My Aloof Vagina, A Cheeky Guide to Perimenopause

Choosing joy can be a practice. And in this Season 1 Bonus episode, Martha was a guest on the Navigating Joy Together podcast. 

In this conversation, Martha and pod host Lauren talk about:

•  ways to cultivate joy in the mundane
• how Martha knows when she's allowing joy into her life (and when she's NOT!)
• how starting her podcast helped Martha get back in touch with joy
• and why perimenopause is NOT for wimps...but also why it isn't worth attaching your identity to the "suffering" of it all

They touch briefly on the concept of "The Pain Body," which they both know about through Eckhart Tolle. 

And how some things in our lives that we think of as "chores" may be worth re-examining.

You can listen to the full uncut interview and episode here or anywhere you listen to podcasts:  Episode 27 of the Navigating Joy Together podcast "Sharing JOY through 'My Aloof Vagina' with Martha McBride"

It's a sweet show with practical tips on how to stay connected to joy as a family. Definitely worth a listen if you're hoping to be more mindful about your mindset and want to cultivate and choose joy with your family.

Take care of yourself. And take care of your vagina!

Everything show related at MyAloofVagina.com

Discounts on faves:

😃Frownies Save 10% via link (or code MAV10)

🍌 vFit < 10% off the Medical Device That Helped Martha's Vagina. (Code MAV10. Discount applied in cart.)

🍎 Limited-time-offer- vFit Starter Kit deal less than vFit alone!
(>$50 value bonus) Code MAVKIT while supplies last.

Loved this episode? Enjoy the show? Please share with a friend.

Bonus video & more fun on YouTube & Instagram.

I'm always up to something. Stay in the know with the free MAV Sisterhood.

(Reply to any Sisterhood email & land in Martha's actual inbox. Really.)

Affiliate links above, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through them. I ONLY partner with products when I'm ALREADY a happy customer who was talking them up. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Martha shares the toll unexpected caregiving responsibilities have taken on the show and reveals the plan for going forward.

Bonus episodes are on their way. And Season 2 episodes will begin showing up at the end of the summer.

In the meantime, treats and updates will be shared via email to MAV Sisterhood members. (Free! So sign up today and don't miss a message!)

My Aloof Vagina will remain active on social and welcomes your requests, suggestions, stories, ideas and even topic guest recommendations. Just reply to any MAV Sisterhood email and Martha will get your message.

A request: Martha’s STILL looking for the right longevity expert to bring to you. DM her on Instagram or reply to any Sisterhood email to make suggestions. I’m looking for someone fun. May be too much to ask. Who knows?

MAV TIP: Developing resilience will serve you throughout your life. Both the ability to roll with the punches when everything changes. (Humor helps!)  AND physical resilience in the form of flexibility, strength & balance. You deserve a long, healthy less-physically-precarious life and NOW is the time to take those steps. (More on this in Season 2, I promise!)

Take care of yourself. And take care of your vagina!

Everything show related at MyAloofVagina.com

Discounts on faves:

😃Frownies Save 10% via link (or code MAV10)

🍌 vFit < 10% off the Medical Device That Helped Martha's Vagina. (Code MAV10. Discount applied in cart.)

🍎 Limited-time-offer- vFit Starter Kit deal less than vFit alone!
(>$50 value bonus) Code MAVKIT while supplies last.

Loved this episode? Enjoy the show? Please share with a friend.

Bonus video & more fun on YouTube & Instagram.

I'm always up to something. Stay in the know with the free MAV Sisterhood.

(Reply to any Sisterhood email & land in Martha's actual inbox. Really.)

Affiliate links above, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through them. I ONLY partner with products when I'm ALREADY a happy customer who was talking them up. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Martha is joined again by Deanna Boyd, Make Up Artist & Photographer, and they discuss the different paths. To HRT or Not to HRT?

What is the outlook and perspective of a woman who has decided to manage all this “naturally” - without HRT and or even herbal HRT alternatives?

How might someone end up on the HRT path in her early 50s?

Which lifestyle change might you feel compelled to make during perimenopause?
(Martha's margarita-loving self is resisting the news.)

And why might reading up on things - step away from the Google first - help us ride this wave with more peace and bring our loved ones along for the ride?

