Beyond the Prescription
by Lucy McBride MD
Each week, Dr. Lucy McBride talks with her guests like she does her patients — pulling the curtain back on what it means to be healthy, connecting the dots between mental and physical health. To Dr. McBride, health is about more than the absence of disease. Health is a process, not an outcome. It's about having awareness of our medical facts, acceptance of the things we cannot control, and agency over what we can change. To learn more about Dr. McBride, visit:https://www.lucymcbride.substack.com/aboutTo sign up for her weekly newsletter, visit www.lucymcbride.substack.com/welcome lucymcbride.substack.com
Episodes
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Today is the day!
Dear friends, The day I’ve been working toward for 3 years is finally here! It takes an *army* of supporters to launch a book. The video above is to say HUGE THANKS to everyone who has purchased books and supported this process. I wrote Beyond the Prescription to help you, your friends, and loved...
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The Box on the Front Stoop 📚
BEYOND THE PRESCRIPTION officially goes on sale next week. Get your advance copy here: Last week, I spotted a large box on my front stoop as I pulled in from work. It was either the dog food I‘d ordered from Amazon or fresh-printed copies of my debut book. When the return address read “Simon &...
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What I Wish Every Woman Knew About Breast Cancer
My book, Beyond the Prescription, comes out on August 11! I wrote it with you in mind. Episode Summary Dr. Lucy McBride sits down with Dr. Amy Commander, breast oncologist at Mass General Brigham and author of Paving Your Path Through Breast Cancer and Beyond, to cut through the fear and...
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The Silent Killer: What Everyone Should Know About Blood Pressure
Dr. Lucy McBride sits down again with Dr. Greg Katz, cardiologist at NYU, to tackle the questions patients ask most about blood pressure: what the numbers actually mean, why a single reading in the doctor’s office can mislead, what drives hypertension in the first place, and how to think about...
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Can People Actually Change?
Dr. Lucy McBride sits down with Benoit Denizet-Lewis, longtime writer for the New York Times Magazine and bestselling author of You’ve Changed: The Promise and Price of Self-Transformation, for a wide-ranging conversation about how people actually transform. What Transformation Actually Means—and...
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Mattering: An Overlooked Determinant of Human Health & What To Do About It
Dr. Lucy McBride sits down with award-winning journalist Jennifer Wallace, author of the New York Times bestseller Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose, to explore why feeling valued—and adding value—may be one of the most powerful and overlooked determinants of health....
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Health & Human Connection: A Conversation with Former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy
Episode Summary Dr. Lucy McBride sits down with Dr. Vivek Murthy, the 19ths and 21st U.S. Surgeon General and the founder of the Together Project, to talk about why the “achieve, acquire, optimize” model of success leaves so many people empty, and what actually fills the gap. They explore the...
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What the New Cholesterol Guidelines Mean for You: A Conversation with NYU Cardiologist Dr. Greg Katz
Episode Summary Dr. Lucy McBride sits down with Dr. Greg Katz, cardiologist and educator at NYU, to make sense of the new 2026 cholesterol guidelines — and what they actually mean for real patients. Together, they cut through the noise on coronary artery calcium scores, Lp(a), statins, GLP-1s…
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Cutting Through Wellness Noise: 6 Rules for a Long & Healthy Life with Dr. Zeke Emanuel
Dr. Lucy McBride sits down with Dr. Zeke Emanuel — physician, bioethicist, and key architect of the Affordable Care Act — to discuss his new New York Times bestseller Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life. They explore the challenges of navigating our fragile medical...
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Rethinking Hormone Therapy, Hot Flashes & Sexual Health with Dr. Lauren Streicher, MD
Episode Summary Dr. Lucy McBride sits down with Dr. Lauren Streicher, Northwestern University professor and sexual medicine expert, to untangle two decades of fear-based messaging about hormone therapy in the wake of the Women’s Health Initiative. They revisit what the WHI actually showed (and...
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The Real Reason You're Googling Facelifts
Episode Summary Dr. Lucy McBride uses a patient's obsession with getting a facelift to explore what aging well actually requires — and why the $60 billion anti-aging industry is designed to ensure you never feel like you're winning. She breaks down the four areas where aging actually shows up in...
