Episodes

  • Perimenopause Power: Your Midlife Upgrade Starts Now

    Perimenopause Power: Your Midlife Upgrade Starts Now
    Feb 4 2026
    This is your Women's Health Podcast podcast.

    Welcome to the Women's Health Podcast, where we empower you to own every phase of your incredible journey. I'm your host, and today we're diving into perimenopause, that powerful transition before menopause when your body shifts gears, typically starting in your 40s. It's not just hot flashes and mood swings; it's your chance to reclaim control and thrive. According to experts like Dr. Mary Claire Haver from The Galveston Diet and Dr. Stacy Sims, exercise physiologist extraordinaire, perimenopause brings fluctuating hormones like estrogen and progesterone, sparking symptoms from night sweats to brain fog.

    Picture this: You're in a meeting, suddenly a wave of heat crashes over you, but instead of shrinking back, you breathe deep, knowing you've got tools. Dr. Sims teaches us women aren't small men, so skip those grueling fasted workouts that drain you. Opt for short, intense sessions post-meal, like 12-minute strength circuits with weights, to boost metabolism and hormones. Pair it with a protein-rich breakfast, think Greek yogurt with berries, to stabilize energy and curb cravings.

    Now, imagine chatting with our guest expert, Dr. Ashley Barker from the Health and Her Podcast. Dr. Barker, what are the top three symptoms listeners report, and how can they track them for self-advocacy? She'd say hot flashes, sleep disruptions, and anxiety top the list—use apps like Clue or a simple journal to log them, then share with your doctor. Dr. Barker, is hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, safe for most? Absolutely, she explains; modern HRT via patches, gels, or vaginal rings from providers like those at Essentia Health restores balance, slashing hot flashes by up to 80 percent and protecting bones and heart, per recent Lancet studies. But personalize it—non-hormonal options like SSRIs or fezolinetant work wonders too.

    Dr. Barker, how does cognitive behavioral therapy fit in? CBT, as highlighted by Raveco Health, rewires negative thoughts, building resilience against mood dips. Add pelvic floor exercises for intimacy and bladder control, plus stress busters like yoga.

    Listeners, empowerment means demanding to be heard—no more gaslighting. Join communities like those on Blooming Leaf Counseling forums or SWHR's Menopause Toolkit. Lifestyle wins from Katie Ostrom MD: prioritize sleep, Mediterranean eats with omega-3s from salmon, and 30 minutes daily walks.

    Key takeaways: Track symptoms, demand tailored HRT or alternatives, train smart like Dr. Sims advises, seek CBT for mindset shifts, and build your circle. You're not declining; you're evolving into your strongest self.

    Thank you for tuning in, listeners. Subscribe now for more empowerment. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

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    3 mins
  • Women's Health Podcast: The Perimenopause Power Guide - Taking Control of Your Transition

    Women's Health Podcast: The Perimenopause Power Guide - Taking Control of Your Transition
    Feb 2 2026
    This is your Women's Health Podcast podcast.

    Welcome to Women's Health Podcast, where we talk about the changes that matter to you. Today, we're diving into perimenopause, that often-misunderstood transition that happens before menopause officially begins.

    Perimenopause can feel like your body is speaking a language you don't understand yet. Hot flashes, mood swings, sleep disruptions, and irregular periods become your new normal. But here's what matters: understanding what's happening gives you power over your own health journey.

    Let's start with what perimenopause actually is. It's the transition period where your body begins producing less estrogen and progesterone. This phase can last anywhere from a few months to over a decade, and every woman experiences it differently. Some notice changes in their twenties, while others don't experience them until their forties or fifties.

    The symptoms you might encounter include hot flashes, which can feel sudden and intense, vaginal dryness that affects comfort and intimacy, sleep disruptions that leave you exhausted, mood changes ranging from anxiety to depression, and cognitive shifts that make you feel foggy. You might also experience changes in urinary health and shifts in your metabolism.

