We have some goodies today. We have a quiz and an upcoming workshop by who added in some great tips to this post. (See below if you are curious and need to see it now). Also, I did not intend this to be so long, so if you are reading this in your email click here so you can see the whole article.

But, before we get into the symptoms of menopause and how they may be misleading, I wanted to thank some new faces for subscribing. I honestly thought that if I stopped podcasting for a while I’d lose subscribers, but that hasn’t happened. I am delighted, to welcome:

, , , . Welcome, glad to have you here.

If you are new here, welcome in and I do hope you too will subscribe.

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When we were leaving Chowchilla bound for Sacramento, (where I am writing this from) Zazu was not at all happy riding on the couch in the salon (fancy word for living room). When his sister Jagster was still with us, they would curl up together and travel days were usually uneventful. This time was different. He just would not stop meowing.

Then it hit me. Since Jagster passed, Zazu has slept in a box right next to me. I wondered if maybe he simply did not want to be alone while I was driving. So I moved his box into the cockpit (fancy word for the front) and placed him between our seats. Problem solved!

It also occurred to me that there was a lesson in that moment. Sometimes the answers are right there, uncomplicated. We just need to pay attention and understand what the message is. Whether it is a pet, a friend, spouse, child or even our own body, the clues are often right in front of us. We just have to tune in and listen. and that had me thinking about this week’s post and the symptoms of menopause. In fact, I put a little quiz together for you.

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Take the Quiz and the Challenge

I have a quick little quiz for you today. Really simple. Answer Yes or No to each question. For each yes, give yourself 1 point. The last two if answering “yes” add 2 points. See your results below.

Your Results

0–5 Points Hydration Hero 💧

You appear to be fairly well hydrated. While some symptoms may have other causes, dehydration is less likely to be a major contributor. Keep up the good work and continue paying attention to both hydration and water quality.

6–10 Points Running Low 🚰

Mild dehydration may be contributing to some of your menopause symptoms. Fatigue, headaches, brain fog, and afternoon energy crashes are common signs that your body may be asking for more water. Consider increasing your water intake for the next seven days and see what changes.

11–16 Points The Raisin Zone 🍇

Your body may be sending several signals that hydration needs attention. Before assuming every symptom is related to hormones, aging, stress, dry skin, mood changes, hot flashes, or even constipation, consider increasing your water intake and monitoring changes over the next week. You may be surprised by how much better you feel when your cells are no longer operating in raisin mode.

17–24 Points Official Desert Cactus Status 🌵

Your score suggests dehydration could be playing a significant role in how you’re feeling, especially if you tend to run on the hot side, experience hot flashes, headaches, low grade aches in your neck or head, low energy, and urine that ranges from dark amber to brownish in color. At this point, you may be feeling downright blah, more irritable or short-tempered than usual, and simply not at your best.

So, how did you score?

• Hydration Hero 💧

• Running Low 🚰

• The Raisin Zone 🍇

• Official Desert Cactus Status 🌵

  Leave a comment

Leave your score in the comments. I’m genuinely curious. And believe me, no judgment. I have days where I go from The Raisin Zone 🍇 to Official Desert Cactus Status🌵 complete with a bowel spasm, because apparently I could not bring my water bottle to my lips. Makes no sense, I know, I should no better! Just proves I am human.

I am not disputing that menopause is real, and I am most certainly not disputing the symptoms that can come with it or what you are experiencing. What I am questioning is how many of those symptoms, or the intensity of those symptoms, are automatically just a part of menopause.

What if some of the symptoms you’ve been led to believe are menopause are actually being amplified by something as simple as not drinking enough water?

Some of the symptoms women often attribute to menopause, including fatigue, brain fog, forgetfulness, poor focus, low energy, constipation, headaches, dry skin, and even hot flashes, can sometimes be aggravated by something much simpler. And that is dehydration.

Water carries nutrients to our cells and helps transport cellular waste out. It regulates temperature, which becomes especially helpful during and beyond menopause. It keeps brain tissue hydrated so messages can travel efficiently throughout the body. Because it helps deliver nutrients to our cells, it also supports healthy energy production. In fact, if you completed the hydration quiz earlier, you may remember that even mild dehydration can affect energy, concentration, mood, digestion, and temperature regulation long before you feel thirsty.

As I was editing my book, Go With Your Gut Beyond Menopause, I was working on shortening the water section based on feedback from my beta readers. After spending time in 100-degree weather in Chowchilla, California, this past week, the timing felt almost like universal alignment. As I worked through the chapter, I realized I was experiencing many of the very symptoms I had just been writing about. So, I thought, I need to share this.

In my book, I share two stories. The first is about a client who had reached out to me about her mum. Her mum was struggling with low energy and constant brain fog. I asked about her typical daily meals so I could get a sense of possible nutrient deficiencies, what she drank throughout the day to determine if caffeine was a problem, how often she had bowel movements, how much water she was consuming, and whether she was taking any medications. She was not taking any medications.

It turned out her mum had two 16-ounce cups of coffee with sugar and cream in the morning, followed by 16-ounce cups of black tea throughout the day. Her diet was typical refined foods, lacking fresh vegetables and fruits. I noticed something was missing right away. I asked if she drank any water, she admitted she didn’t.

Talking more to her mum she shared she had one bowel movement every couple of days, was taking drops for dry eyes, and energy drops in the afternoon.

I suggested swapping out some of the tea for water throughout the day and making a few food upgrades. Knowing she was 88 years young, I figured giving up her coffee was probably off the table, although maybe getting it down to one cup a day could be a start. But the water was the most important thing to do.

After a polite “thanks for your time,” I didn’t hear from them again. The family seemed unconvinced that water alone could make such a difference. I did not have the magic potion or the magic pill to “cure” her.

Now, while that may seem like a lost cause, there is another side to the story. A week later, I was giving an introductory presentation at a corporate lunch and learn. In the very first session, I emphasized the importance of water, proper sleep, and upgrading food choices. At the end, I left participants with three tasks they could choose from, adding an extra hour of sleep, incorporating breakfast, or increasing their water intake.

The water option could be as simple as swapping other drinks for water or going all in by drinking half their body weight in ounces of water daily.

When I returned a week later to see how they fared, the ones who chose the water challenge were amazed by the difference. Many reported that the brain fog was gone. They had more energy. They could focus better. Some even noticed an improvement in their skin. All from drinking more water.

It made me wonder how much the low energy and the chronic symptoms of that 88-year-young lady might have improved if her family had just tried water for one week. Perhaps it could have been the most inexpensive potion ever tried.

I’m curious. How much water did you drink yesterday? How much water do you typically drink in a day? Are you thinking about upping your water?

I would like to share the same challenge with you that I shared in my corporate lunch and learn lecture series. All it takes is 7 days and a willingness to drink more water. That is it. Are you in?

Share

💧Water Challenge Are you in?💦

For the next 7 days, drink half your body weight in ounces of water.

Let’s take the example of a 150-pound sager.

150 lbs ➗ 2 = 75 ounces per day.

That is approximately:

9 (and a bit) eight-ounce glasses of water a day

or

3 (and a bit) 24-ounce water bottles a day.

Now take your own weight in pounds:

__________ ➗ 2 = __________ ounces of water per day you will need for this challenge.

And if you committed to drinking half your body weight in ounces for the next seven days, what do you think might change?

• Your energy?

• Your focus?

• Your digestion?

• Your hot flashes?

• Your mood?

• Perhaps nothing? (why not challenge yourself and see if nothing does).

• Or perhaps more than you expect.

There is more in the chapter in my book about how to combat caffeine, how to keep your water intake up, and the types of water to drink. And as much as I wanted to add the caffeine piece here, I wanted to keep this to a challenge, not a class lesson.

Even if you consume more than 4 to 6 ounces of caffeine per day, taking on this water challenge may pleasantly surprise you. You may just find some of your symptoms may lessen. But I will add this one piece.

Did you know that drinking water may also support healthier cholesterol levels?

In the book Your Body’s Many Cries for Water, Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj explains how chronic dehydration may contribute to many health issues, including high cholesterol. According to Batmanghelidj,

“when the body is dehydrated, it produces more cholesterol to prevent water loss from cell membranes.”

The liver creates more cholesterol to plug up the leaking cells’ holes. Whoa!

Karen I do not like the taste of water!

I hear this a lot. And it is honestly a whole other article from the type of water, filters to the unconscious emotions connected to water. I will save that for another day.

As I was putting together this hydration challenge, I found myself thinking about ways to make water more appealing for those of us who simply don’t enjoy drinking it.

We can add cucumbers, mint, berries or other fruit to the water, but I am sure there are also natural ways to hydrate that may make the drinking process even easier while nourishing our cells.

That’s when I reached out to better known as Raw Milk Mama.

Raw Milk Mama

True stories about American agriculture and our food system with an emphasis on how we can create food security for our households and communities.

By Liz Reitzig

I first met Liz through my cohost, , during one of our weekly Wednesdays live Label to Table discussions. We were talking about the differences between regenerative and organic farming, and I was immediately impressed by her depth of knowledge.

Liz is the author of the publication Raw Milk Mama and the book of the same name. She is also a food and farming policy analyst, entrepreneur, permaculture gardener, educator, and passionate advocate for real food. If there is one thing Liz understands, it’s the connection between what we consume and how it impacts our health. I will just add this here, she has a live workshop this Thursday. You can get more information by going here.

Since hydration was top of mind while working on this post, I asked Liz for some practical tips on how to stay properly hydrated and, perhaps more importantly, how to make water taste better for those of us who struggle with plain water. And, here is something interesting, did you know that if you are drinking nutrient rich water, you will actually enjoy drinking water?

Staying Hydrated: Tips from Raw Milk Mama

One of the first things Liz pointed out that I so agree with is that she doesn’t actually recommend drinking plain water to stay hydrated. According to Liz, proper hydration is about much more than H₂O. It involves maintaining a healthy balance of electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium, along with trace minerals and healthy fats. Liz says,

“We need sodium, magnesium, and potassium to help move water into the cells where it is needed,” she explained. “Without adequate electrolytes, simply drinking more water may not provide the hydration you’re looking for.”

Liz also encourages looking beyond water itself and asking a few questions which just so happen to be in the water quiz you just took:

• Is your skin dry?

• Are your lips chapped?

• Are you constantly thirsty?

• Do you struggle with constipation?

While dehydration may play a role, she notes that other factors can contribute to dryness, including inadequate healthy fats, excessive caffeine or alcohol consumption, and diets high in sugar. Liz believes that high sugar intake, in particular, may deplete magnesium, an important mineral involved in electrolyte balance.

If dryness is an ongoing issue, Liz recommends considering moistening herbs such as marshmallow root and others. If all of this sounds complicated, Liz assures us it doesn’t have to be.

Her favorite ways to support hydration include:

• Adding ½ to 1 teaspoon of (Celtic) sea salt (not iodized table salt) to a pint of water and sipping it throughout the day.

• Squeezing half a fresh lemon or lime into water and adding a pinch of Celtic sea salt.

• Adding fresh lemon balm leaves (Melissa officinalis) to water for a refreshing herbal infusion.

• Drinking mineral rich herbal infusions throughout the day.

Here are three of her favorite summer hydration blends:

Vitamin C Blast

• 1 part hibiscus flowers

• 1 part dried orange peel

• 1 part elderberries

• ½ part fennel seed

Pour boiling water over the herbs and steep for at least 20 minutes. Reuse the herbs until the tea becomes weak. This blend provides vitamin C, antioxidants, and a refreshing summer flavor.

Remineralizing Tea

• 2 parts stinging nettle leaf

• 1 part horsetail herb

• ½ part rosehips

Nettle is known for its rich nutrient content, while horsetail provides minerals, particularly silica. The vitamin C in rose hips helps support mineral absorption.

Marshmallow Root Tea

• 1 tablespoon marshmallow root

• 1 pint boiling water

Steep for 1 to 2 hours. Dilute to your preferred strength and sip throughout the day.

And of course, Liz couldn’t resist adding one final thought: “there’s always good ol’ raw milk which is deeply nourishing and hydrating—remember, this is the only thing that babies get and they are plump and moist.”

I love Liz’s ideas. Be sure to check with your physician before consuming herbs.

As I work through the water chapter of my upcoming book, I keep coming back to one realization, we often search for answers in complicated places when the body may be asking for something surprisingly simple.

Our symptoms are one way the body communicates with us. Sometimes it’s asking for some support. Perhaps, today, your body is asking for a little more water. The question is, are we listening?

Thanks for reading. What are your thoughts?

Leave a comment

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Have a great week,

Karen

Welcome in fascinating sagers.

Before we get into sex during menopause and beyond, we have launched! Our coach made it all the way to California. I got in some harrowing 4 and 6% grade mountain driving experience. And I can say undoubtedly and with confidence I do NOT like mountain driving! I was absolutely terrified. However, I do not give in to fear. So, as much as I was terrified I had to do it. And, like everything in life, it is scary at first. Keep at it and it gets easier.

Just as I was about to pull over on the side of the road (well if I ever got off the miles of down hill), cry, and give in, I was rewarded with this beautiful scene (excuse the bug guts on the side there). Suddenly, it all felt worth it.

There was something poetic about it too. As Sir Edmund Hillary put it so elgantley

“it’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.”

Sometimes the things that terrify us most are the very things we need to move through to discover what is waiting on the other side. Right, so on to today’s subject of another kind of conquering.

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Myth #4: Menopause Is the End of Sex

Let’s tackle this head-on. Menopause and beyond does not mean the end of your sex life. So let out that breath of relief, but there are some things to think about, which I did not think about. I jumped right into mattress mambo without a clue.

The first time I had sex after menopause, the bloody pain involved had me thinking, Well, I am not doing that again! I felt like a virgin!

Instead of spooning and basking in the afterglow, I pulled myself up in bed with an ice pack between my legs and my laptop balanced on my lap, frantically disappearing down Alice’s rabbit hole looking for answers. Surely somebody forgot to include this chapter in the menopause handbook.

It was a whole different experience. The feelings, the sensations, they were all different. Why didn’t I know this beforehand?

It left me needing answers. Are we even supposed to be having sex? And, on top of that, sex is not something I think about nearly as often as I did in my 40s. Was this tied to libido? Hormones? Aging? What exactly was going on?

Yes, hormonal changes can affect libido, cause vaginal dryness, and impact comfort during sex. But these challenges can be managed with the right strategies. In fact, many women find that their sexual relationships improve after menopause, freed from the fear of pregnancy and with more time to focus on intimacy. Well, at least that is what the experts say. 

And let’s not forget the added bonus. If you’re finally an empty nester, you can explore that special drawer of goodies without the risk of kids barging in at the worst possible moment (true story for another day). 

So go ahead, embrace your 50s and beyond. This chapter of life might just be your best one yet.

But it’s still important to practice safe sex, especially if you’re not with the same long-term partner. Protection against STDs is crucial, regardless of age. With the right mindset, some natural lubricants, and proper precautions, your sex life can continue to be fulfilling and enjoyable.

As I have been editing my book, I have also been reaching out on Substack to see what others are writing about menopause and beyond. I came across author Dr. ’s article, The Female Body Was Not Designed for the Sex Most Women Are Having After 35.

The Female Edge

The Female Body Was Not Designed for the Sex Most Women Are Having After 35

She is 39. She has been told her libido is low. Her gynecologist suggested testosterone. Her therapist recommended stress reduction. Her partner takes it personally…

Read more

a month ago · 12834 likes · 82 comments · Sara Szal MD

She goes in depth about how the female anatomy was not even fully mapped until the 1990s. No wonder both sexes are so confused!

The part that stuck out for me in her article was the timing aspect. When it came to sex in our younger years, it was often fast, furious, and satisfying. Why didn’t anyone tell us that as we transition through menopause, that mattress mambo is going to take a little longer to reach the same hot, sweaty goal?

And who would have thought that foreplay in our twenties was actually practice for after menopause?

Szal notes that as estrogen declines, the arousal process becomes more time intensive. Engorgement may take longer, lubrication may require more sustained stimulation, and the amount of time needed for full female arousal does not decrease with age. For many women, it actually increases. She also points out that declining progesterone can disrupt sleep and stress recovery, making it more difficult for the nervous system to enter the relaxed state necessary for arousal.

While orgasm remains possible throughout life, some women may notice changes in intensity due to reduced pelvic floor muscle tone and changes in uterine contractions during climax. However, Szal emphasizes an encouraging finding: women who understand their anatomy, communicate their needs, and allow adequate time for arousal often report greater sexual satisfaction in their 50s and 60s than they did when they were younger.

One of her most important observations is that many women diagnosed with “low libido” may actually be experiencing a lack of education, inadequate arousal time, fatigue, stress, or partners who simply do not understand female sexual physiology. The issue is not necessarily a failing female body. Rather, it may reflect decades of incomplete sexual education and misunderstanding about how female pleasure works.

Her message is ultimately hopeful. The orgasm gap is not inevitable. Knowledge, communication, adequate stimulation, and sufficient time can dramatically improve sexual satisfaction. Women were rarely taught these realities, many healthcare providers received limited education on the topic, and male partners often know even less. Understanding how the female body changes after 40 can help women advocate for what they need and continue enjoying a satisfying and connected sex life for decades to come.

After reading ’s article, it left me thinking, OK, great. Not only are we trying to understand what the heck is going on with our own bodies, now we somehow have to educate our partners on this new stage of life?

It left me wondering why the female body has to be so complicated. How are we supposed to educate our male partners when we are still trying to figure it out ourselves? And then something occurred to me.

Why are men subscribing to my publication?

I know I have had a handful of men subscribe to my publication. At first, I could not understand why. It was not until I was in a group for women who write about menopause and came across a discussion about men subscribing to women’s menopause publications that it hit me.

These men are more than likely a brother, a friend, a husband, or a partner trying to understand why someone they love has suddenly changed. And it got me thinking.

Why are there not more male support groups or men’s groups talking about this?

Honestly, I wanted to start a third publication just for men, but I simply do not have the bandwidth. Then I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my article from last week The Commercialized Fear of Menopause Symptoms landed in ’s publication, The Quiet Transition, The Midlife Brief. I was honored, but even more than that, I was intrigued.

The Quiet Transition

The Midlife Brief

Read more

10 days ago · 5 likes · 5 comments · Simon Salt

Who is this person? What is he about?

Men navigating relationships in midlife.

It turns out Simon Salt is an internationally published writer, certified menopause coach, and member of the International Menopause Society. He writes specifically for men navigating relationships in midlife.

I was shocked, dumbfounded, and suddenly felt a ray of sunlight land on my shoulders as angels sang from the heavens in one of those absurdly profound moments like the series “Touched by an Angel”.

Finally, there is someone out there helping partners navigate midlife.

In one article, When Menopause Affects You Too (And You Don’t Expect That), Simon references a MATE survey showing that a large majority of men who noticed their female partner’s menopause symptoms also reported being affected by them. Most said these symptoms negatively affected themselves, their partners, and their relationships.

These men had gone from noticing symptoms in their partners to noticing the effects of those symptoms on their own lives. This is often the moment men realize that menopause is not only something their partner is experiencing. It impacts them as well.

So I wanted to include ’s information for the men who follow me and for the women who wish their male partners understood more about the transition and them going through it.

Simon offers quick mini sessions in podcast form as well as longer articles. I am genuinely happy to know that Simon is available to help people navigate this thing called midlife from both sides of the relationship.

And it brings me back to sex

Perhaps sex would be easier if our partners understood more about what our bodies were going through. And I wonder if and should get together?

Suzzane is

...64 and having sex (mainly) on Sunday afternoons with a man she’s in a casual relationship with.

As she puts it..

“Shocking, right? A woman my age? Still having sex!? And with someone she’s not married to?”

Sex Advice for Seniors

Sex After 60: My Scandalously Satisfying Sunday Ritual

My sex life has apparently become tabloid-worthy. Why? Because I’m 64 and I have sex (mainly) on Sunday afternoons with a man I’m in a casual relationship with. Shocking, right? A woman my age? Still having sex!? And with someone she’s not married to? And yet, when I tell people working in the media about my setup, once the interview is over and they are off the clock, the most frequent comment I receive is, ‘Sounds ideal. I wish I could find this type of arrangement…

Read more

10 months ago · 30 likes · 3 comments · Suzanne Noble

is a podcaster, advocate for sexual pleasure in later life, and host of her publication Sex Advice for Seniors. She has a firecracker personality and wonderful articles on sex and toys and tons of books on the subject.

OK, so I had a little fun there. I do not think they should get together -get together, but it would make for an interesting podcast. Don’t you think?

Taken together, explains the biology, helps partners understand the journey, and reminds us that sex and pleasure does not retire when we do. If you ask me, that’s a pretty impressive threesome of perspectives.

So, what is the real myth?

Maybe the real myth is not that menopause is the end of sex. Maybe the real myth is that menopause is something women have to navigate alone.

The more I researched this chapter, the more I realized that sex after menopause is not simply about hormones, lubricants, or figuring out why things suddenly feel different. It is also about communication, education, and having partners who understand what is happening.

For years, women have been expected to figure this out on their own. At the same time, many men have been left standing on the sidelines with little information and no roadmap. They notice changes, but often do not understand why those changes are happening.

