The Girlfriend Doctor w/ Dr. Anna Cabeca

A divorce. A layoff. A season where you held everything together for everyone.

Your body flipped into fight or flight to protect you, exactly the way it was built to. But what happens when the stress passes and your nervous system never gets the message?

Bioenergetic medicine expert Dr. Sue Morter, author of The Energy Codes and The Anatomy of Awakening, explains the hidden stress your body can keep carrying for years. She shows how that old emergency ripples through your adrenals, your thyroid, and your hormones in midlife.

Then she walks me through her first two steps. The wise belly breath, which helps engage the calming side of your nervous system. And pratyahara, an ancient practice for calling your energy back from the people and situations that drain you.

Dr. Sue and I also get into what releasing anger means (hint, it's not dumping it on someone), how to work with a feeling without needing the whole story, and why meditation can feel impossible at first.

If you've been doing everything right and still feel wired, tired, and on edge, Gorgeous, this one is for you.

Key takeaways

• Your nervous system can stay locked in fight or flight long after a stressful event ends, because it never received the signal that the danger passed.

• That hidden stress keeps your adrenals pumping out cortisol, and Dr. Sue describes the thyroid stepping in to compensate until your whole hormonal system starts to roller-coaster.

• Your body works on a priority basis, so survival comes before repair, detox, and renewal.

• A slow belly breath, low first and then rising into the chest, is Dr. Sue's simplest first step for telling your body the coast is clear.

• Pratyahara means drawing your senses back onto yourself, so you can stay in a hard conversation without handing over your energy.

• Releasing anger means feeling and moving the energy in your body, not unloading it on someone else.

• If meditation feels impossible, build body awareness first so stillness becomes easier.

Key Timestamps

• 01:00 Growing up with a pioneer of energy medicine

• 03:05 Root cause versus symptom care

• 05:00 The hidden stress keeping you in fight or flight

• 06:15 The trap door between the thalamus and hypothalamus

• 09:25 Step one, the belly breath

• 13:15 Why your belly is wise

• 14:15 The doorway exercise

• 18:20 What if you're the one who triggers someone

• 26:15 The two systems that run your body

• 31:30 What releasing anger means

• 40:00 When meditation feels impossible

• 42:30 Take it to the body practices

Memorable quotes

• "It's doing the right thing, but it's doing it at the wrong time." Dr. Sue Morter

• "Work with the energy instead of the label, work with the energy instead of the story." Dr. Sue Morter

• "We are the CEO of our body, and the best years of our lives are not behind us. They are waiting for us." Dr. Anna Cabeca

Resources mentioned

• The Energy Codes by Dr. Sue Morter

• The Anatomy of Awakening by Dr. Sue Morter

• Dr. Sue's courses and classes at drsuemorter.com

• The Girlfriend Doctor on YouTube

CTA: Listen to the full conversation

Connect with Dr. Sue Morter

Website: www.drsuemorter.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/drsuemorter

Facebook: www.facebook.com/drsuemorter

Dr. Sue's Newest Book: https://www.theanatomyofawakeningbook.com/

Free Meditation Gift for listeners: https://drsmorter.com/girlfrienddr

Connect with Dr. Anna

Website: https://drannacabeca.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAnnaCabeca

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

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

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

Podcast: https://drannacabeca.com/blogs/podcast

Loved this one? Send it to the friend who's been running on empty, then tell me in the comments which practice you're trying first. I read every one.

When a woman sits across from Dr. Anna after a breast cancer diagnosis, she asks one question. What did your oncologist say caused it? Almost every time, the answer is a blank stare.

Dr. Nasha Winters has lived that silence from the inside. By 19, she had collected a decade of diagnoses, including PCOS, endometriosis, IBS, anxiety, and thyroid trouble. Then she landed in the ER with a grapefruit-sized tumor and was told she was too ill for treatment. In this conversation, she shares the three things she credits with changing her path. She also explains how childhood trauma can shape the immune system and why she sees the body as a garden to tend rather than a battlefield.

