The Positive Pause

Today’s episode of the Positive Pause is with Meera Bhogal. Meera, who is lives in the UK, is a menopause expert, personal trainer & fitness coach and provides training, classes & advocacy on the topic of menopause throughout the UK and around the globe. She is passionate about  raising awareness of menopause, especially in South Asian communities, where it is not spoken about openly. She developed the Don’t Pause for Menopause, a successful bespoke 8-week program designed to coach perimenopausal, menopausal and postmenopausal women. The program is led by nutrition and wellbeing professionals, and participants learn how to manage their fitness, nutrition and lifestyle to feel confident, strong and happy. Meera is also the Founder & Recipe Creator of MeerasMadeFromScratch.co.uk, and its products, recipes and programs have been featured in several magazines, newsletters, blogs and other media forms globally. 

In addition, Meera is Founder of Oak Lee Montessori School in the UK, which she opened in 2010 using her expertise as a practitioner for 20 years holding both a Montessori Diploma and a NNEB Diploma (now known as a Diploma in Childcare and Education), nursery nurse, and being a mother of 2 girls (now grown), and her ongoing passion for children’s health and wellbeing, to design a unique environment and create a methodology that has the Montessori ethos at its heart.

In this episode, Meera talks about:

• Her personal menopause journey struggles and wanting to help education other women on their own journey regarding diet, fitness & more
• Giving women a choice on managing their perimenopause & menopause symptoms
• Encouraging women to learn about menopause and their value in society post-menopause
• The importance of learning about the changes and needs of your body, and the importance of community.

Every woman’s experience with menopause is unique -- the symptoms and the time it starts as well as the length will be different for each individual. There are also cultural differences surrounding menopause, and ethnicity can be a large factor in a woman’s experience.

Meera advocates for giving women power during their perimenopause / menopause journey. Giving women the knowledge and tools they need to identify and decide what’s best for them. While free and easy to access resources on menopause aren’t as available as we’d like, we have more than we’ve had in the past.

Connect with Meera Bhogal:

• Website: https://meerabhogal.com 
• Meera’s Menopause Program: https://meerasmadefromscratch.co.uk/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meerabhogal/?hl=en
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meerabhogal/?originalSubdomain=uk

Today’s episode of the Positive Pause is with Dr. Mache Seibel. Dr. Seibel is known for his expertise in helping menopausal women regain control over their lives, work, and relationships. With an impressive 25-year tenure as a Harvard Medical School faculty member, he’s not only shaped the field, but has also made a significant impact as the Founding Editor of The Hot Years™ magazine. author of the best-selling books, The Estrogen Window and The Estrogen Fix, and Editor of the #1 digital magazine for midlife women HotYearsMag.com. His latest book is Working Through Menopause: The Impact on Women, Businesses and The Bottom Line. Before transitioning to focus on menopause, Dr. Mache was a leading expert in infertility who performed some of the first In vitro fertilization successes in the United States. He's a recipient of numerous awards, recognizing his contributions in speaking, writing, media coverage, research, and even music.

Despite the vast strides made in medical research, there's still a significant gap in our understanding of women's health.

In this episode, Dr. Seibel delves into:

• Dispelling common misconceptions about menopause.
• The workplace challenges faced by women navigating menopause.
• Practical changes to support women during this transition.

Dr. Seibel also shares invaluable guidance on how women can approach menopause confidently, what women can and should do to prepare for menopause, and how to initiate conversations that answer their questions with their healthcare providers. 

Tune in for a wealth of insights on managing menopause in the workplace and beyond.

Connect with Dr. Seibel

• Website: https://drmache.com/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doctorseibel  
• FB: https://www.facebook.com/TheHotYears  
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/drmacheseibel  

Today’s episode of the Positive Pause is with Josselyne Herman-Saccio. For more than 30 years, Josselyne has been leading transformative programs and coaching people who experience themselves stuck or "messablewith" in certain areas. She has worked with and impacted over 200,000 people directly in the areas of business and career, relationships and family, communication and self-expression, fulfilling vision, resolving conflict, and overall “well” being. In addition, since 2008, as the founder of the nonprofit organization, United Global Shift​, she has worked with leaders from more than 20 countries.

Josselyne penned the concept “Unmessablewith” which means being able to create at any moment instead of just reacting. It means that no matter what you’re dealing with, no matter the person or the circumstance, you’re able to create at any time. 

Discovery is a very powerful place. That’s where breakthroughs happen. – Josselyne Herman-Saccio

In this episode, Josselyne shares the following practices she applies to be able to create the life she wants:

• Breaking down false mindsets
• Creating vs. managing your life
• Utilizing calendars as a tool to create

Every decade of my life has been more exciting than the previous one. – Claire Gill

She also shares stories throughout the years, how she constantly made decisions that led to her creating the life she wanted. And if there’s anything Josselyne can leave you with, it’s this message: get clear about what you want, then act on it.

