Women Like Us, Lately

Ever gotten your bloodwork results back, stared at all those numbers and abbreviations, and thought... what the heck am I looking at?

This week on Women Like Us: Lately, Val and Monika are breaking down the basics of bloodwork, from where to start and what to ask your doctor to understanding what those results actually mean.

We're talking about common lab tests like CBC, CMP, thyroid panels, cholesterol, blood sugar, and hormone testing. Plus, why timing matters, what those reference ranges mean, and why feeling good involves looking at more than just numbers on a page.

We also get into the importance of advocating for yourself, building sustainable habits, and finding a balance between being informed about your health and becoming overwhelmed by all the data.

And of course, we're grading some popular health trends in our Wellness Trend Report Card: ordering your own labs, tracking results over time, and the full-body testing craze.

We want to know: Do you actually look at your bloodwork results, or do you just wait for your doctor to tell you everything is normal?

Monika's Free Lab Guide: The Labs I Wish Every Woman 35+ Knew to Ask About

At-Home Blood Testing: Tasso+

These resources are shared for informational purposes. Blood tests and their results should be discussed with a qualified healthcare professional. Not everyone needs the same tests, and additional testing isn't always better.

00:28 | Why understanding your bloodwork matters

02:39 | Where to start and how to request labs

03:41 | At-home testing and other options

04:39 | Recognizing symptoms and knowing what to ask for

06:38 | Preparing for bloodwork: Fasting, coffee, and cycle timing

07:56 | Understanding your results and reference ranges

09:07 | Common lab tests: CBC, CMP, cholesterol, and blood sugar

10:35 | Thyroid, iron, and hormone testing

12:11 | What if your results are normal but you still don't feel right?

14:31 | Lifestyle habits, foundational health, and follow-up testing

18:40 | Turning health information into practical changes

22:52 | Monika's lab guide and resources

23:51 | Wellness Trend Report Card

24:14 | Ordering your own labs

24:41 | Tracking your results over time

26:21 | The full-body testing craze

28:01 | Taking a more active role in your health

Share Your Story: Want to join the conversation or be a guest on the podcast? Tell us about yourself!

Get in Touch: Have a question, topic suggestion, or something you want to share? Email us at [email protected].

Follow Along: Come hang out with us on Instagram.

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Because women like us don't all look the same. We're simply women trying to feel better and become more ourselves. ❤️

Are birthday gift registries actually helpful, or are we making gift-giving way more complicated than it needs to be?

This week on Women Like Us: Lately, Val and Monika are discovering just how differently two people can approach birthdays, gifts, and celebrations.

Monika comes from a world where showing up to a birthday party without a gift is practically unheard of. Val? She's just happy everyone showed up! And apparently, the differences between Miami and North Carolina go a little deeper than we expected.

We're talking kids' birthday registries, adult wish lists, gift-giving expectations, and whether celebrations have gotten a little out of hand. Plus, what happens when the meaning behind a gift matters more than the gift itself?

And of course, we're grading birthday registries for kids, adult gift registries, and no-gift parties in our Wellness Trend Report Card.

We want to know: Are birthday registries helpful or tacky? And do you expect people to bring gifts to an adult birthday party?

00:28 | Birthday registries: Helpful or tacky?

01:08 | Kids' birthday registries and avoiding unwanted gifts

03:26 | Sharing gift lists with family and friends

05:55 | Do adults actually expect birthday gifts?

07:07 | Miami vs. North Carolina: Different gift-giving expectations

10:18 | The unwritten rules of birthday gifts

17:47 | Buying clothes and other unexpected presents

18:30 | Have birthday celebrations gotten too elaborate?

20:36 | Social media, Pinterest, and party planning pressure

22:55 | Wellness Trend Report Card

23:08 | Grading kids' birthday registries

24:02 | Adult birthday registries: Practical or tacky?

25:20 | No-gift birthday parties

26:25 | Celebrating connections instead of spending money

Share Your Story: Want to join the conversation or be a guest on the podcast? Tell us about yourself!

Get in Touch: Have a question, topic suggestion, or something you want to share? Email us at [email protected].

Follow Along: Come hang out with us on Instagram.

Listen & Watch:

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Because women like us don't all look the same. We're simply women trying to feel better and become more ourselves. ❤️

We all say we want to age gracefully, but what does that actually mean? Because it's entirely possible to love getting older and still struggle with some of the physical changes that come with it.

This week, Val and Monika are talking Botox, gray hair, wrinkles, body confidence, and our complicated relationship with aging. Val shares why she stopped coloring her hair after years of covering her grays, while Monika explains why she's not quite ready to embrace hers.

We get into the beauty industry's influence on how we see ourselves, the different expectations placed on aging women and men, and why getting older might actually be something to look forward to.

Plus, we're grading preventative Botox, the gray hair movement, and the growing obsession with longevity and anti-aging.

We want to know: Are you embracing your gray hair, getting Botox, doing a little of both, or figuring it out as you go?

00:28 | Aging gracefully: What does that even mean?

03:08 | Feeling more comfortable with ourselves than we did 10 years ago

04:53 | If you could stay one physical age forever, what would it be?

07:05 | Let's talk Botox

11:17 | Gray hair and the decision to stop coloring it

17:04 | Body insecurities we're learning to let go of

19:35 | Why are aging men and women treated differently?

21:50 | The beauty industry and the pressure to look younger

23:20 | Aging, attractiveness, and society's expectations

26:46 | Finding purpose and wisdom in later stages of life

28:05 | Wellness Trend Report Card: Botox, gray hair, and longevity

30:31 | Embracing aging on our own terms

Share Your Story: Want to join the conversation or be a guest on the podcast? Tell us about yourself!

Get in Touch: Have a question, topic suggestion, or something you want to share? Email us at [email protected].

Follow Along: Come hang out with us on Instagram.

Listen & Watch:

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Because women like us don't all look the same. We're simply women trying to feel better and become more ourselves. ❤️

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has come a long way, but depending on who you ask, it's either life-changing or something to be afraid of. So what's the deal?

In this episode, we're continuing our conversation about perimenopause and taking a closer look at HRT, the benefits, the misconceptions, and why so many women still feel unsure about it.

Monika shares why she's such a strong believer in women having access to hormone therapy and breaks down the roles of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Val shares her personal experience with HRT, including the challenges of advocating for herself when her doctors initially suggested a different approach.

We also talk about what HRT can and can't do, why treatment isn't one-size-fits-all, and how hormones, lifestyle, and the natural process of aging all play a role in how we feel.

Plus, our Wellness Trend Report Card is back! We're grading testosterone for women and the growing trend of marketing HRT as an anti-aging solution.

One thing we can agree on? Women deserve options, good information, and the ability to make informed decisions about their own health. Getting older doesn't mean we have to stop feeling like ourselves.

We want to know: Have you tried HRT, considered it, or felt hesitant because of something you've heard? ❤️

00:00 | Why We're Talking About HRT

01:07 | Why Hormone Therapy Has Such a Mixed Reputation

02:12 | Estrogen, Progesterone & Testosterone Explained

04:01 | Hormone Changes During Perimenopause & Menopause

04:54 | Different Forms of Hormone Therapy

05:35 | Val's Experience with Estrogen & HRT

07:27 | Where Does the Fear Around HRT Come From?

09:06 | Advocating for Yourself & Exploring Treatment Options

10:19 | What HRT Can and Can't Do

12:17 | Why Hormone Therapy Isn't One-Size-Fits-All

13:51 | Lifestyle, Nutrition & Hormone Support

15:21 | Wellness Trend Report Card: Testosterone & Anti-Aging

17:46 | Getting Older Without Fearing It

18:38 | Knowing Your Options & Starting the Conversation

Have a story, experience, or perspective you'd love to share? We'd love to hear from you!

🎙️ Be a Guest: Share Your Story

💌 Get in Touch: [email protected]

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🎧 Listen & Watch:

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Women Like Us: Lately

Real conversations about being a woman, lately.

Hosted by Val & Monika.

