Second Opinion with Rosemarie Beltz cover art

Second Opinion with Rosemarie Beltz

Second Opinion with Rosemarie Beltz

By: Rosemarie Beltz
Listen for free

Second Opinion is where science meets real life in midlife. Hosted by Rosemarie Beltz—a cardiovascular perfusionist and journalist with nearly 30 years inside the operating room and high-stakes medical environments—this podcast explores the health questions most people don’t know how to ask… until it matters. From hormones, metabolism, and heart health to longevity, sleep, and medical decision-making, each episode goes beyond headlines to examine what the research actually says, what gets overlooked, and how it applies in real life. Through in-depth conversations with physicians, researchers, and thought leaders—alongside honest reflections from the front lines of medicine—Second Opinion helps you think more clearly about your health, your choices, and what comes next. This isn’t just a podcast.
It’s a real-time exploration of what it means to move through midlife with clarity, responsibility, and curiosity—when the stakes are no longer theoretical. This is for the generation navigating everything at once:
aging parents, evolving bodies, high-performance careers, and the quiet awareness that how you live now matters. 🎙 Topics include:
midlife health, perimenopause, menopause, testosterone, metabolic health, heart disease, longevity, sleep, stress, cognitive health, GLP-1 medications, preventive medicine, and navigating the healthcare system. 🌍 Now reaching listeners in over 50 countries. Produced independently—rooted in New York City, and shaped by wherever life leads next. Not to tell you what to think—but to help you think more clearly about your health, your time, and your next chapter. Subscribe for intelligent conversations at the intersection of medicine, mindset, and midlife.© 2026 Rosemarie Beltz Hygiene & Healthy Living Physical Illness & Disease
Episodes
  • What If We've Been Thinking About Hydration All Wrong? Summer Solstice. A beach day. A coconut coffee. And a book that made me rethink everything I thought I knew about H2O, aging, and longevity.

    What If We've Been Thinking About Hydration All Wrong? Summer Solstice. A beach day. A coconut coffee. And a book that made me rethink everything I thought I knew about H2O, aging, and longevity.
    Jun 24 2026

    When was the last time you had a really good summer?

    Not a productive summer.

    Not a summer where you checked every box on your to-do list.

    A summer where you discovered something.

    This week, during a Summer Solstice beach day, a four-hour drive home, and more than a few rewinds of an audiobook, I found myself questioning something I thought I already understood: hydration.

    After decades studying health, working in cardiac surgery, reading nutrition books, experimenting with everything from yoga and juicing to hormones and longevity medicine, I wasn't expecting Chapter One of Quench to stop me in my tracks.

    But it did.

    What started as a simple summer reading project quickly became something much more interesting.

    This episode isn't a book report.

    It's a conversation.

    About curiosity.

    About aging.

    About physiology.

    About why the same information lands differently at 54 than it did at 34.

    And about a question I can't stop thinking about:

    What if hydration isn't really about how much water we drink, but how well we absorb it?


    In this episode:

    • Why Quench immediately grabbed my attention
    • The surprising story behind the book's authors
    • Research suggesting many Americans may be walking around chronically dehydrated
    • Signs and symptoms of low-grade dehydration that are often dismissed as "normal aging"
    • Why hydration, fluid balance, and physiology hit differently in midlife
    • The connection between water, fiber, food, and absorption
    • Why movement may play a larger role in hydration than most people realize
    • How a four-hour beach traffic jam made me rethink my own habits
    • The small Monday morning decision that launched the next phase of my 90-Day Summer Experiment
    • Why curiosity may be one of the most important ingredients in a rich life

    This summer, I'm inviting you to slow down, ask better questions, stay curious, and join me as we explore health, longevity, reinvention, and possibility—one experiment at a time.

    And yes...

    We'll also discuss how a coconut-infused coffee may have become my official coffee of Summer 2026.


    Questions to Consider This Week

    • What are you discovering this summer?
    • What assumptions about your health have you stopped questioning?
    • Could something you've accepted as "normal" deserve a second look?
    • What fundamentals might be worth revisiting?

    Mentioned in This Episode

    • Quench: Beat Fatigue, Drop Weight, and Heal Your Body Through the New Science of Optimum Hydration by Dana Cohen, M.D and Gina Bria
    • Your Body's Many Cries for Water by Fereydoon Batmanghelidj,M.D.
    • The Second Opinion 90-Day Summer Experiment

    New to Second Opinion?