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Can AI Fix Healthcare? A Conversation Dr. Bob Wachter, Chair of Medicine at UCSF & Author of A Giant Leap
Subscribe to Dr. McBride's Substack: lucymcbride.substack.com. Episode Summary Dr. Lucy McBride sits down with Dr. Bob Wachter, chair of the Department of Medicine at UCSF and bestselling author of A Giant Leap to discuss artificial intelligence in healthcare. They explore the current…
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Rethinking GLP-1s & Metabolic Health with Ashley Koff, RD
Episode Summary Dr. Lucy McBride sits down with registered dietitian Ashley Koff, best-selling author of "Your Best Shot," to discuss metabolic health, GLP-1 medications, and why the medical profession needs to shift from weight loss to weight health. They explore why BMI is just one data point,...
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How to Protect your Health When the World Feels Like It's Falling Apart
EPISODE SUMMARY: In this week's episode, Dr. Lucy McBride reads from her newsletter addressing how witnessing collective trauma affects our physical and mental health. Through patient stories, she introduces her "3 A's" framework (Awareness, Acceptance, Agency) for navigating anxiety during...
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The New USDA Food Pyramid: Wacky or Well Done?
Episode Summary Dr. Lucy McBride sits down with behavioral economist Emily Oster, PhD, to discuss the newly released USDA dietary guidelines. They explore what the guidelines actually say, debunk common misconceptions, and examine the problematic framing that suggests individual dietary choices...
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Making Sense of Hormone Therapy & the FDA’s Removal of the Black Box Warning ⛔️
Episode Summary Dr. Lucy McBride discusses hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and menopause, breaking through the noise of conflicting medical information. She explains the science behind menopause, addresses common misconceptions about HRT risks, and examines the recent FDA announcement about...
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Testosterone for Women: What You Need to Know with NYT Journalist Susan Dominus
In this conversation, Dr. Lucy McBride sits down with New York Times journalist Susan Dominus to discuss her recent article “‘I’m on Fire’: Testosterone Is Giving Women Back Their Sex Drive—and Then Some” on testosterone supplementation in women. With testosterone use surging among midlife women,...
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How to Manage Anxiety When It Feels Like the World is Falling Apart with Dr. Jessi Gold
Episode Summary In this conversation, Dr. Lucy McBride sits down with psychiatrist Dr. Jessi Gold to discuss how to manage emotional wellbeing during times of political upheaval. With the country feeling unsettled by ongoing violence and crisis, they explore practical strategies for emotional...
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Cutting Through the Noise Around COVID Vaccines with Shira Doron MD
Episode Summary In this episode, Dr. Lucy McBride sits down with Dr. Shira Doron, Chief Infection Control Officer and Hospital Epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center, to cut through the confusion surrounding COVID vaccines and public health policy. With the CDC in upheaval and patients calling…
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How to Get What You Need from Our Broken Healthcare System
Episode Summary In this episode, Dr. Lucy McBride tackles the crisis facing American healthcare and provides practical strategies for navigating a broken system. She explores a fundamental disconnect between what patients need and what the current system delivers: while patients require...
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Top Tips for Brain Health: A Conversation with cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Julie Fratantoni
Episode Summary In this episode, Dr. Lucy McBride welcomes cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Julie Fratantoni to discuss practical strategies for protecting and improving cognition. There’s a fundamental disconnect between modern lifestyle patterns and optimal brain health: while our culture…
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Is a "Good Death" Possible?
Episode Summary In this episode, Dr. Lucy McBride welcomes Dr. Sunita Puri for an intimate conversation about death, dying, and what it means to have a "good death." Dr. Puri, author of the critically acclaimed memoir "That Good Night: Life and Medicine in the 11th Hour," shares her expertise on...
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[B]oldly exploring old age, from the blessings to the b******t, with writer Debbie Weil
Episode Summary In this conversation, Dr. Lucy McBride speaks with author and journalist Debbie Weil about the surprising truths of aging. Weil, who writes the [B]old Age newsletter on Substack, shares insights from her journey of self-discovery in her 70s, challenging common narratives about…
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Fired Up 🔥 A Conversation with Shannon Watts about Turning your Spark Into Flame at Any Age
Episode Summary In this conversation, host Dr. Lucy McBride sits down with Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action and author of NYT bestselling book, Fired Up, to explore how women can break free from societal pressures and pursue their authentic desires. Watts shares insights from her 11...
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A Conversation with Dr. Mary Claire Haver about menopause, perimenopause & HRT 🔥
Episode Summary In this conversation, Dr. Lucy McBride hosts Dr. Mary Claire Haver, the renowned board-certified OBGYN from Galveston, Texas. Dr. Haver, author of the bestselling book The New Menopause, discusses the current menopause moment, the complexities of hormone replacement therapy, and…
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Sexual health is health: a conversation with urologist & sex med expert Dr. Rachel Rubin about menopause, HRT, & genitourinary health
Episode Summary In this comprehensive discussion, Dr. Lucy McBride interviews urologist and sexual medicine expert Dr. Rachel Rubin about the critical but often overlooked aspects of sexual health, hormone replacement therapy, and genitourinary syndrome of menopause. Dr. Rubin shares her holistic...
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Gut Health: Practical Solutions for Common GI Issues
Episode Summary In this episode, Dr. Lucy McBride addresses the most common gastrointestinal complaints she encounters in her primary care practice. She emphasizes that most GI issues aren't mysterious and often have simple solutions when approached systematically. The conversation covers five…
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Navigating COVID in 2025: A Conversation with Adam Cifu, MD
Episode Summary In this live (unedited!) discussion, Dr. Lucy McBride sits down with Adam Cifu, MD to examine the evolving COVID landscape in 2025. This conversation explores recent FDA and CDC guidance, the challenges of medical decision-making under uncertainty, and the broader implications for...
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How to manage stress & improve your mental health: a conversation with best selling author and physician Dr. Aditi Nerurkar
Join Dr. McBride every Friday at 3 pm ET for her live Q&As in the app! Episode Summary Dr. Lucy McBride speaks with physician and bestselling author Dr. Aditi Nerurkar about managing stress and vulnerability in times of uncertainty. Dr. Nerurkar shares her personal journey with stress-related...
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Brain Care is Self Care: Practical Strategies for Cognitive Health
Join Dr. McBride every Friday at 3 pm ET for her live Q&As in the app! Episode Summary In this episode, Dr. McBride explores the critical topic of brain health and cognitive function, addressing common concerns about dementia while providing evidence-based strategies for protecting brain health....
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My Live Video about Sleep: Why it Matters & How to Get It
Join Dr. McBride every Friday at 3 pm ET for her live Q&As in the app! EPISODE SUMMARY In this week’s episode, Dr. McBride dives deep into one of the most underappreciated yet essential pillars of health: sleep. Drawing from scientific evidence and her experience caring for patients medical...
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Live Q&A about cardiovascular disease—cholesterol, blood pressure, & how to protect your heart
Join Dr. McBride every Friday at 3 pm ET for her live Q&As in the app! EPISODE SUMMARY This week’s conversation is all about your heart—how cardiovascular disease develops, how to think differently about cholesterol and blood pressure, and what you can actually do to prevent problems before they...
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A live video: Managing Anxiety During Times of Uncertainty
Join Dr. McBride every Friday at 3 pm ET for her live Q&As in the app! Episode Summary In this week’s episode of Are You Okay?, Dr. Lucy McBride tackles a subject that touches every one of us: anxiety. In the midst of political upheaval, global conflict, climate change, and personal...
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A conversation with Dr. Sharon Malone on menopause, hormone therapy, & how to be your best self-advocate in the doctor's office
Join Dr. McBride every Friday at 3 pm ET for her live Q&As in the app! For too long, women have been left to navigate menopause in the dark—without facts, without context, and without a roadmap. In this episode, Dr. McBride is joined by Dr. Sharon Malone—OBGYN, menopause expert, and best-selling...
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Pre-diabetes & metabolic health!
Thank you for tuning into my live video! Join me each week on the Substack app at 3 pm ET! In this week’s episode of the Q&A live from the office, Dr. Lucy McBride takes a deep dive into metabolic health. She unpacks the often-misunderstood concept of “prediabetes,” explains how blood sugar...
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Friday Q&A: topics include healthy weight loss, “normal” vs. unhealthy anxiety, when to seek a 2nd opinion, sleep tips & more!
EPISODE SUMMARY In this week’s live Q&A, Dr. Lucy McBride dives deep into the complex and often misunderstood topics of weight loss, anxiety, and how to navigate medical advice in a noisy health landscape. With her signature warmth and clarity, she explores what it means to approach health from a...
