Season 3 of Aging Powerfully with Melissa Grelo is a wrap — and before we head into our spring and summer hiatus, we are doing something we have never done before. A full season recap. Every episode. Every guest. Every headline you need to carry with you.

Twenty-six episodes. Some of the most brilliant scientists, physicians, researchers, and storytellers in Canada and beyond. Conversations about menopause, brain health, sleep, heart health, sexual desire, cancer, endometriosis, friendship, grief, dementia, skin, strength, and what it actually means to age powerfully on your own terms.

In this episode, Melissa recaps every single episode of Season 3 in order — the biggest takeaways, the moments that stopped her cold, and the guests she will never forget. Whether you have listened to every episode or you are just discovering this show, this is your roadmap to one of the most comprehensive libraries of women's midlife health content in Canada.

This season featured:

Dr. Jen Gunter on hormone therapy misinformation and the MAHA movement. Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple and Dr. Stuart Phillips on why building muscle is the most important thing you can do as you age. A solo episode from the Canadian Menopause Society Scientific Conference. Dr. Omolayo Famuyide on why menopause is not the same for all of us. Kara Murray making us laugh through the hot flashes. Dr. Shafeena Premji on non-hormonal treatments. Dr. Sasha High on weight, menopause, and weight loss drugs. Dr. Miriam Kirmayer on the power of friendship in midlife. Dr. Stephanie Faubion, Medical Director of The Menopause Society, on the latest FDA developments. Pattie Lovett-Reid on the "When I Die" folder. Dr. Liisa Galea on Alzheimer's and the menopausal brain. Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden on her mother's journey with Alzheimer's. Canadian icon Jann Arden on dementia and the long goodbye. A deeply personal episode with Melissa's parents, Frank and Claire Grelo, on shingles. Dr. Lillian Siu and Dr. Miyo Yamashita on cancer research and care in Canada. Dr. Lori Brotto on women's desire and libido. Dr. Kaajal Abrol on pregnancy and perimenopause at the same time. Dr. Tara Sedlak on midlife women's heart health. Dr. Marjorie Dixon on PCOS, fibroids, and perimenopause. Dr. Colleen Carney on why women cannot sleep — and what actually works. Dr. Nicholas Leyland on endometriosis. Dr. Ariane Ouellet-Decoste and Linda Franco on the six pillars of lifestyle medicine. Dr. Pauline Maki busting 25 menopause brain myths. And Dr. Lisa Kellett on your summer skin survival guide.

Melissa also looks ahead to Season 4 — and she wants to hear from you. Peptides. The estrogen shortage. Testosterone for women. Advocacy for billing code reform and mandatory menopause assessments at 35 and 40. What do you want covered? Tell her.

And while the podcast is on hiatus for the spring and summer — go back. The library is deep, the science does not expire, and there is something in these episodes for every stage of your journey.

Keep an eye on Instagram @melissagrelo for upcoming events across Canada — including Aging Powerfully with Melissa Grelo LIVE in Calgary on May 16th, 2026.

Tickets available now. Come be in the room.

This episode is proudly sponsored by Canada MedLaser.

Canada MedLaser is one of Canada's leading medical aesthetics companies — offering advanced, science-backed treatments to help you look and feel your best at every age. From laser skin resurfacing and body contouring to injectables and skin rejuvenation, Canada MedLaser combines cutting-edge technology with medical expertise to deliver real, lasting results.

Because aging powerfully means investing in yourself — inside and out.

Visit www.canadamedlaser.ca to learn more and book your consultation.

A NOTE OF GRATITUDE

Season 3 does not happen without two people who work incredibly hard behind the scenes and deserve to be recognized publicly and loudly.

To Beverly Furer — my business manager, my behind-the-scenes anchor, and the person who handles all the official, important, complicated things that make this podcast a real, functioning business. Beverly, you make it possible for me to show up and do what I love. I am so grateful for you.

And to Drew Garner — my tech and audio producer, who has been with me since Day 1 of this podcast and has never missed a week. Drew, you make this show sound the way it does — clean, professional, and worthy of the guests and the audience it serves. Every single week, without fail. That kind of consistency and dedication is rare and I do not take it for granted for a single second.

This show is a team effort. And I am so lucky to have this team.

Aging Powerfully with Melissa Grelo is produced for women navigating midlife with curiosity, humour, and zero tolerance for being dismissed. Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with every woman in your life who deserves better information about her own health.

Season 4 is coming. Stay tuned.

Your sunscreen is probably not working as well as you think it is. And that sun damage you've been accumulating? There is actually a lot you can do about it.

Canada's leading dermatologist Dr. Lisa Kellett is back on Aging Powerfully — and this time we are talking spring and summer skin. Everything you need to know before the heat hits, and everything you can do if the damage is already done.

