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In this solo episode of the Hotflash inc Podcast, host and founder Ann Marie McQueen dives into the rising conversation around ADHD and perimenopause. Drawing from personal experience, research, and lived insight, Ann Marie explores how midlife hormone shifts may intersect with neurodivergence – and how confusing, frustrating and illuminating that process can be. This episode is a candid, powerful reflection on mental health, executive function and how being a woman in midlife calls for compassion and curiosity.

Thank you to our sponsor, Timeline Nutrition – makers of Mitopure™, the first clinically tested Urolithin A supplement that supports cellular energy and muscle strength. Visit www.timeline.com and use the code HOTFLASH for 20% off your first order.

Highlights

• Ann Marie reflects on the constant battle to get information right in a world full of misinformation.
• The emerging connection between perimenopause, ADHD, and hormonal changes.
• Research shows ADHD traits can intensify menopausal symptoms—even in undiagnosed women.
• Ann Marie shares her own experience recognizing lifelong ADHD tendencies.
• Sensory sensitivity, rejection sensitivity, and how they show up in midlife.
• Why she hasn’t pursued an official diagnosis – and how nervous system healing has helped.
• The pain of not being taken seriously when you open up about neurodivergence.
• Testosterone’s overlooked role in executive function and how HRT may help.
• Why a holistic approach is essential for navigating neurodivergence in midlife.
• The power of being seen and heard – how a simple conversation at work changed everything.

This podcast is hosted by Ann Marie McQueen, journalist and founder of Hotflash inc, the world’s only reader-supported, research-based platform covering all aspects of menopause and midlife. With more than 30 years in journalism, Ann Marie provides evidence-based content, expert interviews, and deeply personal conversations to help women around the world navigate this pivotal life stage.

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might benefit –  and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show. To get the latest research and real talk on perimenopause, menopause, and midlife straight to your inbox, subscribe to the Hotflash inc newsletter at hotflashinc.com.

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On this solo episode of the Hotflash inc Podcast, journalist and founder Ann Marie McQueen breaks down one of the biggest developments in menopause care in years: the FDA’s decision to remove the black box warning on vaginal and topical estrogen. Ann Marie unpacks what this means, what it doesn’t mean, and what we’re not being told in the flurry of headlines and social media excitement. She also shares insight from two menopause certified practitioners who are upcoming guest on the podcast – US ob-gyn Dr. Rachel Pope and Canadian naturopathic doctor Dr. Kirsten Smith – and reflects on the legacy of Dr Burt Webb, a beloved podcast guest and women’s health champion.

Thank you to our sponsor, Timeline Nutrition – makers of Mitopure™, the first clinically tested Urolithin A supplement that supports cellular energy and muscle strength. Visit www.timeline.com and use the code HOTFLASH for 20% off your first order.

It’s not too late to get an All Access Pass to the Hotflash inc Summit! You get lifetime access to the videos, as well as Hotflash inc Summit Book of Knowledge (top takeaways from all the interviews) and the BETA version of the Hotflash inc Hormone Therapy Navigator.

Highlights

• The FDA’s removal of the black box warning on vaginal and topical estrogen — what it really means
• The disconnect between science and media messaging
• Expert insights from Dr. Kirsten Smith and Dr. Rachel Pope on nuance, safety, and responsible communication
• Why sudden menopause isn’t the same as natural menopause — and why that distinction matters
• The quiet truth about progestins vs. progesterone
• Social media, private practice, and the influencer-doctor economy
• Vaginal options like DHEA and testosterone — and what’s missing from the conversation
• Three questions to ask yourself before starting hormone therapy
• Remembering Dr. Burt Webb — one of Ann Marie’s favorite guests

This is a solo episode hosted by Ann Marie McQueen. Additional expert commentary is provided by:

• Dr. Kirsten Smith, a naturopathic doctor practicing in Canada and Costa Rica with a focus on women’s health and hormone balancing.
• Dr. Rachel Pope, obstetrician-gynecologist, Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, and associate professor at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center.
• Dr. Burt Webb, late OB/GYN and beloved advocate for women’s vaginal and hormonal health.

