The Dr Louise Newson Podcast

Psychiatrist Dr Sue Varma joins Dr Louise Newson to unpack why hormones are so often left out of mental health care and what gets missed as a result, from puberty to postpartum to perimenopause.
Dr Varma is a board-certified psychiatrist and was the first medical director of the World Trade Center Mental Health Program, treating 9/11 survivors and first responders.
Sue and Louise discuss why psychiatric training leaves out hormones' role in the brain - memory, mood, dementia risk - and why a proper medical work-up (thyroid, B12, vitamin D, hormones) should come before a psychiatric label. They talk about the stigma around seeking help, the risk of over-medicalising ordinary emotions and Sue's practical tools for difficult periods such as the "four M's" of mental health, the worry diary and her four-step framework - name it, tame it, claim it, reframe it.
Sue closes with three take-home tips for anyone having a difficult time right now.
Let’s connect
👉 Track your mood symptoms with the Balance app: https://bit.ly/4yZty5A
👉 More from Dr Louise Newson: https://linkin.bio/drlouisenewson
👉 Link to Dr Sue Varma's book : Practical Optimism https://a.co/d/ekTvcfq

Love Is Blind's Demi Santana Brown opens up aboutendometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids and the power of natural hormones.
Before Love Is Blind UK, Demi was a professional footballer for Millwall, West Ham and Leyton Orient - playing through heavy, painful periods for years before doctors took her seriously. She joins Dr Louise Newsonto share what it's really like to be dismissed by doctors, why the contraceptive pill made her mental health worse and how an online hormone test told her she was "fine" when her testosterone was actuallydangerously low.
Louise explains the real difference between synthetic and natural hormones, why testosterone and progesterone matter for endometriosis and how reducing inflammation can ease pain, heavy bleeding and fatigue. They also discuss medical misogyny, harmful advice like "just get pregnant," and Demi’s three take-home tips for anyone struggling with endometriosis.
Let’s connect
👉 Follow Demi: @demisantanabrown
👉 Track your hormones properly with the Balance app: https://bit.ly/4yZty5A👉 More from Dr Louise Newson:https://linkin.bio/drlouisenewson

Hair loss can have a profound impact on confidence, yet many women are told it’s simply part of getting older or encouraged to spend hundreds of pounds on products that promise far more than they can deliver.
This week, Dr Louise Newson is joined by consultant dermatologist and hair specialist Dr Archana Rao to explore the powerful relationship between hormones, menopause and hair health. Together they explain why changes in your hair are often a sign of what’s happening inside the body, why hormones matter far more than many people realise and why getting the right diagnosis is so important.
They discuss the different types of hair loss women can experience during perimenopause and menopause, including frontal fibrosing alopecia, an increasingly common condition that can cause permanent hair loss if left untreated. Dr Rao explains the warning signs to look out for, why early diagnosis matters, and how treatment can help prevent further damage.
Louise and Archana also talk about the role of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone in supporting healthy hair, why hair loss is rarely caused by one factor alone, and how looking beyond the scalp can help identify underlying hormonal or medical causes.
LET'S CONNECT
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Women are often told to choose between hormone treatment or lifestyle changes, when in reality the two work best together.
This week, Dr Louise Newson is joined by GP and lifestyle medicine physician Dr Clare Nieland to explore how nutrition, movement, sleep, stress management and social connection work alongside hormones to improve women’s health.
Together they discuss why lifestyle medicine is grounded in evidence rather than wellness trends, why preventing disease should be just as important as treating it and how small, sustainable lifestyle changes can reduce inflammation, improve symptoms and lower the risk of future disease. They also explain why hormones are often the missing piece that enable women to make positive lifestyle changes in the first place.
Louise and Clare discuss:
Why hormones and lifestyle medicine should work together, not be seen as alternatives
The six pillars of lifestyle medicine and how they support women’s health
Why reducing inflammation is key to preventing chronic disease
How nutrition, strength training and sleep become even more important during menopause
Why personalised care is more effective than a one-size-fits-all approach

This episode is an empowering conversation about taking control of your health, understanding how hormones and lifestyle work together and discovering the small changes that can make a meaningful difference to both your quality of life and your long-term health.

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Having your ovaries removed causes an immediate menopause, yet many women are still told to simply ‘see how they get on’ afterwards.
This week, Dr Louise Newson is joined by Laura Daly, who shares her experience of surgical menopause at the age of 37 following treatment for severe endometriosis. Having seen first-hand how hormonetreatment transformed her mother’s life after PMDD, Laura knew she wanted to understand her options before surgery and advocate for the care she needed.
Together they discuss why replacing hormones after surgical menopause is about far more than relieving symptoms. Laura shares how she experienced brain fog, anxiety, joint pain, palpitations, poor sleep and a loss of confidence despite being prescribed a standard dose of HRT, and explains the remarkable improvements she noticed once her hormone treatment was personalised.
Louise and Laura also explore why hormone treatments should be individualised, why women who have their ovaries removed lose more than just estrogen and why treating the underlying hormone deficiency is so important for both current symptoms and future health.
Louise and Laura discuss:
Why women need a plan for hormone replacement before surgical menopause
Why replacing oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone can all be important
Why hormone treatment should be tailored to the individual, not standardised
The long-term health benefits of optimising hormones after early menopause
Why women deserve informed choices about their treatment after ovary removal
This episode is an empowering conversation about advocatingfor better care, understanding your hormones and ensuring women receive the treatment they need to protect both their quality of life and their future health.
LET'S CONNECT
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LEARN MORE
👉 Download mybalance app
https://balance-app.com/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+
👉 Order my new book
https://bio.to/ThePowerofHormones?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+
👉  Speak to NewsonClinic
https://www.newsonhealth.co.uk/?utm_source=louise_podcast&utm_medium=show_notes&utm_campaign=clinic_cross_promotion
👉  Visit my website
https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/?utm_source=DLNpodcast+&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=BAU+