In this episode we cover how the skin actually changes when the seasons shift — and why that shift is more significant for women in perimenopause and menopause than most of us realize. We get into the sunscreen conversation properly: SPF numbers, mineral versus chemical, how much we should actually be applying versus how much most of us use, and the spots we consistently miss. We talk about building a spring and summer routine that works — retinol, Vitamin C, exfoliants, and what to do with them when the sun gets intense.

Dr. Kellett walks us through what pollution and years of sun exposure are quietly doing to our skin, how to recognize when something needs medical attention, and what treatments are genuinely worth investing in at 40-plus — from lasers and microneedling to radiofrequency, chemical peels, and injectables. We also talk about what lifestyle factors — sleep, stress, alcohol, diet — are showing up on your face whether you like it or not.

This is the episode you save, share with your friends, and listen to before you buy another SPF product.

About Dr. Lisa Kellett

Dr. Lisa Kellett is a board-certified dermatologist in both Canada and the United States, a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada, and one of the most trusted voices in Canadian dermatology. She is the founder of DLK on Avenue in Toronto's Yorkville neighbourhood and was named one of Toronto's Top Doctors for 2024.

Connect with Dr. Lisa Kellett and DLK on Avenue

Website - dlkonavenue.com 

Instagram - DLK on Avenue: @dlkonavenue

Instagram - Dr. Kellett: @askdrkellett

Phone - 416-440-2597 

Address - Clear Clinical - 108 Avenue Road, Toronto, Ontario M5R 2H3 

Tech and Audio Producer: Drew Garner

Producer: Melissa Grelo

Episode supported by:

AGING POWERFULLY WITH MELISSA GRELO LIVE IN CALGARY, MAY 16, 2026!

Tickets available now: www.agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo.com 

Aging Powerfully with Melissa Grelo is produced for women navigating midlife with curiosity, humour, and zero tolerance for being dismissed. Subscribe wherever you listen.

Brain fog. Word-finding trouble. Walking into a room and having no idea why. If you're in perimenopause or menopause, you know the feeling — and you've probably wondered: is this real, is it permanent, and should I be worried?

In this latest episode, Melissa speaks with one of the world's leading researchers on menopause and the brain, Dr. Pauline Maki — Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Obstetrics and Gynecology — to separate myth from medicine and bust 25 menopause brain myths wide open.

We cover what's actually happening inside your brain during the transition, why estrogen matters far beyond your reproductive system, and whether what you're experiencing is permanent damage or something far more temporary. We get into hot flashes as a neurological signal, the hormone therapy confusion that has scared women away from care for decades, and what the science actually says about dementia risk.

We close on what you can do right now — and how to reframe this entire transition as something other than loss.

Menopause is not a cognitive collapse. It is a neurological transition. And you deserve accurate information, not fear.

About Dr. Pauline Maki (Instagram: @pauline.maki)

Dr. Pauline Maki is a Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Illinois Chicago, where she serves as Director of Women's Mental Health Research and Senior Director of Research at the Center for Research on Women and Gender. University of Illinois College of Medicine She is Past President of the North American Menopause Society and a recognized authority on how hormonal changes and menopause symptoms affect cognition, mood, and brain function in midlife women. Psychology With over 175 published research papers, her work has shaped clinical practice guidelines for the North American Menopause Society, the International Menopause Society, and beyond. University of Illinois College of Medicine Her current NIH-funded research is examining the relationship between hot flashes and memory deficits, ischemic brain lesions, and functional changes in the brain at rest University of Illinois at Chicago — work that is redefining how we understand and treat the menopause brain.

Tech and Audio Producer: Drew Garner

Producer: Melissa Grelo

Episode supported by:

AGING POWERFULLY WITH MELISSA GRELO LIVE IN CALGARY, MAY 16, 2026!

Tickets available now: www.agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo.com 

Aging Powerfully with Melissa Grelo is produced for women navigating midlife with curiosity, humour, and zero tolerance for being dismissed. Subscribe wherever you listen.

What if the most powerful prescription for how you age isn't in a pill bottle — it's in how you live?

In this episode, we're diving deep into Lifestyle Medicine — the evidence-based science of using the six pillars of health (how we eat, move, sleep, manage stress, connect with others, and avoid harmful habits) as medicine itself. The research is remarkable, and the implications for women navigating midlife and the menopause transition are profound.

