basic and advanced lab tests. They cover the nuances of lipid panels, the impact of triglycerides, and the influence of thyroid disease on cardiovascular health. The discussion extends to inflammation markers like C-reactive protein and the critical role of insulin resistance. Delving deeper, they shed light on advanced lipid markers such as APO-B and APO-A1, and the importance of LDL particle size in evaluating cardiovascular risk. This episode underscores the importance of a holistic health strategy for women in midlife to enhance their cardiometabolic well-being.

Quotes

• “Diets high in sugar, saturated fat, or simple carbohydrates, alcohol use, thyroid disease, and inactivity can all raise triglycerides.” - Kate Willis NP-C
• “High-sensitivity CRP is a general marker for inflammation. Anything causing inflammation, short- or long-term, can raise it.” - Kate Willis NP-C
• “Fasting insulin around five or less is ideal. Lab normals go much higher, but that doesn’t mean they’re optimal.” - Kate Willis NP-C
• “If someone's LP(a) is high, that’s their ticket to see a cardiologist—it’s an independent causal factor for cardiovascular disease.” - Dr. Polly Watson
• “Symptoms of hypothyroidism overlap with perimenopause and menopause… If you’re only treating one spoke of the wheel, what else are we missing?” - Dr. Polly Watson

Resources

Connect with Dr. Polly Watson and Kate Willis NP-C

Website: https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast

Resources: https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast-resources

New Patient: https://hormonewellnessmdacademy.teachable.com/p/are-we-a-good-fit-new-patient-welcome-course

Instagram: https://instagram.com/hormonewellnessmd

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hormonewellnessmd

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG4Tw8oHGR_6wBZmXrTu9xA

Disclaimer: https://hormonewellnessmd.com/podcast-disclaimer

Hashtags

#menopauserescue #podcastepisode #podcastrecommendations #hormonereplacementtherapy #medication #perimenopause #womenshealth #menopausesociety #hormonalhealth #midlife #wellness #healthcare #sexualhealth #menopausemanagement