HRT, Hormones, and Midlife: What Every Woman Needs to Know Before Deciding with Dr. Mindy Pelz

Hey, Dr Mindy, here and on this episode of The resetter podcast, I am bringing you what we call a solo episode. This is me ranting about a particular topic that I think will be helpful for you in navigating your health journey. And according to our stats, y'all like the solo episodes that I do, and what I like about doing them is I can really niche down into a topic, and I can give you more detail. And it's not a 92nd rail, it can be a 30 or 40 minute episode, which I really start to unpack a concept that will help you navigate your health the most so let us know, write us a review if you like this although episodes and pass it out to your friends, the more solo episodes that gain traction that's a signal to us that this is what you want. So with that in mind, today I’m bringing you something that really hit me. Just this morning, I saw this article in the New York Times with the title “Big Wellness loves middle-aged women”, and I am just going to tell you that the reason they love us is because we have money and we have problems, and we are looking for a quick fix out of those problems. Everybody and their brother wants to sell middle-aged women a tool to stop her suffering, and that is why on this episode of The Resetter Podcast I really want to help you understand how to navigate Big Wellness. I want you to understand how to decide if a product is right for you, how to think critically about what you are being sold, and how to stop believing that a 90-second reel or a supplement promoted by someone you do not know, who might even be AI-generated, is going to save you. Big Wellness is the industry that exists outside of traditional healthcare, promoting everything from supplements to biohacking tools to lifestyle products, while traditional healthcare is largely backed by Big Pharma and excels at acute, crisis care. If I am in a car accident, take me to the ICU, not to a supplement store. But where traditional healthcare has failed us is in chronic conditions like obesity, diabetes, insomnia, and metabolic dysfunction, which all have massive lifestyle components that doctors are not trained in unless they seek education outside of their medical degree. Because chronic conditions come with multiple symptoms that do not go away, Big Wellness has exploded, becoming extremely product-driven, preying on women who are exhausted, inflamed, not sleeping, gaining weight, and desperate for relief. I want you to understand that I am not here to tell you what to buy or to think like me. I am here to give you a formula so you can think for yourself and make decisions that are right for you. The first question you should always ask before buying a supplement, a biohack, or even starting a medication is this: have I given everything I possibly can to lifestyle first? Have I tried changing when I eat, how I sleep, how I move, how I manage stress, and how I support my nervous system? That is why I fell in love with fasting, because it showed me that we could heal the body without spending a dime, and over a million women proved that by changing when they ate and experiencing massive benefits. Second, if you are going to buy something, you must evaluate quality and integrity. Most supplements come from a handful of manufacturers, often overseas, and many companies cannot provide toxicity reports or proof of ingredient quality. If a company cannot transparently answer questions about testing, sourcing, and safety, that is a red flag. Third, you must cycle supplements and biohacks. The body is always trying to return to homeostasis, and supplements are meant to support you temporarily, not forever. If something works, use it for a short period, usually around 90 days, then stop and see if your body holds the gains. If you do not notice a difference after 90 days, it is probably not working for you anymore. This applies to peptides, minerals, red light, grounding tools, and every wellness trend you see online. Fourth, you must pause even the things that work. When I worked with patients, we always took breaks to see if the body could maintain balance on its own. Now, let us talk about influencers. Health influencers are paid in two main ways: flat fees for promotion or affiliate commissions. Big Pharma does this. Supplement companies do this. Many podcasters are paid to promote products, and while that does not automatically make something bad, you need transparency. On my platform, I do not take ads because I work for you, not companies, but when I share affiliate links, I am always transparent about it. At the end of the day, no supplement, no influencer, and no company is going to save you. Your lifestyle saves you. Eat well, move well, sleep well, fast appropriately, get light, build positive relationships, and keep educating yourself through long-form content, not viral clips. Stop believing that quick fixes are the answer. The only person who is going to save you is you, and when you take ownership of your health, you become empowered instead of sold to.