In this episode, I talk with Andrea Nakayama, a functional nutritionist and narrative-medicine practitioner (yes, we cover what that means). Andrea explains how our beliefs about aging influence inflammation, cortisol, memory, recovery, and even longevity—and why your mindset may be one of the most powerful tools for midlife women’s health.

When it comes to menopause hormone therapy, most women are offered a short list of standard prescriptions — and that’s it. But if you’ve ever felt like those options don’t work for you, there’s a reason: hormone therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all.

That’s where compounding pharmacies come in. 

To celebrate the first 6 months of the Belong Wellness podcast, I’m taking you on a greatest-hits-style trip through some of my favorite moments so far. From big laughs to aha moments, from menopause hormone therapy advice for IUD users to a goddess vision during Reiki, this “Midlife Mixtape” brings the sass, the science, and the soul.

If you’re wondering whether menopause hormone therapy (a.k.a. HRT) could help with your hot flashes, mood swings, sleep issues, or that terrible “not like myself” feeling—this episode is for you.

In this expert interview, I’m joined by Dr. Lisa Brent, a naturopathic doctor who specializes in hormone health and integrative women’s medicine. We unpack everything you’ve been confused about when it comes to estrogen, progesterone, perimenopause, menopause symptoms, testing, bioidentical hormones, and more.