Latest / The Bridges and Beacons Podcast / A Holistic Approach to Menopause with Judy Holt

Transcript

A Holistic Approach to Menopause with Judy Holt · The Bridges and Beacons Podcast

• 0:38
  SPEAKER_01: Hello, hello, hello, and welcome to the Mystic Nerd Squad podcast.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_01: I'm your host, Kelly Meyerson.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_01: And this episode, I'm truly excited to tackle a topic that has been on my mind and on the mind of so many people that I know, in particular women in midlife.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_01: And the topic is menopause.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_01: And so before we dive into this topic and I introduce you to my lovely guest, I just want to say as a disclaimer that the conversation that we're having today is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_01: And if you are struggling with your menopause or any medical issues as part of that, we would invite you to make sure you're seeing the professional, see a doctor, get your blood levels checked, do all of that with a physician.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_01: The things that we talk about today are things that have worked for Judy or I or have worked for Judy's clients.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_01: And we're just sharing the information, which I think is a fabulous start.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_01: So without further ado, I would like to welcome Judy Holt to the podcast.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_01: Judy, thank you so much for being here.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much, Kelly.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: Appreciate it.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_01: I this is such a great topic.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: I'm going to tell you all a little bit about Judy before we dive in.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_01: Judy Holt is a holistic health coach with over 30 years of experience.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_01: Judy is passionate about supporting others to feel their best in all areas of wellness through a reset cleanse plan.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_01: Her plan includes detoxifying cleanse with diet, mindset, and lifestyle changes.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_01: She specializes in women over 40 with menopausal and digestion challenges that are looking for natural options.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_01: Judy creates a customized daily plan that incorporates more plant-based whole food eating, supplements, fitness, and meditation, a daily sustainable self-care plan that feels right for you while moving towards body, mind, and spirit alignment.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_01: I love so much of that.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_01: Holistic health coach Judy, thank you so much for joining me again.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_01: And oh my gosh, where do we even begin on this topic?
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_01: You know what?
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna start with tell me what your story is.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_01: How did you become so interested in helping people with their menopause journey?
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: Glad you asked.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: So of course I have my own menopause journey.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: I'm currently 59.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: And when I was, when I turned 50, it was like that seemed to be the magic number of uh-oh, now there's some things that are rearing their ugly head.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: And it was, you know, the hot flashes at night, sometimes hot flashes during the day.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: But that was really about the only symptom I had.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe a little bit of belly bloating, but I was sort of thinking that's more digestive.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_00: Then I find out later, well, like it's digestive and hormonal, and they're all kind of related.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: So that will definitely be a link that I'll talk about in this uh podcast.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: But uh, so my story was mild symptoms, which were great, but they were enough to take action.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: Now, everybody's menopause story and journey is completely different.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_00: It's very unique to you, and what works for one does not necessarily work for the other.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: So, disclaimer on this, you know, you might be really happy with hormone replacement therapy, and that's working for you, great.
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not here to say, don't do this, do this.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: I'm just gonna tell you what my story was, what I recommend for my clients.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I've been very passionate about supporting women over 40 through perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause, because even though now I'm postmenopause, I had very little symptoms, but they did last for about three or four years.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: What I did have, and a lot of it was the night sweats.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: So that was just annoying, right?
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: Who does who likes being woke up at all different times of the night?
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_00: And you just sort of you feel like it's like there's no light at the end of the tunnel sometimes.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: So I already had a lot of um tools in my toolbox from being a holistic health coach and already was, you know, using good quality supplements, and I had some things that I knew would support that.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: And I've been researching it coming into it because I was already talking to a lot of women that were going through these things.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm hearing their story, I'm doing my own research, I'm doing talking to a lot of doctors and naturopaths about it and really, really gathering that information.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's really important for us to be educated because when it comes and inevitably it's going to, that's just part of a woman's journey.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, be informed and you know, start thinking about what kind of you know things you'd be willing to do that feel comfortable for you.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_00: So I knew that hormone replacement therapy was 100% not for me.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: I did not want to go anything to do with medication.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_00: Does that mean that that's good for you?
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: No, not necessarily, but for me it was.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: So I was already, you know, thinking, okay, my tools are.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: I've got some supplements that will help.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: I know that I'm gonna, you know, be eliminating things like red wine and chocolate in the evening because as soon as I took those out, there was less hot flashes at night, caffeine, you know, all the things that typically women tend to really gravitate towards.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_00: And I was hearing a lot of things from my clients about weight gain as well, and metabolism slowing down.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, inevitably, these are things that happen as we get older, but they seem to be exasperated during the menopausal phase because their estrogen levels are really out of whack.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, so also I spent a lot of time researching and learning about that and have some tips that I'll share on that as well with you today.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: So, so my story is really just working through it quite smoothly myself, uh, with natural options, lifestyle changes, diet changes, supplements.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_00: And notice how I said lifestyle first, because I really think that's where it needs to start.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: And then the mindset piece, you know, I really want to just bring to the point if you study the Japanese women, they are treated as a sacred phase of life when they are in menopause.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: So it's not like the dirty little secret, it's not the bad thing.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, not and not be thinking in your 30s and 40s, oh my God, I'm gonna have menopause.
• 6:58
  SPEAKER_00: It's gonna be so bad.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: My mother had this and my grandma had this.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: That does not mean that that's you.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: Everybody's journey is really unique and put lots of love and light going forward into that phase of life and be very mindful of things that you can do to change that thinking and that view that other people might have about it.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_00: And that will really help your experience be much more positive and just embrace it.
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, look at these Japanese women, they're treated like like you know, the spirit-wise women because they've had all this knowledge when they're past menopause or in menopause, and it's a celebrated time.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: So, how do we get back to that feeling of we're celebrating our womanhood, you know?
