Women are told to fast, cut carbs, eat high protein, avoid seed oils, and track macros, but most of that advice ignores female physiology.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Deanna Minich, PhD, certified functional medicine practitioner and nutrition scientist. We walk through the Female Longevity Nutrition Protocol she created, including circadian timing, macro ranges by life stage, and how to stop getting whiplash from internet nutrition trends.

Join the most comprehensive *female-specific community for health and longevity optimization.* After over a decade dedicated to human performance and women’s health, I created this space to share everything you need to know to optimize health and lifespan. Inside, you’ll get access to exclusive protocols, live Q&As, the latest female longevity science, and a private, supportive community of like-minded women.

https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/checkout/become-a-member

In This Conversation:

• The “breakfast myth” and why your ovaries won’t shrink

• Eating earlier in the day, circadian timing, and appetite regulation

• Macro ranges by life stage and why Deanna uses ranges, not rigid targets

• Perimenopause and postmenopause macro shifts

• Omega Index testing and why it matters

• Fiber, fats, seed oils, and what the research actually supports

• Micronutrient testing and how to personalize nutrition and supplements

Connect with Kayla:

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femalelongevity

Twitter:https://x.com/femalelongevity

Website:https://www.kaylabarnes.com/

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn22...YouTube: www.youtube.com/@KaylaBarnesLentz

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com

Learn more about Dr. Deanna Minich:

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

Website: https://deannaminich.com/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@foodandspirit

Cold exposure is not a badge of toughness. It’s a stressor.

And if you do it wrong, you can absolutely overdo it.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Susanna Søberg, PhD, scientist and educator specializing in metabolism, cold and heat exposure, and longevity. We break down what cold exposure is actually doing in the body, why brown fat matters for metabolic health, and how women should think about timing cold exposure around PMS, luteal phase, and menstruation.

Join the most comprehensive *female-specific community for health and longevity optimization.* After over a decade dedicated to human performance and women’s health, I created this space to share everything you need to know to optimize health and lifespan. Inside, you’ll get access to exclusive protocols, live Q&As, the latest female longevity science, and a private, supportive community of like-minded women.

https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/checkout/become-a-member

In This Conversation:

-Why cold exposure works best when it’s short and strategic

-Brown fat, insulin sensitivity, and why it doesn’t have to be “that cold” 

-Cold vs heat for women, and why “better” depends on the outcome

-PMS timing and when to pull back on stressors

-Temperature, time, and the real dose-response of cold exposure

-How to spot viral claims that sound exciting but aren’t science

Connect with Kayla:

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femalelongevity

Twitter:https://x.com/femalelongevity

Website:https://www.kaylabarnes.com/

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn22...

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com

Learn more about Susanna Søberg, PhD:

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

Website: https://soeberginstitute.com/

Thermalist Women’s Retreat With Dr. Susanna Søberg: https://soeberginstitute.com/pages/thermalist%C2%AE-women-s-retreat

Pelvic floor problems are not a “just do more kegels” issue.For a lot of women, kegels are either not specific enough, or they make symptoms worse.

In this episode, Dr. Stephanie Riley Hahn, pelvic floor physical therapist and founder of Longevity and Pilates, breaks down what pelvic floor dysfunction actually is, how to tell weakness from tightness, and why pressure management and breathing mechanics often matter more than squeezing harder.

Join the most comprehensive *female-specific community for health and longevity optimization.* After over a decade dedicated to human performance and women’s health, I created this space to share everything you need to know to optimize health and lifespan. Inside, you’ll get access to exclusive protocols, live Q&As, the latest female longevity science, and a private, supportive community of like-minded women.

https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/checkout/become-a-member

In this conversation:

• Why pelvic floor tightness can drive pain, irritation and symptoms

• The difference between weakness and tension, and how to tell

• How breathing and pressure management change everything

• What downtraining involves, and what tends to backfire

• Prolapse support options, and when to seek help

• Overactive bladder and constipation patterns that keep symptoms alive

Connect with Kayla:

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femalelongevity

Twitter:https://x.com/femalelongevity

Website:https://www.kaylabarnes.com/

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn22...

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@KaylaBarnesLentz

Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com

Learn more about StephanieInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/longevityptpilates/Website: https://www.longevityptandpilates.com/

Shownotes:Pelvic floor PT locator: https://www.aptapelvichealth.org/ptlocator

Longevity isn’t just workouts, supplements, and recovery tools, it starts with nervous system health. 

In this episode, Dr. Aimie Apigian explains what trauma actually is (not a label, but a measurable physiological response), how the body shifts from stress into overwhelm, and why “pushing through” often turns into years of avoidance, numbing, and hidden internal strain.

She breaks down the biology behind the trauma response, including the role of adrenaline, cortisol timing, and how mitochondrial capacity influences resilience.

