About My Guest

Dr. Myra Reed is a Functional Internal Medicine specialist based in Panama City Beach, Florida. She helps women (and men) prevent, detect, and reverse the #1 silent killer of women—heart disease—which is often overlooked in traditional medicine. Unlike the outdated ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, she uses advanced testing, lifestyle education, and hormone balancing to uncover hidden risks and help her patients take control of their health. Her mission is to reduce dependence on medications and empower people with holistic, science-backed strategies for wellness, longevity, and vibrant living.

Summary

Here's something that might surprise you: heart disease kills more women than anything else, but most of us have no idea. Dr. Myra Reed sat down with Leah Vachani to break down why women's hearts aren't getting the attention they deserve—and what we can actually do about it.

We're Getting Misdiagnosed Left and Right

Think heart attacks always feel like crushing chest pain? Not for women. We're more likely to feel exhausted, short of breath, or have jaw pain that gets brushed off as stress or anxiety. And once menopause hits? Our risk shoots through the roof because we lose those protective hormones.

Your Regular Blood Work Isn't Enough

Dr. Reed says forget the basic cholesterol test—we need the full picture. That means checking inflammatory markers and getting a deep dive into our hormones. Here's what's wild: she connected dots I never would have thought of. Bad gums can mess with your heart, your gut health matters more than you think, and yes, that stress you're carrying around is literally affecting your heart.

Time to Speak Up

The bottom line? We have to advocate for ourselves. Ask for those advanced tests, eat more like they do in the Mediterranean, actually prioritize sleep, and don't let anyone dismiss your concerns. Your heart is too important to settle for "everything looks normal" when you know something's off.

Where to Listen/Watch:

🎧 Listen on Spotify

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcast

The information provided during this podcast is for educational purposes only. The speaker may be a licensed medical professional and may present case studies of actual patients or refer to patients' treatment during the program. Please be reminded that the Scope of Practice for Holistic Nutrition Professionals prevents us from diagnosing, preventing, treating, curing, prescribing, managing, or healing disease. Holistic Nutrition Professionals are not licensed in any state and work with clients, not patients.

Chapters

00:00 Heart Disease: The Silent Killer of Women

04:32 Understanding Symptoms: The Gender Gap in Heart Health

07:13 Advanced Testing: Beyond Traditional Cholesterol Panels

09:52 The Role of Hormones in Heart Health

12:14 Lifestyle Factors: Diet, Sleep, and Exercise

14:42 The Connection Between Gut Health and Heart Health

17:22 Dementia and Hormonal Health: A Holistic Approach

19:50 Empowering Women: Taking Charge of Heart Health

22:34 Practical Steps: What You Can Do Today

Resources

You can find Dr. Myra Reed at https://drmyrareed.com

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