100 episodes

The podcast for women in menopause and beyond who want to change the way they age. Fitness, wellness, and health research put into practical tips you can use today. You still got it, girl!

The Flipping 50 Show Debra Atkinson

    • Health & Fitness

The podcast for women in menopause and beyond who want to change the way they age. Fitness, wellness, and health research put into practical tips you can use today. You still got it, girl!

    Live Longer Regardless of Your Biological Age with Kara Fitzgerald

    Live Longer Regardless of Your Biological Age with Kara Fitzgerald

    Older-shmolder! How taking control of your biological age can help you live longer, better. This episode is going to have something for everyone in your life. From the food you eat and daily habits you have, you will findout how to reverse your old age before it even happens.


    My Guest


    Dr. Kara Fitzgerald is an award-winning clinical researcher of biological age reversal using a diet and lifestyle intervention developed in her virtual and in-person Functional Medicine clinic. She is the author of the book, Younger You and Program based on her ground-breaking 8-week clinical study and follow up case series that resulted in a 3-year and 4.6-year average reversalof biological aging, respectively. She also has a Younger You companion cookbook, Better Broths and Healing Tonics. Dr. Fitzgerald is an educator at the Institute for Functional Medicine(IFM), and is an IFM Certified Practitioner. She regularly lectures internationally and hosts the podcast New Frontiers in Functional Medicine.


    Questions We Answer in This Episode:


    What prompted you to write this book (Younger You: Reduce Your Bio Age and Live Longer, Better? [00:03:36] What is DNA Methylation? [00:09:19] Why should you include mushrooms in your diet? [00:14:15] Which is more advantageous when it comes to biological age? Plant-based or animal-based products? [00:16:44] Talk to me a little bit about exercise. So what did you find was key? [00:23:38] How important is joy? [00:26:59] That period of time you were going through a really hard time. Is there any equivalent to that with resilience in life? [00:31:29]  


    Connect with Dr. Kara


    Website: You can keep up-to-date with Dr. Fitzgerald’s work and programs by joining her e-newsletter list here https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com


    On Social:


    On Social:
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrKaraFitzgerald/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkarafitzgerald/?hl=en
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-kara-fitzgerald-b77265b
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/kfitzgeraldnd?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author
     


    Other Episodes You Might Like: 


    The ABCs of Metabolic Mastery for Midlife Women
    https://www.flippingfifty.com/metabolic-mastery/
    What Are the Real Secrets to Longevity?
    https://www.flippingfifty.com/real-secrets-to-longevity/
    Low Energy Availability in Menopause? Eating Too Little to Feel Good or Age Well
    https://www.flippingfifty.com/low-energy-availability-in-menopause/
     


    Resources


    Resources:
    YOUNGER YOU: https://youngeryouprogram.com/book/

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sH9mkOeXhBDRryJwsQjOKIV34QOMg2rT/view?usp=drive_linkhttps:///www.flippingfifty.com/getstronger

    • 36 min
    Muscle Protein Synthesis in Menopause: How to Plan Pre and Post Workout

    Muscle Protein Synthesis in Menopause: How to Plan Pre and Post Workout

    If you’re losing tone, can’t seem to get the results you deserve for the time and energy you spend, you can blame it on part on muscle protein synthesis in menopause. What you did that worked isn’t going to. 
    In the dance between muscle protein synthesis and muscle protein breakdown, you’re MPS is stepping out on you. 
    It’s going to take more effort to win this tango. 
    During menopause transition muscle protein breakdown occurs at a faster rate due to lower levels of Estrogen, not to mention testosterone. 
    Estrogen is a natural stimulus for muscle. The problem is multifaceted. Reduced testosterone (which can start declines much earlier than that in some women). If you’re not sleeping well at night or staying in deep sleep, the times when you do produce testosterone and growth hormone, another important factor in gaining lean muscle, you won’t have those important factors. 
    Also when you don’t sleep at night, too little/poorly, your cortisol and insulin levels are such that you’re in muscle breakdown and fat storage. 
    This is when a woman is in the gym, actually doing the things, and feeling as if she’s not getting rewards, or seeing results. 


