The Hotflash inc podcast
Hotflash inc is an evidence, expert and human-experience driven podcast looking for the true truth in perimenopause, menopause and beyond.
In more than 190 episodes menopause and midlife journalist and host Ann Marie McQueen has spoken to a wide range of experts from around the globe, including practitioners, activists, researchers, doctors and industry leaders about this perplexing transition we still know too little about. She’s talked about her own frustrations and personal experiences. And she has connected with a perimenoposse of powerful women in the midst of a perplexing transition.
The Hotflash inc Podcast is number 1 on GoodPods in Women's Health Podcasts. It is amongst the top 3% percentile on Listen Notes and in the Top 60 Menopause podcasts on Feedspot.
*Last updated January 2026
The Hotflash inc podcast
198: Is Hormone Therapy Being Oversold?
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In this episode of The Hotflash inc Podcast, journalist Ann Marie McQueen interviews Dr. Kirsten Smith, ND, a naturopathic doctor and certified menopause practitioner practicing between Ontario and Costa Rica. Together, they grapple with the exploding conversation around menopause hormone therapy – what’s grounded in evidence, what’s being overstated, and what gets lost when urgency turns into dogma.
This is a candid, nuanced look at the current “meno-rush” – where hormone therapy is hailed as life-saving by some, dismissed by others, and increasingly positioned all around as the only solution. Dr. Smith brings 17 years of clinical experience blending conventional diagnostics with holistic medicine, offering what she calls a third path: thoughtful, individualized care rooted in both science and lived reality.
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the polarization – this conversation is for you.
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Coming Soon: The Hot Truth About Hormone Therapy (get on the list!)
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Thank you to our gold sponsor from the Hotflash inc Summit, Phosis and its founder Susan Campbell. Phosis creates clinically proven, exceptionally clean skincare formulated specifically for dry, sensitive hormonal skin. Use code HOTFLASHINC for 15% off Phosis.com
What we explored this episode:
00:00 – Why menopause hormone therapy has become so polarized
07:45 – The “meno-rush”: how Instagram accelerated the hormone conversation
12:10 – Pharmaceutical influence and the pendulum swing from neglect to hype
18:45 – Who hormone therapy doesn’t work for (and why that matters)
23:20 – The pathology problem: when everything gets blamed on perimenopause
28:10 – Speed culture, nervous systems, and why true healing takes time
Memorable quote:
“We’ve gone from ignoring menopause to hyper-medicalizing it – and neither extreme serves women.”
Where to follow Dr. Kirsten Smith
IG @drkirstensmithnd
Facebook drkirstensmithnd
Linked In drkirstensmithnd
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