    Now, let's talk about what you can actually do. Making lifestyle changes can be enough to manage symptoms for many women. A healthy diet, regular exercise, proper stress management, and getting enough sleep form the foundation of feeling better. These aren't just bandages; they address root causes of imbalance.

    If lifestyle changes alone don't provide relief, there are medical options. Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, remains one of the most effective treatments available. It comes in many forms: patches, gels, pills, and vaginal creams. HRT restores hormonal balance and substantially reduces hot flashes, vaginal symptoms, and mood disturbances.

    For those who cannot use hormones, other options exist. Low-dose antidepressants can help with mood fluctuations and hot flashes. Some newer medications are also becoming available. Botanical medicines like black cohosh and evening primrose oil support hormone balance naturally for some women.

    Beyond medical treatments, holistic approaches matter too. Acupuncture may help with hot flashes. Craniosacral therapy encourages deep relaxation and shifts your nervous system from stress mode into rest mode. Pelvic floor exercises strengthen bladder control and address urinary concerns. Supplementation with magnesium, B vitamins, and vitamin D eases symptoms and supports hormone regulation.

    The most important piece? Seek personalized care. Your perimenopause journey is uniquely yours. Consulting healthcare providers who specialize in women's health ensures you get advice tailored to your specific situation, considering your symptom severity and personal preferences. Building a support network including medical professionals, support groups, and trusted friends provides essential emotional and practical assistance.

    Education empowers you to advocate for your own health confidently. Understanding perimenopause deeply means you can make informed treatment decisions and feel in control of this transition.

    Thank you for tuning in to Women's Health Podcast. I encourage you to subscribe so you never miss an episode about your health and wellbeing.

    This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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    3 mins
  • Perimenopause Power: Your Body's Roar Era Starts Now

    Perimenopause Power: Your Body's Roar Era Starts Now
    Feb 1 2026
    This is your Women's Health Podcast podcast.

    Welcome to the Women's Health Podcast, where we empower you to own every phase of your incredible journey. I'm your host, empowering women just like you to thrive through perimenopause. Today, we're diving into this transformative time, turning confusion into confidence.

    Picture this: you're in your 40s, juggling career, family, and that inner fire that's always driven you. Suddenly, hot flashes hit like a summer storm, nightsweats soak the sheets, moods swing wildly, and sleep becomes a distant memory. According to the Mayo Clinic, perimenopause is your body's transition to menopause, marked by dropping estrogen levels causing irregular periods, vaginal dryness, brain fog, joint pain, low libido, bone loss, and even abdominal fat gain. PubMed research confirms these vasomotor symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats peak in the first four to seven years but can linger over a decade, while genitourinary issues worsen progressively. You're not alone, listener—most women worldwide face this, yet it's undertreated.

    But here's your power move: knowledge and action. Imagine chatting with Dr. Stacy Sims, the exercise physiologist behind books like Roar and The Next Level, who shattered myths on the Mel Robbins Podcast. Dr. Sims would tell you, "Women are not small men." Ditch the bro-science workouts; during perimenopause, fuel with protein and iron-rich plants upon waking, even if you're not hungry, to combat that tired-wired feeling. Pair short, intense strength sessions with recovery walks—her research shows this builds resilience against hormone shifts, slashing hot flash intensity and boosting metabolic health.

    Now, for treatments that reclaim your vitality. The NHS and Mayo Clinic agree hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, is the gold standard—estrogen via patches, gels, sprays, pills, or implants eases hot flashes, mood swings, vaginal discomfort, and even cuts risks of osteoporosis and heart disease. If you have a uterus, add progesterone as combined HRT or via an intrauterine system like Mirena. For vaginal dryness causing pain during sex or UTIs, low-dose vaginal estrogen creams, tablets, or rings deliver relief locally. Can't do hormones? Fezolinetant, or Veozah, blocks brain pathways triggering hot flashes, per Mayo Clinic. Antidepressants like SSRIs, gabapentin, or oxybutynin help too, alongside cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety, sleep woes, and pain. Jean Hailes experts emphasize complementary wins: yoga, mindfulness, acupuncture, hypnosis, and weight loss to tame symptoms naturally.

