What if the fear of “looking older” isn’t really about wrinkles at all, but about relevance, visibility, and power? I welcome registered dietitian and author Deb Benfield to dig into internalized ageism and the subtle ways culture teaches us to distrust our future selves. We walk about how it gets tangled up with diet culture, wellness trends, and perfectionism. Together we unpack why compliments like “you haven’t aged a bit” keep youth on a pedestal, how patriarchy and ableism shape appearance pressure, and what it takes to build a truly age-affirming life. We talk about:

• Defining internalized ageism and why it starts early
• Separating facts of aging from fear-based stories
• Naming patriarchy, sexism and ableism in appearance pressure
• How wellness trends can trigger relapse and obsession
• Autonomy vs pressure in skincare, movement and food
• Her book's framework for untangling systems and mending body trust
• Practical steps to notice, name and unlearn ageist thoughts
• Choosing freedom and values over perfection

Learn more about Deb's work:https://www.debrabenfield.com

Order Unapologetic Aging: https://www.debrabenfield.com/book

If you've loved today's conversation and found it helpful, please share it with a friend who needs to hear this and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts

If you're ready to take the next step towards thriving in midlife, head to menopause nutritionist.ca to learn more about my one-to-one and group coaching programs, free resources, and where to get your copy of Eat to Thrive during menopause

What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!

Hey dietitians and nutrition professionals! I've got something exciting coming in 2026. Get on the waiting list here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/fordietitians

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/links

I'm answering three questions this week: how to get soy’s benefits if it bothers your gut, what really shifts in metabolism during menopause, and how to quiet food noise. We'll cover:

• Non-soy protein swaps from beans, lentils and pulses
• Flax lignans as a phytoestrogen alternative
• Metabolism as a system of gears, not a dial
• Hormones’ indirect impact through symptoms and routines
• Defining food noise and why it returns after GLP-1s
• Permission-based eating to rebuild trust and satisfaction

Episodes mentioned:

#151 - Is it Hunger, Hormones or Food Noise?

#155 - Q&A: Food Tracking, Plant Proteins & Collagen Supplements

#127 - The Truth About Soy in Midlife

#84 - On The Menu - Part 1 Your Menopause Nutrition Questions 

#87- On The Menu - Part 2 Your Menopause Nutrition Questions 

#90 - On The Menu - Part 3 Your Menopause Nutrition Questions

Join the live book club Q&A: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/bookclub

What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/links

Feel like your sleep has gone missing in midlife? Join me and my guest Dr Shelby Harris as we break down why sleep changes in perimenopause, how culture has overhyped “perfect sleep,” and the tools that actually help. Dr. Shelby Harris also explains CBTi in plain language so you can stop chasing hacks and start building steady, restful sleep. We talk about:

• The perfect storm of hormones, mood, and social load
• Why sleep hygiene helps but won’t cure insomnia
• Rethinking the “eight hours” rule and normal wakeups
• HRT benefits and limits for midlife sleep
• CBTi basics: wake time, stimulus control, time-in-bed tweaks
• Letting go of sleep anxiety 
• Practical first steps and when to get help

Learn more about Dr Harris at: www. drshelbyharris .com

Follow her on Instagram: @ SleepDocShelby

Check out her books:

The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia: Get a Good Night’s Sleep Without Relying on Medication 

The Essential Guide to Children’s Sleep: A Tired Caregiver’s Workbook for Every Age and Stage 

Looking for better sleep solutions in the kitchen? My book, Eat to Thrive During Menopause, has an entire section on sleep - Order wherever books are sold or visit www.menopausenutritionist.ca/Book.

What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!

Hey dietitians and nutrition professionals! I've got something exciting coming in 2026. Get on the waiting list here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/fordietitians

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/links

We all want to simplify nutrition (and life!) but are we going down the wrong path when it comes to finding "one thing" for nutrition in menopause? Laura Clark RD and I  talk about how real progress in midlife comes from flexibility, self-trust, and simple, satisfying meals. We break down the hype around protein, fiber, and even the microbiome so food feels calmer, kinder, and more doable. In this episode you'll hear:

• why chasing a single fix creates stress not change
• how Laura’s practice shifted from weight-centric targets to nuance
• protein without perfection and what steadies your morning
• fiber and microbiome benefits without counting or 30-plant pressure
• simple plate-building: protein, carbs you enjoy, and some crunch
• escaping on-it off-it thinking and perfectionism loops
• social comparison traps and giving yourself permission
• redefining progress as small choices that stack
• adding fun back into food and midlife

If you're ready to take the next step towards thriving in midlife, head to www.menopausenutritionist.ca to learn more about my one-to-one and group coaching programs, free resources, and where to get your copy of Eat to Thrive during menopause.
If you've loved today's conversation and found it helpful, please share it with a friend who needs to hear this and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts!