    Second Opinion is a weekly podcast exploring health, longevity, reinvention, relationships, and the questions that help us live more intentional lives.

    Hosted by me, Rosemarie Beltz—a healthcare journalist and board-certified cardiovascular perfusionist with nearly three decades of experience in medicine—the show combines science, personal storytelling, and thoughtful conversations for curious midlifers who want more than quick answers.

    Every episode is independently researched, written, produced, and hosted by me in New York City.

    If you're navigating midlife and asking, “Now what?”—you're in the right place.


    If this episode resonated with you:

    ✓ Follow the show

    ✓ Share it with a friend

    ✓ Send it to someone who's spending this summer asking bigger questions

    Because the best discoveries are often the ones we share.

    Stay curious.

    Stay open.

    Stay in the experiment.

    And don't forget to flirt with possibility along the way.

    Until next time. 🦋


    🔗 Follow & Subscribe to never miss an episode. If you love the show, leave a review—it helps others get a second opinion!

    💡 Have a topic you’d love for us to cover? Reach out at www.rosemarieb.com.
    Show More Show Less
    20 mins
  • The Summer Experiment: MY 90-Day Hydration Reset | Water, Hormones, Vitality & Healthy Aging

    The Summer Experiment: MY 90-Day Hydration Reset | Water, Hormones, Vitality & Healthy Aging
    Jun 17 2026

    What if one of the most powerful things you could do for your health this summer isn't another supplement, biohack, or expensive wellness protocol?

    What if it's water?


    In this solo episode of Second Opinion, I share why I've chosen hydration as my first 90-Day Summer Experiment—and why now feels like the perfect time to return to the fundamentals.

    After a year focused on building a new home, completing major renovations, and creating the physical space I've dreamed about for years, I finally feel like I can exhale. The closets are installed. The office is functional. The pantry is organized. The vision is becoming reality.

    And as my home becomes more grounded, I'm finding myself drawn back to another project: my health.

    This episode is part summer camp, part summer vacation, part midlife reset.

    We'll talk about hydration, healthy aging, vitality, hormones, longevity, curiosity, and why the simplest habits are often the most overlooked.


    I also share:

    💧 Why hydration became my first 90-day experiment

    💧 How turning 54 shifted my perspective on health and longevity

    💧 The connection between water, energy, focus, recovery, and healthy aging

    💧 The books influencing my thinking, including Quench and Your Body's Many Cries for Water

    💧 Why I've decided to make hydration my summer research project

    💧 What happened when I met Dr. Dana Cohen, co-author of Quench

    💧 Why she'll be joining us on a future episode of Second Opinion

    💧 How this podcast is evolving as our audience continues to grow around the world

    💧 Why curiosity may be one of the most powerful tools we have in midlife


    Most importantly, I invite you to choose your own Summer Experiment.

    Not a challenge.

    Not a resolution.

    An experiment.

    Because maybe you're not too old to surprise yourself.

    Maybe you're not too old for a second wind.

    And maybe you're definitely not too old to flirt with possibility.

    ⸻

    NEW TO SECOND OPINION?

    Second Opinion is a podcast about health, longevity, reinvention, relationships, purpose, curiosity, and the questions that help us live more intentional lives.

    Hosted by me, Rosemarie Beltz—a healthcare journalist and board-certified cardiovascular perfusionist with nearly three decades in cardiac surgery—the show combines evidence-based insights, personal storytelling, and thoughtful conversations with leading experts.

    Every episode is independently researched, written, produced, and hosted by me in New York City.

    If you're navigating midlife and asking, "What now?"—you're in the right place.

    ⸻

    FOLLOW SECOND OPINION

    Follow on Apple Podcasts

    Follow on Spotify

    Subscribe on YouTube

    Visit: https://rosemarieb.com/

    For guest suggestions, episode ideas, or to share your own 90-Day Summer Experiment, I'd love to hear from you.

    ⸻

    From New York City, I'm Rosemarie Beltz.

    Stay curious.

    Stay open.

    And don't forget to flirt with possibility along the way.


    🔗 Follow & Subscribe to never miss an episode. If you love the show, leave a review—it helps others get a second opinion!

    💡 Have a topic you’d love for us to cover? Reach out at www.rosemarieb.com.
    Show More Show Less
    18 mins
  • The Summer Experiment. What If The Next 90 Days Were About Becoming More Alive?

