Your Lifestyle Is Your Medicine

Podcast Episode 64: Understanding Menopause

Menopause gets treated like a vague “phase,” but one detail changes how you think about everything: menopause is literally one day, marked after 12 months with no period. The harder stretch for many women is perimenopause, when ovulation becomes unreliable and hormones fluctuate in ways that can disrupt sleep, mood, focus, weight, and relationships long before anyone says the word “menopause.” That confusion fuels bad advice and delayed care, so we wanted a plain-English reset. I’m joined by Katie Lomas, a nurse practitioner who specializes in women’s health and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Together we tackle the myths that keep coming up in clinics and group chats: whether you can use HRT in perimenopause, what’s actually happening with bone density loss and osteoporosis risk, and why “no hot flashes” doesn’t mean “no problem.” We also unpack the lingering fear around breast cancer risk and the Women’s Health Initiative, including the difference between relative risk and absolute risk, plus why the type of hormones and the delivery route matter. We get practical about options and personalization: transdermal estrogen (patches and gels), oral estrogen, micronized progesterone for uterine protection, and the often-missing conversation about testosterone as a human hormone that can influence motivation, cognition, mood, libido, and muscle. Katie also explains why vaginal estrogen is an underused tool for GSM (genitourinary syndrome of menopause), dryness, pain, and recurrent UTIs, and why shared decision-making should start with your goals for health span, not just a prescription. If this helped you sort truth from noise, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs it, and leave a review so more women can find evidence-based menopause care. Thanks for listening! Send me a DM on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/EdPagetOsteopath]or Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ed.paget/]

Weight Loss and Menopause with Lisa Franz

Menopause weight gain can feel unfair, confusing, and strangely stubborn, especially when you swear you’re “not eating that much.” We go straight at that frustration and separate myth from physiology with nutrition and fitness coach Lisa France, founder of Nutrition Coaching and Life, joining me for a clear-eyed conversation about sustainable fat loss for real life. We unpack why crash diets and extreme restriction often backfire, how your body adapts by conserving energy and amplifying hunger, and why “ending a diet” without a plan can set you up for rapid regain. Lisa explains what a moderate calorie deficit looks like, how to find your maintenance calories, and why gradually increasing calories after a fat-loss phase matters for long-term results. We also dig into calorie tracking as an education tool, not a forever rule, plus the role of protein for satiety, muscle retention, and healthy aging. Then we zoom in on the menopause transition. Lisa shares what current research suggests about changes in metabolic rate, fat distribution toward the midsection, and the challenge of building or keeping lean mass, along with a grounded reminder: the basics still apply. Sleep, stress, resistance training, daily movement, fiber, and alcohol intake can become the difference-makers because the body is simply less forgiving. If tracking isn’t your thing, we talk Mediterranean-style eating as a practical, evidence-based template. We close with an honest look at hyper-palatable processed foods, compulsive eating, and low-cost strategies that help you feel full again by leaning on whole foods, hydration, and smart movement. If this conversation helps, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. Thanks for listening! Send me a DM on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/EdPagetOsteopath]or Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ed.paget/]

Podcast Episode 62 - James Swanwick

Your brain doesn’t know what time it is. It only knows what light it’s seeing. If your nights are filled with bright LEDs and a glowing phone screen, you may be training your body to stay “on” long after sunset, suppressing melatonin and throwing off your circadian rhythm. I sit down with James Swannick, former ESPN anchor and founder of Swannies blue light blocking glasses, to get clear on what blue light actually is, why it’s healthy from the sun during the day, and why artificial blue light at night can be such a sleep killer. We talk about the difference between filtering light in the daytime versus blocking it at night, why lens quality matters, and how many cheap “blue blocker” options don’t truly block the spectrum that impacts sleep. You’ll also hear practical lighting ideas you can use tonight, from lowering overhead lights to creating a warmer bedroom environment. Then the conversation widens into another powerful lever for longevity and mental health: alcohol. James shares how a simple 30-day break from drinking turned into an alcohol-free lifestyle, along with the ripple effects he noticed in weight, mood, focus, relationships, and productivity. We also get into what makes change stick: supportive friends, daily movement like 15,000 steps, coaching, and building a lifestyle that feels like a choice instead of a punishment. If you want better sleep, steadier energy, and a clearer mind, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who scrolls at night, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts so more people can find the show. Get 10% off your next Swanny Purchase go to: https://www.swanwicksleep.com/?ref=EDPAGET Basically when someone watches the pod we want them to buy. Can you also click the link, I want to see if it is working. Thanks for listening! Send me a DM on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/EdPagetOsteopath]or Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ed.paget/]

