What if menopause isn’t the end of something—but the beginning of your clearest, most powerful self? We sit down with Dr. Mindy Pelz—best-selling author of Age Like a Girl—to explore how declining estrogen rewires the brain and why that shift can upgrade focus, confidence, and purpose. Instead of treating symptoms like flaws, Mindy shows how depression, rage, anxiety, and brain fog are signals pointing to a life that needs new boundaries, better fuel, and deeper connection.

We unpack estrogen’s “girl gang” of neurochemicals—dopamine, serotonin, GABA, oxytocin, melatonin, BDNF—and what to do as they dip. Expect practical, doable tools: short daily fasts (13–15 hours) to feed your brain ketones and clear mental fog, novelty and learning to revive dopamine, sleep rhythms to support calm, and community that actually feels nourishing. Mindy shares her own story of stepping away to rebuild from a mental health crash, and how choosing herself ended people pleasing and restored her energy.

We also dig into the grandmother hypothesis and how post-reproductive women historically powered survival with leadership, stamina, and social cohesion. That evolutionary lens flips the script on ageism: a post-menopausal brain is built for focus and mentorship. One billion women are moving through this stage right now—imagine the cultural change if more of us claimed that power. You’ll leave with a new frame for symptoms, a plan for your next chapter, and permission to ask, without apology: What do I want?

If this conversation sparks something, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review. Tell us: what will you stop saying yes to so you can say yes to yourself?

Dr. Mindy Pelz is a New York Times bestselling author, visionary educator, and trailblazer in the field of women’s health and hormone science. With over two decades of experience, she’s built a global movement to help women understand the power of their bodies at every stage of life. Her bestselling books, including Fast Like a Girl, The Menopause Reset, and her newest release Eat Like a Girl, have helped millions of women use fasting, nutrition, and lifestyle shifts to balance hormones, boost energy, and take back control of their health.

Her upcoming book, Age Like a Girl, redefines what it means to grow older as a woman. Rooted in the latest science and rich in personal story, the book challenges outdated narratives about menopause and aging offering instead a roadmap for awakening. Dr. Mindy shows women how to use the neurochemical shifts of midlife as a launchpad for purpose, leadership, and bold reinvention.

Dr. Mindy’s Resetter Podcast consistently ranks among Apple’s top U.S. science shows, withguests ranging from LeAnn Rimes and Rachel Hollis to Dr. Rangan Chatterjee. Her YouTube channel has surpassed 110 million views, and her teachings have reached hundreds of thousands through workshops, online programs, and live events.

She holds a Doctorate of Chiropractic and a background in functional nutrition, and she brings both science and heart to everything she does. Based in San Jose, CA, she leads a team committed to helping women worldwide become the healthiest, most powerful version of themselves. Dr. Mindy believes this is not the time for women to get quieter, it’s the time to get stronger, clearer, and more connected to who they truly are. Aging isn’t a decline. It’s an evolution.

Website: https://www.drmindypelz.com/

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MiDOViA is dedicated to changing the narrative about menopause by educating, ra

Tired of hearing that retirement means retreat? We sit down with Luster co-founders Erica Baird and Karen Wagner to flip that script and show how midlife can be a launchpad for purpose, community, and power. They walked away from high-profile careers, hit the same identity shock so many of us feel, and built a modern space where women design what comes next with confidence and style.

We dig into the big shifts that happen when the calendar clears and the title disappears, and why a yes-first mindset can turn uncertainty into momentum. Erica and Karen share a practical framework to treat reinvention like real work: audit what lit you up, map the skills you still want to use, and craft a plan that fits a 20 to 30 year runway. We talk about building community on purpose, especially for introverts who want depth over noise, and we offer simple scripts to answer “What are you doing now?” with clarity and pride.

Ageism shows up in subtle and loud ways, so we name it and counter it with visibility, advocacy, and action. You’ll hear how Luster’s platform connects thousands of women through thoughtful content, interactive expert sessions on health, money, and longevity, a weekly news briefing, and a member directory that sparks real-world meetups. The stories will move you: a marketer who returned to playwriting and made it to Broadway, a finance executive who chased a lifelong dream to fly and now circles the globe.

If you’ve been standing in that cold hallway between what ended and what’s next, this conversation hands you the handle: say yes, find your people, and let purpose steer the next chapter. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs this reframe, and leave a review to help more women retire with attitude.

Start with the lived experience, not the label. We sit down with gender-affirming menopause educator and advocate Lasara Firefox Allen to reframe menopause as a human transition that deserves respect, nuance, and choices. From the first hot flash to postmenopausal clarity, we map the terrain for trans, nonbinary, and gender-diverse people who are too often erased by narrow clinical language and outdated protocols.

Lasara shares how dysphoria and euphoria can shape the menopause arc, why “hormones have no gender,” and how surgical or chemical menopause intersects with identity and safety. We break down what affirming care looks like in real clinics: pronouns honored, intake forms that fit, and treatment menus that don’t force people into boxes. You’ll hear the tough realities—erratic bleeding for transmasculine folks in unsafe environments, GSM that worsens on testosterone without local estrogen, and the data on late ADHD and autism diagnoses—paired with clear, actionable guidance.

We dive into hormone strategy with a practical lens, exploring when high-dose testosterone, physiologic-dose estradiol, and micronized progesterone make sense, and why prior side effects with birth control don’t predict menopausal HRT outcomes. We cover workplace disclosure, accommodations that reduce risk, and the hidden burden of eating disorders in the trans community. Access matters, so we point to resources you can use now, including Planned Parenthood and FOLX telehealth, plus training pathways for providers who want to deliver competent, compassionate care.

This conversation is about more than symptoms; it’s about agency. Menopause can surface grief—about fertility, identity, and change—while opening real space for post-traumatic growth. If you’re seeking care that fits who you are, or you’re a clinician ready to do better, you’ll leave with language, tools, and a roadmap. If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review to help more people find affirming menopause care.

Lasara Firefox Allen (they/them/theirs / Mx.) is a gender-affirming menopause educator, coach, writer, and advocate committed to uplifting genderqueer, trans, and queer-bodied folks navigating perimenopause, menopause, and beyond. With a foundation in social work and lived experience in midlife transition, Lasara centers marginalized voices and reclaims menopause beyond binary narratives.

Website: https://www.genderqueermenopause.com/

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Website: https://www.midovia.com/
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Email Us: info@midovia.com

MiDOViA is dedicated to changing the narrative about menopause by educating, raising awareness & supporting women in this stage of life, both at home and in the workplace. Visit midovia.com to learn more.

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images & other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.