GenX Hits Menopause

Heather Reilly Hiemstra
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Health & Fitness
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to GenX Hits Menopause, the podcast where host Heather Reilly Hiemstra dives into the unfiltered, transformative journey of midlife. Join Heather and her co-host, John Hiemstra, as they explore what it means to thrive in every stage of life through candid conversations with experts, innovators, and everyday individuals. From groundbreaking science and traditional medicine to personal stories and practical tools, this show redefines aging for a generation that’s ready to stay vibrant, confident, and unapologetically themselves. Together, we’ll challenge outdated narratives and embrace a future of health, intimacy, and empowerment—for women and men alike.

  1. Jul 23

    Bliss Is the System | The ECS, Estrogen & Perimenopause Connection

    Heather gets together with Dr. Shabnam Sarshar - phytopharmacist, PhD in pharmaceutical biology and phytochemistry, and certified endocannabinoid medicine specialist - to pull back the curtain on a woman’s most overlooked hormonal partner in her body: the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Like a soundboard running beneath every organ from head to toe, the ECS doesn't just regulate sleep, mood, and pain — it's in constant, bidirectional conversation with estrogen, mirroring it receptor for receptor across the very systems that go haywire in perimenopause. If your moods are swinging without warning, your sleep is shot, your brain feels like it's buffering, and nobody has given you a satisfying answer — this episode names the missing piece and hands you something you can actually start doing about it. Conversations include The Bliss Molecule You're Running Low On — Anandamide - Sanskrit for *bliss* - surges with estrogen at ovulation and crashes with it in perimenopause. Dr. Shabnam explains why the ECS, not just the ovaries, is driving the mood, pain, and sleep chaos of the perimenopause years. Why Men and Women Don't Share the Same ECS — Receptor distribution, endocannabinoid tone, and how women metabolize THC into stronger, longer-lasting metabolites — sex-specific biology that most practitioners have never been taught. 2-AG, Orgasm, and Depression — The second major endocannabinoid, 2-arachidonoylglycerol, spikes after orgasm and is significantly depleted in women with major depressive disorder — a finding that reframes both pleasure and mental health as ECS territory. High-THC Culture and the Overloaded System — What chronic high-dose THC actually does to ECS receptor sensitivity over time, why perimenopausal women are hitting the wall faster than they expect, and the case for never needing flower above 20% THC. The Simplest ECS Reset You Can Start Today — The omega-3/omega-6 fatty acid ratio is the raw material your body uses to manufacture anandamide and 2-AG — and the Western diet is wrecking it. Dr. Shabnam's most practical, no-prescription takeaway. Tune in to recalibrate your understanding of what perimenopause is actually doing — and walk away with the science that turns confusion into agency, and symptoms into signals you finally know how to read. About Dr. Shabnam Sarshar Dr. Shabnam Sarshar is a phytopharmacist and women's health strategist specializing in cannabinoid science and female-specific physiology. With a PhD in Pharmaceutical Biology and Phytochemistry, and certifications in Endocannabinoid Medicine and Natural Women's Medicine, she has spent over a decade across pharmaceutical research, medical advisory, and women's health entrepreneurship. Her career pivot into cannabinoid science began in a Berlin-based medical cannabis company, where she led two landmark projects: a pharmaceutical compounding kit designed to improve clinical cannabis formulations (including vaginal suppositories and ocular preparations), and a research initiative investigating cannabinoid-based therapeutics for endometriosis. That work launched her deep investigation into the endocannabinoid system's role in female-specific biology. Her work translates complex hormonal and sex-specific biological mechanisms into clinically actionable insights for research, product development, and medical education, and she advises medical and wellness companies on women-focused innovation. She is the founder of The Recalibration, a platform redefining midlife as a biological recalibration, not a decline.