You can learn more about Laura at https://www.lecnutrition.co.uk/ and on Instagram at @menopause.dietitian.

What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!

Hey dietitians and nutrition professionals! I've got something exciting coming in 2026. Get on the waiting list here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/fordietitians

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/links

If your closet feels like a battlefield and getting dressed has turned into a daily reminder that your body isn’t the same as it used to be, you’re not alone. In this episode, I’m joined by personal stylist Jacquelyn Prattipati, who helps women in midlife rediscover confidence and comfort through clothes that fit the body (and the life) they have now.

We’re talking about what “feeling put together” really means, why style has nothing to do with size, and how to stop waiting for a smaller body to wear what you love. You’ll walk away with practical tips for finding clothes that fit today’s body, letting go of the “someday jeans,” and remembering that your body isn’t the problem, your clothes just need to catch up.

Want to learn more about body image in midlife?

🎙Episode 109 - The Body Acceptance Mistake That's Keeping you Stuck in The Suck

Learn more about Jacquelyn at www.jgpstyledme.com and on Instagram at @jgpstyledme

What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!

Hey dietitians and nutrition professionals! I've got something exciting coming in 2026. Get on the waiting list here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/fordietitians

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/links

Menopause can scramble your mood, planning, memory, and appetite cues, especially if you’re living with ADHD.  My guest this week is Diana Reid, RD and we dive into how shifting estrogen affects dopamine in the brain and why that can make meal planning feel impossible, grocery stores overwhelming, and evenings vulnerable to emotional hunger and snacking. 

Together, we map the hidden steps that turn “what’s for dinner?” into a 30-step project and show how to lower the cognitive load and decision fatigue. Think forecasts instead of rigid schedules, two to three-day meal windows, and a “nutrition capsule wardrobe” you can refresh monthly for novelty. 

We also get real about dopamine seeking, emotional hunger, and the link between ADHD and binge patterns. The antidote isn’t restriction, it’s regulation and pleasure. Learn how to prevent primal hunger with predictable protein and fiber, add texture and heat for sensory satisfaction, and plan pleasure on purpose! 

If this conversation helps you feel seen, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more midlife listeners can find food freedom and confidence. 

Learn more about Diana at www.theglobaldietitian.com and on Instagram at theglobalrd.

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

• Story Session: Navigating ADHD in Midlife & Menopause
• Finding Your Movement Rhythm with ADHD & Perimenopause with Christine Chessman
• Listen to Episode 167 - Part 1 of ADHD and Midlife with Dr Jen Wolkin.

What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!

Hey dietitians and nutrition professionals! I've got something exciting coming in 2026. Get on the waiting list here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/fordietitians

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/links

Midlife brain fog and overwhelm aren’t signs of falling apart. It’s really just your biology getting louder. Dr. Jen Wolkin, a Harvard-trained neuropsychologist, explains how perimenopause can reveal ADHD that’s been there all along and why compassion, not willpower, brings clarity.

We unpack how estrogen shifts dopamine and norepinephrine, why hormone swings magnify time blindness and emotional reactivity, and how perfectionism and people-pleasing crumble under midlife’s mental load.

You’ll walk away with simple tools for clearer focus and steadier mood, including protein-forward meals, grazing stations to beat decision fatigue, and scripts for asking for help. This episode is science, validation, and relief all in one.

Connect with Dr. Jen

Instagram: @adhd_with_drjen, @drjenwolkin

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

• Story Session: Navigating ADHD in Midlife & Menopause
• Finding Your Movement Rhythm with ADHD & Perimenopause with Christine Chessman

What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!

