Health Trip Podcast with Jill Foos

There’s a lot of trial and error and good money spent on products, providers, treatments, and at-home devices that don't live up to their promises. Today, you will walk away with golden nuggets of evidence-based and practical strategies to help you navigate midlife and beyond. This episode covers how to know if the information that you are hearing or reading is evidence-based, why research on women in menopause is complicated to decipher, the nuances of weight resistance training versus cardio exercise, what's most important for midlife women nutritionally, and how to properly eat around your workouts. We also cover how to read protein powder labels and what to look for in amino acids, why creatine is a game-changer for women beyond muscle health, and how to strategize getting restorative sleep.

Dr. Rachele Pojednic is an international authority on nutrition, supplementation, and physical activity interventions for muscle physiology, performance, and recovery. She received her PhD from Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and completed her postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School at the Joslin Diabetes Center and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. She has a faculty appointment at Stanford University and holds research appointments at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Edith Cowan University’s Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute. She has received NIH research funding from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the Vermont Biomedical Research Network (VBRN), an NIH IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program. She currently serves on the Board of Governors for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Exercise Is Medicine® initiative.

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As midlife women transition through menopause and adverse physiological changes start to take over, they find less time and motivation to get in the kitchen and prepare healthy, balanced meals. Many midlife women feel stumped around what to eat, how to shop, and how to prepare nourishing meals during this phase of life. Prioritizing nutrition that will support heart and brain health, body composition goals, strength and power, hair growth, skin health, strong bones, and more is complicated and overwhelming.

Shefaly Ravula is a board-certified physician assistant whose primary focus is gastroenterology, metabolic health, and culinary medicine. She left the conventional healthcare model to learn and expand her expertise from a more holistic lens, helping her patients achieve better health outcomes. In episode #106 on the Health Trip Podcast, we talk about harnessing a love of nourishing food, cooking, and preparing meals during midlife and beyond, even if you previously avoided your kitchen like the plague. For those of you wondering what the science is showing regarding menopausal gut health, how to optimize our body composition when dieting doesn’t work, and how to maintain a long-term, joyful nutrition journey for the next three to four decades of healthy living, this episode is for you.

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Testosterone therapy is often overlooked in midlife women’s health but plays a key role in libido, energy, mood, and cognition. As testosterone declines with age, symptoms like fatigue, low libido, and muscle loss emerge. While estrogen gets more attention, testosterone is vital for vitality and sexual well-being. Properly dosed therapy enhances desire, arousal, bone density, and mental clarity without harmful side effects.

Dr. Sarah de la Torre, a double-board-certified OBGYN with 25+ years of experience, specializes in hormone optimization and functional medicine. She empowers women to navigate perimenopause and menopause confidently.

This episode on the Health Trip Podcast explores testosterone therapy, debunks myths, and highlights options for enhancing arousal and vaginal health. Women deserve fulfilling, lifelong sexual wellness.

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Aging doesn’t mean losing sexual pleasure—yet many women have been conditioned to believe it naturally fades. Pleasure is your right at every stage of life. Understanding your body, and desires, and prioritizing intimacy are key to overall well-being. In this episode, Dr. Laurie Mintz debunks myths and explores midlife sexual health, menopause’s impact, and practical ways to enhance intimacy.

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In 2015, I discovered my cholesterol levels were rising, my APOB was high-risk, and I was prediabetic. I also carried the APOE4 allele, a risk factor for Alzheimer’s, and was a hyper-absorber of cholesterol. By 2020, post-menopause, my numbers had doubled, and in 2022, I learned I was also a hyposynthesizer, meaning my body now overproduced cholesterol. Despite a lifelong healthy lifestyle, I faced an uphill battle.

If this sounds confusing, stay with me—today’s episode is about screening and solutions for preventing heart disease during menopause and beyond - still the #1 killer of women. The internet is full of conflicting and fear-mongering guidance when it comes to women's heart disease risk and prevention. This episode will gift you with the current science on:

-Women's Health Initiative findings on heart disease and hormone therapy

-Estrogen's protective effects on the heart and whole body

-What lab biomarkers are essential to assessing risk

-What is the Cholesterol Balance Test?

-Statin therapy options

-Should you get a CAC Scan (coronary calcium score)

My special guest, Dr. Thomas Dayspring, is a leading expert in lipidology and women’s cardiovascular health. A renowned educator and clinician, he has given over 4,000 lectures, authored lipid textbook chapters, and is a trusted voice in cardiovascular medicine. His expertise will help midlife women navigate heart disease risk with science-backed insights and practical solutions.

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At-home devices have become an innovative and accessible way for women to target solutions for menopause-related challenges. Red light therapy caps, designed to stimulate hair follicles, can be a game-changer for women experiencing thinning hair due to hormonal fluctuations. These caps use low-level laser therapy (LLLT) to promote blood flow to the scalp, encouraging healthier and fuller hair growth over time. Similarly, red light therapy devices for skin health have gained popularity for their ability to reduce wrinkles, improve elasticity, and boost collagen production, addressing skin changes that can accompany menopause. By incorporating these non-invasive treatments into a routine, women can enjoy effective results from the comfort of home.

