Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Menopause, and Science for Women 35+

I am excited to connect with Dr. Lara Briden today! She is one of my favorite naturopathic doctors and the author of the bestselling books Period Repair Manual and Hormone Repair Manual. She has 25 years of experience in women's health, and she currently has consulting rooms in Christchurch, New Zealand, where she treats women with PCOS, PMS, endometriosis, perimenopause, and many other hormone- and period-related health problems.

Dr. Briden is a wealth of information! She brings a fresh perspective and a positive voice to the health and wellness space, and I often recommend her book, Hormone Repair Manual, to my clients and patients. 

Today, she and I dive into her background as an evolutionary biologist and discuss how she became passionate about supporting and advocating for women throughout their lives. We talk about perspectives on aging, what the second puberty (perimenopause) is, and the impact of histamine, mass-cell granulation, and estrogen. We discuss fat redistribution in middle age and the loss of insulin sensitivity. We speak about how using alcohol impacts brain health, sleep, the gut microbiome, appetite, cravings, and hinders estrogen metabolism. We also touch on ways to address dysfunctional uterine bleeding in middle age, explain how to advocate for your health, how middle age impacts the nervous system, and the role of inflammatory foods, including dairy. 

I hope you enjoy our discussion as much as I did! Stay tuned for more!

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:


Dr. Briden discusses her background as an evolutionary biologist and how she changed her career to become an advocate for women’s health.


Many women fear the aging process. Dr. Briden and I discuss women’s mindsets and perspectives on aging. 


Why is there so little awareness about perimenopause?


Dr. Briden defines menopause and discusses the timeframe in which some women experience perimenopause symptoms.


How can ongoing hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause, or second puberty, increase the likelihood of women having issues with a histamine response?


Dr. Briden talks about fat redistribution in middle age and explains why women need to stay on top of it from a metabolic perspective.


How can our modern-day lifestyle make the metabolic shift women experience in menopause even more challenging?


Dr. Briden talks about natural treatments and hormone therapies to lighten the flow of the extremely heavy periods that some women experience during perimenopause.


Dr. Briden discusses the connection between cow dairy and an inflammatory reaction in some people.


Women need to understand what happens in their bodies when they have either a partial or a full hysterectomy.


Dr. Briden talks about estrogen and brain health.


How does alcohol affect the body?


What are the best options with the fewest side effects for hormone therapy for women?

Connect with Cynthia Thurlow


Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn


Check out Cynthia’s website


Submit your questions to [email protected]


Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community (The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow) 


Cynthia’s Menopause Gut Book is on presale now!


Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book


The Midlife Pause supplement line

Connect with Dr. Lara Briden


On her ⁠website⁠  


⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, and Twitter: ⁠https://twitter.com/LaraBriden⁠ 


Dr. Briden’s ⁠blog⁠ 


Dr. Briden’s ⁠podcast⁠

Books mentioned:

⁠Period Repair Manual ⁠(for women in their 20s and 30s) by Dr. Lara Briden

⁠Hormone Repair Manual⁠ (for women of 40-plus) by Dr. Lara Briden

Free ⁠download⁠ of the first two chapters of both Dr. Lara Briden’s books

⁠The XX Brain: The Groundbreaking Science Empowering Women to Maximize Cognitive Health and Prevent Alzheimer's Disease⁠ by Lisa Mosconi, PhD

Today, I’m honored to connect with Jerry Wise, a leading voice in family systems and self-differentiation. With over 45 years of experience healing adults from narcissistic, dysfunctional, and emotionally immature family systems, Jerry’s work guides people out of lifelong patterns of guilt, shame, and emotional enmeshment so they can finally live as their true selves.

This episode is not about telling anyone what they should do with their family relationships. It’s about understanding patterns, reclaiming choice, and recognizing that protecting your nervous system is essential for your wellness. We dive into narcissism, personality disorders, and the spectrum within which Jerry believes narcissism falls. We explore low, middle, and high-anxiety family systems, clarify why self-differentiation is critically important, and how long-term nervous system dysregulation often occurs when we grow up in narcissistic homes. We also cover trauma bonding, the impact of avoidance, the role of boundaries, and cultural myths around honoring our parents, and I answer some rapid-fire questions tailored explicitly to Jerry’s expertise.

I have wanted to interview Jerry for the podcast for a long time, and this is one of those truly impactful and deeply personal episodes.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:


How narcissistic parents differ from other types of parents


The developmental switches that get turned off in those growing up with narcissistic parents


Intergenerational trauma and how it impacts nervous system regulation and emotional health


How self-differentiation can help individuals manage their emotional systems


Challenges of setting boundaries with narcissistic parents


Why internal boundaries are essential


How avoidance can become a coping mechanism for dealing with uncomfortable feelings


The importance of maintaining reality and not giving up on your true self to honor your parents and/or meet their expectations


Strategies for managing family dynamics and reducing chronic anxiety

Connect with Cynthia Thurlow  


Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn


Check out Cynthia’s website


Submit your questions to [email protected]


Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow 


Cynthia’s Menopause Gut Book is on presale now!


Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book


The Midlife Pause Supplement Line

Connect with Jerry Wise


On his website 


Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube

Today, we have another episode in the YouTube series where I answer listeners’ questions from the Everyday Wellness Podcast and my private free Facebook group, The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow.

We’re continuing the conversation around hair loss today. In the last episode, we covered some common causes of hair loss. In this episode, we discuss how nutrition can either positively or negatively affect it. Some familiar themes come up again, but they’re hard to avoid because in midlife, nutrition is not optional. It’s essential!

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:


Why a protein-centric diet is vital in middle age 


How over-fasting can exacerbate hair loss


Why iron is essential for hair growth


Foods that are beneficial for their polyphenols and antioxidants


Why metabolic health is critical for hair follicle protection


How stress and disrupted sleep affect hair loss


The value of weight training and maintaining muscle mass 


The role of iodine, selenium, and red blood cell magnesium in hair growth and the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet

Connect with Cynthia Thurlow  


Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn


Check out Cynthia’s website


Submit your questions to [email protected]


Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow 


Cynthia’s Menopause Gut Book is on presale now!


Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book


The Midlife Pause Supplement Line

Today, I’m thrilled to welcome Meghan Rabbitt as my guest. Meghan is an award-winning journalist and the author of The New Rules of Women's Health: Your Guide to Thriving at Every Age. She specializes in women’s health and wellness, and her work has appeared in several national publications, including Oprah Daily, Prevention, Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper, and others. 

Meghan is known for translating and clarifying complex medical and scientific topics into actionable information. In our conversation today, we dive into her new book and explore the process of writing a 700-page guide. We discuss how the old rules of women’s health have often failed, and Meghan shares her hope that things will shift. We cover underrecognized midlife issues such as heart disease, the power of knowledge, reframing the aging process, and how the lack of research funding and a paternalistic system contributed to the lack of information on how women’s bodies age.  We also examine the influence of social media, navigating the medical system, advocacy, the gut-brain-hormone connection, and the crucial role of fiber, and Meghan emphasizes why every woman’s story matters. 

Meghan’s book is incredibly valuable, as it speaks to women of all ages, from young adults to those in later life.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:


Why personal context matters when following nutrition advice on social media


The value of seeking multiple clinician opinions when facing health choices


Improving your communication with clinicians to help them understand your priorities and concerns


An essential approach to diet and lifestyle 


Underrecognized midlife issues, like heart disease, and why they are often overlooked in women’s health


How midlife changes in estrogen are linked with alterations in the microbiome and astrobolome


Understanding the gut-brain-hormone connection can help clarify your symptoms and guide your lifestyle choices.


Gut health and why fiber is important


Knowledge, advocacy, and reframing aging empower women to navigate the medical system and make better-informed decisions

Connect with Cynthia Thurlow  


Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn


Check out Cynthia’s website


Submit your questions to [email protected]


Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow 


Cynthia’s Menopause Gut Book is on presale now!


Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book


The Midlife Pause supplement line

Connect with Meghan Rabbitt


On The New Rules of Women’s Health website


Purchase a copy of Meghan’s new book

I am delighted and honored to interview Dr. Lisa Mosconi today. She is an Associate Professor of Neuroscience in neurology and radiology at Cornell Medicine and Director of the Women's BRAIN Initiative and the Alzheimer's Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medicine, New York Presbyterian Hospital. She is also a globally acclaimed neuroscientist with a Ph.D. in neuroscience and nuclear medicine and the author of the New York Times bestseller The XX Brain and, more recently, The Menopause Brain.

In our conversation, we discuss how women’s brains change during perimenopause and menopause, looking at the significance of puberty, pregnancy, and perimenopause, as well as the lack of medical research on women and medical gaslighting. We explore the concept of bikini medicine and its misconceptions regarding women's health and hormones, alongside the crucial roles of hormones like estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone in our neuroendocrine system. Dr. Mosconi also provides insights into evolving menopausal treatments, including lifestyle interventions. 

Dr. Mosconi is an esteemed figure in neuroscience and a prominent voice in women's health. I am confident you will gain valuable insights and perspectives from my discussion with her today.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:


How women's brains change during perimenopause and menopause


How the lack of information for young girls can lead to medical gaslighting and confusion during perimenopause


Dr. Mosconi explains how a simple sugar is used as a tracer to track glucose metabolism in the brain during perimenopause


Why brain changes during menopause may lead to mental fatigue and brain fog


How the lack of training and research on menopause in medical residency programs leads to a poor understanding among clinicians


Why women need to consider their brain and metabolic health during perimenopause


Why estrogen is essential after menopause


The benefits of HRT for menopausal women


How stress impacts hormone production

Connect with Cynthia Thurlow


Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn


Check out Cynthia’s website


Submit your questions to [email protected]


Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community (The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow) 


Cynthia’s Menopause Gut Book is on presale now!


Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book


The Midlife Pause supplement line

Connect with Dr. Lisa Mosconi


On her ⁠website⁠


⁠Instagram⁠


The Menopause Brain