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
  • BONUS: Menopausal Toolkit: Heart, Brain and Hormonal Health with Dr. Deb Matthew

    BONUS: Menopausal Toolkit: Heart, Brain and Hormonal Health with Dr. Deb Matthew
    Jun 15 2026
    I am delighted to have the privilege of reconnecting with Dr. Deb Matthew today. She joined me once before on Episode 259. She is a distinguished best-selling author, international speaker, and dedicated educator known as the Happy Hormone Doctor. Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women in the United States, causing one of every 3.2 deaths among women annually. In our conversation today, Dr. Matthew and I delve into the realm of cardiovascular disease, exploring the benefits of hormone replacement therapy, essential laboratory testing, medications, and the neurocognitive changes that occur during perimenopause and menopause. We also focus on lifestyle, gut testing, and the all-time favorite topic: weight-loss resistance. Stay tuned for today’s engaging, enriching, and enlightening discussion with Dr. Deb Matthew. IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN: How HRT reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease How long-term use of estrogen can reduce the risk of heart disease over time Why you should do a hormone panel before starting HRT How cortisol levels impact cardiovascular health How the coronary calcium score helps to predict heart attack risk Cholesterol markers and their significance in cardiovascular risk assessment Managing cholesterol levels in perimenopausal women The importance of addressing underlying hormonal imbalances in women to mitigate cognitive decline and lipid disorders The connection between gut health and brain fog How women’s testosterone levels impact their cognition and motivation Hormone imbalance and weight loss resistance in women 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. Deb Matthew On her ⁠website⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ Dr. Deb Matthew’s book This is Not Normal on Amazon⁠ Previous Episode featuring Dr. Matthew ⁠Ep. 295: HRT’s Impact on Women’s Health Through Time with Dr. Deb Matthew⁠
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    56 mins
  • Ep. 606 The Vagus Nerve's Role in Stress Resilience with Dr. Navaz Habib | Menopause, Perimenopause, Nervous System

    Ep. 606 The Vagus Nerve's Role in Stress Resilience with Dr. Navaz Habib | Menopause, Perimenopause, Nervous System
    Jun 13 2026
    I am honored to connect with Dr. Navaz Habib today. He is the Vagus Nerve Doc, a bestselling author, and host of the Health Upgrade podcast. In our discussion today, we look at what it takes to upgrade the vagus nerve, exploring how it is regulated, the role of vagal tone, and how it can be damaged with chronic stress. We examine the impact of allostatic load and dysregulation, and how midlife physiology compels us to proactively address our vagal tone. We cover the impact of acetylcholine and other neurotransmitters, and why key nutrients like choline and omega-3s are necessary for proper vagal tone, and we dive into hormetic stressors and safety, how HRV and vagal tone are assessed, and targeted strategies to enhance vagus nerve performance. Dr. Habib also discusses his Vagus Program, which provides tools to improve vagal tone. Stay tuned for this informative conversation with Dr. Habib. I look forward to inviting him back to continue the discussion. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: Dr. Habib describes the vagus nerve as the brake system of the autonomic nervous system, and explains how it connects to most major organs, working as a central communication highway What vagal tone is Dr. Habib frames allostatic load in the context of a combined stress burden How “little t” trauma influences vagus nerve function and creates stress response patterns later in life Why midlife can be a period of increased stress sensitivity and autonomic dysregulation The key biochemical drivers of vagus nerve signaling and immune regulation How diaphragmatic breathing can directly influence vagus nerve activity What HRV actually measures, and how to interpret it correctly A practical framework of small interventions to build long-term autonomic flexibility Bio: Dr. Navaz Habib Dr. Navaz Habib, aka "The Vagus Nerve Doc," is a best-selling author of 2 books - “Activate Your Vagus Nerve” and “Upgrade Your Vagus Nerve” and host of The Health Upgrade Podcast. After using functional medicine to overcome his own health challenges, Dr. Habib built Health Upgraded, an online health program implementing his VAGUS protocol, to guide parents and professionals to enhance their health by unlocking the healing power of the Vagus nerve to reduce the effects of stress and inflammation. 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. Navaz Habib On Instagram The Vagus Nerve Doc on YouTube Learn more about Dr. Habib’s Vagus Protocol and become part of the online community. Dr. Habib’s books: Activate Your Vagus Nerve and Upgrade Your Vagus Nerve
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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • Ep. 605 "What Happens When You Stop the Pill in Midlife?" | Oral Contraceptives, Menopause, Perimenopause, Hormones

