In this episode, Mary welcomes functional medicine practitioner Cindy Dupuie, who shares her deeply personal journey from experiencing early menopause after a stressful divorce to becoming one of the leading voices helping women understand the root causes of hormonal changes. Together they unpack why menopause is about far more than hot flashes and why estrogen influences nearly every tissue and organ in the body.

The conversation explores the principles of functional medicine, emphasizing how hormones, digestion, inflammation, the microbiome, and metabolic health are deeply interconnected. Cindy explains why declining estrogen can contribute to digestive problems including acid reflux, food sensitivities, constipation, SIBO, leaky gut, and poor bile production, while also discussing how hormone therapy may support long-term brain, heart, and bone health beyond symptom relief.

Mary and Cindy also discuss the current barriers women face in today's healthcare system, the importance of becoming educated advocates for your own health, and why individualized care—not one-size-fits-all medicine—is essential for thriving throughout midlife and beyond.

Whether you're navigating perimenopause, menopause, or simply want to understand how your body changes with age, this episode offers practical insights, empowering perspectives, and hope for building a healthier future.

Connect:

• 🌐 A Living Balance https://alivingbalance.net

Resources Mentioned:

• Dr. Mark Hyman — https://drhyman.com
• Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) — https://www.ifm.org
• Dr. Ben Lynch — https://www.drbenlynch.com
• Dirty Genes by Dr. Ben Lynch — https://www.drbenlynch.com/dirty-genes/
• Seeking Health — https://www.seekinghealth.com
• Dr. Tim Spector (ZOE) — https://zoe.com/learn/author/tim-spector

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Support the show

Meet the host, Mary, a certified Menopause Doula and Women’s Coaching Specialist. She is also a corporate educator, helping forward-thinking organizations foster a menopause-friendly workplace and design policies and accommodations for employees.

Click to learn more https://emmeellecoaching.com/menopauseatwork

Turn your menopause transition into a transformation with the Menopause Intelligence Course (MQ), an 8-module, self-paced learning experience, empowering you to take agency over your health and make informed decisions with your healthcare team.

Connect:

• Instagram @menopausedisruptorpodcast
• LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/maryhelenlee/
• Subscribe on Substack @emmeellecoaching

Disclaimer: Information shared is for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional.

Is the productivity crisis in the workforce actually an ageism crisis?

In this episode, I sit down with Lucy Standing, Chartered Psychologist and founder of Brave Starts, CIC – a non profit organisation supporting 300 – 400 people a year to plan and consider their future career development. Lucy specialising in mid career development with specific expertise in the ageing population.

Together, we explore ageism in the workplace, reinvention after 50, the rise of "quilted careers," and why many experienced professionals are choosing a a pay cut for fulfilling work that brings purpose and meaning.

Lucy challenges the outdated belief that our value declines with age and shares compelling evidence that resilience, emotional intelligence, experience, and purpose-driven leadership often peak in midlife. She has contributed hert research to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and spoken in the UK Parliament on ageing and employment policy.

Lucy is co-author of Age Against the Machine with Martin Hyde and Dr. Maggi Evans that argues the talent shortage gripping British business isn't a talent problem - it's a filtering problem.

Connect:

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucystanding/

Brave Starts:
https://www.bravestarts.com/

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I would love it if you could support the show. Go into the show notes and click on the button where you read "support the show." You have the option to donate monthly, $3, 5, 8, 10. Be a loyal supporter for as long as you want with recurring fee as little of three as $3 a month, and opt out at any time. Each investment goes directly back into producing episodes with even better content, improved audio quality, and we'll go a long way in bringing great guests onto the show.

Support the show

Meet the host, Mary, a certified Menopause Doula and Women’s Coaching Specialist. She is also a corporate educator, helping forward-thinking organizations foster a menopause-friendly workplace and design policies and accommodations for employees.

Click to learn more https://emmeellecoaching.com/menopauseatwork

Turn your menopause transition into a transformation with the Menopause Intelligence Course (MQ), an 8-module, self-paced learning experience, empowering you to take agency over your health and make informed decisions with your healthcare team.

Connect:

• Instagram @menopausedisruptorpodcast
• LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/maryhelenlee/
• Subscribe on Substack @emmeellecoaching

Disclaimer: Information shared is for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional.

Today, I bring back the Goddess Journey meditation series with a new guided meditation for the wise woman's personal shift toward intuition, letting go of mental rumination, while integrating spiritual wisdom.

You don't have to be a Gemini under a Sun or Moon sign to reap all the benfits of balancing dual forces that reside within each and every one of us.

This journey will begin with storytelling of how I arrived back in a place of quiet reflection while taking a pause from pushing the play button on life, accepting the intuitive call to rest in the flow of life instead.

This meditation calls for you to soak in stillness and allow what arrives in mind and body without pushing against it, judging, or analysing. Listeners will be guided through breathwork, nervous-system calming, and positive affirmations to cultivate heart-centre self-trust with intuition.

Use this practice to begin your day, during a work break, or to gently close out your evening. Anytime of day is a beautiful time to return home to you.

00:00 Intuitive Stirring

02:36 Astrology Shift

04:02 Heart Chakra Bridge

04:59 Grounding and Sisterhood

06:51 Settle In and Breathe

09:22 Gemini Breath Balance

10:55 Hands and Integration

13:35 Safety Affirmations

14:55 Embody Your Wise Self

17:18 Closing and Return

Let us know if you're liking the show!

Support the show

Meet the host, Mary, a certified Menopause Doula and Women’s Coaching Specialist. She is also a corporate educator, helping forward-thinking organizations foster a menopause-friendly workplace and design policies and accommodations for employees.

Click to learn more https://emmeellecoaching.com/menopauseatwork

Turn your menopause transition into a transformation with the Menopause Intelligence Course (MQ), an 8-module, self-paced learning experience, empowering you to take agency over your health and make informed decisions with your healthcare team.

Connect:

• Instagram @menopausedisruptorpodcast
• LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/maryhelenlee/
• Subscribe on Substack @emmeellecoaching

Disclaimer: Information shared is for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional.