105 | Hormone Replacement Therapy Without the Hype - When HRT Helps & What Else Matters with Joanna Macmeikan, Women's Hormone Health Coach

HRT is having a moment - and for many women, it’s been supportive and even life-changing. But the conversation has also become polarised, confusing, and at times overwhelming.In this episode, I’m joined by returning guest Joanna McMeekin, a women’s hormone health coach, for a grounded, nuanced conversation about HRT. There is a lot of hype about it at the moment, so this is a discussion about what’s actually happening hormonally through perimenopause and menopause, why HRT doesn’t work for everyone, and what else matters when it comes to supporting your body, brain, bones and wellbeing through midlife.This episode is for women who are already taking HRT, considering it, trying it, or questioning whether they need it - and who want to make informed, embodied choices rather than reacting from fear or pressure.In this episode, we exploreWhy HRT has shifted from hesitation to a groundswell of encouragementWhen it’s too late to take HRTWhy the HRT conversation has become so polarised - and how to step out of “either/or” thinkingWhen HRT can be helpful, and why it doesn’t work for everyoneHow we know Perimenopause and menopause are transitions and not disease or deficiency What’s often missing from the HRT conversationWhy bloodwork, baseline health and individual patterns matterSupporting brain, bone and heart health with or without HRTTrusting your body, your lived experience, and your capacity to choose what’s right for youBooks mentionedThe Menopause BrainThis Is Your Brain on Birth Control – Sarah E. HillConnect with JoannaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/joanna.macmeikanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanna_macmeikan/Website: www.joannamac.comFree guide: https://www.joannamac.com/free-downloadsConnect with PennyWebsite: https://pennyvandersluys.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/penelope.sluys