In this episode of The Michele Broad Show, we’re getting real about a topic too many professional women overlook: taking full responsibility for your health. As a seasoned women’s health nurse practitioner and wellness coach, I break down why your health is your responsibility—not your doctor’s, your employer’s, or anyone else’s.

I share four powerful “flags” that every ambitious woman should wave: stay curious about your health, stop outsourcing your wellness, own your choices, and most importantly—invest in your health, not see it as an expense.

This episode is packed with hard-hitting statistics, relatable stories, and actionable wellness tips for professional women who are striving for career success without sacrificing their well-being. You’ll discover how prioritizing your health is not just self-care—it’s a leadership move.

Whether you're climbing the corporate ladder or running your own business, this conversation will empower you to align your health choices with your ambitions. Because women’s health empowerment is not a luxury—it's a leadership imperative.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why curiosity about your body is a leadership skill—and how you're already using it in your career

• Actionable professional women wellness tips you can start using today

• How to work with your healthcare providers to get what you need

• The hidden costs (personally and professionally) of ignoring your health

• How women’s wellness and career success are deeply connected

• Why shifting your mindset from "health is an expense" to "health is an investment" will pay dividends

This episode is your call to lead—with your health first. Because true leadership and women’s health go hand in hand.

Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Learn more about the [Well Women Rx Membership]

• Follow Michele on Instagram @MicheleBroadNP

• Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts

You’ve heard me talk about sleep before — in Episode 17, I covered sleep cycles and circadian rhythms in detail. But today, we’re going deeper into women’s sleep health and exploring why sleep isn’t just self-care — it’s the ultimate leadership and wellness strategy.

In this episode, I’m shifting the conversation away from just sleep stages and focusing on how restorative sleep acts as your CEO reset button, recalibrating your hormones, brainpower, and emotional resilience every single night.

If you’re a high-performing woman powering through exhaustion, relying on caffeine, or brushing off burnout as “normal,” this episode will show you why sleep for high-achieving women is non-negotiable — and how optimizing it changes everything.

We’ll cover:

• Sleep and hormone balance: why poor sleep disrupts your metabolism, drives cravings, and leads to fatigue and stubborn weight.

• How lack of sleep impacts decision-making, focus, and creativity.

• The hidden cost of sleep debt — and why "catching up" on weekends doesn't work.

• How stress sabotages deep sleep (and why willpower won't fix it).

• Practical, science-backed sleep tips for women that support your nervous system and help you sleep deeply, consistently.

• Why prioritizing sleep isn’t a luxury — it’s a business and wellness strategy for high-achieving women.

If your current health habits aren’t giving you the energy or clarity you need, this episode is your wake-up call. Women’s wellness and energy begin with one core habit: great sleep.

To learn more about Well Women Rx, DM me @michelebroadnp Revisit Episode 17: The Science of Sleep Cycles for a deeper dive into circadian rhythms. Follow me on Instagram @michelebroadnp for daily strategies to elevate your health and success.

You’ve probably been told to “just manage your stress” like it’s only about mindset. But the truth? Stress is biochemistry. Especially for women. It’s in your hormones, your blood sugar, your sleep—and when it builds up, it changes the way your body works at every level.

This episode dives into stress and hormones, revealing how chronic stress in women isn’t just exhausting—it’s disruptive to nearly every system in your body. If you’ve been blaming yourself for not handling stress better, this is your reminder: you’re not broken. Your body is reacting to pressure it was never designed to carry nonstop.

We’ll unpack how stress in women shows up differently, how it throws off your hormone balance, and why stress management for women needs to go far beyond bubble baths and mindset tips. When you understand how stress affects women’s hormones, you’ll see why traditional advice just doesn’t cut it.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why stress is chemistry, not just mindset—and how the female stress response is wired differently.

• The role of cortisol and women’s hormones, and how chronic stress impacts your cycles, cravings, and energy.

• How stress spikes your blood sugar and contributes to blood sugar imbalance in women, even when you haven’t eaten.

• The hidden link between stress and sleep in women, and why being “tired but wired” at night isn’t just in your head.

