This Is Perimenopause: Menopause, Perimenopause and Women's Health in Midlife

Burning, itching, or something's just not right down there, but your doctor keeps telling you everything looks normal? Today, Dr. Dolores Fernandez, ND is back on the podcast, and she is not leaving any stone unturned.

She’s a naturopathic doctor, Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, and founder of IRIS, a clean science-backed vulva care brand. Dr. Dolores, ND specializes in vulvar and vaginal conditions, including the tricky ones most doctors aren't even looking for. If it's happening down there and no one can figure out why, chances are she’s seen it. And treated it.

In this episode:

• GSM (Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause)
• Vulvodynia and chronic vulvar pain
• Lichen sclerosis
• Vulvar psoriasis and eczema
• Recurring yeast infections
• Bacterial vaginosis (BV)
• Recurring UTIs

Plus:

• How your diet and gut health are connected to your vaginal health 
• How to advocate for yourself when the healthcare system keeps sending you home without answers

If something feels off, trust that. This episode will give you the language, the knowledge, and the confidence to push for the care you deserve.

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Links for this episode

lovemyiris.com

ISSWSH Find a Provider

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Think better sleep starts a couple hours before bedtime? Think again.



Sleep and Stress Coach, Alanna McGinn, is not here to tell you to put your phone down an hour before bed. It turns out, the secret to a great night's sleep has a lot more to do with what you're doing during the day than what you're doing at 9pm.

In this episode, Alanna shares her most powerful (and unexpected) tools for perimenopausal women who are exhausted but wide awake at 3am. 

In this episode:

• Why your morning routine is just as important (if not more important) than your bedtime routine, 
• The one thing most of us are doing before our feet even hit the floor that's sabotaging our sleep
• How the emotional load we carry during the day shows up at 3am
• Why joy, boundaries, and letting go are actually sleep tools
• Why you need to schedule time to "stress the f*ck out" during the day so your worries don't hijack your sleep
• Alanna's 20/20/20 Method: a simple, structured bedtime routine that you'll want to start tonight
• Why it's okay to have a bad night of sleep 

Plus, if you're a midlife woman who feels like she's doing everything right but still can't rest, check out Alanna’s Midlife Women’s Sleep program and her one-of-a-kind Divorce Sleep program. Because sometimes life's hardest transitions deserve their own sleep plan. Find out more at alannamcguinn.com.

This is part of our Endy Reclaim Your Rest Sleep Series - helping you wake up rested, focused, and ready to take on whatever the day brings. 

Endy is Canada’s leading online mattress brand, trusted by over 1 million sleepers. Endy’s mattresses are designed to keep you cool and supported all night long, so you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on your day. With three comfort options—plush, medium-firm, and firm—you can find the perfect fit for your body and sleep style. And the best part? Endy delivers straight to your door, so upgrading your sleep is simpler than ever. Check them out at endy.com.

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Links for this episode

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Struggling to get a doctor's appointment? Not sure who to ask about your medications or health concerns? Meet pharmacist Jennifer Bruce, who's here to let you in on healthcare's best-kept secret -  your community pharmacist. Most of us don’t know that our pharmacist  is an accessible, knowledgeable resource just waiting to help us navigate perimenopause and beyond.

In this episode, Jennifer shares why pharmacists are underutilized members of your healthcare team and how building a relationship with yours can transform your health journey.

In This Episode:

• Why your pharmacist should be part of your perimenopause healthcare team
• The importance of vaccines in midlife, especially the shingles vaccine for anyone over 50
• How pharmacists can help you navigate menopause hormone therapy (even though they can't prescribe it)
• Accessible health screenings and support your pharmacist can provide (instead of going to your doctor or a walk-in clinic)
• Jennifer's new venture, Sugar Track Consulting,to help you manage your metabolic health

PLUS, Jennifer gives us the inside scoop on how small, targeted changes based on your unique data can prevent prediabetes, improve sleep, and help you feel better than ever.

