Loss can come in many forms.  It can be a beloved career, a pet, the unfathomable loss of a child, or perhaps a marriage or life partner.  The grief and trauma that can follow such life events can be daunting.  Sometimes awful things happen to us, and we somehow gather up the courage to handle whatever life puts in our way, but how we get there is different for everyone.

When you are ready to heal from the grief, the important thing is to recognize that you not only choose growth but embrace the new you that came out on the other side of the trauma.  Michele Neff Hernandez did just that, and she now shares with other widowed people her innovative grief support through Soaring Spirits International, a nonprofit providing research-based programs and a community of peers for anyone who has experienced the death of a spouse or partner.

Michele Neff Hernandez is the author of the book Different After You : Rediscovering Yourself and Healing After Grief or Trauma, nonprofit leader, compelling speaker, and a 2021 CNN Hero.  Her story is one of grit, determination, and self-discovery.  Under Michele's leadership, Soaring Spirits has grown from a dream on a napkin to a global nonprofit serving over four million people to date.

In this episode Michele and I discuss:

Grieving what you lost
Inventory what you have
Deciding what you want to build next
Allowing yourself to be changed by trauma

Michele is currently working on a book on self-love.  The love of self is the first piece to healing.

Camp Widow is part of Soaring Spirits International.  There will be a PBS special about Camp Widow in November of 2023.

If you would like to request a Newly Widowed packet for you or someone else, it will provide an orientation to all Soaring Spirits' programs.  (Requests for someone  other than yourself, will be sent to the requester.)

Soaring Spirits International
https://soaringspirits.org/

Michele Neff Hernandez
https://micheleneffhernandez.com/

Different After You : Rediscovering Yourself and Healing After Grief or Trauma is available at most booksellers.

_________________________________________
💌 Have questions about 1:1 health and nutrition coaching or Faster Way? Reach me anytime at [email protected]

✨ For more tips, science-backed strategies, and midlife health inspiration, sign up for my weekly newsletter:
👉 https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq

🎤 In addition to coaching, I speak to women’s groups, moderate health panel discussions, and bring experts together for real, evidence-based conversations about midlife health. If you’d like me at your next event, let’s connect!

OsteoCollective osteoporosis resources and community link: https://app.osteocollective.com/invitation?code=BE98G9

Transcripts are created with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

Have you been curious about the practice of Reiki?  I was, so I went on a search to find someone who was an expert on the subject.  How excited was I to find a Reiki Master, who is also a clinical hypnotist and regression therapist.  Jackpot!

Laura Giurdanella is a Mindset Coach and Holistic Wellness Practitioner.  When her own journey inward began, it brought to the surface the many layers of issues that years of a poor self-image had created, and it brought deep insight into what her true purpose in life was meant to be.  It was on this path that Laura realized it was her mission to become a Mindset Coach.  She discovered things about herself that she didn’t even know existed.  Laura was finally able to connect with her inner-self and find true joy!

In this episode Laura Giurdanella and I discuss:

REIKI
Reiki stands for "universal life force change", where it clears the negative energies or blockages that have developed.  These can manifest into the physical.  

There are seven main energy centers.  Interestingly, women suffer the most in the heart center.

Everyone has the ability to channel energy through Reiki.  The Reiki master is not seen as a healer, because the body as the ability to heal itself.

HYPNOSIS
The goal is change, and is much like a guided meditation.  The person at any time can open their eyes but most do not, because they are so relaxed.  Laura recommends at least four sessions to help you deal with core issues. 

Hypnosis can help with:
Smoking and other addictions
Anxiety and stress
Phobias and fears
Weightloss and athletic mental performance

PAST LIFE REGRESSION THERAPY
This practice dives into the the journey of the soul, going into the realm of where the soul has been.  Many times unresolved issues or trauma haven't been properly closed.  You don't relive the trauma in therapy, but you see it.

You go into the regression through a process that looks like hypnosis.  Laura records sessions and questions are asked during the process in active conversation.  We do travel in soul circles, and people will seem familiar to us.

The first step to any therapy and healing is self-love.  

Laura Giurdanella is working on self-love oracle cards, and she will inform me when they are ready for purchase.  She is also writing a book.