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Live Q&A discussing pre-diabetes, thyroid disease, gastro-esophageal reflux, treatments of arthritis & more
EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of our weekly live Q&A, I answer your pressing health questions, covering a range of topics from measles outbreaks to arthritis treatments. We discuss how to navigate common health conditions, identify where you have agency over your well-being, and make informed...
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Live Q&A discussing measles, cancer prevention, Lipoprotein (a), preventing heart disease & more
Thank you Kathy Fish, Luci, Jen Danish, Terry Matlen, LMSW, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit...
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How To Make Sense of Medical News
Join Dr. McBride every Friday at 3 pm ET for her live Q&As in the app! EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, Dr. Lucy McBride is joined by Professor Emily Oster to discuss the overwhelming flood of medical information, how to interpret health news, and how to determine whom to trust. They explore how...
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Live Q&A now! Topics include cholesterol, statins, full body, MRIs, how to talk to a family member with mental health problems
Thank you Sally Satel, Carl S., MERRIE BREITENFELDT, Claire F., Wisdom, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit...
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Free live Q&A starting now! Answering your questions about weight loss medications, aging, cognitive health, cancer screenings, & managing blood pressure.💊
Thank you Eric Maierson, AUTHOR KRISTEN STAFFORD -HOWE, Kathleen, jackie sand, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit...
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Looking for calm amid chaos? Me too 😩😭 join me now for a conversation with Shannon Watts
Thank you Sarah Hartley, Integrate! Network, Pamela Cox | Author, Principaled And Unyielding, Betsey Apple, and many others for tuning into my live video with Shannon Watts! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers…
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Join my live Q&A. It’s free! All are welcome
Thank you Kathy Fish, Leslie Bienen, Luci, Olwen Assheton, Kathleen BONK, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit...
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Our first live Q&A! Greetings from my bedroom! 😆
Thank you Camilla, mitch, bobby dubois, Karen Duarte, Helen Pudlin, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit...
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Post-Election Distress: How to Move Forward with Purpose & Hope (Regardless of your Politics)
ICYMI 👉 * Need Better Sleep? Start here. * Make Kindness Great Again * How Much Alcohol is Okay? Hundreds of you tuned into my live conversation with Shannon Watts on Saturday. While neither of us claims to have all the answers, we discuss some coping strategies to manage distress. You can watch...
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When the Kids Leave Home: A Conversation with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly
Life transitions are sprinkled with possibility. They invite adventure and hope. They can also force us to look inward, to reevaluate our life choices. They can beget sadness and regret, a mourning over the passage of time. There’s nothing like kids getting older to remind us how it goes so fast....
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How Worried Should You Be About COVID & Winter Viruses? 🦠
ICYMI 👉 * 4 Steps Toward Reclaiming Your Health * It’s Okay to Not Be Okay * How to Care For Your Body with Kindness & Respect A note to paid subscribers: Join me for our next Zoom hangout on Tuesday, Feb 6 at 8:30 pm ET. The topic: Reclaiming Your Health in 2024. Bring your questions! Click…
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Is There a Link Between BMI & Health?
You can also listen to this episode on Spotify! The new weight loss drugs such as Ozempic are stunningly effective at helping patients lose weight and improve their metabolic health. Their existence also seems to have intensified polarizing rhetoric around weight, health and BMI. On one end of…
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Finding Hope & Light within Darkness
You can also listen to this episode on Spotify! Dr Devika Bhushan is a pediatrician and public health leader who has lived with bipolar disorder for the last 13 years. She has served on Stanford’s faculty and trained at Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins. She's a firm believer that life’s...
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Dr. Devorah Heitner on Growing Up in Public
You can also listen to this episode on Spotify! It’s hard enough for adults to navigate anxiety, lack of privacy, and social relationships in the digital era. How can we expect young people to do it? On this episode of Beyond the Prescription, media expert Dr. Devorah Heitner presents practical...
About this show
Each week, Dr. Lucy McBride talks with her guests like she does her patients — pulling the curtain back on what it means to be healthy, connecting the dots between mental and physical health. To Dr. McBride, health is about more than the absence of disease. Health is a process, not an outcome. It's about having awareness of our medical facts, acceptance of the things we cannot control, and agency over what we can change. To learn more about Dr. McBride, visit:https://www.lucymcbride.substack.com/aboutTo sign up for her weekly newsletter, visit www.lucymcbride.substack.com/welcome
lucymcbride.substack.com
Hosted by
Lucy McBride MD