Menopause Unmuted

Dr Erika Pimentel
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Health & Fitness
  • Updated Weekly

This podcast is where real life meets real science — where we mix evidence-based education with unfiltered conversations about what it really means to go through perimenopause and menopause. Every week, you’ll hear from women sharing their personal stories — the good, the messy, the in-between — along with experts in nutrition, fitness, mental health, and holistic care.

  1. 4d ago

    The Fear of Bulking Up: Why It Isn't Only About Getting Bigger and What Perimenopause Can Resurface

    Almost every new client asks me some version of the same question before we even get into her program: "Will lifting weights make me bulky?" In this episode, I'm taking that fear seriously instead of brushing past it with reassurance. We'll get into the physiology first — why men naturally carry more baseline muscle than women, what a 2025 meta-analysis out of Deakin University found when it looked at how men and women build muscle relative to their own starting point, and what it would take for a woman to bulk up on purpose (spoiler: it's a lot more than picking up a dumbbell). Then I want to go somewhere I haven't gone publicly before. For some women, the fear of bulking up isn't about muscle at all. Perimenopause is a documented window for old eating patterns to resurface, especially for those of us who carried body image struggles or disordered eating earlier in life. I share a part of my own story here for the first time, including a moment that changed everything for me. If you've ever avoided weight training because you were afraid of what it would do to your body, or if the fear underneath that question feels bigger than muscle, this episode is for you. If any part of this episode resonated with you, the Midlife Reset Assessment is exactly who I built it for. It's a strategy call where we look at your training, your nutrition, and your history together, so you can get clarity on what's actually keeping you stuck and where to focus your energy next.Click on the link below to book your free assessment. https://pages.erikapimentelcoaching.com/home

  2. Sep 10

    Hysterectomy at 38: Treated Like Separate Parts by Every Specialist

    In this episode, I sit down with Erica Voell, decision mentor and inner trust guide, to talk about her own perimenopause journey. It started with a hysterectomy at 38 and years of diagnoses that nobody ever connected to each other. We talk about what it's like to quietly build a story about your body being broken, one appointment at a time, the link between hormone fluctuation and sudden food sensitivities, and the moment Erica realized her body had been giving her information the whole time, not evidence against her. If today's episode gave you information you didn't have before, share it with a friend, a sister, someone in your life who is navigating this and not getting real answers. If you are going through perimenopause and want to share your story on the podcast, I would love to have you as a guest. And if there's a topic you want me to cover in a future episode, message me or leave a comment, I always love hearing from you. If any part of this conversation sounds familiar, if you've been dismissed, confused, or doing everything right while your body still isn't responding, I invite you to book a free Midlife Reset Assessment with me. We'll sit down together and look at your specific history, symptoms, and what needs to shift first. https://pages.erikapimentelcoaching.com/home This podcast is for educational purposes only and isn't a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with questions about your own health.

  3. Sep 3

    The Dry Eye Diagnosis Nobody Connects to Hormones

    On this episode of Menopause Unmuted, my sister-in-law Jihan is back for part two of our conversation. This time we start with something most women never think to connect to their hormones at all: dry eye. Jihan had to stop wearing contact lenses altogether after a diagnosis associated with declining testosterone and estrogen and we talk about how those hormones affect the eyes and why so few doctors bring it up. In this episode we also talk about osteoporosis and perimenopause. Jihan comes from a family with a long history of severe, untreated osteoporosis, and when her own scan came back with concerning results, her doctor treated it as ordinary aging without factoring in that history, when her family history should have suggested closer monitoring. Jihan shares with our listeners what she's actually doing to protect both her eyes and her bones without having hormone therapy as an option for her. If you are navigating perimenopause, this is exactly who I built the Midlife Reset Assessment for, to have an honest look at what's keeping you stuck, and where to focus your energy going forward. Midlife Reset Assessment

  4. Aug 27

    Is Bladder Prolapse Just Part of Aging?

    On this episode of Menopause Unmuted, I'm joined by my sister-in-law Jihan for an honest conversation about a part of perimenopause most women never see coming: pelvic floor changes. Jihan shares her bladder prolapse diagnosis, what her doctor explained and what he left out and what it's like navigating perimenopause in Honduras, where hormone therapy and reliable information are hard to find. We break down what estrogen has to do with your bladder, your pelvic floor, and your posture, and why "it's your age" isn't the whole story. If you are navigating perimenopause, this is exactly who I built the Midlife Reset Assessment for, to have an honest look at what's keeping you stuck, and where to focus your energy going forward. The call is free and the link is below. Midlife Reset Assessment

  5. Aug 20

    Doing Everything Right and Still Not Losing Weight in Perimenopause.