Perhaps that is why I was so excited to discover people like Simon who are helping partners understand this stage of life. Because menopause does not happen to one person. It touches relationships, marriages, intimacy, and connection.

I am also excited Suzanne brings something equally important to the conversation: confidence. Through her writing, podcasting, and advocacy, she helps normalize the idea that sexual pleasure, intimacy, and desire do not disappear with age.  Suzanne’s work encourages women to embrace this stage of life without shame, communicate openly about their needs, and recognize that pleasure remains available well beyond midlife. 

And maybe that is the biggest takeaway from all of this. The goal is not to get back to the sex you had at 25. The goal is to understand the body you have now. To learn what works. To communicate what you need. To give yourself permission to take more time.

And perhaps most importantly, to invite your partner into the conversation instead of expecting them to read your mind. This is something I have been guilty of.

So, you see, menopause is not the end of sex. That is totally a myth. It is simply the beginning of learning a new version of it.

And who knows? With a little education, a little patience, and perhaps that special drawer of goodies, this chapter may end up being far more interesting than the last one. What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts.

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I am going to be on a bit of Karen rant about menopause hormone optimization. Well, that and a little bit more.

With My home towed away due to careless techs, I am soothing my soul at a Boujee coffeeshop in Vancouver Washington while I write this. I would love to say I am taking some time to explore, I am not. I started a course on fixing up my publication, working with clients and looking after Zazu who has become a full time job. Hyperthyroidism is no joke. Typically at night I work on a course, however, I have added in researching skin cancer. My daughter was diagnosed with this terrible infliction and I am trying to wrap my head around how a healthy 31 year old has skin cancer. And, it comes back to the same thing whether it is hormonal imbalances, a condition or disease, we must look at the digestive process. So, needless to say it has been busy. But this week, it’s all about what the industry is doing to create fear about a natural transition.

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I have a point I would like to back up with what is truly happening.

While editing my book Go With Your Gut Beyond Menopause, I was looking to back up a point I was making. I came across a couple of articles and studies that were perfect and truly affirmed what I have been thinking for a long time. Perimenopause and menopause are being exploited. That we can no longer trust our own body unless we have menopause hormone optimization. These findings helped validate exactly why I am writing this book. And I am not alone.

According to a May 2026 Forbes article the menopause industry is expanding rapidly as new products, telehealth and wellness brands target midlife women. Growing commercialization is raising questions about trust, incentives and influence.

I think it’s fantastic that there is more awareness on the subject, but it comes at a cost. What is even more fascinating is that this isn’t just happening here in the USA, it is occurring worldwide.

So, what’s happening? Do we really need menopause hormone optimization?

We are being led to believe that menopause is a crisis and the only way through is with menopause hormone optimization. We are told our bodies are failing us, that we cannot trust our inner wisdom, and that we need a “solution.” And these solutions must come in a bottle, a subscription box, or a specialized clinic. The noise is only going to get worse, with a global market projected to reach $24.4 billion by 2030.

As much as I appreciate the awareness, it unfortunately brings exploitation. The very “communities” we turn to claiming to support us, are often fronts for commercial machines designed to make us feel vulnerable so we will open our wallets.

When we were young menstruating women, websites popped up that influenced “girl power” while manipulating us into believing there was only one kind of pad or tampon to use. Unfortunately one full of toxins and bleaching chemicals. It is just one vicious cycle.

These false supportive communities, led by big companies, are blurring the lines between perimenopause and menopause, turning a natural, decades-long transition into a permanent state of emergency. I truly believe my mother’s generation were the lucky ones. They did not have the peer pressure we face today. I am terrified for the generation going through perimenopause right now, and for the sisters behind them.

But here is a little secret I will let you in on, your body knows what to do naturally. That’s it. It’s that simple. But please read on.

Your body does not need fixing or tinkering.

Our bodies are not machines that have stopped working, they are conscious, living, soul-divine collectives ready for the next stage of life. And menopause is an evolution, a rite of passage, and a natural part of a woman’s transition into her next journey.

The so-called “symptoms” of perimenopause and menopause we are told to fear are often just signals of change. The real danger I fear is trusting a stranger, a celebrity, or an influencer on social media, or a commercial entity over your own intuition. That keeps me up at night because the fear I have is real.

Have you seen the April 2026 Amy Schumer commercial for the Midi Health campaign? In the video, titled ‘Midlife Back in Session,’ Schumer, sporting her new GLP-1-transformed body, wears a gym-class outfit, acting as a health and education teacher. The scene is set in a classroom with the teacher at the front and the word ‘menopause’ written on the chalkboard.

She begins by discussing menopause when one student tries to leave, claiming her perimenopause means she is in the ‘wrong class.’ Schumer tells her to sit down, insisting she is in the right class. This moment intentionally lumps perimenopause with menopause, a normalization that is becoming increasingly accepted. I tried to find the full video on YouTube, but the version available there is edited and missing the scene being streamed between shows.

Any way, Schumer partnered with the virtual healthcare provider not only as the face of the campaign but also as an investor and a patient, citing her own positive experience as motivation. However, in an US Magazine article, she confessed after trying GLP-1 medication through MIDI and the side effects were not “livable” for her she “immediately invested because she “knew everyone was going to try it.”

This commercial made me see red. I was angry (apparently a menopause symptom!) followed by such sadness (another symptom) because of how we are being duped (not a symptom).

Seriously, do we really want to trust a celebrity who could not tolerate a drug but invested in the company becasue she could bank on profits? It affirmed that we need to question the norm. We need to trust our gut and go beyond what is being presented.

Everything related to women’s health, we need to question the funding of the research. Who is behind the product or service? What is their agenda? Because we are being targeted. And I am sure in time, Andropause (men’s menopause) will become the next segment—mark my words.

Look at the current trend with semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist weight loss drug. It has exploited and shamed weight issues through social media influencers and celebrities. Jimmy Kimmel, hosting the 95th Academy Awards, looked out at the audience filled with Hollywood stars and said:

Everybody looks so great. When I look around this room, I can’t help but wonder, ‘Is Ozempic right for me?’

Now, the peer pressure to be skinny is in full force, despite lawsuits over lost gallbladders, failing bowels, and permanent damage. I wonder how many lawsuits will it take before we start questioning what is being done to us to alter our natural rite of passage?

Let me back this up with a groundbreaking 2025 open-access study published in Health Promotion International, titled “It’s all about the money.” Australian women’s perspectives about menopause and the commercial determinants of health” This study exposes the dark underbelly of the modern menopause movement. Researchers surveyed Australian women and found that the surge in “solutions” is driven not by health needs, but by a $24.4 billion commercial collective.

The study revealed how the industry uses public narratives, celebrities, and social media influencers to shape policy and behavior. This affirms that the narrative isn’t organic. It is engineered. They aren’t just selling products, they are selling a mindset of fear actively framing menopause as a crisis to drive sales and disempower women from trusting their gut and wisdom.

This is not just in Australia. This is a North American ‘dis-ease’ too. Marketing campaigns are taking normal biological symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats, and linking them to purchasable solutions. Women are being subliminally taught not to trust their bodies, to believe they are incapable of self-regulation without pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, or commercial intervention. You are no longer transitioning, you are breaking down… dissolving… melting like the wicked witch of the west.

These companies are using content creators and celebrities to bypass medical skepticism. If a doctor says “wait and see,” an influencer says “take this now.” If you look at Midid Health’s YouTube page, it is filled with “clinical expert” influencer videos.

They show you that side effects are normal while taking HRT, use articles to exploit fear, and then praise the company for finding a “natural menopause expert” who can help, often debunking the black box warning that hormones cause breast cancer. The company then sells GLP-1 plans, hormones, supplements, and other medications as the solution to your manufactured fears. All the while, they soothe your financial anxiety by securing insurance coverage, removing the last barrier to your wallet.

Going back to the Australian Journal, …this erodes trust in evidence-based medicine”. Influencers are often unregulated  and paid to push specific brands, yet they are viewed as “peers” or “experts.” It makes me wonder, why are we allowing a stranger or a celebrity with a sponsorship deal, to dictate our health choices?

We should be questioning menopause events, charities, and awareness campaigns and asking fundamental questions. Who is funding them? Is this not more subliminal manipulation?

Is it a conflict of interest disguised as advocacy? Is the narrative curated to highlight the need for their products while downplaying lifestyle changes or the natural timeline?

Is it an opportunity to spread fear? To really root the solution in their pockets? Are these companies blurring the lines between perimenopause and menopause to create a long-term client base? 

I believe so. Think about it, by treating a 5–10 year transition as a permanent condition, these companies ensure a lifetime of recurring revenue.

In one of my Label to Tables episodes with my co-host she brought up a shocking point. It is not just the 5–10 year transition. This exploitation is happening to young girls before they start menstruating. They are groomed during their reproductive years to take medications to control their periods, acne, and moods. I added that they are then forced into infertility treatments to have a child because of the side effects of their medications and toxins from their products.

It is downright despicable that these companies can turn all-natural seasons of life into a permanent medical emergency all the while raking in billions.

The $24.4 billion market size has forced governments to finally look at menopause, though the Australian study suggests women are viewing it through a commercial lens. The positive is that we are talking. The negative (sad) is that we are talking only about what we need to buy or have prescribed.

By outsourcing health decisions to influencers, celebrities and “market solutions,” women stop listening to their own bodies. I fear that women might ignore their body’s natural rhythm because an app, supplement, or medical advertisement told her it’s abnormal. Worse, women in vulnerable transitions are being financially drained by products that may not be necessary or evidence-based.

The agenda is clear. And that is to erode women’s trust in their natural ability to adapt. That $24.4 billion figure isn’t just a market projection, it is a measure of fear successfully monetized. The way I see it is women are being subliminally squeezed into a generic mold that fits neither their bodies nor their lives, leading to frustration and failed treatments.

The fact is, these products are mass-produced by design. This one-size-fits-all industry simply cannot see your individual biology, your history, or your nuance.

This affirms another reason why I am writing my book. I need to let women know what is natural. You do have control and the empowerment to trust your gut.

The menopause industry is not here to help us

Unfortunately, this isn’t a new trend; it’s an accelerating silent epidemic. The 2025 Australian study  confirms what I hope many of us women feel in our bones: The menopause industry is not here to help us. No, it is here to profit from us.

The noise is deafening. The ads are everywhere. The “experts” are loud and confusing. But beneath the $24.4 billion monster-machine that is growing faster than cancer, beneath the fear-mongering and the manufactured emergencies, there is still the truth that no amount of marketing can erase.

We have been sold a lie that our bodies are failing us, that our natural transitions are problems to be cured, and that our wisdom is insufficient without a prescription. But the 2025 study  has exposed a strategy of disempowerment. They want you to feel small so they can sell you big strategies. They want you to fear the change so you will pay for the “cure.”

The cure is in your gut. The cure is in your health history. The cure is in your food and lifestyle and nutrient deficiency. The cure is in the knowledge that your body has navigated a thousand changes before, and it will navigate this one too.

We cannot stop the industry from growing. We cannot silence the influencers. But we can stop feeding the monster. We can stop believing the narrative that there is something wrong with us and needs to be cured. We can choose, every single day, to trust the wisdom that lives inside us rather than the algorithms that live on our screens.

So, what do we do?

We can start a truth rebellion. It begins with a single question, asked every time you feel a symptom or see an ad:

“Is this my body speaking, or is this a marketing campaign?”

When you feel a hot flash, a mood swing, or a sleepless night, stop. Take a breath. Ask yourself, what is my body trying to tell me right now? Listen to the signal before you try to silence it with a product.

Go through your social media. Unfollow the “experts” who sell fear. Unfollow the influencers pushing products they are paid to promote (and play the grey). Fill your feed with women who talk about thriving, not just surviving. Seek out voices that honor the natural timeline, not those trying to rush it.

Question the norm

Every time you read an article, watch a video, or attend an event, ask:

• Who paid for this? Is this “charity” funded by a pharmaceutical giant?

• How about the “wellness summit” is is sponsored by a supplement or pharmaceutical company? Or some menopause solution company?

And above all, treat their advice with extreme skepticism. The agenda is almost always profit, not your health.

Trust Your Wisdom

When it comes to menopause hormone optimization your intuition is your most powerful diagnostic tool. If something feels off, or if a “solution” feels too good to be true, it probably is. You know your body better than any algorithm, any celebrity, and any corporate board ever could. Honor that knowledge.

Share the Truth and talk about this. Tell your sisters, your daughters, your friends. Share the story of how you stopped listening to the noise and started listening to yourself. Break the cycle of fear by replacing it with stories of resilience and natural adaptation.

You are not a customer, patient, lab-rat, statistic, line item on a $24.4 billion balance sheet. You are a powerful woman in transition. You are a force of nature. And you have the wisdom to navigate this journey on your own terms with confidence.

Your Body wants to chat, not scream

Here is the truth: The Industry yells to create fear. But your symptoms? They are just yelling to get your attention so you can listen, tune in, and give them some TLC. You see, your symptoms are your body’s way of saying: “Hey lady, I need some love here.”

If you need help translating your inner world,
I can help decode the noise.

Let’s look at what your physiology is actually telling you. Let’s identify possible nutrient deficiencies and genetic traits, your nutrition and lifestyle.  The goal isn’t to silence your body, but to help it stay balanced and bring those symptoms down to a little whisper. Just enough to remind you that you are going through this change with confidence and grace.

Now it is your turn, where have you seen fear posted about the side effects of perimenopause or menopause?

What is rubbing you the wrong way?

Where did you question the norm and trust your wisdom?

What would you like to share?

I look forward to your comments

Leave a comment

Remember my fascinating sagers, question the norm and trust your wisdom so you can confidently sage with sass and grace.

Have a great week,

~Karen

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Last week I said I would circle back to The Little Rascals. This falls under Chapter 19 What’s Left to Eat Besides Rabbit Food? In my upcoming book, that I am currently editing: Go With Your Gut Beyond Menopause.

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I chose this title for the chapter because I have heard this phrase numerous times throughout my career in holistic health. And, I actually used these words when I took the position of director of health and education in Mexico. I was fortunate enough to spend a week going through their program before I started. When I saw the menu I honestly never thought I would be full on nothing but a little protein and tons of vegetables. Like many students and patients who came after me, I ate way too much and did not poop for days! That’s what happens when your body is adjusting to a high fiber diet.

I never forgot that experience. It spills over to when I am working with clients. I see the fear of the unknown and overwhelm. Think about it, all of a sudden, the foods you were used to eating are no longer on the menu. What are you supposed to do? Start slow and let your body adjust. I do this with food changes and supplements.

So, what does this have to do with Little Rascals? Well indirectly something. Here is the excerpt from my book.

“We’ve been conditioned by decades of modern food marketing to believe that any type of food is good for us. Your body is made up of intricate chemical pathways that require specific nutrients to function properly. Your hormones are chemical messengers traveling along pathways fueled by vitamins, minerals, and fats. Your energy relies on mechanisms powered by B vitamins and magnesium. Your moods, behaviors, and ability to recall memories and think clearly are all influenced by what we feed our gut, amino acids and fats and those B vitamins.

For these processes to work optimally, you need quality foods that contain these essential nutrients in their natural state, so your digestive system can recognize them, break them down, repackage them, and send them to the liver. The liver processes these nutrients and directs them where they are needed most. The result? You feel energized, vibrant, happy, and clear-headed, with minimal to no hot flashes and the ability to remember your family members’ names, where you left your glasses, and remembering that half-and-half belongs in the fridge, not the pantry!

This is the beauty and simplicity of nutrition; food sprouting from nutrient-rich soil, teeming with enzymes and live bacteria, and animals grazing just as nature intended. I’ve got to hand it to Mother Nature, she really knows what she is doing.

Unfortunately, the modern food mess that were are in reminds me of an old classic, The Little Rascals. These mischievous kids from the 1930s were always getting into trouble, but every now and then, they stumbled onto little nuggets of wisdom hidden inside the comedy.

In the 1934 episode Anniversary Trouble, there’s a memorable scene where Spanky’s forgetful father accidentally puts his wife’s anniversary money inside a book titled How to Improve Your Memory and leaves it behind on the table while he rushes off to work. Meanwhile, Spanky hides his club’s envelope of money on a nearby shelf. When the envelopes get confused, Spanky is wrongly accused, and chaos unfolds as everyone jumps to conclusions.

Eventually, Spanky is about to be subjected to a spanking (it was the 1930s after all). Just before the punishment, Spanky secretly stuffs the book sitting on the table into his pants to cushion the blows. As the spanking begins, the father discovers the missing anniversary money hidden inside the book stuffed into Spanky’s trousers and realizes the entire mess was caused by his own forgetfulness and assumptions. Trying to save face, he secretly has Spanky pretend the punishment is still happening, unaware that Mother is watching the entire charade through the keyhole.

So the scene plays out with the father on all fours while Spanky spanks him, and with each whack, Spanky lets out a loud pretend “ow.” Just when they think they’ve fooled her, Mother sneaks in, grabs the book sitting on the kitchen counter, moves Spanky to the side, and delivers a real whack to the father’s bum, sending him stumbling headfirst into the cast iron stove. As he looks up stunned, she delivers the classic line, “You can fool some of the people some of the time…” to which Spanky quickly adds, “But you can’t fool Mom.”

For some reason, that scene has always stayed with me. And no, I didn’t watch it back in 1934, in case you’re trying to guess my age. It wasn’t until I was writing this chapter that I realized how perfectly that old Little Rascals episode mirrors our modern relationship with food. We’ve become distracted by labels, convenience, marketing, and ultra-processed ingredients, drifting further away from the most foundational truth: the body recognizes real nourishment. We try to “fake” health with processed ingredients, artificial sweeteners, nutrient-depleted substitutes, and foods engineered to imitate what nature already perfected.

Much like Spanky’s father discovering the truth but continuing the performance anyway to cover up his mistake, the modern food industry often responds to nutritional problems with more marketing, more fortification, more synthetic ingredients, and more processing rather than simply returning to real food. The performance continues, hoping consumers won’t notice what has been lost in the process.

But you simply cannot fool Mother Nature. No matter how much we alter, process, fortify, manipulate, or imitate food, the body still recognizes what came from mineral-rich soil, healthy animals grazing naturally on the land, and the nourishment Mother Nature intended all along.”

What I have learned over the years is that returning to real food is often less about nutrition and more about navigating change. The fear I hear most often from clients is not whether healthy food works. It is wondering what they are supposed to eat now that many of their old standbys are no longer serving them.

Like anything in life, a new experience is just that, a new experience. There are no fallbacks because you have never done it before. It can feel adventurous or downright scary. I always equate it to driving a car for the first time. Sitting behind the wheel can feel absolutely terrifying. There are pedals, mirrors, traffic signs, other cars, and what feels like a hundred things demanding your attention all at once.

Then something interesting happens. You practice. You gain confidence. You learn what each pedal does, how much pressure to apply, and how to anticipate what is happening around you. Before long, you are driving across town without giving it a second thought. What once felt overwhelming has become second nature.

The same thing happens when we begin choosing real food. What feels unfamiliar today eventually becomes routine. The vegetables become familiar. New recipes become favorites. Reading labels becomes easier. The fear fades, confidence grows, and one day you realize you are no longer asking, “What’s left to eat besides rabbit food?” Instead, you find yourself wondering why it ever seemed so difficult in the first place.

What is one food you could upgrade?

Instead of having sugary strawberry ice cream, I hit a Farmers market this weekend and got some fresh whipping cream and just-picked organic strawberries. I whipped up the cream in a blender, added some strawberries, blended it again. Stuck it in the freezer to firm up and then added in some fresh strawberries on top. No fillers, thickeners, sugars or whatever else.

Please share with me in the comments (here) or in the comments of the note above your favorite go-to treat or what you are switching up!

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Thank you for reading,

See you next week.

~Karen

I am not writing anything this week. Well, except for this. I was going to write about the Little Rascals..remember them? If you do, you are well through menopause. I write about a specific episode in my book. I will share that with you all next week.

This past week was hellish. We made it by Jeep to Portland following our towed coach. I did not see anything just worked on my book. Except for our daily walks downtown. Then we made it to the Tricities Washington by Jeep. Coach is still in Portland at the Cummins. The experience is both fascinating and heart wrenching at the same the time.

I am leaving my hubby and Zazu in the Tricities and making my way back to Othello to clean out my other coach on concrete and heading back to the Tricities then Portland some time this week when our coach is repaired. This one is a little tough, as I am now cleaning up and donating Jagsters toys and bedding. The final grieving moment.

To my American friends, Happy Memorial Day. Today, I honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. Their courage and sacrifice will never be forgotten. I shall take a moment at 3pm to reflect upon this since I do not have a grave to grace flowers with. And to the families who have given so much, thank you. Your strength and loss are deeply felt, and your loved ones’ legacy lives on in the freedom we cherish. Thank you.

To my Canadian and Scottish family and friends, Happy Victoria Day long weekend aka: May Two-Four weekend (Happy Birthday, Queen Victoria!).

To you all, enjoy and stay safe. See you next week!

~Karen

We have left Oregon and are slowly making our trek back to Washington, stopping at a few key sites along the way. I am writing this from a rest area somewhere in Oregon while waiting for our check-in time at an RV resort in Salem.

