The Superwoman Code

Welcome to SEASON SEVEN, Superwomen! 
I'm so excited to be back in your listening ears, and I'm truly pumped for what this season is going to look like. This podcast started in 2019, pulled us all through the last seven years, and we are now entering the 147th episode, in the seventh season. Holy cow! 
Today on the podcast, I'm asking a very important question... "What if your periods could give us clues about the health you'll need to protect ten, twenty or thirty years from now — even if there was never anything "wrong" with them?"
We'll explore why hormone and reproductive health belong in the preventative-health conversation. We look at what menstrual cycles, pregnancy history, PCOS, perimenopause and menopause can tell us about cardiovascular health, metabolic health, body composition, bone and healthspan.
But this isn't an episode about looking for hormone problems. A normal menstrual history is information. An uncomplicated pregnancy is information. The timing and pattern of perimenopause are information too.
We'll look at how reproductive history can help us understand health trajectory earlier — and why something doesn't have to be wrong before it becomes useful information.
Hormones are data, not destiny. The goal is to use that data to build better preventative-health plans long before we're treating the outcomes we're trying to prevent.
RESEARCH USED IN THIS EPISODE
Global Healthspan-Lifespan Gaps Among 183 WHO Member States — Garmany & Terzic, JAMA Network Open, 2024. This is the study behind the discussion that women have a wider healthspan-lifespan gap than men. JAMA Network Open full article | PubMed
Menstrual Cycle Regularity and Length Across the Reproductive Lifespan and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease — Wang et al., JAMA Network Open, 2022; 80,630 women followed for 24 years. JAMA Network Open full article | PubMed
Menstrual Cycle Regularity and Length Across the Reproductive Lifespan and Risk of Premature Mortality — Wang et al., BMJ, 2020; 79,505 women followed prospectively. PubMed
Association Between Reproductive Life Span and Incident Nonfatal Cardiovascular Disease — Mishra et al., JAMA Cardiology, 2020; pooled data from 307,855 women. JAMA Cardiology full article | PubMed
Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Unique Opportunities for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Women — American Heart Association Scientific Statement, Circulation, 2021. PubMed
Gestational Diabetes and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis — Kramer et al., Diabetologia, 2019; more than 5.3 million women. PubMed
Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease-Related Morbidity and Mortality — systematic review/meta-analysis involving more than 13 million women. PubMed
Menopause Transition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Implications for Timing of Early Prevention — American Heart Association Scientific Statement, Circulation, 2020. This is one of the most important papers supporting the episode's preventative-health framing of perimenopause. PubMed
Are Changes in Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Midlife Women Due to Chronological Aging or to the Menopausal Transition? — SWAN; Matthews et al., JACC. The study separating age-related changes from menopause-associated changes in LDL, total cholesterol and ApoB. PubMed
Changes in Body Composition and Weight During the Menopause Transition — SWAN; Greendale et al., 2019. Fat gain accelerated and lean mass declined around the menopause transition without a corresponding acceleration in overall weight gain. PubMed
Abdominal Visceral Adipose Tissue Over the Menopause Transition and Carotid Atherosclerosis — SWAN Heart Study, 2021. PubMed
Bone Mineral Density Loss in Relation to the Final Menstrual Period — SWAN; Greendale et al., 2012. The research behind our discussion of the accelerated bone-loss window around menopause. PubMed

What does mental health really mean? Ashley sits down with Starr Cunningham, President & CEO of the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, to talk about why mental health lives in the grey, how to identify your early warning signs (hello, green/yellow/red), and why language and community—especially kindness—change the game. Starr shares her lived experience, the Foundation's community-driven grant model, and two easy ways to get involved: the Holiday Black-Tie Gala (Nov 22) and the Messages of Kindness campaign.
Our Guest Today:
Starr Cunningham (she/her) — President & CEO, Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia. Former broadcaster (23 years on TV). Mental health advocate with lived experience. Values: community, compassion, accountability.
Key Takeaways:
Mental health isn't black + white; your early warning signs are individual.

Build a circle of trust that can reflect what they notice—kindly.

Lead with language like "I've noticed…" to start safer conversations.

Community solutions work best when communities define the need.

You can support the work right now via Gala tickets and Messages of Kindness.

In this episode of The Superwoman Code, Dr. Ashley Margeson ND breaks down what perimenopause really is (hint: it's like puberty, but in reverse), why it can feel like a hormonal rollercoaster, and the symptoms that often get dismissed or overlooked. From joint pain and sleep disruptions to rage, brain fog, and anxiety spikes, you'll learn that you're not imagining it — your body is shifting.
Ashley also shares why energy feels so different during this stage, how biology collides with life load, and three practical ways to navigate perimenopause with more confidence, calm, and support.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
What perimenopause actually is, and why it can last 7–10 years.