    Listener, perimenopause isn't decline—it's your roar era. Key takeaways: Track symptoms, consult your GP for personalized HRT if under 60 and within 10 years of menopause onset, as PubMed notes its favorable benefit-risk ratio. Exercise like Dr. Sims prescribes, prioritize protein, and destigmatize this power surge. You've got the strength to navigate it all.

    Thank you for tuning in, empowering yourself today. Subscribe now for more life-changing episodes. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

    For more http://www.quietplease.ai


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    3 mins
  • Perimenopause Power: Why Your 40s Fitness Routine Needs a Total Rewrite

    Perimenopause Power: Why Your 40s Fitness Routine Needs a Total Rewrite
    Jan 31 2026
    This is your Women's Health Podcast podcast.

    Welcome to the Women's Health Podcast, where we empower you to own every stage of your incredible journey. I'm your host, and today we're diving into perimenopause—the powerful transition before menopause that can bring hot flashes, mood swings, irregular periods, night sweats, brain fog, and sleep disruptions. This phase, often starting in your 40s, lasts years as estrogen levels fluctuate, but it's not a decline; it's your cue to rise stronger. According to experts like Dr. Stacy Sims, a pioneering exercise physiologist and author of Roar and The Next Level, women are not small men—our bodies demand tailored strategies for thriving.

    Imagine waking up tired but wired, just like the busy mom Dr. Sims describes in her Mel Robbins Podcast interview: juggling kids, career, and hormones in her mid-50s. She busts the myth of one-size-fits-all fitness, urging us to fuel with protein and collagen in the morning, sprint instead of steady cardio, and train fasted to build resilience. Perimenopause empowers you to rethink exercise—short, high-intensity bursts preserve muscle and boost metabolism, countering the fatigue many feel.

    Let's bring in our imagined expert chat with Dr. Stacy Sims. Dr. Sims, listeners are powering through brain fog and anxiety—how can they exercise like women to reclaim energy? She'd say: Skip the long runs that spike cortisol; opt for 20-minute sessions of weights and HIIT, three times weekly, to stabilize hormones and sharpen focus. What about nutrition during this shift? Prioritize 30 grams of protein at breakfast—think eggs, Greek yogurt with berries—to curb cravings and support bone health, as fluctuating estrogen risks density loss.

    For those hot flashes hitting at night, Dr. Roni Farriss, MD, from her work on navigating perimenopause, highlights options like hormone replacement therapy, or HRT—now often called menopausal hormone therapy or MHT. It replaces declining estrogen and progesterone, easing symptoms for many, but always weigh benefits and risks with your doctor, as noted by Katie Ostrom, MD. Non-hormonal paths shine too: SSRIs like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors help mood and flashes per HelloClue research, while lifestyle wins big. Every Mother recommends a holistic mix—regular exercise, stress-busters like yoga, nutrient-rich diets with phytoestrogens from soy and flaxseeds, and quality sleep routines.

    Self-advocacy is your superpower, as Blooming Leaf Counseling urges: Track symptoms in a journal, join online communities for sisterhood, and push back against dismissal. The Lancet's empowerment model, led by Andrea LaCroix, PhD, makes you an equal partner—demand balanced info on MHT versus naturopathic supplements like black cohosh or magnesium.

    Key takeaways to empower you now: One, educate and track—knowledge from Jean Hailes Foundation podcasts normalizes it all. Two, move smart with Dr. Sims' woman-first workouts. Three, nourish boldly—protein-forward meals stabilize everything. Four, explore treatments openly, from MHT to mindfulness. Five, build your circle—share stories to shatter silence.