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: And it doesn't mean you're not gonna be a woman anymore because you're in menopause.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_00: No, you know, so just want to throw that out there.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's an important point.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_01: I love that point, and I I think it's very interesting times.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I don't know if you've seen it, but uh PBS put out a documentary um about menopause and women and doctors sharing their experiences with menopause, which is just really kind of unprecedented because I feel like when I was younger, it wasn't something that people talked about, except maybe to be like, oh ha ha ha, that's something that happens to women in their 50s, and suddenly they have night sweats and they have hot flashes and you know, it's uncomfortable, but really nothing more than that.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_01: But as I'm coming to study it from my own personal journey, learning so much more about all of the areas of your health and well-being that are truly impacted by the change that's happening and how your body responds to no longer having the presence of hormones in the body.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_01: So what have you noticed, like in terms of the conversation around menopause in more recent times, like in the past year or so?
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh, it's just exactly like you say, Kelly.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, people, uh, women are way much more uh vocal about it now, which is great.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_00: It's not the big taboo topic.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_00: I remember my mom when I was growing up, she called it the change of life.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: And the menopause word was not even used years ago.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: And I just think that's really interesting, the change of life, because really that is what it is.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_00: But but your life doesn't need it doesn't need to change in the in a bad way, right?
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: It's just adopting this newness, this new phase, this new wise woman phase, if you want to think of it that way.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_00: And uh, you know, when you look at what the definition of menopause is, I mean, briefly or basically what it is, it's like, you know, typically around any time, but they say the average is 50.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_00: Well, then there's women in like 38 that are going through menopause, and then there's women that are 58 and still having their cycle.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_00: So it's all over the place.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, this typical age range to me doesn't really mean a lot, but basically, you know, common symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, uh, deep sleep issues and weight gain, you know.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: So that's kind of what the definition is of if you're in that phase and you're not having a cycle for more than one year, okay, now I'm in menopause.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: So it's like, okay, but when was I in perimenopause?
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: And actually, when was I in menopause?
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_00: And then because if I haven't had a period for a year, doesn't that mean I'm not in menopause anymore?
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_00: Like, am I on a post?
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_00: Like, there's just a lot of like gray area around what the doctors call, you know, and I'm not trying to make fun of the medical system, but I do think it's quite funny how it's like, okay, so when am I actually in it?
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, and there's there's just a lot of things that I would love to get into if you are open to that, Kelly, about diet and nutrition and exercise, and that can really help you with the natural journey through it and uh with a holistic approach.
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I would I would love to talk about that because I mean there, as you said earlier, there's many choices and ways that people can go um in terms of managing symptoms.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_01: And I tend to agree with you about I have just been finding for the past, I'm 47, I'll be 48 at the end of this month.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_01: I've been finding for the past few years that um there are just some things that don't serve me anymore.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_01: So, like, um for example, um, a lot of sugar doesn't serve me very well.
• 13:02
  SPEAKER_01: Uh coffee, more than just like a cup a day, doesn't really serve me.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_01: Wine, any kind of alcohol.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_01: I've actually stopped drinking alcohol entirely because I just felt like it does not really serve me.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_01: I don't feel good.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_01: It's not good for my system.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I find that it's more sleep disruptive.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so those things I've felt I've made some choices to to cut things out that I find are not really adding any nutritional value and to really shift my mindset about food being fuel versus, you know, really going for those things that are just like feeding my feelings, which I would have done in the past.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_01: So, like baking a bunch of chocolate chip cookies and testing one from every tray that goes in and out of the oven, you know, I find those kinds of things not serving me.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_01: I don't feel well.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I'm more interested in waking up and feeling really energized and motivated and excited for the day and not waking up and be like, why did I eat that last night?
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_00: 100% agree with that.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_00: I love how you mentioned, Kelly, about food is fuel and just really changing your thinking about it.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's not like I have to cook dinner.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: It's I get to cook a nutritious meal and I'm gonna enjoy it with my family or, you know, whoever.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, just looking at food as um fuel for your body in all areas and also, you know, your brain health and balancing your hormones and keeping your digestion functioning properly by choosing more of a plant-based whole food diet, you know, foods that are rich in phytoestrogens, so things like soy and flaxseed and are really helpful for balancing hormones.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_00: Now, some people have soy allergies, I get that.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_00: So then there's natural options, there's pea proteins, you know, a variety of things.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but the phytoestrogens are really something I'd love to just uh touch on just really quickly because phytoestrogens come from soy, but they don't, they're not really very present in very in soy that's really processed.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_00: So you don't want to get your like a lot of soy from soy milk and tofu and things like that.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_00: There's nothing wrong with eating that, just I wouldn't expect to have a high phytoestrogen intake from those foods.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_00: You know, if you get a good raw organic protein powder that has high phytoestrogens from um, you know, the soy bean that hasn't had heat to extract it or alcohol to wash the beans.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: And the benefit of phytoestrogens is that they really help to balance hormones and they specifically help with hot flashes.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_00: So it's been proven, it's been clinically tested.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, also the importance of calcium and magnesium and vitamin D for bone health, because as our estrogen levels drop, you know, we're gonna notice some things with our bones.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_00: We're gonna notice, you know, a few more achy things and crampy, you know, maybe you get some cramps in your legs at night and just things like that.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_00: So that's the sign, you know, to up your calcium, up your magnesium, and look for a good quality vitamin D that's actually absorbed.
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_00: You know, the absorption is really key.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_00: Don't be taking a bunch of things unless you know they're being absorbed.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_00: So doing your yearly blood work so you have a measurement and you know what your levels are is really important.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_00: And then foods to avoid.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_00: And we talked about caffeine before, uh, sugar, huge, huge, huge, huge.
• 16:28
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I just can't even say enough about sugar and what it's doing to us.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_00: It's like the silent killer, really.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_00: It's causing inflammation and you know, and then it's just it's in everything, right?
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_00: So you start reading labels and you start becoming aware, and you're just like, holy smokes, like I'm cutting out half of my food right now if I take out sugar.
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_00: And unintentionally, right?
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_00: It's not like we're going to the store and going, I'm going to be buying a bunch of you know donuts and sweet things, and you know, it's coming along for the ride and sauces and you know, dips and all the things.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_00: So I really encourage you um to get into the habit, the listeners, to start making your own dips and sauces and you know, and even, you know, do we need dips and sauces?
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_00: Like lots of times we kind of like, no, we just get in the habit of thinking we do.
• 17:14
  SPEAKER_00: But if you're going to make something like that, make it yourself.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_00: Like I stopped using sugar in my baking for years ago, and it's not like I bake a lot, but I'll make my own whole healthy muffins with no sugar and no gluten.
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_00: And I know what's in it.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_00: They don't have high fat, and I feel good when I eat a muffin.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of something bought in a store, you know, it's like you mentioned Kelly, like listen to your body.
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_00: How is it feeling?
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: If it's feeling crappy afterwards, and the next day you're waking up, it feels like you're having a hangover, and it might not be from alcohol, it might be from the meal you ate last night that was, you know, rich in sugar, high fat, or pasta, or things like that.
• 17:49
  SPEAKER_00: So just be really aware that a lot of these things can really trigger hot flashes and worsen, worsen your symptoms.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_00: And the three big culprits are caffeine, sugar, and alcohol.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_00: The other one is processed foods and a high sodium diet.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_00: So typically, high sodium diets come from processed foods, packaged foods, things like that.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_00: Again, a lot of things coming along for the ride: sugar and high salt.
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, we need salt.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_00: Our body needs good, like Celtic sea salt, things like that, but it doesn't need the other kind of salt.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't need high amounts of it.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and these things will increase your bloating and your blood pressure.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, we want to try to keep our body body in balance all the time.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_00: So, what can we do?
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_00: Again, back to whole foods, plant-based foods.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_00: Our body thrives on that because that's nature.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_00: That's you know, eating from nature is what we were intended to do.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_00: Now, can we have whole, beautiful, organic, fresh vegetables all year long?
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_00: No, but we can choose to shop and find specific stores where we can get better quality than other stores.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, just be mindful of that.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think that that's such a good point.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_01: It's it is a lot of extra work.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm thinking to myself, you know, the listener is like, okay, guys, thanks for the the policing of anything fun and enjoyable.
• 19:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I, you know what?
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_01: I completely understand that.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_01: And for some people, maybe they just haven't hit the point where, like you said, like you wake up feeling like you're hungover and you didn't even drink anything the night before.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_01: And it's from the choice of food.
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_01: I will say that um I was experiencing hot flashes, and I drew a direct correlation between the amount of hot flashes I was having and how much sugar I was having.
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_01: So I did that.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_01: And the other thing I was thinking, the sneaky places that sugar shows up, um, corn syrup is one of the worst offenders.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and it is very frequently in a lot of those pre-made sauces and things.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_01: So sometimes, like a good first step, maybe for people, is read labels for things and make better choices.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_01: Like go for doing a better job most of the time.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I love batch cooking because I know a lot of people who are busy will say, like, I don't have the time every night to come home and cook a from strat from scratch, nutritious meal that has fresh vegetables that I have to prepare.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_01: Um, batch cooking is such a great way to go and investing in containers that you can stick in the freezer.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_01: And um, I even make like meals that are packaged in my freezer that I can just put in my lunch bag to take to work that I could just heat up in the microwave.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_01: And it's still going to be a very nutritious, nutrient-dense meal that I've prepared at home.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_01: Actually, spoiler alert, it's usually not me.
• 21:02
  SPEAKER_01: It's my husband who's the really good cook in my house.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_01: And who keeps us eating all of our vegetables.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so grateful.
• 21:10
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and yeah, I think it's figuring that out.
• 21:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I have another health tip.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if you've heard this one, Judy, but it's um eat what you want, but add what you need.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_01: So when you're feeling a particular craving, so maybe your craving is peanut butter.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we we ate sun butter in my house because of food allergies, but if I'm craving like some sun butter, like add to that some sliced apples, some celery, you know, get some of the nutrition that you also need, but allow yourself, you know, within reason, that sweet thing or savory thing or somewhat salty thing as a portion of what you eat, but making sure that the things that you're adding are much more nutrient dense or at least go together and create a full plate.
• 22:06
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, for sure.
• 22:07
  SPEAKER_00: No, I 100% agree with that.
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I love that term, eat what you want and add what you need.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_00: That's great.
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't coin that one, but I really heard it and I was like, I love that idea.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_01: Cause sometimes you just you really have a craving.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_01: And if you're eating healthy all the time and you're making all the good decisions, like you, like you said, you make your own from scratch muffins that are nutrient dense and don't have the sugar in them.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but you can't, you're not going to eat those necessarily every day.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_01: But every once in a while you want a little something.
• 22:42
  unknown: Yeah.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_01: But choosing to indulge without overdoing it, which I think is a problem for many of us.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_01: I know it was such a problem for me, like I said, chocolate chip cookies one after the other, fresh out of the oven.
• 22:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but giving in a little bit, yeah, and you know, I don't know whether you say like 90% of the time and 10% cheating or you know, giving in to your cravings, 80, 20, whatever it is you do.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_00: I like that I like the 80-20 rule.
• 23:15
  SPEAKER_00: That's usually what I go for.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_00: And I because we're not, none of us are perfect.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_00: And if we try to be too rigid with our diet, we're gonna have mutiny amongst the troops, and that will be mutiny for our own self, our mindset, and it'll be mutiny in our family members.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_00: All of a sudden, if there's no junk food, there's nothing savory and nothing sweet in the house, you're gonna have some pushback and not just for your family members, but yourself.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_00: You're gonna go, oh my gosh, I have to like binge now.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_00: I got to go find some stuff.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_00: So, really, if you are completely depriving yourself of any sweet or any savory, you probably will be it's a it's not sustainable.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_00: So you wanna make sure that whatever you're doing is sustainable and that you give yourself that 20%.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_00: Or whatever, 10% race time.
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_00: I know when my sister was on a healthy weight plan, she was switching to whole-based foods, and Sunday was a cheat day.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_00: So one day of the week, it wouldn't, and she didn't even crave to go out and have ice cream or whatever, but it was the day that she didn't have to think about it.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_00: She could just eat whatever she wanted.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_00: And she was typically making pretty healthy choices too, but she ended up losing over 35 pounds just by sticking with the plan six days of the week and adding more protein and more whole foods.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, we're not going to talk about weight loss here, but I do think healthy weight maintenance is really a better term because the term weight loss is like connotation of I'm losing something.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_00: And I know in menopause phase, it's inevitable that you are going to have a little bit of extra menopausal belly.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_00: That's just kind of like par for the course.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_00: It just happens because our metabolism slows down.
