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

Today, I answer the next round of listener questions, both from the podcast and those I’ve been asked to address more personally on YouTube. Join me for this episode, where we dive into an honest and authentic exploration through the lens of traditional, allopathic medicine, of why women lose their hair during perimenopause and menopause. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: Why hair loss is often multifactorial and requires a comprehensive approach How declining estradiol impacts the hair follicle cycle Why hair growth slows and shedding increases as estrogen declines The typical pattern of how hair loss presents in middle-aged women How low or fluctuating thyroid hormone levels can increase hair loss The importance of checking ferritin levels, even in women who are not overtly anemic How insulin resistance, glycemic variability, and inflammation contribute to hair loss 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 am honored to welcome my personal trainer, Linda Alexander, as my guest. Linda has been training middle-aged and older women almost exclusively for the last decade of the 40 years she has spent in personal training. In our conversation, we explore the challenges of training middle-aged women. Linda highlights the importance of strength training over cardiovascular exercise, and we discuss the way my elementary school physical education teacher approached physical fitness for children many years ago. Linda explains how she evaluates new clients through movement and exercise progression, shares her personal view on intermittent fasting, and clarifies how it can contradict muscle building and maintenance. We also explore the importance of mindset and keeping nutrition simple, and we dive into many listener questions, ranging from progressive overload to nutrition and workouts.  This conversation with my personal trainer is truly impactful, one that many of you have been asking for. I know you will enjoy it as much as I did while recording it. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: How women's nutritional needs and exercise tolerance change at different life stages How to control your carbohydrate intake without necessarily being ketogenic Linda shares her approach to strength training How our mindsets and self-expectations influence strength training experience How functional movement can help older adults maintain their independence and prevent falls Why combining a ketogenic diet with cardio can hinder achieving the results you want The benefits of eating protein before or after exercise The importance of staying well-hydrated and taking supplements to support your energy and recovery How celebrating small wins and practicing self-kindness can strengthen your mindset and improve your long-term progress 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 Linda Alexander On her website ⁠Instagram⁠ and⁠ Facebook⁠

I am thrilled to have Dr. Ken Berry joining me on the podcast for the third time today. He was with me before on episodes 111 and 139. Dr. Berry is a physician, best-selling author, and passionate health advocate with a no-nonsense approach to health and wellness. He has been practicing at the Berry Clinics since 2003 and is an active community member. He has written two books, Lies My Doctor Told Me and the recently published Kicking Ass After Fifty, in addition to various other resources, including Common Sense Labs Today. He also has a YouTube channel, serving over 2 million subscribers- one of my favorite go-to resources for my patients.  In our conversation today, we dive into the latest Lancet research on the impact of a diabetes diagnosis on life expectancy, along with insights from the American Diabetes Association regarding the costs of diabetes care. We discuss the need for proper diagnostic modalities to identify insulin resistance earlier and the labs Dr. Berry uses in his practice for identifying those at risk. We explore the recently recognized American Heart Association syndrome, CKM (Cardiovascular Kidney Metabolic Syndrome), and the role of GLP agonists, continuous glucose monitors, and glucometers. Dr. Berry also shares his views on plant-based diets, proper diets, and more.  IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN: Why does metabolic health continue to deteriorate in most of the general population?  The staggering amount of disposable plastic used within the healthcare industry The importance of fasting insulin levels when diagnosing metabolic disease Why are blood tests essential for determining metabolic health? The benefits of glucometers and continuous glucose monitors for metabolic health How Dr. Berry’s health improved after following a specific diet and measuring his lab results for a month How misinformation gets spread within the health and wellness industry Why are doctors not informing their patients about the absence of long-term studies and deluding them with false information? The long-term effects of Semaglutide on the body  How a proper diet can naturally lower lipid levels The limitations of the germ model for treating chronic diseases  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. Ken Berry On ⁠YouTube⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠ ⁠Twitter⁠ Dr. Berry’s books ⁠Lies My Doctor Told Me⁠  ⁠Kicking Ass After 50⁠    ⁠Common Sense Labs⁠  Dr. Berry’s Private Community ⁠Phdhealth.community⁠ Medical News article Mentioned ⁠Here’s What to Know About Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome, Newly Defined by the AHA ⁠  Previous Episodes Featuring Dr. Ken Berry ⁠Ep. 111 – Is The Keto Diet The Proper Human Diet? – with Dr. Ken Berry⁠ ⁠Ep. 139 – Hyperinsulinemia: What You Should Know About This National Health Crisis with Dr. Ken Berry

Today, I am thrilled to connect with Dr. Kellyann Niotis, a fellowship-trained preventive neurologist specializing in risk reduction strategies for neurodegenerative disorders. Dr. Niotis completed her medical internship and neurology residency at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center. She is passionate about preventive neurology, especially as it relates to advocacy, policy changes, and improving access to care and education. In our discussion, we explore the memory changes and brain fog that occur during perimenopause, and the fear of neurocognitive changes. We look at screening, testing, and labs, examine the effects of alcohol on brain health, and how estrogen is often framed as a reproductive hormone despite its role as a brain fuel regulator. We also clarify why caring for ourselves in midlife is essential for our long-term brain health, outlining the risk factors for neurocognitive changes, the role of neuroplasticity, and how lifestyle factors and loneliness collectively impact brain health and longevity. This is an exciting and evolving area of neurology, and I am truly grateful to share Dr. Niotis’s expertise and insights with the Everyday Wellness community. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: How hormone fluctuations in perimenopause impact women’s cognition and brain function The early signs that can help us distinguish menopausal cognitive changes from age-related decline or Alzheimer’s How sleep quality (not just duration) profoundly affects neurocognitive health How vascular health and cholesterol influence long-term risk for cognitive decline and dementia How neuroplasticity and lifestyle interventions can support ongoing brain adaptation Why hearing loss is a major, under-recognized modifiable risk factor for dementia The value of exercise, especially high-intensity interval training, for growing new brain cells How estrogen and progesterone affect women’s brain health  Why too much data tracking can harm your brain health 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 Kellyann Niotis Instagram Website

We have another Midlife Minute episode today, dedicated to a single theme, where I answer listener questions one at a time in a concise and focused format. Join me today as we dive into HRT and sleep issues. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: How persistent vasomotor symptoms can continue to disrupt sleep, even once hormone levels are optimized Different types of hormones and delivery methods can impact sleep quality. Why we tend to get sleepy earlier in the evening and wake up earlier in the morning as we age Estrogen and progesterone impact sleep quality in different ways. How chronic underlying stress, anxiety, and mood issues impact sleep quality The value of cognitive behavioral therapy and structured insomnia interventions 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 ⁠⁠https://themidlifepause.com/products/mlp-inositol⁠⁠