Dr. 50 Something with Nicole Norris, MD

Episode: S1 E2 – "I Don't Want to End Up Like My Parents"
Date: February 28, 2025

Episode Overview

In this heartfelt and informative episode, Dr. Nicole Norris explores the personal motivations behind her podcast and medical journey, centering on why she is passionate about preventative and aesthetic medicine. Drawing from her family history and decades of clinical experience, Dr. Norris discusses the flaws in mainstream American medicine’s approach to aging, chronic disease, and the overlooked significance of prevention, especially hormone optimization. This episode is both a call to arms and an invitation: to take charge of how you age so you can thrive for decades to come—physically, mentally, and energetically.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Motivation: "Why I Don’t Want to End Up Like My Parents"

• Background: Dr. Norris grew up on a Midwest farm, where her hardworking parents fostered a belief that “girls can do anything” ([03:00-04:30]).
• Aging & Illness in Her Family: Despite staying active and eating relatively healthy, both her parents endured significant chronic illnesses—diabetes, hypertension, cancers, and blood clots.

  • “It should not be a mystery as to why I have a deep seated interest in not ending up like my wonderful parents. Or more specifically, how to age without getting all the chronic disease and cancer that they have had to endure.” (06:50)

2. Medical Education Gap: Treating, Not Preventing

• Clinical Focus: Most medical education and practice centers on illness management, not disease prevention.

  • “When I was in medical school, 90% of what I learned was how to treat illness. And then in family practice residency, 90% of what I treated was chronic disease.” (07:40)

• US vs. Europe: Preventative care is under-valued in the US compared to Europe ([09:20]).

3. Frustration with Mainstream Medicine

• Insurance & Pharmaceuticals: No reimbursement or incentive to coach patients about lifestyle change, little conference focus on prevention ([09:00-09:40]).
• Shifting Focus: After 15 years in family practice, Dr. Norris moved into aesthetic medicine, which, counter to stereotypes, gave her fulfillment through helping patients “be happier, healthier versions of themselves” ([11:20-12:20]).

  • “Self love and self care creates endorphins that improve mental and physical health. No pill needed. I see this every day.” (12:35)

4. The Prevention Paradox: Why Isn’t Preventive Medicine Mainstream?

• Obstacles: Prevention (especially hormone optimization) isn’t taught or prioritized by mainstream medicine; testing is limited or age-gated.

  • “Why is preventative medicine, and more specifically hormone optimization, not a part of mainstream medicine?...Any question that you ask about hormones is immediately swept under the rug.” (15:00-16:00)

• Apology & Reflection: Dr. Norris candidly admits she once dismissed patients’ concerns about hormones out of ignorance, not malice.

  • “I am so sorry for all the women that asked me to check their hormones and I did not...I had no idea what to check. I didn’t know what levels were low.” (17:00)

• Dispelling Myths: Many hormone fears trace back to single studies like the 2001 Women’s Health Initiative, leading to overly cautious or misinformed care for decades ([17:40-18:30]).

5. What Preventive Medicine Encompasses

• Holistic View: Prevention covers more than hormones, including nutrition, sleep, genetics, minimizing toxic exposures, immunizations, and even simple habits like hand washing.

  • “The field of preventative medicine is not only the study of replacing our hormones as we lose them, but it’s also diet and lifestyle choices…It’s the practice of medicine to prevent most of the medical problems our parents are afflicted with.” (19:50-20:30)

6. Dr. Norris’s Personal Transformation & Proof

• Discusses her own health trajectory:
  • 30s – Thyroid problems
  • 40s – Hypertension, prediabetes, obesity, menopause symptoms
  • 50s (post-preventive medicine) – Healthiest ever: better labs, clear mind, great sleep, high energy, off meds ([21:00-24:00]).

  • “I literally feel like I’m 20 years old, but way smarter.” (24:55)

  • Shares specific metrics from a DEXA scan: weight, muscle mass, body fat percentage as objective proof of her success ([23:20-24:00]).
• A New Mission: Her journey from self-improvement to passionate advocacy for others.

  • “In what started as a selfish pursuit to better myself and not end up like my wonderful parents, it has become my purpose to share with others the healing power of preventative medicine.” (25:20)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Growing Up with Hardworking Parents:

  “Girls can do anything. Yes, my mom hung a picture on the wall in our bathroom that in fact said that so that my sisters and I saw it every day.” ([03:15])

• Reflections on Standard Medical Practice:

  “In this country, all of our money and resources and pharmaceutical research goes into treating illness.” ([09:30])

• On Personal Practice vs. Training:

  “Honestly, it was because I had no idea what to check. I didn’t know what levels were low.” ([17:05])

• On Mainstream Skepticism Toward Hormones:

  “Testosterone…probably causes prostate cancer. All I knew was negative, poor information. I treated patients with birth control pills, but I told them only use those birth control pills at the lowest dose or the shortest time possible.” ([17:15])

• Personal Triumph:

  “I sleep like a really good baby. I have no hot flashes unless I drink a little too much red wine, and my energy and mental clarity have never been so good.” ([24:10])

• Motivational Close:

  “If you are vibing with me and you want to learn more from me, Dr. 50 Something, about the many facets of preventative medicine and even some aesthetic medicine along the way, follow my podcast. Don’t miss an episode. Share it with your friends.” ([25:30])

Key Timestamps

• 00:00-02:00 – Host intro, podcast mission statement
• 03:00-06:50 – Childhood roots, parents’ health, personal 'why'
• 07:30-09:40 – Failures of mainstream medicine; US vs. Europe approaches
• 11:00-13:00 – Aesthetic medicine as a rewarding, patient-centered field
• 15:00-18:30 – Barriers to preventive care and myths about hormones
• 19:50-20:30 – What comprehensive preventative medicine includes
• 21:00-24:00 – Dr. Norris’s health transformation (diet, hormones, body composition results)
• 25:20-26:00 – Purpose, call to action, ambitions for listeners

Episode Takeaways

• Take control of your health and aging—don’t leave it up to luck or reactive medicine.
• Prevention is possible and rooted in science, not just wishful thinking.
• Aging well is multidimensional: It’s about mind, body, and long-term vitality.
• Dr. Norris’s journey offers both a cautionary tale about medical inertia and something to aspire to: feeling "50-something" (or younger!) for decades to come.