Midlife Unfiltered: The Season Of Me

Hello and welcome to Midlife Unfiltered. It’s great to have you here. Really. It is. Thank you.

Why I Started Looking

Those body changes, noticeably different, is where the conversation starts.

I talk about the changes I saw and felt in my body, a few years post-menopause that had me wondering. The new belly fat that had never shown up like this before (even after two kids) and a shifting gut routine. Around the same time, I got serious about my bone health, reversing my osteoporosis to osteopenia. I explain how I started running my own ‘N-of-1’ experiments, changing mostly what I ate, one variable at a time to see what impact that might have.

The CGM Experiment

I share why I chose Vively for my two-week CGM trial. An Australian option that measures and interprets glucose data, with an AI bot and a human team to ask questions of. I wanted to know and to have some support as I went along.

I talk about deliberately pushing the experiment, changing up my usual diet some days to see what impacts that had on my glucose levels. Logging sleep, exercise, and nutrition each day. That logging was important. It helped enormously to know how what I was eating and doing that lead to the glucose response in my body.

What Surprised Me

I walk through what surprised me:

* Refined carbs (bread especially) were the biggest triggers - pastries, scones, pizza even oats all spiked me, but bread was the worst offender.

* Broken sleep wrecked my nighttime glucose, pushing me straight into the red zone.

* Protein flattened my spikes — even pasta with bolognaise and parmesan was fine.

* My morning coffee with soy milk and collagen was okay for the most part too.

This is my body’s data - everyone’s results will look different.

Turning It Into Something for My GP

I talk about asking Claude.ai to condense Vively’s 31-page report of my daily data and logs into a summary version to give to my GP (General Practitioner) at my up coming annual check-up.

The report was not a tool to self-diagnose, but one to open a deeper conversation with my doctor based on my data and the patterns observed.

The Outcome: more indepth blood tests to be done that included fasting glucose + fasting insulin + HbA1c together, so we can calculate my HOMA-IR score. I’d not had that done before. Fasting insulin isn’t part of a standard Australian blood panel, so it’s an out-of-pocket add-on that’s roughly AUD$30, but I think is worth it.

Enter Dr Florence Comite

I talk about discovering endocrinologist and precision-medicine practitioner Dr Florence Comite, in a podcast conversation with Dr Vonda Wright (I follow Dr Vonda for bone health insights). Dr Comite talked about the five biomarkers every midlife woman (and man) should test for: fasting glucose, fasting insulin, HbA1c, cholesterol risk ratio, and free testosterone.

So much of what was said in that conversation made sense to me, I bought Dr Comite’s book Invincible - defy your genetic destiny to live better, longer and have devoured it from cover to cover learning much.

She also recommends her patients wear a CGM for at least 2 weeks, to gather their unique data that gives clues to their sugar metabolic health. Boom! Literally what I had just done.

The Window of Opportunity

To act and influence the tragectory of our metabolic health.

I specifically talk about a chapter in her book that really stood out for me - its chapter on Aging Pattern #1: A Disorder of Carbohydrate Metabolism.

Could this be what I’d just seen wearing my CGM?

I talk about how she writes that insulin resistance can show up decades before diabetes does. Not years, decades! So why do we wait?

Similar to my bone health journey, if I had known my status earlier, I’d be in a completely different position today. I would have made sure to strengthen my bones well before perimenopause, so the later decline wouldn't have been so detrimental.

Armed with the right information and know-how early enough, decades is a significant window of opportunity to act and influence our metabolic health for the better - for future You and Me. Why wait?

Precision Medicine & N-of-1 Medicine

I explore the concept of precision medicine, drilling into genetics, biomarkers, lifestyle and environment instead of leaning on large population averages. And N-of-1 medicine, where you’re not the average, you’re the whole study.

I raise the open question of whether this kind of more personalised care will ever be available to everyone, not just those who can afford it, in the decades to come.

What will a visit to the doctor in 10, 15, 20 years look like?

Final Thoughts

I close by reflecting on how subtle and gradual midlife changes can be, and how continuous data plus context (sleep, activity, food, timing) lets you catch the nuance instead of waiting for something to become a diagnosis.

I talk about the value of small, consistent tweaks, and the honest, open partnership I have with my own GP because we’re setting my health plan, together.

Thanks for being here.

I hope you find this episode helpful. What’s been your CGM experience or curiosity about wearing one? Let me know in an email ([email protected]) or comment below.

If there is someone you think might benefit from hearing it, please share this with them.

References

* Vively (CGM program, Australia): https://www.vively.com.au

* Dr Florence Comite & Dr Vonda Wright, “The 5 Biomarkers Every Midlife Woman Must Test” — The Dr Vonda Show, #156:

* Dr Florence Comite, Invincible: Defy Your Genetic Destiny to Live Better, Longer: https://www.theinvinciblebook.com

* Dr Vonda Wright: https://www.drvondawright.com

Thank you to everyone who tuned into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit midlifeunfiltered.substack.com

In this very open and honest conversation, Barbara shares with me her remarkable story of caring for 5 loved ones who had dementia. Her mother-in-law, her mum, a dear aunty, her aunty’s close friend, and her husband Peter.

She wanted to share her story with you so that if you’re also caring from someone with dementia it might give you some light in the darkness. If you are yet to care for someone with dementia, her story might shed some light on what it can be like.

Personal stories give us a richness, a door to deeper understanding. Awareness about dementia is a focus for this podcast. Sharing stories like Barb’s help to bring that in a very relatable way. Beyond the medical and research facts.

Real life. Dementia Life.

Thank you Barb for your care, your devotion and courage to speak your story for others.

Join Us As We Talk About…

Peter’s Story

Barb gives us insights into what it was like caring for her much loved husband Peter, the clues that dementia was presenting itself and how the condition progressed.

Peter was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at 65 and lived with it until he passed away at 76. Getting that diagnosis took two years. It was Barbara’s persistence, shaped by her care of four loved ones previously with dementia, that finally got that diagnosis.

She describes the early signs, some that were easy to miss if you didn’t know what you were looking for. Barb knew. She’d seen some of them before. The many phone calls (sometimes 30 a day) Pete would make to her. The misplaced keys, forgotten meetings and the day Pete got completely lost driving a way home he was so very familiar with. That was the most confronting for Peter.

