Health Trip Podcast with Jill Foos

Whether you’re re-entering the dating pool after a hiatus or continuing your journey in the world of romance, this episode is tailored just for you—midlife women who are navigating the unique blend of personal transformation and relationship dynamics that menopause brings. Menopause, often marked by significant physical and emotional changes, also heralds a period of profound personal growth and self-awareness. It’s a time when many women experience a renewed sense of freedom and confidence. We explore how to harness your life experiences to enrich your romantic adventures, discuss strategies to communicate your needs and desires effectively, and tackle the challenges of intimacy and vulnerability that often accompany new relationships at this stage. We also cover practical tips for using dating platforms, ensuring safety online, and finding potential partners who share your zest for life.

Bela Gandhi is a dating/relationship expert and founder of the Smart Dating Academy, TEDx speaker, and founder of Smart Dating Academy and has been featured on most national/local media outlets including Good Morning America, Steve Harvey, the Today Show, Kelly Clarkson, Access, ABC, NBC, Fox, and more.

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Many health coaches, like myself, educate women on all stages of menopause and help them understand what’s going on in their bodies. We share current science-backed resources to learn from and help them feel empowered to talk to their providers about possible treatment options. We are pivotal in teaching effective stress management techniques, which can alleviate anxiety and mood fluctuations. We provide strategies to improve sleep hygiene, helping women combat insomnia and night sweats that often worsen with hormonal changes. We educate women about nutrition during midlife, navigating a new healthy way of eating to support body composition changes and goals. We help women find their motivation to move daily.

Dr. Sandra Scheinbaum is back today to highlight the role that health coaches play in the menopausal journey. Dr. Sandi trains people to become Functional Medicine health coaches because she believes that growing the health coaching profession will be the solution to combating chronic disease, offering affordable access to functional and lifestyle medicine, and reducing healthcare costs. As founder and CEO of the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, a collaboration with The Institute for Functional Medicine, Dr. Sandi is a leader in health coaching education. Listen in on The Health Trip Podcast, episode #81.

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Fiber contributes to overall health and wellness, keeping you fuller for longer, aids in regular bowel movements, lowers cholesterol and stabilizes blood glucose levels. Fiber feeds the good bacteria in your gut, which produce short-chain fatty acids, or postbiotics. Ashley Koff, RD, shares her expertise on why menopausal women would benefit from these fascinating compounds for longevity on the Health Trip Podcast, episode #80.

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Many women entering perimenopause often experience the onset of new food and/or seasonal allergies or intolerances. Maybe you’re noticing new and strange symptoms after drinking alcohol, eating specific foods, or smelling fragrances. Maybe you're noticing adverse reactions to environmental compounds, such as hay fever, skin issues, like eczema, or even asthma. Did you know that estrogen stimulates the release of histamine and your body may struggle to excrete it? Higher histamine also leads to more estrogen being released in your body and you can see what a vicious cycle this can be.

Dr. Meg Mill, PharmD, is also a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner with over two decades of clinical experience. Her virtual Functional Medicine practice has transformed the lives of hundreds of clients worldwide by connecting the dots between their diverse unexplained, and often overlooked health struggles, such as migraines, gut issues, chronic fatigue, skin reactions, anxiety, or allergies. She uses her EAT Method to uncover and resolve the underlying connections whether it's histamine intolerance, hormone imbalances, gut dysfunction, or MCAS. She empowers clients to take back control of their health so they can regain the energy, mental clarity, and confidence needed to fully show up for their lives again.

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Two of the most common symptoms during the menopause journey are increased levels of anxiety and depression. The decline of women’s sex hormones creates a plethora of adverse effects, such as weight gain, insomnia or fragmented sleep, hair loss, loose skin, loss of lean muscle mass, brain fog, night sweats, loss of libido, vaginal dryness, and more. These devastating changes are driving women to feel frustrated, confused, and depressed about their current state of health, including how they look and feel.

Psychiatrists prescribe psychopharmacology to their patients and most leave it at that. What if there was a psychiatrist who also prescribed healthy lifestyle behavior modifications alongside medication? My next guest practices something called cosmetic psychiatry and it’s fascinating. Dr. Andreea Seicean, MD, PhD, MPH, is the Clinical Director of Like MySelf Wellness. She is an ABPN Board-Certified Adolescent and Adult Psychiatrist, clinical investigator, scientist, and Professor. She completed her training at Case Western Reserve University, the Cleveland Clinic, and the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Her PhD is in epidemiology and biostatistics and she’s an expert in outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and quality improvement. Listen in to episode #76 on the Health Trip Podcast to learn more.

