Dr. Mary sits down with functional medicine health coach Danna Levy Hoffman to unpack gut health, food freedom, and why dieting keeps failing women over 40.

From bloating and migraines to emotional eating and weight struggles, they explore how so many symptoms start in the gut — and why the real path forward isn’t restriction, but better sleep, more protein, and learning to trust your body again.

Links & Resources

Learn more about Dr. Mary’s work at DrMaryPines.com and her signature Better Beyond 40 Formula program.

Follow her on Instagram at @drmarypines for day-to-day inspiration, wellness insights, and a behind-the-scenes look at her life and practice.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your favourite podcast platform. Watch each episode on YouTube.

You can find the transcript of this episode here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

Where to find Danna Levy Hoffman

• Website: Organilicious.ch
• Podcast: So Frickin’ Healthy
• Podcast: Becoming a Health Coach (with Megan McCrory)

Mentions in this Episode

• Mel Robbins’ book, The “5 Second Rule”
• LMNT (Element) electrolytes

Feel addicted to sugar or constantly thinking about food? In this episode, Dr. Mary breaks down why cravings after 40 aren’t about willpower — and how to retrain your metabolism and nervous system for real food freedom.

Links & Resources

Find episode transcripts, links, and resources on Mary’s website: https://drmarypines.com/podcast

Learn more about Dr. Mary’s work at DrMaryPines.com and her signature Better Beyond 40 Formula program.

Follow her on Instagram @drmarypines for day-to-day inspiration, wellness insights, and a behind-the-scenes look at her life and practice.

Mentions in this Episode

The "famous" 7-minute workout video. Description: "In 12 exercises deploying only body weight, a chair and a wall, it fulfills the latest mandates for high-intensity effort, which essentially combines a long run and a visit to the weight room into about seven minutes of steady discomfort — all of it based on science." [Original NYT article here showing the workout in pictures.]

An under-desk walking pad or exercise bike can really help if you work at a desk or it's really cold outside.

If you're interested, some powerful breath practices:

• Box (or equal ratio) breathing
• 4-7-8 breath
• Kapbalabhati breath

Lab Markers & Testing

• Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c / A1c) – 3-month average blood sugar marker
• Fasting Insulin – less commonly run, but critical for assessing insulin resistance
• Fasting Glucose
• Triglycerides
• Cholesterol markers
• Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) – now available over the counter

If you’ve ever been told “it’s just your hormones,” this episode is for you. Dr. Mary breaks down what your hormones are really trying to communicate—and why balance, not perfection, is the key to feeling like yourself again.

She explains how estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, thyroid, and insulin work together like an orchestra, what happens when one instrument falls out of tune, and how factors like inflammation, liver detox, blood sugar, and gut health all play a role. You’ll also learn simple, evidence-based ways to support your hormones naturally through movement, sleep, nutrition, and stress management.

Links & Resources

Learn more about Dr. Mary’s work at DrMaryPines.com and her signature Better Beyond 40 Formula program.

Follow her on Instagram at @drmarypines for day-to-day inspiration, wellness insights, and a behind-the-scenes look at her life and practice.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your favourite podcast platform. Watch each episode on YouTube.

Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.

Mentions in this Episode:

• “Blood Tests All Women Need” - Free PDF download
• Oura Ring — Track sleep, readiness, and recovery data to understand your body.
• Rethinking Hypothyroidism by Dr. Antonio C. Bianco