If you’ve ever left a doctor’s appointment feeling rushed, unheard, or still confused—this episode explains why.

In Part 1 of this two-part series, Dr. Jill and Dr. Ade break down what’s really happening behind the scenes of modern healthcare—and why women in midlife are often left feeling frustrated, even when they have insurance.

Women today are asking for more time, more prevention, more thoughtful hormone care, and clearer answers. And they should. But the healthcare system was not designed to pay for much of the care women actually need in midlife.

In this episode, we explore:

• What women are rightfully asking for in midlife healthcare
• What insurance is designed to cover—and where it falls short
• Why visits feel rushed and why providers ask you to “pick one concern”
• The reality of copays, deductibles, and unpaid care
• The invisible administrative work patients never see
• Why so many physicians are burning out or leaving healthcare altogether

This conversation isn’t about blaming patients or doctors. It’s about understanding how the system has changed—and why it often doesn’t support the kind of care women deserve.

🎧 In Part 2, we’ll continue the conversation by exploring what’s emerging in response—including cash-pay care, direct care models, and how to think about your options without guilt or fear.

What happens when everything is “normal” on paper—but you don’t feel normal at all?

In this solo episode, Dr. Jillian Woodruff reflects on what she sees every day in exam rooms and hears in quiet conversations with women moving through perimenopause and midlife. From unexplained anxiety and exhaustion to sleep disruption, weight changes, and shifts in identity, this episode explores why so many women feel dismissed when their symptoms don’t fit a neat medical box.

Dr. Woodruff unpacks the limitations of “normal” test results, the long-standing gaps in menopause education, and the gender double standard that asks women to tolerate what would never be ignored in men. She also explains why these symptoms are biologically real, why they’re often misunderstood, and why quality of life is a legitimate medical outcome—not a luxury.

This is a grounded, thoughtful conversation about midlife complexity, medical humility, and why women deserve curiosity instead of dismissal.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why midlife and perimenopause look different for every woman

• The symptoms that often get overlooked or minimized in midlife

• How hormone changes interact with the nervous system

• Why “everything is normal” can shut down meaningful care

• The historical impact of the Women’s Health Initiative on hormone education

• When “normal aging” becomes a barrier to treatment

• The gender double standard in how aging symptoms are treated

• Why quality of life matters for long-term health and longevity

Key takeaways:

• Variation in midlife symptoms is biology—not failure

• Normal tests do not mean nothing is happening

• Medical humility is good medicine

• Aging should not require suffering

• Longevity without function is not success

Host:

Dr. Jillian Woodruff, MD

OB-GYN | Co-host, The Modern Midlife Collective

Share thoughts or ideas for future episodes:

📧 connect@modernmidlifecollective.com

Brain Fog After 40: The Hormone, Sleep, and Stress Connection No One Explains

If you’ve started forgetting words, losing your train of thought, or feeling mentally slower after 40, you’re not imagining it—and you’re not alone.

In this episode, Dr. Jill and Dr. Ade explain why brain fog is so common in midlife, how hormonal shifts in perimenopause affect cognition, and why stress and disrupted sleep can make mental clarity feel out of reach. They break down what’s happening in the brain, what’s within the range of normal midlife change, what deserves further evaluation, and what actually helps restore focus and confidence.

This is a grounded, science-based conversation for women who are worried about their brain—but tired of being told it’s “just stress” or “normal aging.”

Feeling exhausted but unable to shut your brain off at night? Waking up tired, crashing in the afternoon, and feeling constantly on edge—even though you’re taking care of yourself?

In this episode, Dr. Jill and Dr. Ade explain why stress feels different in midlife and why strategies that used to work often stop working after 40. They break down how cortisol is supposed to function, how hormonal shifts change the stress response, and why many women feel dismissed when labs come back “normal.”

This is a clear, physiology-based conversation about what’s actually happening in the midlife stress system—and how to support it without blaming yourself or chasing quick fixes.

📩 Have a question or comment? Email us at connect@modernmidlifecollective.com—we’d love to feature your thoughts in a future episode!
Follow us on Instagram for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

#TiredButWired #MidlifeStress #Perimenopause #WomenOver40 #ModernMidlifeCollective #MidlifeHealth #StressInMidlife #Cortisol #HormoneHealth #Perimenopause #MenopauseSupport #WomensHealth #NervousSystemHealth #ModernMidlifeCollective

Everything They Didn’t Tell You About Perimenopause (But Your Body Is Trying to Show)

Perimenopause isn’t menopause—it’s the messy middle. The years when your body starts whispering (sometimes shouting) that change is coming, even though you’re still having periods. In this episode of The Modern Midlife Collective, Dr. Jill Woodruff and Dr. Ade Akindipe pull back the curtain on the transition no one warned you about: perimenopause.

From mood swings, heavy periods, anxiety, and brain fog to night sweats and stubborn weight gain, your body is sending signals long before your final menstrual period. But because these symptoms mimic stress, thyroid disease, or even depression, many women are misdiagnosed or dismissed.

✨ This conversation will help you recognize what’s normal, what’s not, and how to partner with your provider to navigate this season with confidence and support.

Episode Highlights

• Why perimenopause can start as early as your late 30s (and why so many women miss it)
• The role of hormone fluctuations: falling progesterone and unpredictable estrogen
• Common symptoms: irregular cycles, anxiety, brain fog, night sweats, and midsection weight gain
• Red flags that need medical attention—heavy bleeding, persistent pelvic pain, or severe depression
• How lifestyle hormones (cortisol, insulin, thyroid, vitamin D) interact with sex hormones
• When to consider hormone therapy and why starting earlier can be both safe and effective
• Why perimenopause is more than symptoms—it’s an invitation to reclaim your power in midlife

Memorable Quotes

• “Perimenopause doesn’t send a calendar invite—it just arrives.” – Dr. Ade
• “Don’t normalize misery. There are solutions.” – Dr. Ade
• “Perimenopause is your body saying: It’s time to pay attention.” – Dr. Jill

Chapters

00:00 – What Perimenopause Really Is
02:00 – The Confusion Stage: “Too Young for Menopause?”
08:00 – The Body Keeps the Score: Symptoms You Can’t Ignore
15:00 – When to Call Your Provider & Red Flags
20:00 – Hormone Therapy Demystified
22:00 – The Empowerment Shift: Midlife as Your Power Era
27:00 – Final Thoughts & How to Advocate for Yourself

Meet Your Hosts

Dr. Aderonke "Ade" Akindipe, DNP, MBA, APRN, FNP-C
A board-certified nurse practitioner and founder and medical director at Rejuvenate Health & Wellness. Dr. Ade Akindipe created The Elevated Woman Method to help women move beyond quick fixes and rediscover what it means to thrive in their bodies. With years of experience in functional medicine and lifestyle coaching, she brings a compassionate, evidence-led approach to women’s health. Dr. Ade believes women aren’t broken—they just need the right map back to themselves.

Dr. Jillian Woodruff, MD, FACOG, NCMP
A board-certified gynecologist and nationally certified menopause practitioner, Dr. Woodruff is the Chief Medical Officer of Modern Gynecology & Skin. She is also host of NPR-affiliated Line One on Alaska Public Media and co-founder of The Women’s WELL Foundation. Her expertise spans hormone therapy, sexual wellness, and aesthetic medicine, empowering women to lead vibrant, informed lives.

📩 Have a question or comment? Email us at connect@modernmidlifecollective.com—we’d love to feature your thoughts in a future episode!
Follow us on Instagram for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

#Perimenopause #MidlifeHealth #WomensHealth #HormoneTherapy #HormoneBalance #SleepHealth #ModernMidlifeCollective