This episode shares personal experiences and perspectives for general education and conversation. Hormone therapy decisions should be made with a qualified healthcare professional based on individual health needs and risks.

Cortisol face, cortisol belly, cortisol cocktails… apparently everything we're doing these days is messing with our stress hormones. As if we needed one more thing to stress about. 😂

In this episode, we're talking about the cortisol craze and whether all this wellness advice is actually helping women or just giving us another list of things we're supposedly doing wrong.

We get into what cortisol actually does, the difference between healthy stress and chronic stress, and what happens when life feels like one big juggling act. Val shares what it's like navigating a season where even the things she's intentionally choosing are leaving her completely maxed out.

We also talk about the importance of sleep, recovery, realistic routines, and why managing stress doesn't necessarily mean eliminating everything that challenges us.

Plus, our Wellness Trend Report Card is back! We're grading cortisol cocktails, coffee on an empty stomach, and replacing HIIT workouts with walking. And let's just say we don't agree on everything.

One thing we're realizing? Taking care of ourselves doesn't have to be so complicated. Maybe we don't need another wellness rule. Maybe we just need to get better at recognizing what actually works for us.

We want to know: What's one wellness rule you've decided you're done following? ❤️

00:00 | Why Is Everyone Talking About Cortisol?

01:19 | Cortisol Isn't the Enemy

03:32 | Are We Stressing About Being Stressed?

05:13 | Sleep, Recovery & Bedtime Routines

09:52 | When Life Doesn't Allow for Consistency

12:30 | Managing Stress When Everything Feels Important

14:36 | Recognizing the Effects of Stress

16:24 | Cortisol Myths: Coffee, HIIT & Cortisol Cocktails

19:31 | What Actually Helps Us Manage Stress?

22:52 | Wellness Trend Report Card

27:45 | Less Pressure, More Understanding

Have a story, experience, or perspective you'd love to share? We'd love to hear from you!

🎙️ Be a Guest: Share Your Story

💌 Get in Touch: [email protected]

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🎧 Listen & Watch:

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Women Like Us: Lately

Real conversations about being a woman, lately.

Hosted by Val & Monika.

Is love something we feel, or something we do? And how much of ourselves are we willing to change just to feel loved?

In this episode, we're talking about relationships and how our understanding of love changes as we get older.

Monika shares the story of meeting her husband at 15, how their relationship has grown over the last 23 years, and what becoming parents has taught them about marriage. Val brings a different perspective, reflecting on divorce, the relationships that have shaped her, and how she's learning to understand love beyond simply being wanted or chosen.

We get into the expectations we grew up with, the pressure to make relationships last forever, and why the end of a relationship doesn't mean the love or experiences weren't meaningful.

We also talk about something that can be difficult to recognize while we're in it: losing parts of ourselves to keep someone else happy. How do we know when we're growing with another person versus changing ourselves to be accepted?

And of course, our Wellness Trend Report Card is back! We're grading some familiar relationship advice, including never going to bed angry, whether relationships should be 50/50, date nights, and whether your partner should be your best friend.

We're coming from two very different experiences, and we don't always agree. But maybe that's what makes these conversations worth having.

We want to know: What's one thing you believed about love or relationships when you were younger that you see differently now? ❤️

00:00 | Let's Talk Relationships

01:04 | Is Love a Feeling or an Action?

03:36 | Monika's Love Story: 23 Years Together

08:12 | How Motherhood Changes Marriage

14:07 | What Divorce Taught Val About Love

18:35 | Losing Yourself in Relationships

24:59 | Wellness Trend Report Card

31:22 | Final Thoughts on Love and Relationships

Val shares how the work of bell hooks has influenced the way she thinks about love, connection, and relationships.

• All About Love by bell hooks
• Communion: The Female Search for Love by bell hooks

Have a story, experience, or perspective you'd love to share? We'd love to hear from you!

🎙️ Be a Guest: Share Your Story

💌 Get in Touch: [email protected]

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🎧 Listen & Watch:

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Women Like Us: Lately

Real conversations about being a woman, lately.

Hosted by Val & Monika.