Fun fact: In 1993, Josselyne’s pop group, Boy Krazy, fulfilled her lifelong dream when their debut single, "That’s What Love Can Do", knocked Whitney Houston’s "I Will Always Love You" out of the #1 spot on the Billboard Top 40 Charts. This is when Boy Krazy joined the ranks of the Beatles and Elvis Presley as artists whose debut single went #1, truly a dream come true.

To hear all the wisdom and practical advice Josselyne shares, listen to the full episode. 

Connect with Josselyne:

The Art of Being Unmessablewith

JHA Management

LinkedIn

Instagram

Calendar Workshop

In today's episode of The Positive Pause, Bonnie Tandy Leblang, National Menopause Foundation Board Member, leads the conversation on the fun of life with guest, Silvia Baldini.

Silvia is a branding expert and an Italian-born chef known for her work with popular Italian ingredients. She’s knowledgeable and passionate about food and wellness, and she holds the belief that wholesome cooking and traditional wisdom combined with technology will be the key to living a happy and healthy life. Silvia is an exceptional and passionate speaker, storyteller, educator, vibrant creator, product developer, and food entrepreneur.

Silvia approaches life with an excitement that comes across in this episode. She applies this in her cooking and her approach that it should go beyond just wanting to feed yourself. Her love for food has led her to look for and learn about the best quality ingredients she can use to create the best dishes and the best experiences.  

Her pursuit of quality ingredients led to some of her most exciting work, like launching The Secret Ingredient Girls, developing Coconut X Oil (which will re-launch in September 2023), and collaborating with Grace Farms to create a line of locally manufactured products with ethically sourced ingredients.

When it comes to her experience with menopause, and those of the women around her, Silvia is frustrated at how little it’s talked about and how little women actually know, and calls for more research and education to go behind it. She believes that it shouldn’t stop women from living their best life, and that products can be developed to help women during this time.

Important Links

Silvia Baldini Website

The Secret Ingredient Girls

Grace Farms

In today's episode of The Positive Pause, we get to hear a relatable discussion on some of the shared struggles of women: low self-image, comparison, practicing self-compassion, going through menopause. Claire is joined by Dr. Ellen Albertson.

Dr. Albertson is also known as The Midlife Whisperer™. She is a Psychologist, Registered Dietitian, Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, Mindful Self-compassion Teacher, and author. She helps women transform themselves so they have energy, confidence, and clarity to make their next chapter their best chapter.

In this episode, Dr. Albertson shares that there are two parts to improving our self-image: getting rid of basing our self-work on our looks and practicing self-compassion. She breaks down her research on self-compassion, what it is, how to practice it, and her discovery that in order for us to love our bodies, the only successful approach is by practicing compassion.

Menopause can also be the perfect time for transformation. Though a difficult time, it’s still a great time to slow down, take a pause, and take in your life, check what is and isn’t working, and ask how you can take better care of yourself. It’s a great opportunity to transform your entire self.

Menopause is a journey and it’s different for each woman, but it can be a beautiful time if we allow ourselves to go through it with compassion and take it as a time for ourselves.

Important Links

National Menopause Foundation

Follow Dr. Ellen Albertson:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Rock Your Midlife Podcast

Today’s guest is Ann Garnier, a healthcare leader and the driving force behind Lisa Health, the creator of the Midday App for menopause and healthy aging. As co-founder and CEO, Ann has dedicated her career to improving women's health using technology.

Her passion for transforming women's health after 40, coupled with her expertise in artificial intelligence and advanced technology, positions Ann as a true trailblazer in the realm of midlife women's health and menopause support.

We’ve all heard the myths: that technology can’t help midlife women, that digital health can’t provide menopause support, and that it’s not safe to share personal health information online. Ann Garnier is here to share the truth about women's health and technology and how it can help all of us.

Acknowledging menopause as a life stage enables women to better manage their health and wellness during this time, fostering a positive, informed approach to their journey. In this episode, Garnier shares her insights on addressing menopause as a life stage. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing that every woman's experience with menopause is unique, highlighting the need for personalized guidance and support.

Ann also highlights the abundance of misinformation and ineffective solutions in the menopause space. She stresses the importance of guiding women through their menopause journey with evidence-based and science-backed guidance. Garnier's dedication to accurate information and personalized support is exemplified in the development of the Midday App.

Claire and Ann also discuss the importance of providing accurate information. The Midday App was developed through collaborative research with top clinical and research institutions, such as Mayo Clinic and others. The app ensures that all information provided is supported by scientific evidence. Garnier emphasizes the need to break down ageist assumptions by demonstrating the potential of technology to transform women's health in midlife.

Download the Midday app from Lisa Health 

Heidi Skolnik is joining Claire on the podcast today. Considered a thought leader in nutrition, Heidi has influenced millions through her media work, writing and thriving consulting business. Heidi has been part of The Women’s Sports Medicine Center at HSS for over 20 years. Her company Nutrition Conditioning, oversees the Performance Nutrition program at The Juilliard School and the School of American Ballet and she has consulted with numerous Broadway shows.

Her book Whole Body Reset: Your Weight-Loss Plan for a Flat Belly, Optimum Health and a Body You’ll Love at Midlife and Beyond is the topic for today’s conversation.