The Masking

One of the things Barb opens up about is how well Peter masked his dementia. He was very good at covering things up. His doctor couldn’t see what she could see. Colleagues at their car dealership weren’t ready to believe changes needed to be made in their business; but Barb could.

Peter himself wanted to keep it a secret, which raised the painful question, ‘how much do you share, with whom, and when?’ Balancing his dignity and wishes against the practical reality of keeping him safe. That was hard.

What Helped

Barb shares some of the things that helped with these challenges.

Reframing, not confronting. When it was time for Peter to stop driving, his doctor told him it was his eyesight that was making it unsafe for him to drive. Not dementia. Peter could accept that. He never would have accepted “you can’t drive anymore because you have dementia.” Finding the kind path to the same truth helps enormously. It maintains dignity and keeps things calmer.

Loving understanding of family and friends - it helps to keep things calm which always helps. Confrontation does not.

Keeping routines alive. Peter loved a glass of red wine and a beer. Rather than take that pleasure away, Barb switched to non-alcoholic versions. He never noticed. He was happy. (Unlike my Dad who knew! “This wine tastes sh#t.” I think it was his Italian DNA that gave him the clue. In the end, he didn’t even want it.)

Peter also kept playing table tennis almost right up until the end. A computer on a desk in his room made the space feel familiar. Small things that brought familiarity and comfort. On that computer he could see videos and photos of the family.

Patience. Patience. And More Patience. Barb talks honestly about what it takes to answer the same question as though it’s the first time, every, single, time. Easier said than done. But keeping things calm, she says, was everything.

Music. Barb shares how profoundly enjoyable and soothing music was for Peter. So much so that she did a course in how to use it therapeutically, for Peter and for others in the care facility he was eventually placed in too.

The Nature of Peter’s Care Over Time.

Barb talks about how Peter’s care changed over those 11 years. From being at home full-time, to day care growing from one day a week to four, their daughter covering another day. Eventually Peter moved in to full-time residential care for his last 15 months with his final days, his palliative care at home where he passed away.

That transition came after Barb had a serious accident and badly damaged her leg. She also opens up about the physical reality of caring for someone who has become incontinent and how that tipped the scales. It was too much to handle.

Respite care, was a turning point - 2 weeks became 3. It gave her room to breathe and recover. It helped her to see clearly that Peter was being looked after beautifully and that what she was able to do given her injury, was not as complete for him. That perspective is something you can only appreciate when circumstances change and the care you’re used to doing at home is no longer possible to do.

[Personally I have had quite a few people say to me that “I’d never put my partner in a home”. The stigma around that I find is still so very apparent, it’s hurtful. No one wants to wish or wants their loved one to be placed in a care home. To take them from a home they love being in, that you share together. That was one of the hardest days of my life, my Mum’s life, the day Dad went into full-time residential care. But after 3 stays in hospital for Mum, we couldn’t risk her health declining rapidly as well. It’s often the kindest thing to do. Doesn’t make it easy, but it’s kind. Dad was looked after so very, very well, just like Peter was].

Self-Care Is Essential

Barb talks openly about how she came to understand that taking care of herself was essential too. How self-care for her was one day a fortnight. A non-negotiable massage.

Planning Ahead — While You Still Can

One of the most valuable parts of our conversation is when Barb talks about the importance of getting ‘your ducks in a row’ early. The legals like enduring power of attorney and medical wishes. Honest conversations about end-of-life preferences while the person you love can still be part of them. In Australia, dementia patients are not eligible for voluntary assisted dying, so these decisions need to made before dementia progresses too far.

Barb also shares how she contacted the palliative care team well in advance, in line with Peter’s wishes. How that preparation made his wishes a possibility. Those last five days were at home, surrounded by family. Three households moved in. Six adults, seven grandchildren. Food, music, singing and time with Peter. Together. So very precious.

Thank you for sharing your story, Barb. And thank you for listening.

If you’re a carer right now we want you to know that we see you. It’s so very hard. It’s lonely. It’s demanding. Much of what you do goes unnoticed, is under appreciated and under-valued. You give up so much.

Our experiences though different, have similarities. We see you. We appreciate all that you do.

The light in the dark does show up at times. Hold on to those precious moments.

Got a dementia life story you’d like to share? I’d love to hear it. Email us at [email protected] or send me a message.

Sharing these personal stories matters.

For dementia awareness. Those who live with it. And those who care for those who do. For all of us.

Because in the not too distant future, perhaps even now, we will all know someone whose life has been touched by dementia.

If you think there is someone in your life who would find this conversation helpful, please share it with them. Dementia awareness matters. Carer awareness matters.

Thank you. See you next episode.

Anita xx

p.s. Barb vanishes in the end - the internets strikes again!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit midlifeunfiltered.substack.com

Kiki Hart (Louise Cooper) and I are bringing conversations that explore what it means to be human in a fast-evolving, fast-paced digital world. And how Kiki is here to help.

Curiosity in the Age of AI

In this episode, we explore one of the most important questions of our time: how do we stay genuinely curious and human, in a world increasingly shaped by AI?

We talk about AI as a tool. Not a replacement for us. How we interact with it, the traps we can fall into, and the choices we make about how we use it. How this determines not only the quality of what we get back and the importance of what we bring to keep the balance - our midlife skills, wisdom, and humanity.

What We Cover

An AI Recap

What do we actually mean by AI, and how might we use it day to day? We start with the basics, so everyone is up to speed.

Input and Output

The questions we ask shape the answers we get. We talk about why the quality of our prompt matters and why thinking before we type is more important than most of us realise.

The Traps

Lost in Conversation

Anita shares her own experience using AI — and how easy it is to forget we’re speaking to a technology tool, not a person. The ease, the flow, the warmth, the apparent understanding. It’s designed to feel human. And that’s how blind trust can creep in.

Bias: Building, Boosting and Bracing

When we ask questions in a way that’s more likely to return answers we’re already seeking, we’re building our own bias in. Algorithms then boost and amplify those patterns and over time, they brace them, creating fiercely protected viewpoints that block new perspectives.

We talk about how to counter this: crafting prompts that invite alternative views, ask for blind spots, and actively fact-check. The key is cognitively wrestling with what AI gives you, not merely receiving it.

Cognitive Laziness and Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a skill. One that builds curiosity, keeps us sharp, and helps us stay discerning. It’s also a skill that can quietly erode when we outsource too much of our thinking to AI.