You’ll also learn her practical, body-based approach to creating “safe enough” in real time, plus the three phases of healing: safety, support, and expansion, so you don’t stay stuck avoiding triggers forever.

In this conversation:

• Stress vs trauma response (and what changes physiologically)
• Why adrenaline drives the response and cortisol arrives later
• How the body stores trauma as patterns, not just memories
• The 3 nervous system states and the thoughts they generate
• A simple somatic exercise to build safety in the body
• Why devices/meds can be bridges, not the destination
• Using biomarkers + wearables without fooling yourself
• Why modern media can create vicarious trauma

Join the most comprehensive *female-specific community for health and longevity optimization.* After over a decade dedicated to human performance and women’s health, I created this space to share everything you need to know to optimize health and lifespan. Inside, you’ll get access to exclusive protocols, live Q&As, the latest female longevity science, and a private, supportive community of like-minded women.

https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/checkout/become-a-member

Connect with Kayla:

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femalelongevity

Twitter:https://x.com/femalelongevity

Website:https://www.kaylabarnes.com/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@KaylaBarnesLentz

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn22...

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com

Learn more about Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD:

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrAimieApigian

Website: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/

Order her Book “The Biology of Trauma”: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/book

For the first time in history, ovarian biological age can be measured, and I became the first woman in the world to take the test.

Until now, women have had no real way to understand how their ovaries are aging beyond rough estimates like AMH. But this new machine-learning algorithm, trained on over 40,000 real women across different life stages, analyzes hormone biomarkers, body composition, and reproductive history to estimate ovarian age relative to chronological age.

This is a massive step forward in female longevity science.

In this episode, I walk through what the test measures, how the algorithm works, and what becoming the first data point actually means, not just for me, but for women collectively. We also explore what may be driving ovarian aging in the first place.

I also share how I’m now testing specific interventions in isolation, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, to determine whether we can meaningfully influence ovarian aging over time.

Ovarian lifespan is significantly shorter than overall lifespan and once we can measure it, we can begin to understand it.

This is only the first step in redefining female longevity.

Join the most comprehensive *female-specific community for health and longevity optimization.* After over a decade dedicated to human performance and women’s health, I created this space to share everything you need to know to optimize health and lifespan. Inside, you’ll get access to exclusive protocols, live Q&As, the latest female longevity science, and a private, supportive community of like-minded women.

https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/checkout/become-a-member

*Kayla's social + website:*

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femalelongevity

Twitter: https://x.com/femalelongevity

Website: https://www.kaylabarnes.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn22RGB0argbRPvAaQ

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/longevity-optimization-with-kayla-barnes-lentz/id1591130227

Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com

SHOW NOTES:

00:01:03 Timeless Biotech Website:https://timelessbiotech.com/

00:01:13 Podcast With The Founder of Timeless Biotech:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-_EuNUwjsM&t=57s

00:04:12 Kayla’s Protocols:https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com/

00:09:58 Podcast With Dr. Chris Masterjohn:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3quYW_pCDU

00:10:48 Study About Ovarian Stiffness Increasehttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7681059/#acel13259-sec-0002

00:16:22 Study For Increased PFAShttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41620147/

00:17:56 Red Light Therapy Study:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1011134424001842?via=ihub

Perimenopause is not just about hormones, it’s a metabolic transition that affects insulin sensitivity, gut health, stress tolerance, and long-term disease risk.

In this episode, Cynthia Thurlow, board-certified nurse practitioner and functional medicine expert, explains how women’s metabolism changes in midlife and why insulin resistance, poor stress resilience, and gut dysfunction often appear years before menopause.

She breaks down how perimenopause can begin earlier than most women expect, why symptoms vary so widely, and how lifestyle factors like fasting, exercise intensity, sleep, alcohol, and chronic stress interact with hormones during this transition.

Join the most comprehensive *female-specific community for health and longevity optimization.* After over a decade dedicated to human performance and women’s health, I created this space to share everything you need to know to optimize health and lifespan. Inside, you’ll get access to exclusive protocols, live Q&As, the latest female longevity science, and a private, supportive community of like-minded women.https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/checkout/become-a-member

This conversation explores:

• Why insulin resistance often emerges in perimenopause

• How stress and trauma shape metabolic and hormonal health

• The role of gut health in PMS, mood, and estrogen balance

• When fasting helps women and when it makes things worse

• Why “doing everything right” can still lead to symptoms

• How to individualize nutrition, training, and recovery in midlife

Connect with Kayla:

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

TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@femalelongevity

Twitter:https://x.com/femalelongevity

Website:https://www.kaylabarnes.com/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/@KaylaBarnesLentz

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Website:https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com

Learn more about Cynthia Thurlow

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/cynthiathurlow

Website: https://www.cynthiathurlow.com/

Pre-order her upcoming book: The Menopause Gut (28th of April 2026):https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/777129/the-menopause-gut-by-cynthia-thurlow-np/?mcp…

ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) questionnaire:https://www.acesaware.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ACE-Questionnaire-for-Adults-Identified-English-rev.7.26.22.pdf

When cellular energy production is impaired, no diet, supplement, or health protocol can work as intended.

