478: The Truth About Hormone Replacement Therapy: Why the Middle Ground Matters Most with Dr. Anna Cabeca
Midlife Conversations with Natalie Jill
Release Date: 09/09/2025
500: What Our Intrusive Worries and Thoughts Are Trying To Tell Us with Dr. Yasmine Saad
Midlife Conversations with Natalie Jill
What if the negative thoughts keeping you awake at 3 AM aren't trying to torture you—but are actually messengers with critical information about what you need most? If you've ever felt consumed by worries about money, regrets about parenting, or fears about aging, you're not alone. But according to Dr. Yasmine Saad, one of New York's top three psychologists, everything we've been taught about handling these thoughts is backwards. In this conversation, Dr. Saad reveals why midlife creates the perfect storm for mental overwhelm, how hormonal changes directly affect your thought patterns, and...
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499: Anxiety, Depression & Nervous System Regulation for Midlife Women with Dr. Kristine Gravino
Midlife Conversations with Natalie Jill
If you're lying awake with racing thoughts, feeling constant overwhelm, or wondering if your midlife anxiety is "normal" or something more serious, this conversation will change how you think about mental health. Dr. Kristine Gravino, a psychologist specializing in midlife women, reveals why one out of two women struggle with anxiety and depression during this phase and it's directly connected to your dropping estrogen levels. We're diving deep into the questions you're actually asking: When is Xanax okay? Is that nightly wine helping or hurting? What does "regulating your nervous system"...
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498: The Hidden Connection Between Long COVID, Mold, and Mast Cell Activation with Dr. Tania Dempsey
Midlife Conversations with Natalie Jill
What if the random symptoms you've been told are "all separate" – the hives, exhaustion, brain fog, and digestive chaos – are actually ALL connected through one dysfunctional system in your body that affects 1 in 5 people? When Dr. Tania Dempsey left traditional medicine after being told she wouldn't get bonuses for patients with cholesterol over 200, she discovered something revolutionary: conditions like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, long COVID, and mysterious autoimmune markers might all trace back to the same source: dysfunctional mast cells. In this conversation, Dr. Dempsey reveals...
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497: The Weight Loss Industry Has Gone Crazy
Midlife Conversations with Natalie Jill
Join Total Body Thrive and use code PODCAST at checkout to save Did you know that many of those "perfect" fitness transformations flooding your social media feed aren't even real people? They're computer-generated robots designed to make you feel inadequate about your body. Why is everyone suddenly afraid of vegetables? Why are influencers celebrating their hair falling out in clumps? And why are we calling starvation "wellness" again? After decades of helping women transform their health, I am breaking my silence on the disturbing "ick" I’m feeling about today's diet culture....
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496: Reading Glasses, Dry Eyes, and Cataracts – What's Really Happening to Your Eyes with Dr. Rudrani Banik
Midlife Conversations with Natalie Jill
Can you remember the last time you could read a menu without squinting, holding it at arm's length, or borrowing someone's reading glasses? If you're wondering why your vision suddenly betrayed you in midlife (along with everything else changing in your body) this episode delivers answers you won't get at your typical eye exam. Dr. Rudrani Banik, a neuro-ophthalmologist with 20+ years of experience, reveals why our eyes go haywire during perimenopause and menopause, exposing the hormone connection your eye doctor probably never mentioned. Discover why dry eye isn't actually about tear...
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495: “I Want To Want Him But I Do Not" - Why Your Intimate Life Feels Like It Has Died and What To Do About It with Susan Bratton
Midlife Conversations with Natalie Jill
Why does the thought of intimacy make you want to hide under the covers...alone? If you're a midlife woman who's lost that loving feeling, you're not broken (you’re just like the rest of us) and we've been playing by the wrong rules. In this conversation, intimacy expert Susan Bratton exposes the truth about female arousal that nobody taught us (especially not those s3x-ed classes back in the day). We dive deep into why it takes women 20 minutes to achieve what men accomplish in 2 minutes, why "duty booty" is destroying relationships, and how to transform obligation into genuine...