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_00: So this is directly related to, of course, diet, exercise, and it's also related to those food choices that you're making.
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_00: So you might have used to have been able to get away with quite a bit of sugar and bakery goods and things like that.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_00: But all of a sudden, when you hit about 40, right, things start to change a little bit in the body.
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_00: And I hear women say to me all the time, I used to be able to do this, but I can't anymore.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so there's the wake up sign.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_00: You can't because your body is changed.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_00: That's why it used to be called the change of life.
• 25:23
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, some things that really work are to be prepared when you go out.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_00: This is a really big tip that I learned years ago is that don't leave the house without healthy snacks, especially if you're going to be gone for the day or, you know, even an afternoon.
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_00: You know you're going to be tempted by the smell of some restaurant as you're walking past, a bakery, um, you know, a pop popcorn, anything that has a smell that just triggers the senses.
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_00: Right now, your body is like, I need that.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_00: You probably don't need it, but your body's telling you you do.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_00: It's bringing up a memory or something.
• 26:00
  SPEAKER_00: So when the senses get involved, uh oh, it's not always a good thing.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_00: So be prepared as in, you know, make yourself some energy bites or some whole protein balls or you know, things like that that are yummy, sweeter things that you can make with maybe some maple syrup or some banana, things like that for sweetener, and you can take those with you.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_00: Take an apple with you.
• 26:21
  SPEAKER_00: I never leave the house without an apple and a water bottle.
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_00: That's my my just massive go-to, just right there, those two basic things.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_00: And I know that I'm gonna have a sweet craving mid-afternoon because I just do.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_00: So that's where I bring my energy ball or you know, something like that that I've made.
• 26:35
  SPEAKER_00: And I know it's got high protein in it.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_00: I make muffins with protein powder, you know, just stuff like that.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_00: So being prepared is huge.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_00: Healthy lunches, like Kelly, you said, that's great.
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_00: You freeze your lunches and portions, batch cooking, amazing, super smart, saves you time and it saves you the cravings.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_00: Because I don't know if you, you know, me ladies, you're like me.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_00: You get home at like four or five, and it's like, oh, now I have to make dinner.
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_00: I'm starving right now.
• 27:03
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna eat the whole house while I'm cooking.
• 27:05
  SPEAKER_00: Like I want this and I want that.
• 27:07
  SPEAKER_00: So that is the bewitching hour, right?
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_00: Like that is the time of the day that we have the most cravings.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_00: We're at the highest stress from, you know, being at our job or wherever we've been, you know, if we have, if you have children, that's their highest stress time of the day.
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_00: Everybody is at a high stress point in your house, typically from about 4:30 to 6.30-ish.
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, you need to get protein in there.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_00: You need to have that's the balancing of the blood sugar.
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_00: So to prevent those cravings, have a high protein snack ready, you know, or make a smoothie with protein powder, you know, like I'm talking about high protein snacks like protein balls, protein muffins, just anything like that are savory things.
• 27:46
  SPEAKER_00: So be prepared.
• 27:48
  SPEAKER_00: That's a key thing.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_00: And then the other thing I want to mention on that side of it is exercise.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_00: And the importance of that, because it's releasing the endorphins in your brain, that feel-good hormone, because when do we crave things?
• 28:01
  SPEAKER_00: When we're tired, uh, you know, we're exhausted, we're stressed.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_00: Again, end of the day.
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_00: So try to get that walk in when you come home at the end of the day, or a walk over your lunch hour, or you know, something that's going to give you that movement to calm you.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_00: Some yoga, maybe.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe when you get up in the morning, you can get up half an hour before your household and do some yoga, do some meditation.
• 28:26
  SPEAKER_00: You know, all of these things just help our body to regulate, you know, regulate our nervous system, regulate our cravings, slow the stress response down.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and all of that's going to be beneficial for prevention of menopause symptoms and maybe even, you know, reducing things that are really high that are bothering you now, whether it's hot flashes or it's cravings or you know, all the things that go with menopause.
• 28:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_01: I I love that you highlighted being prepared.
• 28:59
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I'm a must bring water and snack with me everywhere I go because I feel the same way.
• 29:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, I have some restrictions in food, so I don't always know that I'm going to be out and about and be able to find something that's okay for me to eat or that just fits how I'm trying to stay healthy.
• 29:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um I think that is such a great tip.
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_01: And I love the idea of being prepared for that witching hour at our homes at the end of the day when everybody's really stressed, having a high protein snack.
• 29:34
  SPEAKER_01: I actually learned this, you know, my son is 10, and every once in a while he'll get like crazy hungry right before dinner.
• 29:42
  SPEAKER_01: And so what my husband and I decided is you can have things right before dinner that are either components of what we're going to be eating anyway, or that fall in the category of vegetables or fruit.
• 29:58
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and so those are things that are okay.
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_01: What's not okay, we can't have snacks or things that are really going to either fill your belly, so you're not going to eat the nutritious food, um, or that are too high in sugar or fat or really don't provide any additional nutrition.
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_01: And sometimes um, I'm trying to think what the words are that he'll use.
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, he'll say appetizer.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_01: What's my appetizer while you're smelling all the food cooking and you're really hungry?
• 30:27
  SPEAKER_01: And so sometimes it'll be just like a portion of the vegetables in the meal or just a side raw to snack on.
• 30:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um, or like taste as we're cooking, you get to have like a taste of what's being cooked.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so those are just some little tips and tricks that have worked in in my house.
• 30:45
  SPEAKER_01: Um yeah, and the protein is huge.
• 30:48
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, protein is huge.
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, because I mean that that just takes that you know, balances your blood sugar, right?
• 30:54
  SPEAKER_00: I remember when my kids were younger and they would come home from school off the bus, and it was just like the bewitching hour, of course, but it started earlier, like 3:30.
• 31:02
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, okay, as soon as I walked in the door, I handed them a protein smoothie.
• 31:05
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, just have this, take some breaths, and then we'll talk about your day.
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_00: Unbelievable the difference.
• 31:12
  SPEAKER_00: Instead of running in the house and throwing down the backpack and slamming the bedroom door, and especially as teenagers, and uh, you know, just blocking out the world because they were exhausted, they were stressed.