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Then we were off, and I thought that would be that. I was going to steal a little time away from my book and visit the Oregon State Hospital Museum of Mental Health, an institution preserving the history of institutionalization. Then off to Waldo Park, one of the world’s smallest city parks, before hopping aboard the historic Wheatland Ferry as it carries us across the Willamette River... and then back again. Why? Because it is there.

Well, just as I was about to make a left turn into the Rv park, the engine shut off. We were stuck in the center turn lane on a seriously heavy trafficked highway. I am just extremely grateful where it died especially after Ernie informed good thing that did not happen while you are going 65 miles. I don’t want to even imagine! An hour later the park manger, Tyler and Denver came up to the road and towed us to the park. A couple of hours later, the replacement for a fuel filter and we could finally enter the park. They guys were fabulous in helping us. So, I thought, hey I might as well finish my post for this week while I was waiting.

The book progression was a little slower this week. However, I wanted to share something with you because it really captures the central point of my book.

One of my former clients recently contacted me because she was entering the final stretch of coming off a couple of medications that ironically have no protocol for weaning because they are meant to be used for life.

A while ago we had reached a point where stool testing and colonoscopies showed no evidence of Crohn’s disease. However, there were still medications involved that I could not legally help her discontinue. So I searched for a functional medicine doctor in her area who could continue supporting her healing journey while slowly helping her wean off the medications safely.

Recently, a few symptoms showed up, so we ran another stool test just before her colonoscopy to make sure everything was still stable. The colonoscopy came back unremarkable, clean, no evidence of Crohn’s disease, polyps or cancer and her stool test looked incredible. That was when she realized the symptoms she was experiencing were likely side effects of one of the medications.

What I have repeatedly seen in my practice is that as the body heals and rebalances, medication side effects can sometimes become more noticeable or intense. That often prompts physicians to reevaluate dosages or discontinue certain medications altogether. That is the power of understanding what the body needs and consistently nourishing it with good quality foods.

And now... let me bring in my Zazu. I took him to a holistic veterinarian Friday past to have his kidney function evaluated. His kidney function was wonderful. In fact, there was no indication of kidney disease at all. Wow! At least I did something right.

However, he was dehydrated, likely from the stress and anxiety following the recent loss of his sister, and his gut also appears to be struggling with intestinal permeability. Most likely this developed after a couple rounds of antibiotics following a tooth extraction and then a urinary tract infection shortly afterward. And of course, there is also the possibility that for years I simply did not realize he needed more nutrient diversity in his diet.

But what this veterinarian said next sounded like lines straight out of my own conversations with clients.

“He needs real food.”

She was literally saying to me the same things I say to my own clients. I am sure the expression on my face was priceless! I was stunned but also full of regret.

Even though both of my cats have eaten raw food most of their lives, she pointed out something I had never really considered. The meat itself is still dead food. I had never thought about it that way. Not ever!

No veterinarian I had previously seen had ever suggested vegetables, raw goat cheese, yogurt, fermented cabbage, pumpkin, and squash. In fact, I had always been led to believe those foods could harm cats. And honestly... it made me think of Zaza’s sister, (my) Jagster. Perhaps if I had understood this sooner, maybe things could have been different? Maybe she too would still be here.

Ironically, the last veterinarian told me the only thing Zazu should consume was a prescription diet canned food filled with preservatives, carrageenan, thickeners, and ingredients that barely resembled actual food. As I looked at the can of emptiness assuring me that is the best for kidney disease. I…just…could…not..do..it.

What a stark contrast! This holistic veterinarian also emphasized bone broth and organ meats. She wanted Zazu eating grass! And are you ready for this? Celtic sea salt! She explained that meat should not be served without a tiny amount of mineral rich Celtic sea salt added to it. Which makes sense in hindsight, to help balance pH. But, alas, I had never consider this.

I laughed nervously explaining that I have tried making homemade cat food and bone broth before, but my cats have never exactly admired my culinary talents. She handed me a medium sized syringe, no needle attached, and simply said, “Get it into him.”

So now my cat is temporarily taking butyrate producing probiotics, butyrate itself, an antimicrobial blend, and is eating vegetables, a little raw goat cheese, yogurt, sauerkraut, organs - specifically heart and liver, and bone broth. Hmm, just like I advise with my clients (well, minus the organs and grass).

She was not particularly enthusiastic about supplements overall because she prefers her furry patients get nutrients from actual food whenever possible (a Dr after my own heart). However, in this case, she felt Zazu needed a little temporary support to help rebuild what had been depleted.

I will keep you updated on how he does. I made bone broth yesterday and am slowly introducing the other additions. The raw goat cheese? Oh my little guy is in heaven. And bone marrow? Michelin star quality food!

I am sharing this story with you because there is something bigger here. Just like our pets, especially as we sage, our nutrient reserves can begin dwindling over time. Our energy changes, aches and stiffness begin creeping in, and those little “senior moments” start showing up more often. Before long, many of us begin accepting feeling old as if it is simply part of the deal.

But what if some of that could shift?

What if foods growing from the ground and healthy animals grazing from healthy land are part of the answer to fewer wrinkles, fewer aches, better cognition, (maybe those hot flashes disappear too) and more resilience?

Would it be worth it?

What Supplements are you using for Zazu?

If you are curious, the temporary products Zazu is using include:

Designs for Health GI Microb-X, Complete Commensal Probiotic containing Akkermansia, Bifidobacteria, Faecalibacterium, and Roseburia, Anaerostipes probiotic strains, Douglas Laboratories MCT/Butyrate, and Yarrow Saccharomyces boulardii.

And if you are double curious why butyrate? I talk about this in my book as well.

When we have a good, robust, healthy microbiome, certain bacteria, when fed properly with loads of natural fiber from fruits, vegetables, and even beans and legumes, will munch on those undigested fibers and ferment them into short chain fatty acids. One of those is butyrate.

Butyrate serves as the primary fuel source for the cells lining the colon, helping strengthen the gut barrier, reducing intestinal permeability, and lowering systemic inflammation. It also promotes regulatory T cells, which help calm immune overreactions, while boosting antioxidant production that may help reduce chronic inflammation.

And if you are still on the fence, how about this... butyrate has also been linked to better blood sugar control, improved metabolism, healthier brain function, and may even help stimulate the growth of new brain cells. Researchers are also exploring its connection to hormones associated with longevity and healthier aging, potentially helping slow some aspects of age related decline. Now that sounds like something we should all be striving for, don’t you think?

How to get started?

So, what is a good way to start, especially when it may feel overwhelming? simplify it. Pick one meal, improve the ingredients, and give your body time to respond. Small consistent upgrades have a way of adding up. My tag line (and motto) is small shift, big impact.

If breakfast is toast and cereal, try swapping in eggs from pasture raised hens, real butter, berries, avocado, or steel cut oats topped with nuts and seeds along with nut milk or cow’s or goat’s milk from pasture raised animals.

And if that sounds overwhelming to do all at once, start with just one swap. Maybe real butter instead of margarine. Maybe berries instead of sugary cereal. small shifts simply have a way of becoming lasting habits with a big impact.

If you work in an office, lunch does not have to come from a vending machine, drive thru window, or sad plastic container glowing under fluorescent lights like a slowly decaying science experiment. How about a mason jar salad layered with chicken, boiled eggs, avocado, cucumbers, olives, pumpkin seeds, and olive oil dressing can be tossed into a work bag in minutes.

How about supper? Sheet pan dinners work beautifully too, especially for exhausted people. Toss vegetables and protein onto one pan, drizzle with olive oil and herbs, roast everything together, and dinner practically makes itself while you decompress from the day.

Oh and leftovers from dinner also make excellent office lunches. A container of roasted vegetables, quality protein, and rice or sweet potatoes reheats beautifully and keeps you full far longer than processed snack foods.

And if you want to make things even easier on yourself, check out my recipe section Cook, Eat, Repeat for simple, easy peasy meals. I do use the HOTLOGIC, and honestly, that is the secret. It is one of the easiest cooking tools I have ever used because the meals are practically done for you.

See you next week,

~Karen

But, Zazu had a rough week. He was constantly searching for Jaggies and had so much anxiety and fear. He would not leave his cardboard box. That became his safety zone. Even with lots of love and long head and belly rubs, he was hurting and confused. I also found myself wondering if I should have brought him with me to the vets. Would it have made difference?

I ended up using some homeopathy for his anxiety and apprehension. He was hissing at everyone (a cat that never hisses) and I could just see how lost and scared he was. I used the remedies Ignatia amara and Gelsemium sempervirens, and that really helped. Within a day, he was coming out of his box. Two days later we were able to take him outside. Good thing because we had to spend the day in the park while our coach was getting some parts (we had been waiting for) installed. By Saturday Zazu was sleeping wrapped around my head and sitting on the back of the couch looking out the window. This is our new normal.

How to test your stomach acid

I have still been working on my book edits, and it has been slow. Lots of rewrites and tightening. This last week I disappeared deep into the glamorous world of digestion, bowel transit time, stomach acid, rogue bacteria, Gremlins, pancreatic enzymes, prunes, and what officially qualifies as “a good loo experience.” In fact, it took me two full days to edit and rewrite this chapter alone.

But after working through it all, I finally feel crystal clear and excited to share what I discovered while writing it. And the secret is, many symptoms women blame on aging or menopause actually begin in the gut.

As we sage, stomach acid and digestive enzyme production can begin to slow down, affecting how we break down food and absorb nutrients. The ripple effects can show up as bloating, reflux, fatigue, brain fog, constipation, diarrhea, food sensitivities, low energy, nutrient deficiencies, and even worsening hot flashes.

Because so many digestive symptoms overlap with aging and menopause symptoms, I thought I would share two simple at-home approaches in my book that are often used to explore whether low stomach acid could be playing a role. And, I will share those with you here.

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The Baking Soda Test
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The first is the Baking Soda Test. It is a simple self-assessment done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. An empty stomach provides a cleaner baseline because it removes the uncertainty of other influences.

Baking soda reacts with stomach acid to create carbon dioxide gas. After drinking a small mixture of baking soda and water, you time how long it takes you to burp. A quicker response may suggest more adequate stomach acid levels, while little to no response may indicate low stomach acid worth exploring further.

Here is how to do it:

1. Use aluminum-free baking soda for this test. Perform the test first thing in the morning on an empty stomach before consuming any food or drinks.

2. Combine half a glass (about 4 ounces) of cold water with one-quarter teaspoon of baking soda.

3. Drink the mixture and begin timing how long it takes you to burp.

If you burp within 1 to 3 minutes, it suggests more adequate stomach acid levels.

If you burp immediately, within about 10 to 30 seconds, it may simply be due to swallowing air while drinking rather than a reaction with stomach acid.

If it takes longer than 3 to 5 minutes, or you do not burp at all, low stomach acid may be worth exploring further.

This test is not foolproof and should be considered a preliminary self-assessment rather than a definitive diagnostic tool. Results may also be skewed if you are taking acid-reducing medications such as PPIs, H2 blockers, or antacids.

Depending on your results, you may find it helpful to try both tests. In many cases, they can complement one another and provide a clearer picture of what may be happening with your stomach acid levels. One test can often help confirm or support the findings of the other, giving you more confidence in how your body is responding.

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The HCL Challenge Test
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The second test is the HCL Challenge Test using Betaine HCl capsules taken during a protein-rich meal. The idea is to gradually increase the dosage while observing how the body responds. A warming or burning sensation may suggest adequate stomach acid levels, while little to no response may point toward reduced stomach acid production.

The purpose of this test is to observe your body’s response to supplemental hydrochloric acid (HCl), which may offer insight into whether low stomach acid could be present.

Originally, this test was commonly performed using capsules containing 648 mg of Betaine HCl, though formulations today typically range higher. I have included a couple of choices for you below. One company still offers the original 648 mg dose (see below). Use a supplement containing only Betaine HCl without added digestive enzymes such as pepsin.

Here are some commonly used products for this test:

Read more

We had to say goodbye to our Jaggies after eighteen years. Eighteen years of companionship, of presence that didn’t demand attention but somehow filled every space anyway. Well, that sounds perfect however when she wanted attention, she demanded it. Like if Ernie slept in past 4 am, she would meow at him to get up. If she wanted to go outside she would sit on the bottom stair and howl until she got what she wanted. She was such a fun little thing. Her tail would whip to the side, and she would run up and down our coach as I chased her. Her favorite way to play.

She is somewhere now that I like to imagine as wide open and sunlit, with a cool breeze, chasing birds and eating grass with the same determination she carried through life.

I was so focused on bringing Zazu back to health that I didn’t see Jaggies slipping away. Zazu has always been the announcer of the household. Every feeling, every need, every opinion voiced. Jaggies was the opposite. She didn’t interrupt. She didn’t complain. Well, unless her food bowl was empty or it was 7 pm and time for me to retire to the bedroom to watch a video of some sort. She was just a big positive playful energy and yet laid back too.

I could see she was not long for this world, so I drove from Othello, Washington to Junction City, Oregon (7½ hours) so Ernie (my husband) could say goodbye. He hadn’t seen her in six weeks. Truth be told, she was more his cat than mine. From the very beginning, he picked her out of a litter of six.

I still remember the day she came into our lives. We had moved into our new home in Arizona in October 2008. By Christmas, Ernie and the kids surprised me with this tiny little kitten nestled in a padded round cushion, no bigger than the palm of my hand. I was so touched, and then immediately insisted we needed two. Marteen had already planted that seed. She knew. So we went back out to the Craig’s List lead, and I prayed there would still be kittens left. There were four.

I picked up a blond kitten, so fragile, and I knew we were meant to be. From that moment on, it was set. If Ernie and I were on the couch, Jaggies was beside him, and Zazu was beside me. Like that first little chick that hatches and imprints on the nearest moving thing. We each had our shadow. Eighteen years of that. And now it feels lopsided.

Our household is grieving now. Even Zazu. He’s tucked himself into his “safe spot” at the top corner of my side of the bed, the place he and Jaggies would go when something felt uncertain. I like to say he is quiet, but he is not. He keeps searching for her and meowing relentlessly, so he is getting lots of love and belly rubs right now.

In fact, as I am writing this, he is in his cardboard box filled with paper, his other safety zone, right next to me on the couch. Thunder is rolling in. If Jaggies were here, she would be underneath the blankets right now. She did not like thunder.

I am so grateful for the Universe, for it found us the perfect little veterinary place. It looked like a home. No harsh lights, no sterile veterinarian scent. They had prepared the room with a pink blanket laid gently over the examining table. We brought Jaggies in her cushion, the same one from all those years ago. Her place of comfort, her sunbathing throne, and her co-pilot seat on long coach drives when I was driving solo. The cushioning somehow survived all those biscuits and wool sucking. She and Zazu were weaned too early.

As much as I wanted to hold her in her final moments, I let Ernie have that honor. She was his girl. I stroked her head, just the way she loved, and whispered “I love you” into her ear as they injected her and she took her final breath. And then… she was gone.

We chose to have her cremated with her favorite cushion. It gave me some peace knowing she was wrapped in something familiar.

The last two nights have been the hardest. She did not like the cold, and I would turn the electric blanket on for her as she nuzzled next to me. That has been the hardest knowing there won’t be a cold nose nudging the blankets or her body slumped across my chest when it got too hot.

I am so grateful she was an easy going cat. Jaggie’s thank you for putting up with my antics, bopping you on the head for Little Rabit Foo Foo, for being my sunshine, for finally being apart of my cooking shows, for putting up with my less-than-stellar moods at times, for annoying me at 4 am to feed you, to sitting besides me on late night studies, and just being a cool cat. I am honoured to have been your servant.

We are missing you. I know it will get easier. I know with time it can heal all wounds, but also allow us to remember and appreciate what we had.

And there is a little comfort knowing she is stretched out on a grassy patch of heaven, bathing in the sun… exactly where she wants to be.

I hope you can forgive me that there is no update this week from my book. I am still working on it but I did take the weekend off, I just couldn’t do it.

Thank you for reading,

~Karen

Welcome in fascinating sagers. So glad to have you here. And a special thank you to and Eric Schultz for subscribing.

If you have not subscribed yet, please do. I am taking some time off to finish my book, but I will be back with more podasts and recipes.

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Well, err…. at least one phase of the book. The read through..a powerful milestone indeed! Tons of edits, corrections, strike-throughs, and more than a few moments of “Did I really write that?” followed by “Who the heck wrote that?”

And somehow I managed this with taking on two new clients. I am starting to wonder exactly what I am signaling to the Universe?

One I just simply could not say no to. Well, I did try, more directly than the other one I shared with you. But I asked “whats up?” We have worked together in the past so it was not like a fresh new one. When he shared what was going on with symptoms escalating, a colonoscopy, and talk of increasing medication, I couldn’t step away. I refuse to accept that “more medication” is the only path forward when there are still unanswered questions. Besides testing takes minutes to order and then I’m looking at 2 weeks out before the results come back. It does seem at least the Universe is allowing me some time increments. Maybe there is no such thing as really turning off?

I decided yesterday to take a little time off. I worked on my book early in the morning, then went to the Cow Path Bakery in Othello Washington because it was on my list.

I also wanted to hit the Old Hotel art museum and the Museum. Getting early to the bakery allowed me to write this post and then go have some fun. I hit the Old Hotel Art museum first. Since I was there right when they opened Jessica asked me if I just wanted to look around or a ghost tour. Well, if you know me, ghost on! I got the low down on all the haunted spots in the Hotel and who’s-who hauntings. And just as she finished, a group of people popped in.

What I loved most about this stop? It wasn’t part of the usual walk-through. Jessica took one look at me and decided I looked like someone who would enjoy it… and just like that, I was in. Honestly, how cool is that? I had a my own private ghost tour.

The Old Hotel’s rooms are filled with local artists wares. Each room is filled with local artists’ work, and depending on how far you let yourself drift, you could easily spend a couple of hours exploring every corner.

Attached to the Old Hotel is a caboose, offering a deeper look into how Othello truly took shape once the railroad tracks were laid, securing its place as an agricultural hub in history.

The Othello Community Museum was my next stop, tucked inside the original First Presbyterian Church built in 1908. As the first church in town, I got to step into the lives of the early homesteaders, long before the railroad arrived , during construction and then how it transformed Othello into what it is today.

One main shopping stop in Othello… Walmart. But tucked between the ordinary are these unexpected pockets of charm. Local cafés, good food and the anual Sand Hill Cranes Festival that really puts it on the map. Well, that and it is the head quarters for not Only Mcacain but all other manufatucters of potatoes into frenchfries. Otehllwo is the capital of the US for frenchfries. And I am not prooufly saying that either.

Othello is small, with just one main shopping stop… unfortunately, Walmart. But tucked between the ordinary are these unexpected pockets of charm. Local cafés, surprisingly good food, and the annual Sandhill Crane Festival that truly puts it on the map. Well… that, and something else.

Othello is home base for not just McCain, but several major potato processors turning out French fries on a massive scale. Yes… Othello is considered the French fry capital of the United States. And, I’m not exactly saying that with pride.

So, let me share some tidbits from my boo I edited this week.

You know that wired, anxious, can’t-settle feeling that shows up out of nowhere either as you are going through menopause or beyond? We usually blame the decline of estrogen. But maybe we need to look a little deeper.

Growing up as the oldest, I was the one who got blamed first. Something broke… it was my fault even if it was not my fault. The assumption was simple, I should have known better. No one asked what actually happened. What they missed was the context. There were times I was stepping in, breaking up chaos between my siblings, and the result looked like I caused the problem.But they did not care, they see the broken thing and that is it.

The same with hormones. Estrogen can look like the issue and I am not denying that estrogen is waning or progesterone for that matter. And when we have the symptoms like anxiety creeping in, or terrible sleep, low energy and so on, we just blame the hormones. But there is always a story behind it.

Zinc, vitamin B6, and copper are in constant interplay, influencing neurotransmitters like serotonin (feel good, alert) and dopamine (reward and calm) and even melatonin (sleep).

When zinc and B6 levels drop, which can happen with stress, digestive strain, or underlying genetic patterns, copper can rise in response. These two minerals rely on balance. When that balance shifts, you feel it. Mood becomes more reactive and sensitive, on edge- but exhausted feeling.

In more extreme cases, which I have seen in practice, the imbalance can escalate far beyond that, even into severe neurological or psychological symptoms.

For some women, this ties back to genetic SNPs that increase the body’s demand for zinc and B6. In those cases, the standard intake falls short, and the body often responds better to more bioavailable or methylated forms.

There is also a pattern known as pyroluria that can show up here, and with the right practitioner, testing can uncover whether this is part of the picture. Now add in the natural shifts in estrogen and progesterone, already influencing brain chemistry, and without the nutritional support to carry that transition, the nervous system can ramp up quickly.

This is where many women find themselves overwhelmed by symptoms that seem to come out of nowhere… and this feeling of doom, gloom, and relentless anxiety and often being guided toward anti-anxiety medication just to get through it.