For younger generations (digital and AI natives) this skill may not have been built much at all. But as Midlifers, we know the world before AI and heavy technology reliance. As Digital Migrants, this gifts us with perspectives and capabilities that genuinely matter.

We look at what cognitive laziness is doing to our brain health and why this matters, drawing on fascinating research on London taxi and ambulance drivers.

Curiosity and the Art of Not Being Fooled

Being objective. Reasoned. Discerning. Self-regulated in how we engage with AI tools.

There are two very different ways to use AI:

* AI to enhance our thinking - where we do some thinking first, bring our own knowledge, map it out, and test ideas as we interact with AI

* AI as a direct output machine — where we accept the answers, no questions asked.

We talk about the research on what the second approach is doing to brain development in young people and changes in older people. It’s something we all need to be aware of.

Intuition and Emotional Intelligence

Will these deeply human capabilities rise in value as AI takes on more of the cognitive load? Will having AI do some of the thinking free up space for intuition and emotional intelligence to flourish?

Are you using your intuition when you use AI?

The Social Cost

If we stop practicing curiosity in the offline world, with each other, what does that look like over time? We talk about the role of human connection on longevity, and what’s at stake if we let connection in our communities slip away.

Privacy and De-Identifying Prompts

This matters a lot, especially in professional settings. Avoid using real names or “I” in our prompts. AI remembers your interactions and tailors its responses accordingly. Keep things hypothetical. Protect what’s personal and commercial in confidence.

Where To From Here

You’re not too old. You’re not too far behind. It is absolutely not too late.

Explore AI with curiosity. Grab the prompts from Kiki Hart’s “Are We Outsourcing Curiosity?” article here to give yourself a head start. They are bullet points in the post.

As Midlifers, we bring something genuinely valuable to this conversation: life skills, knowledge, wisdom, and the discernment that comes from living through change. We also have a real opportunity — and perhaps an obligation — to help bridge the critical thinking gaps that younger generations are navigating. That lived experience is a superpower.

Together, with curiosity, we can keep bringing the human to an AI world.

AND

If you enjoyed this episode and think this conversation would be interesting or helpful for someone in your life, please share it on. We’re all about awareness here.

Got any comments or questions? We’d love to see them? Post them below.

Coming Up

In our next chat (in about six weeks), Kiki, Louise and I will be talking about Truth and Authenticity in an AI World. We’d love for you to join us. We’ll go live, then post the recording with show notes shortly after.

See you then! If you’re not a subscriber, maybe become one so you find out when we go live and when the recording and show notes are ready.

Thanks!

Anita xx

Resources

Are We Outsourcing Curiosity - Kiki Hart

As AI gets smarter, are we getting dumber? - University of Melbourne

Navigation-related structural change in the hippocampi of taxi drivers - PubMed

Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task - MIT Media Lab

AI Platforms to Explore

* ChatGPT — Day-to-day tasks and conversation

* Gemini — Google’s AI – also good for everyday use drawing on Google’s ecosystem of familiar products

* Claude — Especially good for writing and factual summarising

* Meta AI — Good for generating images and social media style queries

* Perplexity — Great for research; shows its sources clearly so you can cross-check

Tip: Each AI has a different “personality” and is optimised for different jobs. Try a few and see which one feels right for you.

Our Human experience in this live video:

We are human after all and life happens. In this chat Louise ‘disappears’ as her phone decided it was too hot a conversation and needed a minute to cool off. She also mentioned the hypothalamus and meant to say hippocampus.

Meet Kiki Hart

Kiki is a digital persona created by Louise Cooper — born from the digital world, but sharing Louise’s perspective. Around 40 years of age, she’s your guide to navigating technology without losing yourself. She observes and informs, so you can decide what to do with it. Exploring how culture, technology and modern life are reshaping identity, attention and relevance.

Follow Kiki Hart on Substack

Thank you to everyone who tuned into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit midlifeunfiltered.substack.com

Hello and welcome to another episode of Midlife Unfiltered. We are so glad you’re here.

Erica and I are very excited to bring you this episode because it’s a topic that brings together many popular conversations we’ve spoken of here in the podcast, with a brilliant woman who has dedicated decades to it.

As a best-selling author, award-winning teacher and PhD researcher in women’s spirituality Megan Dalla-Camina has gathered decades of insights. Through her Women Rising platform serving over 10,000 women, in 76 countries, across many ages, stages and cultures, she’s witnessed the same threads of yearning, again and again.

More than the burnout, the endless striving, the quiet ache of disconnection. More than the roles she’s performed, the versions of herself she’s outgrown, the world that taught her she wasn’t enough.

She Who Remembers: Awakening feminine wisdom in a world ready for her return is Megan’s latest book. A sacred call to the woman who knows there is more.

We’ve been shaped by it. Perhaps unaware, perhaps feeling the full force of the push and pull of a patriarchal society that teaches us to strive, to do more, to perform. A way that is incongruent with more feminine codes of intuition, embodiment, devotion and presence. The rhythm of our cycles and seasons.

In this chat with Megan, we explore what Feminine Wisdom actually is, why so many of us have lost touch with it and why the world needs it now.

A beautifully rich conversation that explores:

The Signals. The Awakening : learning to stop and listen. To pay attention. To ask the questions needed to get clear on ‘what do I want?’

“If I asked that question and was truthful to. Myself, I would literally have to …. So we don’t. We deflect, we distract. Because it’s hard.”

The Power Of Asking The BIG Questions: how that questioning literally changes us. Something shifts inside. It can’t be undone.

“The BIG questions will keep coming back, until you answer it.”

Then What?: Because we are often afraid of what might come up…and then what? What comes next?

Who Are You At Your Core?: Megan shares a framework she uses with her clients. A framework that helps to unearth who we are, beneath all the layers.

Midlife Is An Invitation: a calling for more depth, for deeper connection with self and others. A yearning for something more – our spirituality.

Critical Space & Quiet: why it’s critically important and how to welcome in the unknown. To let the inner knowing rise.

“The quieter you get the more you hear. How quiet are you prepared to get, to hear what it is that you know?”

Learning To Trust Ourselves: the erosion of self-trust and the cost, the betrayal of abandoning ourselves. Feminine Wisdom puts you on your own side, your own ally. Megan shares four practical steps to begin rebuilding that trust.