Hey dietitians and nutrition professionals! I've got something exciting coming in 2026. Get on the waiting list here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/fordietitians

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/links

The words “diet and exercise” often feel like a trap door into diet culture and the diet mentality. Given that the theme for this year's World Menopause Day is lifestyle medicine, I wanted to explore lifestyle medicine through a behavior-first lens and share compassionate, doable choices that actually fit your life. Starting with real stories—a cholesterol scare that triggered a Google spiral and a breast cancer survivor who felt she “failed” exercise—we'll explore why language carries weight and how reframing goals can lift the pressure without losing the science. I reframe lifestyle medicine as behavior change medicine and share practical ways to support menopause with flexible food patterns, mindful eating for satisfaction, and low-capacity day forecasting. 

We'll cover:

• Why words matter
• Behavior change  vs chasing an outcome
• Redefining healthy eating 
• A plant-forward and fiber focused approach
• Persistence vs consistency as a food strategy
• Mindful eating to boost satisfaction and awareness
• Forecasting meals to reduce decision fatigue
• Capsule menus and targeting tough meal times
• Personalization over perfection in menopause care
• Community resources and ongoing support

Head to menopause nutritionist.ca to learn more about my one-to-one and group coaching programs, free resources, and where to get your copy of Eat to Thrive during menopause.

Please share this episode with a friend who needs to hear this and a review wherever you listen to podcasts is always appreciated!

What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!

Hey dietitians and nutrition professionals! I've got something exciting coming in 2026. Get on the waiting list here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/fordietitians

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/links

Isn’t it wild that you can do everything “right”-be the devoted mom, caregiver, spouse, or friend, and yet still feel like you’ve lost touch with the “real” you? That’s where our conversation with writer, speaker, and coach Jen Butler begins. It’s a candid look at how midlife cracks open our default scripts around food, alcohol, and identity, and how choosing peace can be much more fulfilling than trying to take up less space in the world. 

Jen shares her early entry into diet culture, the moment a nutritionist prescribed restriction that stole her period and presence, and the turning point when she stopped paying for being smaller with health and joy. We also talk about alcohol as a coping mechanism, how honesty sparked change, and why removing the fog made room for deeper work: food freedom, identity beyond motherhood, and creative ambition. 

Now, as a coach and author of Mom Rediscovered, Jen invites women to reclaim their space and redefine midlife on their own terms. If you’re ready to trade perfection for presence and roles for a richer identity, this conversation will resonate. 

Connect with Jen

Grab the Book: Mom Rediscovered
Instagram: @jenbutlerwrites
Website: jenbutlerwrites.com

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

• Navigating Motherhood and Perimenopause: Embracing Identity Shifts with Jessie Harold
• Unfiltered Motherhood in Midlife with Tova Leigh
• Story Session: The Mindset Shifts Laura Needed to Embrace Food Freedom
• Why You're So Tired in Perimenopause and Menopause with Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur, ND

What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!

Hey dietitians and nutrition professionals! I've got something exciting coming in 2026. Get on the waiting list here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/fordietitians

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/links

Feeling lost in a sea of conflicting advice about autoimmune disease? It can be especially tricky during perimenopause and menopause when hormones throw everything off. Dr. Alison Danby, a naturopathic doctor who specializes in autoimmune health, is here to break it all down with clear, science-backed guidance that feels like a sigh of relief.

What you won’t hear is any ideas about cutting out gluten, dairy, or sugar, or following strict AIP protocols. Dr. Danby explains why those extreme diets can actually hurt your gut and why a Mediterranean-style approach supports your microbiome, heart, bones, and overall wellbeing, without the stress.

We also chat about the surprising role of stress in triggering autoimmune flares and how simple things like better sleep, gentle movement, and stress management can be more powerful than complicated food rules.

Whether you’re just starting to figure out your autoimmune journey or have been managing it for years, this episode gives you permission to relax around food and focus on what really helps your body heal.

Connect with Dr. Alison Danby 

Listen to the Podcast Autoimmune Simplified
Instagram: @dr.alisondanby
Website: www.alisondanby.com

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

• What Every Woman Needs to Know About Cholesterol, Heart Health, & Menopause with Dr. Alex Verge ND
• Is it Hunger, Food Noise, or Hormones?
• Gut Health & Hormones in Midlife: What You Need to Know with Dr. Kim Bretz ND
• Intuitive Eating in Menopause: A Conversation with Evelyn Tribole  

What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!

Hey dietitians and nutrition professionals! I've got something exciting coming in 2026. Get on the waiting list here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/fordietitians

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/links