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This podcast originally ran on December 12th, 2025

In this episode, Ann Marie speaks with Dr Gary Elkins, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University and director of the Mind-Body Medicine Research Laboratory, in Waco, Texas. Dr. Elkins is the leading researcher in the field of clinical hypnosis for menopause, with more than 25 years of experience and more 100 peer-reviewed publications.

He joins Hotflash inc to explore the groundbreaking science behind hypnosis for hot flashes, its surprising effectiveness (up to 70% reduction!), how it works in the brain, why it matters for breast cancer survivors, and how hypnosis may also support sleep, stress, and other midlife symptoms. They also discuss Evia, the self-hypnosis app built on Dr. Elkins’ research, and the critical importance of hjaving non-pharmaceutical options for symptom relief.

Highlights

• How hypnosis became part of NAMS (now The Menopause Society) guidelines
• Research showing hypnosis reduces hot flashes by 70%
• What hypnosis is and what it definitely isn’t
• What happens in the brain during hypnosis
• The “triple fallacy” and misunderstanding physical symptoms
• Comparing hypnosis to hormone therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• How hypnosis helps improve sleep and calm anxiety
• Why hot flashes are a physiological issue, not a psychological one
• What to expect: when and how hypnosis starts to work
• The power of daily practice and support from others
• Addressing misconceptions about hypnotizability and intelligence
• What the research says about empathy, creativity and hypnosis
• The mind-body connection and the experiential system
• How hypnosis taps into the subconscious (without the woo)
• Dr. Elkins on consulting for the Evia app and why it matters
• Future research: hypnosis for sleep and psychedelic states without drugs

Guest Info – Dr. Gary Elkins

• Website: www.garyelkins.org
• Book: Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy: What You Need to Know
• Handbook: Handbook of Medical and Psychological Hypnosis

•• Evia App: https://www.eviamenopause.com

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:

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Newsletter: Hotflash inc. on Substack
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Instagram: @hotflashinc
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Episode website: Hotflashinc

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In this episode of the Hotflash inc Podcast, journalist Ann Marie McQueen interviews Dr Sarah McKay, Oxford-educated neuroscientist, author of The Female Brain Book, and founder of the Neuroscience Academy.

This is a powerful, nuanced conversation about what we know, what we don’t, and what’s being exaggerated online. Grounding, clarifying and deeply reassuring.

If you’ve been worried about your brain in midlife, this episode is for you.

The Hotflash inc Summit All Access Pass
https://summit.hotflashinc.com/hotflash-inc-summit-all-access-pass

Coming Soon: The Hot Truth About Hormone Therapy
https://hotflashinc.com

Thank you to our sponsor:
Phosis – Use code HOTFLASHINC for 15% off
https://phosis.com

Founded by Susan Campbell, Phosis is clinically proven, exceptionally clean skincare created specifically for dry, perimenopausal skin.

What we explored this episode:

07:15 – Cognitive load, smartphones & the myth of “midlife decline”
18:40 – Brain restructuring during menopause: adaptation vs degeneration
27:30 – “The brain eats itself” – what the mouse study actually showed
39:10 – Dementia risk: incidence vs prevalence explained clearly
44:30 – Absolute vs relative risk
58:20 – Hormone sensitivity, the pill & depression research

Memorable quote:
“We absolutely must report absolute risk.”

Fact check:

1. Dr. Pauline M. Maki leads NIH-funded research on women’s cognitive/mental health and how sex hormones and reproductive transitions affect well-being.
2. Dr Susan R. Davis is an NHMRC Principal Research Fellow (since 2007) and Director of the Women’s Health Research Program at Monash University (School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine).
3. TGA = Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration, the government regulator for medicines, medical devices, and biologicals.