• 31:22
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean, some of us feel like that at the end of the day, but you know, we typically don't do it as an adult, but you know, I just not typically have a protein drink.
• 31:31
  SPEAKER_00: It was like their blood sugar was balanced right away and they were just happier and they were calmer.
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_00: And I could just see the visible signs of stress just kind of going away.
• 31:41
  SPEAKER_00: It's like, okay, now I'm satisfied.
• 31:43
  SPEAKER_00: Now I can talk logically and not yell and get upset at the slightest little thing.
• 31:48
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, I thought, oh wow, there's a lot we can learn from this.
• 31:51
  SPEAKER_00: And and really now the latest research is showing that we need to have 30 grams of protein with every meal.
• 31:57
  SPEAKER_00: So three times a day.
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_00: So, how to get that much protein?
• 32:01
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you know, unless you're going to start eating a ton of meat, which I don't really recommend, nothing wrong with, you know, fish, chicken, and and lean types of meat.
• 32:10
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but you know, how do you get like it at each meal?
• 32:14
  SPEAKER_00: How do you get that protein?
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm all about smoothies and protein bowls and Buddha bowls, and I have tons and tons of recipes that I'm happy to share with anybody because there's so many different ways to get protein in without having to have meat or a typical smoothie that everybody thinks that they need to have.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's like there's so many smoothie bowls and things like that recipes.
• 32:35
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, I'd love to share them.
• 32:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I love that.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_01: And I love too the distinction between like having a juice drink or something that's supposed to be like a healthy smoothie, but it actually has a ton of sugar in it.
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_01: So, how do people differentiate between those things?
• 32:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, whether they're getting a smoothie at a local place that has it or if they're making it in their homes, how do they create something that doesn't end up being packed with sugar, even though it has tons of protein as well?
• 33:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, good question.
• 33:11
  SPEAKER_00: So, A, I don't recommend buying them at those places because they inevitably do have like sugar bases and high sugary fruits.
• 33:19
  SPEAKER_00: So I always make my own protein smoothie and I take it with me when I go out or have it, you know, for my breakfast, or if I'm leaving the house, I'll pack one to go.
• 33:27
  SPEAKER_00: But basically, I use a raw organic protein powder with, you know, very, very little sugar, and it's like a sugar cane sweetener, which is actually sugarcane's fermented.
• 33:36
  SPEAKER_00: When it's fermented, it's very healthy.
• 33:38
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and I use a little bit of banana, but I use water for my base.
• 33:42
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't add the juices at all to a smoothie.
• 33:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um, berries have very low sugar content, especially blueberries.
• 33:50
  SPEAKER_00: So I really sort of gear towards the berries, a little bit of banana because that helps the smoothie taste good.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_00: But a lot of people don't like banana, so I just berries are the go-to.
• 33:59
  SPEAKER_00: Throw a little bit of greens in there.
• 34:01
  SPEAKER_00: So you're getting, you know, maybe two or three servings of fruits and vegetables just in that one smoothie.
• 34:05
  SPEAKER_00: So it kind of gets your day off to a really great start with like, okay, you know, if my goal is to have seven servings of fruits and vegetables today, I've already knocked off three at breakfast.
• 34:14
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm not at a deficit position when I get to dinner and go, oh, I've had no fruits and vegetables all day.
• 34:18
  SPEAKER_00: Now I got to have seven.
• 34:19
  SPEAKER_00: Like, how am I gonna have seven right now?
• 34:22
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, and then the protein powder must be absorbable plant-based protein.
• 34:27
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, whey is okay too, but it depends on the person, right?
• 34:31
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, lots of sensitivities and allergies.
• 34:34
  SPEAKER_00: I just wanted to bring up too, Callie, if it's okay to talk about sleep a little bit, because I think just to switch gears a little bit, I find that a lot of women, of course, the hot flashes we talked about, but a lot of times we just don't have good sleep hygiene.
• 34:48
  SPEAKER_00: And if we don't have a good sleep, we're just not really good for anybody the next day.
• 34:52
  SPEAKER_00: And certainly not ourselves.
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_00: It's just not fun.
• 34:55
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I mean, your immune system's compromised, your ability to focus is compromised, I mean, your driving ability, like everything is compromised, your mood.
• 35:05
  SPEAKER_00: So, what the some things that you can do to have a good sleep are keeping your bedroom cool.
• 35:10
  SPEAKER_00: Even in the winter months, you do not want your bedroom to be really warm because A, you already have a temperature that's a little bit higher.
• 35:19
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, have fans or a cooling pillow, have a weighted blanket in your bedroom for uh on your bed for extra comfort, and just do things to prepare yourself before bed.
• 35:30
  SPEAKER_00: You know, wind down with a warm bath or maybe a herbal tea like chamomile or melatonin in it, valerian root, read a book.
• 35:38
  SPEAKER_00: Like make sure you start your your sleep hygiene time about an hour before bed.
• 35:44
  SPEAKER_00: So no screen time an hour before bed.
• 35:46
  SPEAKER_00: So that doesn't mean you can't watch a funny movie or something, but don't watch the news and don't be playing on your phone and your tablet with blue screen light until you know 11 o'clock and then jump into bed and expect that you're gonna turn it off right away and you'll be able to fall asleep in two minutes.
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_00: Probably not.
• 36:02
  SPEAKER_00: So shut those screens off an hour before bed and just get into that.
• 36:07
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, this is my special unwind time.
• 36:09
  SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna make my tea, I'm gonna start my ritual by the reading of book, or maybe I'm gonna have a bath, or maybe I'm gonna have some cuddle time on the couch with a loved one, you know, read a book, whatever it is.
• 36:20
  SPEAKER_00: But just start that routine an hour before, and you'll be amazed at how much better you sleep and have your bedroom cool.
• 36:28
  SPEAKER_00: And please do not take your cell phone in your bedroom.
• 36:32
  SPEAKER_00: Bedrooms are no zones of cell phones and electronics and TVs because when those are in the bedroom, they set off frequencies and they do affect your energy, and it's like it's something's calling to you.
• 36:46
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, my phone, I have to check and see if somebody replied to this.