You see, zinc plays a direct role in hormone balance. It supports how estrogen is metabolized and cleared from the body, especially through the liver. When zinc runs low, estrogen can hang around longer than it should, or move through pathways that create more reactive byproducts. Zinc also supports progesterone production, so when it dips, that estrogen to progesterone balance can shift, and that’s where symptoms start to feel unmanageable

Vitamin B6 is deeply involved in estrogen metabolism as well. It helps the liver process estrogen so it can be used and cleared properly. It also supports neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA (calm) which are influenced by estrogen levels. When B6 is low, you can feel both the hormonal shift and the mood shift at the same time, because those systems are tied together.

Copper is where things get interesting. Estrogen and copper have a close relationship. As estrogen rises, copper tends to rise with it. Copper is needed in the body, but when it climbs too high relative to zinc, it can amplify symptoms like anxiety, irritability, and that overstimulated feeling.

When zinc and B6 drop, copper can rise. When copper rises, it can intensify how estrogen feels in the body. And when estrogen is already shifting, like in perimenopause, menopause and beyond (remember, we still cycle for 5 years after natural menopause or so) that imbalance can make everything feel more extreme.

So, yes, hormones are shifting, but we should not have the extreme effects of those natural changes as we enter into menopause and beyond. If we can properly support the transition, we can sail through it with out severe symptoms and medications.

And then there’s sleep.

Tryptophan gets labeled as the “sleep and mood” amino acid, but it’s only the starting point. Your body still has to convert it into serotonin, and then into melatonin.

That conversion relies on nutrients like vitamin B6, iron, and zinc. It also depends on what’s happening in your gut including your microbiome, your digestive capacity, even your pancreatic enzymes.

So you can be eating well, getting enough protein, doing everything you’ve been told supports your body and still find yourself lying awake, feeling anxious, or waking up already exhausted. Because the pathway itself needs support.

When the microbiome shifts out of balance, tryptophan can be redirected away from serotonin and pushed into inflammatory pathways. That shift can influence hot flashes, anxiety, mood swings, low energy, and sleep that never quite feels restorative.

Magnesium often gets called the sleep mineral, but its role runs deeper. It supports the nervous system, helps regulate the stress response, and plays a part in temperature control… you know, those middle-of-the-night swings where you’re throwing the covers off and pulling them back on minutes later.

This is exactly why I use tools like the GI-MAP and Organic Acids testing in my practice. They allow me to see what’s happening beneath the surface. How the gut is functioning. How amino acids are being used. Where nutrients are falling short. Where the system is getting stuck and creating the very symptoms that often lead to a prescription.

Symptoms is the begining, then I look for the why in those patterns, From there, we can support the body properly through food, targeted supplementation, or perhpas homeopathy or gemotherapy and restoring function so the system begins to settle and rebalance resulting in that wonderful sleep like a teenager moment!

All women go through menopause. That part is certain. What isn’t set in stone is how it has to feel. This is why I am writing this book.

What if the missing piece is something as foundational as a nutrient deficiency like vitamin B6 or zinc? What if your body simply needs more support due to a genetic SNP? What if a bacterial imbalance is interfering with how your body regulates mood, sleep, and energy?

Now imagine having the right support in place. Sleeping deeply through the night. Feeling steady and clear instead of reactive and drained. Moving through your day with energy, focus, and confidence.

Just imagine your body feeling aligned instead of unpredictable. Moving through menopause and beyond with a sense of strength and ease. Can you see it?

Have a great week,

Karen

I checked the unpredictable weather for the high desert here in Othello, and decided I would create a nature’s café. I packed up some lunch, grabbed my mini portable generator Jackery and camera (of course), portable wifi and headed out. Feeling excited, I couldn’t bear to crawl through the park at 5 miles per hour, so I went out through the gate nearest me and hit 50 mph to the next gate. My window was covered in bug guts, checked the fuel gauge and realized that if I was heading into the back roads of the Columbia Basin, I should top up. The gas station is in-between the two gates. After fueling up I hit one of the back roads I hadn’t explored yet. This entire part of Washington has tons of lakes and trails.

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I pulled up at Upper Goose Lake thinking all the spring flowers standing out against the umber colored grass, mauve toned basalt and green lake was the perfect spot and …. CRAP! I forgot to get the table and chairs.

A quick emptying of the back of the Jeep and voilà! I had the perfect place to work. If anything, it was better than the table and chairs ever would have been. I had shade, could actually see my laptop but still take in the scenery and fresh air. It was serene. Because I headed out early, I was serenaded with the songs of the Sand Hill Cranes, white geese and pelicans. Yes, pelicans.

Before I got started on my book, I also wrote today’s post update. I had promised I’d share the “whoa” I had encountered once I had met with my client and got permission. I got it and here we go.

I’m going to call her Cate, not her real name (of course). But her story is very real, And, I am going to be adding this into my book. Before we get started, I am not picking on Cate. In fact, I joined a gym in Moses Lake for the classes because my fate is parallel to Cate’s story and findings. In fact, after ten years of working with Cate, we seem to have a kindred physiology right down to our bowels.

When Cate first came to see me at 52, she had Crohn’s disease, had already lost part of her ileum (small intestine), ileocecal valve (where the ileum and large colon come together) and appendix. All of which unfortunately is common with Crohn’s (I’ve been through it myself).

Cate decided to work with me after receiving her latest colonoscopy at the time and it was alarming. She had massive scarring at the previous surgery site, narrowing so severe a balloon was used to inflate the area in the hopes of avoiding another resection surgery, which enviably would have happened unfortunately. Her course of action was to start biologics and she did not want to do that.

Within a year, Cate had lost 30 pounds effortlessly and she was having formed bowel movements and had tons of energy. A follow-up colonoscopy told a different story. The scarring was completely gone, the narrowing resolved, and of the four sites of infection, only one remained, so mild that no medication was recommended. That’s the power of working on the gut. And, no, the doctor was not interested in how she did it so he could help his other patients.

Fast forward to now.

About three or four years ago, Cate started gaining weight and her digestion went sideways again. She was convinced she could lose weight simply by taking supplements, and a very loose food protocol that had worked before. She kept telling me: Karen, I lost the weight effortlessly before why is not happening now?

Every time she asked I would tell her she needed to move. Cate, seriously, I love you but you need to get off your ass and move.

You see, she is in a completely different season of life. In that time, maybe longer, Cate went through a traumatic divorce, moved to a new state, new job, elevated stress, and a lifestyle that had become increasingly sedentary. She’s 62 now. And as cruel joke our metabolism is slowing down, and we become more sedentary.

Cate tried everything. She thought her lack of a good sleep was the culprit. Through her exploration she discovered and resolved sleep apnea on her own by working on her jaw and teeth. I was super amazed. However she did lose 10 pounds but the rest of the weight remained stubourn. She tried supplements, and purchased some programs and fang dangled equipment. She tried skipping a meal on the weekend. She was convinced it was her hormones. We tested and they were actually in decent shape, which again is what happens when you’ve spent years healing the gut.

And finally, after trying everything Cate was still not convinced movement had anything to do with it.

Defeated, Cate decided to get some labs done. Look, there’s only so much I can do. I was secretly hoping the final truth would be in the lab values.

I used Evexia’s weight management panel that has comprehensive inflammatory markers such as homocysteine, hs-CRP, fasting insulin, glucose, leptin and A1C plus I added in a Pro BNP as a cardiovascular safety net. The labs also included the usual labs the average physician orders.

The results were a wake-up call indeed.

Her immune and blood sugar markers were climbing. Her leptin was significantly elevated, a sign of leptin resistance, where the body has essentially stopped listening to the signal that says stop storing fat. This is what a sedentary lifestyle does over time. It drives chronic low-grade inflammation, dysregulates blood sugar, and tells the body to hold onto fat as a protective measure.

Her cardiovascular risk markers pointed toward real concern within the next year or two if nothing changed. You know how they say sitting is the new smoking? Her cholesterol was high, and her liver and gallbladder were not functioning optimally. Without seeing the full picture, a conventional workup might have meant a prescription for cholesterol medication and possibly blood pressure medication. The Pro BNP gave us the reassurance to hold off on that path and look deeper.

Her B vitamins were functionally low even though she supplements. Why? Because the gut holds the answer.

What the stool test revealed

Before I get into the inflammatory picture, let me share something that genuinely moved me.

When Cate first came to see me, ten years ago, her pancreatic enzyme output, measured as elastase-1, was in the 140s. Optimal is above 500. Hers is now over 750. After everything her body has been through, surgeries, Crohn’s, years of dysfunction and surgical menopause, her digestive capacity is thriving, her hormones are in check, She is breaking down her food. She is supporting her immune system through digestion. That is the result of a decade of gut-focused work.

Her beta-glucuronidase was perfect. This is a hormone marker of sorts. When certain bacteria in an overgrowth phase release beta-glucuronidase, which prevents the liver from packaging estrogens into the stool for elimination. Instead this bacterial toxin communicates to the liver to recirculate estrogens back into the bloodstream, driving hormone imbalances. The specific fiber she takes (Sun Fiber PHGG) has been feeding the commensal bacteria that keeps this in check. She also did not have fat in her stool which means she is breaking down her Fat-soluble vitamins and they are being absorbed. Which also held truth on her blood tests. Her digestive system, by many measures, is doing its job.

So why is she still inflamed?

The bacteria, the bile, and the stress loop

Her stool test revealed several specific bacterial overgrowths, all tied to inflammation. Inflammation drives fat retention and the body uses it as a protective buffer. Even more telling, her Akkermansia muciniphila was undetectable. This is a keystone microbe strongly associated with healthy weight regulation and metabolic function, and it is frequently depleted in sedentary individuals. There is now a GLP-1 pathway associated with Akkermansia. It’s not a coincidence that it keeps coming up in conversations about weight.

But here is the piece I’ve suspected for a long time in many of my clients, and Cate’s results confirmed that her short-chain fatty acids and her bile acid panel told the story of a nervous system under chronic stress.

The gallbladder operates under the same principle as rest-and-digest versus fight-or-flight. When we sit down to eat in a calm state, the parasympathetic nervous system signals the gallbladder to release bile. This type of bile breaks down fat, cleanses the small intestine, keeps bacteria balanced, and supports hormone metabolism. Bile is essential for clearing used hormones, for vitamin D and fat-soluble nutrient absorption, and for keeping the liver’s detoxification pathways moving.

The problem? Cate is in a near-constant state of sympathetic activation. Chronic stress at work, mental replaying of stressful situations at home. You see the body cannot distinguish between a physical threat and an emotional one. Every time she thinks about a stressful interaction, she is biochemically telling her gut we are still in the fight. The gallbladder responds accordingly.

Bile is released during times of stress and it is a different type of bile feeding opportunistic bacteria that thrive on bile acids, driving more inflammation, contributing to intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and feeding a whole-body inflammatory cycle.

That inflammation is what’s driving her B vitamin depletion. B vitamins are rapidly consumed in the inflammatory response and are critical for keeping homocysteine in check, supporting intestinal integrity, regulating the very metabolic pathways that are currently misfiring and keeps the intestinal tract tonified and the nervous system chilling. Inother words, her inflammatory state of being, combined with a a body in stagnation is driving up her blood sugar, and leading her down a slippery path of cardiovascular disease.

Cate finally got the message. She is not happy about having to move, but knows she has to. The part that Cate can not see, that I can see, once she starts moving, she will will feel better, her mind will become clearer, more optimism, motivation increases. Moving her body will not only help her lose weight, but bring down the markers that are associated with metabolic syndrome, metabolic resistance, and cardiovascular disease.

This time, the answer is different

I’m not reaching for a supplement protocol to fix this. I’ve proven to Cate that supplements alone cannot correct a lifestyle problem. Her body has told us exactly what it needs.

She needs to move daily. Movement directly improves bile flow, improves insulin sensitivity, supports Akkermansia growth, lowers cortisol, and shifts the nervous system out of chronic sympathetic overdrive. The body starts to trust again and releases fat.

She needs to address her stress and genuinely interrupt the loop her nervous system is stuck in.

And she needs to look honestly at what she’s eating in that stress state. Her stool test showed she’s now handling gluten better than before a real win for her blood type. But the gluten she’s choosing is organic, yes, but still highly refined. Even healthy-labeled foods can drive inflammation when the gut ecology is already compromised.

Here’s what I want you to walk away with.

We spend enormous energy chasing hormone panels, thyroid numbers, and adrenal tests and yes, they can give us some clues. But we have to keep asking why. Why is there a thyroid, adrenal issue or low B vitamins? The gut, liver, gallbladder and microbes work as a unit.

The liver detoxifies and repackages hormones for elimination. The gallbladder delivers the bile that makes this possible, while also feeding the microbiome that determines how those hormones behave. The gut is where it’s at. Where inflammation either gets resolved or amplified, where B vitamins are either absorbed or burned through, where the nervous system either signals safety or sounds the alarm.

Stress doesn’t just affect moods, it literally changes how bile flows, which initiates which bacteria thrive, which changes how estrogen and cortisol are cleared, which changes how sleep, weight, and age are affected.

Being sedentary isn’t just about fitness. It starves the keystone microbes that regulate metabolism, slows bile flow, impairs lymphatic drainage, and locks the body into a fat-storing, inflamed state regardless of how clean the diet is.

Cate eats well. Her pancreatic function is remarkable. Her hormone levels are good. And she is still inflamed, still gaining weight, still depleted because the gut-liver-gallbladder axis is under chronic stress-driven assault, and no supplement can fix it. But some good movement and changing the circumstances around the stress she is dealing with and the weight will start to fall off once a gain.

That is a such a “whoa!” It seems to just put movement into perspective, doesn’t it?

Thanks for reading, have a great week, and I will see you Wednesday for our Live Label to Table with Danni and Karen

So glad to have you here with me. We’ve had some new subscribers join us lately, so welcome. I want to let you know I’m taking a break from regularly scheduled broadcasting (wow… that sounded very official didn’t it?) so I can finish my book. But I’m still so happy and honored you’re here. Truly, welcome in.
, and

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Last week I told you about the glass I felt oddly compelled to have, and I’ll spare you the details. I caved! Yes, I got four. Since the coach (aka not the cabin in the woods, rather a coach on concrete) came without glasses, I’ll simply swap my glassware in my coach out with these beauties (put mine in the coach on concrete) and call it intentional divine design.

Like my (now) fun favorite mug, they make me smile every time I see or hold one. And I can’t help but imagine that little spark of joy doing something delightful to the molecular structure of the water positive thoughts in and out!

During my first week of “break,” I turned in my final essay for another hypnotherapy course, and I’m excited to say I am now officially certified in End of Life Hypnotherapy. I’ll share more about my intentions with this down the road, but for now I’m thrilled. It was such a delight to open my email and receive a personal note of congratulations from the founder:

There was more in the email about getting started and invitations to additional groups to refine my skills. I’ll likely join, but right now I have one clear priority, my book. Yes, the book! The book I was supposed to start on today. Instead, life stacked up a few “urgent little somethings,” and suddenly I’m back up to two clients. It took me a little longer with the one I was supposed to wrap up last week, but I learned something mind blowing. But I can not really share, because I have not talked with her yet, and she reads my posts. I will share next week.

Am I Sabotaging My Book?

Here’s the interesting part. And I’m almost a little embarrassed to share this, but I’m going to, because I am sharing my journey with you.

I’ve been working with intention setting through meditation, and somehow I’m manifesting problems and clients at a time when I don’t actually want that. And I know what you might be thinking, “Wait, you are turning down money?” Lady, believe me, I want the money honey. Just… not… right… now.

So I had to ask myself, what is going on here?

I had just declared it to the Universe that I was ready to start my book. In fact this past Saturday, I’m wrapping everything up, practically doing a little internal victory dance thinking, “Yay, I’m done.” Literally seeing myself all cozied up in the coffee shop writing like a writer. I was excited about starting today on my book. Nothing like a fresh start on the beginning of the week. I yelled out loud to my cats “ wahoo Book time.” And then… the phone springs to life.

A past client called asking for help. I explained I was taking a month off to focus on writing. Her response? “Awww, well I appreciate you taking my call.”

Cue the ENORMOUS stunned look on my face. Apparently, I didn’t quite land that the way I thought I did.

That said, labs are about three weeks out, so after Monday, and with some very intentional focus on what I actually want versus what I seem to be unintentionally creating, I should be able to make real headway on the book.

But it did get me thinking… Is there something deeper here? A layer of fear tucked underneath all of this? Fear of finishing my book? Am I unconsciously filling my space with problems, clients, and “urgent” things so I don’t have to face what comes next?

I am starting to understand the subconscious and it’s answering what I didn’t realize I turned on.

Nevertheless, I am moving forward. Perhaps it is not in my star chart to have an actual month off to myself. After all, the Universe will not give me more than I can handle, right?

I’ve already scoped out a library and a couple of coffee shops with comfortable couches and, most importantly, an outlet within arm’s reach. The stage is set. No excuses.

I have to say, I was genuinely surprised. I was in Moses Lake last year, disappeared for the winter, and then suddenly reappeared and not only was I remembered, I’ve somehow become a bit of a regular. They know my name, I get a warm hello when I walk in… and now I finally understand how Norm felt walking into Cheers.

In fact, one coffee shop the gentleman asks me how he can assist in my writing, including bring me extra tea (free of charge) and queries if the music is too loud. Wow, take that Starbucks! I have said nothing of what I am doing, but I guess I look intensely at work?

I thought I’d share one last little moment of alignment.

I’ve stopped into Starbucks a couple of times to work on client protocols. I go there on purpose because it’s not exactly cozy. It’s uncomfortable with hard wooden chairs, loud music, and the occasional comment about how I always order sparkling water. Don’t get me wrong the staff is actually quite charming and I tip well.

And oddly enough, that makes it the perfect place for that kind of work. Uncomfortable is perfect for digging into protocols where concentration and focus somehow are honed in. It’s not where I would ever settle in to write my book. The energy is completely different.

So now I’ve unintentionally mapped out my coffee shops based on what I’m working on. One for clients, one for writing, ones for lingering a little too long. Apparently I require location specific productivity.

Anyway, on my second visit, at the Starbucks a young barista looked at me and asked, “Are you writing a book?”

I blinked. A lot.

I had no words. I was completely stunned. I just stood there speechless. When I found my voice again, I asked her why she thought that.

She said, “You look like a writer.”

And there it is. Affirmation. Alignement. Just what I needed.

Now that… that right there, was a HUGE compliment. No A SUPER- SIZED ME SUPER-DUPER compliment . Especially coming from someone half my age. I am not sure about you my saging friends, but ninety percent of the time I feel like a ghost around the younger generation, like they literally see right through me. No emotion here, just an observation. So this was a nano-moment that I will cherish forever. Someone one saw me as a writer. Thank you Universe!

I don’t have deep insights to unpack this week, but I did have my husband courier a couple of my old medical textbooks. One from the 1800s, the other from the 1920s. I love reading these. There’s a rawness to them, with more truths than modern texts that have not ben buried by pharmaceutical influence.

And yes, I bring this up in my book. Repeatedly. One of my beta readers mentioned there’s some repetition and that is very much by design. With the sheer volume of information we’re exposed to I want the most important truths to be absorbed, remembered, and embodied.

Because I want you, my fascinating Sagers, to hold onto this: biological processes, especially menopause and the years beyond, are not medical conditions to be managed. They are an honored passage.

We simply need to return to our roots. To the way the body was designed to live and function so we can release these so called “menopause side effects” that modern life has convinced us are inevitable.

I will share with you all next week the findings of my client — it was extremely interesting! And I think you will want to know why.

Have a great week, and thank you for reading.

See you Wednesday for our next Live Label to Table with Danni and I.

~Karen

Week two in my concrete paradise, and I’ve found something to be grateful for. My coach is warm. Thank goodness, because I only have one heater that won’t go above 65, and it’s been cold between 30 to 50 degrees. No slide-outs means less space to heat, and suddenly, that feels like a gift to be grateful for. I knew I would start ringing the bell of gratitude in my attitude. I just had to get out of my huff.

And my temporary coach is full of beautiful oak wood so, it sort of feels like a cabin. Hey, my daughter grew up on Barney, so “use your imagination” is permanently wired into me. I do have a leather couch to go with the wood so, my imagination is seeing more cabin than coach.

Before going on, I am going to take this moment right here to say welcome to some new subscribers:

J Lynn, , , , thank your for subscribing.

If you are reading this and thinking I would like to subscribe, please do and thank you.

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After buying my happy mug last week, I went back to Marshalls for a glass, with the intention of just one. Of course, I found these cheerful artisan glasses, hand painted, thick, the kind my grandmother had. I stood there debating two, just in case someone might come over…. then my Gemini brain stepped in like a smack in the back of the head (just like my grandmother would do) inquiring, who exactly is ever coming over? A bit of stark, cold (hard) truth, but sometimes the truth does have a way of cutting through fantasy. Right, it is just me and my two cats….(side thought) … oh crap, I am officially, (albeit temporarily) a cat lady!

After that reality check I am now imagining 4 to take back to my actual home-coach (I hope that makes sense) because they were that pretty. Alas, I was able to do it. I walked away with-just-one. It felt strange. Everything is supposed to come in pairs, isn’t it? Conditioning runs deep. I’m still debating swapping out my plain ones. If they’re there next time, maybe it’s a sign. If not… then it was meant to be just the one.