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Jennifer is a community pharmacist with 25 years of experience. She has been working at Martins Pharmacy in St. Jacobs, an independent pharmacy for the last 17 years. She is passionate about building strong personal relationships with her patients to become a trusted and valuable member of their healthcare team. Her professional interests focus on diabetes management and geriatric pharmacy, where she strives to optimize patient outcomes. She is dedicated to providing personalized care that addresses the unique needs of each individual. Continuously learning and adapting, she aims to support her patients' health journeys with empathy and expertise. Recently, she launched SugarTrack Consulting, offering a 14-day program that harnesses the data-driven power of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) to help improve metabolic health.

Links for this episode

Follow Sugar Track Consulting on Instagram

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You’re doing everything right - eating well, moving your body, and trying so damn hard. But the scale still won't budge! Take a listen to this episode, because the answer might not be on your plate. It might be in your bed.

In this episode of our Endy Reclaim Your Rest sleep series, Mikelle sits down with two women who know a thing or two about what it takes to lose weight and feel good in your body. Gina Livy, creator of The Livy Method, and Dr. Olinca Trejo, naturopathic doctor and hormone expert, break down the powerful and often completely overlooked connection between sleep and weight loss. Turns out it has very little to do with willpower.

In this episode:

• The connection between sleep and your hunger hormones and the domino effect that happens when you're sleep deprived 
• Why ghrelin and leptin (your hunger and fullness hormones) get hijacked when you're not sleeping well, and what that means for your cravings
• How poor sleep tanks your insulin sensitivity, breaks down muscle instead of fat, and can mimic a pre-diabetic state in as little as one week
• What cortisol is doing to your body when you're stressed and sleep deprived, and why it makes fat loss nearly impossible
• What perimenopause does to your sleep, and why the struggle is so much more than just hot flashes
• The truth about alcohol and your sleep 

This is part of our Endy Reclaim Your Rest Sleep Series - helping you wake up rested, focused, and ready to take on whatever the day brings. 

Endy is Canada’s leading online mattress brand, trusted by over 1 million sleepers. Endy’s mattresses are designed to keep you cool and supported all night long, so you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on your day. With three comfort options—plush, medium-firm, and firm—you can find the perfect fit for your body and sleep style. And the best part? Endy delivers straight to your door, so upgrading your sleep is simpler than ever. 



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Gina Livy is the bold, purpose-driven founder and CEO of The Livy Method, a lifestyle behaviour change program transforming weight loss by helping people focus on how they eat, think, and feel. As a best-selling author and keynote speaker, Gina has helped over 150,000 people ditch diets for good. With 30+ years of experience, she’s built a community in 55+ countries, with over 7M podcast downloads and a mission to make weight loss kind, accessible, and sustainable.

Dr. Olinca Trejo, ND is a naturopathic doctor with over 16 years of clinical experience, specializing in hormone health, weight management, and digestive wellness. She is passionate about supporting women through perimenopause and menopause with an evidence-informed, integrative approach that empowers patients to achieve lasting, meaningful health outcomes.

Dr. Trejo takes a collaborative, patient-centered approach, working alongside physicians and specialists to provide comprehensive care. She emphasizes non-pharmaceutical options whenever appropriate, while thoughtfully complementing conventional treatments when needed. Her dedication to excellence has earned her the Burlington Post Readers’ Choice Award for Best Naturopathic Doctor for nine years. Dr. Trejo has pursued advanced training in hormone therapy and is a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP).

Links for this episode

The Livy Method

Follow Gina on Instagram 

Follow Gina on Facebook

Follow Dr. Olinca Trejo on Instagram

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In this episode, we sit down with journalist, TV host, and podcast powerhouse Melissa Grelo as she opens up about how the pandemic, perimenopause, and a type-A personality collided in the perfect storm. One that had Melissa taking 20+ supplements a day, spending a small fortune on every test imaginable, and ultimately landing in her doctor's office with liver disease.