Contact Laura at:
https://www.revivalcoaching.ca/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/revival_healthandlifecoaching/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063735961665

_________________________________________
💌 Have questions about 1:1 health and nutrition coaching or Faster Way? Reach me anytime at [email protected]

✨ For more tips, science-backed strategies, and midlife health inspiration, sign up for my weekly newsletter:
👉 https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq

🎤 In addition to coaching, I speak to women’s groups, moderate health panel discussions, and bring experts together for real, evidence-based conversations about midlife health. If you’d like me at your next event, let’s connect!

OsteoCollective osteoporosis resources and community link: https://app.osteocollective.com/invitation?code=BE98G9

Transcripts are created with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

Organic chemistry lab partners, Hillary and Liz, had an immediate connection when they met at UMass Amherst, and what ensued is a forty year friendship that has withstood marriages, the birth of children, and busy careers.  So what do two dieticians do to spice up things up in midlife?  The funny and engaging duo writes a book and start broadcasting their health and wellness conversations from Hillary's kitchen on social media. 

Co-authors, and long-time friends, Hillary Wright and Liz Ward, lay out a common sense eating plan that is not only effective but realistic.  The Menopause Diet Plan -  A Natural Guide to Managing Hormones, Health, and Happiness encourages a positive, fad-free approach to managing your physical and emotional health during perimenopause and menopause.  Their book highlights current scientific knowledge about the best diet and lifestyle choices to manage your weight, keep your heart, brain, and bones healthy, and decrease the risk for cancer and other chronic conditions.  It also offers natural strategies to help diminish hot flashes, manage sleep difficulties and mood swings, improve energy, and more.

Is it really a diet or a research-based lifestyle once we hit midlife?

In this episode Hillary, Liz and I discuss:

Intermittent Fasting - do what is sustainable - 8/16 would require you to get all your calories within an 8 hour window and fasting for 16 hours.
There is evidence that 10-12 hours of fasting can be beneficial. 
Tip: Don't eat after dinner.  Dial-back on your food at dinner and spread your calories more evenly throughout the day to prevent evening binge eating.  Getting protein at every meal is key.

Hillary and Liz are not fans of Keto.

Alcohol - Research shows that women are drinking more post-Covid.  Recommend not drinking at all several days per week and limiting intake to one drink.  There is evidence that there is an increased risk of cancer with alcohol consumption.
- shot and a half of liquor
- 5 ozs. of wine
-12 ozs. beer (not a higher alcohol craft beer)

Macros and recommended percent of your diet - Protein 25-30%, Fat 20-25%, and Carbohydrates 40-45%

Protein - We need more protein in midlife, not just for muscle but for bone health as well.  1.2 - 1.6 grams of protein/kg of weight.  Spread your protein out throughout the day.

Prebiotics can be obtained through high fiber foods.  Examples: Asparagus, onions, and garlic.  Some foods rich in probiotics are yogurt, kefir, and kombucha.

Calcium - Recommended 1200 mg/day with 15 mcg or 600 IU of vitamin D
Magnesium is also important for bone health, as is exercise (resistance and

_________________________________________
💌 Have questions about 1:1 health and nutrition coaching or Faster Way? Reach me anytime at [email protected]

✨ For more tips, science-backed strategies, and midlife health inspiration, sign up for my weekly newsletter:
👉 https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq

🎤 In addition to coaching, I speak to women’s groups, moderate health panel discussions, and bring experts together for real, evidence-based conversations about midlife health. If you’d like me at your next event, let’s connect!

OsteoCollective osteoporosis resources and community link: https://app.osteocollective.com/invitation?code=BE98G9

Transcripts are created with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

In the very first episode of the Asking for a Friend Podcast, I speak of listening to podcasts for the first.  I had lost my job, it was during the pandemic, and I was walking A LOT!  The podcast that drew me in was called Failing Forward.  The guests all have had some measure of failure or a life misstep that provided them a pivotal moment.  The question is, are they truly failures or stepping stones that propel us to success?  It gave me pause to hear their stories and provided clarity to examine what was missing in my own life.  One of the messages I kept hearing was, "Be true to yourself."  

