Episode Details

Perimenopause is often treated as a normal, inconvenient phase of life — a little weight gain, a few hot flashes, and shifting labs that women are told to ignore. But what if these changes are actually early warning signs of rising cardiovascular risk?

In this episode of The GoodLife in Health and Wellness, Dr. Kate Duncan explores the powerful and often-missed connection between perimenopause, visceral fat, inflammation, and heart health. You'll learn why declining estrogen reshapes fat storage, disrupts blood sugar control, and accelerates inflammatory loops that increase a woman's risk for heart disease — often years before traditional labs flag a problem.

We break down why standard cholesterol tests miss early risk, how insulin resistance quietly develops during the menopause transition, and why calorie restriction and traditional dieting backfire during midlife. Most importantly, this episode focuses on what actually works — evidence-based strategies to support hormones, protect the heart, and create metabolic resilience during perimenopause.

If you've been told your symptoms are "normal," your labs are "fine," or that weight gain is just part of aging — this conversation will change how you view your body and your health. Your body isn't failing. It's communicating — and understanding those signals can change the trajectory of your heart health for decades to come.