Embodiment: our bodies know. They always have. We’ve been taught the only knowledge that matters is the rational, the linear, the cognitive. Whilst they are valuable, there is more. Megan offers simple practices to try over two days - to begin noticing, to feel it in your body before your rational mind overrides it, saying ‘no’.

We talk about the consequences of continuing to override the messaging in our body.

Women Are Exhausted and In Denial: We call it out in this honest conversation. Across cultures, across continents. What happens when we ourselves permission to acknowledge it? What choices would we make?

Why Feminine Wisdom, Why Now?: Why the world is not just ready, it’s waiting for it.

About Megan’s Latest Book:

She Who Remembers: Awakening feminine wisdom in a world ready for her return is for women navigating life transitions, midlife shifts or a quiet spiritual longing they can’t quite name. A woman like you. Like us.

I must admit, I pre-judged this book before I began to read it, wondering if it might be a bit too ‘woowoo’ for me. It certainly was not that at all. I was so very wrong. This book touched my heart, my soul. It gently reached in, took my hand and lead me home.

Not a book of instruction. A beautifully thoughtful book where every word is deliberately chosen and placed. Both Erica and I felt that as we read it. A blend of soulful storytelling, cultural reflection and spiritual insight.

With grounded practices that accompany each chapter inviting us to quiet, to listen and acknowledge. To choose. To act.

Not in an obtrusive performative way. More like a loving guiding hand that gently nudges. A comforting companion for the sacred path home to yourself.

Here is a small portion of a passage from the book for you. A passage that personally touched my heart deeply.

A Blessing for She Who Remembers

“You need only to be here. To be real. To be you. You are already the woman you’ve been waiting for. Now is the time to live your feminine wisdom. Now is the time to own your power. Now is the time for She Who Remembers.” Megan Dalla-Camina

About Megan Dalla-Camina:

Megan is a best-selling author, award-winning teacher and PhD researcher in women’s spirituality whose work is dedicated to helping women return home to themselves.

She is the founder of Women Rising, a global platform that has supported over 10,000 women in more than 70 countries. With more than two decades of experience at the intersection of women’s empowerment, leadership and spirituality. Megan’s work bridges science, spirit and sadhana, offering a deeply grounded, accessible path to Feminine Wisdom and awakening.

Before founding her own company, Megan spent 18 years as a senior executive at IBM, GE and PwC. In addition to her PhD research, she holds two master’s degrees in business and wellness/positive psychology.

Megan write a weekly column in Psychology Today with millions of readers and her work has been featured in hundreds of major media outlets worldwide.

Megan lives by the sea with her family where she writes, teaches and continues her PhD research on Feminine Wisdom, midlife identity and women’s awakening.

Where to Get The Book:

She Who Remembers: Awakening feminine wisdom in a world ready for her return is available from many major book sellers and from Megan’s online home at https://megandallacamina.com/

Connect with Megan:

On her website: https://megandallacamina.com/ where there is a wealth of resources and information. Definitely worth checking out.

On Social media: Just search for Megan Dalla-Camina. Hint…she loves Instagram.

A big thank you!

Florence Acosta, Omixintel, and many others for tuning into our live video with Megan Dalla-Camina and for being here now. We hope you enjoyed our conversation and more importantly, picked up a few inspirational gems.

If you have someone in your life you think would enjoy this conversation too, then please share it on. That would be awesome. Thank you.

See you next week for another conversation on Midlife Unfiltered.

Until then.

Anita xx

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit midlifeunfiltered.substack.com

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland, named after Dr. Hakaru Hashimoto, the Japanese physician who first identified it in 1912.

It’s thought to affect between 1 in 6 to 1 in 8 women, with a peak onset between the ages of 45 and 55.

Symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, low mood and hair loss are routinely dismissed as just ‘life’ or perimenopause. Without a full thyroid panel that goes beyond standard TSH testing, a significant number of cases are missed entirely. Women are walking around with it, unaware.

So let’s talk about it.

Why This Chat?

I asked Jo to join me for a few reasons:

She’s fabulous. Jo will always share authentically, from the heart, believing we can all learn from each other, beyond the medical terminology. The power of personal story.

80–90% of Hashimoto’s cases are women, with peak onset at exactly the age range of the women we serve here at Midlife Unfiltered.

Too many cases go undiagnosed. We want to raise awareness of this condition to encourage women to advocate for their thyroid health.

What We Talk About In This Conversation

How Jo found out she had Hashimoto’s: including what age she was and what her life looked like at the time.

Symptoms: many of which Jo initially put down to being a busy, newly pregnant woman. Hmm. Sound familiar?

Why it gets missed: many Hashimoto’s symptoms overlap with pregnancy, postpartum and perimenopause symptoms, which masks what’s really going on underneath. That, and the lack of thorough testing to identify it.

Testing: the tests Jo underwent to get her diagnosis and what she monitors regularly now to track how well her treatment is working.

Treatment: Jo’s current regime, both medical and lifestyle.

Risk factors: including family history, which in Jo’s case is exceptionally strong. She has it on both her paternal and maternal sides. Her sisters, daughter and nephew all have thyroid disorders - a mix of Hashimoto’s, Graves’ disease and thyroid cancer.

Pregnancy and thyroid health: Jo is passionate about this one. Knowing your thyroid status before becoming pregnant matters. Complications increase when Hashimoto’s is undetected.

Associated deficiencies: Hashimoto’s often comes with key nutrient deficiencies including Vitamin D, iodine and others. Jo also experienced macrocytosis (red blood cell enlargement) which her doctor was thankfully across.

The testing gap: we talk about what’s missing in our current health system, the full thyroid panel worth advocating for, and what each test actually reveals.

What is ‘normal’ anyway?: Different labs, different ranges. Confusing? Yes. Important to know? Absolutely. Jo mentions a helpful information from the Australian Thyroid Foundation which is linked below.

Why the thyroid?: what makes it so vulnerable, and the role of environmental endocrine disruptors (EDCs) in thyroid health.

Jo’s Closing Tips

Don’t brush off your symptoms. Tune in, take action, and don’t accept being dismissed.

Know your numbers. Understanding your own results is one of the most powerful things you can do. Be thorough.

Take a whole body approach. A diagnosis is just the starting point — supporting your overall health makes a real difference.