I haven’t started my book yet. I’m wrapping up client protocols and waiting on one more GI-MAP, now with the Stool OMX add-on—25 bile acids and 9 short and branch chain fatty acids. A mouthful, I know. Actually when I first started writing this it had not appeared. Go the notification just now. The final GI MAP is in. How exciting! That means this time next week, I will be fixated on my book.

But I’ve come to believe the delay wasn’t a delay at all. It was divine intentional timing.

What I love about the GI-MAP is how it shows me how the gut is functioning, absorption, immune impact, microbiome balance. The additional Stool OMX, and now I can see how bile acids are shaping everything: the gut, the immune system, symptoms, and what may lie ahead if there are not some interventions now.

For years, I watched practitioners go full John Wick on the gut…kill everything, wipe it out, leave nothing standing. And these bio-assaulted clients would end up on the other end of a phone call with me, desperate and hopeless hoping I could help. And, that did not sit right with me.

That sent me searching. Knowing what I know about the liver and gallbladder’s interaction with food breakdown, cleaning the intestinal tract and helping us absorb, it occurred to me that the whole story was being lost (or perhaps buried (?)) by supplement companies pushing their so-called protocols, not unlike pharmaceutical reps making their rounds with doctors over a free pizza lunch.

What I’ve found is this, the liver and gallbladder is just as important as the gut. When we support the liver and gallbladder and create harmony in the gut, we don’t need to go in and destroy everything leaving nothing behind. With proper bile flow, it actually does the work for us to keep the bowel and bacteria healthy.

We can unkill. And it works.

I didn’t have the testing to prove it but I saw he results in my clients. Supporting stomach acid, gallbladder and the pancreas, adding enzymes, making lifestyle shifts and symptoms were reversing.

Now, with Stool OMX, I can see the whole picture, the patterns and finally, the confirmation. And it works beautifully even for those without a gallbladder. In fact, I think this little add on test is paramount if there is no gallbladder.

One of my saging clients, 73, was diagnosed with fructose malabsorption and told to avoid fruit. I knew that little test was the tip of the iceberg. The truth was with what was under the water line—the underlying cause. You see, the fructose malabsorption is a symptom of what is really going on. Avoiding fruit is not the answer.

Her gallbladder had been removed years ago. But the liver still produces bile, it just drips instead of being stored.

Her bile output was actually strong, she had an impressive healthy diet. But a few bile acids were elevated, feeding bacteria, driving inflammation, irritating the gut lining, and creating hyperpermeability (leaky gut). When the gut lining leaks, everything looks like a problem, including fructose. So yes, she has fructose intolerance right now. But the deeper question is… why?

Her bile acids were fueling dysbiosis, impairing detox pathways, increasing inflammation, even affecting estrogen clearance (now think hormone, adrenal and thyroid imbalances). Of course her gut was reacting.

Without correction, this pattern could progress to more irritation, more inflammation, potentially leading to Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s, or both. There’s compelling research linking bile acid imbalance to IBD and even colorectal cancer risk.

So we shifted the approach. We are rebuilding, not attacking and killing:

• Glutamine to support the gut lining.

• PHGG fiber to bind excess bile acids.

• Mineral replenishment to address losses affecting her energy and muscle relaxation.

• Later, Saccharomyces boulardii to gently nudge the microbiome to harmony

• Simple, cooked foods that are supportive to her blood type to calm digestion.

I call this Phase One. We are gently correcting without going in with car wheels screeching and killing everything in site with a machine gun. No!

The goal is to restore function so she can eat fruit again. Phase Two we will add in some antimicrobials (if needed) because now her immune system is calmer, her gut is healing and she will be ready for the final recalibration.

This is not going to happen overnight. It will take some time. But reclaiming your body always does. And the reward is so beautiful.

And that divine intervention? Well, I’ve been taking notes off this GI MAP to add to my liver and gallbladder chapter. Because now, I don’t have to go on a hunch. I have the testing to prove it.

And the GI MAP for next week? Well, this one tells a completely different story and even I was shocked that the our gut bacteria and our blood reveals the secrets.

There is a reason for everything. And right now, the pieces are coming together in a way I must accept; keeping my mind, heart and soul open to the gifts that are around me. One more protocol to get through and then I am on my book full time mode. And, I am excited.

Have a great week, mine is filled with finishing up divine intervention, a hypnotherapy course. And, I might just find myself wandering over to Marshalls.

~Karen

I’m not sure if it’s the edge of something new stirring within me, or if I simply need a real, deep thorough break. I am talking the kind of break where I disappear into a cabin tucked deep in the woods, a lake just beyond the back door, no WiFi, no cell service… just me and my cats. Honestly, this is how I rebalance.

If you know me, you’re probably raising an eyebrow right about now. Wait… no husband? And I can almost feel the curiosity bubbling up. We all love a little gossip don’t we? I am afraid to pop those bubbles, there’s no gossip. I’m still married. I just need a break.

So let me start with this… welcome to my new Saging subscribers. I’m so glad you’re here.

• (my book accountability partner)

And I hope I haven’t let you down with this post. I will be back. I promise. And if you are reading this and you have not subscribed yet, you can, I will be back to my regular scheduled edutainment —promise. Only rejuvenated.

Subscribe now

To all of you fascinating Sagers, I do have a question…

Over the next month or so, I am setting aside dedicated time to finish my book. So tell me… would you like weekly updates on the journey of getting it done (along with some tidbits and such), or would you prefer weekly post-recorded live Label to Table episodes with Danni and I?

My feelings won’t be hurt either way. Truly. This is your subscription, and I would love your direction to give you what you would like,

So why the break?

For over a year, I’ve been in constant motion. Showing up for family, navigating life as it unfolds, and somewhere along the way, my own dreams were not only stepped aside they are slowly being covered in cobwebs.

I started writing a book two years ago. It’s actually finished… it just needs that final pass, some editing, a few additions, a cover, and then the big breath in… publishing… exhale. Every time I try to return to it, life shifts again.

The year before, it was my husband’s surgery and recovery. Just as I felt like I could finally lift my head and say, “this is it… this is my year,” 2025 opened with my mum breaking her back in February. Off I went.

Four months later, I returned to the U.S., only to step straight into my husband’s sudden health issues, followed by hospital bills from different hospitals. Sorting through that alone fills an entire workday. And it is frustrating, heartless and lonely. Not to mention expensive!

I am deeply grateful for our ministry health share. Without it, navigating balance billing inside a system that feels more transactional than caring would have been overwhelming. It’s strange, isn’t it, that something called “healthcare” can feel so disconnected from actual care? I will never go back to health insurance.

And in the middle of all that… my Zazu began having gum and kidney issues. So now I found myself in another heartless version of the same system, this time in veterinary medicine. What is happening to our pets is something I am still trying to process. Have you seen the food they peddle? It is deplorable and difficult to watch. I chose to go the natural route, and the results have been far better. But I’ll be honest… I had to trust that what I had been doing had a huge impact. After all, for 18 years he has been healthy. I was doing something right.

This past January brought a full wave of clients, as it always does filled with the hopes of a “new year. new you.” Things picked up, then began to settle into a rhythm. I thought maybe I could find some space again. Heck no!

Off to Arizona for a week for jury duty. I didn’t have to do it thank goodness. However, my daughter filled my week with a “to-do” list and then home. A little over a week later, my daughter fractured her spine in a serious car accident. I hadn’t even unpacked my suitcase! I came back to chaotic coach repairs, renovations, and here we are… only at the end of March!

Then my mum wants me to come back to Canada to help her with the selling of her home. I-just-couldn’t-do-it! (Thank you Universe for crazy airline prices and lines).

Through all of it, I continued showing up for weekly videos and podcasts. And I want you to know, I love that. I really do. But something had to give.

I had to step away from one of my favorite pieces of writing… Planes, Trains, and RVing. My first year on the road, living full time in a motorcoach. I was almost done and it hurt to give it up. It was my escape from reality, a little down time. A chance to just let the world disappear while I relived an easier time. The last time I published there was October 15, 2025. I simply couldn’t keep up with everything.

So, I am taking the much needed Universal break (before I snap). I will continue our weekly Wednesday Live Label to Table with Danni, because I genuinely enjoy what we create together.

But I’ll ask you again, in case you skimmed past it earlier…

Over the next month or so, would you like weekly Label to Table episodes already prepared and ready to go, or would you prefer weekly written updates from me… sharing the book process, along with insights from my client work, especially around menopause, gut health, and aging? (it’s a quick tap a response, it’s completely anonymous)

Now… the mug

No surprise at all, I didn’t end up in a cabin in the woods (I can share that story later). Instead, I landed in another coach. Four years older than mine, smaller… and quiet. I mean really quiet! I arrived feeling completely depleted and disheveled spiritually. I just can’t see it yet. My sense is it will unfold over the next month. I have a feeling it’s connected to my next hypnotherapy course… and whatever is waiting for me there and beyond.

My first week in Washington was rough. Not what I had envisioned. I had packed everything and realized I did not want to spend a month drinking out of a water bottle and a stainless travel mug. After exhausting the local artisans shops, well that sounds dramatic, doesn’t it? There are only a couple and most things were made in China, I turned to Marshalls. There is only Marshalls, Ross and Walmart in Moses Lake. Othello, is just Walmart. Not much to choose from.

I went to the back of the store and was immediately greeted with a Winnie the Pooh mug.. it just pulled me in. There was something about the playfulness… Tigger mid bounce, Pooh steady and grounded, Piglet trailing along… almost an expression of the fractured parts of myself that need to come together once again. But the stronger pull was how it transported me back to reading those stories to my daughter, filling her head full of imagination and possibilities before sleep.

I picked the mug up and held it in my hands. I was drawn to the shape… imperfect, and little off by design. I tend to reach for things like that. After all, it is a reflection of myself. Admiring the nostalgic feeling of the mug, and thinking this is the right one for sure, I turned it around as if inspecting it for flaws. And there is was, a simple profound message:

“Life is full of ups and downs.”

I stood there for a second, speechless, just holding it. Because THAT… was exactly it. My message.

Life, is full of ups and downs isn’t it?

And, it made me stop and think of where I am, what I am asking for, and what is actually being placed in front of me.

It brought me right to the front row of something I hadn’t fully seen before… a recalibration of my boundaries.

I have so much I want to create… courses, a slight pivot, new layers of what’s coming next. But none of that can happen until I finish this book.

Sure, I could walk away. But I don’t want to live with that kind of regret. I want to see it through. I want to publish it. I don’t care if it flops. At least I will have done it. That’s what I’m after.

I have two more books waiting behind this one.

I’m not walking away from this one. I’m finishing it. And when I do, I know the shift I have been longing for will come too.

So… I would truly love your input. Which direction would you like me to take over the next month or so? (It’s a quick tap to respond, completely anonymous.)

Let me know and thank you for reading,

~Karen

You switched to diet drinks, sugar free snacks, and those little pink and blue packets that promise sweetness without consequences. You did exactly what the labels told you to do.

So why is your waistline still expanding?

Emerging research suggests the answer may be hiding in the very sweeteners marketed as the healthier choice. In this episode and article, we take a closer look at artificial sweeteners, what they actually do inside the body, and why the promise of “zero sugar” may not be as innocent as it sounds.

But first, let’s take a moment to welcome in some new subscribers:

, , ,

Thank you for subscribing. If you have not subscribed yet please do, I would love to help you shine your fascinating light and tame those symptoms beyond menopause. Hit the button, and I will see you on the other side.

Subscribe now

Have a question?

And to you all, seriously, if you have a question you would like answered, please leave me a message on my dedicated podcast line (656) 222-0848 or message me. If I do not have the answer, I will find the expert who can. And be sure to join us for Label to Table Live very Wednesday.

The Sweet Lie: How Artificial Sweeteners May Be Expanding Your Waistline

It sounds backward, I know. Low calorie equals low risk, right? You swap sugar, keep the sweetness, and the weight should come off. Except for many women, the opposite is happening.

So what gives on Artificial Sweeteners?

Let’s talk about a truth nobody put on the label. These sweeteners are marketed as the guilt free way to have your treats and keep your waistline in check. But what if they are riding under the radar doing damage simply because we accepted the marketing story instead of questioning the norm?

And what about diabetics and Artifical Sweeteners?

When it comes to sagers with diabetes, they are often told by some health professionals to consume products that are low in sugar. Usually these low calorie or no sugar foods are filled with artificial sweeteners.

For years we have been led to believe we can have our sweets and eat them too, so long as the package claims zero calories or zero sugar. We sweeten our drinks, flavor our water, or drink diet soda without guilt because these sweeteners supposedly keep our weight in check. Or do they?

I still cringe when I see someone drinking a diet soda or eating something labeled “no sugar added.” And I seriously feel like crying when I see a toddler sipping on a can of Diet Soda.

When I first started dating my husband he drank Diet Coke. I did not judge what he drank, but I did tell him that if he was going to drink it, plain Coke would actually be the better option. That was not just for the waistline but also for the brain.

But today we are focusing on the midline… which, by the way, seems to expand as we sage. And now, with more than 14 million Americans currently taking GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, or Mounjaro for weight loss, some might think this is no big deal and can be ignored.

Guess what? It is a big deal. And ignoring it will cost you.

Taking a weight loss medication does not mean you can ignore what is in the food you eat. If food quality does not improve, people often regain weight once they stop the medication. And the drug companies are super happy to keep you on a life-long micro-dose dependency so you can keep eating and confusing your body which down the line will mean more medications and possibly surgeries.

You must agree, that is a sad state of affairs, isn’t it?

So here is a provocative question….

What if you could actually lose weight simply by removing low calorie sweeteners from your diet? Could you make that commitment?

Or better yet… are you worthy of that commitment?

How Did We Stop Questioning Labels?

How did we become a society that believes everything printed on a label without questioning it?

Why do we rarely look past the marketing?

Is it clever advertising quietly giving us permission to indulge?

If a product says “sugar free” or “no sugar added,” we assume it must mean we cannot gain weight.

Right?

But if we actually took the time to investigate how these ingredients are made and what they do inside the body, many of us probably would not eat them.

After all, it is easier to stay ignorant and trust the promise printed on the package.

That way we can keep consuming without guilt and blame something else when our health declines.

I see this all the time. Recently I was sitting in an office waiting for the receptionist… we will call her Jane… to finish a phone call.

On her desk sat an open can of Diet Coke next to a half eaten Lean Cuisine meal. Her fork rested nearby beside a pile of sugar free candies scattered across the desk. I was surprised Lean Cuisine still existed. I thought it disappeared with the 90s.

But Jane’s lunch was calling her back the moment she finished that phone call.

And I felt bad for Jane. Not because she is a bad person. But because I know how this story usually goes. Later that evening Jane goes home, turns on the shower, and slowly undresses. She sighs with relief as she finally feels like she can breathe again, peeling off tight clothing and tugging off the Spanx that held everything in place all day.

Standing in front of the mirror she studies her reflection.

Her eyes narrow taking in her her stomach, her thighs and her hips. The frustration rises again.

Why is this happening to me? I am doing everything right. I am eating sugar free foods.

I drink diet drinks. I choose the “healthy” options. So why can’t I get rid of this?

And she points at her abdomen in disbelief.

Why me?

No Guilt, Artifical Sweeteners

We have been sold the idea that sweeteners like sucralose and aspartame are gifts from heaven. They supposedly remove the guilt of wanting sweet foods and we can indulge without the sin on sinful foods. Heck, we have been told we can have our sugar free cake and eat it too.

But my fascinating sisters… I believe we have been duped. Let me share some studies with you.

Research led by Dr. Sabyasachi Sen at George Washington University examining low calorie sweeteners and fat cell formation suggests that we may have been blindly led indeed.

Using cell culture experiments and human fat tissue samples, the researchers found that artificial sweeteners may promote changes in fat cells that could increase the risk of obesity and metabolic disease. The study examined the relationship between low calorie sweeteners and metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that occur together and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. It typically includes elevated blood sugar, excess abdominal fat, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, and low HDL cholesterol, which over time can lead to cardiovascular disease and even heart attack.

According to the researchers:

“Our stem cell based studies indicate that low calorie sweeteners promote additional fat accumulation within cells compared with cells not exposed to these substances, in a dose dependent fashion, meaning that as the dose of sucralose is increased more cells showed increased fat droplet accumulation,”

said Sabyasachi Sen, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine at George Washington University.

“This most likely occurs by increasing glucose entry into cells through increased activity of genes called glucose transporters.”

In plain English, the study suggests that low calorie sweeteners may promote fat storage within cells and could contribute to metabolic syndrome, increasing the risk of prediabetes and diabetes.

Another study from the University of Southern California used brain imaging and found that sucralose increased activity in the hypothalamus, the region of the brain that regulates hunger and body weight. Unlike sugar, it did not trigger the normal hormonal signals that reduce appetite, and participants reported greater hunger after consuming the sweetener.

How are Artifical Sweeteners really affecting us?

And if you are a fascinating sager who keeps her weight in check and still has her synthetic sweetened cake and gets to eat it too, artificial sweeteners may still affect your immune system.

A 2020 study published in Stem Cell Research & Therapy found that when human fat stem cells were exposed to sucralose, the cells showed increased production of reactive oxygen species, also known as ROS.

These highly reactive molecules can damage cells and contribute to inflammation. What makes this particularly concerning is that the buildup of these oxygen radicals appeared within 72 hours of exposure. Even more troubling, the same exposure increased adipogenesis, meaning the cells were more likely to develop into fat cells.

Think about that for a moment. Now look at the foods and drinks you consume every day. How many contain artificial sweeteners? Now think about the cumulative effect.

Could Artifical Sweeteners be sabotaging your health?

Research also shows artificial sweeteners can influence the gut brain axis, altering gut microbes and neural signaling that affects dopamine reward pathways and feeding behavior. In other words, they may change how the brain responds to sweetness and hunger.

Other research has linked artificial sweeteners with neurological symptoms such as headaches and taste disturbances, along with associations with cardiovascular risk and diabetes.

Some reports also suggest synthetic sweeteners like saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, and neotame may trigger hot flashes or night sweats in some women.

Quitting Artificial sweeteners

Now you might be thinking… I cannot give up my little pink packet of goodness.

Well… that might actually be part of the problem.

Artificial sweeteners stimulate the brain’s dopamine reward pathways, the same circuitry involved in cravings and habit formation. Over time, that daily packet may feel less like a preference and more like a tiny dependency dressed in pink and blue.

If you want something sweet, choose something closer to its natural form like

• Honey

• Pure maple syrup

• Dates

• Tamarind

These contain minerals and compounds your body can actually use. But balance is still key.

A healthy diet should include quality protein, healthy fats, root vegetables, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, legumes, and beans. These nutrients help regulate blood sugar and support healthy metabolism.

Healthy alternatives to artificial sweeteners

What About Stevia? You might be wondering about stevia. Pronounced Steh vee ah.

In the United States, stevia is rarely sold as the whole leaf. Most products contain highly processed steviol glycoside extracts labeled as Reb A, Reb M, or Reb D.

These extracts are considered generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the FDA.

But most store bought stevia products are not pure stevia. Because the extracts are intensely sweet and often bitter, manufacturers blend them with bulking agents like erythritol, dextrose, or maltodextrin. That combination can still create problems for people sensitive to sweeteners.

So while stevia may be a step up from synthetic sweeteners, it is often not the natural solution people believe it to be.

If you can find actual dried stevia leaves (check out Amazon) or grow the plant yourself, that is a better option because the whole leaf contains the full spectrum of plant compounds.

What About Allulose?

Allulose is another sweetener gaining popularity. It behaves like sugar in cooking but has very few calories, about 0.4 calories per gram. It has minimal impact on blood glucose and insulin, which is why the FDA allows it to be excluded from “added sugars” on labels.

Research suggests it may help reduce post meal glucose spikes and may support appetite regulation through gut hormone effects.

Allulose naturally occurs in foods like figs, raisins, jackfruit, and maple syrup, though only in very small amounts.

Because its structure is similar to sugar, it tends to taste more natural and does not cause the digestive symptoms like gas and bloating that some sugar alcohols can cause.

The Real Takeaway

Sweetness itself is not the problem. But the label on these artificial sweeteners have been misleading us. We have to break free from clever marketing tactics.

And remember, sugar free does not mean waist friendly. And diet does not mean body wise.

If your midline keeps expanding as you sage, it may not be because you lack discipline. It may simply mean you trusted a marketing story that was never designed to protect your metabolism.

Jane represents millions of women trying to do the right thing while unknowingly being steered by clever marketing.

So start questioning sweeteners the same way you question everything else that enters your home and body.

Flip the package over. Read the ingredients. Then Choose sweeteners your body recognizes, in balanced amounts.

If you want healthy alternatives to artificial sweeteners go for the whole stevia leaf or allulose. Or whole food sweetness like honey, maple syrup, or dates.

Oh and a word on Allulose. I was using RxSugar brand Allulose. The company was acquired by North Course Brands, LLC. in October 2024. I am sad to say, the products are in limbo. This sent me searching on Amazon. I soon learned that I had to read the labels. Allulose may be mixed with other sweeteners. So be sure to read the ingredients.

I found Wholesome Yum and KetoGoods to be pure Allulose. I have not tried the KetoGoods yet, however, I have tried Wholesome Yum’s and, it is quite good.

