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

Today, I’m delighted to reconnect with Dr. Tabatha Barber, also known as The Gutsy Gynecologist. She is a triple board-certified OB-GYN specializing in perimenopause, menopause, and functional medicine.

In today’s discussion, we explore why supporting your hormones involves much more than simply replacing them. Dr. Barber explains how our nervous system, internal dialogue, cellular health, stress response, and lifestyle work together to influence our hormones, energy, and overall health during midlife. We also discuss why addressing root causes is essential for lasting improvements, the role of mitochondrial health, and practical ways to better support your nervous system.

If you're looking for a more comprehensive approach to navigating perimenopause and menopause, you will not want to miss today’s insightful conversation with Dr. Tabatha Barber.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

Why regulating your nervous system is essential for lasting hormone and health improvements

Why the conversations you have with yourself matter more than external circumstances

Why Dr. Barber prefers to focus on identifying the root causes of health issues instead of repeatedly treating downstream symptoms

How sympathetic dominance and unresolved stress patterns can influence hormone function

Other factors, apart from HRT, that are essential for improving women’s health during midlife

How oxidative stress, lack of sunlight, and disrupted circadian rhythms can contribute to fatigue and reduced cellular energy

How hormone changes in midlife often coincide with greater self-awareness, stronger boundaries, and less people-pleasing

How faith, prayer, and gratitude can support nervous system regulation

Practical ways to support and regulate your nervous system

Bio: Tabatha Barber

Dr. Tabatha Barber is a triple board-certified physician — and one of the most distinctive voices in faith-based women's health today. Her story begins where most would have stopped. A teenage mother and high school dropout, she rebuilt her life through faith and perseverance — earning her doctorate and certifications before realizing the very system she trained in was missing the whole point. Today, as owner and medical director of Her Higher Health, creator of the Fast to Faith Coaching Academy, 40 Day program, supplement line, and international bestselling book Fast to Faith, Dr. Tabatha brings one message to every stage and microphone: your body is not broken — your approach is. She is known for doing what no one else does: mapping Scripture directly with how the body works — showing women that Romans 12:2 is the original neuroplasticity protocol, that Genesis 2:7 describes the gut-brain connection, and that God designed healing to happen in community.

Connect with Cynthia Thurlow

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Check out Cynthia’s website.

Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com

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

Purchase Cynthia’s book, The Menopause Gut.

Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book

The Midlife Pause Supplement Line

Connect with Dr. Tabatha Barber

Fast To Faith

On Instagram

Today, I am delighted to reconnect with Dr. Darren Candow.

Dr. Candow is a distinguished professor and an internationally renowned researcher on creatine monohydrate, nutrition, and physical activity who joined me before on Episode 301, where we spoke about creatine.

We are doing an AMA session today, delving into various themes surrounding creatine, from debunking outdated RDA recommendations to exploring the combined effects of strength training and creatine efficacy. We look into the cognitive benefits of creatine, exploring how it interacts with caffeine and its implications for bone health, hydration, anabolic resistance, and metabolic health.

I trust you will find today's AMA session as enlightening and enriching as I did while recording it.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

The safety and efficacy of creatine as a supplement

How creatine increases muscle mass and reduces protein catabolism

Benefits of combining creatine with protein

Is it better to take creatine before or after a workout?

How creatine supplementation may improve brain performance and mental clarity

Why exercise is essential for those who want to experience the benefits of creatine for maintaining their bone health

Resistance-band workouts for post-menopausal women

Are there any age-related limits for creatine supplementation?

Bio: Dr. Darren Candow

Dr. Darren Candow, PhD, CSEP-CEP, is Professor and Director of the Aging Muscle and Bone Health Laboratory in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies at the University of Regina, Canada. The overall objectives of Dr. Candow’s research program are to develop effective lifestyle interventions involving nutrition (primarily creatine monohydrate) and physical activity (resistance training) that are clinically and practically relevant for improving musculoskeletal aging and reducing the risk of falls and fractures. Dr. Candow has published over 120 peer-reviewed journal manuscripts, supervised over 20 MSc and PhD students, and received research funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, the National Institute of Health, and the Nutricia Research Foundation. In addition, Dr. Candow serves on the editorial review boards for the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, Nutrients, and Frontiers.

Connect with Cynthia Thurlow

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Check out Cynthia’s website.

Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com

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

Purchase Cynthia’s book, The Menopause Gut.

Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book

The Midlife Pause Supplement Line

Connect with Dr. Darren Candow

On⁠ Instagram⁠

X

Previous Episode Mentioned:

⁠Ep. 301 Creatine: The Best Supplement for Better Bones & Brain Health with Darren Candow, PhD, CSEP-CEP⁠

Today, I’m honored to reconnect with Dr. Tommy Wood. He is a neuroscientist, a performance coach, and an elite-level professional nerd. He's also currently an associate professor of pediatrics and neuroscience at the University of Washington. He received his bachelor's in biochemistry from the University of Cambridge, a medical degree from the University of Oxford, and a PhD in physiology and neuroscience from the University of Oslo.

In our conversation, we discuss his new book, The Stimulated Mind, and he explains how dementia is a confluence of factors that accumulate over decades, important contributors to dementia, and ways we can help prevent it. We explore the concept of headroom, specific risk factors for neurocognitive decline, brain fog in midlife, the 10-year HRT timing window, and the evidence supporting these concepts. Dr. Tommy shares what we can learn from his work with elite-level athletes, along with some of the biggest misconceptions in the brain health space, and his 3s model of stimulation, sleep, and nutrient supply. He also explains why nutritional status matters for neurocognitive function.