Resources

🔗 Australian Thyroid Foundation — a brilliant resource and the peak advocate for thyroid health in Australia. Their site includes clear explanations of thyroid blood tests, what they show, and what’s considered ‘normal’: thyroidfoundation.org.au

🎙️ Endocrine Disruptors (EDCs) — catch our earlier conversation with Andrea Dahr of Switch Natural on the impact of EDCs on our bodies. [Find it here.]

🎙️ Jo Clark — find Jo and her top-ranking podcast Redefining Midlife over at Jo Clark Coaching. She is an absolute gun.

Share Your Story

Have a Hashimoto’s story of your own? Drop it in the comments below. We learn so much from each other. Real life experience adds such a rich dimension.

Found this conversation useful? Share it with someone you think would like to hear it. The more awareness we build, the better we can advocate for ourselves and each other.

See you next week on Midlife Unfiltered. 🎙️

Anita xx

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit midlifeunfiltered.substack.com

Shouldland. You know it well. We know you do because we feel it too — that all too familiar place where we should do this, should do that. Feel as if we should because […]. You fill in the blank.

Erica and I don’t know any midlife women who have not felt the weight of ‘shoulds’. In midlife especially, they feel overwhelming and heavy, as if we’re surrounded by them, with demands lobbing in from every direction.

Performance and Expectations. Self-imposed? Are they true, are they real? Have you ever stopped to ask why?

Our Bodies Are Keeping Notes

Our somatic signals are real. Our body takes in the effects of acting on so many shoulds, and eventually it starts signalling, subtly at first. The clenching jaw. Tense shoulders. Tight hands.

But our body is persistent, always looking out for us. Eventually those signals become so loud, so disruptive, we have little if any choice but to listen and change.

So why do we feel the need to push through when our body is signalling otherwise?

Lived Experience

I talk about the recent experience of a dear friend who has hit burnout and what she’s done to restore her sense of self, to find herself again. Her brave actions.

Not all change needs to be this extreme, but it is important to recognise that small acts of kindness to ourselves can be a priority. And worth asking: what are the consequences if I don’t?

The Language of Shoulds

If we drop the language of ‘should’, what else becomes available?

Noticing when we say it and how many times a day is a powerful start. If we stopped using that word, what alternatives take its place? Does it change the way we feel, react and respond?

The words that stand in its place: I want to. I desire to. I feel like I have to. Do I want the outcome? I don’t want to do this. What feels more true?

There’s something empowering that happens when ‘want’ replaces ‘should’.

The Drivers of Shoulds

The guilt. The shame. The (perceived) judgement. The learned behaviour. Societal expectations. We call the familiar ones out, based on conversations Erica has with her clinic clients.

And the influence of control — because when we are ‘shoulding’, we are seeking to control something. Not that we’d put it on others (typically), but we put it on ourselves.

Putting the brakes on automatic should-pilot is significant. Change always starts with awareness — pausing to check in when something’s not working or feeling the way we thought it would.

What Might Help

An exercise from Brené Brown’s I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t) asks us to articulate how we would and wouldn’t like to be perceived. Our unwanted identities.

Working through that highlights what we’re trying to control. For example: I don’t want to be perceived as lazy — so I’ll ‘should’ upon myself any time there’s a risk of looking that way. I’m controlling for that identity. Because a good woman isn’t just sitting around doing nothing, is she?

Aligning with our values is, yet again, invaluable here. They’re the guideposts that help us identify which shoulds we can release and let go of. What deserves our attention and when.

The Postmenopausal Gift of Less Shoulding

Giving less f*cks is real. I speak from lived experience — comparing my early-40s self (where Erica is now) to my almost-60-year-old self. Something to look forward to.

Stay Curious

Stay curious about when you should, and what you’re shoulding about. And please — stay playful with it. This isn’t something else to feel like you should think and act on perfectly (whatever that is).

Could you banish ‘should’ from your vocabulary entirely?

Resources

* Find Erica at ericawebb.com.au

* 📚 I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn’t) — Brené Brown

Thank you to everyone who tuned into our live video and for listening here! If you found it helpful — or think a friend might — please share it on. 🩶

Join us for our next live video next week. We’ll be talking about a common autoimmune condition - Hashimoto's disease. With Jo sharing her lived experience. See you then. Anita xx

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit midlifeunfiltered.substack.com

These problems are far more common than most of us realise and far less talked about than they should be.

There’s a group of muscles working hard for us every single day that most of us never give a second thought to, until something goes wrong.

Problems more common than you might think. Almost 4 in 10 women and 2 in 10 men experience urinary incontinence - with 7 in 10 of those people under 65. Around 1 in 30 experience bowel incontinence (Continence Health Australia).

Common? Yes. But they are not an inevitable part of aging.

Our Pelvic Floor. A rather complex group of muscles, together with fascia, ligaments, connective tissue, nerves and blood vessels. It literally holds up our bladder, bowel and for us women, our uterus, along with all their entry and exit points.

The number of times a day those organs are called upon, all supported by this one hardworking structure we rarely think about, just because it’s down there. We don’t like talking about down there much do we? Hmm. Not today!

That’s what Michelle Murphy, a pelvic physiotherapist with over 20 years of clinical experience, joins me to talk about our pelvic health - our Pelvic Floor in this very insightful and eye opening podcast chat. Michelle’s passion for helping us understand and treat pelvic floor problems absolutely shines through.

A refreshing no shame approach to a topic we really should be talking about a lot more. And so, we are.

What We Talk About In This Episode

Pelvic Floor 101 - Anatomy and Function

What even IS the Pelvic Floor? The parts that make up the Pelvic Floor, where they sit and what they do for us - literally the heavy lifting it does for us every day. Michelle also shows us with her clinical 3D model to illustrate, the complexity of this underappreciated, hard working part of our anatomy.

Common Pelvic Floor Problems & How To Know That You Have Them

The symptoms you might be experiencing that indicate that you might have Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PDF). Problems that involve:

* Bladder - leakage, frequency, urgency

* Bowel - leakage, constipation, urgency + the Poo Chart (Bristol Stool Chart)

* Sex - pain with intercourse,

* Prolapse - what it is, why it happens, how it can feel and how common it is.

The Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) - what it is, causes and symptoms. The influence it has on the Pelvic Floor.

Not all problems need to be painful. But that they may hurt us in other, very real ways.

The Emotional Load of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD)

The embarrassment, shame and self-blame that so often comes with these problems - and why we need to leave them behind.