Find Deanna:
Unfiltered and Evolving Beauty
Instagram
YouTube

Important links
- Dr. Christiane Northrup menopause book that Deanna said opened her eyes, gave her comfort, and informed her approach to this transitional season.
- NYT Women Have Been Misled About Menopause
- find a menopause practitioner


MAV TIP: Whichever path you choose, get informed. Seek out information and support. Don't rely on your gynecologist to know how to guide you. It can be confusing, but you really do get to choose what's right for you and your particular circumstances. Read up on it so that YOU make the decision for yourself.

Take care of yourself. And take care of your vagina!

Everything show related at MyAloofVagina.com

Discounts on faves:

😃Frownies Save 10% via link (or code MAV10)

🍌 vFit < 10% off the Medical Device That Helped Martha's Vagina. (Code MAV10. Discount applied in cart.)

🍎 Limited-time-offer- vFit Starter Kit deal less than vFit alone!
(>$50 value bonus) Code MAVKIT while supplies last.

Loved this episode? Enjoy the show? Please share with a friend.

Bonus video & more fun on YouTube & Instagram.

I'm always up to something. Stay in the know with the free MAV Sisterhood.

(Reply to any Sisterhood email & land in Martha's actual inbox. Really.)

Affiliate links above, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through them. I ONLY partner with products when I'm ALREADY a happy customer who was talking them up. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Martha is joined by her friend Deanna Boyd, a longtime make-up artist and photographer who, through her work & her brand, encourages women to embrace their unique look.

Find Deanna:
Unfiltered and Evolving Beauty
Instagram 
YouTube 

In this conversation recorded before the podcast even launched, they compare notes on aging and discuss: 

• What exactly IS clitoral atrophy?
• What happens to ALL our faces as we get closer to menopause? 
• What do your sleep habits have to do with it?
• And what are Deanna's for changing your make up as you age?

 
A request: Martha’s STILL looking for the right longevity expert to bring to you. DM her on Instagram or reply to any Sisterhood email to make suggestions. I’m looking for someone fun. May be too much to ask. Who knows?

Important links
Nurse Jamie pillow to help you avoid scrunching your face while you sleep.

Affordable Mulberry silk pillow cases Martha uses to reduce wear and tear on her hair and her facial skin. 

Meno belly.

Dr. Christiane Northrup menopause book that Deanna said opened her eyes, gave her comfort, and informed her approach to this transitional season.


MAV TIP: Love yourself as you are. Wear the bright lipstick. Keep your hair long if you want. Take the trip because you deserve it. Having fun and seizing our moments are important to healthy aging!

Take care of yourself. And take care of your vagina!

Everything show related at MyAloofVagina.com

Discounts on faves:

😃Frownies Save 10% via link (or code MAV10)

🍌 vFit < 10% off the Medical Device That Helped Martha's Vagina. (Code MAV10. Discount applied in cart.)

🍎 Limited-time-offer- vFit Starter Kit deal less than vFit alone!
(>$50 value bonus) Code MAVKIT while supplies last.

Loved this episode? Enjoy the show? Please share with a friend.

Bonus video & more fun on YouTube & Instagram.

I'm always up to something. Stay in the know with the free MAV Sisterhood.

(Reply to any Sisterhood email & land in Martha's actual inbox. Really.)

Affiliate links above, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through them. I ONLY partner with products when I'm ALREADY a happy customer who was talking them up. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Dr. Wendy Chorny is back after  What Happens to Our Vaginas As They Age & What Does Estrogen Have To Do With It? 

• What do Pavlov’s dogs and your coffee-break and post-commute habits have in common?
• How can understanding pelvic-floor dysfunction help you slow things down?
• Do you know the difference between urinary urgency and stress urinary incontinence? And why does it matter? 
• How can you identify early signs it may worsen sooner than it has to? 
• And when is it time to seek professional help?