    You're not just surviving perimenopause; you're unleashing your next level of strength. Thank you for tuning in, listeners—subscribe now for more empowerment. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

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    4 mins
  • Navigating the Night Sweats: Your Guide Through the Perimenopause Transition

    Navigating the Night Sweats: Your Guide Through the Perimenopause Transition
    Jan 30 2026
    This is your Women's Health Podcast podcast.

    Welcome to Women's Health Podcast, where we explore the transitions that shape your life. Today we're diving deep into perimenopause, that pivotal phase that often catches women off guard. If you've been waking up drenched in sweat at three in the morning, or feeling like your mood shifts like the weather, you're not alone. Perimenopause affects millions of women, and understanding it is your first step toward taking control.

    Let's start with what's actually happening in your body. Perimenopause is a natural transition marked by fluctuating hormone levels, and it can bring a wide range of experiences. You might notice hot flashes and night sweats that disrupt your sleep. You could experience irregular periods, mood swings, brain fog, and sleep disturbances that make you feel like you're losing your mind. But here's the truth: you're not. Your body is simply communicating that it's going through a significant change.

    Many women report feeling unheard when they try to describe these symptoms to their healthcare providers, which is why self-advocacy becomes absolutely essential. According to resources from the North American Menopause Society, understanding your symptoms and tracking them carefully gives you concrete evidence to discuss with your doctor. Keep a symptom journal noting when hot flashes occur, their severity, and any patterns you notice. This simple tool transforms vague complaints into clear medical data.

    When it comes to managing perimenopause, you have options. Menopausal Hormone Therapy, previously called Hormone Replacement Therapy, can effectively ease hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness by restoring hormone levels. However, it's not suitable for everyone, and decisions about its use should be made individually with your healthcare provider, considering both benefits and risks. If hormones aren't right for you, non-hormonal medications like certain antidepressants and blood pressure medications can help manage symptoms.

    Beyond medications, lifestyle modifications create powerful change. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and stress management techniques like yoga or meditation play crucial roles in reducing symptoms and improving overall wellbeing. Dr. Stacy Sims, a pioneering exercise physiologist, emphasizes that women are not small men, meaning your approach to fitness and nutrition during perimenopause should be tailored to your unique physiology rather than generic advice.

    Community support matters more than you might think. Connecting with other women navigating perimenopause through online forums or local support networks provides validation and practical advice that healthcare providers alone cannot offer. You're not isolated in this experience, and sharing your journey empowers others while strengthening your own resilience.

    Remember, perimenopause is not an illness but a natural transition that deserves your attention and respect. By educating yourself, advocating for your needs, and embracing both medical and lifestyle strategies, you can navigate this phase with confidence and maintain your health and quality of life.

    Thank you for tuning in to Women's Health Podcast. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode exploring the full spectrum of women's wellness. This has been a Quiet Please production. For more, check out quietplease dot ai.

    For more http://www.quietplease.ai


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    3 mins
  • Reclaim Your Roar: The Perimenopause Power Guide for Women Who Refuse to Dim Their Light

    Reclaim Your Roar: The Perimenopause Power Guide for Women Who Refuse to Dim Their Light
    Jan 28 2026
    This is your Women's Health Podcast podcast.

    Welcome to the Women's Health Podcast, where we empower you to own every phase of your incredible journey. I'm your host, and today we're diving into perimenopause—the powerful transition that can feel like a storm but is really your body's call to reclaim strength and vitality. Listeners, you've got this; let's turn challenges into triumphs.

    Perimenopause often starts in your 40s, with fluctuating hormones bringing hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, brain fog, irregular periods, and sleep disruptions. Dr. Stacy Sims, the exercise physiologist behind books like Roar and Next Level, reminds us women are not small men—our bodies demand tailored approaches, especially now. According to experts at Jean Hailes and Premier OBGYN of Ridgewood, this phase lasts years until menopause, but knowledge is your superpower.

