BONUS EPISODE: Dr. Responds to Our Nighttime Skin Routines

Optimize Health During Menopause with These 3 Things: Dr. Monica Medrano

If you are looking to optimize your health as a perimenopausal/menopausal woman, THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU. Jeni and Amy sit down with Dr. Monica Medrano of Innovative Vitality in Chicago who is answering the top listener questions about GLP-1s, supplements and what are the top three things women in their 40s/50s/60s should be doing to optimize their health.  Monica Medrano, M.D. breaks it all down for us: * Do you need a GLP-1? * Who qualifies (BMI 30+, or 27+ with conditions) * Side effects & myths * Metformin vs GLP‑1s * Are supplements really necessary or helpful (yes, if you follow Dr. Medrano’s strategy.) And Dr. Medrano shares her top 3 priorities for women in their 50s:  1️⃣ Lift heavy things  2️⃣ Optimize nutrition  3️⃣ Lower stress & protect your energy And as always… we’re figuring it out together. This is for education only — always talk to your provider to get the full run down on what is right for you Write to us at: thedismissedpodcast@gmail.com [thedismissedpodcast@gmail.com]     To reach out to Dr. Monica Medrano, click this link: https://www.innovative-vitality.com/ [https://www.innovative-vitality.com/]

BONUS EPISODE: Dr. Responds to Our Nighttime Skin Routines

Bonus Episode! Monica Medrano, MD responds to our nighttime routines episode and offers her TWO, only two, non-negotiables for her nightly skin regimen. Dr. Medrano proves that it doesn’t have to be complicated.  Just look at her.  She told us to start with the basics and then build based on your skin goals. Not what’s trending. Not what your friend is using.  She recently simplified her own routine. She went from using six different products down to just two main ingredients: retinyl and hyaluronic acid — plus a good cleanser and a mild toner. That’s it. We found that so refreshing because we’re constantly being told we need more. Big takeaway – Be consistent. And as always, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out on social, send us an email, tell us what you’re using and what questions you want Dr. Medrano to answer next. 💬✨ Can’t wait for you to hear the full episode with Dr. Medrano next week.  She is answering the top three questions listeners have had. Subscribe and follow and contact us with your thoughts. Write to us at: thedismissedpodcast@gmail.com [thedismissedpodcast@gmail.com]     To reach out to Dr. Monica Medrano, click this link: https://www.innovative-vitality.com/ [https://www.innovative-vitality.com/]

Nighttime Skincare Routines (Midlife Edition)

This week on dismissed, Jeni and Amy are talking about their nighttime skincare routines. As two former stay‑at‑home moms navigating this weird and wonderful empty‑nest phase, they’ve realized that their evenings look very different — and so do their faces. Jeni is an early‑to‑bed person. Like… aggressively early. Jeni’s routine, pretty simple. She doesn’t even really wash her face. (Don’t yell at her.) Amy, on the other hand, is a night owl and a layering queen. She’s washing with Proactiv, applying a restorative skin complex, rolling frankincense and castor oil under her eyes, slathering on Medicube collagen jelly cream, and finishing with a red light mask for 10 minutes every single night. Now that’s commitment. And it works because Amy’s skin is gorg. We also talk about what actually works when it comes to anti‑aging skincare, whether products beat procedures, and why we probably need to bring a dermatologist on to settle this debate once and for all. Jeni and Amy are telling listeners (and showing for those podcast video viewers) all of the products they use (No Paid Placements - We Wish!).  If you’re into realistic midlife skincare, honest beauty routines, red light therapy, retinol confessions, and a little empty‑nest humor — this one’s for you. And tell us: are you Jeni (simple skincare) or Amy (layering queen)? Let’s talk about it or visit us on socials. Write to us at: thedismissedpodcast@gmail.com [thedismissedpodcast@gmail.com]

Menopause and Making Friends After 50

Is it just us… or is making new friends in your 40s, 50s, and 60s hard? In this episode of dismissed., we’re talking about something no one really prepares you for: how to build community in midlife — especially when the built‑in structures (school, kids’ activities, carpools) start to fall away. But first? We address the real crisis: Perimenopause and menopause sweating. Sweating Sisters unite! From workout classes to “leaky club” napkin situations, we kick things off with some very honest midlife humor — because you have to laugh.  Then we dig into the deeper question: Why does building community get harder as we get older? When kids leave for college, when routines shift, when long-time friend groups change — it can leave a real social hole.  If you’re navigating friendship after 40, feeling lonely in midlife, or wondering how to make new friends as an adult — this conversation is for you. And we want to hear from you. How are you building community in this season of life? Let’s talk about it or visit us on socials. Write to us at: thedismissedpodcast@gmail.com [thedismissedpodcast@gmail.com]

Perimenopause Was Ruining My Life (Until I Started HRT)

For years, Jeni and Amy did not know they were in perimenopause. They thought my bodies were falling apart, that they were just aging. Stiff hands. Rage. Hip pain. Shoulder pain. Rage. Dry skin. Itchy ears. Weird periods. Rage.  Bloating. Inflammation. Rage. Insomnia. No one told us these were perimenopause symptoms. In this episode, Jeni and Amy share what actually happened when they finally started hormone replacement therapy (HRT), including using the estrogen patch, combo patches, progesterone pills at night, and even vaginal estrogen. Jeni and Amy talk about: • The early perimenopause symptoms  • How doctors dismissed us  • How the Women’s Health Initiative scared a generation of women  • The difference between a combo patch (estradiol + progestin) vs estrogen patch + bioidentical progesterone  • Why HRT treatment is symptom‑based, not blood‑test based  • How progesterone helped my sleep (and when it didn’t)  • What happened when my progesterone dose was wrong  • The online menopause care experience that finally helped me feel like myself again Dr. Burki from GynoInfo! joins us to break down how hormone replacement therapy actually works, why some doctors still avoid prescribing it, and what women need to know about HRT safety today. If you’re in your 40s/50s/60s and thinking: “Why am I so angry?”  “Why can’t I sleep?”  “Why do my joints hurt?”  “Why does my skin feel different?” This episode is for you. Perimenopause doesn’t have to mean suffering in silence. Welcome to midlife. Don’t worry we are here for you.