Dr. Nasha is a naturopathic doctor and the author of The Metabolic Approach to Cancer. She walks through the ten areas of terrain she evaluates, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio hiding in a standard CBC, and her inflammation "trifecta" of CRP, sed rate, and LDH. She explains why ringing the bell after treatment is the beginning of rebuilding. She also shares the four S's she sees as common threads in breast health.

Key takeaways

• Recurring symptoms and diagnoses can be signals worth investigating, not just labels to manage.

• Dr. Nasha looks at ten areas of terrain and now starts with mental and emotional health.

• A standard CBC can reveal your neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio. She prefers it closer to 2 to 1.

• She tracks CRP, sed rate, and LDH together as a picture of inflammation and metabolic health.

• In her view, finishing treatment is when the work of rebuilding healthy cells begins.

• Research links a balanced microbiome with a better response to immunotherapy.

• Her four S's for breast health are sugar, stress, sleep, and sex.

Timestamps

00:00 The question most women are never asked 05:45 A terminal ovarian cancer diagnosis at 19 12:15 The three "accidents" she credits 17:00 Dr. Anna on the 13-hour overnight fast 19:00 The ACE score and psychoneuroimmunology 37:45 The 10 areas of terrain 44:40 The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio 48:15 CRP, sed rate, and LDH 53:30 Why ringing the bell is the beginning 56:00 The microbiome and immunotherapy 61:30 Saliva vs. urine pH and your body's capacity 71:00 The four S's of breast health

Memorable quotes

"So I thought I was pre-med. Cancer had another story for me." Dr. Nasha Winters

"They were trying to be a guidepost of, hey, there's something wrong here that needs our attention." Dr. Nasha Winters, on her early diagnoses

"It's very simple. Test, assess, address, don't guess." Dr. Nasha Winters

"What I tell folks is that's actually just the beginning." Dr. Nasha Winters, on ringing the bell after treatment

"Your body is always speaking to you." Dr. Anna Cabeca

"The best years of your life aren't behind you. They're waiting for you." Dr. Anna Cabeca

Resources mentioned

• Dr. Nasha Winters at drnasha.com, which has her books, terrain questionnaire, podcast, Substack, and free resources on what to do after a diagnosis

• The Metabolic Approach to Cancer by Dr. Nasha Winters

• Mistletoe and the Emerging Future of Integrative Oncology by Dr. Nasha Winters

• The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) questionnaire

• The 2016 JAMA Oncology study on overnight fasting and breast cancer recurrence

• The Girlfriend Doctor community [TEAM TO ADD LINK]

Connect with Dr. Nasha Winter

• Website: https://drnasha.com

• Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@drnashawinters

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drnashawinters

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drnashawinters

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drnashawinters

Connect with Dr. Anna

Website: Dranna.com

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thegirlfrienddoctor

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

Share the love

If this conversation moved you, share it with a woman who needs to hear it. Women heal in community. Your ratings, reviews, and shares help keep conversations like this going.

This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please talk with your healthcare provider before making changes to your care.

Tell me if you've heard this before. You're sleeping. You're eating the way you were told to eat. Your labs come back normal, and you still know something is off.

That's the woman I had in mind for this conversation.

After twenty years in hormone and longevity medicine, here's what I keep coming back to. Most of what supports your hormones comes down to the foundations, like light, darkness, and when you eat, and so many of them cost you nothing.

My guest, Sarah Kleiner, is board-certified through the Quantum Biology Institute and the creator of My Circadian App. She came to this work the hard way. In her forties, she went through two pregnancy losses and two rounds of IVF with no viable embryos. Then a single conversation with Jack Kruse pointed her toward leptin and circadian biology. When she asked her fertility doctor to test her leptin, she was told it was an insignificant hormone. Her levels came back very low. She rebuilt her rhythm with morning sunlight, dark evenings, and a shift in how and when she ate, and she later got pregnant with her son without IVF.

