Ep. 072: Personalizing Cardiometabolic Care in Midlife

Ep. 074: Patient-Centered Care Meets Provider Sustainability

How can we design care models that support both patient-centered outcomes and provider sustainability? In this episode of In the Know with Nina, Dr. Nina Crowley sits down with Dr. William Berger, an internal medicine and obesity medicine physician who is rethinking what modern, patient-centered care can look like when time, access, and personalization are prioritized. They explore what happens when you step outside traditional healthcare models and create space for deeper conversations, more frequent touchpoints, and truly individualized care. From the limitations of rushed visits to the power of longitudinal relationships, this conversation highlights how structure, support, and strategy can change both patient experience and outcomes. Personalized care is not just about prescribing a treatment plan. It is about building a system that allows patients to engage, adapt, and sustain change over time. Key Takeaways * Care models shape outcomes. Time, access, and follow-up matter just as much as treatment itself * Traditional visit structures often limit meaningful behavior change and patient engagement * More frequent, lower-barrier touchpoints can improve adherence and trust * Personalized care requires understanding the full context of a patient’s life, not just clinical data * Body composition and longitudinal tracking can support more informed, motivating conversations * Sustainable change happens through ongoing support, not one-time advice About My Guest William Berger, MD is dual board-certified in internal medicine and obesity medicine and certified in menopause care. He is the founder and medical director of Northeast Medical Practice, where he focuses on personalized, patient-centered care in a concierge medicine practice model and includes seca body composition analysis for all of his patients. Dr. Berger hosts a podcast, ‘Longevity MD with Dr. William Berger’ and has an active youtube channel through the Northeast Medical Practice. How to Connect Podcast: Longevity MD with Dr. William Berger https://open.spotify.com/show/0YRCC0jsvige7lYz7YC7q6?si=4c32eb1a22744e16 Website: www.northeastmedicalpractice.com LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-berger-md/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northeastmedicalpractice Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@www.tiktok.com_dr.berger Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@northeastmedicalpractice3672 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northeastmedicalpractice

Ep. 073: Measuring what Matters in Functional Medicine

What if menopause is not just about getting older, but a true metabolic turning point—and what changes when clinicians stop focusing only on the number on the scale and start looking at body composition, visceral fat, muscle mass, and lived experience? In this episode of In the Know with Nina, Dr. Nina Crowley is joined by functional medicine practitioner Monique Class for a conversation on how body composition analysis can help clinicians better understand the metabolic shifts that occur during perimenopause and menopause. Drawing from more than 35 years of experience in functional medicine, Monique shares how advanced metrics like visceral fat and skeletal muscle mass can help move the conversation beyond weight alone and toward a deeper understanding of metabolic health. Together, they explore menopause as a metabolic inflection point, discussing how hormonal changes influence fat distribution, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and muscle loss. The discussion highlights how clinicians can combine body composition data with lab markers, symptoms, and patient experience to personalize care and guide more effective interventions. Dr. Crowley and Monique also discuss the evolving role of hormone replacement therapy and GLP-1 medications, emphasizing that while these tools can support metabolic health, sustainable outcomes still depend on individualized lifestyle strategies, behavior change, and ongoing monitoring. Key Takeaways * Why menopause represents a metabolic inflection point rather than simply a stage of aging * How body composition analysis helps clinicians move beyond scale weight alone * The role of visceral fat in inflammation and cardiometabolic risk * Why preserving skeletal muscle mass becomes increasingly important with age * How functional medicine approaches integrate labs, symptoms, and lifestyle data * When hormone therapy and GLP-1 medications may support metabolic health * Why personalization and patient-centered goals are key to successful lifestyle change About my Guest Monique Class, MS, APRN-BC, IFMCP, is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner, international lecturer, and Co-Founder of The Center for Functional Medicine. A recognized leader in women’s health, mind-body medicine, and coaching, she combines advanced clinical expertise with a patient-centered approach. Monique serves as Senior Faculty at the Institute for Functional Medicine and the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, Director of Coaching Development at the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, and Clinical Instructor at the Yale Graduate School of Nursing. How to Connect LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/monique-class-ms-aprn-bc-436260a0 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moniqueclassfxmed/