• Why pushing through leads to burnout—and what true women’s stress resilience and recovery looks like.

• The real reasons behind stress and weight gain in women, especially during perimenopause.

• How chronic stress in women’s health shows up as fatigue, hormone imbalances, and metabolic shifts.

• A fresh look at stress and perimenopause symptoms—and how to support your body through hormonal transitions.

• Why stress and fatigue in women often go unrecognized and untreated.

• What women’s hormone health and stress have in common—and how to start healing both.

• Practical, real-life stress management for professional women who carry high pressure every day.

• What sustainable women’s stress recovery really looks like (hint: it's not just about resting more).

Links & Resources Mentioned:

To learn how to create nervous-system-safe rituals inside Well Women Rx, my coaching + community space for high-achieving women, DM me “HOW” @michelebroadnp or email me at [email protected] and ask how—I’ll send you a short video that breaks it all down.

If you’ve ever told yourself, “I just need to try harder” when the scale won’t budge, this episode is going to set you free.

Midlife weight gain hormones are not just buzzwords—they’re the key to understanding why so many women struggle during perimenopause and beyond. This episode breaks down the biology behind stubborn belly fat in midlife, from the impact of cortisol belly fat in women to the complex dance of estrogen, insulin, leptin, and thyroid hormones.

You’ll learn why hormone imbalance affects weight loss, and why dieting doesn’t work in midlife the way it used to. We’ll dive into the perimenopause metabolism changes that slow things down—and how chronic stress and weight gain in women are deeply linked.

By the end of this conversation, you’ll understand how old-school tactics like eating less and exercising more often backfire and how a true metabolism reset for women over 40 starts with biology—not willpower.

• Why stress = belly fat: How cortisol drives fat storage in your midsection and creates that frustrating “cortisol belly fat”.

• What hormonal shifts really do: The role of perimenopause, estrogen, thyroid, insulin, and leptin in your changing metabolism.

• The dieting trap: Why dieting doesn’t work in midlife and how it can make your metabolism more sluggish.

• Smart, hormone-supportive shifts: Simple, sustainable changes to reset your metabolism after 40 and support lasting weight loss.

When women blame themselves for weight gain, they overlook the real culprits: midlife weight gain hormones, stress, and biological shifts. By understanding your body’s signals and learning to work with your hormones—not against them—you’ll escape the trap of self-blame and start making empowered, informed choices.

Want to go deeper? Join me inside Well Women Rx, where you’ll learn how to reset your metabolism with personalized strategies, lab literacy, and community support.

📩 DM me “HOW” on Instagram @michelebroadnp or email me at [email protected] to learn more.

📲 Follow me on Instagram @michelebroadnp for daily wellness + leadership insights.

For too long, women have been told to push through their menstrual cycle, ignoring the energy dips, mood shifts, and hormonal changes that happen every single month. But here’s the truth: your cycle isn’t a weakness—it’s a built-in performance strategy. When understood, it becomes a powerful tool to boost productivity, enhance leadership, and prevent burnout.

In this episode, I’ll break down the four phases of your menstrual cycle and how each one impacts your energy, creativity, and decision-making. You’ll learn how to work with your menstrual cycle, not against it, so you can align your workflow, workouts, and leadership style with your biology. This approach, known as cycle syncing for women leaders, is key to cycle aware leadership and thriving as a BioAligned Leader.

And if you’re navigating perimenopause or menopause? This episode isn’t just for menstruating women. You’ll learn perimenopause energy tips and menopause performance strategies rooted in the BioAligned Woman Method™—so you can lead with clarity and confidence through every hormonal shift.

We’ll also explore how hormonal changes and leadership are deeply connected, and how honoring your cycle can support long-term women’s health and leadership success.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The 4 phases of your menstrual cycle and the strengths of each

• Which phase burnout most often begins in—and how to prevent burnout with cycle syncing

• How ignoring your hormonal signals lowers creativity, clarity, and drive

• Practical tools to align your work and workouts with your cycle (without adding complexity)

• How to use BioAligned Leadership principles during perimenopause and menopause

Links & Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Download my free Hormone Sync Starter Kit (Martin, please add the link)

• Get on the Well Women Rx waitlist

• Follow me on Instagram for daily tips: @michelebroadnp

If You Enjoyed This Episode:

• Share it with a friend or colleague who needs to hear this message

• Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help more women discover the show

• Subscribe so you never miss an episode

Let me know if you'd like a shorter version for a podcast app description or social media caption!