We get specific. Sarah explains what leptin does while you sleep and why she sees leptin resistance show up before insulin resistance. She covers the early hunger signals that something may be off and how to test leptin so the result means something. We talk through yellow versus orange and red blue light blockers, and why an incandescent bulb on your desk is worth it. We also cover why sitting in the shade still counts and why the same meal lands differently at 8 AM than at 8 PM. I also share why I built MenuPause around rotating eating patterns, especially if you've been doing carnivore, keto, or Keto-Green for a long time.

Most of the women who find Sarah's work are in perimenopause and menopause. These small, consistent shifts give your body clearer instructions to work with. And the best years of your life are waiting for you.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Leptin works like your body's accountant. Overnight, it reports to your brain how much stored energy you have, then passes instructions along to your thyroid, your sex hormones, and your metabolism. Blue light at night, eating close to bed, or staying up late can interrupt that nightly conversation.

• In Sarah's experience, leptin resistance shows up before insulin resistance. It's rarely tested, which is one reason "normal" labs can miss what you're feeling.

• Some early signs your leptin signaling may be off are feeling hungry again soon after you eat, never feeling satisfied, or having no appetite in the morning at all. Sarah skipped breakfast for about ten years and felt nauseous at the thought of eating in the morning.

• If you test leptin, do it fasted in the morning, 12 to 14 hours after your last meal. Eating beforehand skews the result, and so does fasting too long.

• Your morning reset is simple. Go outside soon after you wake up, before your phone and before the overhead lights. After sunset, keep your home dim and switch to orange or red light. Use yellow-tinted blue blockers during the day at screens, and orange or red ones after dark.

• When you eat matters, not only what you eat. Research we discuss shows your body handles the same meal better earlier in the day, which is why I encourage breaking your fast by 10 AM.

• You don't need to overhaul your house. An incandescent bulb on your desk, a seat by the window, and working outside when you can, even in the shade, are where Sarah tells people to start.

Time Stamps

• 00:00 Why the foundations matter more than hacks and peptides

• 04:02 Sarah's path from corporate America to circadian biology

• 07:22 Two IVF rounds and a wall with conventional care

• 10:04 What a morning circadian reset looks like

• 22:09 Yellow, orange, or red? Choosing blue light blockers

• 24:48 What leptin is and why Sarah calls it a master hormone

• 28:10 Sarah's own low leptin, and the doctor who dismissed it

• 29:42 Early signs your leptin signaling is off

• 39:31 Why "calories in, calories out" misses timing

• 42:48 The underrated habit of working in the shade

• 46:14 Where to find Sarah and how My Circadian App works

• 49:20 MenuPause and why I rotate eating patterns

Memorable Quotes

"You can't out supplement the sun and nature." (Dr. Anna Cabeca)

"I always say consistency over perfection every single day of the week." (Sarah Kleiner)

"The best years of your life are not behind you. They are waiting for you." (Dr. Anna Cabeca)

RESOURCES MENTIONED

From Sarah

• Leptin Master Plan: https://www.sarahkleinerwellness.com/a/2147833508/9omoaj6i

• 21 Day Leptin Reset: https://www.sarahkleinerwellness.com/a/2147833508/9omoaj6i

People and research referenced

• Jack Kruse, an early influence on Sarah's circadian and leptin work

• Dr. Gerald Pollack, for his research on exclusion zone water and infrared light

• Dr. Glen Jeffery, for his research on red and infrared light and mitochondrial function

From Dr. Anna

• MenuPause, my book of rotating six-day meal plans, including Carb Up, Autoimmune Paleo, Keto-Green, Carnivore, and Vegan options: https://drannacabeca.com/products/menupause

• Keto-Green 16: https://drannacabeca.com/pages/offers-keto-green-16-challenge

Connect With Sarah Kleiner:

