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

Today, I’m delighted to connect with Wade Lightheart, a certified sports nutritionist advisor and the president/director of education and co-founder of BIOptimizers. Wade is a three-time national natural bodybuilding champion who came out of retirement at 50 to win the Open Men’s and Grand Master’s Categories at the INBA Ironman International competition.

In our conversation, we explore how modern lifestyle habits affect sleep, digestion, mood, and overall metabolic health, as well as the often-overlooked role of magnesium in supporting the nervous system, energy production, and restorative sleep. We also share some practical ways to improve your digestion, stabilize your blood sugar levels, and rebuild your nutrient reserves.

Stay tuned for today’s insightful and informative discussion with Wade Lightheart, the co-founder of BIOptimizers.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:


The role of magnesium in sleep physiology


How sleep chronotypes shape our unique sleep requirements


How current lifestyle factors can contribute to magnesium depletion and increased nervous system activation


The connection between low magnesium levels and issues with mood, stress tolerance, and sleep


How our enzyme secretion and digestive processes become disrupted when we are constantly in fight-or-flight mode


Digestive issues that could indicate low stomach acid or enzyme deficiencies


How hormonal changes during perimenopause can influence women’s digestive processes


How protein and fiber help to slow carbohydrate absorption and support more stable blood sugar levels


How nutrient depletion tends to happen gradually, not all at once

Bio: 

Wade T. Lightheart is a Certified Sports Nutritionist Advisor, president/director of education, and co-founder of BIOptimizers. As a plant-based, drug-free athlete for more than two decades, Wade is a three-time National Natural Bodybuilding Champion who, by age 31, competed in both the IFBB Mr. Universe and the INBA Natural Olympia. At the age of 50, Wade came out of retirement to win the Open Men’s and Grand Master’s Categories at the INBA Ironman International, then competed at the PNBA Natural Olympia. Six months later, Wade successfully ran his first marathon in four hours.

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 Wade Lightheart


Bioptimizers-use the code CYNTHIA15 for 15% off


On Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube


The Ultimate Nutrition Bible

I’m thrilled to have Dr. Felice Gersh join me for a two-part conversation focusing on menopause and HRT. She is a prolific voice in the integrative gynecology space, a true mentor, and someone I respect enormously.

In the first part today, we dive into progesterone and its wide-ranging systemic effects. We unpack the differences between synthetic and bioidentical hormones, discuss the Women's Health Initiative, examine the role of progesterone in cardiovascular disease, and look at the importance of nitric oxide production. We explore ovarian senescence and how we accelerate our ovarian aging. Dr. Gersh explains how declining nitric oxide production relates to aging and shares ways to achieve optimal health during menopause. We also discuss how PCOS impacts fertility and longevity, how estradiol and progesterone modulate neurotransmitters, and how they impact brain health and cognition in perimenopause and menopause.

This is truly a conversation you will not want to miss. Be sure to stay tuned for my second discussion with the insightful Dr. Felice Gersh.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:


The value of progesterone beyond simply protecting the uterine lining


What progesterone does that synthetic progestins cannot do


How the risks and side effects of synthetic progestins unfairly tarnished the reputation of progesterone


How progesterone supports nitric oxide signaling and vascular health


The essential role progesterone plays in stabilizing the nervous system


The role of progesterone in supporting mitochondrial function, musculoskeletal health, and connective tissue repair


Symptoms that could appear or worsen when progesterone levels are low


Dr. Gersh reframes ovarian aging as a core marker of aging in women 


Factors that could impair ovarian function and 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. Felice Gersh


On her website: Integrative Medical Group of Irvine


Instagram


All of Dr. Gersh’s books are available on Amazon.

Welcome to this week’s Midlife Minute episode.

Today’s podcast kicks off a three-part series exploring the fiber gap in midlife.

Although fiber is neither glamorous nor trendy, and not particularly exciting, it is one of the most powerful tools we have to support our metabolism, gut health, and hormones in midlife.

Stay tuned for more!

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:


Fiber is critical for women in perimenopause and menopause!


