Episode
#1 Women's Health Journalist: Why Medicine Was NEVER Built for Women | Meghan Rabbitt | #142
- Podcast
- The Dr Vonda Show
- Published
- Jan 6, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3298
- Processing state
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Summary
Today's conversation is one I believe every woman deserves to hear - regardless of age, stage, or current health status. I sat down with Meghan Rabbit, an award-winning health journalist and the author of The New Rules for Women's Health, to talk about something many of us feel but rarely name clearly: modern medicine was not designed with women in mind - especially across midlife. This isn't about blame. And it isn't about distrust of doctors. It's about understanding the system we are navigating, and learning how to advocate for ourselves within it. Meghan brings a rare perspective to this conversation. She has spent years interviewing hundreds of clinicians and researchers across women's health, brain health, heart disease, menopause, autoimmune conditions, and longevity. What she uncovered is both sobering and empowering: women have been left out of research, diagnostics, and treatment models for decades, but knowledge changes outcomes. In this episode, we talk about why women must become active participants in their own healthcare, not passive recipients. We explore what it means to be the "CEO of your health" - tracking symptoms, preparing for appointments, understanding your body, and engaging in true shared decision-making with your clinicians. We also walk through the body systems where these gaps show up most clearly: - Why women represent the majority of Alzheimer's cases—and what midlife has to do with brain health - Why heart disease remains the leading cause of death in women, yet awareness is declining - How menopause is a neurological transition, not just a hormonal one - Why autoimmune disease disproportionately affects women—and why answers are still lagging - How gut health, bone health, hormones, and the brain are deeply interconnected About Meghan…