Podcast Episode 61: Transcranial Brain Stimulation for Optimal Performance

What if cognitive decline isn’t a fate but a feedback problem? We sit down with Sensei founder Paola Tefler to unpack a home neurotechnology platform that reads how your brain processes new information to the millisecond, then uses safe, noninvasive tools to help you focus better, sleep deeper, and recover faster. This isn’t another vague wellness gadget. It’s a closed loop: assess, intervene, reassess—and watch the data move. Paola shares how a car crash and concussion revealed a gap in brain care and sparked eight years of R&D. We get into the nuts and bolts of event‑related potentials from a standardized flanker task, why function beats raw EEG power for everyday performance, and how thousands of sessions across ages fueled a biological brain age clock that approaches MRI models without the cost or friction. Because the signals are upstream of structural change, they’re actionable: you can check your brain age quarterly and see whether training is making you measurably younger, faster, and more efficient. We break down the interventions too. Transcranial photobiomodulation at 810 nm personalizes stimulation around your alpha center frequency—no more one‑size‑fits‑all 10 Hz—while layered binaural beats and targeted meditations steer you toward calm or “ready” states. Neurofeedback translates alpha power and synchrony into responsive sound within ~200 ms, teaching you to enter and stabilize useful states without overthinking. Over time, protocols progress from foundational alpha and beta work to mixed pairings like alpha‑theta and theta‑gamma, building flexibility and resilience rather than a single productivity gear. Paola also walks through third‑party validation with the Buck Institute, the forthcoming Brain Years clinician report, and why motivated consumers and longevity clinics alike are leaning into objective, repeatable brain metrics. If you care about longevity, cognition, attention, sleep, or burnout prevention, this deep dive into EEG, HRV, photobiomodulation, and neurofeedback will shift how you think about brain healthspan—and what you can do about it at home. If you enjoyed the conversation, subscribe, share with a friend who values their mind, and leave a quick review to help others find the show. Thanks for listening! Send me a DM on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/EdPagetOsteopath]or Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ed.paget/]

Podcast Episode 60: Chris MacAskill

Want a clearer path through the chaos of nutrition advice? We sit down with Chris McCaskill—earth scientist turned tech leader at NeXT and founder of Viva Longevity—to unpack how big data and epidemiology reveal what actually adds years of healthy life. From caddying for Jack LaLanne to building products alongside Steve Jobs, Chris traces how a scientist’s lens cuts through hype and lands on patterns that stand the test of time: mostly whole plant foods, minimal ultra-processed products, and a sharp rethink of red meat. We dig into why some influential voices attack epidemiology, how industry-funded studies create confusion, and what the Seven Countries Study really did right—diverse cohorts, rigorous food sampling, and decades-long follow-up. Chris explains how global dietary guidelines converge because the signal in the data is strong, and he names credible researchers worth following, including Walter Willett and the Harvard team behind landmark cohorts. You’ll also hear why certain “clean” meats are functionally engineered foods: high-fat, heavily salted, and bred for the bliss point that drives overeating. The conversation turns practical with insights on bending obesity curves, why simple advice loses to novelty online, and how to adopt plant-forward habits without dogma. We touch on sustainability, pandemics, and ethics, making the compelling case that cutting red meat is good for your body and the planet. If you’re ready to trade anecdotes for evidence and move beyond viral myths, this one gives you the tools to evaluate claims and make confident choices. Enjoy the episode? Follow, share with a friend, and leave a quick review to help more people find the show. Your feedback shapes future conversations—what should we explore next? Thanks for listening! Send me a DM on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/EdPagetOsteopath]or Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ed.paget/]