    Ep. 605 "What Happens When You Stop the Pill in Midlife?" | Oral Contraceptives, Menopause, Perimenopause, Hormones
    Jun 11 2026
    Welcome to the latest Midlife Minute. Today, I’m taking a closer look at oral contraceptive use in perimenopause and menopause, exploring how oral contraceptives work, how they suppress or blunt perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms, alter hormone signaling and testing, what women may experience when they stop taking them, and why the gut microbiome is an essential part of the conversation. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: How oral contraceptives suppress certain key signaling hormones, making it difficult to assess women’s menopausal status accurately What women may experience when transitioning off oral contraceptives How long-term oral contraceptive use can alter gut microbial function and inflammatory pathways The association between long-term oral contraceptive use and nutrient depletion Why the standard reproductive hormone markers used to assess menopause (especially FSH/LH) are unreliable while on the pill How the microbiome changes that occur as women age may compound the effects of previous oral contraceptive use Helpful dietary, microbiome, and lifestyle strategies to support women navigating the post-pill transition 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 Resources: Sitruk-Ware R, Nath A. Characteristics and metabolic effects of estrogen and progestins contained in oral contraceptive pills. Best Practice and Research: Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2013;27(1):13–24. doi:10.1016/j.beem.2012.09.004 Schaffir J, Worly BL, Gur TL. Combined hormonal contraception and its effects on mood: a critical review. European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care. 2016;21(5):347–355. doi:10.1080/13625187.2016.1217327 Panzer C, Wise S, Fantini G, Kang D, Munarriz R, Guay A, Goldstein I. Impact of oral contraceptives on sex hormone-binding globulin and androgen levels: a retrospective study in women with sexual dysfunction. Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2006;3(1):104–113. doi:10.1111/j.1743-6109.2005.00198.x Palmery M, Saraceno A, Vaiarelli A, Carlomagno G. Oral contraceptives and changes in nutritional requirements. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences. 2013;17(13):1804–1813. PMID:23852908 Khalili H, Higuchi LM, Ananthakrishnan AN, Richter JM, Feskanich D, Fuchs CS, Chan AT. Oral contraceptives, reproductive factors and risk of inflammatory bowel disease. Gut. 2013;62(8):1153–1159. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2012-302362 Flores R, Shi J, Fuhrman B, Xu X, Veenstra TD, Gail MH, Gajer P, Ravel J, Goedert JJ. Fecal microbial determinants of fecal and systemic estrogens and estrogen metabolites: a cross-sectional study. Journal of Translational Medicine. 2012;10:253. doi:10.1186/1479-5876-10-253 Baker JM, Al-Nakkash L, Herbst-Kralovetz MM. Estrogen-gut microbiome axis: physiological and clinical implications. Maturitas. 2017;103:45–53. doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2017.06.025 Hua X, Cao Y, Morgan DM, Miller K, Chin SM, Bellavance D, Khalili H. Longitudinal analysis of the impact of oral contraceptive use on the gut microbiome. Journal of Medical Microbiology. 2022;71(4):001512. doi:10.1099/jmm.0.001512 Mihajlovic J, Leutner M, Hausmann B, Kohl G, Schwarz J, et al. Combined hormonal contraceptives are associated with minor changes in composition and diversity in gut microbiota of healthy women. Environmental Microbiology. 2021;23(6):3037–3047. doi:10.1111/1462-2920.15461 Seelig MS. Increased magnesium need with use of combined oestrogen and calcium supplementation. Magnesium Research. 1990;3(3):197–215. PMID:2133742 Donders GGG, Bellen G, Mendling W. Management of recurrent vulvo-vaginal candidosis as a chronic illness. Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation. 2010;70(4):306–321. doi:10.1159/000314022 Krog MC, Hugerth LW, Fransson E, et al. The healthy female microbiome across body sites: effect of hormonal contraceptives and the menstrual cycle. Human Reproduction. 2022;37(7):1525–1543. doi:10.1093/humrep/deac094
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    38 mins
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