Website - https://www.sarahkleinerwellness.com

Substack - https://substack.com/@sarahkleinerwellness

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sarahkleinerwellness

Podcast - https://www.sarahkleinerwellness.com/podcast

YouTube - hhttps://www.youtube.com/@SarahKleinerWellness

Free ebooks: https://www.sarahkleinerwellness.com/all-free-resources

Connect with Dr. Anna:

Website: dranna.com

Instagram: instagram.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

YouTube: youtube.com/@thegirlfrienddoctor

TikTok: tiktok.com/@drannacabeca

Facebook: facebook.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

If someone you love keeps saying "my labs are normal, but I don't feel like me," send her this episode. And subscribe on YouTube so you catch the shorts from this conversation.

Disclaimer

This episode is education, not medical advice, so please talk with your own physician before making changes to your health routine.

Dr. Anna sits down with triple board-certified dermatologist, internist, and dermatopathologist Dr. Mamina Turegano for a deep dive into skin health from the inside out. They cover the real drivers of collagen breakdown, which anti-aging ingredients and procedures actually hold up to decades of evidence, and how to build a sunscreen routine you don't have to second-guess.

The conversation then turns to two of the toughest conditions in women's health, rosacea and vulvar lichen sclerosus, with practical, root-cause-informed guidance for both. This is the episode to bookmark if you've ever wondered what's worth your money on the skincare shelf and what's just noise.

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro, today's topics 02:23 – Welcome, Dr. Mamina's path into dermatology 03:03 – Blending integrative medicine with medical derm 08:04 – Why we lose collagen, and what accelerates the breakdown 10:29 – Sun protection, the case for and against sunscreen fear 15:00 – Chemical vs. mineral sunscreens, the benzene scare explained 19:51 – Retinoids, how often to use them and why 23:36 – Vitamin C, peptides, and topical hormones for the skin 25:50 – Why topical estrogen can sometimes deepen lines 29:06 – In-office procedures, IPL for dark spots and redness 30:18 – Morpheus and RF microneedling, who it's right for 32:53 – Chemical peels for pigmentation and melasma 33:51 – Red light therapy, what to look for in an at-home mask 34:55 – Rosacea, the gut connection and genetic factors 41:44 – Vulvar lichen sclerosus, why it's so often missed 45:34 – Treatment approach, topical steroids to LDN 50:41 – Where JAK inhibitors and biologics may be headed 51:39 – Where to find Dr. Mamina online 52:22 – Rapid fire round 57:50 – Closing thoughts and where to learn more

Memorable Quotes

"Your skin is a window of what's going on internally, and when you're addressing your internal health, that can manifest so much on the skin." – Dr. Anna Cabeca

"Healthy digestion for a glowing complexion." – Dr. Anna Cabeca

"I use the phrase, the cells start to poop out, and we get brown spots." – Dr. Mamina Turegano

"Getting a good night's sleep is like aging in reverse." – Dr. Anna Cabeca

"When you have lichen sclerosus, it's like double-barreled shotguns. We're going to get rid of this, and we want you to be comfortable and at home in your body." – Dr. Mamina Turegano

"Aging beautifully is feeling comfortable in your skin, literally and metaphorically. It's confidence, and I think that can radiate out as beauty." – Dr. Mamina Turegano

Connect with Dr. Mamina Turegano

Prescription topicals - dermclick.com Consultations - https://app.futureclinic.com/clinics/drturegano/profile Instagram - instagram.com/dr.mamina TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.mamina YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@dr.mamina Co-Author, Holistic Psoriasis Management and Nutrition Guide - https://amzn.to/42tRkaQ

Connect With Dr. Anna:

Website: Dranna.com

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thegirlfrienddoctor

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

I was sitting in my studio in Dallas with four women who had just spent five months inside my Magic Menopause Certification, and every one of them got emotional before we even started recording.

That tells you something about what this season of life actually does to a woman who thought she had it handled.

As a triple board-certified OB/GYN and the creator of the Keto-Green method and the Magic Menopause Coach Certification, I sat down with graduating coaches Chelsea, Song, Tara, and Jamie for a live, unscripted panel on everything nobody warns you about before perimenopause hits.

