Health Trip Podcast | Jill Foos Wellness

In this episode, we dive into the complex relationship between ADHD and menopause, exploring how hormonal shifts can intensify ADHD symptoms. Many women with ADHD find that perimenopause brings heightened struggles with focus, executive functioning, and emotional regulation. As estrogen declines, so does dopamine—an essential neurotransmitter for motivation and attention—worsening ADHD-related brain fog, forgetfulness, and mental fatigue. These changes can feel overwhelming, but understanding the biological connections between ADHD and menopause is key to managing them effectively. Despite the challenges, ADHD isn’t just a collection of deficits; it also comes with unique strengths such as creativity, resilience, and dynamic problem-solving. However, during perimenopause, declining estrogen can make it harder to harness these gifts. Women may feel more scattered, struggle with organization, or experience mood swings that disrupt daily life. Fortunately, effective treatments can help restore balance. Stimulant medications remain a cornerstone of ADHD management, but cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness practices can also be powerful tools for improving focus and emotional regulation. These strategies build structure, enhance self-awareness, improve overall well-being, and help women work on lifestyle interventions, such as sleep, nutrition, and exercise. Additionally, menopause hormone therapy (MHT) can be a game-changer for some women. By stabilizing estrogen levels, MHT may help mitigate the cognitive effects of menopause and support dopamine function, making ADHD symptoms more manageable. When used alongside stimulants, hormone therapy can offer a more comprehensive approach to treatment, addressing both the hormonal and neurological aspects of ADHD. Whether through medication, lifestyle changes, or a combination of treatments, midlife women with ADHD can regain control, optimize their cognitive function, and continue to thrive. Dr. Adrienne Mandelberger, MD is a board-certified gynecologic surgeon and menopause specialist. She is the founder of Balanced Medical, a gynecology and preventative women's health practice on Long Island, NY, and the founder and CEO of the virtual education company All Things Menopause™. Dr. Mandelberger is passionate about educating and empowering women to make informed choices during the menopause transition. Her special interests include the intersection of ADHD and perimenopause. Medical Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice or to make any lifestyle changes to treat any medical condition in yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any of my guests on my podcast. Find Dr. Mandelberger here: Website: https://www.balancedmedicalny.com/ [https://www.balancedmedicalny.com/] IG: @DrMandelberger Educational Program: https://www.all-things-menopause.com/ [https://www.all-things-menopause.com/] Stay in touch with JFW: Watch on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@jillfooswellness/videos [https://www.youtube.com/@jillfooswellness/videos] Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillfooswellness/ [https://www.instagram.com/jillfooswellness/] Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jillfooswellness [https://www.facebook.com/jillfooswellness] Grab discounts on my favorite biohacking products: https://www.jillfooswellness.com/health-products [https://www.jillfooswellness.com/health-products] Enjoy 20% savings and free shipping at Fullscript for your favorite supplements by leading brands: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/jillfooswellness [https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/jillfooswellness] Subscribe to the JFW newsletter at www.jillfooswellness.com [http://www.jillfooswellness.com] and receive your FREE Guide on How To Increase Your Protein in 5 Easy Steps and your free Protein Powder Recipe Ebook. Schedule your complimentary 30-minute Zoom consultation here: https://calendly.com/jillfooswellness/30-minute-zoom-consultations [https://calendly.com/jillfooswellness/30-minute-zoom-consultations]

Many women struggle to discuss their sexual health and pleasure with their providers, friends, and family members. And for good reason. They're sensitive topics to bring up. Women are navigating various physiological changes during the menopause transition (weight gain, hair loss, insomnia), and to further complicate things, changes are happening in their vagina and vulva - not exactly coffee talk topics. Or are they? Midlife women need to normalize our sexual health and pleasure so that we can improve our sex lives for the next 30-40 years. After all, we will be postmenopausal women until the day we die. A healthy sex life is part of our longevity equation. In this episode, we delve into the impact of hormones, particularly testosterone, on libido during midlife and beyond. Additionally, we’ll explore somewhat controversial topics, such as vaginal rejuvenation therapies, and cosmetic gynocologic procedures, their benefits, and how they enhance comfort, confidence, and intimacy. Plus, we’ll discuss tools like vibrators and other strategies to reignite passion and connection. My guest today is Dr. Sameena Rahman, a board-certified OB/GYN, sex-med gynecologist, and menopause specialist with an academic affiliation at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She is the founder of the Center for Gynecology and Cosmetics, a successful practice that emphasizes evidence-based medicine. Dr. Rahman is dedicated to evaluating and treating each patient with compassion, trauma-informed care, and an awareness of personal bias. Additionally, she hosts the podcast Gyno Girl Presents: Sex, Drugs & Hormones and is working on a book exploring sexual function from the lens of different cultures, norms, and religions. Medical Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice or to make any lifestyle changes to treat any medical condition in yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any of the guests on my podcast. Learn more about Dr. Sameena: Website: https://www.cgcchicago.com/ [https://www.cgcchicago.com/] Podcast: https://www.cgcchicago.com/podcast/ [https://www.cgcchicago.com/podcast/] IG: @gynogirl Stay connected to JFW: Watch on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@jillfooswellness/videos [https://www.youtube.com/@jillfooswellness/videos] Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillfooswellness/ [https://www.instagram.com/jillfooswellness/] Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jillfooswellness [https://www.facebook.com/jillfooswellness] Grab discounts on my favorite biohacking products: https://www.jillfooswellness.com/health-products [https://www.jillfooswellness.com/health-products] Enjoy 20% savings and free shipping at Fullscript for your favorite supplements by leading brands: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/jillfooswellness [https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/jillfooswellness] Enjoy a free upgrade on a Joylux redlight therapy vaginal device: https://joylux.com/pages/vfit-gold-plus-upgraded-device?UTM_CAMPAIGN=X4mzJZVODxyKT6mSnGTaFx5iUksxMnx7STixRU0&UTM_MEDIUM=Online%20Tracking%20Link&UTM_SOURCE=referral&irgwc=1 [https://joylux.com/pages/vfit-gold-plus-upgraded-device?UTM_CAMPAIGN=X4mzJZVODxyKT6mSnGTaFx5iUksxMnx7STixRU0&UTM_MEDIUM=Online%20Tracking%20Link&UTM_SOURCE=referral&irgwc=1] Subscribe to the JFW newsletter at www.jillfooswellness.com [http://www.jillfooswellness.com] and receive your FREE Guide on How To Increase Your Protein in 5 Easy Steps and your free Protein Powder Recipe Ebook. Schedule your complimentary 30-minute Zoom consultation here: https://calendly.com/jillfooswellness/30-minute-zoom-consultations [https://calendly.com/jillfooswellness/30-minute-zoom-consultations]

