Ep.69: Hormones and female physiology with Dr. Carla DiGirolamo
Bob and Dina meet with Dr. Carla DiGirolamo, a reproductive endocrinologist, obstetrician/gynecologist and pioneer in women’s performance endocrinology. We discuss a variety of topics related to female hormones and female athletes throughout the lifecycle including menstrual cycle tracking, hormonal flux through perimenopausal years, and menopause hormone therapy. Dr. Carla also clears up some misconceptions and marketing hype.
We discuss:
Her new career path and paving the way in Women’s Performance Endocrinology
Her varied athletic background
Importance of the menstrual cycle and what it signifies
Things to know about the differences in oral contraceptives
Nuances of perimenopause
How do you know if Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT) is for you?
Marketing and hype in the realm of hormone health
Should you do hormone testing?
Nutrition and exercise recommendations
“The menstrual cycle is a vital sign that tells you what is going on with your physiology.” -Dr. Carla
Links:
Dr. Carla’s website where you can also subscribe to her Substack blogs “Athletic Aging” and “Performance Edge”
Her educational course for fitness and health professionals
Selene Yeager podcast Hit Play Not Pause (find on all podcast platforms)
Find a Menopause Certified practitioner in the USA
Follow Dr. Carla on IG @dr_carla_d and on FB at @carla.digirolamo.14
More about our guest:
Dr. Carla DiGirolamo is a double Board-Certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist and Reproductive Endocrinologist who specializes in the care of reproductive age and mid-life women. Carla completed her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Brown University Medical School/Women and Infants’ Hospital and her Reproductive Endocrinology fellowship training at the Massachusetts General Hospital at Harvard Medical School. She is a North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Certified Menopause Practitioner and has been featured in multiple podcasts and speakerships at various events discussing the physiology of the hormonal changes of menopause, hormone therapy and optimizing physical performance in elite and avid recreational female athletes.
Carla has been in the fitness industry her entire life as a recreational athlete and for the last decade as a fitness professional with credentials as a Crossfit Level 1 Trainer and Certified Nutrition Coach. As a pioneer in Women’s Performance Endocrinology, her focus is on optimizing physical performance in women in high-performance professions and female athletes of all ages.
Dr. DiGirolamo is currently a Partner Physician at Boston IVF in Waltham, MA. She has over 17 years of experience practicing as a fertility specialist and more recently as a menopause health consultant. She has been featured in Boston Magazine’s Top Doctors in the Boston area from 2019-2023.
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Don’t forget to learn about the nutrition coaching and testing services Bob and Dina offer: Bob Seebohar at www.enrgperformance.com and Dina Griffin at www.nutritionmechanic.com. Also check out Dina’s new Nourish Circle programs for 2023. We’d love to connect with you on Instagram: @enrgperformance and @nutritionmechanic !
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