Soul Net

In this episode, we are joined by naturopathic doctor and hormonal health specialist, Dr. Ana Lopez, to discuss the Dutch Test and how it helps women obtain a clear picture of their hormone and metabolic health during menopause. Dr. Lopez explains the benefits, investment and timing for women to explore hormonal testing. If you are a woman in your 30's, 40's, or 50's, this episode is for you!

If you have specific questions for Dr. Lopez, you can reach her at [email protected] or find her at her clinic https://noblenaturopathic.com/

To learn more about the Dutch Test, visit https://dutchtest.com/

How to Support Your Hormones in Menopause:

🔹 Why inflammation matters – Learn at 9:00 how inflammation can disrupt hormone balance and what to do about it.

🔹 Should you test your progesterone? – Find out at 18:00 why some experts recommend it and others don’t.

🔹 Does HRT work for everyone? – Hear at 27:00 what the research says about hormone therapy and who it benefits most.

Show Notes Timeline:

0:00 – Understanding the Dutch test: A comprehensive look at estrogen, progesterone, and how they interact in menopause.

3:00 – Welcome & introductions: Dr Ana Lopez on menopause and hormone health.

6:00 – Why menopause is misunderstood: The importance of education, research, and breaking the stigma.

9:00 – Inflammation and hormone balance: How inflammation affects menopause and what tests can reveal about your body.

12:00 – The reality of perimenopause: Why symptoms vary widely, and how to prepare for hormonal shifts.

15:00 – FSH levels explained: Why follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) fluctuates and what it means for menopause.

18:00 – Progesterone testing: Should you request a test from your doctor? The pros and cons.

21:00 – Estrogen metabolism: How your body processes estrogen and why it matters for symptom relief.

24:00 – Common menopause symptoms: Brain fog, fatigue, and why it’s not “just in your head.”

27:00 – Hormone replacement therapy (HRT): What to consider, myths vs. facts, and who benefits most.

30:00 – Lifestyle strategies for hormone balance: How diet, sleep, and stress impact menopause symptoms.

33:00 – Supplements for menopause: What actually works, and what to be cautious about.

36:00 – The importance of tracking symptoms: Why keeping a journal helps with treatment and self-care.

39:00 – Final thoughts: Empowerment through education—why knowing your body is key to thriving in menopause.

In this fun and informative episode Dayna and Megan welcome Kim Vopni AKA the Vagina Coach to the show. Kim shares her journey on how witnessing childbirth ignited a curiosity for helping herself and other women to build strength in their pelvic floor. She emphasizes the importance of Core function and its impacts on creativity, intimacy, and overall well-being.

We discuss the Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) and its symptoms, including genital changes, urinary issues, and sexual problems that can affect us both physically and emotionally. She share’s details of her Buff Muff Method that marries pelvic floor exercises with resistance training to help improve function and quality of life at all ages of a women’s life including pre and postpartum, peri-menopause and beyond.

Learn more about Kim and her offerings at

https://www.vaginacoach.com

References in this episode include:

Estrogen Matters

The Great Menopause Myth

Show Notes Timestamps:

0:00 – Introduction to pelvic health: The vagina as a power source, creativity, and intimacy center. The impact of pelvic floor issues on daily life.

2:30 – Meet Kim Vopni, the "Vagina Coach": How she became a pelvic health expert and her personal journey into the field.

5:30 – The importance of pelvic floor health: How pregnancy, childbirth, and aging affect pelvic function. The overlooked role of postpartum recovery.

9:00 – Common misconceptions: Why Kegels aren’t always the answer, and why pelvic floor issues aren’t just about urine leakage.

12:00 – The emotional impact: How shame around pelvic issues limits women’s lives and why open conversations help.

15:00 – What is GSM, Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause?: How hormonal changes impact vaginal health, bladder function, and sexual well-being.

19:00 – Why pelvic floor issues are often misdiagnosed: The long journey to getting proper care and the limitations of the medical system.

22:30 – The role of hormone therapy: How systemic and vaginal estrogen can help alongside pelvic floor training.

26:00 – Strength training and the pelvic floor: Why combining resistance training with pelvic floor exercises is crucial.

29:30 – The Buff Muff Method: Kim’s step-by-step approach to training and maintaining pelvic floor health.

33:00 – Common bladder irritants: Caffeine, alcohol, and other unexpected triggers of urgency and incontinence.

36:00 – The importance of regular pelvic floor physio: Why all women should see a pelvic floor therapist, even without symptoms.

39:00 – Final thoughts: It’s never too late to start strengthening your pelvic floor. Kim’s message of empowerment and action.

How to Help Your Pelvic Floor:

 Why Kegels alone aren’t enough – Learn at 9:00 why you need a dynamic approach to pelvic floor training.

 The hidden impact of bladder irritants – Find out at 33:00 how common drinks and foods might be making your symptoms worse.

 Why every woman should see a pelvic floor physio – Hear at 36:00 why prevention is key, and how to take control of your pelvic health.

In this special video episode we are celebrating 2 years of Soul Net. The sisters gather and reflect on some of their favourite episodes and how the collective timeless wisdom they share has been a source of support and learning during challenging times in their own lives.

Soul Net is thrilled to welcome very special guest Shirley Weir, founder of Menopause Chicks, highlighting our Menopause series!

Shirley is a women’s health advocate, author, podcaster, and educator who helps women navigate perimenopause-to-postmenopause with confidence and ease.

Her mission is to ensure everyone understands how our hormones work when cycles are regular, so we can be in the best position to make health decisions for ourselves when cycles are no longer regular. 

Join us as Shirley returns home from global travel for World Menopause Day, sharing an abundance of resources and wisdom for everyday women.

In Shirley’s own words, “If menopause feels like a foreign language to you, that’s ok, meet your translator!” 

List of References:

Find Shirley at @menopausechicks on IG and FB

Join the Menopause Chicks community at www.menopausechicks.com or www.menopausecommunity.com

Shirley’s free PDF Menopause Guidebook, “Feel Amazing”: https://menopausechicks.myflodesk.com/free-feel-amazing

Menopause Masterclass: https://menopausechicks.myflodesk.com/

BC Women’s Hospital Heart Health Clinic: http://www.bcwomens.ca/our-services/specialized-services/womens-heart-health-clinic

Shirley’s shared quotes:

 “Our biggest challenge is not to learn, but to UN-learn.” -Gloria Steinem

"Some say the system is too big to change. I say we ARE the system." - Shirley Weir

Focusing on midlife mental health, join our very own Islena in diving deep into the neuroendocrine changes that occur during menopause, reframing this stage of life as a "second adolescence".

Time-Stamped Highlights:

0:00 - 0:27 Menopause as a neuroendocrine journey of transformation.
0:30 - 1:50 Islena shares her personal experience with anxiety during menopause and the tools she uses to navigate it.
2:00 - 5:40 Exploring the concept of befriending sensations rather than chasing symptoms. Insights into menopause as a second adolescence.
6:07 - 9:38 Internal family systems therapy explained: Recognizing inner child sensations and their connection to stored trauma.
9:39 - 13:46 The role of attunement in grounding anxious energy and creating presence in the moment. Practical tips for connecting with your surroundings.
13:47 - 18:30 Generational patterns and how they shape our responses to stress during menopause. Validating stored energy in the body through a self-compassion practice.
18:31 - 19:17 Reconciliation with younger adolescent parts during menopause as a healing process.
19:18 - 27:23 Guided visualization exercise led by Islena to soothe anxious thinking and connect with stored unprocessed energy in the body.

Gain insights on:

• Understanding menopause as a time of transformation rather than symptom-chasing.
• The mind's need to "fix and cure" symptoms of discomfort and how that fixation can partition into anxiety during menopause.
• Tools for befriending sensations and emotions through practices like guided visualization and Internal Family Systems therapy.
• Guided practices to integrate and stabilize unprocessed energy.
• How generational patterns impact our responses to stress and change.

