Longevity with Dr. Poonam Desai

How Old Are You, Really? A Conversation on Aging and Longevity

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Florence Comite, one of the nation’s most respected endocrinologists and a pioneer in precision medicine and longevity. With over 30 years of experience, Dr. Comite shares her personalized approach to optimizing hormones, metabolism, and biological aging. Together, we explore the difference between chronological age and biological age, what aging truly means, and how understanding your body on an individual level can reshape how you think about health, longevity, and aging well.

The Truth about Cholesterol Answered by a Doctor

Heart disease is the #1 killer of women—yet most women still don’t know their real risk. In this conversation, integrative cardiologist Dr. Regina Druz breaks down why women are under diagnosed, how heart disease presents differently in women, and what lab markers actually matter. We dive into prevention starting as early as age 18, the impact of perimenopause and menopause on cholesterol, genetic risk factors like Lp(a), coronary calcium scans, GLP-1s, statins, supplements, and how to take a personalized, proactive approach to heart health.

Perimenopause Questions Answered

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Heather Hirsch, a board-certified internist and the founder of The Collaborative, a concierge telemedicine practice designed specifically for women navigating midlife. Dr. Hirsch specializes in caring for women from perimenopause through menopause, helping patients move from feeling confused, symptomatic, and dismissed to becoming educated, empowered, and symptom-free. Her clinical expertise focuses on women’s midlife health and its intersection with chronic disease, hormone therapy, and longevity-focused care. After completing a fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Hirsch founded The Menopause Clinic at Brigham and Women’s Hospital while serving as faculty at Harvard Medical School. Her fellowship training emphasized women’s health curriculum development, clinical research, leadership, and scholarly activity. In 2020, she began educating other clinicians using her signature approach to evidence-based hormone therapy combined with integrative longevity practices for perimenopause and menopause patients. Today, she leads an expertly trained clinician team at The Collaborative, where women’s midlife care has been reimagined through an integrative, concierge model. Together, we break down perimenopause, what’s happening hormonally beneath the surface, why so many women are told nothing is wrong despite very real symptoms, and how care should be individualized during this pivotal phase of life. If you feel off, unheard, or unsure whether what you’re experiencing could be perimenopause, this episode is for you.

The Truth About GLP-1s From A Doctor

GLP-1 medications are everywhere but most people still don’t understand what they actually do, who they’re for, or how to use them safely. In this in-depth, doctor-to-doctor conversation, Dr. Poonam Desai sits down with Dr. Rocío Salas-Whalen, a leading endocrinologist and obesity medicine specialist, to cut through the noise and explain the real science behind GLP-1 therapies. This episode answers the questions patients are asking every day but rarely get clear answers to: • What are GLP-1 medications, and how do they actually work in the body?• Are GLP-1s just appetite suppressants, or do they change metabolism?• Who is an appropriate candidate and who should not be on them?• How do medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide affect insulin, hunger hormones, and fat loss?• What side effects are common, which ones are overblown, and which deserve real attention?• Are GLP-1s meant to be temporary, long-term, or individualized?• What happens when you stop? Is weight regain inevitable?• How do nutrition, protein intake, strength training, and lifestyle impact results on GLP-1s?• What mistakes are clinicians and patients making with dosing and expectations?• How do we separate medical weight loss from stigma, shame, and outdated narratives? Together, Dr. Desai and Dr. Salas-Whalen discuss the evolution of obesity and metabolic care, why willpower was never the answer, and how GLP-1 medications fit into a comprehensive, ethical, and personalized approach to health and longevity. This is not a hype-driven conversation and it’s not fear-based either. It’s a grounded, clinical discussion focused on patient outcomes, safety, and long-term health. Whether you are considering a GLP-1, already taking one, or simply want to understand why these medications are reshaping modern medicine, this episode provides the context and clarity you need to make informed decisions. No fluff. Just real medicine explained.