In this episode, you'll hear:

- Why declining progesterone and DHEA between ages 35 and 55 quietly drive insulin resistance and weight gain that shows up out of nowhere

- Why fibroids don't have to mean an automatic hysterectomy, and what a natural starting point can look like instead

- Why perimenopause symptoms get dismissed as "normal" in a standard OB/GYN visit, and why that isn't good enough

- Why this conversation belongs in mother-daughter relationships, starting as early as a daughter's first period

- How to reclaim vaginal and sexual health without shame

- What it actually means to become the CEO of your own health

This is the conversation I wish someone had handed me twenty years ago. Peace is possible on the other side of this transition. So is feeling like yourself again.

Learn more about the Magic Menopause program at magicmenopause.com, subscribe if you're watching on YouTube, and comment your one word for this season of your life. I read every one.

Key Timestamps

00:00 — Why I brought four coaches into one room

04:00 — Fibroids, hysterectomy, and the missing third option 05:25 — The 30-day cycle nobody could explain

18:30 — Why the weight shows up even when nothing else changed

22:00 — The conversation that needs to start with our daughters

47:35 — Peeling back the shame around vaginal and sexual health

52:30 — Becoming the CEO of your own health

Memorable Quotes

"I didn't realize that until I crossed the line into menopause. And I was devastated."

"You go to that doctor's appointment and you're the doctor. If your doctor won't partner with you, that's not your doctor."

-CONNECT WITH DR. ANNA-

Website: http://drannacabeca.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

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

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

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thegirlfrienddoctor/

* Always seek the advice of your own physician or qualified health professional before starting any treatment or plans. Information found here and results are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional and are not intended as medical advice. *

Grab your Mighty Maca and get cozy. In this episode of The Girlfriend Doctor Podcast, Dr. Anna Cabeca sits down with the very first graduates of her Magic Menopause Hormone Restoration Coaching Certification, Emily, Ann, Amy and Angela. Four women, four completely different paths into menopause, and one shared mission, making sure no woman has to go through this alone.

We're talking surgical menopause, the myths that keep women suffering in silence, the postpartum "mini menopause" nobody warns you about, and what it actually takes to feel like yourself again.

Key Timestamps

• 0:00 Welcome back and meet the first Magic Menopause coaches
• 01:51 Emily's story, from burnout to becoming every woman's advocate
• 04:41 Ann's story, a fertility journey that led her to integrative medicine
• 09:06 Amy's story, surviving sudden surgical menopause
• 13:29 Angela's story, how coaching became a matter of life and death
• 18:55 Busting the biggest menopause myths
• 21:37 Emily's postpartum "mini menopause" story
• 25:58 The truth about hormones and cancer risk
• 27:40 Girlfriend to girlfriend, words of encouragement
• 33:01 Menopause in the workplace
• 35:35 Where to find each coach
• 39:11 Closing thoughts and what's next

Ready to turn your own story into your life's work? The Magic Menopause Certified Coach program trains practitioners, health professionals and passionate advocates to guide women through perimenopause and menopause with real clinical grounding and coaching skill behind it.

Learn more here: https://magicmenopause.com/pages/magic-menopause-certified-coach

Subscribe for new episodes every week, and share this one with a friend who needs to hear it today.

• "Menopause is natural. Suffering is optional." — Angela

• "It's the difference between common and normal." — Emily

• "Hormones are not the enemy." — Amy

• "You're not broken." — Dr. Anna Cabeca

Website: Dranna.com

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thegirlfrienddoctor

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

You leave your doctor's office with "everything looks normal" ringing in your ears, but your body is telling you something else. This week Dr. Anna talks with nurse practitioner Dr. Efrat LaMandre, aka Dr. E, about medical gaslighting, why "you're fine" often means "I ran out of tools," and how to advocate for yourself without burning every bridge with your doctor.