Sifting through the overwhelming amount of books, news articles, social media influencers, pop-up speaker events, and retreats for menopause is overwhelming, confusing, and expensive. How should midlife women navigate menopause feeling lost, alone, and confused by conflicting information that is supposed to make us healthier, stronger, and more resilient? There’s a lot of trial and error and good money spent on products, providers, treatments, and at-home devices that don't live up to their promises. Today, you will walk away with golden nuggets of evidence-based and practical strategies to help you navigate midlife and beyond. This episode covers how to know if the information that you are hearing or reading is evidence-based, why research on women in menopause is complicated to decipher, the nuances of weight resistance training versus cardio exercise, what's most important for midlife women nutritionally, and how to properly eat around your workouts. We also cover how to read protein powder labels and what to look for in amino acids, why creatine is a game-changer for women beyond muscle health, and how to strategize getting restorative sleep. Dr. Rachele Pojednic is an international authority on nutrition, supplementation, and physical activity interventions for muscle physiology, performance, and recovery. She received her PhD from Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy and completed her postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School at the Joslin Diabetes Center and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. She has a faculty appointment at Stanford University and holds research appointments at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Edith Cowan University’s Nutrition and Health Innovation Research Institute. She has received NIH research funding from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the Vermont Biomedical Research Network (VBRN), an NIH IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program. She currently serves on the Board of Governors for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Exercise Is Medicine® initiative. Dr. Pojednic has been an active fitness professional for over 20 years as a nutrition educator and coach for Olympic, Division I sports, and tactical athletes. She has a passion for science communication and is regularly featured in outlets such as NPR, Sirius Doctor Radio, Time, the Wall Street Journal, STAT News, Popular Science, Self, Shape, Women’s Health, Forbes, and Runners World. Medical Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice or to make any lifestyle changes to treat any medical condition in yourself or others. Consult your physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any of the guests on my podcast. Connect with Rachele: Website: https://www.rachelepojednic.com/ [https://www.rachelepojednic.com/] IG: @rachelepojednic2004 YouTube: @RachelePojednic_PhD Courses: https://strongprocess.com/ [https://strongprocess.com/] Stay connected with JFW: Watch on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@jillfooswellness/videos [https://www.youtube.com/@jillfooswellness/videos] Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillfooswellness/ [https://www.instagram.com/jillfooswellness/] Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jillfooswellness [https://www.facebook.com/jillfooswellness] Grab discounts on my favorite biohacking products: https://www.jillfooswellness.com/health-products [https://www.jillfooswellness.com/health-products] Enjoy 20% savings and free shipping at Fullscript for your favorite supplements by leading brands: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/jillfooswellness [https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/jillfooswellness] Subscribe to the JFW newsletter at www.jillfooswellness.com [http://www.jillfooswellness.com] and receive your FREE Guide on How To Increase Your Protein in 5 Easy Steps and your free Protein Powder Recipe Ebook. Schedule your complimentary 30-minute Zoom consultation here: https://calendly.com/jillfooswellness/30-minute-zoom-consultations [https://calendly.com/jillfooswellness/30-minute-zoom-consultations]