In this episode:

• The very real (and under-talked-about) dangers of supplements, and what Melissa's liver has to say about it
• Why the women most committed to their health are often the most vulnerable to the supplement trap
• Why evidence-based information is your best defence against the wellness industry's very expensive bullsh!t
• The unglamorous, unsexy lifestyle pillars that are the key to aging powerfully
• Melissa's live event in Calgary on May 16th; bringing the experts, the science, and zero supplements to sell you

Getting duped doesn't make you stupid, it makes you human. And if Melissa's story sounds familiar, this episode might just be the wake-up call you didn't know you needed.

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Melissa Grelo is a multi-award-winning broadcaster, sought-after live event host, and the creator and host of Aging Powerfully with Melissa Grelo — one of Canada’s top-charting podcasts for women navigating midlife and beyond.

With more than 20 years in television journalism, Melissa is best known as the award-winning co-host of Canada’s #1 daytime talk show, The Social on CTV. She has interviewed world leaders and A-list celebrities, reported from the Academy Awards, co-hosted Olympic coverage from Vancouver, and launched three successful shows with Bell Media/CTV. In 2019, she was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women and has won multiple Canadian Screen Awards throughout her career.

In 2023, she launched Aging Powerfully with Melissa Grelo, which immediately topped podcast charts across Canada and around the world — a position it has held for three seasons. The show brings together leading doctors, researchers, and scientists to deliver evidence-based information on menopause, midlife health, and aging well, while taking on the misinformation that too often fills women’s health spaces.

A passionate advocate for women’s health education, Melissa is equally in demand as a live event host and moderator, creating expert-driven experiences that educate and empower women to take charge of their own care.

 Links for this episode

• Follow Aging Powerfully on Instagram
• Subscribe to the Aging Powerfully podcast
• Learn More about Aging Powerfully
• BUY tickets to Aging Powerfully with Melissa Grelo: Live In Calgary

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We asked our community what their perimenopause sleep wishes were. Turns out, we’re all looking for the same things: to stay asleep, wake up without pain, stop the duvet dance, and for the love of all things holy, to feel rested again. 

In this episode, we sat down with Endy insiders, Erin Gray and Van Kutrowski and discovered that we can’t blame all our sleepless nights on hormones and stress. It could be that our mattresses are the missing piece in our perimenopausal sleep toolkits.

In this episode:

• Why temperature fluctuations during sleep could be a sign your sleep environment needs an upgrade
• Why you might be waking up with hip and shoulder pain and why side sleepers need to pay special attention
• Why the mattress that worked perfectly in your 30s may not be cutting it anymore, because you've changed, even if your mattress hasn't
• How your partner (or your dog) could be the reason you’re waking at 2 a.m., and what to do about it
• Why your pillow could be sabotaging an otherwise great mattress, and how to find the right loft for the way you sleep
• The bedding and layering strategies that work with your cooling mattress instead of against it

Don't miss this one. Let Erin and Van help you reclaim your rest so that you can rise to shine! 

This episode is part of our Endy Reclaim Your Rest Sleep Series - helping you wake up rested, focused, and ready to take on whatever the day brings. 

Endy is Canada’s leading online mattress brand, trusted by over 1 million sleepers. Endy’s mattresses are designed to keep you cool and supported all night long, so you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on your day. With three comfort options—plush, medium-firm, and firm—you can find the perfect fit for your body and sleep style. And the best part? Endy delivers straight to your door, so upgrading your sleep is simpler than ever. Check them out at endy.com and use code THISISPERIMENOPAUSE100 for $100 off.

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Erin has held progressive roles within the world of CX in a variety of different industries. Starting her career in Financial Services she has led CX teams in banking, insurance, lending, omni-channel retail and senior living residences.   She is currently the Senior Vice President of Customer Experience, supporting many of the Direct-to-Consumer sleep brands including Endy.

