Listen Now

We’re calling it done. This is our last episode of the podcast (at least until Sarah finally starts going through Menopause herself and can add anything new…) We’ve had laughs, we’ve read a lot of great books, we’ve learned a lot, we’ve interviewed smart, interesting women - and we’re both moving on to other projects. We appreciate all of you who’ve listened and we hope you all have the BEST possible Menopause - and beyond! Good Menopause To You!

Author Susan P. Mattern’s book is subtitled “The Science, History and Meaning of Menopause,” so you know we had to read it! It’s filled with fascinating concepts: about Menopause as an adaptation by Homo Sapiens to help keep our species thriving, and about the idea that Menopause is a Cultural Syndrome, only having been named by Western Doctors and scientists in the 1700s. Ultimately, we found the book a challenge to read - as laypeople, if you will. But cool ideas!  

Sometimes science decides to look at things we think are common sense and quantify them. OK, fine, science, have a good time. We could have already told you that having people in your life with whom you can talk about Menopause would be a good thing - both online and in person. And now you get it, too. What we didn’t already know was that it looks like it’ll help keep Dementia at bay, so that’s a bonus. We read two articles that kicked off this show - we’ll post the links on Facebook.

This episode was inspired by an article we found on NextAvenue.org, which asks whether the stigma regarding talking about Menopause is lessening. Has it gone mainstream, they wonder, because Gywneth Paltrow talked about her own perimenopause, and Grace & Frankie had a sex-toys-for-older-ladies storyline? We say: Not yet it hasn’t. BUT there are good signs it could happen in our lifetime! The Brits seem to be leading the way (again) in this, and we thank them. Millennials, it’s up to you! https://www.nextavenue.org/less-taboo-talk-menopause/

In big news for the Menopause community, there’s a study published in the Lancet showing an increased risk of Breast Cancer from taking HRT. Could be double the risk previously thought. So, as always, it’s important to check with your medical professional to assess your personal risk. Plus it turns out the UK is experiencing a shortage of HRT! We asked our UK friend Rachel Lankester from Magnificent Midlife to give us her perspective.

We open up our first episode back after our hiatus by catching up with each other: Sarah’s still growing out her grays - and Julia reveals a big secret! (Listen to find out what!) Then we discuss an article we saw in the Guardian. Turns out in the UK, they’re trying to enact legislation to protect menopausal women in the workplace. What a concept! We love it, but we wanted to hear from our friend in the UK Rachel Lankester from Magnificent Midlife, so she sent us audio.    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/aug/25/mandatory-workplace-menopause-policies-uk

What a season! It was the season of Deep Dives into the topics that every woman in Menopause wants to know about: Hot Flashes, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Skincare, Heart & Brain Health, Nutrition and exercise, and of course: lady parts. Plus we had some great Guests - Darcey Steinke (Flash Count Diary), Ashley Koff RD (Better Nutrition Program), Dr. Michelle Gordon (Menopause Movement), Sarah Glicken (OsteoStrong), and Rachel Lankester (Magnificent Midlife). Stay tuned from Season 6!

Today we dive in to skincare and hair care for the midlife woman. Turns out some of what we all experience - the wrinkles, the crepey skin, the spots - that’s just a product of aging, not due to menopause. Not much comfort, really, but oh well! What can we do? Turns out there are treatments that range from cheap and easy to expensive and complicated. From over the counter to prescription-level treatments, pick whatever works for you and your budget! Check out our faves at Menopodcast.com.

Our guest this episode is Rachel Lankester, founder of Magnificent Midlife, an online community, membership, and podcast. Rachel experienced an early menopause at 41, which led to soul-searching and ultimately to creating Magnificent Midlife. Listen to the episode to hear her whole story. Her terrific podcast showcases midlife women - and we highly recommend it! Get her free download to help you find your purpose and passion here: https://magnificentmidlife.com/purpose/

Our guest this episode is Dr. Michelle Gordon, founder of Menopause Movement and creator of the MenopauseWorkshop.com, among many other accomplishments. Menopause hit her out of the blue with embarrassing hot flashes, crippling self-doubt, stubborn belly fat, and raging moods. She tells us how she turned her life around, plus she wants to help 1 Million women to do the same thing. Get her free Menopause Blueprint download here. https://blueprint.drmichellegordon.com/sf/ce83bb81  

Our guest this episode is Ashley Koff RD, an award-winning nutrition expert with over twenty years experience, and creator of The Better Nutrition Program. We asked her for some nutrition tips for us Menopausal women, as well as just some better nutrition tips for eating as we age. We wanted to know what top three changes we should make to our diets right now, how to combat midlife weight gain, what are the best supplements to take in midlife, and just what can we eat?