In this episode, Dr. Chris Masterjohn, nutrition scientist and expert in micronutrients and metabolism, explains why mitochondrial function is the limiting factor behind stalled progress, persistent fatigue, and supplements that stop working over time.

He breaks down why vitamin D supplementation often creates new problems when it is taken without proper nutrient balance, how high doses can disrupt other systems in the body, and why sunlight has biological effects that vitamin D pills alone cannot replicate.

Join the most comprehensive *female-specific community for health and longevity optimization.* After over a decade dedicated to human performance and women’s health, I created this space to share everything you need to know to optimize health and lifespan. Inside, you’ll get access to exclusive protocols, live Q&As, the latest female longevity science, and a private, supportive community of like-minded women.https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/checkout/become-a-member

This conversation explores:

• Why mitochondrial bottlenecks explain most energy and health plateaus

• How micronutrient deficiencies undermine supplements and biohacks

• When creatine supports cellular energy and why it works differently than most supplements

• Why vitamin D supplementation can backfire without context and balance

• Why sunlight affects biology in ways supplements cannot replace

• How diet, fasting, and exercise interact with mitochondrial capacity

• Why optimizing one system often breaks another without proper foundations

Connect with Kayla:

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femalelongevity

Twitter:https://x.com/femalelongevity

Website:https://www.kaylabarnes.com/

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn22...

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com
Learn more about Dr Chris Masterjohn’s work:

Website: https://www.chrismasterjohn-phd.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrismasterjohn/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chrismasterjohn

In this episode, Dr. Jessica Shepard, board-certified OB/GYN and Chief Medical Officer of Hers, shares that the FDA just removed the black box warning on hormone replacement therapy after 23 years.

We discuss what actually happened with the WHI study that created all the fear around estrogen and breast cancer, and why the research never actually supported that narrative.
Dr. Shepard explains why you shouldn't wait until menopause to start the HRT conversation and how starting in your perimenopausal years can make all the difference for long-term health. Dr. Shepard shares the essential labs she runs on patients including ApoB, HbA1c, and thyroid optimization, plus the longevity metrics women should be tracking.
We also get into supplement recommendations including why she recommends 10 grams of creatine daily, the role of inflammation in aging, and how estrogen is naturally anti-inflammatory which is why women see increased cardiovascular risk and metabolic dysfunction after menopause.

Kayla's social + website:

Instagram:  kaylabarnes

TikTok:  femalelongevity

Twitter: https://x.com/femalelongevity

Website: https://www.kaylabarnes.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn2...

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com

Dr. Jessica Shepherd's social + website:

Website: https://www.jessicashepherdmd.com/

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

Transform Your Health: https://eudemonia.net/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=kayla-podcast&utm_campaign=jessica-shepherd

What if your blood is what’s making you sick and the key to reversing it is removing it?

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Khanh Nguyen, a regenerative and anti-aging physician, to explore therapeutic plasma exchange and the rising use of young plasma. We talk detox, autoimmune disease, aging, peptides, and why your blood might be holding you back.

Join the most comprehensive *female-specific community for health and longevity optimization.* After over a decade dedicated to human performance and women’s health, I created this space to share everything you need to know to optimize health and lifespan. Inside, you’ll get access to exclusive protocols, live Q&As, the latest female longevity science, and a private, supportive community of like-minded women.

https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/...

Kayla's social + website:

Instagram:  kaylabarnes

TikTok:  femalelongevity

Twitter: https://x.com/femalelongevity

Website: https://www.kaylabarnes.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn2...

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.comDr. Khanh's social + website:

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

Website: Austin Regenerative Therapy

Is your environment silently sabotaging your fertility?

Dr. Ann Shippy joins the show to reveal how hidden toxins, mold, and overlooked cellular damage may be accelerating ovarian aging and how to reclaim your fertility before it’s too late. From infertility misdiagnoses to rising autism rates, we dive deep into the tests most doctors never run, and the real impact your body’s toxic load has on future generations. 

Kayla's social + website:

Instagram:  kaylabarnes

TikTok:  femalelongevity

Twitter: https://x.com/femalelongevity

Website: https://www.kaylabarnes.com

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn2...

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com

Dr. Ann Shippy social + website:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annshippymd/
Website: https://annshippymd.com/