Dr. Wendy is a doctor of physical therapy specializing in the treatment of pelvic pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, perimenopause, and more.  She is an educator and author, affiliated with the University of Dayton Doctor of Physical Therapy Program & currently doing research on Diastasis Recti in Women. 

https://www.wendychorny.com/

Disclaimer: Though she is a doctor she is not YOUR doctor. As always, please consult a local professional for your particular medical and legal needs and circumstances

- Huberman Lab Podcast with guest Dr. Sara Gottfried
- NYT Mag HRT Story
- Stress Urinary Incontinence
- Detrusor & trigone bladder muscles
- Interstitial cystitis

MAV Tip: You're not alone. There is help available. And hiding or feeling shame (or taking "logical" steps to reduce the frequency of your urinary urges) will only make it worse. Seek support, even if it's just plugging into an anonymous community to learn (like the MAV Sisterhood) or following VETTED pelvic-floor experts on social to get a feel for the things nobody very taught us!

Take care of yourself. And take care of your vagina!

Everything show related at MyAloofVagina.com

Discounts on faves:

😃Frownies Save 10% via link (or code MAV10)

🍌 vFit < 10% off the Medical Device That Helped Martha's Vagina. (Code MAV10. Discount applied in cart.)

🍎 Limited-time-offer- vFit Starter Kit deal less than vFit alone!
(>$50 value bonus) Code MAVKIT while supplies last.

Loved this episode? Enjoy the show? Please share with a friend.

Bonus video & more fun on YouTube & Instagram.

I'm always up to something. Stay in the know with the free MAV Sisterhood.

(Reply to any Sisterhood email & land in Martha's actual inbox. Really.)

Affiliate links above, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through them. I ONLY partner with products when I'm ALREADY a happy customer who was talking them up. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Martha talks with the informative & entertaining Dr. Wendy Chorny about the aging vagina, what that means, why it happens & how you can sustain the hydration &  health of those delicate tissues, and:

• What do the Lion King (and existential dread) have to do with your perimenopause experience?
• And what’s really important about being 35 & why might you want to text your young friends after you listen to this?

Dr. Wendy is a doctor of physical therapy specializing in the treatment of pelvic pain, pelvic-floor dysfunction, perimenopause, and other disorders.  She is an educator and author, affiliated with the University of Dayton & currently doing research on Diastasis Recti in Women. She uses visceral manipulation, nutritional education, and an integrated exercise approach in her physical therapy practice. 

https://www.tiktok.com/@drwendy_physicaltherapy
https://www.youtube.com/@Dr.WendyPhysicalTherapist
https://www.instagram.com/dr.wendychorny/

Disclaimer: Though she is a doctor she is not YOUR doctor. As always, please consult a local professional for your particular medical and legal needs and circumstances

- NYT Women Have Been Misled About Menopause
- find a menopause practitioner
- What Fresh Hell Is This? Perimenopause, Menopause, Other Indignities, and You
- Clinical Prediction Rule
- Lichen Sclerosus
- Bunnicula - 1982 TV Special

MAV TIP: Hydration is more than just drinking water. As we lose estrogen, we lose moisture!

Take care of yourself. And take care of your vagina!

Everything show related at MyAloofVagina.com

Discounts on faves:

😃Frownies Save 10% via link (or code MAV10)

🍌 vFit < 10% off the Medical Device That Helped Martha's Vagina. (Code MAV10. Discount applied in cart.)

🍎 Limited-time-offer- vFit Starter Kit deal less than vFit alone!
(>$50 value bonus) Code MAVKIT while supplies last.

Loved this episode? Enjoy the show? Please share with a friend.

Bonus video & more fun on YouTube & Instagram.

I'm always up to something. Stay in the know with the free MAV Sisterhood.

(Reply to any Sisterhood email & land in Martha's actual inbox. Really.)

Affiliate links above, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through them. I ONLY partner with products when I'm ALREADY a happy customer who was talking them up. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

In this episode, Martha is joined by her friend Certified Sex Educator Ducky DooLittle.  

They explore important health issues:

• Why is it particularly essential to reassess your partner in midlife? 
• What menstrual change could indicate uterine cancer and is a reason to get in with your doctor?
• How can you return to a satisfying sex life after a total hysterectomy?
• AND what Pro-tip does Ducky have for making colonoscopy prep less agonizing? (Hint! It’s using a common sex accessory you may already have in a drawer in your bedroom!)

