Ever walk into a room and instantly forget why you’re there? Or struggle to find words you know are on the tip of your tongue? I have good news for you! You’re not losing your mind.  Your brain is simply changing.

In this episode, neuroscientist Dr. Sarah McKay reveals what’s really behind midlife “brain fog” and why it’s part of a powerful transformation. From hot flashes and sleep struggles to surprising cognitive strengths we gain in menopause, she shares what’s happening inside the brain, as well as how to support it through the transition.

You’ll walk away with science-backed strategies, a fresh perspective on midlife cognition, and maybe even a laugh or two (yes, we talk creatine and the importance of laughing at ourselves in this season). This is a conversation that will leave you feeling reassured, informed, and ready to support and embrace your evolving brain.

Connect with Dr. Sarah McKay

Grab the Brain Health Books
Instagram: @drsarahmckay
Website: www.drsarahmckay.com

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

• Beating the Brain Fog of Menopause
• 5 Things My Sister Wants You to Know About Perimenopause
• When Mental Health Meets Menopause with Dr. Stephanie Bayliss ND
• ​​Why Healthcare Needs to Break Up with Diet & Wellness Culture with Dr. Sylvi Martin  

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

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause will be out on October 21st, 2025. Pre-order your copy today and help get the word out!

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

This week’s episode is extra special for TWO reasons! For one, we are kicking off Season 6, and my sister Friedel is interviewing me! We’re diving into my new book, Eat to Thrive During Menopause, and why I felt called to write it after my own surprising start to perimenopause at 37.

Instead of talking about what to cut out, I share why I focus on what to add, such as fiber, phytoestrogens, and carbs that actually satisfy. We also bust some common menopause myths and talk about how intuitive eating can help you feel at peace with food in this season of life.

Friedel shares some of her favourite recipes from the book  (pumpkin flax muffins, anyone?) along with some of her behind-the-scenes memories of me while I was writing it! 

Join us for a sweet conversation about food, midlife, and finding joy in this season of life.

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

• 5 Things My Sister Wants You to Know About Perimenopause
• Intuitive Eating in Menopause: A Conversation with Evelyn Tribole
• What to Do When Intuitive Eating Doesn't Work with Julie Duffy Dillon
• 5 Things I Wish I Had Known About Intuitive Eating 10 Years Ago

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

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause will be out on October 21st, 2025. Pre-order your copy today and help get the word out!

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

What if menopause wasn’t something to endure, but something to embrace? After asking my Instagram community about the unexpected gifts of midlife, their answers revealed just how liberating this season can be. From deeper friendships and renewed creativity to freedom from dieting and people-pleasing, their stories echoed a powerful shift, and one rooted in self-awareness, strength, and permission to live more authentically.

These insights inspired my new book, Eat to Thrive During Menopause, which blends intuitive eating with symptom-supportive nutrition. No tracking, no rules, just nourishment. Even though this is the Season 5 finale, this episode invites you to see menopause not as an ending, but as a new beginning.

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

8 Things I Wish I'd Known About Perimenopause Before My Last Period
Feasting with Gentle Nutrition in Midlife with Rachael Hartley, RD
Dear Diet Culture Diary: What the 80s Taught Us About Food
You Are More Than What You Eat with Dr. Emma Beckett, PhD

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

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause will be out on October 21st, 2025. Pre-order your copy today and help get the word out!

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

In this story session, April MacKinnon, founder of Anointment Natural Skin Care, opens up about nearly a decade of navigating perimenopause. From the early waves of anxiety and disrupted sleep to the surprising strength she found through resistance training, she shares her very relatable experience. 

We explore how resistance training helped April through anxiety when running no longer worked, how skincare evolved from function to connection, and why saying “no, thank you” with no explanation might be one of the best midlife skills of all.

This honest conversation is a reminder that growing into ourselves doesn’t always mean doing more. It often means redefining what matters most.

Connect with April

🏷 Save 20% on Anointment products with the code FEAST20 

The Website: anointment.ca
Magnesium Products:  nourishedmagnesium.com
Instagram: @anointment

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

Rest to Reset: Redefining Rest and Self-Care
How to Stop the Burnout Train in Midlife with Dr. Leigha Saunders, ND
Why You Need to Put Capacity, Self-Compassion, & Self-Care on the Menu
How to Appreciate Your Changing Menopause Body with Dr. Charlotte Ord

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

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause will be out on October 21st, 2025. Pre-order your copy today and help get the word out!

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

Have you ever hesitated to open up with other women because you feared judgment, competition, or being labeled as “too much”? If this hits home, I’ve got good news: you are not the problem. 

In this episode, author and comedian Tova Leigh shares stories from her new book Good Girls  Gossip and explains why reclaiming gossip, as deep, truth-sharing connection among women, is revolutionary. We talk about letting go of the “good girl” roles we’ve outgrown and what it means to live more authentically in midlife.

Tova introduces her powerful “and also” mindset, which allows space to be both messy and wise, uncomfortable and growing. It’s a simple shift that invites freedom from perfection and black-and-white thinking.

This is a conversation about real talk, shared wisdom, and the beauty of being witnessed by women who see you as you really are.

Connect with Tova

Good Girls Gossip is available now!
Instagram: @tova_leigh
Website: www.tovaleigh.com

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

Unfiltered Motherhood in Midlife with Tova Leigh
We Need to Stop Pretending We Don't Have Time for Self-Care with Heather Chauvin
Why You Need to Put Capacity, Self-Compassion, & Self-Care on the Menu

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

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause will be out on October 21st, 2025. Pre-order your copy today and help get the word out!

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

In this episode, I sat down to chat with our very own Joyful Movement Coordinator in the Midlife Feast. At 49, Christine received an ADHD diagnosis after years of masking. She shares how perimenopause brought long-overlooked symptoms into focus.