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According to the CDC, over 60 million women in the United States are living with some form of heart disease. Heart disease and stroke cause 1 in 3 deaths among women each year – more than all cancers combined. According to the British Heart Association: after menopause your cholesterol levels can go up, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke. Your body cannot control sugar levels (glucose) as well – this can increase your risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and weight gain, which we know as metabolic syndrome.

 As women move through the menopause transition, it has been shown that as estrogen levels decline, a woman’s CVD risk may increase. Estrogen is heart protective and more is being done to educate and screen women to see if they are good candidates for MHT. But, still, so many women remain confused, and overwhelmed, by the barrage of information on the internet, the misinformation, or lack of information, provided by their doctors, and their current fear-based understanding of taking MHT and getting breast cancer. 

On this episode of the Health Trip podcast, Dr. Michael Davidson, MD, joins me to break down advanced lipid testing for women. He is board-certified in internal medicine, cardiology, and clinical lipidology. He’s a Professor of Medicine, Director of the Lipid Clinic at The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, and earned his medical degree from The Ohio State University College of Medicine and completed his residency and fellowship in cardiology at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. An active researcher, Dr. Davidson’s clinical research background encompasses pharmaceutical and nutritional clinical trials. His extensive research on statins, novel lipid-lowering drugs, and nonpharmacologic risk factor reduction have established him as a world opinion leader.

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The lymphatic system is the sewer system of our body and we’d be dead without it. It’s responsible for clearing out toxins, waste, bacteria, and water from our body that build up in our tissues. The connection between a healthy lymphatic system and the menopause transition is explained by Dr. Christine Schaffner, ND, on the Health Trip Podcast. Dr. Schaffner shares her expertise in understanding the many benefits of moving lymph throughout our body and supporting a midlife woman’s journey through menopause. Hormonal fluctuations, a poor diet, and living a sedentary lifestyle during midlife can affect the way the lymphatic system works. Dr. Schaffner breaks down the science into visual and tangible components keeping the listener engaged.

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According to the NIH, the overall prevalence of sleep disorders among postmenopausal women was 51.6%. About a third of women’s lives around the world are affected by disrupted sleep and menopause, and both of these have a large effect on their health. Sleep disturbance is a significant issue for midlife women and poor sleep has been shown to increase a woman’s risk for Alzheimer’s Disease, cancer, metabolic disease, and heart health. Learn about the stages of sleep, how all of your senses affect sleep, and what strategies, supplements, and Ayurvedic modalities support deep and restorative sleep for you.

Deepa Kanaan, is an Allied Functional Medicine Practitioner, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Author, and a Yogini at OHA Health. Deepa joined the Health Trip Podcast to share her expertise in sleep quality and Ayurvedic modalities. She offers easy-to-use Ayurvedic strategies and supplement education around restorative sleep. articles have been shared by Dr. Mark Hyman, MD. She is the author of the book How To Sleep Better-The Miraculous 10-Step Protocol To Recharge Your Mind & Body.

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Women have a fourfold increase in risk of autoimmune disorders than men and 80% of the people who have autoimmune issues are women. Some autoimmune disorders are triggered during the perimenopausal through postmenopausal time frame (30-60 years of age). While more research is needed, it is proposed that sex hormones, the microbiome, environmental factors, and the X chromosome may be very much connected to autoimmune disorders in women. It is broadly known and accepted by many functional medical doctors, but not so much in the conventional healthcare model, that consuming gluten causes a leaky gut that leads to gut dysbiosis that can then lead to chronic inflammation and autoimmune disorders.

Should midlife women stop eating gluten during the menopause transition and beyond? Would doing that support better skin, brain health, gut health, weight loss, healthy hair growth, and heart health? Let’s find out.

My guest is Dr. Tom O’Bryan, who comes with many accolades- too many to list. Here are some highlights: He is a doctor of chiropractic and clinical nutritionist a member of and on the teaching faculty board of The Institute for Functional Medicine, the International & American Associations of Clinical Nutritionists, the American Chiropractic Association, and the International Academy of Preventive Medicine. He is a recognized world expert on gluten and its impact on health. He is an internationally recognized and sought-after speaker and workshop leader specializing in the complications of Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, Celiac Disease, and the development of Autoimmune Diseases.