Connect with our guest:

Website: https://drsarahmckay.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsarahmckay

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:

Web: hotflashinc.com
Newsletter: Hotflash inc. on Substack
TikTok: @hotflashinc
Instagram: @hotflashinc
X: @hotflashinc

Episode website: Hotflashinc

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In this episode of The Hotflash inc Podcast, journalist Ann Marie McQueen interviews Dr. Kirsten Smith, ND, a naturopathic doctor and certified menopause practitioner practicing between Ontario and Costa Rica. Together, they grapple with the exploding conversation around menopause hormone therapy – what’s grounded in evidence, what’s being overstated, and what gets lost when urgency turns into dogma.

This is a candid, nuanced look at the current “meno-rush” – where hormone therapy is hailed as life-saving by some, dismissed by others, and increasingly positioned all around as the only solution. Dr. Smith brings 17 years of clinical experience blending conventional diagnostics with holistic medicine, offering what she calls a third path: thoughtful, individualized care rooted in both science and lived reality.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the polarization – this conversation is for you.

The Hotflash inc Summit All Access Pass
https://summit.hotflashinc.com/hotflash-inc-summit-all-access-pass

Coming Soon: The Hot Truth About Hormone Therapy (get on the list!)
https://hotflashinc.com

Thank you to our gold sponsor from the Hotflash inc Summit, Phosis and its founder Susan Campbell. Phosis creates clinically proven, exceptionally clean skincare formulated specifically for dry, sensitive hormonal skin. Use code HOTFLASHINC for 15% off Phosis.com

What we explored this episode:

00:00 – Why menopause hormone therapy has become so polarized
07:45 – The “meno-rush”: how Instagram accelerated the hormone conversation
12:10 – Pharmaceutical influence and the pendulum swing from neglect to hype
18:45 – Who hormone therapy doesn’t work for (and why that matters)
23:20 – The pathology problem: when everything gets blamed on perimenopause
28:10 – Speed culture, nervous systems, and why true healing takes time

Memorable quote:
“We’ve gone from ignoring menopause to hyper-medicalizing it – and neither extreme serves women.”

Where to follow Dr. Kirsten Smith

IG @drkirstensmithnd
Facebook drkirstensmithnd
Linked In drkirstensmithnd

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:

Web: hotflashinc.com
Newsletter: Hotflash inc. on Substack
TikTok: @hotflashinc
Instagram: @hotflashinc
X: @hotflashinc

Episode website: Hotflashinc

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube | Substack

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In this episode of The Hotflash inc Podcast, journalist Ann Marie McQueen speaks with Bonnie Wisener, registered holistic nutritionist, digestive health expert, and founder of Shift Nutrition and Wellness, about why gut issues so often flare in perimenopause and menopause.

Together, they explore the powerful (and often missed) links between hormones, the nervous system, IBS, food restriction, and midlife stress – and what actually helps when digestion starts to unravel.

This is a grounded, practical conversation for anyone dealing with bloating, constipation, IBS, food fear, or the sense that their gut has suddenly “turned” in midlife.

The Hotflash Inc Summit All Access Pass
https://summit.hotflashinc.com/hotflash-inc-summit-all-access-pass

Coming Soon: The Hot Truth About Hormone Therapy
https://hotflashinc.com

Thank you to our Hotflash inc Summit sponsor

Phosis – Clean, clinically proven skincare for hormonal skin
Use code HOTFLASHINC for 15% off at https://phosis.com

What we explored this episode

00:00 – Why gut symptoms spike in perimenopause
06:20 – IBS as a gut–brain disorder, not a food problem
13:45 – Why restriction and elimination diets backfire
20:30 – Nervous system regulation as digestive medicine
29:10 – Protein, fiber, blood sugar, and midlife digestion
38:40 – Supplements, probiotics, and what actually helps

Memorable quote:
“Digestive issues in menopause aren’t separate problems – they’re different expressions of the same system shift.”