By being true to myself, I realized that I needed a creative outlet, which was the genesis of starting this podcast.  I consulted with the host of the Failing Forward Podcast as I was devising my plan, and I am so appreciative of her support and encouragement.  It is important, as women, that we lift each other up and applaud life's accomplishments.  That is one of the missions of this podcast, and it is with great pleasure that I introduce to you, the very engaging and inquisitive, Sarah Brown.
https://failforwardpod.com
Instagram @failforwardpod

_________________________________________
💌 Have questions about 1:1 health and nutrition coaching or Faster Way? Reach me anytime at [email protected]

✨ For more tips, science-backed strategies, and midlife health inspiration, sign up for my weekly newsletter:
👉 https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq

🎤 In addition to coaching, I speak to women’s groups, moderate health panel discussions, and bring experts together for real, evidence-based conversations about midlife health. If you’d like me at your next event, let’s connect!

OsteoCollective osteoporosis resources and community link: https://app.osteocollective.com/invitation?code=BE98G9

Transcripts are created with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

The field of regenerative medicine has made great strides, in recent years, to become established as credible and effective treatment for joint and spine degeneration.  While stem cell research has been controversial in the past, the FDA regulates its use, and the process is quite safe.  So why is Europe is so far ahead of the US in embracing the benefits of this technology?

Neurosurgeon, Jeffrey Gross, wanted to explore the area of regenerative medicine, so he went back to get the training needed to be able to treat patients in his medical practice.  His passion and enthusiasm is palpable, as he and his colleagues know the value in giving the body what it needs to heal itself.  The world of regenerative and anti-aging medicine is fascinating, and it holds much promise in the prevention and halting the progression of disease.  

In the episode Dr. Gross and I discuss:

• Perinatal sources for stem cells - placenta, the umbilical cord and the amniotic fluid from pre-screened, new mothers - labs are FDA certified and regulated
• Our own stems cells are not optimal as we age
• European knee study results - knees and hips are the "low hanging fruit"
• Spine treatment is refined to address the specific area of pain
• Importance of muscle mass and bone density - protein intake and weight-bearing exercise
• Hormone replacement therapy to activate the body's DNA
• Why the FDA has not approved stem cell therapy but still regulates it 
• PRP (platelet-rich plasma), stem cells, and exosomes for anti-aging - exosomes have been used to treat heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer's

Jeffrey Gross, MD has graciously offered a complimentary 15 minute consultation for Asking for a Friend listeners.
You can reach his office at: (844)4recell
https://recellebrate.com
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recellebrate/
Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/recellebrate

_________________________________________
💌 Have questions about 1:1 health and nutrition coaching or Faster Way? Reach me anytime at [email protected]

✨ For more tips, science-backed strategies, and midlife health inspiration, sign up for my weekly newsletter:
👉 https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq

🎤 In addition to coaching, I speak to women’s groups, moderate health panel discussions, and bring experts together for real, evidence-based conversations about midlife health. If you’d like me at your next event, let’s connect!

OsteoCollective osteoporosis resources and community link: https://app.osteocollective.com/invitation?code=BE98G9

Transcripts are created with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

January has been dubbed Divorce Month, likely because couples wait until after the holiday to initiate filing.  If you have been through a divorce or someone close to you is struggling with this life-changing experience, please listen to this episode.  There is coaching out there to help you reevaluate and rethink how you are going to recover and get your life back.

Peg Ruppert has spent the bulk of her career as a very successful executive coach.  As she was dealing with her own traumatic divorce, after infidelity on the part of her spouse, she realized that she needed to apply, what she was teaching her clients, to her own life.  This has led her to a new passion, which is to guide women to rediscover their confidence and reclaim life post-divorce.  Her coaching platform, Thrive Post Divorce, is available to anyone who is ready to move forward and look toward their future.

In this episode Peg Ruppert and I discuss:
- Peg's divorce journey
- The grief process and deciding when it is time to move forward
- When children are involved - what you shouldn't do
- The work that needs to be done before you start dating

- Five Modules to moving forward
1. Discovering Your Strengths
2. Activating Your Core Values
3. Habits and Habit-Stacking
4. What is Your "Why"?
5. The Windshield of Life - Looking Toward Your Future

She is also working on modules for dating , navigating dating apps and re-entering the workforce.

How to find Peg Ruppert and Thrive Post Divorce
https://thrivepostdivorce.com/
Peg also has a private Facebook page for members
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thrivepostdivorce/

Asking for a Friend listeners will only pay $39.00 for the Thrive Post Divorce program with the discount code AFAF!