Once you have swapped in the healthy alternatives to artificial sweeteners like Jane, you might discover that once the confusion clears, the mirror starts smiling back at you again. How cool is that?

How you can swap in healthy alternatives to artificial sweeteners

Your mission this week is simple if you so choose to take it on.

Pick one thing you sweeten every day. Coffee, yogurt, soda, a snack or perhaps drink like your diet drink. Check the ingredient list.

If it fails the sweetener test, swap it for something real and simple.

Then notice what happens over the next week and be sure to pay attention to your

1. Cravings.

2. Hunger.

3. Energy

4. Mood

5. And waistline

And tell me what you experience in the comments. I want to hear your experience.

Leave a comment

Let’s stop doing guilt and instead, let’s start doing clarity by questioning the norm. and trusting our wisdom. Your body has been trying to tell you the truth all along. It is time to listen to our inner wisdom. Isn’t it?

If you loved this show please share with another, like, comment leave me a review for it really helps. Oh and be sure to sign up at the QuantumGut.com for weekly tips, podcast, recipes and other news you can use.

If you have a question you would liked answered leave me a message on my dedicated podcast line 656 222 0848. or message me in the show notes…

Well my sisters, keep feeding your body, mind, and spirit with the good stuff. And as always, stay radiant, and until next time, question the norm, trust your wisdom, elegantly and unapologetically roar. And most of all… Lady, keep being fascinating and sage with sass and grace in every day life.

I will see you soon

~Karen

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*The information shared in this post and audio reflects the personal experiences and opinions of the author and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as medical, psychological, or professional advice. Any tests, products, or methods mentioned are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended for diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of any disease. This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider regarding any health concerns, conditions, and, or a nutritionally informed physician before making any changes to your health routine, including trying any products, methods, or recommendations mentioned here.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

This week I was the guest on Danni McFarland’s new Substack live podcast, The Tea, The Truth, and A Little Woo, a conversational series designed to introduce listeners to the humans behind the health and wellness work they follow. I appreciated the unscripted conversation about food, physiology, subconscious patterns…oh, and my kryptonite. Read, watch or listen in.

Thank you to everyone who tuned into the live video!

@Nata , , , , ,

Welcome

I want to take this opportunity to say 👋 hello and welcome to and . Thank you for subscribing, honoured to have you here.

If you have not subscribed yet please do, I would love to help you shine your fascinating light and tame those symptoms beyond menopause. Hit the button, and I will see you on the other side.

Subscribe now

My Podcast Go With Your Gut Beyond Menopause is a Podcast for you. If you have a question you would like answered in an upcoming show, please either call my dedicated podcast line (656) 222-0848 and leave a message or message me right here.

Wednesday’s join me live with my cohost for Label to Table where we read the fine print on what goes on your plate, your skin, and in your space, translate the science, and help you choose with confidence so you can sage with sass and grace. Join us!

SHOW NOTES

I recently had the pleasure of sitting on the other side of the microphone as a guest on ’s brand new Substack live show, The Tea, The Truth, and A Little Woo. What I love about her show is that like me, she is done with so called experts who are pasting what ChatGPT spits out on to their website and posts. Danni wants to bring the natural and holistic practitioners to the forefront who are doing their research, and practicing what they preach. It is actually quite simple and refreshing, real conversations with real practitioners. She wants Humans talking to Humans. I was honored to be her very first guest.

I did not have the questions Danni was going to ask ahead of time, and I figured one of them would be how did I get into Holistic nutrition. I thought about that for a while. You see, I actually do not have a bottomed out story, or “come-to-Jesus” moment. My story isn’t even glamours.

What drew you to holistic nutrition and health and wellness?

So, of course the first question Danni asked me was my story. And, my story isn’t even glamours.I didn’t have a dramatic awakening or a spiritual lightning bolt. I was sick. Really sick. Crohn’s disease had chewed through my life, my workdays, my dignity, and my trust in the system that was supposed to help me. I had surgeries, medications, chemotherapy-level drugs, and still no real answers.

I was on a type of chemotherapy and working for a company in Canada and wearing diapers to work, hair falling out and I was skin and bones. My supervisor who was not a nice person. She asked me what food smells make me sick. She then would make sure to have those foods piping hot so the smell could waft into my cubicle. window across from her. What is odd, is that back then, I still didn’t get mad or play the victim. There was enough of that with suffering from Crohn’s disease (an incurable inflammatory bowel disease). Instead of getting upset, I ordered a College course book because enough was a enough, it was time to move on.

I had gone to University for Visual Fine Arts and thought about something in the arts. I liked interior decorating, it was a possibility. As my supervisor’s food wafted through my cubicle, I flipped open the college course book looking for something, anything, different. The page opened to nutrition. It piqued my interest. I thought it would be easy. That still makes me laugh. In fact, Danni and I both laughed at that comment.

At the same time, two people who did not know each other suggested the same Naturopathic doctor. I had no idea what that was. But, I did not go to her for healing. No, I went there to prove there was nothing she could do for me. After all I had an incurable disease and I was my disease. Boy, was I wrong.

“If you can’t digest, you can’t get better.”

This naturopathic doctor gave me on bottle of pills and to take 2 capsules with each meal. I did what she said. Again to prove she could not help me. Within a month, decades of suffering began to shift. I asked her what they were. She said they were a digestive enzyme. Something I had never heard of. She replied “If you can’t digest, you can’t get better.” She did something that no other doctor had done before. She addressed a foundational truth. Even though I did not understand it at the time, that experience rewired how I saw my body. I decided to follow through with the full Holistic Nutrition program through the Institute of Holistic Nutrition in Toronto Canada graduating as a Certified Holistic Nutrition Practitioner, Certified Orthomolecular Health Practitioner, Registered with the International Organization of Nutritional Consultants (IONC), as a Registered Nutritional Consulting Practitioner and Registered Orthomolecular Health Practitioner.

Is this why you got into being a hypnotherapist?

I shared how I learned, the hard way, that physical healing without emotional resolution only takes you so far. I had reached a point where my body was improving, but something inside me was still heavy and unsettled. I also had a surgery where part of my bowel was removed and oddly the emotions that I kept playing over-and-over were suddenly gone, I realised in that moment that there must be an emotional connection to body parts. I also decided that I needed to do something about that because I did not want parts of my body removed to get rid of old emotions. When I discovered somatic intuitive training decades ago, long before it was trendy, my life was once again rocked. I was fortunate enough to be with a world renowned psychologist who was not only helping me as a patient but also trained me. Knowing I was moving to the USA I sought out a proper certification and became trained as a Certified Somatic Intuitive Trainer.

Later, hypnotherapy entered my life to help legitimize my Somatherapy and meet my clients where they are. I have noticed a pattern in my clients. We could reverse diagnoses, calm inflammation, restore digestion, and still they would return to the same place months or years later. What I have learned, not just in myself but with others, until the emotional imprint is addressed, the body keeps repeating the same trauma to the detriment of illness and even surgery. Another big shift and I am proud of the shift.

I recently became a Board Certified hypnotist. And, something we did not discuss in the interview, but I will share with you, my next course that I am currently taking is a End of Life Hypnosis Certification Training. I feel led to work with those who are holding on to regrets, guilt and secrets they want resolutions to before passing on. I strongly believe that if we carry those with us at the end of our life, we can not be as close to our God as we would like to. Imagine how wonderful it would be to release what is weighing us down and really feel free? By doing so, it transcends us. Hypnotherapy and Somatic Intuitive Training have been paramount in the natural evolving stepping stones to finding peace, joy and love in my life. Not to mention completely Crohn’s free.

Danni had a ton of other thought provoking questions and a really cool rapid round of questions. The first one she asked was what was my favourite food. I was stumped. Perhaps because I am not craving foods these days, I couldn’t think of anything and then it hit me .. marshmallows. I could live off of marshmallows. Funny, the more work I do on myself and really release stored traumas the more I no longer have cravings. It used to be vanilla birthday cake, chocolate, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs and candy canes. If you are reading this and you would like to know the emotional connections to these foods, leave a comment with the food you want to know the emotional connection to and I will answer for you in the comments.

Leave a comment

The Book affirmation

Oh and one more thing, I was stumped on the book that I like the best. Prescription for Nutritional Healing: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs, & Food Supplements by Phyllis A. Balch CNC. I really appreciated this book for a very special reason. When I was dating this idiot guy who said my credentials as a Nutritionist would never be enough because it was not an accredited school. I tore all the books off of my bookshelf (I had a lot) and went through the about page of every single one. At the time, Phyllis A. Balch was a Certified Nutrition Consultant. No University degree, just a Certified Nutrition Consultant from a non accredited school who had written a book that is in its sixth edition, used by natural health schools in North America found as a reference book in just about every health food store and has been translated into multiple languages. This author gave me the confidence I needed to know I was on the right path.

I do hope you will listen to the show for a good deep conversation. Thank you for being here and have an awesome week. Stay well, and until next time, question the norm, trust your wisdom, and elegantly and unapologetically roar. And most of all, Lady, keep being fascinating and sage with sass and grace in everyday life.

~Karen

Welcome in Fascinating Sagers, so glad to have you here with me to either to read, watch or listen in. Before we get in to it, let’s also take this moment to welcome in some new sagers:

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I knew what was going on, she was short on energy. She also had this obsession with tomatoes and lamb, she could not get enough of these two foods. It was all the convincing I needed.

Tomatoes are high in vitamin B9 (folate). Lamb is high in vitamin B12 among other B vitamins. I begged her to speak to her doctor to double her maternity vitamins, to which he agreed. Within a week, she was no longer sleeping throughout her work hours and was not as obsessed with tomatoes and lamb. She was amazed!

A case report in the British Medical Journal reported a 20-year-old 30-week pregnant woman admitted to the emergency room with symptoms of shortness of breath, lethargy and both her legs were numb.

Her blood lab values found her vitamins B9 (folate) and B12 were deficient affecting her hemoglobin. She was a meatatarian however, her diet lacked nutrition. After subscribing to only vitamin B12, her symptoms reversed and pregnancy was carried to term. Medical doctors are still under the belief that taking B12 and folate together will mask a B12 deficiency.

One of my colleagues at the time, an ER nurse found the majority of elderly patients coming in due to falls were also B vitamin Deficient. She wrote an incredibly useful book, Could It Be B12?: An Epidemic of Misdiagnoses.

The crux of her book;

B12 deficiency can cause dementia, multiple sclerosis, early Parkinson’s disease, diabetic neuropathy or chronic fatigue syndrome. It can cause depression and mental illness, infertility in men and women, or developmental disabilities in children.

Vitamin B12 and Folate deficiency can Mask one another with one fatal flaw

Now before you run out and grab a bottle of B12, there is more to the story.

B12 and folate deficiency symptoms overlap so closely they can mask each other. But there is one crucial difference.

A severe folate deficiency can usually be corrected. A severe B12 deficiency, if it progresses, can become irreversible. We are talking neuropathy, inability to walk, cognitive decline, and permanent brain damage.

Now, if you are lucky enough to have the right doctor, most will test B12. But many do not routinely test folate because of food fortification. These two should be tested together. And even how we test, and how those results are interpreted, can sometimes be misleading.

So are we having an epidemic of low B12 and possibly folate? What does the data say in 2025 for the United States?

Based on NHANES and expert summaries, about 2 to 3 percent of U.S. adults have a clinically significant B12 deficiency. In adults over 60, that number rises to about 6 percent or more. That does not sound like a lot, but let’s put it into real numbers:

• 2 percent equals about 5.2 million adults

• 3 percent equals about 7.8 million adults

• And for older adults, that is roughly 4.5 million people.

Think about that for a moment. That is a lot.

And remember, that is just those meeting strict laboratory criteria for deficiency. It does not include:

• Borderline or low normal B12

• Functional deficiency with elevated homocysteine or methylmalonic acid

• People with symptoms but serum levels still technically “in range”

• Functional levels, which are different than standard lab reference ranges

What about Folate Deficiency?

Folate deficiency is much lower because of fortification. Around 2 percent of adults have low red blood cell folate concentrations suggestive of deficiency. However, in older adults, levels can trend lower than in younger adults.

Some literature reports estimates ranging from 5 to 20 percent in older adults when certain cutoffs are used, though that is not always representative of the fully fortified U.S. population.

If estimates range from 5 percent to 20 percent in older adults, depending on the cutoff used, that translates to:

• 5 percent equals about 3.75 million older adults

• 10 percent equals about 7.5 million

• 20 percent equals about 15 million

To be clear, the 20 percent figure is not universally accepted across all fortified U.S. data. It depends on how deficiency is defined and which biomarker cutoff is used. But even at the low end of 5 percent, that is nearly four million older adults.

Let’s talk about us sagers and B vitamin Deficiency

Serum folate in elderly adults can be more variable, and lower levels have sometimes been associated with cognitive and neurological outcomes. Marginal B12 and folate together can influence cognition postively and negatively when in a deficient state.

High folic acid intake from fortified foods can mask a B12 deficiency, especially in older adults prone to malabsorption, and the studies are showing this.

Symptoms may not fully reveal themselves, and testing may not happen. Or the symptoms that are being experienced are not being recognized as a reason to check B vitamins and folate. And then we layer in genetics. About 50 to 60 percent of the U.S. population carries at least one common MTHFR polymorphism.

So if this is as clear as mud, let’s let the sediment settle for just a moment and break it down.

Your body needs folate to make red blood cells, repair DNA, and support brain and nerve function.

But folate does not work as is. It must be converted into its active form, known as methylfolate, by the MTHFR gene. We all have this gene. But for some of us, this gene does not function as efficiently as it should.

Think of the MTHFR gene like a factory worker converting folate into its usable form. If you carry a common SNP, that worker may simply move slower. Synthetic folic acid, the form used in fortification, requires conversion. If your body cannot convert it efficiently, it becomes ineffective.

If that is the case, you may take folic acid and not fully benefit from it. And you may not recognize that your symptoms are actually because the worker is too slow to give you what you need.

The same concept applies to vitamin B12. There are gene SNPs affecting absorption, transport, and utilization. The synthetic or fortified form, cobalamin, may not be processed efficiently in some individuals. So the type of B12 and folate formulation becomes important.

Could B vitamin Deficiency be the root cause of Aging Symptoms?

Now combine genetics with a diet of processed, polished foods, devoid of fruits and vegetables, along with declining stomach acid as we sage. Add in medications and stress. Over time, vague symptoms can emerge and go undetected because we assume they are part of aging, or we have had them so long we think they are normal.

Without genetic insight or proper testing, misdiagnoses such as early onset dementia or other cognitive diagnoses can occur. Or neuropathy like in someone diagnosed with diabetes.

Now the symptoms of B vitamin deficiencies can either mimic other problems or be the root cause. I know I have not fully outlined the symptoms yet, but what I am talking about today are the symptoms (see chart below).

Cardiovascular markers and B Vitamins

B Type Natriuretic Peptide

Cardiologists use B Type Natriuretic Peptide, or BNP, or ProBNP to assess heart strain. Essentially, BNP is a protein. When there is too much, the test comes back elevated, and depending on the lab result, it may indicate the heart is not pumping efficiently, especially the left ventricle. It can also help determine stages of heart failure.It sounds terrifying, I know. But there is some things we can do.

Homocysteine

Another test some cardiologists perform is homocysteine. Homocysteine is an amino acid that can build up in the body but is also designed to be cleared. So when a lab reveals elevated homocysteine, and depending on the level, it can trigger further testing for cardiovascular disease.

If these labs come back high, discussions often turn to ACE inhibitors, ARBs, beta blockers, and other medications. And yes, those have their place. I am not saying do not take medications. That would be morally wrong.

But what if, now that you are a savvy sager, the next question to ask is, did anyone check my vitamins B6, B12, and folate?

What if you checked those next, and depending on the results and the right type of testing, you had a discussion with your doctor about bringing those numbers into proper functional lab ranges and then seeing what happens?

Or what if you are already taking a good B complex. When is the last time you had your nutritional markers for B12, B6, and folate checked? Or what if there is a chance you have genetic mutations and your factory workers are simply too slow?

Perhaps you combine B vitamins with medications and then retest in a couple of months to see how your body responds. And if you are not responding, perhaps you look into nutritional genetic testing to see if you are dealing with slower gene variants and need a different form of B vitamins.

The more we question the norm, the better at saging we become.

And this long answer comes down to this. These B vitamins are required to metabolize homocysteine and support cardiovascular health.

It really begins with addressing nutritional deficiencies. Then imagine how that may shift the entire picture without complicated symptoms down the road.

My Mum, Heart Failure and a Fractured Spine

Last year I spent about five months back home in Canada with my mum. She had fractured her spine. And I will point out, nothing was done until I came in roaring unapologetically.

My mum was in severe pain and the doctor said to just take Tylenol. I politely asked for a CT scan or X rays. After some argument, reluctantly, he ordered the CT scan.

It should have been automatic if he had asked basic questions like what were you doing before this happened. She had tried to move her bed after a snow and ice storm flooded her bedroom. She twisted as she pulled and hurt her back. That alone, along with her age, should have prompted action.

The CT scan showed a fracture at T11, one of the thoracic vertebrae in the middle of her spine. The doctor suggested Tylenol and said to come back in 8 weeks because it would take 6 to 8 weeks to heal.

While in the office, I asked to have her vitamin D3 checked. He said it was not necessary. My feathers were officially ruffled.

She had a fractured vertebra, which is a bone. Bone requires vitamin D3, along with K2, calcium, manganese and magnesium.

My mum is a sager. She smokes. She eats processed foods. She lives in the darkest part of Ontario Canada where in winter the sun appears maybe once every two or three weeks. That is reason enough to check vitamin D3.

After more discussion, he reluctantly agreed.

Then I asked when she had last been checked for heart disease in the past 10 years. She had quadruple bypass surgery and a follow up is warranted. His response— quiet—which translated to —never. At this point, my ruffled feathers were falling out.

After a great deal of arguing, we came out with testing for ProBNP, homocysteine, and B12, although he refused a urine organic acid test, which is better, and folate. That is all I could negotiate.

In the interim, my mum was in severe pain, taking Tylenol around the clock and alternating with Robaxacet, which still contains acetaminophen. There was no way she could do this for 6 to 8 weeks.

I took her to the emergency room in her small town. Same diagnosis. Same prescription. Just keep taking Tylenol.

The emergency doctor brought up her latest ProBNP test. I asked if they had tested it. No. It must have been in her chart.

My mum was in a wheelchair, exhausted, from being in pain, sleeping in the chair, and just looked physically and energetically depleted of life. The ER doctor said she was in second stage heart failure.

“Wait, am I going to have a heart attack?”

I asked what we do for that. The doctor said nothing. She reviewed the medications my mum was on, typical blood pressure meds, cholesterol medication, baby aspirin, and something else, I can’t remember.

My mum is finally processing what is going on as we talked over her sitting in the wheelchair and said, “Wait, am I going to have a heart attack?”

I said, “Yes, mum, you are going to croak.” I say.

“What are we going to do?” She says in the littlest of voice full of fear.

The doctor stayed quiet. Said nothing could be done. No referral to a cardiologist. No follow up. Just go home. We left, with me absolutely fuming.

The Chiropractor

For her back, we got her into the town’s chiropractor who used a laser technique that was incredible. It significantly reduced her pain and helped get her off Tylenol within about a week. about 6 weeks earlier than recommended by the physicians.

Can we reverse ProBNP and homocysteine lab values? With B Vitamins?

As for the ProBNP, homocysteine, and potential heart failure, there is a lot we can do, from diet and lifestyle to supplementation.

Now, symptoms of B12 and folate deficiency can include numbness or tingling in hands and feet, balance issues, brain fog, memory changes, mood shifts. Advanced cases can lead to permanent nerve damage.

And yes, let’s talk about numb legs. Because sagers seem to suffer with body extremities going numb, neuropathy especially in diabetics.

In a clinical nerve conduction study, nearly 80 percent of patients with neurological symptoms from B12 deficiency showed clear peripheral neuropathy. The damage primarily involved the nerve fibers themselves, called axonal injury, with some demyelinating features. Both sensory and motor nerves were affected. Outcomes were generally favorable when treatment began early.

A 2025 systematic review found supplementation with Vitamin B12 improved neurological symptoms in clinically deficient individuals.

Clinical references consistently list peripheral neuropathy, numbness, gait disturbance, and sensory loss as classic B12 deficiency presentations.

Myelin Sheath and Vitamin B12

Let’s think about the myelin sheath. It is the protective coating around nerves. It requires essential fatty acids and B vitamins (among other minerals). When vitamin B12, and also vitamin B6, are severely deficient, that sheath can break down.

B Vitamin Deficiency Symptoms

B12 and folate deficiency symptoms are so close that they can mask each other. The difference is a folate deficiency if severe can be corrected. However, a B12 deficiency if becomes severe can be irreversible and lead to permanent damage including not being able to walk, neuropathy, and brain damage. I understand why the doctor only gave B12 however, if B12 is low, typically the other B vitamins are too. During pregnancy, B12 and folate are required in higher doses than average recommendations. And, just for symmetry here, all B vitamins are needed as they work synergistically.

What causes B vitamin deficiencies?