This podcast is hosted by Ann Marie McQueen, journalist and founder of Hotflash inc, the world’s only reader-supported, research-based platform covering all aspects of menopause and midlife. With more than 30 years in journalism, Ann Marie provides evidence-based content, expert interviews, and deeply personal conversations to help women around the world navigate this

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:

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Hosted by journalist and Hotflash inc founder Ann Marie McQueen, this episode features Dr Leigha Saunders, a naturopathic doctor, menopause specialist and mom of two whose own postpartum sleep struggles ignited a mission to help women reclaim their rest and balance.

From her sold-out “Woman Up” event to her candid insights on burnout, radical self-responsibility, and the real roots of fatigue, Leigha and Ann Marie dig into the science and soul of women’s health. They unpack why everything is suddenly labeled “perimenopause,” the hidden role of iron deficiency, and how stress, relationships and lost self-connection lie beneath so many midlife symptoms.

Sponsor shout-out 

Thank you to our sponsor, Timeline Nutrition – makers of Mitopure™, the first clinically tested Urolithin A supplement that supports cellular energy and muscle strength. Visit www.timeline.com and use the code HOTFLASH for 20% off your first order.

Highlights

• Dr Leigha Saunders shares how her Woman Up event united over 100 women seeking health and happiness.
• Why “normal” bloodwork isn’t always optimal — and how the medical system continues to fail women.
• How midlife hormones lower our tolerance for stress and change the way we recover.
• Leigha’s own burnout and “dark night of the soul” — and how she turned it into a healing experience.
• Why perimenopause can sound like “I don’t feel like myself” — and what that really means.
• The danger of assuming every symptom is perimenopause — and what to test instead.
• Iron, B12, and protein deficiencies: the hidden causes behind fatigue and low mood.
• Why collaboration between medical and naturopathic doctors is the future of women’s health.

Where to find Dr Leigh

Website: leighasaundersnd.com
Instagram: @drleighasaundersnd

Host bio

This podcast is hosted by Ann Marie McQueen, journalist and founder of Hotflash Inc, the world’s only reader-supported, research-based platform covering all aspects of menopause and midlife. With more than 30 years in journalism, Ann Marie provides evidence-based content, expert interviews, and deeply personal conversations to help women around the world navigate this pivotal life stage.

Thank you for being here

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might benefit — and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the show. For the latest research and real talk on perimenopause, menopause, and midlife straight to your inbox, subscribe to the Hotflash inc newsletter here.

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Thank you to our sponsor, Timeline Nutrition – makers of Mitopure™, the first clinically tested Urolithin A supplement that supports cellular energy and muscle strength. Visit www.timeline.com and use the code HOTFLASH for 20% off your first order.

In this episode of the Hotflash inc Podcast, host and founder Ann Marie McQueen sits down with Laura Ghita, a Romanian psychotherapist and Family Constellation practitioner, for a deeply personal and revealing conversation about how unresolved ancestral patterns can shape our midlife experiences – and how we can shift them.

Ann Marie recorded this interview several years ago, in the middle of going through menopause, just after experiencing her own Family Constellation session. What followed was a profound rethinking of how past generations and hidden dynamics impact our relationships, our health, and how we move through the world in perimenopause and beyond.

Laura explains how this therapeutic modality works, what the science says about inherited trauma, and how this work can reconnect us to our intuition, our bodies, and our personal truth. Whether you're new to Family Constellation Therapy or already curious, this episode will move you to think differently about healing – and the invisible threads that connect us all.