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Exercising during midlife is crucial to a woman's longevity plan. Fragility fractures are fractures resulting from a fall from standing height or less. These fractures, which most commonly occur at the hip, spine, or wrist, are an indication that the body's bones have been weakened by an underlying illness, mostly due to osteoporosis. Lean muscle mass keeps our bones strong and healthy. Menopause opens up the door to declining bone health, weight gain, cognitive issues, and anxiety and depression. While some women don’t love going to the gym, yoga, and Pilates are both beneficial ways of using your body weight to build lean muscle mass and protect your bones and independence as you age. Studies show that Pilates is beneficial and effective at reducing stress, supporting body composition goals, and preventing further bone density degradation.

My guest today is Lily Horowitz, a leading certified Pilates instructor with over 30 years of experience in the fitness industry. She was first exposed to Pilates 25 years ago as a student of the method. After personally realizing the benefits of the work, and seeing changes in her own body and physical ability, she was then trained and certified. Lily serves a diverse clientele but focuses on those 55 years and older and has many clients in their 80s feeling and looking great. She currently has three trademarked businesses: The Core Method, Stretch Strength and Stability, and Kidlates (a special program designed to bring movement and mental wellness to children). 

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If you’re a midlife woman, then your bone health should be at the top of your list to check. As we age and transition from peri-menopause, to menopause, to post-menopause, our bone health is at risk, for some more than others. Perimenopause can start for women in their 30’s, the average age of menopause is 51. There’s a possible 15-20 years that your bone health could be declining, in conjunction with declining and fluctuating hormones, let alone years of a sub-optimal lifestyle and diet choices. Join Jill Foos and Dr. DeSapri on the Health Trip Podcast episode #69 as they dive into Jill’s DXA scan and learn what these numbers may mean for your bone health.

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As women age and start the process of menopause, which includes perimenopause, the strength, efficacy, and quantity of our mitochondria start to decline. It’s crucial to support these cellular powerhouses with lifestyle interventions (sleep, nutrition, stress management, exercise, mindfulness) and personalized supplements. The science shows that a midlife woman’s gut microbiome changes during perimenopause, that optimal gut health is vital to overall health and longevity, and that poor gut health, and menopause, open the door to chronic disease states. During midlife, it’s very important to support cellular health and energy so that you can reach your health goals. If your cells are struggling, you will struggle. Hair loss, weight gain, skin issues, low energy, brain fog, and stress are all signs of declining cellular health. My guest today is an expert in cellular health, Dr. Monisha Bhanote, MD, FCAP, ABOIM. She is the best-selling author of The Anatomy of Wellbeing, is an esteemed physician with quintuple medical board certifications, distinguishing her among the nation's luminaries in integrative medicine, functional culinary medicine, cytopathology, and anatomic/clinical pathology. Her brainchild, WELLKULÅ, combines ancient wisdom with modern mind-body science to envision a path toward optimizing health and longevity.

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How can we take Ayurveda medicine, modernize it, and use it during a time in a woman’s life when she is vulnerable and wants to feel and look her very best? Some women are all in when it comes to taking hormone replacement therapy during the menopause transition, while others want a more holistic approach. How about combining the two? Is that possible?

Dr. Shivani Gupta, Ph.D., joins the Health Trip Podcast to share her expertise on Ayurvedic medicine and how it can fit into our modern society's need to feel and look great, mitigate menopausal symptoms, and live a life full of vibrancy. Dr. Gupta received her master's degree in Ayurvedic Sciences and her Ph.D. in turmeric. She has fused Eastern and Western medicine into a modern Ayurvedic approach making this ancient wisdom more accessible to the masses. We discuss how Ayurveda may play a role in reducing low-grade inflammation, optimizing gut health and mitochondrial function, and support weight loss. Listen to episode #66 on all podcast platforms and YouTube.

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When you have tried your very best to fix a health issue, such as constipation, hair loss, chronic fatigue, or weight loss and you just cannot reach your goal, you then seek intervention. Working with a medical provider, practitioner, or health coach is the intervention. Peptide therapy, hormone replacement therapy, exosomes, and TPE, or Therapeutic Plasma Exchange are all examples of interventions. Dr. Savage shares his expertise on each intervention, who are the best candidates, and when to use them during your health journey. In Parts 1 and 2, Dr. Savage and I dove deep into the early detection and prevention of chronic disease states. If you have not listened to those episodes yet, check out #60 and #62, where you will learn about the importance of discovering your unique health equation and how to support optimal health through labs and other tests. In this podcast, we dive deep into what intervention is, how to apply it in your anti-aging plan, and when to know it's time to intervene with a medical provider.

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