On the show this week are two exceptional women at the forefront of evidence-based women's health care in Canada:

Dr. Ariane Ouellet-Decoste is a Canadian-trained physician with nearly two decades of experience spanning emergency care, preventative medicine, and women's health. After 15 years in emergency medicine in Quebec and the UK, she transitioned her focus to preventative and lifestyle medicine, training with The Menopause Society, the British Menopause Society, and the Canadian Menopause Society. She also holds a postgraduate certificate in Nutrition Science from Stanford School of Medicine, and currently serves as Medical Director at Coral — a virtual women's health clinic specializing in menopause care.

Linda Franco, RN is Director of Patient Care at Coral Health, with over 13 years of clinical experience — including 8 years in emergency medicine. At just 20, she became the youngest Assistant Head Nurse at the Institut de Cardiologie de Montréal. Trained in menopause and hormone therapy through the Canadian Menopause Society, Linda holds certifications in menopause, nutrition, fitness, and holistic health, and designs care pathways that put women at the centre of their health journey.

Together, they bring clinical depth, real-world experience, and a genuine passion for helping women thrive — not just survive — through every stage of life.

In this episode, we cover:

• What Lifestyle Medicine actually is
• The 3 core principles and 6 pillars of Lifestyle Medicine and why they matter 
• How to start using lifestyle as medicine — today

Whether you're just beginning to think about your health differently, or you're deep in the work of optimizing how you feel and age — this one's for you.

RESOURCES & LINKS: Coral Health

Tech and Audio Producer: Drew Garner

Producer: Melissa Grelo

Episode supported by:

AGING POWERFULLY WITH MELISSA GRELO LIVE IN CALGARY, MAY 16, 2026!

Tickets available now: www.agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo.com 

If you’ve ever been told that debilitating period pain is “normal,” this episode is for you.

Endometriosis affects an estimated 1 in 10 women and people assigned female at birth, yet it remains one of the most misunderstood, underdiagnosed, and undertreated conditions in women’s health. It can impact fertility, work, relationships, mental health, and overall quality of life — often for years before a diagnosis is made.

Today, I sit down with one of Canada’s leading experts in women’s health, Dr. Nicholas Leyland, to cut through the myths, the confusion, and the medical gaslighting with clear, evidence-based answers.

Dr. Leyland is a renowned gynecologic surgeon, researcher, educator, and incoming President of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC). With decades of experience treating complex gynecologic conditions, he offers trusted insight into what endometriosis really is, how it’s treated, and how women can advocate for the care they deserve.

• What endometriosis actually is — and why it hurts so much
• The most common (and often overlooked) symptoms
• Who is at risk and how many Canadians are affected
• Why diagnosis is often delayed for years
• Treatment options: medications, surgery, and what actually works
• Whether endometriosis is a lifelong condition
• Fertility considerations
• Barriers to getting proper care in Canada
• Midlife, menopause, and hormone therapy considerations
• Health-care inequities affecting women
• How to advocate for yourself at medical appointments
• Rapid-fire myths and misconceptions

• Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC): sogc.org
• The Endometriosis Network Canada: endometriosisnetwork.com
• Talk to your primary care provider if you suspect endometriosis

Tech and Audio Producer: Drew Garner 

Producer: Melissa Grelo (@melissagrelo, @agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo)

AGING POWERFULLY WITH MELISSA GRELO LIVE IN CALGARY! 

May 16, 2026, Hotel Arts, Calgary, Alberta

Tickets available now: www.agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo.com 

This special double episode drops in recognition of World Sleep Day — March 13th.

Are you exhausted but wide awake at night? Melissa sits down with sleep expert Dr. Colleen Carney to unpack why sleep gets harder as we age, what actually works to fix it, and why so much of what we think we know about sleep is wrong. With a special focus on women in perimenopause, midlife, and menopause — this one is packed with real answers.

• Insomnia vs. occasional poor sleep — how to tell the difference
• Sleep stages, how much you actually need, and why quality matters
• How hormones, stress, and anxiety disrupt sleep in midlife
• Why sleep apnea is so often missed in women
• Sleep's critical role in heart health, brain health, mood, and metabolism
• Sleep medications, CBT-I, and what the science actually supports
• Common sleep myths — busted

Dr. Colleen Carney is a licensed clinical psychologist, Professor of Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University, and one of the world's leading experts in insomnia and CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia). Her research has shaped international clinical guidelines for treating sleep disorders.

• Canadian Sleep Society
• National Sleep Foundation
• Sleep Foundation: sleepfoundation.org

Always speak with a qualified health-care provider about sleep concerns or treatment options.

Learn more at https://www.starbucks.ca/menu/drinks/protein-beverages

Tech and Audio Producer: Drew Garner 

Producer: Melissa Grelo (@melissagrelo, @agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo)

This special double episode drops in recognition of World Sleep Day — March 13th.