Highlights:

• How Family Constellation helps women in perimenopause and menopause
• Understanding the inherited beliefs about womanhood from your maternal line
• Why we can’t think our way through healing
• How trauma gets stored in our bodies – and why it matters
• The turning point when Ann Marie felt emotion linked to her great-grandmother
• Why healing is never “done” – it’s a lifelong journey

Laura Ghita is a Romania-based psychotherapist and Family Constellation facilitator with more than a decade of experience helping individuals and groups uncover the unconscious patterns passed down through generations. Her approach is grounded in psychology, trauma-informed practices, and energetic awareness. Laura travels internationally to offer workshops and one-on-one sessions, including regular visits to Seva Wellness in Dubai. Her work helps people reconnect with their deeper selves, their bodies, and their ancestral lines to bring clarity, healing, and peace

Connect with Laura:

LinkedIn Laura Ghita
Instagram: @lauraghita.psychologist

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Thank you to Timeline for sponsoring this podcast. Powered by Mitopure®, Timeline’s clinically proven Urolithin A gummies are designed to boost energy and support healthy aging at the cellular level. Use code HOTFLASH at timeline.com for 20% off your first order.

In this episode of the Hotflash inc podcast, host and founder Ann Marie McQueen speaks with award-winning journalist, broadcaster and women’s health advocate Fiona Clark. Together they unpack how media, medicine and marketing collided to create confusion and polarization in menopause care – and what needs to change.

Fiona, co-founder of the Menopause Research and Education Fund, shares why she wrote Meno Wars, the impact of social media “medical influencers,” how evidence gets cherry-picked and misused, and why better data, plain-language summaries and shared decision-making are vital for women’s health. They also discuss vaginal health – including her own issues – testosterone, GLP-1s, trauma, diet culture and the urgent need for more menopause research funding.

Highlights

• How the menopause movement went off the rails,
• The rise of medical influencers and how misinformation spreads online
• What hormone therapy can and can’t do
• The overlooked importance of vaginal health and simple, effective treatments
• How marketing shapes narratives
• Why anger is valid, and how women can demand better data, research, and care

About Fiona Clark

Fiona Clark is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster and women’s health advocate. She is the author of Meno Wars: Why Menopause’s Moment Has Gone Horribly Wrong, which examines how media, medicine and marketing have shaped today’s menopause narrative. Fiona is also co-founder of the Menopause Research and Education Fund, dedicated to improving scientific research, education and equity in women’s health.

Meno Wars: wherever books are sold
IG: @fiona_clark_writes

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Thank you to Timeline for sponsoring this podcast. Powered by Mitopure®, Timeline’s clinically proven Urolithin A gummies are designed to boost energy and support healthy aging at the cellular level. Use code HOTFLASH at timeline.com for 20% off your first order.

In this empowering episode of the Hotflash inc podcast, journalist and founder Ann Marie McQueen speaks with Riana Malia, a transformation coach with over 20 years of experience helping ambitious women break free from emotional blocks, unconscious patterns, and limiting beliefs. Riana shares her Clear to Create method, which blends neuroscience, advanced trauma-aware coaching, and energetic techniques like Quantum Time Release to help women shed old stories and reclaim their personal power.

We dig into people pleasing, forgiveness, midlife transitions, and why so many of us are unconsciously stuck in survival loops that keep us from fully living. We also discuss how midlife – and perimenopause – can serve as a powerful energetic reset, and what it really takes to step into your next chapter, unapologetically.

Highlights

4:20 – How childhood conditioning creates the nice girl persona
6:50 – What it means to “clear before you can create”
8:30 – The cost of repeating old patterns and people pleasing
9:45 – What is Quantum Time Release and how does it work?
12:15 – Why mindset isn’t enough and the unconscious mind always wins
13:45 – Trauma, cycles, and the deep work that actually frees us
16:30 – Alchemical forgiveness – what it is and how it sets you free
20:00 – How emotional blocks show up physically in perimenopause and menopause
22:00 – Stepping into your full power in midlife
24:10 – Speaking up at work and at home – and dealing with the fallout
26:30 – Reintroducing yourself after transformation
29:10 – A dress disaster becomes a metaphor for authenticity
32:30 – When you’re done being the one who fixes everything
34:30 – You can’t solve a problem with the same mind that created it
35:10 – How to work with Riana one-on-one or take her free assessment

Riana Malia is a transformational coach, advanced trauma practitioner, and creator of the Clear to Create method. With over two decades of experience and training in modalities like evolved neurolinguistic programming and Quantum Time Release, she helps ambitious women break free from the emotional and energetic blocks that keep them stuck. Her work blends neuroscience, deep compassion, and intuitive guidance to help clients step into their true power and create the life and love they desire.