    There are two things that stimulate muscle protein synthesis in menopause: 

    -Adequate protein intake on a per meal basis
    -Adequate mechanical stress to the muscles (resistance training)
    That decreased muscle protein synthesis results in an increased need for protein (quality protein) 
    Sources that are best are high in leucine. Especially if you’re not consuming much protein or find it hard, you want to lean into leucine. Plant proteins unfortunately don’t have much leucine to help this process. Best sources are animal proteins like beef, bison or wild meats. 
    Here’s where I find some blogs, podcasts, even research findings let us down. Suggestions to supplement with leucine would be well-intended potentially for a frail, older adult unable to consume enough dietary protein, unwilling to or and at later stages of life. 
    But for a midlife woman with the potential for decades ahead of her, the full range of amino acids in the body will be important in her ability to thrive and maintain all areas of health. It’s the difference between hanging on, and better than nothing, and wanting energy and vitality. 
    In consideration of questions like, should I supplement with leucine? My thoughts are, not in isolation if you’re not getting adequate dietary protein. You may want ALSO to supplement specifically with it post workout, or at meals when you aren’t getting adequate protein but I like to see complete essential amino acids first before isolating with greater amounts of individual.
    Even though, it is and has always been leucine that is associated with lean muscle gains. I began publishing The Protein Report for women in menopause in 2013. It stemmed from a Protein Symposium I had the honor of co-hosting at Iowa State University in honor of Steve Nissen, who had discovered HMB years earlier. If you’re familiar with products Boost and Ensure, you have some awareness of HMB. The ingredient is used more widely now, not only for the drinks intended to help bedridden frail consume high protein drinks to reduce muscle and strength losses. 
    HMB is another supplement question that more frequently comes up today. Should you supplement with HMB. Potentially if you’re struggling with the ability to consume high quality protein sources and you’re at high risk (low body weight, frail, fine boned, weak), it may be something to consider. 
    I also hesitate to suggest it to anyone without first looking at food logs and having you assess what you’re consuming from whole foods. 


    Good News About MPS in Menopause

    A study in the International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2022) shows that when women in menopause increase dietary protein, good things happen that can offset potential muscle breakdown AND fat gain.

    • 26 min
    Restore Hormones to Factory Settings? More Science for bHRT

    Restore Hormones to Factory Settings? More Science for bHRT

    Restore before more is the number one tenant of Flipping 50. In this episode we visit the concept that you restore hormones using bHRT. 
    Whether you are or you aren’t. I’d say most women I know in 2024, are open to and already having conversations around hormone replacement. 
    In our 10th year at Flipping 50, we’ve been discussing pros and cons and what happens with body composition, bone density, muscle mass and brain health during menopause. We touch on the anecdotal evidence we have from thousands of participants, and fewer but more intimate, private clients who use or choose not to use bHRT and the results they get. 
    In this episode we introduce a new guest to the show who’s book “Restore” takes look at the benefits of bHRT. Whether you are, aren’t or your on the fence about ability to restore hormones and the effects on short and long term health, I think you’ll like this episode. 


    My Guest:

    Dr. Gregory J Brannon is a surgeon, public figure, and founder of the leading Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) practice Optimal Bio where he oversees seven offices across North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. In addition to his current role of Physician and Medical Director at Optimal Bio, Brannon uses over 30 years of medical experience to educate others on taking ownership of their health. Dr. Brannon is the author of the 2020 published book, The Hormone Handbook: Optimizing Your Health Through Bioidentical Hormones, and will publish a second book in Spring 2024 titled “Restore.”
    Prior to spending 30 years as a successful private practice OBGYN in Cary, NC, Dr. Brannon completed his medical residency at University of Southern California Women’s Hospital, Los Angeles, and then served as assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of North Carolina School of Medicine, with work at Wake Area Health Education Center.
    Brannon’s OB/GYN experience sparked his interest in hormones and how they work within the body. Impressed and inspired by his experience with BHRT, Brannon opened Optimal Bio in Cary, NC in 2012. Optimal Bio is a BHRT practice dedicated to bringing people’s bodies back to the optimal levels they were initially designed to maintain.


    Questions We Answer in This Episode:

    What’s the longest documented use to date of bHRT? What is some of the best research – documentation of the effects of bHRT on women who’ve taken them for decades vs have not on bone, muscle, brain health? Tell us about the research cited in your upcoming book “Restore” as they relate to women a BHRT seeking to restore her hormones.

    Connect with Greg:

    Website: https://optimalbio.com/
    On Social:
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OptimalBioBHRT
    Instagram: 
    https://www.instagram.com/gregbrannonmd/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherawadmd?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name  
    https://www.instagram.com/optimalbio/
    YouTube: 
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRWEkzCUh_CHIBGB5dae5rw


    Resources: 


    Upcoming book “Restore” which will be released on March 12, 2024. “Restore” is already available for preorder on Amazon, Target, Walmart and wherever books are sold. “Restore” in ebook form will be available via Kindle as of mid-January 2024.
    Additional Books:
    Nobody Wants You Healthy – Mark Richards 
    Estrogen Matters – Avrum Bluming, Carol Tavris
    Obesity Code – Dr. Jason Fung


    Other Episodes You Might Like: 


    A Hormone Therapy Roadmap: What, When & Why
    https://www.flippingfifty.com/hormone-therapy-roadmap/
    What Women Need to Know about Hormone Replacement Therapy
    https://www.flippingfifty.com/what-to-know-about-hrt/
    Your Hormones and Heart Health
    https://www.flippingfifty.com/hormones-and-heart-health/

