Because when it comes to perimenopause and menopause, lived experience matters.
In the sea of voices talking about perimenopause and menopause, I tune in to women first. Too often, conversations about women’s health have been filtered through a paternalistic lens, shaped by a medical culture steeped in the patriarchy. That doesn’t mean every male doctor dismisses women — I’ve learned from men in this space too — but the approach can sometimes lack the lived understanding that comes from being a woman navigating these changes. And women doctors are not immune to talking down to their patients either. But when I have the choice, I’ll start by listening to women, because their voices bring both the science and the experience. They live it, so they can give it.
Over the years, I’ve built up a list of women whose podcasts I turn to regularly, or whose guest appearances I always make time for. On that list: Kelly Casperson, Louise Newson, Fiona Lovely — special shoutout here, as her podcast has been running since 2016. She may not be as visible or as media savvy as some of the more high-profile voices, but she has been there for the long haul, and that counts. Then there’s Thais Aliabadi and Mary Alice Haney, Wonda Wright, and Lauren Streicher (though I sometimes wish she’d give her guests a little more breathing space). Thais Aliabadi’s story in particular stands out: she fled Iran during the Iranian Revolution, moved to the United States at 17, and learned English while pursuing her university degrees. I also rate Mary Claire Haver and Rachel Rubin, who don’t host their own podcasts but are often invited to share their expertise.
And Rachel Rubin deserves a special mention. I always learn something new from her. She brings clarity, humour, and real-world honesty to conversations about women’s sexual and urological health — subjects that are so often brushed aside. One standout was her recent conversation with Peter Attia on The Drive, focused entirely on women’s health. It’s the kind of episode I’d recommend to anyone who wants both the science and the lived reality laid out side by side.
These are the women I see as experts in the perimenopause and menopause space. That said, they’re not the only women I listen to. For broader conversations on lifestyle, exercise, food, and women’s general health, I seek out other female voices too.
These are the people I trust because they read, interpret, and apply the data in a way that feels grounded and useful. Below, I’ve included the names of the podcasts where you can find them — spaces where science meets lived reality, and where complicated concepts are made usable for women like me.
That said, I also tune in to Simon Hill, Peter Attia, and Andrew Huberman, especially when their conversations feature experts on perimenopause, menopause, or broader women’s health. Their perspectives on health and longevity are valuable. And I can’t talk about this space without mentioning Avrum Bluming and Carol Tavris, co-authors of Estrogen Matters. Their work and frequent podcast appearances have been hugely influential in reshaping the conversation around HRT and specifically oestrogen. These voices bring important insights — but when I have the choice, I’ll always start with a woman’s voice.
And here’s the important bit: you might think that if all these experts are looking at the same research, they’d agree on everything. They don’t. Even among the women I trust most, there are differences of opinion. At first, I struggled with that — shouldn’t there be consensus on something as important as women’s health? The truth is, it does make it harder for us women navigating it all. We have to be on it at all times — and when you’re in perimenopause or menopause, staying constantly alert and questioning isn’t easy. But that is what science is: it shifts, it changes, we get new information, and we have to stay open to that.
Women’s health was left to languish for so long precisely because the status quo was accepted without challenge. If we want better answers, we need to embrace disagreement, not fear it. The conversation — messy, imperfect, still unfolding — is where progress lives.
Podcasts & Experts I Recommend
- Kelly Casperson — You Are Not Broken
- Louise Newson — The Dr Louise Newson Podcast
- Fiona Lovely — Not Your Mother’s Menopause
- Thais Aliabadi & Mary Alice Haney — SheMD Podcast
- Wonda Wright — The Midlife Feast
- Lauren Streicher — Dr. Streicher’s Inside Information
- Mary Claire Haver — OBGYN and Certified Menopause Practitioner (guest on many podcasts)
- Rachel Rubin — urologist and sexual health expert (guest on multiple podcasts, including a standout episode of The Drive with Peter Attia)
- Avrum Bluming & Carol Tavris — co-authors of Estrogen Matters, frequent podcast guests
- Simon Hill — The Proof
- Peter Attia — The Drive
- Andrew Huberman — Huberman Lab
As I look over this list, I realise the majority are American, with Thais Aliabadi among them, though she wasn’t born in the US. There’s also one Canadian (Fiona Lovely) and one British woman (Louise Newson). I find that fascinating, given that Americans often point to the UK as being far ahead when it comes to menopause and perimenopause care — at least, that’s what the Americans say. But perhaps the real lesson is this: lived experience matters. Women live it, so they can give it — and that’s why their voices cut through for me.
Tags & Keywords
Menopause, Perimenopause, Women’s Health, Midlife Health, Hormone Therapy, HRT, Estrogen, Menopause Podcasts, Kelly Casperson, Louise Newson, Fiona Lovely, Thais Aliabadi, Mary Alice Haney, Wonda Wright, Lauren Streicher, Mary Claire Haver, Rachel Rubin, Avrum Bluming, Carol Tavris, Estrogen Matters, Peter Attia, Andrew Huberman, Simon Hill
OMG: The Women's Health Brief 
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