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494: When Someone You Love Is Addicted and Why They Can’t “Just Quit” with Chris Doyle
Midlife Conversations with Natalie Jill
What if your attempts to help someone with their addiction were actually making things worse? This conversation with addiction intervention specialist Chris Doyle shattered every assumption I had about addiction, from why some people can't stop after their first drink to why taking away privileges might be the worst thing you can do. We explore the complexities of addiction and its impact on families. Chris, sober 18 years himself, reveals the shocking truth that addiction starts at age 12 for most, affects 10-15% of those who experiment, and has nothing to do with bad parenting or weak...
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493: She Beat Leukemia By Building Muscle: The Truth About Building Muscle After 50 with Helen Fritsch
Midlife Conversations with Natalie Jill
What happens when a 56-year-old woman who's never lifted weights walks into a gym and decides to compete in bodybuilding, and then were diagnosed with leukemia at 57? Most people would scale back, play it safe, maybe give up entirely. But Helen Fritsch did the opposite – she doubled down on building muscle. Helen never entered a weight room until her late 50s - she thought it was "for boys only." As a flight attendant and certified wine specialist, she spent decades doing cardio and avoiding heavy weights. At 56, she gave herself one month to prep for her first competition (most people take...
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492: Leaky Gut, Histamine Nightmare, and Your Nervous System: The Hidden Connection Making You Sick with The Gut Genie Laura Frontiero
Midlife Conversations with Natalie Jill
Join us for our free masterclass Is your gut secretly controlling your brain, sabotaging your weight loss, and destroying your health – all while conventional medicine tells you it's "just stress"? After diving deep into the research on histamine, mast cells, and the gut-brain connection (and texting Laura Frontiero approximately a million questions), I discovered why so many midlife women are struggling with mysterious symptoms that doctors can't explain. Laura reveals the shocking truth about leaky gut that has nothing to do with digestive symptoms, why fermented foods and bone...
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491: Hidden Nail Salon Dangers, Risks of Gel Nails, and What To Do About It with Lanna Dang
Midlife Conversations with Natalie Jill
Did you know that the paraffin wax from your last pedicure might have been peeled off someone else's feet and reused on yours? Gross, and…the health surprises lurking in the nail salon go FAR beyond that. Lanna Dang, owner of Pampr'd Soul in Scottsdale, completely transformed how I think about nail salons. Growing up inside her parents' nail salon, Lanna witnessed practices that would make your skin crawl: from tools that are barely sanitized between clients to name-brand polish bottles being secretly refilled with toxic knockoffs. She reveals why that "healthy" dip powder is actually...
info_outlineJoin us on our FREE hormone education session at http://midlifeconversations.com/magic
Could hormone replacement therapy actually cause cancer if your body can't detox properly?
This conversation isn't about joining "Team HRT" or going completely “natural” - it's about understanding why your individual biology matters more than blanket recommendations.
Triple board-certified gynecologist Dr. Anna Cabeca joins us to shatter the black-and-white thinking around hormone replacement therapy. With over 30 years of experience prescribing HRT, she's witnessed the trends come and go, but more importantly, she's developed an approach that honors what makes YOU unique.
Join us as we discuss personalized treatment plans, debunk myths around HRT, and answer questions on testosterone, progesterone, and the importance of vagal tone and mental well-being during menopause. You'll discover why two women with identical menopausal symptoms might leave the doctor's office with completely different treatment plans, and why that's exactly how it should be. Dr. Anna reveals the critical factor most doctors ignore - your body's ability to detoxify hormones - and explains why this could be the difference between thriving on HRT or facing serious health consequences.
You'll also learn the surprising truth about cancer risks, why your monthly cycle was doing more than you realized, and the specific hormone levels Dr. Anna recommends for optimal safety and symptom relief. This isn't another episode telling you what to do - it's about empowering you with the knowledge to make informed decisions about your own body.
Whether you're considering hormone replacement, currently on HRT, or committed to natural approaches, this conversation will change how you think about menopause support forever.
Catch the full episode on YOUTUBE HERE: https://bit.ly/MidlifeConversationsYouTube
Learn More About Dr. Anna Cabeca:
Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/thegirlfrienddoctor
Website ➜ http://midlifeconversations.com/magic
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Disclaimer: Information provided in the Midlife Conversations podcast is for informational purposes only. This information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. Do not use the information provided in this podcast for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before making any changes to your current regimen.
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