Making friends as an adult might actually be easier than we thought. Finding time to see them? That's another story. 😂

In this episode, we're talking about adult friendships and how much they change as we get older. From making new friends and finding the confidence to put ourselves out there, to navigating friendships that don't always feel equally reciprocated.

We get into the disappointment of always being the one reaching out, learning when to give a friendship some space, and realizing that not every relationship has to last forever to have been meaningful.

We also talk about what makes a good friend, why different friendships can fulfill different parts of our lives, and how some of the best connections are the ones where you can go months (or years!) without seeing each other and pick right back up.

Plus, our Wellness Trend Report Card is back! We're grading friendship apps, friendship breakups, and low-maintenance friendships.

One thing we're realizing? Friendships don't have to look the way they did 10 years ago to be just as important today.

We want to know: Has making friends gotten easier or harder for you as you've gotten older? ❤️

00:00 | Let's Talk Adult Friendships

01:20 | Is Making Friends Easier as We Get Older?

04:57 | When Friendships Feel One-Sided

11:51 | Drifting Apart and Letting Friendships Change

14:07 | What Makes a Good Friendship?

18:00 | Wellness Trend Report Card

20:36 | Making Room for Friendships as Life Changes

Have a story, experience, or perspective you'd love to share? We'd love to hear from you!

🎙️ Be a Guest: Share Your Story

💌 Get in Touch: [email protected]

📱 Follow Along: Instagram

🎧 Listen & Watch:

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Women Like Us: Lately

Real conversations about being a woman, lately.

Hosted by Val & Monika.

Chin hairs, mood swings, disrupted sleep, and suddenly feeling like your body has a mind of its own. Why didn't anyone warn us about this part of getting older?

In this episode, we're talking about perimenopause, what it actually is, when it can start, and all the changes that can happen before menopause even begins.

Val shares some of the emotional and hormonal shifts she's been noticing in her 40s, while Monika brings her functional health background into the conversation. And with Monika approaching 40 and considering having another baby, we get into the interesting overlap between fertility, aging, and taking care of ourselves for the years ahead.

We talk about symptoms nobody warned us about, learning to advocate for ourselves, and why not every change automatically means perimenopause. We also get into strength training, nutrition, sleep, stress, and the everyday things we can do to support ourselves as we get older.

Plus, our Wellness Trend Report Card is back! This time we're grading hormone-balancing supplements, strength training after 40, and tracking every hormone and symptom. And for once, we actually agree on all three! 😂

We're learning as we go, asking questions, and having conversations we wish we'd heard a little sooner.

We want to know: What's one change or symptom nobody warned you about? ❤️

00:00 | Welcome! Let's Talk Perimenopause

01:15 | Changes We're Noticing as We Get Older

04:44 | What Actually Is Perimenopause?

09:18 | Symptoms Nobody Warned Us About

11:07 | Fertility and Hormone Therapy in Our 40s

14:31 | Is It Hormones or Are We Just Overstimulated?

15:53 | What Can We Do to Feel Better?

23:09 | Wellness Trend Report Card

Mira Hormone Monitor

Monika shares her experience using Mira, an at-home hormone tracking system that measures certain hormone levels across the menstrual cycle.

Learn More About Mira

What's one symptom or change nobody warned you about? We'd love to hear your experience!

Have a story, experience, or perspective you'd love to share? Come join the conversation.

🎙️ Be a Guest: Share Your Story

💌 Get in Touch: [email protected]

📱 Follow Along: Instagram

🎧 Listen & Watch:

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This episode shares our personal experiences and perspectives and is not intended as medical advice. Symptoms can have different causes, and everyone's experience is different. Talk with a qualified healthcare professional about concerns, testing, or treatment options.

Women Like Us: Lately

Real conversations about being a woman, lately.

Hosted by Val & Monika.

Are you the type to celebrate your entire birthday month, or would you rather pretend your birthday doesn't exist?

Apparently, we have VERY different opinions on this one. 😂

In this episode, we're talking birthdays, getting older, and all the expectations that come with celebrating another year. Monika is getting ready for the big 4-0 and planning a celebration to match, while Val would happily skip the birthday attention altogether.