    Imagine chatting with Dr. Stacy Sims herself. I'd ask: Dr. Sims, why do standard workouts backfire during perimenopause, and how can listeners train like fierce women—short, high-intensity bursts with protein post-workout to build muscle and steady moods? She'd say fuel with plants and protein, skip morning fasted cardio, and embrace evening sessions when cortisol dips. Next question: What nutrition hacks combat the tired-but-wired feeling? Answer: Prioritize iron-rich foods, collagen, and 30 grams of protein at breakfast to stabilize blood sugar and energy.

    For medical insights, picture Dr. Richard Levine from Premier OBGYN sharing: How does hormone replacement therapy, or HRT—now often called menopausal hormone therapy—ease hot flashes and vaginal dryness without the old fears? He'd explain it's safe for many when personalized, backed by recent Lancet series advocating empowerment over overmedicalization. I'd probe: For those skipping hormones, what about non-hormonal options like SSRIs for mood or lifestyle tweaks? Dr. Levine and Every Mother experts agree: Yoga, meditation, balanced diets, and stress management slash symptoms dramatically.

    Listeners, empowerment means advocating—no more gaslighting. Track symptoms in apps like Clue, join communities on forums or social groups, and demand shared decisions with your doctor, as urged by UCSD's Andrea LaCroix. Build resilience: Exercise regularly like Dr. Sims preaches, nourish with whole foods per Katie Ostrom MD's advice, and lean on therapy for brain fog.

    Key takeaways to thrive: One, move your body women-style—vigorous, fueled efforts build bone density and confidence. Two, explore HRT or alternatives like antidepressants with your provider for relief. Three, prioritize sleep, stress tools, and community—you're not alone. Four, self-advocate; this is your season to roar louder.

    Thank you for tuning in, empowered warriors. Subscribe now for more life-changing episodes. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

    For more http://www.quietplease.ai


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    3 mins
  • Midlife Power Shift: Your Guide to Thriving Through Perimenopause

    Midlife Power Shift: Your Guide to Thriving Through Perimenopause
    Jan 26 2026
    This is your Women's Health Podcast podcast.

    Welcome to the Women's Health Podcast, where we empower you to own every phase of your incredible journey. I'm your host, Mia Reynolds, and today we're diving into perimenopause—the powerful transition that kicks off in your mid-40s, bringing hormone shifts that can feel like a wild ride but also unlock your next level of strength.

    Picture this: irregular periods, hot flashes that hit like summer lightning, night sweats soaking your sheets, mood swings that test your patience, and maybe some brain fog or sleep struggles. According to experts at Hello Clue, these symptoms start as estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate wildly before menopause fully arrives. But here's the empowerment truth: perimenopause isn't a crisis; it's your body's natural evolution, and you're equipped to thrive through it.

    Let's bring in our guest expert, Dr. Andrea LaCroix, Distinguished Professor at the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health, whose research in The Lancet champions an empowerment approach to menopause care. Dr. LaCroix, welcome. Tell our listeners, what does perimenopause really mean for women's bodies, and why should we reframe it as a time of growth?

    Dr. LaCroix: Absolutely, Mia. Perimenopause typically begins in the mid-40s and lasts four to eight years. It's when ovaries produce less estrogen, leading to those symptoms. But viewing it as an illness steals our power—instead, it's a phase where we partner with our doctors for shared decisions, gaining control over our health.

    Mia: Spot on. Dr. LaCroix, many listeners battle hot flashes and mood dips—what are the top evidence-based strategies? Walk us through hormone options and lifestyle wins.

    Dr. LaCroix: Great question. Menopausal hormone therapy, or MHT—formerly HRT—is highly effective for hot flashes and night sweats, restoring hormones safely for many women when started early, as my research shows. Non-hormonal options like SSRIs, per Hello Clue, ease symptoms too. Lifestyle is key: regular exercise like yoga or strength training from Every Mother reduces flashes and boosts mood; a Mediterranean diet supports hormone balance; and stress busters like mindfulness meditation build resilience. At Premier OBGYN of Ridgewood, Dr. Richard Levine echoes this—tailored plans empower you.