Where to find Rania

• Website: https://www.rianamalia.com (currently being relaunched)
• Take the quiz: https://quiz.rianamalia.com – Find out what’s standing between you and extraordinary love
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/rianamalia

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:

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Episode website: Hotflashinc

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Thank you to Timeline for sponsoring this podcast. Powered by Mitopure®, Timeline’s clinically proven Urolithin A gummies are designed to boost energy and support healthy aging at the cellular level. Use code HOTFLASH at timeline.com for 20% off your first order.

In this deeply personal solo episode, Hotflash inc founder Ann Marie McQueen returns to the mic to debrief after organizing and hosting the Hotflash inc Summit – including how it impacted her mind, body, and career direction.

She opens up about post-COVID health issues, navigating burnout, the weight of always working, and an emotional breakthrough. And she shares a clip from her powerful conversation with MD, midwife and herbalist Dr Aviva Romm – including the three deceptively simple midlife questions that shifted everything.

Ann Marie also gets into the nuances of perimenopause care, why so many women feel lost in the noise, and a new major study that will probably be ignored, about a statistically significant link between hormone therapy and autoimmune diseases.

Highlights include:

• The Hotflash inc Summit: Behind the Scenes
• Personal Struggles and Health Challenges
• Realizations and Life Changes
• The Power of Asking the Right Questions
• Listener Appreciation and Personal Reflections
• Challenges of Modern Journalism
• Navigating Health and Wellness Narratives
• The Seed Oil Controversy
• Critique of Gwyneth Paltrow Biography
• Hormone Therapy and Autoimmune Diseases
• Future Plans

Where to find Dr. Aviva Romm

Website: avivaromm.com

Instagram: @dr.avivaromm

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:

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This podcast originally ran on May 9, 2025

In this honest and energizing conversation, Ann Marie sits down with 64-year-old Australian naturopath, speaker, and wellness rebel Jennifer Jefferies – aka @presentdaywisewoman – to talk about how women can embrace midlife and menopause without fear, extremes, or pharma dependency. 

Jen brings over 30 years of clinical experience, a surfboard, and a no-BS attitude to the conversation. Once a burned-out pharmaceutical rep, she made a full 180 after hitting the wall in her 20s and rebuilding her health using naturopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and her beloved “bare-ass minimum” (BAM) approach to wellness.

This is a must-listen episode for any woman feeling confused, overwhelmed, or exhausted by the barrage of menopause messages out there.

Highlights include:

• Why we’re told menopause is a disaster – and why it doesn’t have to be
• How adrenal burnout is at the core of crappy perimenopause (even if your doctor won’t admit it)
• The truth about estrogen “deficiency” and why we’re not meant to keep producing it forever
• What Western medicine gets wrong about hormone therapy
• The rise of adrenal fatigue in the pandemic aftermath
• Jen’s Bare-Ass Minimum Plan to restore vitality, joy, and hormonal balance
• Why she swears by: going to bed before 10 p.m., eating close to nature 80% of the time, and having fun – yes, fun!
• What happens when we stop outsourcing our health and tune into our own wisdom

About Jennifer Jefferies:
Jennifer Jefferies is a veteran naturopath, speaker, author, and wellness educator with over three decades of clinical experience. Based on the Gold Coast of Australia, she’s known for her refreshingly simple, radically realistic, and unapologetically fun approach to health and aging. She surfs at sunrise, gardens in her downtime, and helps women around the world step into their power.

Where to find her:

IG @thepresentdaywisewoman
Learn more: jenniferjefferies.com

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:

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This podcast originally ran on May 29, 2025

On this episode of the Hotflash inc podcast, journalist and founder Ann Marie McQueen is joined by Dr Heidi Lescanec, a naturopathic physician based in Vancouver, BC, who brings over two decades of experience blending the latest scientific research with natural, clinically proven forms of medicine.