    She was disciplined. She tracked her food. She trained almost every day. And none of it moved the scale. In this episode I break down why that happens to so many women in midlife. It's not about effort. I walk through what chronic under eating does to your body when you're also training hard, why muscle is often the first thing your body sacrifices when it isn't getting enough fuel, and why pushing intensity without enough recovery works against you instead of for you. I also share the four shifts I use with my clients to turn this around, and what it actually takes, in terms of time and patience, before the results show up. If you're navigating perimenopause, this is exactly who I built the Midlife Reset Assessment for, to have an honest look at what's keeping you stuck and where to focus your energy going forward. The call is free and the link is below. https://pages.erikapimentelcoaching.com/home The information shared on Menopause Unmuted is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Nothing said on this podcast should replace a conversation with your own doctor or healthcare provider. Every woman's body and health history is different, and what works for one person may not be right for another. Please consult a qualified provider before making changes to your nutrition, training, or medication, including hormone therapy.

  6. Aug 13

    Does an Early Period Mean an Early Menopause? The Research Says Not So Fast.

    On this episode of Menopause Unmuted, I'm talking with Shamika Brown-Upshaw, founder of Spark Life Coaching and former Emmy Award winning Senior Director of Business Operations and Program Management for major sports and entertainment brands. Shamika got her period at 10 years old and is now 50 with none of the symptoms most of us associate with perimenopause. No hot flashes. No night sweats. We talk about what that means, and what it doesn't mean, since the connection between early periods, menopause timing, and overall health is nowhere near as clear as most women have been told. We also get into the years she spent chasing root causes instead of quick fixes, from mercury fillings to acupuncture to cutting dairy, gluten and processed meat, and how that same pattern recognition she built running corporate operations is exactly what she now brings to her own body. If you are navigating perimenopause, this is exactly who I built the Midlife Reset Call for, to have an honest look at what's keeping you stuck, and where to focus your energy going forward. The call is free . Just click on the link to get more information and book your call. https://pages.erikapimentelcoaching.com/home The information shared on Menopause Unmuted is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Nothing said on this podcast should replace a conversation with your own doctor or healthcare provider. Every woman's body and health history is different, and what works for one person may not be right for another. Please consult a qualified provider before making changes to your nutrition, training, or medication, including hormone therapy.

  7. Aug 6

    The Estrogen and Gut Connection Nobody Warned Her About

    On this episode of Menopause Unmuted, I sit down with Judy Jung, owner of Jung Family Painting and Decorating, a 22 year family business built on excellence and community in Naperville, Illinois. Judy entered menopause the day she turned 50, and the weight came fast, 20 pounds in three months, despite training five days a week and eating well. For years, she avoided hormone therapy because she had been told early on that it could raise her risk of cancer, and she didn't want to . She started HRT a month and a half ago after getting the same guidance from three people she trusted, and the shift was immediate: her hot flashes dropped significantly, her sleep deepened, and for the first time in years she is waking up rested instead of tired from a night of tossing and turning. We talk about the SIBO connection, the role of vaginal estrogen in gut microbial diversity, and why hearing the same guidance from more than one trusted source made the decision easier. Your symptoms are not random. There are physiological reasons behind what you are experiencing, and there are ways to support your body through this transition. If you are navigating perimenopause, this is exactly who I built the Midlife Reset Call for, to have an honest look at what's keeping you stuck, and where to focus your energy going forward. The call is free and the link to register is: https://pages.erikapimentelcoaching.com/home The information shared on Menopause Unmuted is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Nothing said on this podcast should replace a conversation with your own doctor or healthcare provider. Every woman's body and health history is different, and what works for one person may not be right for another. Please consult a qualified provider before making changes to your nutrition, training, or medication, including hormone therapy.

  8. Jul 30

    What Happens to Your Hormones After a Hysterectomy

    On this episode of Menopause Unmuted, I sit down with Prajwal to talk about what happened after her hysterectomy, and what nobody told her beforehand. Prajwal had a fibroid that led to a hysterectomy. Her ovaries stayed intact, so her doctor told her not to expect much change. She is experiencing night sweats and disrupted sleep and no one ever explained that removing the uterus can reduce blood flow to the ovaries and speed up the timeline to menopause. No one mentioned the importance of pelvic floor therapy either, even though she does resistance training with heavy weights. When she brought up HRT, her doctor pointed to normal labs and told her to wait until fifty. We talk about what happens to your hormones after a hysterectomy, why "normal" labs don't tell the whole story, why pelvic floor health matters even when your doctor doesn't bring it up, and what it looks like to keep asking questions when the answers you're given don't add up. If you've had a hysterectomy or are weighing one, this episode gives you the questions to ask before you're the one finding out after the fact. If you are navigating perimenopause, this is exactly who I built the Midlife Reset Call for, to have an honest look at what's keeping you stuck, and where to focus your energy going forward. Link to Book the Free Midlife Reset Call https://pages.erikapimentelcoaching.com/home

See All (21)

Trailer

About

This podcast is where real life meets real science — where we mix evidence-based education with unfiltered conversations about what it really means to go through perimenopause and menopause. Every week, you’ll hear from women sharing their personal stories — the good, the messy, the in-between — along with experts in nutrition, fitness, mental health, and holistic care.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr Erika Pimentel
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dr Erika Pimentel
  • Show Website
    Menopause Unmuted