Empowering Midlife Wellness with Dr. Susan

Decreased sexual desire is the most common concern I hear about changing sexuality during perimenopause and menopause.
In this video, I discuss how we diagnose low libido, what may be contributing to it, and the treatment options that can genuinely help. You may hear the term Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD). This is a medical diagnosis used when a persistent drop in desire creates distress for a woman or strain within a relationship. Evaluation involves a thoughtful clinical conversation, review of health history, and often the use of a validated tool such as the Decreased Sexual Desire Screener (DSDS).

The reasons desire changes are rarely simple. They often include a combination of:
✔️ hormonal shifts involving estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone
✔️ changes in brain chemistry and stress pathways
✔️ sleep and energy disruption
✔️ relationship or emotional dynamics
✔️ medical conditions or medication effects I walk you through five categories of treatment, combining published science with what I’ve learned from caring for thousands of midlife women — including which approaches tend to work best in real life.

Most importantly, low desire is not something you are required to accept as an unavoidable part of aging. If it matters to you, there are meaningful, evidence-based ways to make it better.

📚 Get my best-selling book, Sexually Woke: Awaken the Secrets to Your Best Sex Life in Midlife & Beyond: https://amzn.to/3rm47IU
💻 Interested in booking an appointment? Click here: https://completemidlifewellnesscenter.com

In this video, I review sermorelin, a growth hormone–elevating peptide, and explain where it fits physiologically within the growth hormone axis.
I begin by defining what peptides are and what is meant by a growth hormone–elevating peptide, then clarify what sermorelin is — and what it is not.
HOW SERMORELIN WORKS, Sermorelin is a synthetic analog of growth hormone–releasing hormone (GHRH). It acts at the level of the pituitary gland to stimulate endogenous, pulsatile growth hormone secretion, rather than providing exogenous growth hormone.
I discuss the downstream effects of growth hormone signaling, including its role in:
❇️ sleep regulation
❇️ bone metabolism
❇️ muscle and body composition
❇️ skin integrity
❇️ cognitive function I also address a common question: Why don’t we simply administer growth hormone?
This section reviews the physiologic risks of bypassing hypothalamic–pituitary regulation, including suppression of natural hormone signaling and elevations in IGF-1. Finally, I conclude with an overview of clinical considerations surrounding administration, including dosing, timing, and cost.
My goal is to help you understand where sermorelin fits within normal hormone physiology, so you can make informed, thoughtful decisions about your care.

If you would like a physician-guided evaluation, you can visit us at Complete Midlife Wellness Center https://completemidlifewellnesscenter.com

January is often a time when many of us reassess our relationship with alcohol — whether through Dry January or simply by pausing to reflect.
If you’re in that group, or even just quietly curious, this is a powerful moment to consider why you might choose to significantly reduce or eliminate alcohol long-term — not just for 30 days, but as a lasting lifestyle decision.
Over the years, I’ve shared my personal journey with alcohol reduction, starting with one simple but honest step: taking inventory of how much alcohol I was actually drinking. From there, it became important to thoughtfully weigh the risks and perceived benefits of regularly consuming a substance we know is both toxic and carcinogenic.
In today’s episode, I walk you through my own experience with reassessing alcohol use and outline eight key health risks to consider as you make your own informed decision about alcohol consumption. There is no single “right” answer for everyone. While alcohol may offer real social and cultural benefits, it’s well established that it provides no health benefit — and those social advantages must be weighed against the ways alcohol can negatively impact our health, especially as we move into midlife and beyond.
Personally, when I significantly reduce or eliminate alcohol, I feel noticeably better — more clear, more energized, and more grounded. Each January serves as a reminder that, for me, life simply feels better without it. If this resonates, you might even consider joining me for an alcohol-free year, rather than just a month. If you found this helpful, subscribe for more conversations on midlife health, longevity, and informed choices.

Testosterone therapy in women remains one of the most misunderstood and inconsistently applied areas of hormone care. Unlike men, women do not have FDA-approved testosterone products, making dosing strategy and delivery method critical to both safety and effectiveness. In this video, I review the clinical evidence behind testosterone pellet dosing in women, explain how pellets compare to topical gels, and clarify why outcomes depend far more on dose, pharmacokinetics, and monitoring than on the delivery method itself. Drawing from published consensus statements, clinical studies, and real-world patient data, I address:
Why standardized testosterone options exist for men, but not for women
How testosterone pellets are dosed safely in clinical practice
What research shows about absorption, variability, and blood levels
How to interpret testosterone labs in women
Why precision matters when approved products are unavailable
This discussion is informed by the General Consensus Position Statement on the Use of Testosterone for Women (Climacteric, 2019), which outlines the evidence base, indications, and limitations of testosterone therapy in women.
👉 Link to papers: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Dd6Y8lwD4RayIRIxZ-m7_e6pVPDNXG-v/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eqF1_Wt9jzG4OsacOjFX2-nwR0aw7caA/view?usp=sharing
Recommended viewing: For a practical, real-life demonstration of topical testosterone use, watch my related video: Should Women Use Male Testosterone Products?
| Real-Life Demo https://youtu.be/nQlrkWpZOAE
This is an evidence-based discussion intended for patients and clinicians seeking a clearer, more rigorous understanding of testosterone therapy in women — grounded in physiology, data, and careful dosing rather than assumptions or fear.
💻 Interested in booking an appointment? Click here: https://completemidlifewellnesscenter.com
📚 Get my best-selling book, Sexually Woke: Awaken the Secrets to Your Best Sex Life in Midlife & Beyond: https://amzn.to/3rm47IU

As we begin a new year, it’s worth pausing to look at what actually resonated with women in midlife over the past year. The most-watched videos of 2025 make one thing clear: midlife wellness is not about a single conversation or one solution. It’s not only about menopausal hormone therapy — it’s about the full, interconnected picture of health, vitality, and longevity. From hormones and metabolism to strength, sexuality, skincare, and what’s ahead in midlife medicine, these six videos reflect the wide spectrum of topics women are actively seeking clarity on right now.
Below are the 6 most-watched midlife wellness videos of 2025, listed from #6 to #1 (most popular).
#6 — Revive Your Sex Life After 50 https://youtu.be/N9weMEASio4
#5 — The 30 Minute Workout That Will Change Your Life – Part Two https://youtu.be/ma-osU7Bg9E #4 — Become Your Best Elder Self — One Choice at a Time https://youtu.be/fhgEepyXGfs
#3 — Microdosing GLP-1: A New Approach to Inflammation-Driven Diseases https://youtu.be/KXhfOaA6XPA
#2 — Understanding Testosterone Options for Women https://youtu.be/DP4vYBJImAs
#1 — Is Estrogen Face Cream the Secret to Youthful Skin? https://youtu.be/XHudYAW2StE
✨ Watch Them All Together We’ve also created a dedicated playlist so you can watch all six videos in one place, in one thoughtful sequence:
▶️ What Mattered Most in 2025:
6 Midlife Wellness Videos to Watch https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6DFkC--wvySbkS0mMJBxa2Fqb7x0375Y
If you’re starting this year wanting clearer information, broader perspective, and more honest conversations about midlife health — this collection is a meaningful place to begin.
More depth, more education, and more clarity are coming in 2026 🤍