Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Most women don't find out they're in perimenopause the way the books describe it. @CynthiaThurlow found out in Morocco — on her 15th anniversary trip — when her immune system quietly revealed that something had already shifted.
In this clip, Cynthia shares the story behind her new book The Menopause Gut, and Dr. Stephanie and Cynthia unpack something that doesn't get talked about nearly enough: how a declining hormonal environment makes women significantly more vulnerable to infections, immune disruption, and opportunistic illness — long before the "classic" perimenopause symptoms arrive.
They also get honest about why so many women resist the word perimenopause altogether, and what it actually costs us to stay in denial.
If you've ever thought "I'm too young for this" or "it's probably just stress" — this one's for you.
Most women don't find out they're in perimenopause the way the books describe it. @CynthiaThurlow found out in Morocco — on her 15th anniversary trip — when her immune system quietly revealed that something had already shifted.
In this clip, Cynthia shares the story behind her new book The Menopause Gut, and Dr. Stephanie and Cynthia unpack something that doesn't get talked about nearly enough: how a declining hormonal environment makes women significantly more vulnerable to infections, immune disruption, and opportunistic illness — long before the "classic" perimenopause symptoms arrive.
They also get honest about why so many women resist the word perimenopause altogether, and what it actually costs us to stay in denial.
If you've ever thought "I'm too young for this" or "it's probably just stress" — this one's for you.