    • 39 min
    10 Comprehensive Ways Resistance Training Revolutionizes Menopause Health

    10 Comprehensive Ways Resistance Training Revolutionizes Menopause Health

    Picture the headline: Resistance training revolutionizes menopause health. It’s that simple. 
    It’s 2024. We still hear both about the use of HRT or reasons (perhaps outdated) not to. We hear about both animal protein and the plant protein advocates. 
    With this simple method of – humor me – hormone enhancement – there is no argument. We all know we need to be doing it. We all understand the benefits of being strong and vibrant. But lest you confuse a need to lose fat with the need to gain lean muscle, this is for you. 
    Lifting already? Then you’ll love these reminders. After all, the placebo effect is in full swing at all times. It’s either working for or against us. So those things you’re doing that you know are good for you, amplify them with the scientific evidence and think your way to even better results. 
    This episode captures the broad spectrum of positive changes resistance training can bring to menopausal women, from physical improvements like visceral fat reduction and bone density increases to more general benefits like enhanced mood and sleep quality improvements. Each of these is directly tied to signs and symptoms of menopause. 
    Give a Woman a Weight and Change Not Only Menopause, But Her Health the Rest of Her Life
    Before we dig in, in the rhythmic play off the children’s story book, “When you Give a Mouse a Cookie”…
    When you give a woman a weight… (or when you pick one up yourself) 
    You: 
    Enhance her strength
    Improve her fat free mass
    Reduce her total fat
    Reduce that deadly visceral belly fat
    Support overall hormone balance
    Alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression
    Enhance her sleep
    Improve skin health
    Increase bone density
    Enhance Gait and Stability 
    Women who lift, lift the world. Theirs and the world at large.


    How Resistance Training Revolutionizes Menopause Health

    1. Enhance muscle strength – directly tied to longevity (link to recent episode on testing your own longevity) supporting daily activities and reducing the risk of falls. Beyond that however, for bone density benefit, heavy lifting will require muscle strength. 
    2. Improve fat-free mass, aiding in a healthier body composition during menopausal transition. The combination of 1 and 2 together, notably known as “recomposition.” You’re not literally turning fat into muscle. But you are indeed able to lose fat and not just avoid loss of muscle, but add muscle. This does require some careful effort. For those without much consistent strength training, using a caloric deficit with a high protein intake make effective. The longer your consistent resistance training experience however, and the older you are, you may need a surplus of calories high in protein to overcome the anabolic resistance that occurs with aging. 
    3. Support total fat mass reduction, addressing weight gain concerns during menopause. Over 5600 postmenopausal women in one hundred studies reviewed showed exercise training effectively increased muscle mass and fat-free mass, and decreased fat mass, body fat percentage, waist circumference and visceral fat. (more on visceral fat coming up). Further this study in Frontiers in Endocrinology in 2023, found combining RE and aerobic exercise(not same session) helped increase muscle and decrease fat, while RE plus combined training – which includes doing aerobic activity and strength training in the same session – helped boost muscle mass most. The reason it likely didn’t impact fat as much I suspect is because intensity in the aerobic activity won’t be as high. You either won’t go as fast or against as much resistance even though it may “feel hard.” 
    4. Reduce Visceral Fat.  Resistance training has been shown to effectively promote decreases in visceral fat in the absence of caloric restriction. That is, no change other than adding resistance training. In still another study published 2023, reduction in visceral belly fat was significant comp

    • 40 min
    Weight Gain in Perimenopause and Menopause

    Weight Gain in Perimenopause and Menopause

    It’s no secret weight gain in perimenopause – or menopause transition and post menopause – is different. It doesn’t respond the way you would have predicted it should. It doesn’t come on at the same rate or in the same place as you think it should. 
    My guest today is an  MD and yet she’s first a woman who also entered midlife and experienced much of the same you may have. She also defaulted to many of the same tactics a woman with a heartbeat would. So this episode is just a simply basic discussion about what happens, and why and what to do about it and why your default effort may fall short.


    My Guest:

    Heather Awad, MD is a Family Medicine and the founder and CEO of Vibrant Weight Loss Age 50+ where she helps professional women over age 50 lose weight for the last time through a virtual platform. She offers a simple system that saves them time and helps them achieve their health and weight loss goals. They discover how to say no to foods they don’t want without using willpower, and create an eating protocol that they will enjoy going forward so that their weight loss is permanent. Dr. Awad is also the host of the Vibrant-MD podcast where she talks about weight loss, women’s health, and food.


    Questions We Answer in This Episode:

    Why do women so often gain weight with perimenopause and menopause? Are there hormonal factors? Are there cultural factors in play here too? What’s dangerous about menopause belly fat? Many women describe that the methods they used in the past don’t work anymore. Why is that? What about eat less and move more?  How do you find people most easily lose weight at midlife? Many women feel stuck with their weight gain starting at midlife. What would you tell them? Many people are so hard on themselves about their weight–is this a good motivator? What else gets in the way of people losing weight at midlife?