You'll learn:

• The difference between "normal" and "optimal," and why it matters

• What "pre-disease" is and why most providers aren't equipped for it

• How to describe your symptoms so your doctor actually listens

• Why one provider can't be your whole healthcare team

• How to trust your own intuition instead of talking yourself out of it

If you've ever been told you're fine and known you're not, this one's for you.

Connect with Dr. E:

TikTok: tiktok.com/@drefratlamandre

Instagram: instagram.com/drefratlamandre

Facebook: facebook.com/drefratlamandre

YouTube: youtube.com/@DrEfratLaMandre

Website: drefratlamandre.com

LinkedIn: efratlamandre

Podcast: drefratlamandre.com/e-podcasts

Connect with Dr. Anna:

Website: dranna.com

Instagram: instagram.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

YouTube: youtube.com/@thegirlfrienddoctor

TikTok: tiktok.com/@drannacabeca

Facebook: facebook.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

#MedicalGaslighting #WomensHealth #Perimenopause #Menopause #PatientAdvocacy #FunctionalMedicine

Have you done everything right and still watched the scale refuse to move? I sat down with fitness industry veteran Chalene Johnson, who built her career telling women exactly how to lose weight, and then walked straight into that same wall herself in perimenopause.

Her hormone panel came back "dialed in." She was still doing every workout, every macro track, every habit that used to work. The weight stayed anyway, until she found the piece nobody had pointed her toward, the link between cortisol, insulin resistance, and a metabolism that stops cooperating no matter how hard you push.

We get into the stress inventory that changed her day almost overnight, why she traded daily cardio for heavy strength training, her honest concerns about GLP-1s, and the Harvard longevity data that convinced her friendship matters more for a long healthy life than anything you'll find in a gym.

Timestamps:

• 0:00 — Doing everything right and still gaining weight in perimenopause

• 4:36 — How the fitness industry sets women up to fail on purpose

• 12:00 — Hormones "dialed in," weight still not moving

• 13:14 — The cortisol and insulin resistance connection nobody explained to her

• 13:57 — The stress inventory exercise that changed her days

• 23:39 — Why she traded cardio for heavy strength training

• 25:48 — The identical twin study on muscle, memory, and cognition

• 27:55 — Her honest concerns about GLP-1s and rapid weight loss

• 33:49 — Why community predicts longevity more than diet or exercise

• 36:03 — Rapid fire: supplements, sunlight, and energy vampires

• 42:08 — Camp Be More and where to find Chalene

Memorable Quotes:

"I have my hormones dialed in, but when I was working with an integrative medical doctor who would look at my panel, she's like, 'Your cortisol is through the roof.'" — Chalene Johnson

"The machine needs for you to not succeed so that you believe, okay, something else is going to work for me." — Chalene Johnson

"We can't heal a body we hate." — Dr. Anna Cabeca

Key Takeaways:

• A "perfect" hormone panel doesn't rule out cortisol and insulin resistance quietly driving weight gain underneath it

• Writing out every stressor and circling only what you control turns "reduce your stress" into something actually doable

• Lower body strength training, not cardio, was the single habit Chalene says moved the needle most for her body and brain

• The identical twin study she references found more lower body muscle correlated with better memory and cognition at 50 and beyond

• Rapid weight loss without addressing muscle and detoxification support can cost you the two things that matter most for longevity

• Community, not diet or exercise, was the strongest predictor of quality of life and lifespan in the longest running Harvard longevity study

• Vitamin D from sunlight and magnesium are the two non negotiables in Chalene's own daily routine

Why do I keep gaining weight in perimenopause even though my hormones are balanced?

For many women, hormone balance is only part of the picture. Cortisol and insulin resistance can quietly drive weight gain even when a hormone panel looks well managed. Addressing stress load and metabolic health alongside hormones is often the missing piece.

