Longevity Expert Reveals What Really Drives Aging in Midlife, And What You Can Do About It
What if aging isn’t random, but predictable, measurable, and modifiable?
Longevity medicine isn’t about living forever. It’s about protecting your strength, cognition, metabolic health, and independence, especially in midlife.
In this episode with Catherine Johnson MD, Longevity & Precision Health Expert, we unpack what longevity medicine actually means for women over 40 and why the real drivers of aging aren’t what most people think.
This conversation is about understanding how metabolic health, hormones, muscle mass, sleep, and stress quietly shape your health span, the years you live well, not just long.
You’ll learn:
The difference between lifespan and health span
Why midlife is a critical window for prevention
How insulin resistance and cortisol influence weight gain and fatigue
Why muscle is an organ of longevity, not just something aesthetic
How stress shortens telomeres and accelerates aging
Why “normal lab results” don’t always mean optimal health
What actually moves the needle for long-term vitality
Many women in their 40s and 50s say, “I just don’t feel like myself anymore.”They’re not dramatically unwell.
They’re not in crisis. But something feels off.
This conversation explains why.
If you care about staying strong, sharp, and capable after 40, this episode will change how you think about aging.
Learn more about the 16 week Rediscover You program here:
🔗https://youbydrshaunawatts.com.au/16-week-rediscover-you-menopause-program/
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Have a question about perimenopause, brain fog, anxiety, or midlife confidence? Leave a 45-second voice note via our website below. Your question may be featured in a future episode.
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https://myprecisionmedicalcare.com
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00:41 - What Longevity Medicine Actually Means
02:41 - Healthspan vs Lifespan Explained
05:28 - Why Midlife Is a Critical Turning Point
09:20 - “I Just Don’t Feel Like Myself”
13:36 - The Hormone Shifts Driving Subtle Changes
16:56 - What Lab Trends Really Reveal in Midlife
20:18 - What Metabolic Health Actually Means
24:28 - The Cortisol–Insulin Weight Gain Cycle
31:18 - Trends vs What Actually Moves the Needle
33:58 - Stress, Telomeres & Accelerated Aging
36:35 - Why Sleep Is Foundational
39:14 - Muscle: The Organ of Longevity
43:34 - BMI vs Body Composition
45:05 - Is It Too Late After 60?
48:17 - Aging With Agency, Not Fear
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longevity medicine for women
midlife health
health span vs lifespan
metabolic health women
perimenopause metabolic changes why women gain weight in midlife
cortisol and weight gain women
muscle and longevity
insulin resistance in perimenopause
aging and metabolic health
how to improve health span
menopause and metabolic syndrome
sarcopenia women