    Bliss Is the System | The ECS, Estrogen & Perimenopause Connection

  2. Jul 9

    Feed Your Head | Gut Microbiome, Hormones & Midlife Vitality

    Host Heather Reilly-Hiemstra sits down with Dr. Brent W. Laartz, MD FIDSA — infectious disease physician, associate professor at the University of South Florida, and, yes, bestselling spy novelist — to explore the organ that quietly runs everything behind the scenes: your gut. Think of your microbiome as a sourdough starter (both Heather & Brent craft their own): neglect it and you get hockey pucks; feed it right and it rises to the occasion every time. If your mood, sleep, hormones, or midlife energy feel like they've gone off the rails, this episode is your road map back — because the longevity you're hunting for is already living in your intestines. Conversations include The Microbiome Footprint What your bacterial landscape says about your diet — and why a "bad footprint" sends addiction-center signals to your brain that make the Cheetos nearly impossible to resist.Microplastics & Menopause Hormones How forever chemicals and ultra-processed foods actively disrupt hormone health heading into perimenopause and menopause — and why the supplements those Instagram influencers are selling you may be worsening the very symptoms they promise to fix.Five Pillars of Health Diet, exercise, sleep, connection/creativity — and the fifth pillar most doctors skip: eliminating plastics and processed foods from your daily life, one step at a time.The Triathlete Bacteria Study The Lactobacillus and Veillonella species that helped world-class triathletes nearly double their sprint endurance by converting lactic acid into short-chain fatty acids — and what that means for every midlife body in the room.Actionable First Steps From homemade sauerkraut (no scale required — Google will guide you) to functional blood work outside your GP's office, how to start rebuilding your microbiome today without overhauling your entire life overnight. Dr. Brent brings more than the science of what lives in your gut, including the honest admission that physicians are often the last people practicing what they preach, and one man’s practical, no-cold-turkey roadmap to meaningful change. Tune in to start feeding what feeds you — because a thriving microbiome is the backing track behind your hormones, your mood, your sleep, and every stage of vibrant midlife ahead. About Dr. Brent Laartz Dr. Brent Laartz is an infectious disease physician and Affiliate Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine at the University of South Florida. His clinical expertise in the microbiome sits at the intersection of gut health, longevity science, and hormonal well-being — an expert guide for the midlife health questions most GPs don't have bandwidth to answer in detail. Driven by his own journey from "I thought I was healthy" to nearly pre-diabetic, Dr. Laartz launched the “Go Unpro” podcast — a doctor's 52-week journey to an unprocessed life, available in video and audio wherever you listen. He is also the author of two bestselling spy thrillers, a poet and an avid sailor. Dr. Brent is a firm believer that creativity, connection, and a good sourdough starter are non-negotiable pillars of a long life, and that natural prevention with diet and mindfulness can have a profound effect upon healing and overall health. Find out more at: Website: https://www.drlaartz.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brentwlaartzmd/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-w-laartz-md

    Feed Your Head | Gut Microbiome, Hormones & Midlife Vitality

  3. Jun 25

    Don't Wait for the Stop | Optimizing Your Hormones Before Perimenopause

    Heather Reilly Hiemstra sits down with Dr. Cathleen Gerenger — chiropractic physician, acupuncturist, functional health practitioner, and the Tampa Bay area's go-to healthy living expert — to map the hormone timeline nobody handed us in our 20s. The conversation opens a truth most women have never heard spelled out: perimenopause isn't a switch that flips at 50. It's a slow, decade-by-decade depletion of thyroid, progesterone, testosterone, and estrogen that begins before you've even had your first child — and every symptom you were told to

    Don't Wait for the Stop | Optimizing Your Hormones Before Perimenopause

  4. Jun 16

    No Stone Unturned | Bone Density at Every Age

    Heather Reilly Hiemstra has always loved rocks — and it turns out the most important ones are the ones you're built on. In this episode, she sits down with Rush Simonson, founding CEO of Juvent, a 25-year pioneer in regenerative medicine and bone science, to make the case that bone density is not a passive number on a lab report — it's a living, remodeling biomarker that GenX women can actively rebuild starting today. If your last doctor's visit left you with more dread than direction — or if you've never been told that your skeleton from 10 years ago is already gone and replaced — this conversation hands you a real program, not a prescription for helplessness. Conversations include The Bone Bank Why your body treats your skeleton as a strategic calcium reserve — raiding it to keep your heart beating when dietary calcium runs low — and what that slow withdrawal costs you over a perimenopause and menopause transition. Mechano-Transduction & the Micro-Impact Gap The field most doctors never mention: how the pressure wave from a barefoot heel-strike signals bone to rebuild itself — and why modern running shoes are quietly turning you into an astronaut losing 1–2% bone mineral density per month.Juvent: LMMS vs. the Shake Plate How Juvent's low-magnitude mechanical stimulation platform delivers the physiologic equivalent of two to five miles of barefoot walking in 10–20 minutes, and why the St. Jude clinical trial showed an 11% improvement in tibial bone mineral density in a single year.Estrogen, Bioidentical HRT & the Demonization Problem Rush's clinical case for why estrogen remains one of the most protective hormones in the female body — for bone, brain, and cardiovascular health — and why women who've been scared off bioidentical hormone therapy need a second conversation with a better-informed clinician.Calcium, Estrogen Mimics & the Supplement Trap Which forms of calcium are actually bioavailable (hint: not calcium carbonate), why plastics and phthalates hijack your estrogen receptor sites before real estrogen can, and what a "vitamin holiday" can tell you about which supplements you actually need.Tune in to get your action plan: get your DEXA scan in your 40s, walk barefoot or in minimalist shoes, pull estrogen mimics out of your kitchen and your cosmetics bag — and remember that the skeleton you have today is not the one you had 10 years ago. It is rebuilding right now. Work with it. About Rush Simonson Over 25 years of leadership and innovation in finance and healthcare have shaped a career defined by entrepreneurial success and a deep commitment to improving lives. As founding CEO and Chairman of Juvent, he brought back to market the Juvent revolutionary resonant micro-impact platform with clinically demonstrated results—including an 11% improvement in tibial bone mineral density within one year, validated through multiple clinical trials, including research from St. Jude Hospital for Children. The technology is now trusted by thousands of clinicians, athletes, and seniors worldwide. His healthcare innovation extends across multiple ventures. He founded Noujour, LLC, one of the early regenerative medical clinics, where he pioneered Wholenomics—a groundbreaking diagnostic and treatment methodology. As founding CEO of Cytonics Corporation, a proteomics discovery startup, he led a national team of scientists from Stanford University, the University of Pittsburgh, and the Scripps Institute to identify a novel protein complex linked to joint and back pain, ultimately leading to a 20% acquisition by Synthes/J&J valued at over $20 million and a drug candidate now in FDA Phase 2 trials.

    No Stone Unturned | Bone Density at Every Age

  5. Jun 4

    Time to Glow Up | Finding Yourself in Midlife Reinvention

    Heather Reilly Hiemstra sits down with Heather Theisen-Gandara — certified divorce coach, former international diplomat, and founder of the Reignite Collective — to talk about what happens when the life you planned simply stops fitting. Heather T. lost 90 pounds, left a 24-year career in global diplomacy, and built an entirely new identity on the other side of an unexpected divorce at the age of 48. What actually happened here? A glow up that started from the inside out. If you've ever looked in the mirror mid-life — divorced, married, or somewhere in between — and asked who the hell am I right now, this one's for you. Conversations include: "I'm Too Old to Start Over" The lie that almost stopped Heather T. cold — and the research-backed truth that more entrepreneurs launch after 50 than at any other life stage.Reptile Brain vs. Frontal Lobe Why survival mode hijacks your best decisions during divorce and major transitions, and how grounding practices like box breathing pull you back from the alligator.The Nervous System Reset How extended fight-or-flight dysregulates your body during life upheaval — and the journaling, breathwork, and mindfulness tools Heather T. built her coaching practice around.The Capsule Closet as Crisis Management One section of your wardrobe — ironed white shirt, clean tank, the right shoes — so that on the mornings you can't think, you still show up like a rockstar.Ready to Love Again? The one-line test: if you need someone to complete your life, you're not there yet. Heather T. on building self-trust, spotting patterns (not just red flags), and what "whole" actually feels like before you let someone in.Tune in to reclaim your glow up — whether you're navigating divorce, a career pivot, a 30-year marriage, or just a closet full of clothes that no longer feel like you. Your frontal lobe called. It's time to answer. About the Guest: Heather Theisen-Gandara is a certified divorce coach and the founder of the Reignite Collective, a coaching practice dedicated to helping women over 40 rebuild confidence, clarity, and purpose after divorce. Before becoming a coach, Heather spent more than two decades in international exchange and diplomacy, working with global organizations and leading high-stakes cross-cultural initiatives. When her own 24-year marriage ended unexpectedly at 48 — pre-menopausal, youngest child freshly off to college — she project-managed her way through the legal process, then did the harder work of rebuilding from scratch. She came through it 90 pounds lighter, aligned with a new life's purpose, and focused on longevity. That reinvention became the foundation for her book The Ultimate Glow Up Guide for Women Over 40, a chapter-by-chapter, checklist-driven field manual for midlife reinvention — covering everything from nervous system regulation and journaling prompts to capsule wardrobes and drugstore skincare. Find her at @HeatherGlowsAgain on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. Connect with Heather at: Website: https://www.reignitecollective.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/HeatherGlowsAgainLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathertheisen-gandara

    Time to Glow Up | Finding Yourself in Midlife Reinvention

  6. May 28

    One Omega Number Everyone Should Know

    Host Heather Reilly Hiemstra won a drawing at the most recent SRQ Women's Expo — and what she won gave her a whole new understanding of omega fatty acid numbers and what they mean to our health & longevity. In “One Omega Number Everyone Should Know”, Heather sits down with Dr. Jeanine Fedorko, chiropractic physician and 35-year functional wellness veteran, to unpack the one ratio most doctors never test and almost nobody has in range: omega-6 to omega-3. Your body has an inflammation dial — and for 99% of Americans, it's been cranked past the safety line for years.If your joints ache, your energy flatlines, or you've been dutifully swallowing fish oil for years and still feel off — this episode will explain exactly why, and what to do about it in 120 days or less. Conversations include: The Dimmer Switch: Why the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio — not just "take fish oil" — is the master inflammation dial, and what "3-to-1" actually means for your cells. The 120-Day Rule: Your red blood cells live four months. Dr. Janine explains why that's the real minimum to judge anything you're taking — and how she quietly went from a 24-to-1 ratio to 3.6-to-1 in only sixty days. Polyphenols, Not Just Oil: Why most omega-3 products — including algae capsules — are stripped of the natural polyphenols that protect and deliver the oil, and how one Scandinavian company solved the problem by rebinding early-harvest olive oil polyphenols directly to the omega-3 molecule. The Cell Wall Problem: How a sky-high omega-6 load makes your cell walls so rigid that nothing good gets in and nothing bad gets out — and why Dr. Jeanine now says this foundation has to be fixed before her other 35 years of tools can fully work. Know Your Number: The at-home finger-prick test that costs under $200, why it almost never appears on standard lab panels, and what to do the moment your result comes back.Tune in to get your baseline, understand why foundational inflammation shapes everything from hormones to cellular repair, and finally have a concrete, testable first move on the path back to balance. About the Guest: Dr. Jeanine Fedorko is a Chiropractic physician with over 35 years of experience devoted to helping the body return to its natural state of balance and vitality. After more than three decades of practice in Ohio, she now serves the Sarasota, Florida community with a deeply integrative and intuitive approach to healing. Rather than seeing the body as a collection of symptoms, she honors the connection between the physical, emotional, chemical, and energetic layers of being. Through tools such as hair analysis, saliva hormone testing, and advanced interpretation of blood work, she uncovers the deeper imbalances that may be holding you back from true wellness. Her work extends beyond the physical. Using modalities like Emotion Code and Body Code, she gently supports the release of trapped emotions and the clearing of the Heart Wall—creating space for the body to heal as it was always designed to. Reconnective Healings reconnect us to the strings of time and strands of DNA that we have been disconnected from and put us on our life path more noticeably. What makes her approach unique is the way she weaves science and intuition together. You are not just treated—you are guided, educated, and empowered to understand your body and reconnect with its innate intelligence. Dr. Jeanine Fedorko is passionate about helping you live a natural, aligned, and vibrant life. It is her joy to support you in raising your frequency, so you can step into a more harmonious, fully expressed version of yourself. Learn more about Dr. Jeanine at:https://drjeaninefedorko.com/