What Can Help Your Pelvic Floor

Problems may be common but that does not mean they are normal. Nor does it mean that nothing can be done to help. This is Michelle’s bread and butter as a specialist Pelvic Floor physio.

* Pelvic Floor Exercises - the first line of defense because yes, they absolutely work.

* The right exercises, done the right way, ‘dosed’ correctly and done consistently.

* To Kegel or not to Kegel? Michelle clears up the confusion.

* Knowing Your Baseline - the status of your Pelvic Floor muscles and how a Pelvic Floor Physio can assess this with you.

* The Exercise Trap - The Overactive Pelvic Floor - it’s important to strengthen but it’s equally important to know how to relax these muscles. Athletes and women who have suffered with pelvic pain may be unknowingly holding tension there, which causes problems.

* Vaginal Devices - The Pessary - Michelle shows us a pessary, a device she helps women to fit and remove that gives them great prolapse support. Helpful if they are not eligible or qualify for surgery.

What to do now to protect and preserve our Pelvic Floor health - For Future Me

We wind the clock forward and talk openly about what can happen as we age - both women and men. The convergence of needing to pee (or poo) often in the night + heightened risk of UTI’s (urinary tract infections) + poor bone health + falling and fracturing bones + dementia. An all too common story.

The Importance of Preserving Your Baseline because if it drops, it’s much harder to get it back. And keeping it takes work! Worth it? Absolutely. For Future Me.

Where To From Here?

Michelle recommends doing the Australian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire. A series of super easy to answer questions to help determine where your baseline might be at. You’ll find a PDF link to it in the Resources section below.

Final Thoughts

Your Pelvic Floor does a lot of heavy lifting for you, every, single, day. Functions and support we take for granted, until it’s gone.

It’s inevitable that as we age, that our Pelvic Floor will weaken. But we can do much to improve, protect and preserve it.

It may be common, but it’s not normal. And you don’t have to just put up with it.

For now and for Future You.

About Michelle Murphy

Michelle Murphy is an Australian pelvic health physiotherapist, educator, owner of Mercy Physiotherapy and founder of Impact HQ. With 20+ years’ experience, she empowers women through evidence-based education on pelvic health and menopause.

Her mission: to bring awareness and understanding of Pelvic Floor health because it’s not spoken of nearly enough, it’s under-diagnosed and under-treated.

It extends well beyond her clinic walls. That’s why this podcast chat :)

Michelle is a newby on Substack so reach out and welcome her in. If you’ve listened to our chat, talk about that! Find Michelle on Substack here.

Thank you Michelle. Your passion, enthusiasm, knowledge, experience and dedication to our Pelvic Health is very much appreciated.

Resources:

The Australian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire - start here to understand your baseline.

The Anatomy of the Pelvic Floor - Continence Health Australia 3D anatomical model videos (both female and male).

Genioturinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM ) explained - an article from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners - Australian Family Physician journal.

The Vaginal Pessary - the vaginal device Michelle shows and talks about in this episode.

Bristol Stool Chart - to understand if your poo is normal (ideal) and how to recognise if it’s not.

Thank you to everyone who tuned into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app. I do apologise if the video is grainy at times. It seems choosing High Res is not always optimal. The audio is clear.

If you found this episode helpful and think that others might get something out of it, please share it on.

To your Pelvic Health.

Anita xx

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit midlifeunfiltered.substack.com

Personas are nothing new. But they’re not found in abundance in the ‘real world’ either - the offline world we Baby Boomers and Gen X’ers are familiar with.

Ask a Gen Z or Alpha and they'll likely just stare blankly. Not because they don't know what you mean, but because for them, it's just...normal

Because for them, in their predominantly online world, they are mainstream.

Meet Kiki Hart

Kiki is a digital persona created by Louise Cooper — born from the digital world, but sharing Louise’s perspective. At around 40 years of age, she’s your guide to navigating technology without losing yourself in it. She observes and informs, so you can decide what to do with it.

Exploring how culture, technology and modern life are reshaping identity, attention and relevance.

In This Podcast Chat We Talk About

How To Think Of Kiki. Regard her as a dedicated resource to lean on, to understand how changes in tech, in the digital age, may influence who we are, how we feel and behave. To inform not instruct.

As she explores important topics like:

· Wearable tech – Intuition in the age of wearable digital tech

· Aged Care (including AI grief bots - yes, that’s a thing) and

· Inter-generational Relationships – how connection, relationships and love changes in a digital world

Just to name a few.

Our Midlife Advantage – we have a foot in both the offline and online worlds and with that, a role to play in bringing the offline human conversations and stories to the increasingly pervasive online space. Our lived experience that brings with it critical thinking, pattern recognition, people skills – skills that are genuinely valuable now and arguably more so, in the future.

Being the Custodians of Connection – the real risk of losing meaningful connection with the younger generations because of the digital divide. They are digital natives (Gen Z and Alpha), as Midlifers we are not.

A Bit About AI - Artificial Intelligence

What it is and how to explore the AI space.

We talk about some popular AI options to use and how they each differ.

* ChatGPT — Day-to-day tasks and conversation

* Gemini — Google’s AI – also good for everyday use drawing on Google’s ecosystem of familiar products

* Claude — Especially good for writing and factual summarising

* Meta AI — Good for generating images and social media style queries

* Perplexity — Great for research; shows its sources clearly so you can cross-check

Tip: Each AI has a different “personality” and is optimised for different jobs. Try a few and see which one feels right for you.

Smart Tips for Using AI

1. Check who owns it .Understand the company behind the AI and their data policies before you share anything personal.

2. Always fact-check. AI can “hallucinate”. It sometimes confidently gives wrong answers. Ask the same question in different ways to verify.

3. Be mindful of bias. AI learns from your patterns and feeds you more of what you already agree with. Stay curious and actively seek out different perspectives. Ask it for them.

4. Match the tool to the task. Think about what you’re trying to do first - searching for information, creating content, seeking advice - then choose accordingly.

We are living through the greatest and fastest period of change in human history. Rather than being overwhelmed or left behind, we can choose to engage - and as Midlifers, we have unique wisdom and skill set to bring.

AI needs more data about women to reduce its built-in gender bias. Our voices matter.

Let’s be part of shaping this.

