145: The Gut-Hormone Connection Every Woman Needs to Understand with Dr. Betsy Greenleaf

In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Dr. Betsy Greenleaf, the first board-certified female urogynecologist in the world, to dismantle the lie that estrogen causes breast cancer, expose the hormone training gap hiding inside every OB/GYN office in the country, and explain why the online HRT explosion isn't liberation; it's the setup for the next Women's Health Initiative.At 41, Dr. Greenleaf was surgically menopausal, prescribed antidepressants for symptoms her doctors blamed on hormones, and living with a lupus diagnosis she'd carried since age 18. When she stopped treating the symptoms and started treating her gut microbiome, the mood swings resolved, the immune dysfunction cleared, and the lupus markers that had defined her health for decades simply disappeared. The conventional medical system had no framework for what happened to her so she went looking for one.If you've ever been handed a hormone prescription with no questions asked, or been told your labs look "normal" while you feel anything but, this episode will give language to what you've already suspected.In this episode, you'll learn:Why your gynecologist, urologist, and endocrinologist almost certainly received zero formal training in sex hormonesWhy only 23% of residents finishing training today feel prepared to treat midlife womenHow chronic stress hijacks your sex hormones and converts them straight to cortisolWhy when tens of millions of women stopped HRT after the Women's Health Initiative, breast cancer rates went up, not downWhy estrogen is not cancerous and why progestins are a different story entirelyHow 90% of your serotonin and 80% of your immune system live in your gutWhy putting a 20-something on testosterone is masking the real problemThe five lactobacillus strains that actually rebalance the vaginal microbiome and why most probiotics don't contain themWhy no probiotic will work until the tissue itself is healthy and the full menu of options that can fix itHow the brain-gut-vagina connection drives libido, and why testosterone is rarely the answer for low sex driveEpisode Timeline00:00 Introduction to Urogynecology and Dr. Betsy Greenleaf03:48 Awakening to Functional Medicine06:34 The Importance of Gut Health08:14 Training Gaps in Hormonal Health11:09 The Dangers of Hormone Mismanagement14:00 Stress and Hormonal Balance16:46 The Role of Lifestyle in Hormonal Health19:21 The Fear of Hormones and Cancer21:55 Understanding Estrogen and Cancer Risks24:01 The Holistic Approach to Health28:38 Integrative Medicine and Continuous Learning31:30 The Role of Tools in Health Management34:19 The Shift from Conventional to Holistic Medicine37:15 Understanding Microbiomes: Gut and Vaginal Health40:05 The Interconnection of Health Systems43:58 Intimacy and Libido: The Psychological and Physical Connection50:38 Navigating Midlife Symptoms and Hormonal Health53:33 Innovations in Health Tracking and Patient EmpowermentWhere to find Dr. Betsy Greenleaf:Website: pauseinstitute.comInstagram: instagram.com/drbetsygreenleafTo talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-callTo get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuideTo purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off.Connect with Dr. Jenn:Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmonsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons