"It's not just about HRT or not...it's about realizing that the landscape has changed, and the playbook has changed. Full stop." 

Powerful words from Dr. Kirsten Smith set the stage for an enlightening conversation about what women really need during the menopause transition. Drawing on her extensive 15+ years of experience as a naturopathic doctor specializing in women's hormonal health, Dr. Smith challenges the simplistic narratives around hormone therapy and offers insights you likely won't hear in a standard medical appointment.

In This Episode: 

• The true role of hormone therapy—valuable but just one tool in your health toolkit 
• The shocking connection between hormonal changes and mental health, including increased suicide risk in women aged 45-55 
• Why conventional antidepressants might fail during perimenopause 
• The art and science of hormone dosing, and why your perfect dose might be completely different from your friend's 
• Red flags that your hormone dose might need adjustment 
• The critical gaps in medical training around women's health 
• How to find healthcare providers who understand the complexities of menopause 
• Practical strategies for building a complete approach to lasting health during menopause and beyond

Dr. Smith expands the conversation beyond hormones to address the complete picture of women's health during this transition, acknowledging that midlife health "does require more work.” But she also offers the reassurance that perfection isn't required—just consistent attention to the foundations of health. Whether you're currently on hormone therapy, considering it, or seeking alternatives, this conversation provides important information to help you advocate for yourself and make informed decisions about your health.

This podcast is brought to you by IRIS. Daily care products made with clean ingredients for hydrated vulva and vaginas. Use code TIP20 for 20% off at lovemyIRIS.com. 

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Dr. Kirsten Smith, ND | MSCP (cand.) | Visionary Women’s Health Expert | Integrative Hormone Specialist

For over 16 years, Dr. Kirsten Smith has redefined care for women navigating perimenopause and menopause, blending cutting-edge evidence-informed science with the wisdom of naturopathic medicine. Her pioneering work bridges the gap between conventional diagnostics and holistic healing, offering women a third path - one where bioidentical hormones (HRT), targeted nutrition, and evidence-backed botanicals work in harmony to restore vitality.

Based between Ontario’s forests and Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, Dr. Smith aims for the balance she teaches: mornings analyzing menopause research and doing patient consults, afternoons surfing with her son. This synergy of science and nature fuels her mission to reclaim midlife as a launchpad for women - not an expiration date. Dr. Smith's mission goes beyond treating patients; her legacy is cultivating a movement where women approach menopause with knowledge and agency, not fear. By mentoring practitioners and advocating for systemic change, she hopes future generations will inherit a healthcare model that honours hormonal transitions as important times in a woman's life that deserve, research, training and care. ️

Links for this episode

Work with Dr. Kirsten Smith

Dr. Kirsten Smith on Instagram

Today’s question for Dr. Sarah Shaw is:

What are the Health Canada approved indications for hormone therapy?

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The approved indications for hormone therapy in Canada are limited to three main areas
• Off-label prescribing allows for hormone therapy use beyond approved indications
• Yellow light indications where hormone therapy may be beneficial
• The timing of hormone therapy initiation is crucial for maximizing benefits

Lume Women + Health is now open! They understand the unique challenges women face during perimenopause and beyond. Be sure to check out their dedicated menopause program that provides personalized support, medical guidance, and lifestyle optimization education to help you manage symptoms, improve your well-being, and thrive during this life stage.

Every week, the team at Lume Women + Health will be dropping into our podcast to answer one of your questions. Be sure to follow our podcast so that you never miss these Lume Minutes. Find ‘This Is Perimenopause, the podcast’ wherever you listen to your favorites.

Have a question? Send us a message at [email protected] and we’ll get you an answer.

Episode Links

• Dr. Sarah Shaw Bio
• Lume Women + Health
• MQ6 Tool
• Menopause Foundation of Canada symptom tracker

Connect with Mikelle & Michelle at This is Perimenopause

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Imagine a menopause practitioner who says hormone change can actually be fun. Meet Dr. Kara Dionisio, a naturopathic doctor who describes her work as "helping hormone change not suck."

In this candid and refreshing conversation, Dr. Kara unpacks what she calls "the art of clinical practice" – where medical guidelines meet real women's lives. With humor and depth, Dr. Kara explains why your perimenopause experience deserves personalized care rather than one-size-fits-all solutions, and offers practical strategies you can implement right away.