Heidi has coined the term The Pink Zones to describe the cultural, emotional, physical, and communal conditions that allow women to not only navigate perimenopause and menopause – but to thrive. She’s been listening to older, wiser women, and noticing the powerful patterns that emerge when we prioritize meaning, connection, and nervous system support over the relentless push to do more, be more, fix more.

From hormone health and adrenal burnout to grief, rage, and the unprocessed emotions that surface at midlife, this conversation goes beyond symptom lists and into what it really means to design this season of life, rather than just survive it.

Heidi and Ann Marie also dig into the nocebo effect, why outdated menopause narratives can actually make us feel worse, and how to reframe this transition as a gateway – not a decline.

Highlights:

• Dr. Heidi Lescanec’s integrative approach to hormone health, combining science, spirituality, and food-as-medicine
• Introduction to The Pink Zones: envisioning supportive environments that celebrate women's aging
• Exploration of how past generations managed menopause, transforming stigma into strength

About Dr Heidi Lescanec:

Dr Heidi Lescanec is a licensed naturopathic physician practicing in Vancouver, BC. With more than 20 years of experience, she blends science-backed natural medicine with a holistic, whole-person lens – addressing mind, body, and spirit.

Where to find her:

Website: thepinkzones.com

Substack: substack.com/@thepinkzones

IG: @drheidilescanec

When this episode first ran on May 29, 2025 it was sponsored by Menolabs. Perimenopause can start earlier than you think. That’s why Menolabs is here to support you with trusted information and science-backed products like MenoFit, a probiotic designed to help relieve symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, and more, all while supporting your overall wellness. Use code HOTFLASH20 for 20% off at menolabs.com 

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:

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Announcing the First Hotflash inc Summit: Everything You Need to Know

In this episode, the host discusses their excitement about hosting the first Hotflash Inc. Summit from September 29th to October 4th. They detail their extensive preparation over the past three months, including interviewing 36 experts to create a comprehensive resource on menopause. The summit aims to dispel fear and provide evidence-based information on menopause. Highlights include multiple expert sessions, special workouts, guided meditations, and discussions on various health topics. The host also introduces sponsors and showcases additional options for paid all-access passes to further enhance attendees' experiences. The session aims to promote a deeper understanding of menopause, focusing on the holistic impact of this transition on mind, body, and soul.

Highlights

00:00 Introduction and Personal Anecdote

00:29 Announcing the Hotflash Inc Summit

03:00 Summit Details and Speaker Highlights

04:01 Special Sessions and Extras

04:59 Acknowledging Sponsors

09:52 Deep Dive into Speaker Contributions

20:45 Personal Experiences and Reflections

23:37 Closing Remarks and Encouragement

Sign up to the first Hotflash inc summit here

The Hotflash inc Summit is READY + you’re invited!

From Sept 29 – Oct 3, we’re bringing you 36 powerful talks (plus bonuses!) with the smartest, boldest, straight-talking experts on perimenopause + menopause.

Expect real talk, real science + real solutions on:
 • Hormone therapy (what to know + what to expect)
 • Fascia + fitness insights (from Halle Berry’s Respin platform team)
 • Trauma + emotional health in this transition
 • Voices expanding the conversation: Black, South Asian + Muslim practitioners
 • Elderwomen sharing wisdom about stepping into your wise woman years

Meet some of the powerhouse voices shaping the conversation:
Stacy London • Dr. Mariza Snyder • Kim Vopni • Dr. Stacy Barczak Baker

And the best part? 🎉 It’s virtual and completely free to attend.

I’m Ann Marie, founder of Hotflash inc and the only journalist in the world taking a holistic, no-sides approach to this transition. My mission: to give you clarity, not fear, and help you find what feels right for YOU.

This is not your average summit. Don’t miss it. Sign up to the first Hotflash inc summit here

Thank you to our sponsors. Without you, this summit would not be possible.

• MenoLabs
• Bonafide
• KION
• Phosis

The Hotflash inc Summit is for educational purposes only and not to be used or considered for medical advice.

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:

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Episode website: Hotflashinc

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