Does stress actually cause weight gain, or is that oversimplified? Chronic stress raises cortisol, and elevated cortisol is linked to increased insulin resistance and a slower metabolic rate. This isn't about willpower. It's a physiological chain that can work against weight loss efforts regardless of diet and exercise habits.

Is strength training better than cardio for women in midlife? Strength training, particularly lower body work with adequate weight, supports muscle retention, bone density, and metabolic health in ways cardio alone doesn't. Many experts recommend prioritizing strength training first, then layering in cardio.

What is Camp Be More? Camp Be More is a live event created by Shelene Johnson for women, focused on connection, aging on your own terms, and building community with other women navigating midlife.

How much strength training do I need to see results? Shelene recommends starting with two days a week focused on the lower body if daily training feels overwhelming. Consistency matters more than volume when you're starting out.

Connect with Chalene Johnson

Website: https://chalene.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chalene

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chalenejohnson/?hl=en

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chalenejohnson

Connect with Dr. Anna

Website: http://drannacabeca.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

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

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

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thegirlfrienddoctor/

She shut down. Walked out of the room. And you spent the next three days replaying the one sentence that did it.

That right there is a trigger talking to a trigger. And it's exactly what my guest today spends her career untangling.

Tressa Yonekawa holds a graduate degree in cognitive neuroscience for communication. Twenty five years in, she's used it with corporate leaders, celebrity clients, and couples who feel more like roommates than lovers.

We get into her own near drowning at four years old, the voice she heard underwater that redirected her entire life, and how her father's war trauma and a chaotic childhood taught her to read the patterns hiding underneath a fight.

Here's what you'll walk away with.

• The exact phrase that stops a fight before it starts ("I have a story that...")

• Why "we're not having sex anymore" is almost never actually about sex

• Her four layer Trust Pyramid: presence, emotional safety, curiosity, then trust

• The one question most couples have never asked each other, and what happens when they finally do

• How she navigated her own divorce with grace instead of a courtroom fight

Gorgeous, if you have ever gone quiet mid conversation because you didn't have the words, this one is for you.

Watch the full conversation now and tell me in the comments which tool you're trying first.

And if you're ready to take your health, relationships, and vitality to the next level, join me at my upcoming Vitality Event! Learn more and reserve your spot here: https://drannacabeca.com/pages/f-vitality-experience

Key Timestamps

• 00:00 — Meet Tressa and her background in cognitive neuroscience

• 04:00 — The near drowning at four and the voice underwater

• 10:00 — How childhood patterns show up in adult relationships

• 16:00 — The "I have a story that..." tool for defusing triggers

• 22:00 — Why sexless marriages are rarely about sex

• 28:00 — The Trust Pyramid explained

• 36:00 — Her own divorce and the elegant exit

• 42:00 — First steps for a woman feeling discontent in her relationship

• 48:00 — Where to find Tressa and how to send in your questions

Memorable Quotes

"What looks like anger is almost always fear based." — Tressa Yonekawa

"Talking to somebody else's trigger creates harm." — Tressa Yonekawa

"There's always hope, healing, and a body you love to live in." — Dr. Anna Cabeca

Connect With Guest

Website: https://tressayonekawa.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tressa.yonekawa/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TressaYonekawa

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tressayonekawa

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

Connect With Dr. Anna

Website: Dranna.com

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thegirlfrienddoctor

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegirlfrienddoctor

She was 63, hadn't been intimate with her husband in years, and was told by every doctor, "This is just aging." Dr. Anna Cabeca had one thing to say back: No, it isn't.

Dr. Anna Cabeca, The Girlfriend Doctor—a triple board-certified OB/GYN specializing in menopause, hormones, and women's vitality—shares her fully updated vaginal health protocol.

This isn't the "just use a lubricant" advice you've heard before. It's a whole-body approach built from more than 26 years of clinical practice, her own experience with early menopause, and the patients who refused to accept "normal" as the final answer.

• Why vaginal dryness, bladder leaks, and recurrent UTIs are common after menopause—but not something you have to live with.