As midlife women transition through menopause and adverse physiological changes start to take over, they find less time and motivation to get in the kitchen and prepare healthy, balanced meals. Many midlife women feel stumped around what to eat, how to shop, and how to prepare nourishing meals during this phase of life. Prioritizing nutrition that will support heart and brain health, body composition goals, strength and power, hair growth, skin health, strong bones, and more is complicated and overwhelming. Shefaly Ravula is a board-certified physician assistant whose primary focus is gastroenterology, metabolic health, and culinary medicine. She left the conventional healthcare model to learn and expand her expertise from a more holistic lens, helping her patients achieve better health outcomes. In this episode, we talk about harnessing a love of nourishing food, cooking, and preparing meals during midlife and beyond, even if you previously avoided your kitchen like the plague. For those of you wondering what the science is showing regarding menopausal gut health, how to optimize our body composition when dieting doesn’t work, and how to maintain a long-term, joyful nutrition journey for the next three to four decades of healthy living, this episode is for you. Medical Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice or to make any lifestyle changes to treat any medical condition in yourself or others. Consult your physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any of the guests on my podcast. Connect with Shef: Website: www.precisionguthealth.com [http://www.precisionguthealth.com] IG: @precisionguthealth Complimentary Healing Spices Guide: https://precisionguthealth.com/gut-healing-herbs-and-spices-guide/ [https://precisionguthealth.com/gut-healing-herbs-and-spices-guide/] Stay connected with JFW: Watch on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@jillfooswellness/videos [https://www.youtube.com/@jillfooswellness/videos] Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillfooswellness/ [https://www.instagram.com/jillfooswellness/] Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jillfooswellness [https://www.facebook.com/jillfooswellness] Grab discounts on my favorite biohacking products: https://www.jillfooswellness.com/health-products [https://www.jillfooswellness.com/health-products] Enjoy 20% savings and free shipping at Fullscript for your favorite supplements by leading brands: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/jillfooswellness [https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/jillfooswellness] Subscribe to the JFW newsletter at www.jillfooswellness.com [http://www.jillfooswellness.com] and receive your FREE Guide on How To Increase Your Protein in 5 Easy Steps and your free Protein Powder Recipe Ebook. Schedule your complimentary 30-minute Zoom consultation here: https://calendly.com/jillfooswellness/30-minute-zoom-consultations [https://calendly.com/jillfooswellness/30-minute-zoom-consultations]

Menopause may bring its fair share of challenges, but it also comes with rewards. Having no more menstrual cycles, more freedom, and a fresh mindset of not caring about the little things all come to mind. This episode is here to inspire you to embrace the next decades of your life with a fresh perspective. We are connecting with other women to share our experiences and deepen our understanding of the mind-body connection. We’re asking more questions, diving into new research, reading empowering menopause books, and learning to nourish ourselves in ways that promote strength and vitality. This isn’t about becoming smaller or skinnier—it’s about becoming strong, resilient, and mighty. We’re redefining what it means to thrive in midlife. Midlife can often feel like a time when adventure takes a back seat for some women. Perhaps you, like me, have osteoporosis and feel apprehensive about activities like hiking or skiing. Maybe you’re managing an old injury that has made staying active more challenging. Or perhaps adventure has never been part of your life, and stepping outside your comfort zone feels overwhelming. My guest today is Becki Rupp, who is a certified personal trainer (American College of Sports Medicine) and National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, whose vision is to empower more people to pursue their adventure travel dreams by helping them gain the strength, stamina, and confidence to make the most of their adventures and life. She supports her clients through a transformation, from being uncertain about their upcoming adventures to being physically and mentally prepared and confident. Becki has summited Kilimanjaro, hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, and completed the Portuguese Camino from Porto to Santiago, among many other multi-day hikes and cycling trips. Over the past 5 years, she has worked with dozens of clients who have completed multi-day hikes and cycling trips in 14 countries. She founded Trailblazer Wellness, which offers customized training plans and one-on-one coaching for clients who are seeking support with improving their fitness for adventures such as multi-day hiking trips, single-day long-distance hikes/climbs (non-technical), multi-day cycling trips, and multi-sport trips (hiking, cycling, paddling). Medical Disclaimer: By listening to this podcast, you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice or to make any lifestyle changes to treat any medical condition in yourself or others. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having. This entire disclaimer also applies to any of the guests on my podcast. To Find Becki: Website: https://trailblazerwellness.com/about-adventure-coach/ [https://trailblazerwellness.com/about-adventure-coach/] IG: @trailblazerwellness FB: @trailblazerwellness Stay in touch with JFW: Watch on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@jillfooswellness/videos [https://www.youtube.com/@jillfooswellness/videos] Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillfooswellness/ [https://www.instagram.com/jillfooswellness/] Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jillfooswellness [https://www.facebook.com/jillfooswellness] Grab discounts on my favorite biohacking products: https://www.jillfooswellness.com/health-products [https://www.jillfooswellness.com/health-products] Enjoy 20% savings and free shipping at Fullscript for your favorite supplements by leading brands: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/jillfooswellness [https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/jillfooswellness] Subscribe to the JFW newsletter at www.jillfooswellness.com [http://www.jillfooswellness.com] and receive your FREE Guide on How To Increase Your Protein in 5 Easy Steps and your free Protein Powder Recipe Ebook. Schedule your complimentary 30-minute Zoom consultation here: https://calendly.com/jillfooswellness/30-minute-zoom-consultations [https://calendly.com/jillfooswellness/30-minute-zoom-consultations]