Ep. 072: Personalizing Cardiometabolic Care in Midlife

How do we navigate midlife health changes without oversimplifying or overreacting? In this episode of In the Know with Nina, Dr. Nina Crowley sits down with Dr. Nisha Patel, an obesity and metabolic health specialist with training in internal medicine, obesity care, menopause, culinary medicine, clinical epidemiology, and cardiometabolic health. They explore cardiometabolic health through the lens of obesity management and women’s midlife transitions. The conversation highlights how muscle mass naturally declines over time, visceral fat often increases during menopause, and why these shifts can feel confusing or frustrating. They also unpack how social media myths, supplement marketing, and medication stigma influence patient decision-making. Sustainable progress is not about chasing a former version of your body. It is about protecting cardiometabolic health, improving quality of life, and building personalized strategies that work in real life. Key Takeaways * Patient-centered care requires understanding someone’s stressors, resources, and daily realities * Social media can amplify health myths and oversimplified messaging * Weight management medications are often misunderstood and stigmatized * It is not either-or. Lifestyle strategies and medications can work together * Body composition changes during midlife are common and multifactorial * Declines in muscle mass and increases in abdominal fat can influence cardiometabolic risk About My Guest Dr. Nisha Patel is an obesity and metabolic health specialist with a background in internal medicine and additional training in obesity care, menopause, culinary medicine, clinical epidemiology, and cardiometabolic health. She focuses on personalized, evidence-based approaches that prioritize health and quality of life. How to Connect Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drplantel/ Linked IN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drplantel/

Ep. 071: Muscle, Motivation, and Meaningful Progress

What does meaningful progress really look like when muscle health, motivation, and behavior all intersect? In this episode of In the Know with Nina, Dr. Nina Crowley sits down with Karlie Intlekofer, Global Research Scientist at Matrix Fitness, to explore how muscle health, motivation, and behavior intersect, and why meaningful progress often looks different than what people expect. Together, they unpack why muscle health goes far beyond aesthetics, how unrealistic expectations and plateaus can derail motivation, and why psychological safety and autonomy supportive coaching matter for long term consistency. The conversation also touches on how muscle shows up in different ways, including strength, endurance, and power, and why communicating progress in clear, human terms can change how people experience movement. This episode focuses less on chasing outcomes and more on helping people feel capable, supported, and motivated to keep showing up, even when the scale does not move. Key Takeaways * Muscle health is about function, confidence, and quality of life, not just appearance * Progress often shows up before aesthetic change and should be communicated clearly * Plateaus are a normal part of adaptation, not a sign of failure * Psychological safety and autonomy are essential for long term engagement * Meaningful progress is personal and rooted in values, not comparison About my Guest Karlie Intlekofer, PhD, CNC, CPT is a Global Research Scientist at Matrix Fitness with a background in neuroscience, behavior, and exercise science. Her work focuses on translating research into practical, human centered strategies that help fitness professionals support confidence, engagement, and sustainable active lifestyles. How to Connect Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlie-intlekofer-51467415/ Matrix Fitness Research Hub Podcast https://www.youtube.com/@MatrixFitnessGlobal Matrix Fitness Instagram https://www.instagram.com/matrixfitness/ [https://www.instagram.com/matrixfitness/]

Ep. 070: Hormones, Health & Hot Topics in Midlife Care

How are hormones, metabolism, and body composition shaping the way we care for patients during midlife, and why is so much of the conversation still filled with confusion and misinformation? In this episode of In the Know with Nina, Dr. Nina Crowley is joined by Disha Narang, Endocrinologist and Director of Obesity Medicine at Endeavor Health, for an evidence-based discussion on hormones, menopause, and obesity care. Together, they unpack the real role of key metabolic hormones—including thyroid, cortisol, insulin, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone—and explain why popular phrases like “balancing hormones” often miss the clinical mark. Drawing from real-world patient care, the conversation explores how perimenopause and menopause drive changes in insulin resistance, visceral adiposity, and body composition—and why hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can improve symptoms and quality of life without being a weight-loss solution. Dr. Narang and Dr. Crowley also discuss when hormone testing is appropriate, why timing and context matter, and how combining HRT with evidence-based obesity treatments (including GLP-1 therapies) can support better outcomes for patients navigating midlife transitions. Throughout the episode, they highlight why body composition offers critical insight beyond the scale—especially when weight remains stable while muscle mass declines and visceral fat increases—and why collaborative, team-based care between endocrinology, OB-GYN, and obesity medicine is essential in this stage of life. Key Takeaways * Why hormones play a complex—but often oversimplified—role in midlife weight and metabolic health * How menopause contributes to insulin resistance and increased visceral adiposity * Why thyroid and cortisol frequently receive “undue credit” in weight discussions * When hormone testing is useful—and when it may create more confusion than clarity * What hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can and cannot do for weight management * How combining HRT with obesity treatments (including GLP-1 therapies) may improve patient outcomes * Why body composition helps reveal metabolic risk and progress that weight alone can’t show * How interdisciplinary care strengthens long-term, patient-centered midlife health management About my Guest Disha Narang, MD, is a quadruple board–certified physician in endocrinology, obesity medicine, internal medicine, and culinary medicine, and serves as Director of Obesity Medicine at Endeavor Health (NorthShore). She completed her undergraduate and medical training at Vanderbilt University, followed by an internal medicine residency and endocrinology fellowship at the University of Chicago. Dr. Narang specializes in the care of patients with diabetes and obesity and integrates culinary medicine into her practice, emphasizing the principle that food is medicine. How to Connect Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dishanarangmd/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dishanarangmd