Sleep, often disrupted during menopause, can also benefit from advancements in at-home technology. Cooling mattress pads are a game-changer for managing night sweats and hot flashes, offering temperature regulation to promote deeper and more restorative sleep. These mattress pads work by dispersing cool water through tiny tubes in the mattress pad to maintain an optimal sleeping temperature, allowing midlife women to wake up feeling refreshed. These devices empower women to take control of their menopause journey, addressing the physical changes of menopause with practical and science-backed tools.

Today, I share my top three at-home devices to consider investing in during menopause and beyond on episode #101 on the Health Trip Podcast.

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Deep sleep is crucial for changing your body composition, brain function, and overall health and well-being, but hormonal changes during menopause can make achieving it more challenging. In this episode, I discuss three strategies to consider when working on sleep during menopause and beyond. Together, these practices—avoiding alcohol, embracing morning sunlight, and removing electronics—can help menopausal women reclaim the deep sleep they need for optimal health.

I discuss the effects that alcohol has on sleep, why removing electronics from the bedroom can help, and breakdown how early morning light exposure can significantly impact sleep. You may have heard about these strategies before, and in this episode, I dive deep into the why, and what to consider doing instead.

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The menopause transition brings with it the opportunity to think differently about your health, wellness, and longevity. In this Health Trip Podcast episode, you will learn three steps to start helping you better redefine wellness in midlife and beyond—a chance to reshape what health and vitality mean to you. It’s about creating a personalized approach to thriving physically, mentally, and emotionally, rather than chasing outdated ideals. I discuss building a healthcare team that supports your goals, embracing strength over striving for “skinny,” and staying curious about your sexual wellness. Approaching this midlife phase of life with openness and a commitment to living fully and authentically will help you redefine what wellness means to you.

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The menopausal phase of life brings not only physical and hormonal changes but also heightened vulnerability to heart disease for midlife women. In this episode, we explore how menopause influences heart health, why women need to be proactive about their cardiovascular wellness, and how hormonal shifts affect everything from blood pressure to cholesterol. We will also discuss the impact of family history, and genetics and what labs and tests are crucial for assessing your risk. We discuss the ongoing debate over using estrogen as a tool for heart disease prevention versus statins.

Dr. Martha Gulati, MD, a preventive cardiologist, joins the Health Trip Podcast to share her expertise on midlife women’s heart health. To name a few, she is the Past President of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology, professor of cardiology at the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles, and the associate director of the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center. She holds the Anita Dann Friedman Endowed Chair in Women’s Cardiovascular Medicine and Research. She is the author of the best-seller, “Saving Women’s Hearts”. Listen to episode #98.

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Midlife women are experiencing a variety of negative physiological changes, including weight gain, poor sleep, hair loss, increased anxiety, and so much more, due to hormonal decline. This past year menopause education and awareness have been a shining star to midlife women, physicians, and like-minded providers. Yet, so many women continue struggling to create healthy lifestyle habits once they leave their doctor's office and are on their own, living their reality.

A wellness vision is a roadmap to help you create the path to follow to help you reach your goals. It's a long-term vision broken down into smaller pieces highlighting your character strengths, values, feelings, habits you want more of, and people who support you.

It's time to put pen to paper and get to work, ladies. In episode #97 on the Health Trip Podcast, I share the first three steps in creating your wellness vision, just in time for 2025. No more unfinished resolutions. Think about your 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. What do you see?

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In this episode, we explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the understanding of gut health, especially for midlife women. As hormonal changes during midlife can significantly impact the gut microbiome, AI-powered tools are helping to decode these complex interactions. Leo Grady, founder of JONA, shares how personalized AI-driven gut health analyses can identify imbalances, predict potential issues like inflammation or nutrient deficiencies, and recommend tailored interventions. From optimizing diet to improving overall well-being, this cutting-edge technology offers midlife women a proactive approach to maintaining gut health and navigating this pivotal stage of life.

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Understanding risk factors is key to staying proactive about skin health during menopause. This episode examines how hormonal changes, such as decreased estrogen levels, may affect skin elasticity, immune response, and overall vulnerability to damage. We’ll highlight the importance of regular skin checks, recognizing warning signs like unusual moles or persistent lesions, and understanding how a history of tanning or sunburns can compound your risk.

We cover treatment options and actionable steps for reducing your risk and improving outcomes. From the latest advancements in skin cancer therapies to practical prevention tips—like wearing sunscreen, embracing protective clothing, and incorporating dermatologist visits into your routine—we provide a roadmap for maintaining healthy skin at every stage of life.

Tune in to episode #95 on the Health Trip Podcast featuring Dr. Neda Ashourian who is a double-board-certified Dermatologist and Mohs surgeon. Dr. Ashourian completed an internal medicine internship at Indiana University, a dermatology residency at Rush University, and a fellowship in Mohs micrographic surgery and cutaneous oncology at Northwestern Skin Cancer Institute. Before joining NWSCI, she was an assistant professor of dermatology at Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation and the head of the department's dermatology services at Jesse Brown VA Hospital.