• 36:49
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, there's something on TV I wanted to watch this, and it's so cuddly to just snuggle in bed and watch a movie.
• 36:55
  SPEAKER_00: It is, but you're starting to teach yourself now that the bedroom is not just for sleep.
• 37:01
  SPEAKER_00: Wait a minute, my bedroom's for watching movies, my bedroom is for checking messages on my phone, my bedroom's for doing work on my laptop.
• 37:08
  SPEAKER_00: Pretty soon your body's into this rhythm of wait a minute, where am I supposed to sleep?
• 37:13
  SPEAKER_00: This is not my sacred sleep spot anymore.
• 37:15
  SPEAKER_00: This is my work zone, this is my get distracted zone.
• 37:19
  SPEAKER_00: You know, in this busy, high distracted world, we really need to have a sacred place that is free of technology, where we shut down at least an hour.
• 37:30
  SPEAKER_00: And you will notice such a change in your sleep if you start these simple little practices.
• 37:35
  SPEAKER_00: And I know it sounds mean to say no cell phone in your bedroom because a lot of people use it as alarm clocks.
• 37:41
  SPEAKER_00: Well, you know what?
• 37:42
  SPEAKER_00: It's pretty easy to get any kind of alarm anywhere right now.
• 37:45
  SPEAKER_00: You do not need your cell phone for an alarm clock, and you do not need to check it the second that you wake up in the morning.
• 37:51
  SPEAKER_00: So see what you can do to just pick one thing you'd like to improve at a time because it's too hard to change it all at once.
• 37:58
  SPEAKER_00: Just pick one.
• 37:59
  SPEAKER_00: And then, you know, adding things like magnesium before bed and you know, melatonin I mentioned, and valerian, those are things that really help to calm the body, calm the nervous system, preparing you for sleep.
• 38:12
  SPEAKER_01: Love it.
• 38:12
  SPEAKER_01: I love it so much.
• 38:13
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I'm obsessed with sleep.
• 38:15
  SPEAKER_01: So this is like my it's uh I'm sitting there just like, oh my gosh, I'm so excited.
• 38:20
  SPEAKER_01: She's talking about sleep because this is one of my things that I just love talking about.
• 38:25
  SPEAKER_01: And I completely agree with you.
• 38:27
  SPEAKER_01: So much great advice in there.
• 38:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um, that the bedroom should be a sacred sleep space.
• 38:34
  SPEAKER_01: And the more we treat it that way, the more we set that intention for ourselves, um, the better our sleep will be.
• 38:44
  SPEAKER_01: Or the way I like to say it, because um I can say that I still struggle with sleep sometimes.
• 38:50
  SPEAKER_01: And some of it I think is hormone fluctuations, you know, um, definitely as temperatures fluctuate and things are changing season by season, it's challenging to keep your bedroom cool.
• 39:03
  SPEAKER_01: But what I say is giving yourself the sleep opportunity.
• 39:08
  SPEAKER_01: So giving yourself enough time to wind down to be ready to sleep, to get enough quality hours before you're waking up and hitting the ground running.
• 39:18
  SPEAKER_01: Such great, solid advice, which absolutely everybody can take.
• 39:24
  SPEAKER_01: It really addressing your sleep hygiene is so huge.
• 39:28
  SPEAKER_01: And it's such a radical act these days because so many people feel like they have to always be turned on and tuned in.
• 39:37
  SPEAKER_01: And you really do not.
• 39:39
  SPEAKER_01: You are not going to miss anything.
• 39:40
  SPEAKER_01: It will all be there when you come back.
• 39:42
  SPEAKER_01: And if you miss things, it's okay.
• 39:45
  SPEAKER_01: It is so vital for you to sleep.
• 39:48
  SPEAKER_01: We are as you said, we are so sleep deprived as a species, and it's very dangerous.
• 39:55
  SPEAKER_01: We're not giving the best of ourselves, and we're not feeling as healthy and well as we could.
• 40:01
  SPEAKER_01: So that is my huge soapbox, too.
• 40:04
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm so glad you brought that up, Judy, because I think it can't really be stated enough.
• 40:09
  SPEAKER_01: And I love that you talked about cultivating a routine that feels really relaxing and sets you in a state of mind and your nervous system at peace so that before you go to bed, you just feel so serene and ready to release and sleep.
• 40:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and there is nothing better than that in my mind.
• 40:31
  SPEAKER_01: Then uh I joke with my friend sometimes because she also is passionate about sleep.
• 40:37
  SPEAKER_01: She has very like firm rules about you do not call me between 10 p.m.
• 40:42
  SPEAKER_01: and 10 a.m.
• 40:43
  SPEAKER_01: I am not available.
• 40:44
  SPEAKER_01: Those are my boundaries.
• 40:46
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and we joke about like especially this time of year when it gets darker a little bit earlier.
• 40:51
  SPEAKER_01: I'm like, is seven o'clock too early to like cuddle up in bed with my book and get ready for sleep?
• 40:59
  SPEAKER_01: Because it just feels so good this time of year to do that.
• 41:02
  SPEAKER_00: It does.
• 41:03
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it's all about Kelly, you mentioned some excellent points there.
• 41:06
  SPEAKER_00: You know, just listen to your body.
• 41:07
  SPEAKER_00: If you need to go cuddle up in bed at 7:30, then go cuddle up in bed with a book at 7:30.
• 41:12
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's it's it's it's really about if you've had a day that's really stressful, well, your body's had a lot of energy expended.
• 41:19
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's that your cortisol levels rise, of course, as our stress levels rise.
• 41:23
  SPEAKER_00: So, how does this affect our hormones?
• 41:25
  SPEAKER_00: How does this affect your body?
• 41:27
  SPEAKER_00: How does this affect your sleep?
• 41:28
  SPEAKER_00: How does this affect our mood?
• 41:29
  SPEAKER_00: It affects everything.
• 41:30
  SPEAKER_00: And it's very subtle.
• 41:32
  SPEAKER_00: And so, you know, some days are just more stressful than others, right?
• 41:36
  SPEAKER_00: Some days you just need to have more downtime.
• 41:37
  SPEAKER_00: It's like, you know, say to your family, okay, I'm gonna have a bath tonight and I'm locking this door.