Ducky DooLittle is a Certified Sex Educator, former Sexual Assault & Violence Intervention Counselor, Author of Sex with the Lights On: 200 Illuminating Sex Questions Answered. (One of the first “sexuality” books I ever bought!) 

And the the owner of Enchantasys, which she opened in 2022 in Conway, Arkansas near Little Rock. 

You can find Ducky on Facebook and Instagram

Other links:

• The dilators Ducky developed for women who no longer have a cervix. (To regain the space lost when they create the vaginal cuff during surgery.)
• The silicone lubes Ducky name-checked (NOT just for colonoscopy prep! These lubes are good skincare and come highly recommended.) Überlube, Wicked Silicone, Swiss Navy & Pjur (pronounced "pure")

MAV Tip: Reduce the agony of colonoscopy prep by protecting your anus! Ducky's Pro-tip is to protect that delicate skin with  silicone lube BEFORE your prep starts to kicks in and sends you to the toilet. She recommended a few good brands which are linked above, alongside the dilators she developed.

Take care of yourself. And take care of your vagina!

Everything show related at MyAloofVagina.com

Discounts on faves:

😃Frownies Save 10% via link (or code MAV10)

🍌 vFit < 10% off the Medical Device That Helped Martha's Vagina. (Code MAV10. Discount applied in cart.)

🍎 Limited-time-offer- vFit Starter Kit deal less than vFit alone!
(>$50 value bonus) Code MAVKIT while supplies last.

Loved this episode? Enjoy the show? Please share with a friend.

Bonus video & more fun on YouTube & Instagram.

I'm always up to something. Stay in the know with the free MAV Sisterhood.

(Reply to any Sisterhood email & land in Martha's actual inbox. Really.)

Affiliate links above, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through them. I ONLY partner with products when I'm ALREADY a happy customer who was talking them up. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

In this Bonus Episode from the Galentine's Day Livestream - the day before Valentine's - or V-day - for VAGINA which was the official launch day of My Aloof Vagina - Martha is joined by Tara, a kink coach she's known for almost 20 years, to celebrate the long-awaited launch of this way overdue podcast.

Tara, a favorite guest from episode 2, returned to talk about the ways our desires and experiences change as we age, her top recommended adult toys for women & some fun tips on things you can do to spice things up with things from around your house. 

You'll never look at a spatula quite the same way again. Join us to see what's cooking!

Tara also shared:

• changes some men experience at our age that are not erectile dysfunction, but can be confusing and upsetting
• the reason we shouldn't JUST be masturbating our clitoris
• why someone as literal-minded as Martha might miss out on available fun

As promised during the show, here are the best-selling and highly recommended vibrators she shared:

• A FAVE comes with a warranty, high-end materials, discreet and a MIND-BLOWING treat for your clitoris. (No C.A. here! And no need for a womanizer! This is the one. Clitorally mindblowing!)
• Tara's very favorite toy! Dual stimulation sonic "massager" ;) You get all of the above from her FAVE, plus penetration, and, for our health, we really need to be doing that, too.

MAV Tip: Everything is pervertable! Sex is really just adults at play. If you can maintain a playful outlook you can ride the waves of midlife change, evolving and adapting as you go. And if you MUST role play, remember: do it with enthusiasm and play along as if it's improve. Over act if you must!

Take care of yourself. And take care of your vagina!

Everything show related at MyAloofVagina.com

Discounts on faves:

😃Frownies Save 10% via link (or code MAV10)

🍌 vFit < 10% off the Medical Device That Helped Martha's Vagina. (Code MAV10. Discount applied in cart.)

🍎 Limited-time-offer- vFit Starter Kit deal less than vFit alone!
(>$50 value bonus) Code MAVKIT while supplies last.

Loved this episode? Enjoy the show? Please share with a friend.

Bonus video & more fun on YouTube & Instagram.

I'm always up to something. Stay in the know with the free MAV Sisterhood.

(Reply to any Sisterhood email & land in Martha's actual inbox. Really.)

Affiliate links above, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through them. I ONLY partner with products when I'm ALREADY a happy customer who was talking them up. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Martha & Sally talk about the collection of changes that made Sally realize she was in perimenopause, even as her doctors continued to claim that her hormones “looked fine” and they didn’t “think” she was in it yet. 