    One Omega Number Everyone Should Know

  7. Feb 26

    Get Back To Your Authentic Self

    In “Get Back to Your Authentic Self”, Heather sits down with Alli Williams,  a plant medicine guide, herbalist, and integrative coach at Bionic Bloom. Alli shares her own journey to healing from professional basketball – living in a "hyper masculine" way: all mind, striving, and forgetting the body. Alli reveals how she found balance and a "grounded presence" through potent, ancient allies.Join us for a deeply personal and insightful dive into the world of plant medicine and integration, and discover: The Nervous System "Vitamin": What if a subtle, legal dose could create a "little wedge" between a trigger and your reaction, leading to you being "less reactive" and feeling inexplicably "happy" days later? Allie shares the powerful, subtle shift of microdosing. The Key to Lasting Change: The experience doesn't end with the dose. Allie explains the non-negotiable step—integration—that turns clarity and insights into embodied transformation through new, healthy rituals.Tearing Down the Masks: Discover how this spiritual experience acts as a "remembrance" of your truest, unfiltered self, a “remembrance back to earth” allowing you to finally love yourself completely and realize that your authentic self is your greatest gift. Your Archetypal Blueprint: It's not one-size-fits-all. Alli reveals Bionic Bloom's highly personalized approach, which considers archetypal forces, planets, and elements to match you with the right path to healing.Alli's message is simple:  "Follow the call." Because, if this path resonates with you, it's probably the right time to listen. About Alli WilliamsAlli  believes her soul’s calling is to bridge worlds — guiding others back to wholeness by weaving together what we’ve been taught to see as separate.She brings a unique blend of academic training, professional certifications and healing modalities to guide others on their healing journey, includingPsychedelic Facilitator at Bionic Bloom, the First Legal Psychedelic Therapy Clinic in the USCertified Somatic Psychedelic FacilitatorB.S. Psychology & Minor in Exercise PhysiologyCertified Yoga Breath CoachPractitioner of Neuro Linguistic ProgrammingCertificate in NeuropsychotherapyCertification in Depth PsychologyWhite Light Reiki First DegreeConnect with Alli at https://www.alchemizewithalli.com

    Get Back To Your Authentic Self

  8. Jan 30

    My Generations | The Endocannabinoid System for Women from GenX to GenZ

    In “My Generations”, host Heather Really Hiemstra and  transformational speaker Angela Hutchinson bridge thirty years difference to reveal the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) as the key to better health & homeostasis for women at every age. Homeostasis - when our body works in optimal balance - is like the perfectly mixed track, and the ECS is your soundboard.  If your moods, sleep, or libido feel out of tune with perimenopause or menopausal symptoms, listen in to learn how to master your mix. Conversations include: The ECS Decoded. Learn how messengers (cannabinoids like the "bliss molecule" anandamide), receivers (CB1/CB2 receptors), and "sexy garbage men" (enzymes) work together to balance your health and well-being. Your Pelvis is a Powerhouse. Discover why the ECS is heavily concentrated in your reproductive organs and how activating this area is the ultimate longevity hack for keeping your body's music playing strong. The Life-Boosting Power of Orgasm. Heather breaks down the science of why profound orgasms are a vital health tool, creating chemicals like DHEA to keep your bones strong and fight aging—helping you hit that biological high note. The Science of Aging. Learn how fraying telomeres can cause your ECS "soundboard" to become less receptive, leading to inflammation and a drop in libido, and what you can immediately do to support them. Plant-Based Solutions. Find out how full-spectrum hemp and botanicals like Beta-Caryophyllene and German Chamomile—delivered directly through the skin—can decrease inflammation, and even act, as one Rockstar Blends client says, like a "daily dose of Xanax”. Tune in to better understand the ECS, embrace plant wisdom, and listen as Heather & Angela open up some space around menopause and longevity. About Angela Hutchinson Angela Hutchinson is a globally recognized facilitator and keynote speaker whose transformational work is rooted in her personal survival story. As a teenager, she endured sexual abuse, which led to a period of struggle with high-functioning addiction. She realized that the same intense drive fueling addiction can also fuel entrepreneurship and be channeled into powerful creation and leadership. Today, Angela helps groups and individuals—from school districts to executive teams—turn their pain into purpose.  Her workshops integrate science, storytelling, and humor to teach tools like mindset coaching and breathwork, transforming reactive survivors into conscious, connected leaders who feel safe, seen, and free. Her journey is living proof that what once seemed a curse can become a calling.

    My Generations | The Endocannabinoid System for Women from GenX to GenZ
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About

Welcome to GenX Hits Menopause, the podcast where host Heather Reilly Hiemstra dives into the unfiltered, transformative journey of midlife. Join Heather and her co-host, John Hiemstra, as they explore what it means to thrive in every stage of life through candid conversations with experts, innovators, and everyday individuals. From groundbreaking science and traditional medicine to personal stories and practical tools, this show redefines aging for a generation that’s ready to stay vibrant, confident, and unapologetically themselves. Together, we’ll challenge outdated narratives and embrace a future of health, intimacy, and empowerment—for women and men alike.

Information

  • Creator
    Heather Reilly Hiemstra
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Show Website
    GenX Hits Menopause