Women's health physician, podcast host, and media contributor on a mission to make your hormones make sense in your 40s and 50s.
Pre-order my new book The Perimenopause Survival Guide, out in October.
01/20/2026
You’re in the middle of a conversation… and suddenly forget the most basic word. Sound familiar?
Brain fog in perimenopause is real. It’s not because you’re distracted, getting older, or “just tired.” It’s a direct result of hormone shifts that affect the way your brain processes and recalls information.
This can look like:
- Forgetting simple words
- Losing your train of thought
- Struggling to focus on tasks you’ve done a hundred times
The good news? It can improve after menopause, and there are treatment options that may help right now.
💖 Click here for The Perimenopause Survival Guide https://amzn.to/3KIsBKz
01/20/2026
When I sat down with Dr. Poonam Desai on the podcast, we talked about why sleep matters so much for your health. How much sleep are you getting? Is it interrupted? Do you wake up feeling rested?
Most people do best with a bedtime between 8:00 and 10:30 p.m. If you wake up still exhausted, your body is sending a signal. Pushing past it always comes at a cost.
Check out my YouTube channel to hear the full conversation https://www.youtube.com/
01/19/2026
Hormone therapy is dynamic, not one size fits all. When we make changes, your body needs time to adjust. Not every shift is a red flag, and not every symptom means something is wrong. This is why nuance matters, why timing matters, and why having a clinician who understands midlife medicine is so important.
Check out jointhecollaborative.com and get matched with a Collaborative clinician who can walk you through your symptoms and your options.
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01/19/2026
Being part of BALANCE was incredibly meaningful for me. While so much has changed since this was filmed, the emotional experience of menopause has not. Every woman’s journey is different, and this film beautifully reframes menopause as a powerful transition that can lead to the best chapter of a woman’s life.
Menopause and perimenopause are two of the most misunderstood transitions in a woman’s life, and this docuseries captures the emotional journey so many women experience. It’s about women finding clarity in a space filled with confusion.
💖 Click here for The Perimenopause Survival Guide https://amzn.to/3KIsBKz
When I had Dr. Poonam Desai on the podcast, we started with a simple question I ask every patient. What do you drink in the morning? Almost everyone says coffee. And because it’s a daily habit, it’s something we need to be mindful about.
That means looking beyond just “I drink coffee” and asking what kind, how it’s brewed, and the quality of the beans. Some studies suggest coffee can contain mold toxins, so quality matters. I’m not saying your favorite brand is harmful, but there are higher-quality options worth considering. Small daily choices can make a real difference over time.
Check out my YouTube channel to hear the full conversation https://www.youtube.com/
Menopausal hormone therapy doesn’t have to be expensive. There are safe, FDA-approved options that cost very little, including generic oral estradiol, patches, and gels. Too many women are paying a fortune for compounded hormones or pellets when affordable, evidence-based options exist.
Cost and coverage matter when this is long-term care.
Check out jointhecollaborative.com and get matched with a Collaborative clinician who can walk you through your symptoms and your options.
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01/16/2026
When should you start hormone therapy? When symptoms start affecting your life, not when you’ve suffered “enough” and not after waiting 12 months.
If you don’t feel like yourself, that matters. HRT is a tool, not a trophy. You deserve to feel better.
💗 Tag a friend who needs this
💗 Check out jointhecollaborative.com and get matched with a Collaborative clinician who can walk you through your symptoms and your options.
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01/16/2026
So many women feel unwell and are pushed toward wellness spas or compounded hormones. I’ve seen real harm from this. FDA-approved hormone therapy is safer, better studied, and held to real standards.
And “bioidentical”? It’s confusing and mostly a marketing term. What matters is evidence-based care. There are safe, effective options, including oral estradiol, Premarin, and estradiol patches.
Safer options exist and women should know about them.
💖 Click here for The Perimenopause Survival Guide https://amzn.to/3KIsBKz
01/15/2026
Did you know I have a podcast?
Health by Heather Hirsch is where we have real conversations about hormones, perimenopause, menopause, and what your body is actually doing.
🎧 Want the full episode? Listen on Spotify, Apple, or YouTube.
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I am Board certified in Internal Medicine and completed advanced fellowship training in Women’s Health at the Cleveland Clinic. My specialty practice includes internal medicine and office gynecology with a focus on menopausal hormone therapy, contraception and family planning, breast health, sexual dysfunction, and urinary incontinence. Fellowship training included an emphasis on scholarly activity, development of women’s health curriculum, clinical research and leadership. My clinical work and research centers on inequalities or unanswered questions in the field of women’s health, specifically in menopause and its role in chronic disease development and in evaluating the harms of over-screening for chronic diseases. My Academic work centers on enhancing women’s health curriculum for the fellow, resident, and medical student.