Anita xx

Follow Kiki Hart on Substack and join the conversation.

Thank you for being here and for tuning in. See you next week for another podcast chat. If you think someone you know might find this conversation interesting, please share it with them. That would be awesome. Thank you.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit midlifeunfiltered.substack.com

Did you know that up to 62% of women between 50 and 69 in Australia have poor bone health — and most have no idea? Bone loss doesn’t start in your 70s. It starts around our late 20’s and accelerates during the menopause transition, quietly and without symptoms, long before the health system thinks to check.

In this Midlife Unfiltered podcast episode, Anita draws on her own lived experience — a retired radiographer with an Osteoporosis diagnosis at 51, and a journey to reverse it without medication — to bust 8 of the most common myths about bone health and give you the knowledge to take action for yourself, right now.

Why This Matters.

The numbers are hard to ignore. They are Australian numbers but if you’re in a predominantly English speaking country they are likely to be similar for you too:

* 62% of Australian women aged 50–69 have poor bone health (osteopenic or osteoporotic)

* 10–20% of bone mass is lost during the menopause transition alone (in that 5–10 year period peri and post menopause)

* 70% of women over 79 are osteoporotic

* $3.5 billion — the annual cost to Australia’s health system for fracture care

And yet in Australia, a subsidised bone scan isn’t available until age 70, unless you have a pre-existing risk factor. That’s a 20+ year gap where lifestyle intervention could make a real difference. That’s a 20 year gap you need to advocate for yourself and fill.— but most women don’t even know their bone health status.

8 Myths & Misconceptions — Busted.

In this podcast chat Anita talks about 8 Myths and Misconceptions about bone health. To widen your awareness and arm you with conversation kickers to take to your health care team.

Myth 1: Poor bone health Is an old woman’s disease.

Bone decline starts around our late 20’s and for women, accelerates during our menopause transition. With about 62% of women having poor bone health (13% osteoporosis and 49% with osteopenia) between 50–69, poor bone health is not just what you get in old age. Don’t wait to find out your bone health status. Ask your doctor for a referral for a DEXA scan costs around $120 AUD . You don’t need a referral for a REMS scan. Reports are explained to you on the spot and are sent to your health team. They cost about $200 AUD. Your health fund may cover most of it.

Myth 2: Improving Bone health is a quick fix.

Bone is slow-changing tissue. Gains take months to years; loss can happen much faster, especially around menopause. Bone health is a long game no matter what your treatment options — the sooner you start, the better. And don’t give up on them!

Myth 3: Medication is my only treatment option.

Not at all. The LIFTMOR trials (Dr Belinda Beck, Australia) showed targeted strength training can not only slow bone decline — it can reverse it, sometimes better than medication. Plus it builds muscle and improves balance. HRT is also proven to support bone health in women, independent of menopausal symptoms.

There’s a link to the LIFTMOR trial in the Resources section below.

Note: walking, running, cycling and swimming won’t build bone. You need impact and loading — jumping, stomping, and targeted strength training.

Myth 4: Calcium is all my bones need.

Calcium matters absolutely, but it needs support with a healthy diet that offers:

* Calcium — the building block - 98% of our calcium stores are in our bones

* Protein — bones are made of collagen too; essential for strength

* Vitamin D — helps bones absorb calcium (low levels can actually draw calcium out of bone)

* Vitamin K — helps direct calcium to your bones

* Prunes — yes, really. 5 prunes a day for 12 months has been shown to slow bone loss. Prunes have potassium, boron, magnesium, polyphenols as well as Vitamin K which all support bone health. There’s a link to that study in the Resources section below.

Myth 5: Bones just hold me up.

Bones are living, metabolic tissue and an endocrine organ. They store and release minerals, respond to hormones and nutrition, and even produce hormones — osteocalcin and FGF23 - hormones that affect other organs and systems in your body. Mindset shift- think of them just as you would other important organs in your body.

Myth 6: A DEXA scan tells me everything.

DEXA scans have been around for about 30 years and have been a valuable tool in understanding bone health status. The standard DEXA scan primarily measures bone density. But because it’s a 2D snapshot of a 3D structure, it misses bone strength.

REMS scans (ultrasound-based) measure both and as such give an indication of overall bone quality - density and strength. It produces a Fragility Score that reflects bone quality and fracture risk . Changes show up in 6 months with REMS vs 18 months with DEXA. No GP referral needed for REMS.

Bone Turnover Markers (blood tests) can also add useful clues about how much your bones are building or breaking down.

Myth 7: My T-score is all that matters.

T-scores are a metric used to define bone health status - to diagnose osteoporosis. They are useful, but incomplete. What really matters is fracture risk. Ask your doctor about your FRAX score (10-year fracture probability) and consider a REMS scan to obtain a Fragility Score — these give a far more complete picture and should guide your treatment choices. Fragility Fractures are what we are talking about here. Fractures that happen as a part of living day to day - from lower impact, like tripping over the rug at home and falling over.

There is a link to a FRAX tool the Resources section below. It’s country specific so find yours.

⚠️ 2/3 of hip fracture patients in Australia are women with 25% of those women likely to die within 12 months of fracturing. Men fracture less often, but their mortality rate is even higher at 33%. Share this episode with the men in your life and talk to them about getting a bone scan done too.

Myth 8: Osteoporosis can’t be reversed.

Turn up the volume on this. It’s perhaps the most important (and hopeful) myth of all. Osteoporosis absolutely can be reversed. Consistent, targeted strength training — supervised by a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist — works. It’s not overnight, but the research and real-world results back it up. Anita is living proof.

Key Takeaways — Taking Action for Future You

* Don’t wait for a fracture or until you are 70 to get a bone scan. Get a bone scan done now! DEXA (~$120) or REMS (~$200), both may be partially claimable through private health. They are worth the investment - for long term mobility and independence - living a longer life well.

* Think fracture risk, not just T-score — ask about your FRAX and Fragility Scores

* Strength training is non-negotiable — impact and loading is what builds bone but do it under knowledgeable and experienced supervision for safety if you are in poor bone health.

* Build your health team — seek a physio or exercise physiologist who specialises in bone health and a GP who will support you to assess and scan early.

* Don’t be afraid to change practitioners if you’re not getting current, comprehensive care. Anita shares her story around this, changing endocrinologists and why.

* Bones are a long game — the earlier you start, the better the outcome. But it’s never too late to begin. Ever.