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Just click here to review , select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is.

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You’ve been told to trust your gut in leadership — but what if your gut is literally inflamed and sending mixed signals? In today’s episode, we dive into the gut-brain axis and how gut health for women impacts everything from decision-making to mood, focus, and confidence. You’ll learn why bloating and stress can be signs of deeper imbalance, and how your microbiome balance influences not just digestion, but also energy, resilience, and women’s leadership and wellness.

This isn’t just about digestion — it’s about energy, flow, and leadership clarity.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• Why your gut is the “second brain” and how it affects mental clarity

• Common signs of inflammation that have nothing to do with digestion

• How stress, skipped meals, and sleep disruption hurt your gut

• Why a healthy gut sharpens your intuition and decision-making

• Three simple ways to support your gut (without going on another restrictive plan)

Episode Resources:

• DM me the word FLOW on Instagram for a quick link to your gut reset tool

• Want weekly tips like this? Join the Well Women Weekly

• Ready to go deeper with your wellness and apply these teachings to your life and business? Join the Well Women Rx membership waitlist

Send me a DM on the gram www.instagram.com/michelebroadnp

Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Just click here to review , select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is.

Also, join us on Facebook at our Facebook group here!

Think your thyroid is just about weight gain and fatigue? Think again. In this episode, I’m breaking down why your thyroid is the metabolic CEO of your body and how its dysfunction often gets misdiagnosed as stress, burnout, or “just getting older.”

We’ll unpack what the thyroid really controls, the early signs of hypothyroidism that often go unnoticed (even with “normal” labs), and the critical thyroid and stress connection that every high-performing woman needs to understand. If you’ve been struggling with brain fog, low energy, or mood swings, it might be time to look deeper at your thyroid health as a woman.

We’ll also explore how metabolism and thyroid function are closely linked—and how chronic stress and under-fueling can silently sabotage both. Plus, I’ll share three natural thyroid support tips that are simple, science-backed, and easy to implement into your daily life.

If you’re a high-achieving woman who feels like you’re pushing through unexplained fatigue, brain fog, or weight changes, this is a must-listen.

• Why your thyroid does so much more than manage your weight

• How stress and undereating put the brakes on your thyroid

• Early signs of hypothyroidism you might be missing

• How thyroid dysfunction impacts your mental clarity, energy, and leadership

• 3 natural thyroid support tips to boost your health starting today—no biohacks needed

Want a quick thyroid-support checklist? DM me "ENERGY" on Instagram and I’ll send it your way.

Join the waitlist for Well Women Rx, my community for high-achieving women who want to lead with energy and wellness at the center.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/michelenp Email: [email protected]

Send me a DM on the gram www.instagram.com/michelebroadnp

Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Just click here to review , select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is.

Also, join us on Facebook at our Facebook group here!

You’ve been told to chase balance—to juggle it all, do it all, and make it all look effortless. But what if balance isn’t the goal? What if it’s actually what’s keeping you stuck?

In today’s episode, we’re breaking down the balance myth and what to aim for instead: alignment. Because the truth is, balance asks you to split yourself into equal parts, while alignment invites you to lead from what’s real right now—your energy, your body, your values, your season.

If you’ve ever felt guilty for dropping the ball, resentful that you can’t “do it all,” or exhausted trying to meet competing demands in your career and personal life, this episode will shift everything.

We’re diving into aligned leadership for women—a model rooted in nervous system-based leadership and energy management, not external expectations. Because why balance doesn’t work isn’t just a mindset issue—it’s a structural one.