• 41:43
  SPEAKER_00: And do not like knock on the door unless you're dying or bleeding.
• 41:47
  SPEAKER_00: This is my sacred place.
• 41:49
  SPEAKER_00: And maybe your bedroom needs to be the same, you know, because I think a lot of times with young children, it's just free for all.
• 41:55
  SPEAKER_00: Come in, come in.
• 41:56
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we have our granddaughter who's five, and she stays overnight sometimes.
• 41:59
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, unless it's at least seven o'clock and here's the clock in your room, you know, don't come in because this is our sacred spot and this is our sleep place.
• 42:09
  SPEAKER_00: And you need to have that sleep.
• 42:11
  SPEAKER_00: We all need it.
• 42:12
  SPEAKER_00: And then there's the other thing that I wanted to sort of jump in segue here is about how with our hormone levels being messed up, how that affects our sleep, but also the gut health, bringing gut health into this.
• 42:23
  SPEAKER_00: Because I know we're kind of talking about a lot of things, but I feel like the role of gut health and hormone health are so intricably connected, it's crazy.
• 42:34
  SPEAKER_00: And a lot of people don't recognize that the gut plays a major role in hormone production and metabolism, regulation throughout the body, which definitely affects sleep.
• 42:43
  SPEAKER_00: And they're linked with like the big one is gut microbe.
• 42:48
  SPEAKER_00: So it's a community of bacteria and other organisms in your intestines, and this influences the balance and effectiveness of various hormones.
• 42:56
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, if you you've got this, this gut bacteria specifically helps metabolize and regulate estrogen levels.
• 43:04
  SPEAKER_00: If there's an imbalance of these bacteria, it can lead to either an excess or deficiency in estrogen affecting hormonal health and increasing risk related to hormonal imbalances.
• 43:14
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, extra menopause symptoms, extra PMS symptoms, extra POS, PCOS, like there's just a lot of stuff that can come from that.
• 43:23
  SPEAKER_00: So, what can you do for gut health?
• 43:25
  SPEAKER_00: Well, things like, you know, probiotic, good probiotic, and eating fermented foods, slowing down your eating, being very mindful when you eat, not watching TV and having four conversations as you're eating, because how do you think your digestion is going to be when you're not properly chewing your food because you're distracted by all these other things?
• 43:45
  SPEAKER_00: So just the mindful eating and give yourself a half an hour in your meal time.
• 43:51
  SPEAKER_00: This is my communication with my family members, a friend, whoever you're eating your meals with, and even maybe even on your own.
• 43:59
  SPEAKER_00: But give yourself that block of a half an hour where you're not looking at your phone and you're just enjoying your food and you're enjoying that time together to unwind at the end of your day and have your evening meal at the latest finish by seven o'clock.
• 44:12
  SPEAKER_00: Because eating too late definitely messes up your digestion.
• 44:15
  SPEAKER_00: It definitely messes up your sleep and it messes up your cravings.
• 44:20
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know about you, Kelly, but have you noticed that if you the the later you eat, the more you crave later?
• 44:27
  SPEAKER_00: It's like your body's getting this food at a weird time of the day.
• 44:30
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like, but I don't typically eat at seven o'clock.
• 44:33
  SPEAKER_00: Now I really don't even know what to do with this.
• 44:35
  SPEAKER_00: Like my body's not digesting the food, especially if it's red meat, and I just feel like bloated.
• 44:40
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, so how do you think you're gonna sleep in this kind of a situation?
• 44:45
  SPEAKER_00: So just be really mindful and aware of that.
• 44:47
  SPEAKER_00: And then the connection with gut and cortisol levels is also because the stress hormone that's cortisol.
• 44:54
  SPEAKER_00: So there's some things that we can be doing about that to lower our stress levels.
• 44:58
  SPEAKER_00: Like I love ashagandha, it's a great adaptogen herb that has been proven, many, many clinical studies that helps to balance the cortisol levels and to stop the damage in the body from high elevated cortisol levels.
• 45:14
  SPEAKER_00: So you may not feel stressed, but you probably are.
• 45:18
  SPEAKER_00: And I think I don't know how anyone in this world cannot be stressed.
• 45:22
  SPEAKER_00: So just be aware of those subtle little things you might notice, like maybe your cravings and maybe your sleep is being disrupted, or you're feeling really anxious a lot.
• 45:32
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you've got some anxiety or some mood swings and weight gain.
• 45:36
  SPEAKER_00: These can all come from the stress hormone cortisol being elevated for like too long, which can affect your adrenal glands and just a lot of things, and your thyroid and your blood sugars.
• 45:48
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, I don't want to open up all that kind of worms, but I just wanted to mention that these are all things that are kind of linked with menopausal symptoms, and you know, it kind of opens.
• 45:58
  SPEAKER_00: Up a can of worms when your hormones are out of balance because it affects a lot of things.
• 46:04
  SPEAKER_00: So to highlight some things that are helpful, if it's okay, Kelly, can I get into some suggestions of like we talked about some lifestyle changes?
• 46:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and you know, whether you wanted to be on hormone replacement therapy or when you wanted to go the natural route, you know, and maybe you want to do a little bit of both.
• 46:24
  SPEAKER_00: So it's a really, really a case-by-case personal um, you know, choice, and in conjunction with your healthcare practitioner, whether it's your doctor, whether it's a functional medicine practitioner, whether it's a naturopath, uh, you know, and you know, a holistic nutrition coach, it doesn't matter, you know, who you're working with, and but just maybe get some outside perspective because sometimes, you know, when you're in that the phase of something bothering you, it's really hard to get the answer just from Google, you know, like you need that outside perspective and you need a community to support you.
• 46:59
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm all about feeling connected to other women that are going through similar things as you.
• 47:04
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, the community piece is huge.
• 47:06
  SPEAKER_00: So you want to feel understood, you want to feel connected to other like-minded people.
• 47:11
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so seek that support so you're not feeling so isolated and alone and ask for help.
• 47:17
  SPEAKER_00: You know, your partner, if he's male, I mean, let's face it, guys, you know, they call it menopause, but they're not getting it, right?
• 47:25
  SPEAKER_00: They just aren't.