    Connect with Heather:

    Website: https://www.vibrant-md.com
    On Social:
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heathervibrantmd/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherawadmd/
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherawadmd?trk=public_post_feed-actor-name
    Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vibrant-md-podcast/id1583628433
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@heatherawadmd7858


    Resources: 


    Exercise Planning Guide
    https://www.flippingfifty.com/5-part-exercise-planning-guide/
    Home Gym 
    https://www.flippingfifty.com/perfect-home-gym-how-to/


    Other Episodes You Might Like: 


    WHY YOU MAY BE EATING TOO LITTLE To LOSE WEIGHT | women over 50
    https://www.flippingfifty.com/eating-too-little/
    How to Boost Your Metabolism in Midlife the Non-Dieting Way
    https://www.flippingfifty.com/boost-your-metabolism-in-midlife/
    Easy Healthy Habits Start Here: Effortless Kitchen Hacks
    https://www.flippingfifty.com/healthy-habits/

    • 27 min
    Low Energy Availability in Menopause? Eating Too Little to Feel Good or Age Well

    Low Energy Availability in Menopause? Eating Too Little to Feel Good or Age Well

    Low energy availability in menopause is a key concern, especially if you’re both trying to exercise and combine that with fasting and you could easily be there.
    In this episode I’ll help you answer whether you’re in a state of low energy availability leaving you with too little energy to feel good during or after menopause.
    Exercising too much without results? Try a reset. The 5 Day Flip is free. https://www.flippingfifty.com/5dayflip
    Low energy availability or LEA, is defined as having limited energy available to support your normal body functions once your energy expended through exercise is subtracted from your total dietary energy intake. 
    Living too long or too often in LEA will  negatively impact your skeletal muscle as well as your bone because osteoblasts and osteoclasts can’t properly do their job. More injury in connective tissue, stress fractures, and increased risk for osteoporosis or accelerated bone loss and inability to reverse losses. 
    LEA also can lead to other health disruptions that are commonly blamed on the umbrella of “menopause” or hormones. They include irritability, depression, brain fog, poor immune function, low libido, and GI issues like constipation and diarrhea.


    How do you know if you have low energy availability in menopause? 

    Here’s a simple equation for figuring EA. 
    EA = (EI − EEE)/FFM
    Dietary energy intake (kcal) minus your exercise energy expenditure (kcal) divided by your fat free mass (FFM) in kilograms (kg)
    Suggestions are for total to be 45 calorie/kilogram ffm
    Anything less than 30 calories/kilogram ffm is considered LEA and putting you at risk for real health concerns within days. 
    Track your calorie intake for 3-5 days to get an average. I don’t recommend doing this excessively. But it can be valuable periodically. Find that average by adding all the days total calorie intake and dividing by the number of days you tracked. 
    Plug your calories burned into an app to determine for a female with your weight the calories expended for activities beyond daily activity of life. Play pickle ball 2 hours? Count it. Worked out 45 minutes? Count it. Walked 30 minutes at 3mph? Count it. Get a total calories expended in exercise for the day. 


    It’s easier than you think to check for Low Energy Availability:

    Use that average total calories.  Subtract your daily caloric expenditure from exercise.  Divide that number by your fat free mass in kilograms. (remember kilograms is weight in pounds divided by 2.2)  Calculate fat free mass. Take Body fat % x body weight. If your body fat percent is 25%, then .25 times your body weight.
    So 130 lbs with 22% body fat. Fat mass is 28.6 lbs. 130-28.6 = 101.4 lbs ffm
    101.4 divided by 2.2 = 46.2 kg ffm
    If average daily calories consumed 2100 kcals. 
    Energy expended with a 45 minute walk + weight training + 10 minutes intervals = 108+ 159 + 120 = 387 kcals expended (rounding up to 400kcals)
    2100- 400= 1700 kcals divided by 46.2= 36.7
    So based on this, I’m not in an alarmingly low state but low enough to be aware I should consciously start adding quality calories especially around workouts. When you do the calculation, about 45 is a good number to aim for or 50 if you’re training hard regularly. I’m not and some days much less than I’d like to but we all have to remember we may be slowing our metabolism by eating too little and compromising our body’s ability to regulate thyroid, proper immune function, metabolic function, mood or more. 
    Your exercise may or may not be affected. At first. If you’re an athlete, performance most likely will be negatively impacted. The rest of your life and physical function will suffer first. It might be happening at such a low level you don’t notice it, until cumulative effects set in. 
    Helpful? Share this with a friend. Low energy availability isn’t something talked about openly often enough. Instead we’re bragging about ho

    • 25 min

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