If you have been following me for a while, then you know what I am going to say. B vitamin Deficiency can happen from a poor diet including

• Vegan/vegetarian diet

• High in sugar, grains, and refined foods

• Low in vegetables

• Low in beans, nuts and seeds

• Caffeine

• Alcohol

B vitamin deficiency can also be a contributing factor with

• Genetics, SNPs, mutations, variations

• High stress

• Inflammation

• Poor stomach acid

• Bowel resections

• Gut infections

• Medications

• Antibiotics

Organic Acid Testing and B Vitamin Deficiency

It is not just vitamin B12. I have been using Diagnostic Solutions Labs OMX| Organic Metabolomics Plasma and Organic acid test with my clients. What I have found is at least one deficiency of a B vitamin at the root cause of their health concerns. Typically it is vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12.

I could not understand why every single client was dealing with B vitamin deficiencies and I took it one step further. I started running their 23andme data through a PureInsight™ (formally PureGenomics®) program that gives incredible nutritional data.

I have found those who have B vitamin Deficiencies had an enzyme mutation that did not allow them to properly absorb B vitamins. Or, depending on their gene mutation needed more than the average recommended amount of specific B vitamins.

By then putting the right type of B vitamins and amount in place we have been getting incredible results including hormone issues, coming off of antidepressants and antipsychotics, and other medications. One of my clients who was struggling to bring her cancer markers into balance did so after 3 months of a specific B vitamin regime. It was such a delight to see the needles move! It is absolutely incredible to see my clients bounce back with so much energy and happiness. And Homocysteine and ProBPN? The lab markers trended in the right direction.

B vitamins affect Amino Acids

Also, keep in mind, there were other concerns on the test that we would also address. On this note, there were also plasma amino acid deficiencies differing in each. B vitamins are co-factors for amino acids to work properly. So, do you give them amino acids or B’s?

The short term we would add in amino acids to help, but in the long term it is the B vitamins. They are the cofactors for amino acids to work better. But, depending on symptoms and level of deficiency it may take a couple of weeks before the B vitamins can kick and do their job.

Amino acids play a crucial role in immunity, stress, sleep, energy, mental health cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal health. In other words, just about everything. So, what is better to take, B vitamins or amino acids? It is really about getting to the root cause. I say if there are symptoms check both, supplement short term with the deficient Amino acid until the B vitamins kick in.

B Vitamins and Genetic Mutations

It’s one thing to take a B vitamin complex, it is another to understand if you are taking the right type of complex for your genetic chemistry.

If you have your 23andMe raw data and you would like your own PureInsight™ (formally PureGenomics®) Nutrition Report including what foods are the best for your weight, activity level and so much more you can get this information for a nominal fee. Reach out.

You can make it super private by uploading your own or I can help you with this and still be private by uploading it for you. A quick email and you are on your way. If you are interested in this email me at hellokarenlangston@gmail.com and I will send you the details.

Update on 23andMe

23andMe was owned by pharmaceutical companies. As of 2021, there was a merger with special purpose acquisition company VG Acquisition Corp., which was founded by U.K. billionaire Sir Richard Branson. Anne Wojcicki, the cofounder, and CEO of 23andMe. In March 2025, 23andMe filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and ceased operating as an independent public company. Its shares were delisted from the Nasdaq. Initially, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals agreed to buy most of 23andMe’s assets (including its Personal Genome Service and research divisions) for about $256 million. However, a nonprofit called the TTAM Research Institute, led by 23andMe co-founder and former CEO Anne Wojcicki outbid Regeneron with a higher offer (~$305 million). In July 2025, a bankruptcy court approved the sale of 23andMe’s assets to TTAM. Under that deal, the company’s genetic testing services continue, but 23andMe is now owned by the TTAM Research Institute rather than operating as the old publicly traded 23andMe Holding Co

They may be using health data for drug development however, you must opt in if you want this. In other words, you can make your DNA as private as you want.

If you are thinking of getting your DNA done through 23andMe there are specific kits you need to get. It is the Health + Ancestry Service. You do not need a monthly subscription. You will get a ton of information from the company itself and connect with other DNA relatives or keep your information completely private.

If you are not sure how to get your data, You can go to 23andMe and they have instructions on how to download your raw data. If you have downloaded your data in the past, I recommend a fresh download. Information is continuously being updated on the site. It is better to get the most current bang for your buck!

Once the raw data from 23AndMe has been downloaded and uploaded to PureInsight™ (formally PureGenomics®), the cutting-edge report is super easy to read, and can tell you which vitamins and the form is best for your genes or if you do not absorb them at all (now that is a money saver!). The report will also include two categories; Consider Action and Enhanced Benefit so you can decide where you would like to focus your efforts.

There are several trait categories including

• Vitamins

• Minerals

• Intestential microbial balance

• Inflammation (inflammatory pathways)

• Weight management

• Energy and Fitness

• Stress management

• GI health

• Cognitive and Memory

• Glucose metabolism

• Sleep management

• Sun exposure

• Environmental exposures

• Medication and substance use

• Lifestyle and food suggestions

• Intolerances

• Here is how it works

• Upload raw data from either 23andme or Ancestry

• Fill out a questionnaire for even more targeted results

• Recent blood work? Upload that too and get really specific

• Receive and download your report within 24 hours

• The report comes with diagrams, supplemental nutrition and diet suggestions unique to your genes. All while keeping it really easy to understand and incorporate.

Super easy, get better results, get the right supplements and food to eat, save money and have better peace of mind you are doing the right thing for your unique physiology.

If you are uncomfortable with 23andMe, I get it. There are other options. I work with Evexia and there are tons of DNA testing that are from a nutritional perspective. If this is something you would like to explore, reach out for a 30 minute consultation. HelloKarenLangston@gmail.com (656) 222-0848

What happened to my MUM?

As for my mum… she has not croaked. Yet.

At 78 years old, she has tons of energy. I mean, she is slow and meanders a bit, but she is doing things now. When I first got there, she had no life in her.

I want you to understand that my mum does not believe in what I do. None of my family does. But when she heard she could have a heart attack at home, she was willing to listen. Well, that and I showed her pages of studies associating low B vitamin status with cardiovascular disease. She was willing to at least entertain the idea.

She did not have her 23andMe genetic testing done and was not interested in doing it. But I figured since she gave birth to me, our genetics are going to be pretty close. I have the MTHFR gene SNP, as well as SNPs related to B6, B12, and zinc and require more vitamin D3 than the average person.

So she started taking a methylated multivitamin, a methylated B complex, magnesium, and a D3 complex. You can get these through my online store. I would appreciate your support and business.

• Pure Encapsulations PureGenomics® Ultramultivitamin (for mineral-vitamins)

• Pure Encapsulations Magnesium (Glycinate) For muscles, and foot cramps

• Pure Encapsulations B6 Complex (energy, cognition, stamina)

• Allergy Research Group Vitamin D3 Complete 5000 High Potency with A and K2 (energy, stamina, cognition, skeletal)

About three weeks in, I noticed my mum was not falling asleep as much during the day and actually wanted to go out. A couple of weeks after that she said to me, in mid-thought, “You know those medicines you have me on…”

I corrected her. “Mum, they are vitamins.”

“Yeah, whatever. I think they are working. I feel better.”

Later, when she had her ProBNP and homocysteine tested again, they were normal.

So I guess she is not croaking any time soon.

Know Your Vitamin B12 and Folate at the very least!

As for your B vitamins ask your doctor to test your

• Serum folate

• Serum B12

• URINE methylmalonic acid. (MMA)

At the very least!

Order Your own B vitamin Test

if it is a no to the urine test, get an organic acid test done that looks at all your nutrition or order your own. Or order your own serum folate, serum B12 and urine MMA. Most states you can order your own labs except for a couple of states. ..Rhoad Island, New York and New Jersey. Laws vary and specific tests or requirements can differ by state. Some tests may still require clinician review even where direct access is permitted.

Bottom line is this.. if you want to sage with sass and grace with all your marbles, your stamina and energy… get the right functional nutritional testing. Life is not about sitting with your friends comparing aches, pains and medications. Heck no! this second act in life is about feeling good and getting out and enjoying life. Are you with me?

Thank you for joining today’s discussion. Remember, Small shifts, big impact. You deserve to feel strong, vibrant, and capable, because you are.

If this episode spoke to you, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a comment, send me a message on Substack.

Leave a comment

And if you love what you’re hearing, subscribe, leave a review and recommend me—it helps so much!

Have an idea or want an answer to your question? Leave me a message on my private dedicated podcast line (that no one answers) (656) 222- 0848.

Stay well, and until next time, question the norm, trust your wisdom, elegantly and unapologetically roar. And most of all, Lady,, keep being fascinating and sage with sass and grace in every day life.

*The information shared in this post and audio reflects the personal experiences and opinions of the author s and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as medical, psychological, or professional advice. Any tests, products, or methods mentioned are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended for diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of any disease. This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider regarding any health concerns, conditions, and, or a nutritionally informed physician before making any changes to your health routine, including trying any products, methods, or recommendations mentioned here.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

I want to start today with something you might have noticed showing up on grocery and health food store shelf and that is A2 milk. If you’ve ever thought you were lactose intolerant, struggled with bloating, constipation, or just felt off after drinking milk, this conversation is for you. What surprised me is that for many people, the issue may not be lactose at all, but a subtle difference in the milk protein. Once I started digging into why A2 milk is gaining traction in the grocers, it led me right back to the core mission of Label to Table: understanding what’s really in our food and how it affects our bodies. And that brings us directly to the other side of today’s discussion: synthetic additives like BHA and BHT, ingredients many of us consume without realizing how often they appear, not just in food, but in packaging itself. this is an interesting show today so grab your favourite brew or chow down on lunch and hit that play button.

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Thank you to those of you who showed up during the live. I am not sure who you all were but some include (who never misses a beat) and .

Show Notes:

(17:41) A2 Milk Meaning and the Difference Between A2 Milk vs Regular Milk

After Danni’s segment, I shifted the conversation to cow’s milk and the rise of A2 milk in health food stores. Many people believe they are lactose intolerant, but what if the issue isn’t lactose at all? Cow’s milk contains a protein called beta-casein, and there are two main forms: A1 and A2. Regular milk usually contains a mix of both. A2 milk comes from cows bred to produce only the A2 form, and the difference between A1 and A2 milk comes down to a single amino acid in the protein chain.

What Is Special About A2 Milk and How A2 Milk Is Produced

I explained beta-casein by comparing it to a long pearl necklace made of amino acids. At position 67 on that chain, A2 milk contains the amino acid proline, which is the original, ancestral form found in early cattle. A1 milk contains histidine at that same position due to a natural genetic mutation that spread through selective breeding for higher milk yields. A2 milk is produced by genotyping cows with a simple swab and selectively breeding A2/A2 cows, not through genetic modification or CRISPR.

What Are the Health Benefits of A2 Milk?

When A1 beta-casein is digested, it can release a peptide called beta-casomorphin-7, or BCM-7. This peptide has opioid-like effects in the gut and can slow digestion, disrupt the migrating motor complex, increase mucus production, and promote inflammation. For some people, this shows up as bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, or alternating bowel patterns. In A2 milk, the proline at position 67 blocks this cleavage, meaning BCM-7 is largely not formed. Many people report improved digestion and fewer symptoms when switching to A2 milk.

Is A2 Milk Lactose Free and Is A2 Milk Good for You?

A2 milk is not lactose free unless it is specifically labeled as such. Lactose intolerance still requires lactose-free milk or lactase enzymes. However, A2 lactose-free options are now available. Nutritionally, the nutritional profile of A2 milk is similar to regular milk in terms of protein, fat, calcium, and vitamins. The key difference lies in how the protein is digested, not in the nutrient content itself.

Potential Side Effects of A2 Milk and Who Should Avoid It

A2 milk is not a solution for people with true milk protein allergies. It also may not make a noticeable difference for everyone. Some individuals tolerate regular milk just fine. As with any dietary change, individual response matters. The best way to know if A2 milk is good for you is a simple trial while keeping other variables consistent.

Types of A2 Milk, Organic Status, and A2 Milk Price

A2 milk comes in several forms, including whole, reduced-fat, skim, organic, and lactose-free varieties. A2 milk can be organic, but organic certification is separate from A2 status. Because herds must be tested and selectively bred, A2 milk price is typically higher than conventional milk. Availability has expanded significantly, which is why many people now search for “A2 milk near me” and find it in both natural and conventional grocery stores.

Next we talked about BHT with Danni taking the lead. For the indepth article be sure to jump over to her page

Back To Basics of Nutrition

BHA/BHT and What the Heck is A2 Milk?

Whoopsies! If you notice last Wednesday, I accidentally published the current LIVE too early and it landed in your inbox…

Read more

7 months ago · 8 likes · 4 comments · Danni Macfarland

(00.00-17:40) BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) Meaning and Why We Are Talking About It

Before diving into today’s ingredient, Danni and I stepped back to explain why Label to Table exists in the first place. There are more than 10,000 chemical additives in the food supply, with roughly 2,500 intentionally added. Most people never question them because they are hidden behind regulatory language like “GRAS,” or Generally Recognized As Safe. What many don’t realize is that these safety determinations are often made by paid experts connected to the very companies producing the additives. That loophole matters, because it allows chemicals to enter our food, skin care, and environment without meaningful independent oversight.

What Is BHT and Where Is BHT Found in Food?

Danni introduced BHT, or Butylated Hydroxytoluene, along with its companion BHA. These synthetic antioxidants have been added to foods since the 1950s and are derived from petroleum-based chemicals. BHT is used to prevent fats and oils from going rancid, which is why it shows up not only in food but also in food packaging, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, animal feed, chewing gum, and vegetable oils. It doesn’t always appear directly in the ingredient list because it can be sprayed onto packaging materials, where it eventually leaches into the food itself.

Health Effects of BHT and Why It Is Banned in Other Countries

Although BHT has a relatively short half-life, meaning the body can clear it in a few hours, constant exposure creates accumulation. Danni explained that BHT clears more slowly than BHA, increasing the risk of buildup over time. Reported health effects of BHT include allergic reactions, respiratory irritation, skin issues, hormonal disruption, and concerning links to lung inflammation and lung cancer in experimental data. These risks are one reason BHT is banned in Europe and Japan, and restricted in other countries. Yet it remains permitted in the United States, raising serious questions about regulatory priorities and public safety.

Regulatory Status of BHT and How to Avoid It

Despite being challenged by physicians as early as the 1990s, BHT has remained in use. While organic foods typically do not contain BHT directly, packaging is a gray area. Recycled cardboard, soy-based inks, and treated liners can still introduce BHT into organic products. Avoiding BHT means reducing reliance on boxed, packaged, and shelf-stable foods, reading labels carefully, and choosing fresh or minimally packaged options whenever possible.

UPDATE FROM DANNI

Danni is always on the pulse of all things label ingredients. She brought to our attention..according to the The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today (February 10, 2026) launched a comprehensive re-assessment of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a chemical preservative used in food:

The review will consider whether BHA is safe under its current conditions of use in food and as a food contact substance, based on the latest scientific information. As part of this re-assessment, the agency issued a Request for Information on the use and safety of BHA.

Are you curious?

If you have a product or ingredient for us to decode? Leave a voicemail at (656) 222-0848 or message me in the show notes. We would love to hear from you.

We are live every Wednesday if you would like to join us

Label to Table is a live, 30 minute weekly decode of ingredients. Holistic Nutritionist Danni Macfarland and I read the fine print on what goes on your plate, your skin, and in your space, translate the science, and help you choose with confidence so you can sage with sass and grace in every day life. We are live every Wednesday at

• 9 am Pacific

• 10 am Mountain

• 11 am Central

• 12 pm Eastern

Thanks for listening in,

Karen

*The information shared in this post and audio reflects the personal experiences and opinions of the author s and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as medical, psychological, or professional advice. Any tests, products, or methods mentioned are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended for diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of any disease. This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider regarding any health concerns, conditions, and, or a nutritionally informed physician before making any changes to your health routine, including trying any products, methods, or recommendations mentioned here.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

Thank you for subscribing. If you have not subscribed yet please do, I would love to help you shine your fascinating light and tame those symptoms beyond menopause. Hit the button, and I will see you on the other side.

Subscribe now

Thank you for catching us live I appreciate you so very much:

, , , , , @<a,aCarle,

Need to Catch up?

Part 1

Part 2

Have a question?

And to you all, seriously, if you have a question you would like answered, please leave me a message on my dedicated podcast line (656) 222-0848 or message me. If I do not have the answer, I will find the expert who can.

References Mentioned

• MAIN Art Of Menopausing

• Ayureveda with Chitra Website

• Chitra’s Services

• Find your Perimenopausal Doṣha: A Project for 100 Women Perimenopausal Dosha Assessment

• Essential Menopause Starter Kit

• Brew New Moon Ghee in our Ayurvedic Wisdom Circle

• Ayurvedic Daily Dosha Rhythm

• Free stuff

• Cars aren’t your only possession in need of oil.

  ---

SHOW NOTES

The Art of Menopausing with
Chitra 🦋 Eder

Menopause the final frontier. Somewhere along the way we started keeping score. Well, I can tell you when we did. It was when the pharmaceutical companies decided to disempower a ladies right of passage. Natural equals good. Medical equals failure.

And if whatever you pick does not work fast, you assume you are the problem by design. Millions of dollars are spent in making sure you understand the norm.

In this final part of our three part series, my guest, , answers the question so many women are carrying, do I go natural, do I go medical, or am I failing if I choose the wrong one? She dismantles the shame on both sides and reframes the real goal as finding your personal sweet spot, the one that supports your body without turning your healing into a second full time job.

Today, I want to go straight to the tension that shows up in real life, not just in the comment sections and wellness memes. I asked Chitra how she guides women through the pull between natural approaches and pharmaceutical or conventional hormone replacement therapies, and where she sees the sweet spot between tradition and modern medicine. Chitra started from the place most women are standing, the place where they are already judging themselves.

Natural vs medical menopause support

The first thing Chitra does is take the shame off the table. Women who take HRT are often sold the idea that it will fix a host of symptoms, and when it does not work the way they hoped, they often feel like something is wrong with them. On the other side, women who want to stay natural can feel that same sting when the natural work is not working for them. Chitra said neither view serves us. It only shames and guilts us.

She described a perspective that I wish every woman could borrow for a week and see how her nervous system responds. Some medical advancements exist because it is amazing that they exist. But that does not mean they are the first thing we use.

I found this analogy fascinating because it is so familiar in women’s healthcare. We do not use a knife immediately just because we think something is not supposed to be there, especially when it might be there because we do not have enough knowledge yet. I told her I see that pattern all the time.

Something shows up on a scan or a medical image and the first instinct for the doctor is to remove it. Especially for women, we have lost too many organs to that mentality. However, this methodology is changing, Chitra had some intel that the gallbladder and appendix are being removed less often. This is fantastic news. But, I am curious, is it because we are becoming better educated about the organ functions in our body? Or is it a growing intuition and empowerment that has us searching for better options?

The sweet spot between Ayurveda and modern medicine

So what is the sweet spot when it comes to how to treat the symptoms of menopause? she answered in a way that was both simple and challenging. The sweet spot is whatever makes sense for her that she is not stressing out about. That sentence deserves to be written on a sticky note and placed somewhere visible. She explained that Ayurveda can be simple, but it is still difficult to put into practice because you have to stay on top of it.

If a woman’s lifestyle shifts she gives the example of traveling for work. It can be hard to practice any healing modality that depends on consistent nutrition while living out of a suitcase. So Chitra keeps returning to the same question to ask yourself, what is going on for you right now, and what is your sweet spot.

She gave a grounded example. If a woman feels she needs to rely on HRT, that can be okay. The hope, she said, is not to do it for the entirety of life, but to use it to get over a particular hump. She also pointed out something that puts HRT into context for many women. Women have been on some sort of hormone cycle for a long time, and we immediately thought of birth control. In her view, being on hormones for a very long time can change bodily intelligence around creating and assimilating natural hormones. She made a careful point that she was making generalizations, not guarantees, but her message was clear. The body is always trying to deal with whatever it has been given. Sometimes it has forgotten how to do things. Sometimes it overreacts. Sometimes it under-reacts. This is why the sweet spot keeps coming back to it depends on you, and why we should not discount one form of support or another.

Ayurveda for menopause even if you choose HRT

Chitra then brought it back to the bridge between approaches, and this is where my brain lit up. Even if a woman chooses HRT, she still needs to deal with digestion. She still needs to deal with drying skin. She still needs to support the rest of her body. That is where Ayurveda can work alongside.

Later in the conversation, I reflected back what I see as a missing piece in so many modern conversations. The idea that you can only take a medication and that is it, because we have been led to believe there is nothing else you can do. Chitra’s perspective opens another door. You can look at Ayurveda doshas, identify constitution, and support the body so those hormones work better, and ideally so the body becomes more balanced over time. The definition of bioharmony.

One firm stand on HRT marketing

Chitra did say there is one place where she takes a stand, and she was clear about it. She wants women to remember that HRT now sits in a huge market. Pharmaceutical companies know a market when they see it, and she believes they have long partnered with doctors in ways that influence what gets pushed. She suggested women should learn to follow the money and ask why there is such a strong push, and whether it connects to an exploding market perceived to have money behind it. She referenced frameworks like the Hegelian dialectic and the revelation of the mind method, and her central point to stayed focused. Women need to become more aware and be able to say no when something does not feel aligned.