_________________________________________
💌 Have questions about 1:1 health and nutrition coaching or Faster Way? Reach me anytime at [email protected]

✨ For more tips, science-backed strategies, and midlife health inspiration, sign up for my weekly newsletter:
👉 https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq

🎤 In addition to coaching, I speak to women’s groups, moderate health panel discussions, and bring experts together for real, evidence-based conversations about midlife health. If you’d like me at your next event, let’s connect!

OsteoCollective osteoporosis resources and community link: https://app.osteocollective.com/invitation?code=BE98G9

Transcripts are created with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

When you put a survey out to midlife women, and many respondents indicate that they feel "invisible", what do you do with that information?  Well, Kwavi decided it was time to help other women navigate the complex, over-fifty path to create a future more exciting than their past.  She created a community of like-minded women, where each can grow in her own unique way, in a safe, non-judgmental place.

You can just feel the positive vibes and energy in this interview!  Kwavi reminds us all that it is never too late to step into our light and design a life that we have never thought impossible.  She is on a mission to coach women to get unstuck from the rut that keeps them from making the most of their midlife years.

In this episode Kwavi and I discuss:

- Her journey from the UK to Nigeria then to Boston and Atlanta
- Invisible Woman Syndrome
- Her ah-ha moments coaching other women
- How life coaching has impacted her own personal journey
- Coaching success stories
- The mistakes women make in midlife
1. Believing it is too late
2. Ignoring our Superpowers
3. Saying "I don't know" when it comes to what we want
- Imposter Syndrome

Kwavi's book 50 Questions to Ask When You Reach 50
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=kwavi&i=stripbooks&crid=12YHRC55I87AP&sprefix=kwai%2Cstripbooks%2C92&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

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

Tik Tok
@kwavi_tv

Flourish Community
https://www.kwavi.tv/flourish

For more info you can email Kwavi at:
[email protected]

_________________________________________
💌 Have questions about 1:1 health and nutrition coaching or Faster Way? Reach me anytime at [email protected]

✨ For more tips, science-backed strategies, and midlife health inspiration, sign up for my weekly newsletter:
👉 https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq

🎤 In addition to coaching, I speak to women’s groups, moderate health panel discussions, and bring experts together for real, evidence-based conversations about midlife health. If you’d like me at your next event, let’s connect!

OsteoCollective osteoporosis resources and community link: https://app.osteocollective.com/invitation?code=BE98G9

Transcripts are created with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

When you decide to write a book in your fifties, no one prepares you to be named as best motivational read of the new year, by a best-selling author on the Today Show.  That is what happened to our podcast guest, Andrea DeWitt!  Her book, Name Claim & Reframe, is more than a self-help book.  It is really an expression of her very relatable journey to calming her own inner critic and limiting beliefs to help others access their power and potential in ultimately finding their truth,

Known for her infectious energy, Andrea Mein DeWitt is an author, speaker, and life coach.  Her career path is proof that it is never too late to transition, modify, revise, and rewrite your life story!  It takes courage to live your truth, and part of living an authentic life is stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing your Gentle Warrior.  

In the episode Andrea and I discuss:

- Why she decided to leave her long career in academia to become a life coach and write a book
- The foundation of Name Claim and Reframe
- Reacting or responding to situations - Balancing your response by being aware of feminine and masculine traits
- Defining your core values
-Who is the Gentle Warrior?

Andrea is going to have a pilot Name Claim Reframe small group coaching program in February.  Interested participants should reach out to Andrea directly.

How to find Andrea DeWitt:
[email protected]
Instagram - @andreadewittcoaching

_________________________________________
💌 Have questions about 1:1 health and nutrition coaching or Faster Way? Reach me anytime at [email protected]

✨ For more tips, science-backed strategies, and midlife health inspiration, sign up for my weekly newsletter:
👉 https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq

🎤 In addition to coaching, I speak to women’s groups, moderate health panel discussions, and bring experts together for real, evidence-based conversations about midlife health. If you’d like me at your next event, let’s connect!

OsteoCollective osteoporosis resources and community link: https://app.osteocollective.com/invitation?code=BE98G9

Transcripts are created with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

"I think you always hold back when you have a net," says Debra Atkinson, women's fitness expert.  In the thick of midlife changes of her own, at the age of forty-nine, she felt the itch to do more and take a huge risk.  Debra quit her very secure positions in academia and as a personal training director, packed up her house, and moved to another city to start her new adventure.  Talk about a midlife pivot!