Resources mentioned

Nerva App (by Mindset Health): https://nervaibs.com

Probio Chart: https://www.probiochart.com

Connect with our guest

Website: https://shiftnutritionandwellness.com/
Instagram: @shiftnutritionandwellness

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:

Web: hotflashinc.com
Newsletter: Hotflash inc. on Substack
TikTok: @hotflashinc
Instagram: @hotflashinc
X: @hotflashinc

Episode website: Hotflashinc

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube | Substack

See hotflashinc.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

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In this episode of The Hotflash inc Podcast, journalist Ann Marie McQueen interviews Heather Mills – entrepreneur, vegan food innovator, and founder of No Bloat, a Monash-certified low-FODMAP meal range designed for people living with gut sensitivities.

They talk gut chaos, menopause changes, stress, food science, and what it looks like to reinvent yourself (again) in midlife – by listening closely to your body and building what you wish existed.

The Hotflash Inc Summit All Access Pass
https://summit.hotflashinc.com/hotflash-inc-summit-all-access-pass

Coming Soon: The Hot Truth About Hormone Therapy
https://hotflashinc.com

What we explored in this episode
00:04 – From chronic gut crisis to building No Bloat (and why it took years)
00:09 – Low-FODMAP basics: why garlic and onion wreck so many people
00:22 – Stress + the gut: why you can bloat even on “perfect” food
00:27 – Heather's midlife body changes: hot sweats, mood shifts, and the “rib cage expansion” moment
00:33 – Menopause care frustrations: hormone testing, HRT debates, and UK context
00:50 – Reinvention in midlife: stop people-pleasing and reclaim your life

Memorable quote:
“You really are what you digest.”

Connect with our guest:
Heather Mills (official site): https://heathermills.org
No Bloat (website): https://nobloat.com/about/
Instagram (Heather): https://www.instagram.com/heathermillsofficial/
Instagram (No Bloat): https://www.instagram.com/nobloatuk/
LinkedIn (Heather): https://uk.linkedin.com/in/msheathermills

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:

Web: hotflashinc.com
Newsletter: Hotflash inc. on Substack
TikTok: @hotflashinc
Instagram: @hotflashinc
X: @hotflashinc

Episode website: Hotflashinc

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube | Substack

See hotflashinc.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

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In this episode of The Hotflash inc Podcast, journalist Ann Marie McQueen interviews Kristeen Pollock,a a Scotland-based fitness coach, speaker, and podcast host who is helping women finally break free from toxic exercise culture and reclaim their relationship with food, movement, and themselves.

Kristeen gets real about what it was like to live inside the exhausting loop of dieting, restriction, and chasing “perfection” – and what changed. Together they explore the emotional rollercoaster of perimenopause, learning to actually rest, dealing with body image shifts, and how to find your way back to freedom in midlife.

The Hotflash Inc Summit All Access Pass https://summit.hotflashinc.com/hotflash-inc-summit-all-access-pass

Thank you to our Hotflash inc Summit gold sponsor:
MenoLabs – Use code HOTFLASH for 20% off https://menolabs.com

What we explored this episode:
00:06 – Why the fitness industry is toxic and out of touch
00:11 – Body image, disordered eating, and midlife triggers
00:16 – From binge eating to food freedom + exposure therapy
00:22 – Letting go of control + emotional release in perimenopause
00:30 – Doing less, resting more, and embracing the shift

Memorable quote:
"If you can’t do it for 10 years, don’t do it for one day." – Kristeen Pollock

Connect with our guest:
Website: https://kpfitandwell.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kpingfit/
Podcast: Keeping it Real
LinkedIn: Kristeen Pollock

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:

Web: hotflashinc.com
Newsletter: Hotflash inc. on Substack
TikTok: @hotflashinc
Instagram: @hotflashinc
X: @hotflashinc

Episode website: Hotflashinc

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube | Substack

See hotflashinc.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

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Am I neurodivergent?