• 47:27
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm not sure why it's called menopause, but I think men have their kind of version of menopause too.
• 47:32
  SPEAKER_00: It's just a bit different than the female.
• 47:35
  SPEAKER_00: But you know, what could you be doing to surround yourself with a community of people that understand you what you're going through and support you because it can feel lonely.
• 47:44
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, sometimes typical medical doctors don't really understand menopause or give it the um the meaning that it needs to have.
• 47:55
  SPEAKER_00: Like it can really affect a lot of things.
• 47:59
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that they're missing the link with the stress hormone and you know, the cravings and the gut health.
• 48:05
  SPEAKER_00: And and you know, that's my experience with my doctors.
• 48:08
  SPEAKER_00: Some are way more um, you know, open and aware of it than others.
• 48:12
  SPEAKER_00: But I really encourage you to find that support that you need and to be looking at, you know, some natural lifestyle choices, but some supplements, things like black coash and the phytoestrogens are been proven to be very beneficial for hot flashes, uh, things like valerian and um uh melatonin, great for calming you for sleep, lemon balm, chamomile teas, like there's just a lot, a lot of things.
• 48:39
  SPEAKER_00: So uh, you know, and I'm happy to support anybody who would like a free complimentary health quiz.
• 48:45
  SPEAKER_00: I do a follow-up wellness chat, and I also have a huge amount of recipes that I'm so happy to share.
• 48:52
  SPEAKER_00: I have recipe books on everything that are all online, and I just send you the link.
• 48:56
  SPEAKER_00: No obligation to purchase or do anything.
• 48:59
  SPEAKER_00: Disclaimer, don't have to do anything.
• 49:02
  SPEAKER_00: Just try some new recipes and experience things that make you feel good because feeding the food is is fuel, but it also feeds your soul.
• 49:11
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, it it really feels great to eat something yummy and healthy and satisfying, and and then you're not craving something that you you know you're beating yourself up about that I ate that.
• 49:23
  SPEAKER_00: But if you don't really have the craving to start with, you don't get to that guilt phase, right?
• 49:28
  SPEAKER_00: So let's just really be mindful of what we're putting in our bodies and how we can really, really get back to enjoying food and eating more mindfully and creating a beautiful connection with friends and family members when we eat so we can be in that place of enjoying it and not go, go, go eating on the run and you know, try to really make that sacred half hour of dinner time a relaxation, something you look forward to all day.
• 49:59
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and what you know, do it brings you joy.
• 50:01
  SPEAKER_00: Because if if it's not joyful, then you know, I think a lot of times we're doing things in life that are not bringing us joy, they're the have-to's, the job we may not like, and that kind of stuff.
• 50:12
  SPEAKER_00: So I just want to end with that.
• 50:13
  SPEAKER_00: Like, just you know, really, really be mindful of what are the things that you find joy in doing.
• 50:20
  SPEAKER_00: Who are the people that really raise your joy vibe?
• 50:23
  SPEAKER_00: They're the ones you want to spend the most time with.
• 50:25
  SPEAKER_00: Hopefully, they're your family members and your close friends.
• 50:29
  SPEAKER_00: But sometimes we have to make some tough choices around that.
• 50:32
  SPEAKER_00: But you know, and just finding habits and things that really support you, support your health, support your mental wellness, and support how great you feel.
• 50:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, all of that.
• 50:43
  SPEAKER_01: I think that's such tremendous advice.
• 50:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um, just to really consider all of those pieces and ways that you're adding value to your own life between like who you're surrounding yourself with, the food that you're eating, the activities you're partaking of.
• 51:04
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I think there's so many great pieces of advice that you've shared with us, Judy.
• 51:10
  SPEAKER_01: And I truly appreciate your knowledge and expertise and your willingness to share so much.
• 51:17
  SPEAKER_01: We will link everything in the show notes so that you can connect with Judy.
• 51:21
  SPEAKER_01: You can take that quiz that she has, which is so fantastic.
• 51:25
  SPEAKER_01: I've taken it myself and I've met with Judy to problem solve and come up with some ideas.
• 51:31
  SPEAKER_01: And I think sometimes it's just those small little steps that you can take to make things better.
• 51:39
  SPEAKER_01: But especially when we're thinking about um managing all of the changes that we go through in midlife as women, um, really thinking of it from a holistic perspective, looking at our lifestyle, our mindset, the things that we're eating, the movement, the quality of our daily lives.
• 51:57
  SPEAKER_01: And I love that you added that piece of joy in the end because I think if we're not adding some joy into our lives, then uh it's it's really hard to feel like you can make it through this phase.
• 52:11
  SPEAKER_01: Just speaking personally, it's it's a very challenging phase in so many ways.
• 52:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it's challenging in that your body is not as predictable as it once was for you.
• 52:21
  SPEAKER_01: It's very challenging to navigate the medical system.
• 52:26
  SPEAKER_01: Um, for me in America and dealing with most doctors don't know much about menopause at all.
• 52:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and you need to be such an advocate for yourself, whether that's saying I need all the blood tests or I really think that hormone replacement therapy is what my body needs.
• 52:46
  SPEAKER_01: And I just need some support around making that decision.
• 52:50
  SPEAKER_01: So thank you, Judy.
• 52:52
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you for starting this conversation.
• 52:54
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like there are so many other pieces that we could tackle on it.
• 52:57
  SPEAKER_01: It's such a big topic.
• 53:00
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I really encourage everybody to check out um the show notes, find all the ways to connect with Judy.
• 53:07
  SPEAKER_01: And of course, if this topic really meant something to you, if you picked up a nugget that's going to make your life that much better, I really ask you to please comment, like, share this podcast episode with a friend, especially another woman who may be in midlife who is navigating menopause and trying to figure it out.
• 53:29
  SPEAKER_01: Connect them with this podcast episode.
• 53:31
  SPEAKER_01: Give us a great rating because we've put a lot of value and thought into this.
• 53:36
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and we appreciate you being here with us.
• 53:38
  SPEAKER_01: Judy, thanks once again.
• 53:40
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and we'll see you next time.
• 53:44
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 53:44
  SPEAKER_01: And take care, everybody.
• 53:46
  SPEAKER_01: Bye for now.