Van Kutrowski Bio

Van Kutrowski is the Manager of Retail and Product Experience at Endy, where she’s been for the past four years. She works at the intersection of product, retail, and customer experience, shaping strategy grounded in customer insights. With over ten years in product development, she’s deeply customer-obsessed and the go-to for product, insights, and all things sleep.

 Links for this episode

• Endy Website
• Endy on Instagram
• MUSICOZY Sleep Headphones

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Dans cette conversation éclairante, le Dre Karen Desrosiers démystifie la phase souvent mal comprise de la périménopause — des symptômes surprenants aux mythes courants, en passant par les lacunes dans les soins médicaux.

La discussion met en lumière pourquoi de nombreuses femmes se sentent ignorées ou confuses durant cette transition, comment les symptômes vont bien au-delà des bouffées de chaleur, et pourquoi une meilleure éducation — tant pour les patientes que pour les professionnels de la santé — est essentielle.

Si vous vous êtes déjà dit « je ne me sens plus moi-même » sans pouvoir expliquer pourquoi, cet épisode est pour vous.

Dans cet épisode:

• Les symptômes de la périménopause comme des changements d’humeur, troubles du sommeil, migraines et irritabilité sont souvent des signes précoces et mal compris.
• Les troubles du sommeil en périménopause sont biologiquement différents de l’insomnie classique, ce qui explique pourquoi les médicaments habituels peuvent être inefficaces.
• Les tests hormonaux sont souvent trompeurs en périménopause en raison des fluctuations constantes — le traitement doit se baser sur les symptômes, et non sur les résultats de laboratoire.
• Il n’existe pas de solution universelle — les soins doivent être personnalisés, et ce qui fonctionne pour une femme ne convient pas nécessairement à une autre.
• La périménopause demeure sous-étudiée, avec un besoin important de meilleurs traitements, de lignes directrices plus claires et d’une meilleure formation pour les médecins et les patientes.

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Biographie: Dre Karen Desrosiers 

Le Dre Karen Desrosiers est une obstétricienne- gynécologue et médecin certifié en ménopause par The Menopause Society. Elle a étudié la médecine et fait sa spécialisation à l’Université de Sherbrooke, province de Québec.

De 2004 à 2015 Dre Desrosiers a été un membre précieux de l’équipe d’obstétrique et de gynécologie de l’Hôpital de Moncton et professeur associé à l’Université Dalhousie et à l’Université Memorial. Elle travaille au sein du Réseau de santé Horizon au Nouveau-Brunswick depuis 2004 et depuis 2020 à la clinique Reconnect Health Center de Moncton, une clinique specialisée en santé de la femme.

Elle a developpé un intérêt en pathologies vulvo-vaginales ainsi qu’en ménopause et elle est la représentante Atlantique sur le conseil d’administration de la Société de Ménopause Canadienne. Dre Desrosiers contribue activement à la diffusion des connaissances médicales en donnant des conférences médicales en plus de diverses sorties médiatiques.

Liens pour cet épisode

Sites web fiables sur la ménopause recommandés par le Dre Karen Desrosiers:

• MQ6.ca
• Menopause.org
• menopausefoundationcanada.ca
• menopauseandu.ca
• Sigmamenopause.com
• Menopauseinformation.ca
• www.gynqi.com

Instagram:

• Professor Susan Davis
• Karen Tang, MD - Gyn Surgeon

Livres:

• The Menopause Manifesto by Dr. Jen Gunter

Sites Web sur l’insomnie:

• Mysleepwell.ca/mieux-dormir.ca
• stellarsleep.com
• thensf.org/sleep-health-topics
• sleepfoundation.org
• aasm.org

Applications de méditation de pleine conscience:

• Insign Timer
• Headspace
• Calm

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Ever felt dismissed, confused, or just plain abandoned by the healthcare system when it comes to perimenopause? Then this episode is for you.

