265: Bioidentical vs Synthetic Hormones, Breast Cancer Truth, and the Four Diseases of Aging, Season 7 Premiere with Dr. Stephanie Gray

Welcome to the first episode of Season 7 of the Your Longevity Blueprint podcast!  One week from today, on Tuesday, September 29th, my third book, *Your Hormone Blueprint: Optimizing Vitality and Longevity Through Integrative and Functional Medicine*, is coming out.  Stay tuned as I talk about my book, share the argument at its heart, and walk you through what I truly want every woman and every man to understand about their bodies. **How to build a strong foundation before considering HRT:** - **Start with good nutrition** — Make sure you’re getting the vitamins, minerals, and omega-3s your body needs to use hormones effectively. - **Keep your bowels regular** — Regular elimination helps your body clear hormones it no longer needs. - **Support healthy liver function** — Consider factors such as alcohol, medications, and environmental toxins that can place an additional burden on the liver. **Bio: Stephanie Gray** Stephanie Gray, DNP, MS, ARNP, AGNP-C, ABAAHP, FAARFM, is a functional medicine provider who helps men and women build sustainable, optimal health and longevity.  A nurse practitioner since 2009, Dr. Gray completed her doctorate focusing on estrogen metabolism from the University of Iowa in 2011 and holds a Master's in Metabolic Nutritional Medicine from the University of South Florida's Medical School. Dr. Gray is one of the Midwest's most credentialed female healthcare providers. She completed an Advanced Fellowship in Anti-Aging, Regenerative, and Functional Medicine in 2013 and became Iowa's first BioTe certified provider—now the state's only platinum provider with over 10,000 pellet placements. She is also certified as a SIBO doctor-approved practitioner, mold-literate provider, and ReCODE 2.0 practitioner for cognitive decline prevention. An Amazon best-selling author, Dr. Gray wrote Your Longevity Blueprint and Your Fertility Blueprint, and hosts the Your Longevity Blueprint podcast. She co-founded Your Longevity Blueprint Nutraceuticals with her husband, Eric. After her own ten-year fertility journey, she now specializes in helping couples optimize reproductive health through functional medicine. Having lost her grandmother to vascular dementia, she is personally committed to helping families avoid cognitive decline. Dr. Gray founded the Integrative Health and Hormone Clinic in Hiawatha, Iowa. **In this episode:** - How my personal health challenges shaped my latest book - I explain how estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid hormones, and the adrenals contribute to keeping the body functioning well - Why I view hormone optimization as part of a longevity strategy - What the Women’s Health Initiative actually tested, and how its findings shaped attitudes toward HRT - How the optimal lab ranges I use in my practice differ from conventional lab reference ranges - Why symptoms such as hot flashes are clues rather than a diagnosis, and why two women with the same symptoms may require very different approaches - What patients should know about the preservatives, dyes, fillers, and other ingredients in their hormone prescriptions - Three foundational aspects to address before opting for HRT - How to identify whether your hormone prescription is bioidentical or synthetic **Links and Resources:** **Support the launch by purchasing your copy on September 29th!** Available at ⁠⁠⁠⁠YourLongevityBlueprint.com⁠⁠⁠⁠, with local copies coming to the **Integrative Health and Hormone Clinic** in Eastern Iowa this October. **Social Media Links:** @stephaniegraydnp **Relative Links for This Show:** Your Hormone Blueprint: Optimizing Vitality and Longevity Through Integrative and Functional Medicine by Dr Stephanie Gray (Amazon) Your Hormone Blueprint: Optimizing Vitality and Longevity Through Integrative and Functional Medicine by Dr. Stephanie Gray (Your Longevity Blueprint) **Follow Your Longevity Blueprint**  On Instagram| Facebook| Twitter| YouTube | LinkedIn Get your copy of the Your Longevity Blueprint book and claim your bonuses here Find Dr. Stephanie Gray and Your Longevity Blueprint online   **Follow Dr. Stephanie Gray**  On Facebook| Instagram| Youtube | Twitter | LinkedIn Integrative Health and Hormone Clinic Podcast production by Team Podcast