Why hormones don't decline smoothly — and what that means for your mood, sleep, and energy.

The lesser-known symptoms of perimenopause (like joint pain, rage, and brain fog).

Why energy crashes are about more than hormones — they're about hormones + responsibility + culture.

Three practical tools: cycle tracking, nervous system support, and reframing the story.

Quotable Moments
💬 "Perimenopause is a change in your system — but you're not supposed to feel like shit as that shift happens." 💬 "Perimenopause is a rollercoaster because it's the collision of biology and life load."
Resources & Links
🎟️ Tickets to the Hormone Intelligence Event — November 6, Halifax

📲 Follow Dr. Ashley on Instagram: @drashleymargeson

👋 Meet Dr. Ashley at the Atlantic Menopause Show

Takeaway Challenge
Start tracking your symptoms this week — even if your cycle feels irregular. Notice when your energy dips, when your mood shifts, or when sleep is off. Patterns give you power — and with power, you can plan support.

Episode Summary
Ever felt like deciding what's for dinner at 4 p.m. is the hardest thing you'll do all day? That's not a sign of laziness or poor planning — it's decision fatigue. In this episode of The Superwoman Code, Dr. Ashley Margeson ND explains why your brain feels maxed out before noon, how hormones amplify that exhaustion, and the practical steps you can take to lighten the mental load.
From judges denying parole cases to the invisible mental labour of remembering bake sales and toilet paper runs, decision fatigue affects us all. But here's the good news: there are ways to reduce its impact without moving off-grid or giving up joy in your life.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
What decision fatigue actually is — and why it's not about laziness.

How tiny, everyday choices drain your "burnout bank account."

Why hormones can make decision fatigue worse in the week before your period.

The science behind irritability, procrastination, and brain fog when you're decision-depleted.

Practical strategies to reduce decision fatigue, from automating basics to cycle-aware planning.

Three simple takeaways to start protecting your brain energy right now.

Quotable Moments
💬 "Decision fatigue isn't about laziness. It's your brain hitting overdraft fees before dinner." 💬 "It's not you. It's your brain juggling decision fatigue on top of two hormones taking a nosedive." 💬 "Every simplified decision is a deposit back into your bank account."
Resources & Links
🎟️ Tickets to the Hormone Intelligence Event — November 6, Halifax

📲 Follow Dr. Ashley on Instagram: @drashleymargeson

Takeaway Challenge
This week, pick one thing to automate, one micro-rule to try, and one decision to offload. Notice how your brain feels.

Episode Summary
Ever caught yourself staring at the toaster, totally blank on whether you actually pressed the button? (Same.) That moment of mental buffering is a red flag that your burnout bank account might be in overdraft.
In this episode of The Superwoman Code, Dr. Ashley Margeson ND walks you through the four warning signs your energy reserves are running low: decision fatigue, irritability, brain fog, and emotional reactivity. With relatable stories (yes, even cold toast), science-backed explanations, and practical ways to refill your account, this conversation will help you recognize burnout signals early and respond with compassion instead of self-criticism.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
How the burnout bank account helps explain energy withdrawals and deposits.

Why decision fatigue is your brain's overdraft notice, not a character flaw.

The chemistry behind irritability when you're stressed and depleted.

Why brain fog is your body rationing energy to survival mode.

How emotional reactivity (snapping, crying, or feeling flat) is tied to capacity, not weakness.

Simple ways to start making small daily deposits to rebuild your reserves.

Quotable Moments
💬 "Decision fatigue isn't about laziness. It's literally your brain's version of overdraft fees." 💬 "Brain fog isn't a personality flaw — it's your body budgeting energy." 💬 "Small deposits compound. Thirty seconds here, five minutes there — they add up, just like pennies in a jar."
Resources & Links
🎟️ Tickets to the Hormone Intelligence Event — November 6, Halifax

👋 Connect with Dr. Lindsey & the Cornerstone Team at the Atlantic Menopause Show on October 17 in Halifax

📲 Follow Dr. Ashley on Instagram: @drashleymargeson

Takeaway Challenge
This week, notice the red flags: decision fatigue, irritability, brain fog, and emotional reactivity. Then choose one daily deposit — a walk, an earlier bedtime, a slow lunch away from your desk — and give your burnout bank account a boost.