Meet Dr. Michelle Jacobson, gynecologist, menopause oncology specialist, and co-founder of the virtual clinic Coven Women's Health. She's the doctor other doctors call on complex women’s health issues — and today, she's here for you.

In this episode:

• Why perimenopausal women are the hardest and most underserved group in women's healthcare; and why even great doctors struggle to help them
• The truth about the WHI study. What the headlines got wrong, and what the data actually says
• Why women with a history of cancer don't have to miss out on quality of life and new non-hormonal options available to them
• The story behind Coven Women's Health and why every patient gets Dr. Jacobson's eyes on their care
• How you can thrive through perimenopause 
• Why Dr. Jacobson thinks the most important thing you can do right now has nothing to do with hormones

Plus — the meaning behind the names Coven and Hysterical Women (her podcast), and why we all want to be witches now.

This one is packed with the kind of honest, evidence-based, no-BS information that every woman in midlife deserves. We left feeling smarter, more empowered, and honestly a little fired up.

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Dr. Michelle Jacobson is working to redefine the standard of care for women in Canada by scaling access to her expertise in Menopause, Menopause Oncology, and Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome.

She's been referred to as "the doctor that other doctors call" when they need to consult on complex women's gynaecological health issues. They call her because of her curiosity, education, research, and clinical experience with conditions and symptoms that impact women, from first period to last. They become her respected colleagues and friends because of her reputation as a physician who is incredibly collaborative, caring, and loyal.

Dr. Jacobson is especially passionate about perimenopause and the menopause transition — through her research and clinical practice, she sees how many women unnecessarily experience a decline in quality of life during midlife. She funnels that passion and advocacy into educating other physicians, policymakers, and the general public on the urgency for changes to medical protocols and for greater support for menopausal women.

As a BRCA gene carrier herself, she is equally passionate about assessing and managing hereditary cancer risk. Committed to advancing early detection, treatment, and patient support, her research in this area has led to the development of a national community of practice in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer that she created and chairs.

At the intersection of both of her passions, she has used her research and clinical experience in menopause — particularly premature menopause due to oncologic therapies, hereditary cancer syndromes, and Turner's Syndrome — to provide a niche contribution to the global literature.

Bottom line: she cares deeply for women and their wellbeing, and she is committed to making patient-centric changes to our standard of care.

Links for this episode

• Follow Coven Women’s Health on Instagram
• Follow the Hysterical Women Podcast
• Coven Women’s Health

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In this episode, Dr. Woganee Filate, sleep specialist and co-founder of Lume Women + Health, is back on the show to break down the science of sleep and why it may be the single most powerful thing you can do for your long-term health. From protecting your brain to keeping your heart healthy, Dr. Woganee explains what's actually happening while you sleep — and what's at stake when you don't.

In this episode:

• Why both sleep quality and quantity matter for our health and healthspan
• What’s happening in our brains as we sleep 
• The different stages of sleep explained
• Why deep sleep is your best defense against dementia
• The link between inconsistent sleep and heart disease risk
• How poor sleep affects your metabolism, blood pressure, and inflammation
• How poor sleep may be accelerating your biological aging at a cellular level
• How to recognize and address sleep disruption during perimenopause
• Plus, a sneak peek at Dr. Woganee's upcoming book, a science-backed guide to sleeping through perimenopause and beyond

You don't have to accept poor sleep. There's so much within your control, and this episode with Dr. Woganee will show you where to start.

This episode is part of our Endy Reclaim Your Rest Sleep Series - helping you wake up rested, focused, and ready to take on whatever the day brings. 

Endy is Canada’s leading online mattress brand, trusted by over 1 million sleepers. Endy’s mattresses are designed to keep you cool and supported all night long, so you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on your day. With three comfort options—plush, medium-firm, and firm—you can find the perfect fit for your body and sleep style. And the best part? Endy delivers straight to your door, so upgrading your sleep is simpler than ever. Check them out at endy.com.

