221 Dr Aviva Romm wants to know: how are you really feeling?

THE HOTFLASH INC SUMMIT IS COMING BACK IN SEPTEMBER! Watch this space, get on the newsletter, or follow us on socials to find out more. This is one of our most popular talks from last year's inaugural event, recorded in mid-2025.Dr. Aviva Romm is a Yale-trained MD, board-certified family physician, and world-renowned midwife and herbalist who's spent four decades studying women's health from every angle – obstetrics, gynecology, pediatrics, and integrative medicine. She's a longtime home birth pioneer and birth activist, and the bestselling author of Hormone Intelligence (2021), who has never been afraid to challenge the status quo in medicine. In this conversation, recorded for the very first Hotflash inc Summit in September/October 2025, she brings all of it – the decades of clinical experience and the humility of living through this transition herself.It's easy to see why people who attended the summit online loved this interview so much: Dr. Romm doesn't do fear-based menopause content, and she doesn't do "just take the hormones and move on" either. She does nuance – which is exactly what this moment needs.Highlights03:54 – Why nature gets left out of the menopause conversation05:11 – The historical roots of dismissing women's bodies (and nature) 09:41 – Is hormone therapy the icing, or the cake?10:36 – The three questions every woman should be asking herself13:26 – Why so many of us never learned to ask them14:31 – Should you take hormones to prevent future disease?19:21 – The most overlooked fix: vaginal estrogen for recurrent UTIs21:11 – The good, the bad, and the unregulated: herbalism and botanicals 25:04 – Yes, herbs can have side effects too30:44 – "This is the third way"30:57 – What the research actually says on pine bark extract31:42 – Her go-to herbs for sleep and hot flashes38:13 – Where are the midwives and nurse practitioners in this conversation?40:24 – The"alarming" entry of GLP-1s into menopause care48:53 – It's not just pharma – the whole wellness industry sells fear50:16 – Why checking your hormone labs in perimenopause is often pointless57:57 – Fear as a marketing tacticConnect with Dr. Aviva RommWebsite: avivaromm.comInstagram: @dr.avivarommFacebook: @AvivaRommMDX: @avivarommConnect with Hotflash incTikTok: @hotflashinc.menopauseInstagram: @hotflashincX: @hotflashincYOUTUBE @hotflashincFacebook: @hotflashincLinkedIn: Ann Marie McQueenDisclaimer This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Always speak with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your treatment, supplements, or lifestyle.