Stay tuned for today’s insightful conversation with Dr. Tommy Wood. I loved his new book, The Stimulated Mind, and it will definitely be part of my must-reads for 2026!

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

Why dementia is not one single disease but a clinical outcome with multiple causes

How sleep, oral health, nutritional status, and chronic inflammation may all influence dementia risk

What headroom is, and the factors that help maintain it and protect cognitive function

How the disease processes leading to dementia often begin decades before symptoms appear

What the research suggests about the best time to start hormone therapy for brain health

How Formula One drivers and elite athletes tend to prioritize sleep, nutrition, recovery, and focused work over chasing perfection

How frequent notifications and interruptions train the brain to expect distraction, making sustained concentration more difficult

How both overeating and chronic under-fueling can impair brain health

How lifestyle changes can reduce dementia risk, even in people with APOE4

Connect with Cynthia Thurlow

Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn

Check out Cynthia’s website.

Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com

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

Purchase Cynthia’s book, The Menopause Gut.

Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book

The Midlife Pause Supplement Line

Connect with Dr. Tommy Wood

On his website

On Instagram

The Stimulated Mind

Substack

I’m delighted to reconnect with my dear friend Ben Azadi today, in honor of his newly revised book, Keto Flex.

Ben is a leading authority on metabolic health, an international Keystone speaker, and the New York Times best-selling author of Metabolic Freedom.

In today’s conversation, we discuss why women fail on keto. We examine how women’s menstrual cycles and various life stages influence both the ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting, and the importance of coming out of ketosis and incorporating feast days. We explain what the Randall cycle is, why we need to be finely tuned to it, how to support healthy cortisol regulation, particularly the HPA axis, and tools to determine whether we are balanced within the autonomic nervous system, including heart rate variability, sleep, and whether our glucose and ketones are within range. We also explore the effects of anti-nutrients and elimination diets, and Ben shares his approach for women who feel keto hasn't worked for them, explaining why keto should be viewed as a process rather than a diet.

This is, as always, a truly invaluable conversation with my dear friend Ben Azadi. Stay tuned, as we will also be offering giveaways to listeners of Ben's new book, Keto Flex.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

Various factors that could influence how women respond to a ketogenic diet

How women need to adjust keto and fasting according to their menstrual cycle, perimenopause, and postmenopausal years, rather than continuously following the same approach

Why Ben encourages women to have intentional feast days instead of remaining in ketosis indefinitely

What a feast day looks like, and how it differs from a cheat day

Why fasting should be adapted to how well your body tolerates stress

Factors that can help to determine whether fasting is working for you

Why you should adjust your training intensity and focus more on recovery as you get older

How a temporary carnivore elimination diet can help identify foods your body doesn't tolerate

Why Ben views keto as a metabolic process rather than a diet, and why he prioritizes lifestyle before medication

Bio: Ben Azadi

Ben Azadi, FDN-P, is a leading authority on metabolic health, an international keynote speaker, and the New York Times bestselling author of Metabolic Freedom.

After facing his own health challenges, Ben transformed his life in 2008—losing 80 pounds and stepping into metabolic freedom. That turning point sparked a global mission: to help 1 billion people break free from physical and mental obesity through education, not medication.

With 18+ years in the health and wellness space, Ben is now leading a bold 10-year initiative to naturally reverse type 2 diabetes in 1 million people.

Through his work, Ben has reached millions worldwide and personally coached thousands to reclaim their health. His audience includes nearly 3M+ on digital platforms, more than 1M YouTube subscribers with over 100M views, and his top-ranked podcast, The Ben Azadi Show, which has surpassed 100 million downloads.

Connect with Cynthia Thurlow

Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn

Check out Cynthia’s website.

Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com

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

Purchase Cynthia’s book, The Menopause Gut.

Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book

The Midlife Pause Supplement Line

Connect with Ben Azadi

On his website

Pre-order a revised-version copy of Keto Flex and claim your bonuses

I am thrilled to connect with my friend and colleague, Dr. Anthony Youn today.

Dr. Youn is a nationally recognized board-certified plastic surgeon and the author of many best-selling books. He has a massive social media presence and hosts the widely acclaimed podcast The Holistic Plastic Surgery Show.

In our conversation today, we dive into Dr. Youn’s new book, Younger for Life, and he offers valuable insights on skin health and overall well-being. We explore the aging process and address oxidative-free radical damage, chronic inflammation, autophagy, and the impact of processed foods. We also get into helpful supplements for skin support, examine the concept of greenwashing, and discuss sunscreen, exfoliation, in-office treatments, breast implant illness, and the power of lifestyle choices.

Stay tuned for more!

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

How to avoid aging too quickly through nutrition and lifestyle changes

How sugar and seed oils impact skin aging

The benefits of collagen supplements for healthier skin

Hormonal changes that affect the metabolism and skin health after menopause

The importance of screening the ingredients in skincare products

How chemical sunscreens differ from physical sunblocks

Using Retinol for anti-aging and skin health

Non-invasive fat reduction treatments and their potential risks

Dr. Youn discusses breast implant illness

What you need to look out for when using Botox

Connect with Cynthia Thurlow

Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn

Check out Cynthia’s website.

Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com

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

Purchase Cynthia’s book, The Menopause Gut.

Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book

The Midlife Pause Supplement Line

Connect with Dr. Anthony Youn

On his ⁠website⁠

⁠Youn Beauty⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

⁠YouTube⁠

⁠TikTok