We get into milestone birthdays, why some of us love being celebrated while others find it uncomfortable, and how our perspectives on aging change over time. We also talk about finding more confidence as we get older and learning to appreciate the stage of life we're in.

Plus, our Wellness Trend Report Card is back! We're grading milestone birthday trips and the idea of celebrating your entire birthday month.

We want to know: Are you a birthday lover or a birthday hater? Has that changed as you've gotten older? ❤️

00:00 | Welcome! Let's Talk Birthdays

01:17 | Monika's Birthday Month Tradition

02:22 | Why Val Isn't Big on Birthdays

03:32 | Feeling Uncomfortable With Birthday Attention

05:18 | Turning 40 and Planning a Big Celebration

06:29 | Monika's Birthday Party Vision

08:28 | How Motherhood Changes Celebrations

09:33 | Val's Thoughts on Turning 40

10:34 | Finding Confidence and Embracing Aging

12:22 | Preparing for 40 and Beauty Treatments

13:47 | Family Traditions and Celebrating Life

15:43 | Wellness Trend Report Card

16:35 | Grading Milestone Birthday Trips

17:20 | Birthday Month: One Day or All 30?

18:00 | Final Thoughts and Listener Question

Have a story, experience, or perspective you'd love to share? We'd love to hear from you!

🎙️ Be a Guest: Share Your Story

💌 Get in Touch: [email protected]

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🎧 Listen & Watch:

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Women Like Us: Lately

Real conversations about being a woman, lately.

Hosted by Val & Monika.

Two moms, two very different stages of motherhood, and somehow, a lot of the same experiences.

In this episode, we're talking about motherhood lately. From Val's moment of panic over a frozen location tracker and a dead phone to Monika navigating a toddler meltdown over shower time, we start with some pretty relatable mom moments.

We get into what motherhood looks like in our different seasons, how our priorities and identities have changed, and the things we never really thought about before becoming moms. We talk about mom guilt, comparison, learning to trust ourselves, and the pressure to somehow find balance in all of it.

We also introduce our Wellness Trend Report Card, where we take on screen-time guilt and question some of the expectations we put on ourselves as parents.

Whether you're in the thick of toddlerhood, watching your kids become young adults, or somewhere in between, we hope there's something in this conversation you can relate to.

00:00 | Welcome! Let's Talk Motherhood

00:42 | Val's Location Tracker Panic

04:45 | Monika's Toddler Shower Meltdown

05:56 | Describing Our Current Season in Three Words

07:22 | Raising Teens and Learning to Be Present

09:29 | Sibling Age Gaps

10:51 | The Wonder (and Chaos) of Toddlerhood

12:56 | Raising Boys vs. Girls and Cultural Expectations

16:13 | What We Expected Before Becoming Moms

16:46 | Val's Early Stay-at-Home Mom Years

20:47 | Monika's Vision of Motherhood

22:03 | Intentional Parenting and the "Crunchy Mom" Conversation

23:43 | How Motherhood Changes Our Priorities

24:41 | Different Seasons, Different Priorities

27:00 | Putting Everyone Else First

28:46 | Learning to Trust Your Parenting Instincts

30:08 | Appreciating the Toddler Years

32:58 | Identity Beyond Motherhood

34:11 | School Decisions and Mom Guilt

36:36 | Is Balance Even Real?

39:13 | The Parenting Comparison Trap

42:35 | Breaking Patterns From Our Own Childhoods

45:49 | Building Confidence in Our Own Decisions

47:42 | Introducing the Wellness Trend Report Card

48:31 | Grading Screen-Time Guilt

54:09 | Our Final Thoughts on Motherhood

Have a story, experience, or perspective you'd love to share? We'd love to hear from you!

🎙️ Be a Guest: Share Your Story

💌 Get in Touch: [email protected]

📱 Follow Along: Instagram

🎧 Listen & Watch:

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Women Like Us: Lately

Real conversations about being a woman, lately.

Hosted by Val & Monika.