Islena demonstrates how to befriend (and not resist) sensations that arise during challenge & stress, and guides us in a Grounding Meditation, closing with hands-on practical tools from her embodiment practices, to help you traverse biochemical, neurological, and emotional shifts with grace.

If you'd like to connect with Islena, you can find her at⁠ ⁠www.onboardyoga.com⁠⁠ or⁠ ⁠linktr.ee/islenafaircrest⁠⁠.

With over 23 years experience as a yoga educator, somatic therapist, and IFS practitioner, she utilizes the trauma informed healing centered engagement of Internal Family Systems with her clients and community. A mother of two young adults, and a former doula and prenatal educator, Islena has taught yoga teacher trainings & retreats world-wide, and written for health content media. As a somatic & wellness educator, she teaches nervous system regulation & holistic wellness practices, mentoring individuals & families in their healing journey towards empowered living, with workshops, stress management, therapeutic movement, breathwork, counselling, and healing attachment trauma.

In this honest episode we shine the light on the toilet bowl as a window into our overall health.

We explore the role smoothie culture and physical environment play in dampening our digestive fire, how this connects to our heart and brain heath, finding relief in our spice cabinets and more.

Join us as we Scoop on Poop and find humour in often shied away from conversations.

References include Ayurveda and the Doshas - or mind body constitutions - as well as Traditional Chinese Medicine.

We are excited to kick off our new menopause series with a special guest, our very own movement and nutrition coach, Dayna Bango! Dayna is sharing all things fitness and health to keep you moving and feeling strong through menopause. With a focus on how hormonal changes affect your muscular-skeletal functions, Dayna talks about building muscle during peri-menopause, maintaining healthy soft tissue and bone density, plus choosing foods that will help reduce inflammation and flare ups in your body. This is a must listen for anyone who is experiencing body changes in menopause.

Dayna's personalized approach to health and fitness combines over two decades of experience in athletic coaching with Ayurvedic wisdom. 

To connect with Dayna, please email her at [email protected] or visit her website at www.bangObody.com.

To receive a copy of her Moving Through Menopause Guide with helpful tips on exercise, nutrition and lifestyle for this crazy time of life please email her with “Menopause Help” in the subject line.

Women’s health is finally getting some of the attention it deserves and our Soul Net sisters are in the trenches of it all right along with you. We are excited to kick off season three of the podcast with the launch our new series "The Joy and Pain of Menopause".

Over the next few episodes, we will be sharing some of our guidance in the way of mind, body and soul health and welcome special guests that offer up tips and insight for this transitional time of our lives.

In this special video episode, we come together and highlight some of our own individual experiences with this journey. As we share our stories, we come to recognize just how unique our experiences can be as women and that sharing opens a door to understanding. Join us as we dive deep into ways to move through this time of life with compassion, laughter and community.

References: The Dutch Test

In this episode, we talk about the helpful and harmful aspects of perfectionism, as well as the desired outcomes that are often associated with perfectionism. We share our own stories about striving for perfection and we consider that perhaps the pursuit of excellence is more connected to presence than perfection. Join us for this conversation and let us know your thoughts on the topic!

Quote referenced in this episode:

"Perfectionism is a 20-ton shield that we lug around thinking it will protect us when, in fact, it's the thing that's really preventing us from taking flight." - Brené Brown

In this episode, we are introduced to consulting hypnotist, Jessica Taylor, and her practice of hypnosis and neuro linguistic programming to help people change harmful habits. Jessica shares the process and benefits of hypnosis for weight loss, smoking cessation, stress reduction, and sleep improvement. She guides us through a practice to help us understand "the why” we fall into bad habits and "the how" to change them. We learn about the four Satir coping stances and discover our individual dominant survival stance. You can follow along at home and discover your own dominant survival stance! This episode opens your eyes to patterns that may no longer be serving you and expands your awareness about hypnosis as a helpful tool for change.

Jessica is the Clinic Director of Pleasant Hypnosis inVancouver, B.C. To connect with Jessica, visit www.pleasanthypnosis.com and emailher at [email protected]

References in this episode include:

Satir Coping Stances: blaming, computing, placating, being irrelevant