In this episode of the Hotflash inc Podcast, host and journalist Ann Marie McQueen sits down with Skylar Liberty Rose – a meditation guide, pro-aging advocate, and ceremony creator – to explore the layered intersection of neurodivergence and perimenopause. The two friends share a candid, nuanced conversation about realizing they may be neurodivergent later in life, how that connects with the hormonal shifts of midlife, and what it means to drop the mask and fully show up.

Sponsored: Thank you to MenoLabs for being a gold sponsor of the first-ever Hotflash inc Summit. Their science-backed probiotics, including the bestselling MenoFit, are designed to support women through perimenopause and menopause. Right now, you can get 20% off with code HOTFLASH20 at menolabs.com.

Highlights:

• 5:30 – Growing up with sensory sensitivities but having no language for it
• 8:00 – The misunderstanding and shame around being an introvert
• 10:00 – Coping with alcohol, masking, and perfectionism
• 11:30 – Perimenopause as “the great unveiling” of truth
• 13:00 – Losing the ability to mask in midlife
• 14:00 – The collapse of executive functioning in perimenopause
• 16:00 – What it feels like to remove long-held coping tools
• 17:00 – Navigating social situations without alcohol
• 21:00 – The relief of realizing you’re neurodivergent
• 22:00 – Pursuing (or not) a formal diagnosis
• 25:30 – On external validation and trusting yourself

Skylar Liberty Rose
Website: skylarlibertyrose.com

Skylar offers personalized guided meditations and custom ceremonies to support women in midlife and beyond. Her work focuses on embracing aging, dismantling anti-aging narratives, and honoring the major (and often invisible) thresholds of life.

Rate, share and go deeper

If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a review, drop a comment, and share it with someone who might benefit — and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show.

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:

Web: hotflashinc.com
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X: @hotflashinc

Episode website: Hotflashinc

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This episode of the Hotflash inc Podcast is hosted by Ann Marie McQueen, journalist and founder of the world’s only reader-supported, research-based platform covering all aspects of perimenopause, menopause, and the midlife transition.

This week's guest is Maryann Selfe, the Zurich-based private banking expert turned women's health investment advocate. After 25 years advising ultra-high-net-worth clients, Maryann became laser-focused on the lack of funding flowing into women’s health – and she’s doing something about it.

Maryann is the founder of Femme Health Alliance, editor of the widely-read Substack The Billion Dollar Blind Spot and author of the forthcoming book of the same name. In this conversation, she breaks down how midlife women represent an invisible economic powerhouse, how both capital markets and healthcare systems are failing to meet our needs – and how that is slowly changing.

Fact check

• Major firms like JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley have introduced menopause-friendly workplace policies, including flexible work and education.
• A 2025 Nature Cardiovascular Research study found women achieved heart health benefits with about half the weekly exercise men required — with even greater mortality reductions, including among those with existing heart disease.
• The $10.7B invested in women’s health in 2024 includes conditions that disproportionately affect women, according to SVB’s 2025 Innovation in Women’s Health report.
• Blackstone and TPG’s acquisition of women’s health med-tech leader Hologic is expected to close in early 2026.

Thank you to our Hotflash inc Summit gold sponsor:
MenoLabs – Use code HOTFLASH for 20% off https://menolabs.com

Highlights include:

• Why so little capital flows into women’s health
• What she means when she says midlife women are “an invisible economy”
• Insomnia trials were done mostly on men
• Women’s health isn’t a trend
• Why this isn’t just “women’s health”
• The missed opportunity in progesterone research
• Why financial return and impact can (and must) coexist

Engage with Maryann Selfe

• The Billion Dollar Blind Spot by Femme Health Ventures Alliance on Substack
• LinkedIn: Maryann Selfe
• IG Femme Health Ventures Alliance

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:

Web: hotflashinc.com
Newsletter: Hotflash inc. on Substack
TikTok: @hotflashinc
Instagram: @hotflashinc
X: @hotflashinc

Episode website: Hotflashinc

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube | Substack

See hotflashinc.com/privacy-policy for privacy information