Resources Mentioned

* LIFTMOR Trials — Dr Belinda Beck’s landmark strength training research

* REMS Scan Episode — Anita’s full deep-dive on why she switched from DEXA

* Prune Study — 5 prunes/day for 12 months and bone health

* FRAX Tool — country-specific fracture risk calculator — frax.shef.ac.uk

* GP Osteoporosis Framework — for postmenopausal women & men over 50

* Dr Doug Lucas — Optimal Human Health on YouTube (holistic + science-based)

* Dr Vonda Wright — YouTube & podcast, musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause

* Healthy Bones Australia — Osteoporosis & Fractures in Australia: Burden of Disease Analysis 2023–2033

This episode is for information purposes only and is not medical advice. Always work with your own health team.

p.s. the new Substack high res option to record this episode was used which unfortunately may have produced a bit of jumping about. I’m sorry about that. I hope it’s not too distracting.

Anita xx .

Thanks for reading and listening to Midlife Unfiltered on Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.

If you found this episode helpful, please share it on. Bone heath matters and the gap in awareness and care is huge. Thank you.

Thank you to everyone who tuned into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit midlifeunfiltered.substack.com

Hello. This is a very raw and open episode as Erica shares her story. It may be triggering for those of you who are donor conceived, think you might be or if someone you love is.

About This Episode

The stories about those who are donor conceived are often quite shocking and sensationalised because…well…they make for a ‘good story’. But behind those stories are real people. People, more often than not, struggling with what it means to be donor conceived.

This is Erica’s story. Told very openly from the heart, with genuine care and thoughtful insights.

Erica’s Story

They Looked So Different

Growing up, Erica and her sister had often asked their parents about their origin story because they looked so very different. The same answer was always given, shutting down the conversation, implying ‘nothing to see here.’

An answer that understandably for them, never fully satisfied.

The Gift That Changed Their Lives Forever

As a Mother’s Day gift to herself and to Erica, her sister gifted them both a DNA test. Comparing results it was very obvious that biologically Erica and her sister were very different. Her sister with a considerable amount of Indian origin (50% from one parent) whilst Erica’s was French Canadian and Irish.

So the girl’s asked the question again. Finally the Dad who raised them confirmed they were both donor conceived and by different Donor Dads.

Unexpected. Profoundly life altering. Disruption.

Betrayal. Deception.

Grief. Confusion. Trauma.

Those are the words that are spoken of in this very honest and open conversation.

What We Talk About In This Conversation:

Shaken Identity: “I know so little about who I am”. How much of who Erica believed herself to be was wrapped up in where she came from.

Loss and Grief: For the relationships she never got to have, might never have. A biological Father she may never meet. Half siblings out there somewhere - and who knows how many of those there are!

A Deeply Destructive Disruption: Not told the truth, feels like she’s been living a lifetime of lies. A betrayal that cuts so very deeply. What is the truth? Can she, will she ever find that? So many questions left answered because the records, the information simply isn’t there.

The trajectory of what was often regarded as a transaction not thought through beyond to the needs of the children born from it.

Lack of Records and Identification of Donors & Births: Donor conception is not as uncommon as you might think. Globally there are millions. Ultimately though, the number is a wild guess. It’s a wild guess simply because records of who has donated, who has conceived and birth records are patchy at best.

To add further complication to an already deeply complicated situation, each state, each country has its own record requirements, if they exist at all. When Erica was conceived in the 80’s in Cananda, there were none.

As a result, access to personal information for donor conceived people is scarce. Even if you want to find out, it's often impossible.

Erica talks about the level of information she’s been able to find out and how she’s gone about finding that. It’s not been easy.

“I Have That Man’s Face: And I’ve never seen my face in my family members.” Another layer of identity theft and trauma. Through photo searching (and other means) Erica has found her donor Dad. There is a striking resemblance.

Imagine at family gatherings never seeing your face, yourself in others? How do you reconcile that? We go there in this conversation.

The Rights Of The Child: Information in the donor conceived world is scarce. The laws protecting and affirming the right of the children who are donor conceived equally scarce. In the past, the rights were firmly protecting the anonymity and privacy of the donor and the recipient. In many countries they still are.

But where does that leave those the children of donor conception? Those wanting to find out their origin story not just for themselves but for their children too?

Yet another layer of complexity. We go there too.

Medical Implications of Not Knowing Her Biological Father: “I know more about my dog than I do myself.”

We want to be proactive about our health. That’s why this podcast exists. To encourage self-advocacy particularly around health and wellbeing.

Being a late discovery donor conceived person severely impairs what Erica knows about her own health and her children's inherited conditions

We talk about how recording keeping for animals has been better documented than for donor conceived children. WTAF!

The Question She’d Ask Her Donor Dad Given The Chance: There is one that sits top of mind for Erica. Is it really too much to ask?

Where To From Here

If you suspect you are donor conceived or know that you are and are not sure where to begin, we see you and are here for you. This is hard. It’s a lot. It can be all consuming.

Consider counselling or conversations with an understanding therapist, mindful that not every therapist understands this space, its complexity and challenges. Teaming up with someone who is not familiar might have you spending much of your time educating them. Just sayin’ :)

Erica is a certified counsellor here in Melbourne Australia. With her lived experience she is happy to help. Perhaps start by dropping us an email at ‘[email protected]’ or send us a Direct Message her in Substack..

If you’re on the search for siblings or any information about your origin story then below in the Resources section we have listed a few places for you to explore.

If you are supporting someone on this journey, there are options there for you too.

Final Thoughts

Erica ends our conversation with thoughtful advice for those of us not walking in the shoes of those who are donor conceived. Compassionate wisdom. What not to say that may be well meaning but may equally well, add to the difficulties of this complex and deeply troubling journey.

Resources:

* Erica has a considerable list of resources on her website here. Books, podcasts and links to support and groups for donor conceived people. Links she has found helpful on this journey too.

https://www.ericawebb.com.au/dcp-counselling

* Donor Conceived Australia - https://dca-au-v2.squarespace.com/

* Erica & her sister share their story here on The Inconceivably Connected podcast - Episode 36: A Different Kind Of Father’s Day.

Thank you for tuning in! If you think this conversation might be helpful for someone in your life, please share it on.

See you next week!

Anita & Erica.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit midlifeunfiltered.substack.com