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

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

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

By: Everyday Wellness™
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Looking for the latest strategies for dealing with menopause, hormones and midlife health issues? You're in the right place! Cynthia Thurlow is a nurse practitioner, host of the Everyday Wellness podcast, author and international speaker, with over 15 million views for her second TEDx talk (Intermittent Fasting: Transformational Technique). With over 25 years experience in health and wellness, Cynthia is a globally recognized expert in perimenopause/menopause and intermittent fasting, and has been featured on ABC, FOX5, KTLA, CW, Medium, Entrepreneur, and The Megyn Kelly Show. Her mission is to help empower women to live their most optimal lives in perimenopause and beyond.Everyday Wellness 2026 Alternative & Complementary Medicine Biological Sciences Hygiene & Healthy Living Science
Episodes
  • Ep. 599 “Why You’re Getting More Infections in Midlife – The Microbiome Shift No One Talks About | Menopause, Perimenopause and Immune Health

    Ep. 599 “Why You’re Getting More Infections in Midlife – The Microbiome Shift No One Talks About | Menopause, Perimenopause and Immune Health
    May 28 2026
    Welcome to the latest Midlife Minute. I’ve been getting many questions about viruses, bacterial vaginosis, and recurrent infections. So, today, I’m stepping a little outside our usual topics to explore how changes in the gut microbiome can directly influence the vaginal microbiome. Join me as I clarify what actually happens in the body during perimenopause and menopause, and explain why those shifts matter more than most women realize. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: Three changes that occur simultaneously during perimenopause and menopause, and how those changes increase our susceptibility to viruses like herpes. Why declining estrogen weakens the vaginal microbiome How gut microbiome changes in midlife affect the ability to recycle estrogen via the estrobolome Why the gut barrier becomes less stable and more permeable during perimenopause and menopause, and how that can trigger immune responses and low-grade inflammation How hormonal fluctuations can trigger viral outbreaks and increase the likelihood of shingles What research shows about hormone replacement therapy and lower rates and recurrence of severe herpes simplex infections Why bacterial vaginosis is becoming more common in midlife How to balance and support the gut and vaginal microbiome in midlife Connect with Cynthia Thurlow Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia’s website. Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com 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 Links: 1. Menopausal shift on women’s health and microbial niches 2. The Effect of Menopause on the Innate Anti-Viral Activity of Cervicovaginal Lavage https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4519412/ 3. Spotlight on the Gut Microbiome in Menopause: Current Insights 4. Shingles and Menopause: Is There a Connection? 5. The Impact of Hormonal Replacement Therapy on Herpes Simplex Infection and Gingival Health in Post-Menopausal Women 6. The Menopause Transition, Vaginal Health, and Your Vaginal Microbiome 7. Probiotics in the Prevention and Treatment of Postmenopausal Vaginal Infections: Review Article 8. G. vaginalis increases HSV-2 infection by decreasing vaginal barrier integrity and increasing inflammation in vivo 9. Association between Acquisition of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 in Women and Bacterial Vaginosis 10. Recalcitrance of bacterial vaginosis among HSV-2 seropositive women
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    21 mins
  • Ep. 598 “Your Labs Say You’re Fine!” – Why Women’s Symptoms Get Dismissed in Perimenopause with Dr. Julia Haffner | Menopause, Perimenopause, Fascia Health

