234. Caregiving, Parkinson’s, and a Son’s Mission / Dr. George Ackerman
Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife
Release Date: 04/03/2025
251. Why Your Metabolism Isn’t the Main Villain in Midlife Weight Gain
Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife
Midlife weight gain can feel like a mystery—one day, everything works, the next, nothing does. You’re eating less, staying active, maybe even doubling down on healthy habits, but your body just isn’t responding. In Episode 251: Why your metabolism isn't the main villain in midlife weight gain, I dig into a hard truth most women haven’t been told: the weight gain, fatigue, and body changes you're feeling aren’t just about a slower metabolism. Yes, metabolism plays a role. But it’s not the whole story—and believing it is may be exactly what's keeping you stuck. What if the...
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250. Midlife Skin, Decoded: What Women 40+ Really Need for Healthy, Glowing Skin / Dr. Mary Alice Mina
Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife
Is your skin changing — and not in ways you love? In episode 250 of Pursue Your Spark, titled “Midlife Skin, Decoded”, I sit down with dermatologist Dr. Mary Alice Mina to decode what’s really happening to your skin after 40 — and what actually works to care for it. If you’ve been doing “all the right things” but still feel frustrated with dullness, dryness, or a lack of results, you’re not alone. We’re talking about the hormonal shifts, collagen loss, and lifestyle factors that start showing up in your skin in midlife — and how to respond with science-backed,...
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249. How to Ditch the All-or-Nothing Mindset and Set Goals That Stick
Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife
Tired of starting over every Monday? You’re not alone — and it’s not your fault. In How to Ditch the All-or-Nothing Mindset and Set Goals That Stick, I break down the real reason your workouts and nutrition plans don’t last: perfectionism disguised as discipline. So many midlife women believe if they can’t do it all — the perfect routine, the flawless food tracking, the six-day workout plan — then it’s not worth doing at all. But that mindset drains your energy and kills your progress. In this episode, I show you how to reframe the all-or-nothing fitness mindset into...
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248. What Your Midlife Symptoms Are Really Telling You / Andrea Nakayama
Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife
Midlife symptoms have a way of turning up the volume on everything you’ve been ignoring—fatigue, restlessness, burnout, or that persistent feeling that “this just isn’t working anymore.” In Episode 248: What Your Midlife Symptoms Are Really Telling You, I’m joined by functional nutritionist and educator Andrea Nakayama for a powerful reframe: your symptoms aren’t failures—they’re feedback. Andrea brings a fresh lens to midlife wellness, one that goes far beyond quick fixes and trendy biohacks. She invites us to listen—to treat our midlife symptoms as messengers,...
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247. Why Cardio Backfires in Midlife—and What to Do Instead
Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife
You're eating well, staying active, and doing everything that used to work—so why are you feeling tired, stuck, and frustrated with your results? In episode 247, “Why Cardio Backfires in Midlife—and What to Do Instead,” I break down why your once-trusted workout strategies may be failing you now—and what to do about it. If you’re still relying on cardio as your go-to solution, it’s time to reassess. Midlife changes everything, from hormones to muscle mass to recovery time. That means your fitness approach needs a serious upgrade. I explain why too much steady-state cardio...
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246. When Childhood Trauma Reawakens: Stacey Hettes on Healing After Midlife
Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife
Have you ever felt like you were finally okay—only to be blindsided by a wave of emotion you didn’t see coming? In this episode of Pursue Your Spark, “When Childhood Trauma Reawakens: Stacey Hettes on Healing After Midlife,” I sit down with Dr. Stacey Hettes, scientist, college professor, and author of Dispatches from the Couch, to explore how deeply buried childhood trauma can resurface in midlife—and how we begin to heal truly. We dig into the ACEs framework (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and how Dr. Hettes used it to make sense of emotional shutdown, people-pleasing, and...
