158 - Pushing against social and political constraints on women’s health with Dr Heather Hirsch

Dr Heather Hirsch makes a welcomed return to the podcast this week. Heather is an internal medicine physician, specialising in women’s health and menopause care at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston Massachusetts, USA. Her clinical work and research centres on inequalities or unanswered questions in the field of women’s health, specifically in menopause education. In this episode the menopause experts discuss the bigger picture of menopause care as a gender issue, women’s role in society and in the workplace, perceptions of women’s suffering and the menopause as a medical specialty. Louise and Heather share the challenges they each continue to face to educate and inform the public and healthcare professionals on the perimenopause and menopause and the benefits and safety of HRT. Heather’s 3 tips: Know what’s going on in your body by keeping a journal and tracking your symptoms. I recommend the free balance app to my patients for this. List your own priorities and what matters most to you, whether that is your sexual health, your hair or skin, your sleep and so on. Understand the three strands of menopause management: lifestyle changes, non-hormonal treatments and HRT, and know the pros and cons for all to realise what choices are best for you. Follow Heather at: Instagram @hormone.health.doc Website: heatherhirschmd.com YouTube: Health by Heather Hirsch Podcast: Women’s Health by Heather Hirsch