In this episode, I discuss:

• Why the traditional model of balance isn’t designed for how women actually work and live

• The hidden pressure and guilt balance creates—and how it drains your energy

• The difference between chasing balance and living in alignment

• How to use your body and energy as a leadership compass

• What aligned leadership looks and feels like—and why it’s more effective and sustainable for high-achieving women

Whether you're an entrepreneur, executive, or wellness-minded leader, this is the conversation that reframes women’s wellness and leadership for good.

Power Quote: “Balance tells you to do everything equally. Alignment teaches you to respond to what matters most right now.”

Interested in joining Well Women Rx? Email: [email protected] DM: www.intstagram.com/michelebroadnp

Send me a DM on the gram www.instagram.com/michelebroadnp

Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Just click here to review , select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is.

Also, join us on Facebook at our Facebook group here!

In today’s episode, we’re flipping the script on one of the most ingrained productivity myths: that managing your time is the key to managing your life. But here’s the truth—your body doesn’t run on hours, it runs on energy. And if you’re still treating wellness like a chore while giving your business everything you’ve got, you’re not alone. In fact, the data backs it up.

We’ll explore why your wellness feels burdensome, why your calendar might be lying to you, and how leading from alignment, not depletion, can help you build a life and business that actually feels good to live inside.

If you're ready to move from hustle to harmony and lead from a well body, this episode is for you.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why time management is outdated and energy alignment is the new essential

• How performance culture has turned wellness into another task to “get right”

• The neuroscience and hormonal reasons your energy fluctuates and why it matters

• Why so many women feel guilt when caring for themselves, but not when overworking

• The cost of treating wellness as a luxury instead of a leadership skill

Referenced Research:

• 67% of professional women delay healthcare due to workload (Journal of Women’s Health)

• 74% of women feel guilty for taking time for themselves (HealthyWomen & Working Mother Institute)

• 80% of women associate wellness with discipline, not rest (Global Wellness Institute)

• Women leaders are twice as likely to report lack of time for wellness despite higher burnout (McKinsey & LeanIn.org)

Takeaway Quote: "You don’t rise to the level of your ambition—you rise, or crash, to the level of your wellbeing."

Get on the Well Women Rx waiting list Discover why managing your energy—not your time—is the key to sustainable success, and why wellness should never feel like a chore.

Send me a DM on the gram www.instagram.com/michelebroadnp

Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Just click here to review , select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is.

Also, join us on Facebook at our Facebook group here!

If you’ve ever tried to “rest your way out” of burnout, only to return feeling just as depleted, this episode is for you.

In today’s episode, I’m debunking one of the most persistent myths in wellness: that more rest is the answer to burnout recovery. I’m sharing why a weekend off or even a full night of sleep isn’t enough to rebuild your energy—and what your nervous system actually needs instead.

We’ll explore why rest isn’t enough and how deep sleep and burnout are deeply connected. I talk about the difference between passive rest and active repair, why deep and REM sleep are non-negotiable for nervous system healing, and how to move beyond temporary fixes toward lasting change.

Because real recovery doesn’t come from occasional downtime. It comes from a restorative rhythm—one that supports your body every single night.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why you’re still tired after “resting”

• The science of sleep and what your brain is actually doing at night

• The benefits of REM sleep for burnout recovery

• Why deep sleep is critical for nervous system repair

• The burnout cycle no one talks about—and how poor sleep keeps it going

• How to build a rhythm of true rest and healing, not just escape-style recovery

• Small daily shifts that support deeper sleep and long-term burnout healing

Notable Quote: “Burnout isn’t about how much you do, it’s about how little you recover.”

Resources Mentioned:

• Stanford Sleep Medicine insights by Dr. Rafael Pelayo

• Harvard Division of Sleep Medicine studies

• National Sleep Foundation Guidelines

Ready to Rewire, Not Just Rest? Join the Well Women Rx community, where we go beyond surface-level solutions and give your body the sustainable support it actually needs. Join the waitlist here

Meta tag:

Think more sleep will fix burnout? Learn why deeper sleep—not more rest—is key to true recovery and nervous system repair.

Send me a DM on the gram www.instagram.com/michelebroadnp

Click here to subscribe in iTunes!

Just click here to review , select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is.

Also, join us on Facebook at our Facebook group here!