• Subscribe to our Substack
• Email us and let us know what you think of the podcast and what topic you want us to cover next.
• Sign up for our weekly newsletter
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Dr. Woganee Filate is a passionate and dedicated adult respirologist and sleep medicine physician committed to providing comprehensive, evidence-based and patient-centered care. She has a wealth of experience in diagnosing and managing respiratory and sleep disorders. Her interests include educating patients on the changes in sleep during the menopause transition and what can be done to optimize sleep during this key life stage. In addition to her medical degree, Dr. Filate holds a Master of Health Science, with a focus on Community Health & Epidemiology, from the University of Toronto.

 Links for this episode

• Lume Women + Health
• Follow Dr. Woganee on Instagram
• Follow Lume Women + Health on Instagram
• Subscribe to Lume Women + Health Substack

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More pleasurable and satisfying sex is all in your mind. 

If you’ve been struggling with low libido or sexual anxiety then this episode’s for you. 

Dr. Lori Brotto, renowned psychologist, sex researcher, and author of "Better Sex Through Mindfulness," and Elayne Wandler, CEO of eSense Health are on a mission to transform our sexual health. They’re sharing insights on how mindfulness can help women tune into their bodies to have more fulfilling intimate experiences.

In this episode:

• The science behind mindfulness and its impact on sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction 
• How to overcome common roadblocks like distraction, self-judgment, and sexual pain 
• The difference between responsive and spontaneous desire, and why it matters for your sex life 
• Why "neutral to arousal to desire" is common and perfectly normal
• Practical tips and mindfulness exercises to enhance your sex life and relationships
• A sneak peak into eSense, a digital platform that’s going to revolutionize our sexual health landscape 

Whether you're single, partnered, or anywhere in between, this episode will arm you with the insights and strategies you need to develop a more present, connected, and pleasurable approach to sex and intimacy.

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Dr. Lori Brotto is a renowned figure in women's sexual health. A Professor in the UBC Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, she holds a Canada Research Chair focused on developing safe, accessible treatments for sexual concerns in women. Committed to equity, she champions digital health technologies to broaden access to care.

Dr. Brotto also serves as Executive Director for the Women's Health Research Institute, supporting nearly 700 members across BC in advancing all aspects of women's health research.

She has appeared in the media, including Netflix's "The Principles of Pleasure," CBC Gem's "The Big Sex Talk," and a Masterclass on the Magic of Menopause. She has authored two mindfulness-focused books: "Better Sex Through Mindfulness" (2018) and "The Better Sex Through Mindfulness Workbook" (2022), and the 2018 book appears in the New York Times top 8 sexual health books (2024). She has received a UBC Public Education Through Media award (2023).

As a Registered Psychologist in BC, Dr. Brotto works with individuals seeking to enhance their sexual well-being and believes in the power of lived experiences to shape science. An advocate for women's leadership, she encourages young women to pursue careers in STEM and engages with the public via social media (@DrLoriBrotto and @ubcshr).

Elayne Wandler

Elayne is a seasoned life sciences executive with over two decades of experience bringing medical innovations to market. As CEO of eSense Health, she leads the company's mission to close the gap in women's sexual health through evidence-based, accessible digital care.

Her career began at Abbott Laboratories (now AbbVie), followed by commercial and communications roles at QLT Inc., where she helped launch Visudyne—the first treatment for age-related macular degeneration. She later served as Director of Corporate Development and Marketing at Sonic Incytes, and in a leadership role at Accel-Rx, supporting early-stage Canadian ventures.

Combining strategic insight with a strong track record across life sciences, Elayne is passionate about challenging stigma, unlocking access, and driving impact through science and storytelling. Under her leadership, eSense is now entering commercialization following successful clinical validation and growing recognition.

Links for this episode

• Follow Dr. Brotto on Instagram 
• Follow eSense on Instagram
• Learn more about eSense
• Buy the book - Better Sex Through Mindfulness

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