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Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted infection that can affect women of all ages, including those in midlife. Over 42 million people are infected with the HPV virus in the US alone. At least 80% of sexually active women will have been infected with HPV at some point in their lives, and at least 4 out of every 5 women will have been infected by age 50. Most HPV infections clear up on their own within a couple of years, but high-risk HPV infections that persist can lead to cancer, including cervical cancer, cancer of the vagina, vulva, and anus in women. About half of all cervical cancer cases occur in women over 50, and more than 20% are found in women over 65. These cancers are rare in women who have had regular cervical cancer screenings before age 65. There are 4,000 deaths every year from cervical cancer and it is preventable. One issue is that many women who are past menopause stop seeing their OBGYNs on an annual basis, meaning that they are not continuing to be screened.

My guest today will share an incredible amount of information on HPV, including how to strengthen our immune system to clear the virus, how our gut and vaginal microbiomes affect our immune system, the importance of micronutrient status on a cellular level, different protocols to follow to clear the virus, and what screening should look like for you.

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Join me as I speak with Cami Smalley, a national board-certified health and wellness coach and the founder of Guided Resilience. Cami is the author of Mindful Pause: A Self-Care Guide to Resilience and Well-Being and has decades of experience supporting workplace well-being. She has worked extensively with Regions Hospital in St. Paul, MN, where she developed programs for employee resilience and provided support for individuals dealing with work-related stress, trauma, and lifestyle changes.

Together, we discuss simple, actionable ways to bring mindfulness into your daily routine, covering science-backed benefits such as improved mood, enhanced body image, and reduced stress. We also touch on how mindfulness can positively impact midlife women's sexual wellness and self-discovery during menopause. Cami shares her expertise in Heart Math, an innovative approach to improving emotional well-being.

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Menopause is this phase of life that brings about significant physical, emotional, and psychological changes, from hormonal shifts, and body composition changes, to sleepless nights and brain fog, and evolving family and work dynamics. Feeling overwhelmed or disconnected is easy, but mindfulness offers practical tools to help you regain balance, stay grounded, and navigate these changes with greater awareness and compassion. Mindfulness also helps women prioritize their self-care- you can’t help others unless you put on your oxygen mask first. In this episode, we explore simple mindfulness strategies that can fit into your busy day, helping you stay present and reduce anxiety through mindful breathing, body awareness, or cultivating self-compassion.

My guest today is Chris Vasiliadis, a fellow NBCHWC, who has her Master's in Education. She is the author of Ignition, A Professional Women’s Guide To Energized, Burn-Out Proof Living. I’ve just finished reading her book and learned so many new strategies to support my mindfulness practice in a way that feels good to me. She has some amazing stories to share, filled with examples of how mindfulness can fit it and support your longevity goals, including her own.

Chris founded Priority Wellness in 2008. She has helped countless individuals energize their health, avoid burnout, and improve their performance. Choosing to prioritize her wellness after her multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 2005, Chris has been relapse-free for over 12 years.

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Perimenopause is a transitional phase that marks the beginning of a woman’s journey toward menopause, often starting in the late 40s, but could start as early as mid-30s. As hormone levels, particularly estrogen and progesterone, begin to fluctuate, women experience a variety of symptoms, including weight gain. This weight gain is often due to hormonal changes that affect metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and fat distribution, particularly around the abdomen.

My guest today on the Health Trip Podcast is Dr. Heather Quaile, a double board-certified, women’s and gender health nurse practitioner and advanced forensic nurse specializing in human trafficking and female sexual health. She is a thought leader and creator of the Just Ask podcast. Dr. Quaile is also trained and certified as a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner. Dr. Quaile has been working in all aspects of women’s healthcare for over 23 years caring for women of all ages across the health-illness continuum and recognized the lack of sexual health awareness not just in her community but in its providers.

Join us as we share how the perimenopause transition affects weight gain, and your healthspan, as well as strategies to improve your metabolic health during midlife.

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Many women experience changes in their sexual health and desire during menopause due to hormonal shifts. Still, this phase of life doesn’t have to mark the end of a satisfying and pleasurable sexual experience. Instead, menopause can be a time of exploration and rediscovery, where women redefine intimacy on their terms. In this episode, we’ll break down how menopause affects sexual pleasure and what women can do to enhance their sexual well-being without feeling limited by these changes.

Dr. Maria Sophocles, MD is a gynecologist whose mission is to address gender inequality in the bedroom -- what she terms "The Bedroom Gap" -- by educating men and women about the sexual changes of menopause, and by fostering open conversations around female sexuality. She believes sex should be about pleasure as well as procreation and that we remain rather universally trapped in a centuries-old model of sex for male pleasure. As a gynecologist, she is well-informed about how women's bodies age, and how the sexual effects of menopause are neither understood nor discussed. Having talked with and treated women worldwide, she knows this "broken, dried up" feeling midlife women develop is universal.

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