    Ep. 598 “Your Labs Say You’re Fine!” – Why Women’s Symptoms Get Dismissed in Perimenopause with Dr. Julia Haffner | Menopause, Perimenopause, Fascia Health
    May 27 2026
    I am thrilled to connect with Dr. Julia Haffner today. She’s a European-trained medical doctor who has worked in internal medicine, geriatrics, family practice, chronic pain therapy, esthetics, and hair transplant surgery, where she continuously saw patients struggling with symptoms their bodies were desperately trying to communicate, yet testing failed to provide answers. Today, we explore where stress lives in the body and why midlife can feel so different for women. We discuss the connection between postpartum experiences and perimenopausal symptoms, the nervous system’s relationship with fascia as a sensory organ, and how fascia responds to our personal experiences. We also examine trauma as highly bio-individual, lifestyle changes to support the nervous system during midlife, and how perimenopause impacts our adrenals. Dr. Haffner shares how she prefers to advocate for patients within the medical system, and talks about her app, which is free and available for listeners. We also cover how social media and technology influence our stress levels, Dr. Haffner’s meridian-related energetic facelift, and how our emotions connect to our bodies. Stay tuned for today’s fascinating and insightful conversation with the delightful Dr. Julia Haffner, who also has a book coming out late this year. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: The similarity between postpartum low-estrogen and perimenopausal symptoms How doctors often focus only on measurable lab data while overlooking nervous system dysregulation and chronic stress Dr. Haffner describes fascia as a sensory organ How Dr. Haffner learned to recognize patterns of tension, stress, emotional overwhelm, and physical trauma within the fascia Why trauma is not limited only to major events like war or abuse Why women tend to become more sensitive to stress, relationships, and environmental pressures as their estrogen declines The value of gentler workouts in midlife to support stress reduction and nervous system regulation without increasing cortisol Why years of chronic stress can leave women feeling depleted during perimenopause How constant scrolling can contribute to low-grade stress within the body Dr. Haffner introduces her menopause symptom tracking app Bio: Dr. Julia Haffner Dr. Julia Haffner is a European-trained medical doctor who worked across internal medicine, geriatrics, family practice, chronic pain therapy, aesthetic medicine, and hair transplant surgery — and kept seeing the same thing: bodies crying out for help that no test could hear. Life took her to Italy with her second daughter, where she discovered the ability to feel into any part of the body and sense what's stored there — a memory, a grief, a fear still frozen in the fascia decades later. What most people call limiting beliefs or self-doubt isn't a mind problem. It's stored in the body. In the tissue. In the fascia. And it stays there until someone helps it release. Over 1,000 remote sessions later: cancer in remission, chronic pain dissolved, self-doubt cleared from the body, the spark returning. She is the creator of the Energetic Facelift. Her message: You are your own best doctor. Connect with Cynthia Thurlow Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia’s website. Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow. Purchase Cynthia’s book, The Menopause Gut. Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book. The Midlife Pause Supplement Line Connect with Dr. Julia Haffner On her website Dr. Haffner’s book, The State Before the Bite: Secrets of the Secret, will be released in late 2026
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    59 mins
  • BONUS: Eat To Beat Your Diet: Achieve a Balanced and Healthy Lifestyle with Dr. William Li

    BONUS: Eat To Beat Your Diet: Achieve a Balanced and Healthy Lifestyle with Dr. William Li
    May 25 2026
    I am happy to connect with Dr. William Li today! He is a world-renowned physician, scientist, speaker, and author. He is known for leading the Angiogenesis Foundation, and his groundbreaking work has impacted more than 70 diseases. He is also a Ted-X speaker and the author of Eat to Beat Your Diet, one of my favorite books thus far this year. Dr. Li’s latest book is about what happens in the body, how it should operate, and the steps we can take to restore it to its hard-wired state. We dive into how body fat impacts our health, the role of metabolism throughout our lifetime, the differences between the three fat-impacting hormones, including leptin, adiponectin, and resistin, and gender differences. We speak about new drugs like Ozempic and Semaglutide, the role of brown fat, the impact of the microbiome and specific bacteria, and nutrition and lifestyle. IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN: Why Dr. Li chose this time to write his latest book Is 60 the new 20? The four stages of metabolism hardwired into each of us How excess body fat derails metabolism, and how can we unleash our inner metabolism Why is it better to eat slowly? Why should we learn to respect and tame our fat instead of hating or fearing it? Dr. Li shares his views on new prescription drugs like Ozempic and Semaglutide. Interesting facts about body fat Changes that occur in our body fat distribution as we get older How can we help our bodies fight excess body fat, bring our inner metabolism to the surface, and reduce inflammation by being aware and mindful? Modern-day lifestyle choices and metabolic disease Dr. Li discusses the interplay between the gut microbiome and metabolism, as well as the role of Akkermansia. Some everyday foods contain natural chemicals that can activate our body’s defenses, tame metabolism, and fight body fat. BIO William W. Li, MD, is an internationally renowned physician, scientist, and New York Times bestselling author of the forthcoming book “Eat to Beat Your Diet: Burn Fat, Heal Your Metabolism, Live Longer”. His groundbreaking work has led to the development of more than 30 new medical treatments and impacts care for more than 70 diseases, including cancer, diabetes, blindness, heart disease, and obesity. His TED Talk, “Can We Eat to Starve Cancer?” has garnered more than 11 million views. Dr. Li has appeared on Good Morning America, CNN, CNBC, LIVE with Kelly and Ryan, and the Rachael Ray Show, and he has been featured in USA Today, Time Magazine, The Atlantic, and O Magazine. He is the president and medical director of the Angiogenesis Foundation. Connect with Cynthia Thurlow Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia’s website. Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow. Purchase Cynthia’s book, The Menopause Gut. Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book The Midlife Pause Supplement Line Connect with Dr. William Li On his⁠ website⁠ Social media: @DrWilliamLi Dr. William Li’s latest book, ⁠Eat to Beat Your Diet: Burn Fat, Heal Your Metabolism, and Live Longer⁠ is available from most bookstores.
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    51 mins
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