How the insufficient fiber intake of the average American may be increasing the prevalence of colorectal cancer in younger individuals


How fiber affects gut motility, blood sugar stability, cholesterol levels, and satiety


Why fiber is not only for digestion but also for metabolic and hormonal regulation


How fiber supports our gut health


How fiber can help in reducing factors associated with increased autoimmune risk


Some common misconceptions about fiber debunked


Practical tips for improving your fiber consumption

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

Download Cynthia’s 10 Fiber-Rich Carbohydrates that Support Midlife Metabolism List HERE.

Research Links

Relation of dietary fat and fiber to elevation of C-reactive protein

Cholesterol-lowering effects of dietary fiber: a meta-analysis

The effect of fiber on satiety and food intake: a systematic review

The emergence of the metabolic syndrome with menopause

The effect of dietary fat and fiber on serum estrogen concentrations in premenopausal women under controlled dietary conditions

From Dietary Fiber to Host Physiology: Short-Chain Fatty Acids as Key Bacterial Metabolites

The Impact of Dietary Fiber on Gut Microbiota in Host Health and Disease

Dietary fiber and body weight

I am thrilled to reconnect with Dr. Izabella Wentz today. She is a pioneering clinical pharmacist and best-selling author, with a passion for identifying the root causes of complex health conditions. She has consulted on 1000s of difficult cases, and her upcoming book is called IBS: Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

In today’s conversation, we explore relevant statistics, dietary triggers, and specific labs that can be helpful when navigating an IBS diagnosis. We highlight red flags, examine the impact of fiber, the intricate connection between short-chain fatty acids and thyroid health, and how stress, trauma, and the nervous system affect gut health. Dr. Wentz also offers some practical strategies and answers a series of rapid-fire questions.

Dr. Wentz’s latest book offers a fascinating exploration of IBS, guiding readers through diagnosis and treatment options, and empowering them to advocate for themselves.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:


How IBS is often given as a diagnosis without any lab testing or further investigation


Some of the lesser-known dietary IBS triggers, and how IBS-type symptoms can sometimes signal an entirely different underlying condition


How digestive dysfunction can drive IBS symptoms


Why fiber is essential, and how to increase your fiber intake slowly to avoid any digestive distress


How stress can exacerbate IBS symptoms


Constipation as a symptom of IBS


Why most women tend to have a leaky gut


Challenges of restrictive diets and the need for a balanced approach to gut health


First steps to take when treating IBS

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. Izabella Wentz


On Instagram

Dr. Wentz’s latest book, Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, will be available for purchase on Amazon and in any reputable bookstore on March 17th.

Today, I have the honor of connecting with Temple Stewart! She is a registered dietician specializing in low-carb dieting for women’s weight loss. 

I have spoken on the stage with Temple several times over the last year, and she is delightful! In this episode, she shares her background, and we dive into how she was able to reverse her PCOS and Hashimoto’s by adopting a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet. We discuss food psychology, woke nutrition, whether “if it fits your macros” is a good philosophy, issues with the traditional allopathic nutrition model, and challenges in nutrition research. We also get into plateau busters and share five ways to measure success other than the scale. 

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:


How Temple transformed her life by using nutrition as medicine.


Which foods tend to provoke inflammation in the thyroid gland in women?


How people’s relationships with food play into the work Temple does.


Temple shares her thoughts on woke nutrition.


Temple dives into some of the big issues with the allopathic nutrition model.


I share some interesting statistics related to American health.


Creating consumer awareness will hopefully lead consumers to demand more for their health in the food supply and health care.


Why is it so challenging to do nutritional research?


Temple offers a starting point for addressing weight-loss resistance.


What carbohydrate reduction or restriction does for us metabolically.


The benefits of following a carnivore diet.


Why do we need to read food labels and become aware of where sugar may sneak into our diets?


Temple shares her favorite ways to break plateaus.


Five ways to measure success other than the scale.

 

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 Temple Stewart

On ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, ⁠Twitter⁠, and ⁠Spotify⁠ (@the.ketogenic.nutritionist)

⁠The Ketogenic Nutritionist Podcast⁠

Books mentioned:

⁠Metabolical⁠, by Robert Lustig