• Is part of “the change” external and more connected to the messages we’re getting about being “too old” or “past our prime”? (Things that aren’t really reflected in those snapshots of a hormone blood serum draw.) 

• And how do some of those messages contribute to the increase in rather flippant recommendations to “just get a hysterectomy” in our 40s? 

• What IF you aren’t ready to give it up? Your career, sex, your uterus, your right to reinvent yourself?

We explore these questions and more and arrive at some answers in this episode. 

We START this conversation talking about how we’re targeted  — solutions-peddlers are leveraging our pain points to make the sale! And we're not loving that that makes the product sellers our main source of information.

We END this episode talking about how I HAPPILY spent hundreds of dollars on a vFit - a medical red-light therapy device for my vagina that two years later I still love! (You can save 10% with the link below.)

And, because my friends see me wearing them all the time (along with the eye gels) Frownies facial patches come up once again. You can save 10% with code MAV10 or by using the link below.

MAV TIP: If any medical professional (or friend giving you "medical advice") suggests a surgery or procedure, do your homework. Research it a little! Just because someone else is happy they did something, even if their symptoms seem similar to yours, doesn't mean their solution is the most up-to-date one or even appropriate for your particular situation. 

Take care of yourself. And take care of your vagina!

Everything show related at MyAloofVagina.com

Discounts on faves:

😃Frownies Save 10% via link (or code MAV10)

🍌 vFit < 10% off the Medical Device That Helped Martha's Vagina. (Code MAV10. Discount applied in cart.)

🍎 Limited-time-offer- vFit Starter Kit deal less than vFit alone!
(>$50 value bonus) Code MAVKIT while supplies last.

Loved this episode? Enjoy the show? Please share with a friend.

Bonus video & more fun on YouTube & Instagram.

I'm always up to something. Stay in the know with the free MAV Sisterhood.

(Reply to any Sisterhood email & land in Martha's actual inbox. Really.)

Affiliate links above, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through them. I ONLY partner with products when I'm ALREADY a happy customer who was talking them up. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Martha is joined by her friend Kristen  who shares  a back-to-back series of alarming symptoms she had.

• What does it look when you go to even your GOOD doctor with hard-to-document symptoms when they know you have struggled with anxiety in the past?
• What about when you advocate for yourself, they run tests and the tests show nothing? Or the tests show SOMETHING but your doctor doesn’t seem spurred to action?
• And SHOULD you avoid consulting Dr. Google before you go?

These questions and more are covered in this episode.

Products & details mentioned

The iron supplement and blood builder that finally reversed Martha's anemia. She was able to tolerate it and stay on it long enough to increase her ferritin and blood iron. She buys the 180-count bottle and that last 6 months, but it's available in 30 -count to try.

Before that she had success and results with this liquid iron, a similar nutritional profile, but stopped using it because it stained her teeth unless she drank it with a straw in some orange juice...and that just wasn't sustainable with her routine (plus hard to travel with)

Kristen is using these raw iron tablets.

MAV Tip: This too shall pass! But in the meantime, if you’re concerned, seek medical attention. And if the medical personnel you seek attention from don’t seem to “get it” consider seeking practitioners who understand perimenopause and menopause and will work with you to find you some relief. (Even if that means you end up with some quacks in your life.)

Take care of yourself. And take care of your vagina!

Everything show related at MyAloofVagina.com

Discounts on faves:

😃Frownies Save 10% via link (or code MAV10)

🍌 vFit < 10% off the Medical Device That Helped Martha's Vagina. (Code MAV10. Discount applied in cart.)

🍎 Limited-time-offer- vFit Starter Kit deal less than vFit alone!
(>$50 value bonus) Code MAVKIT while supplies last.

Loved this episode? Enjoy the show? Please share with a friend.

Bonus video & more fun on YouTube & Instagram.

I'm always up to something. Stay in the know with the free MAV Sisterhood.

(Reply to any Sisterhood email & land in Martha's actual inbox. Really.)

Affiliate links above, meaning I earn a small commission if you purchase through them. I ONLY partner with products when I'm ALREADY a happy customer who was talking them up. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.