• How declining DHEA, estrogen, and progesterone affect tissue health, blood flow, and the vaginal microbiome.

• A simple 5-step daily routine to support adrenal health, tissue comfort, intimacy, and long-term vitality.

• Why oxytocin—not just estrogen or testosterone—may be the missing piece for connection, mood, and desire.

• How Dr. Anna's Sexual CPR framework helps women rebuild communication, pleasure, confidence, and intimacy at any age.

Whether you're in your 30s preparing for what's ahead or in your 60s ready to feel like yourself again, this episode will help you understand what's really happening in your body—and what you can do about it.

Your body has not given up on you. And it's never too late to feel vibrant again.

● 00:03 — The patient who said "I'd rather die than live this way"

● 04:49 — Following her for 20 years, and a better bone scan at 73 than 63

● 07:07 — The psychiatrist who never connected her sleep to her bladder

● 09:24 — Why vaginal health is a whole body issue

● 11:45 — The old advice that wasn't enough, and her own early menopause story

● 14:13 — What declining hormones actually do to tissue, blood flow, and the urethra

● 16:30 — Why Julva was created, and the rise of inflammation and microbiome disruption

● 18:54 — Early symptoms and why earlier intervention makes restoration easier

● 20:57 — When symptoms get louder, and why comfort drives desire

● 23:13 — The 5-part vaginal health protocol, starting with Step 1: nourish the tissue

● 25:38 — DHEA and testosterone before surgery, and canceling surgeries that were no longer needed

● 32:21 — Step 2: restoring the vaginal microbiome

● 39:11 — The gut, mouth, and vaginal microbiome connection

● 41:35 — Step 3: comfort during intimacy, and why she resisted lubricants for years

● 43:51 — Step 4: supporting hormones from the inside out with Mighty Maca Plus

● 48:40 — Step 5: building a simple daily ritual

● 51:02 — Oxytocin, her own PTSD story, and the hormone we never talk about

● 53:22 — Oxy play: free, daily ways to build oxytocin

● 55:40 — Sexual CPR, and why intimacy isn't a reward, it's a path

● "Common is not the same as normal. And you do not have to accept them."

● "You are the CEO of your health."

● "Your body is the cathedral of your spirit, and every cathedral needs constant renovation and repair."

● "Oxytocin is the connection hormone we've overlooked. You cannot buy it, but you can build it."

● "It takes more than hormones to support your hormones."

• Protecting Your Heart and Smile with Dr. Ellie Campbell: https://drannacabeca.com/blogs/podcast/protecting-your-heart-and-smile-with-dr-ellie-campbell-how-your-oral-health-affects-your-cardiac-health

• Julva: https://drannacabeca.com/products/julva

• Velvé: https://drannacabeca.com/products/velve

• Sexual CPR: https://drannacabeca.com/pages/offers-sexualcpr

Ready to go deeper?

Join Dr. Anna Cabeca at The Vitality Experience, an immersive event designed to help you understand what really changes after 40—and what you can do about it.

You'll discover:

• How your hormones really change after 40 • Practical strategies for fat loss, muscle, and metabolic health in midlife • The pelvic health and intimacy conversations no one else is having with you • What you need to know about breast health, testing, and which screenings actually matter

You'll leave knowing what's common, what you don't have to simply manage, and exactly where to focus your energy to feel stronger, healthier, and more vibrant.

Learn more and reserve your spot: https://drannacabeca.com/pages/f-vitality-experience

If you're looking for natural menopause relief, vaginal health solutions, pelvic floor support, hormone balance, or ways to improve intimacy after menopause, this episode is an essential listen.

● Website: dranna.com

● Instagram: @thegirlfrienddoctor

● YouTube: @thegirlfrienddoctor

● TikTok: @drannacabeca

● Facebook: The Girlfriend Doctor

If this episode helped you, share it with a woman who needs to hear it, subscribe to The Girlfriend Doctor Podcast, and leave a review so more women can discover these conversations.