Are you exhausted but wide awake at night? Melissa sits down with sleep expert Dr. Colleen Carney to unpack why sleep gets harder as we age, what actually works to fix it, and why so much of what we think we know about sleep is wrong. With a special focus on women in perimenopause, midlife, and menopause — this one is packed with real answers.

• Insomnia vs. occasional poor sleep — how to tell the difference
• Sleep stages, how much you actually need, and why quality matters
• How hormones, stress, and anxiety disrupt sleep in midlife
• Why sleep apnea is so often missed in women
• Sleep's critical role in heart health, brain health, mood, and metabolism
• Sleep medications, CBT-I, and what the science actually supports
• Common sleep myths — busted

Dr. Colleen Carney is a licensed clinical psychologist, Professor of Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University, and one of the world's leading experts in insomnia and CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia). Her research has shaped international clinical guidelines for treating sleep disorders.

• Canadian Sleep Society
• National Sleep Foundation
• Sleep Foundation: sleepfoundation.org

Always speak with a qualified health-care provider about sleep concerns or treatment options.

Learn more at https://www.starbucks.ca/menu/drinks/protein-beverages

Tech and Audio Producer: Drew Garner 

Producer: Melissa Grelo (@melissagrelo, @agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo)

Bloating, irregular periods, weight changes, mood swings — these symptoms could point to several different conditions, and getting the right answer matters. In this episode, I sit down with fertility specialist and reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Marjorie Dixon to break down two commonly misunderstood reproductive health conditions: PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and uterine fibroids.

We get into what each condition actually is, how they show up in the body, and — crucially — why their symptoms are so often mistaken for perimenopause. Dr. Dixon shares how clinicians distinguish between these diagnoses, what to ask your doctor, and why getting the right answer is the first step toward the right care.

If you've ever wondered whether what you're experiencing is "just hormones" or something else entirely, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• What PCOS and fibroids are — and how they differ
• The overlapping symptoms that can mimic perimenopause
• How a fertility specialist approaches diagnosis
• What tests and conversations to have with your doctor
• Why these conditions are underdiagnosed and what to do about it

Guest: Dr. Marjorie Dixon, Fertility Specialist

www.anovafertility.com 

Instagram: @anovafertility 

This episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personal medical guidance.

Tech and Audio Producer: Drew Garner 

Producer: Melissa Grelo (@melissagrelo, @agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo)

AGING POWERFULLY WITH MELISSA GRELO LIVE IN CALGARY! 

May 16, 2026, Hotel Arts, Calgary, Alberta

Tickets available now: www.agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo.com 

Heart disease doesn’t always look the way we think it does — especially in women.

In this episode of Aging Powerfully with Melissa Grelo, I’m joined by cardiologist and women’s heart health expert Dr. Tara Sedlak to dismantle the biggest myths surrounding women’s cardiovascular health — and explain why so many women’s symptoms are overlooked, misunderstood, or misdiagnosed.

We discuss:



• why heart disease in women often looks nothing like what we’ve been taught
• the most common misconceptions about women’s heart health
• why women are more likely to be dismissed when reporting symptoms
• how heart risk changes during perimenopause and menopause
• conditions that disproportionately affect women, including scad and minoca
• the role of pregnancy, stress, inflammation, and hormones in heart disease
• what women should ask their doctors — and how to advocate for better care

This episode is empowering, eye-opening, and essential listening for women of all ages — especially those navigating midlife and beyond.

Listen now, share this with the women in your life and take charge of your heart health.

Resources:

Women's Heart Health Clinic at VGH (@Women__Heart)

Canadian Women's Heart Health Centre (@CWHHAlliance)

Dilawri Cardiovascular Institute (@DilawriCVI)

Episode supported by @StarbucksCanada Protein Drinks

https://www.starbucks.ca/menu/drinks/protein-beverages

Tech and Audio Producer: Drew Garner 

Producer: Melissa Grelo (@melissagrelo, @agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo)

Women are having babies later than ever — which means many are trying to conceive while also entering perimenopause. In this eye-opening episode of Aging Powerfully with Melissa Grelo, Melissa sits down with fertility specialist Dr. Kaajal Abrol to unpack what’s really happening in the body during this confusing overlap.

From irregular cycles and hormone swings to fertility testing, pregnancy risks, and assisted options, Dr. Abrol explains what women 35+ need to know if they’re trying, considering, or wondering whether pregnancy is still possible.

• How perimenopause affects fertility and ovulation

• Pregnancy symptoms vs. hormone symptoms

• What fertility tests can (and can’t) tell you

• When to see a specialist

• Options for conceiving later in life

• Realistic expectations for pregnancy after 35 and 40

Tech and Audio Producer: Drew Garner 

Producer: Melissa Grelo (@melissagrelo, @agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo)

For any partnership inquires, contact [email protected]