In This Episode: 

• Why most healthcare providers receive little to no training in menopause care
• The importance of finding a Menopause Society certified practitioner (MSCP)
• How to build your own "menopause support team" beyond just your doctor
• The art of clinical practice: merging evidence, clinical judgment, and patient values
• The truth about hormone therapy for mood and cardiovascular health
• Why consistency beats perfection when it comes to perimenopause health habits
• How to take agency over your health while navigating this transition

Whether you're just noticing the first signs of change or deep in the hormone hurricane, this episode reminds us that while perimenopause can be challenging, it's also an opportunity to reclaim your health and reimagine your future.

Because as Dr. Kara emphasizes, "Suffering is not an option."

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Dr. Kara Dionisio, ND, MSCP, is a Naturopathic Doctor and menopause nerd who brings evidence-based care, strategic education, and fierce advocacy to midlife health. Menopause is her magic—and she believes midlife is a time to rise.

As founder of Dr. Kara & Associates in Owen Sound, Ontario, Kara has supported thousands through the menopause transition with personalized, evidence-informed care—continually redefining the art of comprehensive support (no one-trick ponies here), where each woman gains the agency to be the author of her own menopause story.

A trailblazer in her field, Kara holds a BSc and MSc in Nutrition & Metabolism, and was among the first Naturopathic Doctors in North America to earn the Menopause Society Certified Practitioner designation, inspiring many to follow. She teaches clinical menopause education in academic and professional settings and leads the Confident Clinician Menopause Fellowship, now in its third year.

She lives in Owen Sound with her two feisty kids, a red-bearded Irish dude, and a beagle with main-character energy. Kara believes thriving midlife women can (and should) rule the world—and she’s here for it.

 Links for this episode

• Dr Kara Dionisio Practice
• Dr Kara’s Geeky Bio
• Follow Dr Kara on Instagram
• The Menopause Society - Find a Healthcare Practitioner 

Today’s question for Dr. Amy Louis Bayliss is:

Which supplements are best for me to prioritize and for what?

In this Lume Minute, you'll discover:

• Supplement safety considerations
• Dr Amy Louis-Bayliss’ recommended supplements:
• Vitamin D 
• Iron 
• Calcium 
• Creatine
• Magnesium 
• B12

Lume Women + Health is now open! They understand the unique challenges women face during perimenopause and beyond. Be sure to check out their dedicated menopause program that provides personalized support, medical guidance, and lifestyle optimization education to help you manage symptoms, improve your well-being, and thrive during this life stage.

Every other week, the team at Lume Women + Health will be dropping into our podcast to answer one of your questions. Be sure to follow our podcast so that you never miss these Lume Minutes. Find ‘This Is Perimenopause, the podcast’ wherever you listen to your favorites.

Episode Links

• Dr. Amy Louis-Bayliss
• Lume Women + Health
• MQ6 Tool
• Menopause Foundation of Canada symptom tracker

Connect with Mikelle & Michelle at This is Perimenopause

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Is perimenopause threatening to derail your career just when you're hitting your stride? Time to flip that script. Today's guests, Lauren Glazer and Salima Valji, are executive coaches who discovered a troubling pattern: successful women at their career peak were being derailed by perimenopause and menopause symptoms, often suffering in silence and leaving the workforce as a result of their symptoms. 

Their response? Creating M Power, a revolutionary platform helping women thrive through "the change" while staying at the top of their game.

Whether you're navigating hot flashes during presentations or dealing with brain fog in the boardroom, their insights will help you reclaim your confidence and power.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to maintain your executive presence while managing symptoms
• Why silence is NOT the best strategy (and what to do instead)
• The "FLIP" method for having difficult conversations at work
• Tools for advocating for yourself and others in the workplace
• The four-phase approach to becoming "uninterrupted" in your career
• Plus, Lauren and Salima share their vision for creating menopause-friendly workplaces and why this life stage can actually be a period of renewed energy and growth.

Links for this episode

MPower Resource Guide

Menopositivity Keynote

MPower Coaching Program

MPower for Businesses

Connect with them on Social Media

Facebook Group

Lauren Glazer LinkedIn

Salima Valji LinkedIn

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Lauren Glazer Bio 

Lauren Glazer is a leadership coach who helps emerging and experienced leaders become even more thoughtful, intentional and resilient—prepared to take on new roles and business challenges, capable of deftly navigating uncharted waters and poised to guide and empower their own people to do the same. Leveraging over two decades of experience in team and brand building, she helps individuals, teams and organizations with a multidisciplinary perspective, deep sensitivity and voracious curiosity. Having experienced surgical menopause in her mid-40s, Lauren has firsthand knowledge of this roller coaster journey. She created MPower to help women take charge of “the change” so they can continue to share their considerable skills and expertise while experiencing fulfillment and joy.

Salima Valji Bio

Salima Valji is an internationally sought-after speaker, thought- leader and certified executive coach on leadership topics related to advancing women and people of color. Salima was recently awarded the 2023 recipient of The World of Difference award by The International Alliance for Women (TIAW) recognizing her impact to women’s economic empowerment. Additional awards include Top 100 Speakers 2023 by Women in Tech, and Global Women Power Leaders 2024 by White Page International. Salima experienced menopause unexpectedly and realized there was a serious gap in resources and community support for executives navigating this life phase. She created MPower to fill that void, empowering leaders to thrive through menopause and beyond.

Today’s question for Dr. Woganee Filate is: Is there a way to manage weight gain related to menopause?

In this Lume Minute, you'll discover:

• Why menopausal weight gain occurs
• How protein can help
• Sleep's impact on weight
• The impact of diabetes or insulin sensitivity
• Exercise essentials
• The truth about HRT and weight
• Fiber's important role

Lume Women + Health will be opening soon! They understand the unique challenges women face during perimenopause and beyond. Be sure to check out their dedicated menopause program that provides personalized support, medical guidance, and lifestyle optimization education to help you manage symptoms, improve your well-being, and thrive during this life stage.

Every other week, the team at Lume Women + Health will be dropping into our podcast to answer one of your questions. Be sure to follow our podcast so that you never miss these Lume Minutes. Find ‘This Is Perimenopause, the podcast’ wherever you listen to your favorites.

Episode Links

• Dr Woganee Filate Bio
• Lume Women + Health
• MQ6 Tool
• Menopause Foundation of Canada symptom tracker

Connect with Mikelle & Michelle at This is Perimenopause

• Email us and let us know what you think of the podcast and what topic you want us to cover next.
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This episode was recorded as part of Podcasthon 2025, a global initiative raising awareness for charities worldwide and inspiring millions of listeners to care, act, and make a difference.

For our contribution, we are dedicating this episode to The Menopause Foundation of Canada and are grateful to its President and Co-Founder, Janet Ko for sharing her story with us.

Like many women, Janet Ko was blindsided by perimenopause. Despite assurances from multiple medical professionals that she was quite healthy, she felt quite ill. So much so that her unmanaged symptoms negatively impacted her career trajectory and her quality of life. The injustice of this all-too-common experience is what prompted Janet to co-found The Menopause Foundation of Canada, sparking a national conversation and leading the charge with research and facts that society can no longer afford to ignore.

In This Episode:

• Women should not accept poor health during menopause.
• Menopause should be viewed as a health transition, not just an end to reproductive life.
• Awareness and education about menopause are crucial for women and healthcare providers.
• Creating menopause-inclusive workplaces can help retain talented women.
• Access to menopause care is a human right, and yet women are still struggling with menopause.

Learn more about the Menopause Foundation of Canada:

Website 

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

Join the movement and help to make a difference in improving the menopause journey for generations of women!

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Janet Ko Bio

Janet Ko is the President and Co-Founder of the Menopause Foundation of Canada, a national nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness of menopause and its impact on women and society. A passionate advocate for women’s health, she is committed to closing the menopause knowledge gap and improving access to care and treatment.

Janet is on a mission to redefine menopause-shifting the narrative from stigma to renewal, strength, and wisdom. She sees menopause as a crucial health transition that demands better support from the medical community, government, workplaces and society. Like many women, she was unprepared for menopause and knows firsthand how unmanaged symptoms can hold women back. Determined to drive change, she cofounded the Menopause Foundation of Canada, launching landmark research and advocacy campaigns that ignited a national conversation and spurred meaningful action.

An award-winning leader in strategic communications, Janet has spearheaded innovative thought leadership initiatives on ageism, intergenerational learning, and menopause in the workplace. She has held senior executive roles across diverse health-related sectors, bringing a depth of expertise to her advocacy. A compelling speaker and champion for change, she was recognized as one of the Top 25 Women of Influence in 2023 for her impact and leadership.

Today’s question for Dr. Sarah Shaw is:

A family member had breast cancer. Can I take hormone therapy?

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Hormone therapy is still an option if a family member had breast cancer
• Considerations like genetic counselling and screening
• It’s recommended to have an annual mammogram starting at age 40
• There are more and more options available to treat symptoms
• Having risk/benefit discussions with your doctor about the available options is important

Lume Women + Health is now open! They understand the unique challenges women face during perimenopause and beyond. Be sure to check out their dedicated menopause program that provides personalized support, medical guidance, and lifestyle optimization education to help you manage symptoms, improve your well-being, and thrive during this life stage.

Every week, the team at Lume Women + Health will be dropping into our podcast to answer one of your questions. Be sure to follow our podcast so that you never miss these Lume Minutes. Find ‘This Is Perimenopause, the podcast’ wherever you listen to your favorites.

Have a question? Send us a message at [email protected] and we’ll get you an answer.

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In this conversation, Angela Johnson, CEO and co-founder of sanoLiving, shares how her menopausal journey prompted her to come out of retirement to create a comprehensive menopause care platform. She discusses the importance of holistic care, the role of health coaches, and the integration of AI in providing accessible support for women navigating perimenopause and beyond.

And while Sano, the company's AI powered chat tool and their recently announced partnership with Oura ring highlight the role of technology in improving women’s health, Angela emphasizes that the sanoMidLife offering is not just digital. There’s also a large component of care that needs to be in person, which is facilitated by their coaches. A true one-stop place for everything a woman needs for a successful second chapter of life. 

We talk about menopause inclusive workplaces and the unintended consequences of providing workplace accommodations without access to menopausal care. And why every company should adapt their employee benefits packages to provide the unique healthcare support that women need.

Angela also shares that sanoLiving is working on a tool to help all clinicians provide better menopausal care. The discussion also touches on empowering young women with knowledge about their bodies, and the importance of trusting one's instincts during perimenopause.

In This Episode

• sanoMidLife - the menopause solution where women are fully supported
• How a sanoMidLife coach enables holistic, evidenced-based care
• Celebrating longevity instead of dreading menopause
• Introducing Sano - the free AI tool that’s like having a conversation with a real person
• How workplace accommodations without solutions can backfire
• The importance of proactive healthcare in menopause management
• Women often face higher health claims due to lack of support
• How supporting women in the workplace can reduce turnover and improve morale
• Women deserve better education about their bodies from an early age

• Get our free guide, 10 Step for Better Menopause Care
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Angela Johnson is the CEO and Co-Founder of sanoLiving, Canada’s first comprehensive women's midlife health platform, available nationwide in French and English, designed to bridge the long-overlooked gaps in women’s healthcare. sanoLiving doesn’t just empower women; it helps them access their inpower—their inner strength—to navigate midlife transitions and focus on their whole selves—body, mind, and soul. Angela’s own journey, shaped by her personal experience with perimenopausal and post-menopausal symptoms, has fueled her mission to revolutionize women’s health. 

Links for this episode

sanoLiving

sanoMidLife

Chat with Sano

DISCOUNT CODE: Want to try sanoMidLife? Use code THISISPERI10 for 10% off at sanomidlife.com/join/

Lume Minute: Bioidentical Hormones for Perimenopause

Today’s question for Dr. Amy Louis Bayliss is: Are bioidentical hormones better?

In this Lume Minute, you'll discover:

• What the term bioidentical hormones means
• The difference between bioidentical versus compounded hormones
• Safety and efficacy concerns with compounding
• Why Health Canada products matter

They understand the unique challenges women face during perimenopause and beyond. Be sure to check out their dedicated menopause program that provides personalized support, medical guidance, and lifestyle optimization education to help you manage symptoms, improve your well-being, and thrive during this life stage.

Every other week, the team at Lume Women + Health will be dropping into our podcast to answer one of your questions. Be sure to follow our podcast so that you never miss these Lume Minutes. Find ‘This Is Perimenopause, the podcast’ wherever you listen to your favorites.

• 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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