Weight gain is one of the things that affect women as they enter menopause. Heidi joined journalist and author Stephen Perrine to answer the question about why this happens. AARP staff also tested the science as part of this project.

Our metabolism does not change in any significant way as we age.
That’s right! It’s steady throughout our life. What does change is less muscle which begins declining at about age 30 and continues unless we actively work to maintain muscle.

If muscle loss is the issue, what can we do about that?
We are always breaking down and building back metabolically. When we are younger, building back happens quickly. As we age, the process continues but we don’t build back muscle at the same rate. 

Part of the solution is protein timing. We need to hit 25 grams of protein at every meal to overcome the resistance to muscle-building. Heidi outlines how you can do this by adding protein at each meal since most of us consume most of our protein at the end of the day.

All foods fit.
Heidi explains why timing is key to your nutrition overall. The benefits impact our muscles, bone health, weight gain or loss as well as strength and balance. Staying active and functional as we age is related to keeping our muscles strong.

The concept of aging is changing.
That’s the good news. We now know things that we can do to not just extend our lives but to also to stay active so we can do the things we want to do. Heidi shares several easy concepts that will help support a long active lifestyle. It’s not an either or, it’s both. Good nutrition, more muscle and staying active are part of a complete solution to aging well.

She recommends thinking about fat loss and muscle maintenance and growth instead of weight loss. Learning to eat in a way that support muscle mass is a great first step.

Changing habits is part of the solution.
Part of the solution is making changes in movement, nutrition, and lifestyle. Addressing things like portion control, moving more, adding resistance training, and making sure you add more protein and fiber to each meal will all make positive impacts to your health.

Start where you are.
Heidi encourages all of us to focus on the process and the behavior. We have control of our choices each day and making incremental changes in those choices can result in better health outcomes. 

If you’re looking for specifics about how-to the book is a great place to start. There are things all of us can do to feel good. 

Resources:
Whole Body Reset Book
Heidi’s Website
Heidi on Instagram

Joining me on the podcast today is Jennifer Garrison PhD. Jennifer is an assistant professor at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and also holds appointments in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and the Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California.

Dr. Garrison’s research focuses on understating how chemical communication between the brain and other tissues influence aging. 

Running a research lab is just one part of Dr. Garrison’s work. Understanding aging on a molecular level is a key part of her work at the Buck Institute. The goal is to understand the underlying causes of aging as a way to tackle multiple diseases at the same time. 

“The goal is to increase health span . . . increase that period of time when you are healthy.”  Jennifer Garrison 

Jennifer explains that she believes that the brain is the key player for systemic aging. She explains how the brain is controlling what’s happening, by listening to and recording feedback from all the organs in your body. 

Dr. Garrison organized the International Scientific Conference Focused on Reproductive Aging. As we make progress extending healthy longevity, reproductive longevity must also be addressed. It’s not just a physical issue but affects gender equality as well. A goal is to get rid of menopause and if that’s not possible, then to extend it until much later in life. 

There’s a lack of understanding about why women experience menopause at all. Jennifer paints the big picture that is fascinating. Did you know that only humans and a few species of whales even experience menopause? The research is underfunded, and Dr. Garrison is advocating that scientists and clinicians to talk and collaborate about these issues. 

The male body has been the baseline. Researching women’s bodies is still underfunded and Dr. Garrison along with organizations like the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation are trying to bring awareness and the need for more research. Funding is key to bringing the scientists and physicians together who can begin to answer fundamental questions about women’s bodies and reproductive health. 

What should every woman know about reproductive aging? 

The ovary isn’t just for fertility. It produces endocrine hormones and other chemicals that are essential for general health that have nothing to do with fertility. Those functions are what Dr. Garrison wants to learn how they can be extended to improve overall health. 

Reproductive aging centers around equality. Every aspect of a woman’s life is affected by the fact that she will go through a decline when menopause begins. Dr. Garrison wants this to be a conversation that’s reframed with a holistic point of view. 

It’s a unique time in history to be able to marry reproductive health with longevity. Ambassadors are welcome to have conversations about women’s health and the incredible work being done by Dr. Garrison and others. 

Connect with Dr. Garrison: Buck Institute

Ageism is real and we all likely know someone who has experienced it. In this episode, Claire Gill speaks with Patti Temple Rocks, author of I’m Not Done Yet: It’s Time to Talk About Ageism in the Workplace. In her close to four decades in the communications business, Patti has held senior leadership positions in four different areas of the industry: Public Relations, Advertising, Corporate, and Start-Up. Patti is known as an inspirational leader, innovative thinker, problem-solver, growth driver, passionate brand steward and both an agent for change and a counselor during that change. She was shocked to see her female professional mentors being slowly edged out of their leadership positions once they reached a certain age. And then it happened to her. The experienced inspired her to write about what really happens to women and men in business when they are impacted by ageism and why it’s bad for business. She and Claire discussed how ageism impacts so many areas of women’s lives at menopause.