Believe it or not, but there is as much cardiovascular risk associated with smoking as there is with the drop in estrogen in perimenopause and menopause.  But don’t worry–  I’ve brought the hilarious, talented, and brilliant Dr. Sanjay Bhojraj onto the podcast to dive into why midlife is a uniquely important—and often overlooked—window for cardiometabolic health, and what you can do about it.  In this entertaining episode, Dr. Bhojraj breaks down why the drop in estrogen matters just as much as traditional risk factors and why so many women’s concerns are missed in conventional care.  We also reframe hormone therapy not as symptom management, but as a powerful tool for optimization, longevity, and long-term heart and metabolic health.  With humor and clarity, this conversation reminds you that you don’t need to overhaul your entire life —small, strategic changes truly add up. Tune in here to learn how to simply and efficiently boost your health, starting with your heart!  Dr. Sanjay Bhojraj Dr. Sanjay Bhojraj is an interventional cardiologist and Institute for Functional Medicine–certified physician who bridges conventional cardiology with functional and lifestyle medicine. He spent 20 years treating disease with procedures and medications, but then shifted his focus toward uncovering root causes to help patients reverse chronic cardiometabolic conditions through food, sleep, stress optimization, and lifestyle change. Dr. Sanjay is the founder of the Well12 program and host of The Curious Cardiologist podcast, where he explores the science of longevity, inflammation, and human performance. His passion is helping people reclaim their health through simple, lasting changes. IN THIS EPISODE How Dr. Bhojraj moved into functional cardiac medicine  What age to start paying closer attention to cardiovascular health Advocating for yourself and what labs you should be asking for  Why taking care of your cardiovascular health is crucial during midlife hormonal changes  Looking at your metabolic health before starting HRT  Metabolic markers to pay attention to in midlife  Non-negotiable small tweaks to improve your heart health  How bringing joy to your life can be the best tool for your health  QUOTES “We need to talk about sleep, we need to have an intelligent discussion about diet and what that means. And we need to think about hormones too, because hormonal health is so central to cardiovascular health, and that is just not something that we talk about in cardiovascular training.” “It's like contributing to your 401k in your twenties, right? Like $200 doesn't seem like a lot, but when you're 65, you're now retiring a millionaire– depending on how well you invest, because you made those small, little, little habits, those little changes. So that decade of the forties becomes super important, particularly because in women, that's when perimenopause starts to happen, right?” “The point is that I think first of all, start with something that you can do, right? Again, it's 1% shifts. You don't have to change a thousand different things.”RESOURCES MENTIONED Order my new book: The Perimenopause Revolution https://peri-revolution.com/ Check out Dr. Sanjay’s Signature Well12 Metabolic Program HERE! https://lagunamedicine.com/well12 Dr. Sanjay’s Website Dr. Sanjay on Instagram Dr. Sanjay’s Podcast: The Curious Cardioloist Dr. Sanjay on Facebook RELATED EPISODES  704: Hormone Intelligence for Women in Midlife: How to Thrive Through Perimenopause with Dr. Aviva Romm 690: The Perimenopause Revolution: Why midlife isn’t the end — it’s the beginning of your most energized, powerful, and vibrant self 678: How to Turn Perimenopause Into Your Metabolic Window of Opportunity + My Simple Daily Protocol To Feel Amazing #451: Why Do Women Have a Higher Cardiometabolic Mortality Rate Than Men? With Dr. Sara Gottfried