    Mia: Love that holistic vibe. Final question: how can listeners advocate for themselves?

    Dr. LaCroix: Speak up! Track symptoms, ask about risks and benefits of MHT, and demand personalized care. Knowledge is your superpower.

    Mia: Dr. LaCroix, thank you for lighting the path. Listeners, your key takeaways: Embrace perimenopause as empowerment—one, track symptoms and chat with your provider about MHT or non-hormonal meds; two, move daily with yoga or walks to slash hot flashes; three, eat nutrient-rich like the Mediterranean way and prioritize sleep; four, practice stress relief to steady moods. You're not just surviving—you're rising stronger, with wisdom and vitality.

    Thank you for tuning in to the Women's Health Podcast. Subscribe now for more episodes that fuel your fire. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

    For more http://www.quietplease.ai


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    3 mins
  • Perimenopause Power: Your Calgary Guide to Mastering the Change with Dr. Jenkins

    Perimenopause Power: Your Calgary Guide to Mastering the Change with Dr. Jenkins
    Jan 25 2026
    This is your Women's Health Podcast podcast.

    Welcome to the Women's Health Podcast, where we empower you to own every stage of your incredible journey. I'm your host, empowering women like you through perimenopause, that wild transition phase before menopause hits, often starting in your 40s with irregular periods, hot flashes, mood swings, and sleep disruptions, as explained by the Mayo Clinic.

    Imagine this: You're powering through your day, suddenly a wave of heat crashes over you like a summer storm. That's perimenopause talking, ladies—your body's estrogen levels fluctuating, signaling the shift to menopause. But here's the power move: Knowledge is your superpower. Today, we're diving deep, imagining a chat with Dr. Sarah Jenkins, a renowned menopause specialist from the Canadian Menopause Society.

    Dr. Jenkins, welcome. First, what empowers women most about understanding perimenopause symptoms? "Absolutely, listeners," she'd say, "hot flashes and night sweats affect up to 80% of us, per Cleveland Clinic data, but recognizing irregular cycles and vaginal dryness early lets you take charge." Spot on. Tell us about treatments—hormone therapy sounds daunting. "Hormone therapy, like systemic estrogen via pill, patch, or gel from Mayo Clinic recommendations, is the gold standard for hot flashes, especially with progestogen if you have a uterus. It fights bone loss too, but we weigh risks like blood clots personally."

    Fascinating. For those skipping hormones? "Non-hormonal champs include Fezolinetant, or Veozah, blocking brain heat signals per Mayo Clinic, plus antidepressants like SSRIs, gabapentin for flashes and sleep, or oxybutynin. Lifestyle wins big: Weight loss slashes flashes, yoga and mindfulness ease stress, as Canadian Menopause Society notes." Love that empowerment—small changes, massive impact.

    Dr. Jenkins, genitourinary syndrome of menopause, or GSM—dryness and discomfort down there? "Local fixes shine: Vaginal estrogen creams, rings, or prasterone ovules from SOGC guidelines, plus lubricants. Cognitive behavioral therapy and hypnosis build coping skills for mood and sleep."

    One more: Daily habits? "Exercise, balanced meals, stress reduction—pillars from Pillars of Wellness—turn symptoms into strengths."

    Thank you, Dr. Jenkins, for lighting our path.

    Key takeaways to claim your power: Track symptoms and chat with your doctor—no tests needed usually, per Alberta Health. Prioritize hormone therapy if suitable, or non-hormonal options like Veozah and SSRIs. Embrace acupuncture, yoga, CBT, or hypnosis for low-risk relief, backed by Mayo Clinic and Canadian Menopause Society. Lifestyle shifts—regular exercise, weight management, stress-busting meditation—amplify everything. You're not fading; you're evolving into your strongest self.

    Listeners, thank you for tuning in. Subscribe now for more empowerment on your health journey. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai.

    For more http://www.quietplease.ai


    Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta

    This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
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    3 mins