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245. What To Eat After 40 To Boost Energy
Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife
Do you find yourself dragging through the afternoon, reaching for coffee or snacks just to stay awake? You’re not alone. After 40, those 2 p.m. crashes become more common—and it has nothing to do with motivation. It’s your hormones and nutrition working differently now, and midlife nutrition plays a much bigger role than it used to. In Episode 245: What To Eat After 40 To Boost Energy, I explain how hormone shifts, stress, and sleep all affect your energy. As estrogen trends down, your body becomes more sensitive to carbs. Add cortisol spikes from stress and poor sleep, and...
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244. Aqua Yoga for Midlife Strength / Christa Fairbrother
Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife
Struggling with stiff joints, low energy, or feeling unsure how to move your body without hurting it? You’re not alone—and in Episode 244: Aqua Yoga for Midlife Strength, we explore how the pool might just be your new best friend. I talk with Christa Fairbrother, a former farrier turned aqua yoga teacher, who shares how a painful autoimmune diagnosis changed her path—and how movement in the water gave her strength, balance, and confidence again. We go deep into why aqua yoga is one of the best low-impact workouts for midlife bodies, especially when arthritis or chronic illness...
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243. How to Reset After Summer Without Diets or Guilt In Midlife
Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife
After a season of rosé, ice cream, and skipped workouts, many women feel the urge to “start over.” But here’s the truth: restriction and guilt aren’t the answer. Instead of punishing yourself for summer indulgences, you can embrace a different approach—one that feels empowering, sustainable, and kind. That’s exactly what I share in my new post, Reset After Summer: A Midlife Healthy Eating Guide. This isn’t about diets, detoxes, or a perfect Monday plan. It’s about creating a realistic reset for midlife women—one rooted in food freedom, energy, and confidence. A healthy...
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242. Holistic Psychology for Stress Relief: Bridging Eastern and Western Healing/ Tatiana Miller
Pursue Your Spark: Fitness, Confidence & Clarity in Midlife
Ever been told “it’s all in your head” when you know your body is asking for help? That disconnect is more than frustrating—it’s often the very thing that deepens our stress, amplifies burnout, and keeps us stuck. In Episode 242: Holistic Psychology for Stress Relief: Bridging Eastern and Western Healing, I sit down with holistic psychologist Tatiana Miller to explore what happens when we stop chasing symptoms and start listening to our whole selves. Tatiana’s story is powerful—from years of being dismissed by Western doctors to discovering healing through yoga,...
info_outlineWhat if your biggest heartbreak became your most extraordinary mission? After losing his mother to Parkinson’s, Dr. George Ackerman turned grief into purpose—creating a movement that’s shaking up awareness around this devastating disease. In this powerful episode, George shares what Parkinson’s looks like, what most caregivers never talk about, and why his mission, Together for Sharon, inspires a global fight for change. You’ll hear his full story in Episode 234: Caregiving, Parkinson’s, and a Son’s Mission.
George opens up about the early signs of Parkinson’s disease are stiffness, internal tremors, changes in movement—and how his mom lived with symptoms for years before being diagnosed. He also dives into the emotional toll caregiving takes, especially when you’re doing it all out of love and without a roadmap. His honesty about guilt, exhaustion, and the need to “just be there” is something every caregiver will relate to.
As a law enforcement professional and educator, George is using his unique background to advocate for better training and awareness across the board—including in police departments, where understanding Parkinson’s symptoms could literally save lives.
He also shares the incredible reach of Together for Sharon, from his interviews with top neurologists to featuring stories from everyday families worldwide. He believes no one should feel alone, whether they're navigating symptoms, supporting a loved one, or simply trying to understand what Parkinson’s really means.
This episode is packed with heart, hope, and powerful takeaways. If you're a caregiver, have Parkinson’s in your family, or just want to be more informed, George’s story will motivate you to take action—because awareness can lead to change.
How to support Parkinson's and connect with George:
Website https://www.togetherforsharon.com/
Email togetherforsharon@gmail.com
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-ackerman-ph-d-esq-mba-00871a82/
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@togetherforsharon1
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/togetherforsharon112020
Twitter/X https://twitter.com/togetherforsha1
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/togetherforsharon/
Podcast https://www.togetherforsharon.com/podcast-interviews/