We unpack how midlife hormonal shifts can amplify ADHD traits and why rigid fitness plans rarely work for neurodivergent brains. As a movement coach, Christine offers a refreshing approach to movement in trading consistency for persistence, flexibility, and self-compassion.

We also bust the motivation myth and share simple mindset shifts that make movement feel doable, even on low-energy days.

If traditional routines haven’t worked for you, Christine’s approach might be the reset you’ve been looking for. And if you love what you hear, don’t forget she shares more inside The Midlife Feast community, including videos and tips for all fitness levels.

Connect with Christine

Website: hellofitnesschristine.com
Instagram:@hellofitnesschristine

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes! 

• Story Session: Navigating ADHD in Midlife & Menopause
• Why We Binge: Unpacking the Restrict-Binge Cycle with Toni Rudd, RD
• How to Un-Diet Your Relationship with Movement in Midlife with Christine Chessman
• How to Fall in Love with Movement While Rejecting Anti-Fat Bias with Louise Green

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

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause will be out on October 21st, 2025. Pre-order your copy today and help get the word out!

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 you’ve ever felt guilty for not finishing your plate, even if you’re full, and you’re not 100% sure why, you might be a member of the Clean Plate Club.

In this episode, I invited registered dietitian Emily Sucher to explore how messages from childhood are still impacting our food decisions today. Whether you grew up hearing about starving children or just hate the idea of wasting food, this conversation offers a fresh perspective. 

Emily shares compassionate ways to tune back into your body’s cues, reframe what food waste really means, and help the next generation build a healthier, more intuitive relationship with eating.

Connect with Emily

The Website: www.livewelldietitian.com
Instagram:@livewelldietitian_

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes! 

How to Decode Your Cravings in Menopause
Cooking for Pleasure, Not Perfection with Andrea Buckett
What to Do If Intuitive Eating Doesn’t Work with Julie Duffy Dillon
The Capacity Crisis: Why Women Feel Emotionally Exhausted in Midlife with Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur, RD
Parenting Without Diet Culture with Oona Hanson

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

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause will be out on October 21st, 2025. Pre-order your copy today and help get the word out!

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

In this solo Q&A episode, I am tackling some of the most recent questions shared with me about the sneaky ways diet culture creeps in, what protein adequacy really looks like (especially for plant-based eaters), and whether collagen is fact or hype.

If you want to get your questions answered in the future, submit them here! 

Links Mentioned

The Substack Article Mentioned: Read it here
Try the Midlife Morning Makeover Email Challenge: Join for free
Explore the Midlife Feast Community: Start your 7-day free trial

Related Episodes You’ll Love:

• Clean Eating Pitfalls in Midlife & Menopause with Dr. Morgan Francis, Psy.D, LPC
• 5 Things I Wish I Had Known About Intuitive Eating 10 Years Ago
• Why Diets Don’t Work with Dr. Amy Porto
• Intuitive Eating in Menopause: A Conversation with Evelyn Tribole
• 5 Tips for Spotting Nutrition Misinformation with Dr. Emma Beckett
• Is it Hunger, Food Noise, or Hormones?

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

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause will be out on October 21st, 2025. Pre-order your copy today and help get the word out!

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

Our bodies change in midlife and menopause, and many times in ways that feel confusing or frustrating. But what if those changes aren’t a problem to fix, but an invitation to reconnect with ourselves?

In this conversation, Dr. Charlotte Ord, psychologist and body image expert shares a refreshing take on body appreciation. It’s not about pretending to love every wrinkle or roll. It’s about noticing what your body does for you, and learning to meet it with care, not criticism.

We also explore a powerful question: Who benefits when we hate our bodies? The answer reveals just how deeply diet culture and the wellness industry profit from our insecurities.

Dr. Ord offers simple, grounding practices to help you feel more at home in your body, including media literacy tips and ways to gently shift your focus toward gratitude and self-trust. 

Connect with Dr. Charlotte

The Website: https://www.charlotteord.com
Instagram: @drcharlotteord
📚Grab the Book: Body Confident You, Body Confident Kid

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

• Why You Need to Put Capacity, Self-Compassion, & Self-Care on the Menu
• The Problem with Perfectionism with Alana Van Der Sluys
• What Every Woman Needs to Know About Body Image in Midlife with Summer Innanen
• The Body Acceptance Mistake That’s Keeping You Stuck in the Suck

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

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause will be out on October 21st, 2025. Pre-order your copy today and help get the word out!

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

Standing in your closet thinking, "Nothing fits anymore?" It’s not the best feeling, but can I let you in on something? You don’t have to hold onto your “lose weight wardrobe”. In this encouraging conversation, stylist Dacy Gillespie helps us reframe how we think about style in midlife, especially when our bodies, styles, and preferences have changed.

Together, we explore why comfort isn’t “giving up,” how style can help you reconnect with who you are now, and why that “lose weight wardrobe” may be doing more harm than good. You’ll also get a big dose of validation: most clothes aren’t made to fit you—and that’s a design flaw, not a personal one.

If getting dressed has felt frustrating or disconnected lately, this episode offers a refreshing new lens: style as self-care, self-expression, and an invitation to show up for yourself just as you are today.

Connect with Dacy: 

The Website: https://www.mindfulcloset.com
Instagram: @mindfulcloset
Substack: Unflattering

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

• Redefining Personal Style in Midlife with Dacy Gillespie
• The Body Acceptance Mistake That’s Keeping You Stuck in the Suck
• Trusting Your Body: Finding Peace Through Grief with Nina Manolson
• From Body Grief to Body Acceptance: The Way Forward with Amanda Mittman, RD

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

📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause will be out on October 21st, 2025. Pre-order your copy today and help get the word out!

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