When medicine says there is nothing we can do

I shared something I have witnessed from working in integrative centers in different countries, and I said it because it is one of the most heartbreaking phrases in healthcare. People are sometimes told, you have three months to live, there is nothing we can do, put your affairs in order. I told Chitra I have seen people who were told this thirty or forty years ago, and they are still here. What I wish is that a doctor who is trained only in palliative care, would say is there is nothing we can do within the scope of our training and practice. That small shift in language can invite someone to seek out unconventional ways of supporting bioharmony rather than collapsing into hopelessness. Chitra agreed, and I said I believe the divide between allopathic and holistic medicine is sad, and I hope there will be a time when they come together.

Almond oil for dry skin and irregular dryness

As we moved toward wrapping up, asked a practical question that brought us back to the body. She wanted a recommendation for almond oil daily because she runs irregular and dry. Chitra recommended keeping it simple and choosing a food grade almond oil from the food aisle, emphasizing a principle she repeated more than once in this series; anything you put on the skin, you should be able to eat. She also said you can use any oil, even olive oil, depending on what you have. If skin is super dry and flaky, she suggested doing a little dry brush first to remove flakes and then apply oil on top.

Her technique and guidance is clear. She generally tells people to apply oil on the long bones moving up toward the heart, and use circular motion around joints. She also reassured everyone that you will not be doing it wrong. If you cannot do a full body practice daily, she suggested doing feet at night and earlobes during the day. Over time people tend to start moistening up, breathing, and relaxing as a result. She mentioned nerve tissue in the feet and marma points, along with acupressure points in the ears that can activate things. When Cori followed up and said she already has organic almond oil and wants to know how often, Chitra said daily is best, ideally before a shower (adding in a little bit of movement to allow the oil to sink in-see part 2)

She also addressed face oiling. She suggested moving the oil upward, then toward the lymphatic pathway down into the neck, keeping the touch very light. She compared it to lymphatic massage and described the pressure as extremely gentle. We both laughed about how intense some people get with brushing techniques, and Chitra said brushing is meant to remove the upper layer of dead flaky skin, not to assault the body.

Chitra’s offerings on Substack

Before we closed, I asked Chitra to tell everyone what she offers and where to find her. She invited readers to The Art of Menopausing with Chitra Eder Doctor of Ayurveda and join her community. Membership includes a gentle reset designed to help women detox the system along with her kitchen challenge that teaches spices, grains, and what to keep on hand so you can cook most anything, and she emphasized that Ayurveda does not mean cooking Indian foods.

You can also find her program Your Perimenopausal Dosha program, and why she created it. Many dosha quizzes are confusing, and many are not specific to women. Her program is designed to focus on women, including menstrual patterns that can vary based on dosha, and to assess what is happening in the system right now, not only what may have been true at birth. She described it as a $25 questionnaire with one question you can ask about your health or menopausal symptoms, which she is increasingly calling signals. She responds with a recording that she says is ten to fifteen minutes but often runs closer to thirty because she likes to be thorough, and she includes one or two actionable things to help relieve the main issue. She also clarified she does not get into specific herbs in that format, but she will discuss kitchen herbs and spices because herbs can be powerful and can be damaging as well as helpful.

I also asked about her Brew New Moon Ghee Wisdom Circle, and she described it as a monthly gathering where women make ghee together, ask questions in real time, or simply watch and be in community. She described ghee as clarified butter that removes milk solids and milk proteins, and she said it can be tolerated by people who are lactose intolerant. She also described the sensory experience of making it at home, including the smell, and said women join not only to learn but to be together because community is still something we need. I have attended her ghee making community and it worth the experience.

We ended where I think every menopause conversation should end, with less self blame and more humanity. Chitra’s parting message was simple and strong. Do not be so hard on yourselves. Laugh a little, laugh a lot, love a little, love a lot. Love yourself. Those are great words to live by, don’t you think?

Thank you for being with me through this section as well as Part 1 and Part 2. If you have a health or menopause question you would like an answer to, leave a voicemail on my dedicated podcast line, no one answers, promise, at (656) 222-0848, or message me in the show notes. If I don’t have the answer I will find the expert that does.

Thank you for watching, reading or listening in. I’m Karen Langston, your holistic nutritionist and hypnotist. Remember, taking proactive steps toward physical and mental well-being is a journey, and seeking support is a sign of strength.

Share

Stay well, and until next time, question the norm, trust your wisdom, elegantly and unapologetically roar. And most of all… Lady, keep being fascinating and sage with sass and grace in every day life. I’ll see you then .

*The information shared in this post and audio reflects the personal experiences and opinions of the author and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as medical, psychological, or professional advice. Any tests, products, or methods mentioned are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended for diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of any disease. This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider regarding any health concerns, conditions, and, or a nutritionally informed physician before making any changes to your health routine, including trying any products, methods, or recommendations mentioned here.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

Thank you for subscribing. If you have not subscribed yet please do, I would love to help you shine your fascinating light and tame those symptoms beyond menopause. Hit the button, and I will see you on the other side.

Subscribe now

Thank you for catching us live I appreciate you so very much:

, , , , , @<a,aCarle,

Have a product you would like us to decode?

And to you all, seriously, if you have a question you would like answered, please leave me a message on my dedicated podcast line (656) 222-0848 or message me. If I do not have the answer, I will find the expert who can.

The Art of Menopausing with
Chitra 🦋 Eder

When the body starts behaving unpredictably, we rush to manage it. But what if the body already knows exactly what it’s doing, and the real problem is that we keep trying to take the wheel? In Part 1, we heard how Chitra found Ayurveda and why she believes menopause is inevitable and suffering is optional.

Now in Part 2, we jump straight into a listener question from one of my fascinating subscribers, : is perimenopause real, and can you naturally prolong your cycle? And the answer is quite fascinating.

Menopause and Ayurveda: is perimenopause real

Yes, perimenopause is real. But what caught my attention was how Chitra framed what we tend to call “symptoms”. She sees them more as signals and messages that the body is changing. That one shift alone hopefully helps other sagers changes how she listens to herself. Instead of treating every new sensation like a problem to squash, there’s an invitation to translate what the body is saying.

The monthly cycle is not the body’s cleanse

Chitra gently challenged a belief that gets repeated so often and it starts to sound like fact: that menstruation is the body’s cleanse. In her view, cleansing happens through the skin, the liver, and the kidneys. What happens during menses, she explained, is more accurately a removal, the body releasing tissue and an egg that are no longer necessary to the system. She made an important distinction that any waste product that isn’t functional can create the possibility of inflammation, infection, or changes in tissue function. So for her, it isn’t romanticized as a cleansing ritual. It’s the body doing what it does best, clearing what’s no longer needed.

Can you prolong your cycle naturally

The next part of Cori’s question had Chitra zooming out to something bigger than cycle length. She described a common mindset in modern wellness culture that the idea that the mind knows more than the body, that the mind can control the body, and the body has no intelligence of its own. Yes, she said, there are supplements and practices that can lengthen or shorten the menstrual cycle. But then she widened the lens again, because when we say “cycle”, we’re talking about the monthly cycle and the life cycle. And both, she explained, are influenced by the three doshas.

Understanding doshas in perimenopause

Chitra described the three doshas as bioenergetic archetypal energies, constitutions built from the five elements of Ayurveda: ether, air, fire, water, and earth. Vata is ether and air. Pitta is fire with a little water, because in a biological system pure fire would burn everything up. Kapha is earth and water. What I appreciated here is how practical she made it. These are not abstract personality labels. They show up in real patterns, including the menstrual cycle.

She explained that a vata dominant woman, the air and ether type, tends to have irregular periods. Not the classic 28 day rhythm, more like long, short, unpredictable, sometimes absent if there is too much vata.

The pitta dominant woman, the fire type, tends toward a regular period that can feel like it runs on a clock, assuming there are no underlying conditions.

The kapha dominant woman tends toward heavier periods and longer cycles, and she noted that kapha women may move into menopause later than pitta women, while vata can be irregular in timing.

Then she brought it back to the real question. To even consider extending the menstrual cycle (life cycle), she said, you would first want to identify constitution. And if you were trying to extend the life cycle, you would be looking at adding more kapha qualities, more earth, more oil, more slowing down. But she also asked the question that actually protects women from chasing the wrong goal: is it appropriate? Kapha can show up as additional fat, congestion, and ama, which she described as undigested food stuff. So the answer was not a promise. It was an it depends, personalized, grounded in what your body is doing and what you are trying to accomplish.

My own experience with prolonging my cycle

This conversation hit me in a personal place, because I remember the moment my own cycle started slowing down. I was somewhere around 49 or 50, and my reaction was fear based. I remember thinking, I’m not ready for this. I made changes and I was able to continue cycling until I was 53. I did not do the dosha work the way Chitra does it, and I’m never going to pretend I have her depth. But I did make major changes, and I also recognize that my relationship with readiness changed. When I reached 53, I felt ready in a way I didn’t at 49. That difference alone made me curious about how much the mind body conflict influences the experience.

Chitra leaned into that idea too. She said the ready or not ready piece plays a huge role in how we treat ourselves and how we treat our bodies, and that conflict between mind and body can ripple through the whole system. When she asked “what not being ready” actually means, my answer came fast. Not being old. I had felt like menopause was an off a cliff moment. And I can say this now on the other side, with a little grin and a little relief, there was no cliff. It was more like stepping over a curb.

Ayurveda gut health and digestion during menopause

From there, I asked how nutrition plays a role in balancing the doshas during perimenopause and menopause, and whether there are foods or spices to calm hot flashes, improve sleep, or boost energy. Chitra brought it straight to what Ayurveda is famous for, gut health. She said the first thing they look at is what is happening with agni, the digestive fire, and the digestive tract itself.

She explained how digestion patterns can reflect dosha tendencies. Vata digestion can be irregular, hunger comes and goes, and women can forget to eat because life gets airy and schedule slips. Pitta digestion carries more fire, and if a pitta woman does not eat on time, she can get hangry fast. Kapha digestion can be slow and heavy, where food sits and satiety lasts a long time. She also reminded me, and all of us, that we are not one dosha. We have all three. Imbalances can show up in different ways even within a dominant constitution.

One detail she shared was the tongue. She described a white film as a sign of slowness in the system, and she talked about how the body can coat the digestive tract and even other cavities or vessels with that same kind of buildup. Her point was simple and powerful that digestion has to work. Food that is broken down properly becomes the building blocks for tissues, including blood, bones, and nervous tissue, and it also feeds the reproductive system whether or not a woman is menstruating. That framework shifts the conversation from trying to force the body into a specific timeline to supporting the body’s capacity to function.

Abhyanga oil massage and the meaning of sneha

Then I asked about something many women feel on the outside of the change and that is d-r-y-n-e-s-s. I brought up Chitra’s article title that I loved, cars aren’t your only possession in need of oil,

Art of Menopausing with Chitra Eder

Cars aren't your only possession in need of oil.

Read more

2 years ago · 9 likes · 10 comments · Chitra Eder

and asked her to talk about conventional moisturizers versus body oils. She explained that abhyanga is an oil massage you can do on yourself, or have someone else do for you, and she said it with a smile that made the idea sound like a spa day and a sacred ritual at the same time.

She also explained sneha, the Sanskrit word for love, and how the word for oil is connected with love. When you put oil on your skin, you are practicing self care. Not as a luxury, but as nourishment. She described how oiling supports movement in the body, including the lymphatic system, and how oil nourishes in a way water cannot. Water hydrates, but oil helps fill you up. She used an image that stuck with me from her desert life. When the earth is dry and it rains hard, the ground cannot absorb it, and the water floods away. The body can do something similar. If the system is dry and cannot absorb water, it flushes through. Oils help create a barrier so water can stay and hydrate.

She reminded us the skin is our largest organ and our first barrier. Oiling supports that barrier and, in her view, supports the immune system, and can go deeper into tissues over time. She also emphasized the internal side too, taking good oils internally, supporting the body from both directions.

Best oils for each dosha

I asked her to keep it simple and tell us what oils match each dosha. She explained that kapha tends to have more oily skin, so kapha often does better with lighter oils that absorb well. She said almond oil is good for everyone, which is helpful for women who do not want complicated rules. Warming oils like sesame oil, and castor oil are warming but often too thick. Chitra recommended warming oil to at least body temperature so it absorbs better.

For pitta, sunflower oil used to be a go to, but she now leans more toward almond oil for most of the year, and coconut oil as a cooling option, especially in summer, while noting that cooling oils do not penetrate as deeply. Heat expands and helps pores open, while cold contracts.

For vata, oil is needed the most, and sesame oil is often used because it is warming and penetrates deeply. Chitra also named a powerful trio: sesame for vata, ghee for pitta. And then we talked about ghee.Chitra once received a ghee massage in India during an Ayurvedic retreat, and she said the jet lag disappeared. Gone. I wonder how that works for sleep?

How to do abhyanga without turning your bathroom into a slip and slide

I shared a real life problem with oiling my body before showering. It sounds wonderful, but it can turn the shower into an oil slick. I told her what I used to do instead, oiling after the shower with a cloth and starting at my feet, skipping the towel entirely. She said yes, any effect is better than no effect. But she also explained the ideal rhythm if you want the deeper benefit. You apply oil, then do warming exercise so the body warms and absorbs. If you have the time, a steam bath comes next, opening pores again, then the shower. Her practical solution was one I can see sagers actually using. If you exercise in the morning, do abhyanga before you move, do a few sun salutations, then shower. Less mess, more absorption.

I told her I oil my hair before shampoo and that it saves money on conditioner, and she reassured me with something women need to hear more often and that is there is no wrong. There is moving in the right direction. I love that affirmation.

Menopause self care without perfection

We ended Part 2 in a place I did not expect but absolutely needed. Chitra described her approach to Ayurveda as meeting women where they are. What is your lifestyle, what are your inherent practices, and how do we move you toward support without turning wellness into another source of stress. She named what so many women are living inside of. Stressing out over food, water, and practices drains the system. We do not live in a perfect world. Food can be contaminated. Air and water can be contaminated. Many of us do not have a village to help us cook, clean, raise kids, or hold the weight of life. So,

the goal is not perfection. The goal is progress, support, and less self blame.

Thank you for coming with me through Part 2. In Part 3, we go straight into the tension so many women feel: natural support versus hormones, tradition versus modern medicine, and what Chitra calls the real sweet spot. And she makes one point that will change the way you hear every “this is the only option” conversation again.

If you have a health or menopause question you and answer to, leave a voicemail on my dedicated podcast line, no one answers, promise, at (656) 222-0848, or message me in the show notes. If I don’t have the answer I will find that expert that does.

Thank you for watching, reading or listening in. I’m Karen Langston, your holistic nutritionist and hypnotist…. Remember, taking proactive steps toward physical and mental well-being is a journey, and seeking support is a sign of strength.

Share

Stay well, and until next time, question the norm, trust your wisdom, elegantly and unapologetically roar. And most of all… Lady, keep being fascinating and sage with sass and grace in every day life. I’ll see you then .

*The information shared in this post and audio reflects the personal experiences and opinions of the author and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as medical, psychological, or professional advice. Any tests, products, or methods mentioned are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended for diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of any disease. This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider regarding any health concerns, conditions, and, or a nutritionally informed physician before making any changes to your health routine, including trying any products, methods, or recommendations mentioned here.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

so glad to have you here with me to either to read, watch or listen in. Before we get in to it, let’s also take this moment to welcome in some new sagers:

Thank you for subscribing. If you have not subscribed yet please do, I would love to help you shine your fascinating light and tame those symptoms beyond menopause. Hit the button, and I will see you on the other side.

Subscribe now

Thank you for catching us live I appreciate so very much:

, , , @<a,aCarle

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The Art of Menopausing with
Chitra 🦋 Eder

Somewhere in my inbox, I saw the phrase “The Art of Menopausing,” and something said, pay attention. Then I read the line that sealed it:

menopause is inevitable and suffering is optional.

That sentence fit perfectly for what menopause should be. It just goes against everything most women have been taught to expect from this stage of life.

That was how I found author of the Art of Menopausing.

Chitra is an Ayurvedic doctor and the writer behind Art of Menopausing, where she teaches women how to move through menopause using the ancient healing system of Ayurveda, often referred to as the science of life. Her work sits at the intersection of physiology, intuition, environment, and lived experience, and it comes with a deep respect for women’s natural processes rather than an impulse to medicalize them.

When we sat down to talk, I knew I didn’t want to rush into symptoms or solutions. I wanted to know more about the behind the scenes, the story, about how Chitra arrived to work with women to trust their bodies again.

Chitra’s path was not a straight line, and it certainly wasn’t pristine.

She laughs easily when she says she was not always into health. Like many of us who came of age in the seventies and eighties, she grew up in a culture where smoking, drinking, and experimenting were normal. Health was not a central value. Yoga, however, entered her life early. At twelve years old, she found a book and began practicing on her own, unknowingly laying down a thread that would resurface decades later.

The real turning point came in New York City, when she had an unmistakable moment of honesty with herself. She realized she was drinking too much. When she asked a friend for validation, he waved it off. But something deeper had already answered the question for her.

She stopped drinking. All at once, she also stopped sugar, meat, and smoking. She discovered Gary Null and went through an intensive detox program in Texas. She began running. Within a year, she ran a marathon. The shift was dramatic, but what mattered more was that she had started listening to her wisdom.

Alongside these physical changes, another truth was coming into focus. Chitra had always known things she couldn’t explain. She moved energy instinctively. Eventually, she found herself working with a curandera, who named what Chitra had been doing all along. She was a healer.

At first, she simply wanted language. Reiki gave her a framework. Organic food became non negotiable because she could feel chemicals in her system. Yoga, massage, nutrition, and energy work all made sense individually, but something still felt fragmented. Ayurveda changed that

What drew Chitra in was its breadth. Ayurveda did not isolate practices. It offered principles that applied to every part of life and allowed those principles to be personalized based on the individual, their environment, their age, and their unique constitution.

Massage therapy became her entry point into Ayurveda through the practice of Abhyanga, traditional oil massage. Yoga deepened alongside it. Nutrition was no longer about rules but about digestion, assimilation, and elimination. Holistic health became a living, responsive system.

Her work expanded naturally. She opened a yoga studio. She ran a massage therapy practice. And when she found herself caregiving for her mother in a Florida food desert, she started an organic food buying club because there were none.

What began as a small solution turned into a large operation serving communities from Daytona to Jacksonville and Orlando, long before food box subscriptions were common. For several years, it thrived.

When Cancer intervened

While Chitra was studying Ayurveda in Albuquerque, her husband was diagnosed with cancer. Eventually, he passed away. She tried to sustain the business, but grief and responsibility made it impossible. Before he died, he asked her to promise she would return to Albuquerque and complete her Ayurvedic studies.

A Promise Kept

Chitra now lives and works in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on the traditional land of the Pueblo of Sandia. She describes New Mexico as both the land of enchantment and the land of entrapment. It either brings you in for good or teaches you what you need to learn before sending you on your way. For her, it became home.

We talked about how different places shape us, not just emotionally but physiologically. New York time, Florida time, New Mexico time. Each required a slowing, a recalibration. In the high desert, seasons are palpable and temperature shifts are immediate. This, Chitra explained, mirrors what happens in the menopausal body.

The Menopausal Body

As women move from midlife into later life, heat redistributes. Internal seasons change. Symptoms are not random acts of betrayal but messages shaped by environment, lifestyle, and accumulated history. Ayurveda offers a way to read those messages without panic.

Before we moved deeper into the framework itself, I brought in a question from one of my longtime subscribers, . She wanted to know whether perimenopause is real and whether it’s possible to prolong the menstrual cycle naturally. Beneath her question was a belief many women carry: that the monthly cycle is the body’s primary cleanse and that losing it means losing vitality. That question became the hinge point for what followed.

Part Two

And that’s where I paused the conversation. In Part two , Chitra answers Cori’s question and gently dismantles one of the most persistent myths women have been taught about their bodies. It’s a perspective shift that reframes symptoms.

If you’ve ever wondered what your body is actually trying to tell you as it changes seasons, Part Two is where we begin to listen. I will see you next week.

If you have a question about Menopause and Beyond, reach out. Leave a message on my dedicated Podcast line (that no one answers) 656 222-0848 or message me here. If I don’t have the answer I will find that expert that does.

Thank you for watching, reading or listening in . I’m Karen Langston, your holistic nutritionist and hypnotist…. Remember, taking proactive steps toward physical and mental well-being is a journey, and seeking support is a sign of strength.

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Stay well, and until next time, question the norm, trust your wisdom, elegantly and unapologetically roar. And most of all… Lady,, keep being fascinating and sage with sass and grace in every day life. I’ll see you then .

*The information shared in this post and audio reflects the personal experiences and opinions of the author and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as medical, psychological, or professional advice. Any tests, products, or methods mentioned are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended for diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of any disease. This content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider regarding any health concerns, conditions, and, or a nutritionally informed physician before making any changes to your health routine, including trying any products, methods, or recommendations mentioned here.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.