    The Summer Experiment. What If The Next 90 Days Were About Becoming More Alive?
    Jun 10 2026
    What if summer wasn't something to get through?What if it became something to experience?As adults, many of us approach summer the same way we approach the rest of our lives—busy, over scheduled, distracted, and constantly focused on what's next. Somewhere between careers, caregiving, responsibilities, health concerns, and endless to-do lists, we stopped treating summer like the season of possibility it once was.In this solo episode of Second Opinion, I explore a different idea:What if the next 90 days became an experiment?Not a productivity challenge.Not another self-improvement project.Not a list of goals that leaves us feeling behind by July.An experiment in curiosity.An experiment in vitality.An experiment in becoming more fully alive.Drawing on the nostalgia of summer vacations, beach days, cookouts, watermelon, summer reading programs, open windows, fireflies, and staying outside until the streetlights came on, I invite listeners to reclaim the energy of possibility that summer naturally brings.Together, we'll explore why 90 days may be the perfect timeframe for meaningful change, how curiosity fuels personal growth, and why desire and dreams —not discipline—might be the missing ingredient in many of our lives.This episode also launches a summer-long journey that will include conversations about hydration, hormones, energy, strength, creativity, reading, self-trust, longevity, and intentional living.Not because I have all the answers.But because I'm willing to experiment.And maybe you are too.Because the next 12 weeks are going to pass either way.The question is:Who do you want to be when Labor Day arrives?In This Episode☀️ Why summer may be the most underrated season for personal growth☀️ The surprising power of a 90-day experiment☀️ Why most people wait until January to make changes—and why summer may be better☀️ The difference between goals and experiments☀️ Reclaiming curiosity, wonder, and possibility in midlife☀️ Why desire matters more than we think☀️ How experimentation reduces pressure and increases engagement☀️ The connection between vitality, longevity, and everyday choices☀️ Questions to help design your own Summer Experiment☀️ Why becoming more alive may be a better goal than becoming more productiveQuestions Worth Asking Yourself• What would make this summer feel meaningful?• What do I desire more of in my life?• What have I been postponing?• What would happen if I approached the next 90 days with curiosity instead of pressure?• What experiment am I willing to try?• Who do I want to be when summer ends?My Summer ExperimentsThis summer, I'm exploring:✨ Hydration✨ Hormones✨ Energy✨ Strength✨ Sleep✨ Summer Reading✨ Creating More, Consuming Less✨ Curiosity✨ Self-Trust✨ Joy✨ PossibilityAnd I'll be sharing what I learn along the way.The Big IdeaMost of us don't need another goal.Most of us need a little more wonder.A little more curiosity.A little more possibility.And maybe a reminder that life is still unfolding.Summer has always been the season of adventure, freedom, discovery, reinvention, and romance.Maybe it's time to bring some of that energy back.Not necessarily romance with another person.But romance with life itself.Coming Next On Second OpinionThroughout the summer, I'll be sharing updates from my own Summer Experiment, including:• Hot for Hormones• Hydration & Energy• Strength & Longevity• Summer Reading• Midlife Health Experiments• Creating More, Consuming Less• Designing a Life That Feels Good to LiveBecause curiosity doesn't end at midlife- If anything, it becomes more important.Half the year may be behind us- However then again, half the year is a head of us. If This Episode Resonated-share it with a friend.Start your own Summer Experiment.And let me know:What are you curious about this summer?About Second OpinionSecond Opinion is hosted by me, Rosemarie Beltz—a healthcare journalist and board-certified cardiovascular perfusionist with more than three decades in medicine.Each week, we explore health, longevity, reinvention, and what's possible next.Produced independently from New York City.Stay curious.Stay open.See where the summer takes you.And don't forget to flirt with possibility along the way.Until next time.Connect With Second OpinionFollow, subscribe, and share the podcast wherever you listen.Website: https://rosemarieb.com/Instagram: @RosemarieBeltz @midlifeminuteYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rosemariebeltzDisclaimerThe information shared on Second Opinion is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your physician or qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical concerns or before making changes to your healthcare routine. 🔗 Follow & Subscribe to never miss an episode. If you love the show, leave a review—it helps others get a second opinion!💡 Have a topic you’d love for us...
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
No reviews yet