I am delighted to have my good friend and fan-favorite, Dr. Tabatha Barber, joining me again to share her wisdom on the podcast!  Dr. Tabatha is a triple board-certified OB/GYN specializing in menopause and functional medicine. She has a wonderful podcast called The Gutsy Gynecologist Show and is often referred to affectionately as the Gutsy Gynecologist. Dr. Tabatha was with me in two previous podcast episodes, #206 and #212, and both are in the top twenty downloaded podcasts in the last 18 months! Many women suffer unnecessarily when going through perimenopause and menopause. Dr. Tabatha and I have an AMA (Ask Me Anything) episode today. We discuss weight gain related to perimenopause and menopause, issues with estrogen replacement therapy, how libido can be impacted by many different factors, how to address a partial hysterectomy and HRT, and bioidenticals versus synthetic hormones. We also get into lab work, skin reactions relative to perimenopause and menopause, emotional eating, leptin resistance, and many other topics.  I’m grateful for all the great questions and have no doubt this episode with Dr. Tabatha will be another fan-favorite! IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN: Why do too much estrogen and too little estrogen both cause weight gain?  How fragrances and plastic contribute to the imbalance between estrogen and progesterone. How changing to organic tampons and pads, or using a Diva cup, can be a game-changer for women. Should women who have had a partial hysterectomy and are on HRT still check progesterone and testosterone levels and fast like a post-menopausal female? Dr. Tabatha shares her thoughts on plain estradiol versus Biest and Triest. Dr. Tabatha offers her recommendations for a healthy 48-year-old female with zero libido. What can a 17-year-old with high testosterone do to get her testosterone level within the normal range? Is there a biological or mindset issue at play if you never feel full and always want to eat, irrespective of how healthy or satisfying the foods you eat are? The benefits of fasting.  What can we do to support our pelvic joints? How do our hormones affect our skin? Connect with Cynthia Thurlow Follow on Twitter, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia’s website Connect with Dr. Tabatha Barber On her website The Gutsy Gynecologist Show Previous Episodes Mentioned: Episode 206 Pt 1: A Deep Dive into Perimenopause- Hormonal Imbalances and Birth Control with Dr. Tabatha Barber Episode 212 Pt. 2: A Deep Dive into Hormonal Imbalances and Menopause with Dr. Tabatha Barber Books mentioned: The XX Brain by Lisa Mosconi