Today, Debra Atkinson is a respected author, lecturer, trainer of other coaches, podcaster, and a leader in the industry, working with women on hormone balancing fitness.  Her own menopause journey has provided her important insights into the special challenges that the fifty plus crowd faces in their desire for long-term health.  Debra has cracked the code on the hormone-exercise connection for thousands of women in her Flipping 50 programs and coaching services.  Her very impressive credentials are just too long to list!

In this episode Debra and I discuss:

-Why she left her secure position to academia to become a fitness entrepreneur
-Perimenopause and menopause changes that require women to look at their fitness routines differently
-The impact of hormones - estrogen and cortisol
-The pros and cons of Keto and intermittent fasting and why we shouldn't work out in a fasted state
-Why weight and resistance training is a MUST and how to safely get started if you haven't done weights before
-Protein - why women need more of it for muscle and bone
-The best protein sources - If it runs (beef/pork) higher in amino acids
  If it flies - the next best - If it swims - not as high in amino acids but does contain         Omega-3
-High protein smoothies are a great way to get extra, needed protein
  Be sure to add fruit, greens, fiber, and healthy fat for a balanced shake

Debra will be holding a May 1-7, 2023, that focuses on the science of midlife women and fitness.  The effects of trauma on fitness goals, such as chronic disease and long Covid, will also be discussed.  So interesting!

Flipping 50 offers 2 protein products
https://www.flippingfifty.com/product-category/protein-powders/
Debra's bestselling books:
You Still Got It, Girl! The After 50 Fitness Formula for Women
Hot, Not Bothered: 99 Daily Flips to Slimmer, Trimmer, Fitter Faster

You can find Debra Atkinson and her podcast at:
https://www.flippingfifty.com/
https://www.instagram.com/flipping50tv/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/flipping50insiders/

_________________________________________
💌 Have questions about 1:1 health and nutrition coaching or Faster Way? Reach me anytime at [email protected]

✨ For more tips, science-backed strategies, and midlife health inspiration, sign up for my weekly newsletter:
👉 https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq

🎤 In addition to coaching, I speak to women’s groups, moderate health panel discussions, and bring experts together for real, evidence-based conversations about midlife health. If you’d like me at your next event, let’s connect!

OsteoCollective osteoporosis resources and community link: https://app.osteocollective.com/invitation?code=BE98G9

Transcripts are created with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

"Fashion is like art. It means something different to everyone," says Deborah Sorlie, a former Nordstrom show coordinator and personal shopper.  What could be more fun than wrapping up 2022 than talking about fashion and the latest trends for spring? 

Deborah Sorlie is now a personal stylist and wardrobe consultant, who has a large Instagram following.  She is very passionate about helping midlife women feel more confident in embracing their age.  I love her clean, classic style and her mission to push aside ageism.

In this episode Deborah and I discuss:
-The basics every woman needs
-Cleaning out the closet
-Hot trends for spring 2023 
-Color trends - Pantone color of the year is Viva Magenta
-Shoe and boots 
-Fast fashion

Deborah loves Herbal Face Food plant-based products for her skin care routine.   She is particularly fond of the the Serum and The Cure.  She is not a company spokesperson.

You can follow Deborah Sorlie at:
https://deborahsorlie.com/
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/deborahsorlie/

I am a huge fan of Revaree for vaginal dryness, and I have been a very happy customer for almost two years!
Check out all Bonafide's sexual health and wellness products at https://hellobonafide.com/
Use discount code AFAF25 at checkout for 25% off on any subscription purchase.

_________________________________________
💌 Have questions about 1:1 health and nutrition coaching or Faster Way? Reach me anytime at [email protected]

✨ For more tips, science-backed strategies, and midlife health inspiration, sign up for my weekly newsletter:
👉 https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq

🎤 In addition to coaching, I speak to women’s groups, moderate health panel discussions, and bring experts together for real, evidence-based conversations about midlife health. If you’d like me at your next event, let’s connect!

OsteoCollective osteoporosis resources and community link: https://app.osteocollective.com/invitation?code=BE98G9

Transcripts are created with AI and may not be perfectly accurate.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.