Our guest this episode is Darcey Steinke, author of several books, including the just-released “Flash Count Diary: Menopause and the Vindication of Natural Life.” We talk with her about the things she learned while writing the book, including the fact that only a handful of animals go through menopause besides us - and one of them is killer whales, which we find fascinating! Steinke says, “I knew so much more going into both menstruation and pregnancy than I did going into menopause.” Ditto!

“Use it or lose it” applies to so many parts of our bodies as we age. And midlife/menopause is a great time to take stock and get moving - in whatever way works for you. Dr. Northrup said, “You need to know that vigorous regular exercise is an absolute necessity if you intend to live well beyond midlife.” We talk about all of that PLUS we interview Sarah Glicken, owner of OsteoStrong in Los Angeles, about that modality and how it has helped strengthen bones and muscles.

This episode talks about Lady Parts. The parts of a human body you only find on us ladies: the pelvic region, like the uterus, the ovaries, the vagina, the urethra (and yes, we know that men have urethras, too, but they are totally different), the Breasts, and our Sexual function and Sexuality. We’re talking about ways of keeping them healthy as you go through menopause. And YES, we will talk about Sex and Sexuality in this episode, so be warned.

Menopause is an excellent time to take stock of your overall health, especially your heart and brain. Heart Disease is the number one killer of women. That fact made us pay attention! And many of us experience Menofog - or even just a feeling of losing our mental acuity as we get to a certain age. Luckily, the things that help make your heart healthier also help make your brain healthier - so you get a twofer in better health and longevity! Listen to the episode to learn more.

Hormone Replacement Therapy gets a bad rap, but really, you have to do your own research. Turns out it’s really great for some people and not recommended for others. Menopause means your body isn’t making Estrogen anymore, but guess what? Estrogen has been doing good work inside our bodies for years, and when it goes away, big changes are sure to follow. In this episode, we talk about what’s working for us, and why it’s important to find a physician you trust to help you navigate the choices.  

Deep Dive into Hot Flashes! Hot Flashes are like the stereotypical punchline of Menopause, and while they are not life-threatening, they are still very disruptive - and can negatively impact your quality of life. In this episode, we talk about what they are, why they happen to us, and what you can TRY to do about them. We quote from a couple of our favorite books on the subject - and let you know what works for us. As always, consult your own medical professional before trying anything we talk about on the show.

We’re launching a new season and giving you a preview of what’s to come. This time, instead of reading a book for a whole season and discussing a chapter per episode, we’re going to zero in on one of the topics we’ve learned about so far in our journey, and each episode will be a deep dive into that particular subject. We’ll roll up our sleeves and talk about things like: Hot Flashes, Heart Health, Hormone Replacement Therapy, Diet & Fitness, Sex, Reinventing Your Life in Midlife, and many more issues like that, one episode at a time. We’ll synthesize what we’ve read and learned in the previous 4 seasons, plus we’ll interview experts and - hopefully - hear from you, our listeners, as well. Stay tuned for Season 5!

You’re listening to a trailer for Menopodcast, a show about real life with Menopause in the 21st Century. You’ll hear introductions of both of the show’s hosts, Sarah Auerswald and Julia Frey, plus you’ll hear some of their banter which reflects their 40-year friendship. The audio clip outlines the segments in each episode like “Bible Study” where we discuss a chapter of that season’s book and “How Hot Was Your Flash?” where we share any recent hot flashes we’ve had or hot flash stories from our listeners. You’ll also hear about some of the guests we’ve interviewed on the show. This is an overview trailer for the show, not a shortened sample episode.

Today was a Q&A from our listeners to end Season 4. Great questions to discuss.  Do all women go through menopause? How long will menopause last and what is this whole menopause thing anyway? Shouldn’t I be afraid of HRT? How do you know if your health issues are menopause-related? Seriously, no wine? Or COFFEE? What supplements do you take? How have you changed your diet? Listen in as we also broadcast live on Facebook and talk about the issues via listener comments. We'll back in a few weeks for Season 5!