Midlife Conversations with Natalie Jill: Fat Loss, Hormones & Health for Women Over 40

Save on your Sugarproof Tea HERE: https://looseleafteamarket.com/products/sugarproof-tea?bg_ref=DlV8B9hf7K Your skin is aging faster than it should, and it might have nothing to do with your skincare routine. This week I'm sitting down with herbalist Kita Centella, author of Sugar Can F*ck Itself, to talk about the one thing quietly accelerating aging in midlife women that almost no one is checking for: sugar. We go deep on how sugar breaks down collagen at the cellular level, why it hits harder once estrogen starts to decline, and why your "healthy" breakfast might be doing more damage than you realize. This one might change how you look at your next glass of orange juice. We Go Deep On: How sugar breaks down collagen and accelerates visible skin aging Why estrogen decline makes the effects of sugar on skin even worse The inflammation connection between sugar and premature aging Where added sugar hides in foods marketed as "healthy" Why artificial sweeteners don't solve the problem either The herb that temporarily blocks your ability to taste sweetness Simple swaps that support aging from the inside out Why estrogen decline changes how your body processes sugar after 45 The brain science behind why sugar cravings feel impossible to control Where sugar hides in "healthy" foods like yogurt, dressings, and granola Why artificial sweeteners and even natural sugar substitutes keep cravings going Catch the full episode on YOUTUBE HERE: https://bit.ly/MidlifeConversationsYouTube Episode Links: Sugarproof Tea https://looseleafteamarket.com/products/sugarproof-tea?bg_ref=DlV8B9hf7K Learn More About Kita Centella Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/looseleafteamarket Website ➜ https://looseleafteamarket.com/products/sugarproof-tea?bg_ref=DlV8B9hf7K Book ➜ https://looseleafteamarket.com/products/sugar-can-f-ck-itself-book-become-sugar-proof-for-life Thank you to our show sponsors: TIMELINE:Timeline is offering 20% off your order! Go to https://timeline.com/NATALIEJILL SUNLIGHTEN: Sleep better. Recover faster. Stress less. Get Sunlighten infrared saunas HERE https://sunlighten.com and use code NATALIEJILL to save BIG! LEELA QUANTUM: Get 10% off your first Leela Quantum order with the code NatalieJill at checkout at https://midlifeconversations.com/leela Free Gifts for being a listener of Midlife Conversations! Mastering the Midlife Midsection Guide: https://theflatbellyguide.com/ Age Optimizing and Supplement Guide: https://ageoptimizer.com Connect with me on social media! Instagram: www.Instagram.com/Nataliejllfit Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Nataliejillfit For advertising inquiries: https://www.category3.ca/ 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. Information provided in this podcast and the use of any products or services related to this podcast does not create a client-patient relationship between you and the host of Midlife Conversations or you and any doctor or provider interviewed and featured on this show. Information and statements may have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent ANY disease. Advertising Disclosure: Some episodes of Midlife Conversations may be sponsored by products or services discussed during the show. The host may receive compensation for such advertisements or if you purchase products through affiliate links. Opinions expressed about products or services are those of the host and/or guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of any sponsor. Sponsorship does not imply endorsement of any product or service by healthcare professionals featured on this podcast.

🦷Special offer for you on your own oral testing kit: https://shop.theurbanmonk.com/pages/oral?bg_ref=109Nl4h0Ds Did you know you swallow about six cups of your own saliva every single day, and that saliva could be quietly feeding disease throughout your entire body? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Elmira Shojai and Lora Hooper, two women working at the cutting edge of something almost nobody in traditional dentistry ever talks about: your oral microbiome. I did a consult with them on my own mouth, and even though I feel amazing and have done so much work to clean up my health, my results shocked me. We go deep on why the mouth is the second largest microbiome in your body, why traditional dentistry cleans and fills without ever asking why the problem keeps coming back, and why killing every bit of bacteria with harsh mouthwash might actually be making things worse instead of better. If you've done everything right and still feel like your body is working against you, this conversation might hold the missing piece. We Go Deep On: Why the oral microbiome is the second largest microbiome in the body, and why almost nobody tests it How swallowing your own saliva can reinfect your gut with harmful bacteria Why traditional dentistry fixes symptoms but ignores root cause The real reason killing 99.9% of bacteria in your mouth can backfire The three primary ways oral dysbiosis develops (imprinting, over-sterilizing, mouth breathing) The truth about root canals, and what actually determines if one becomes a problem Natalie's own root canal story and what her MPO bloodwork revealed The overlooked connection between oral bacteria and leaky gut Why plaque in the mouth can show up as plaque in the heart, brain, or joints What real testing and treatment for oral dysbiosis actually looks like, and why antibiotics alone don't work Catch the full episode on YOUTUBE HERE: https://bit.ly/MidlifeConversationsYouTube Learn More About Elmira Shojai and Lora Hooper Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/lorahooper17 and https://www.instagram.com/egederi Website ➜ https://shop.theurbanmonk.com/pages/oral?bg_ref=109Nl4h0Ds Thank you to our show sponsors: TIMELINE:Timeline is offering 20% off your order! Go to https://timeline.com/NATALIEJILL LEELA: Get 10% off your first Leela Quantum order with the code NatalieJill at checkout at https://midlifeconversations.com/leela Free Gifts for being a listener of Midlife Conversations! Mastering the Midlife Midsection Guide: https://theflatbellyguide.com/ Age Optimizing and Supplement Guide: https://ageoptimizer.com Connect with me on social media! Instagram: www.Instagram.com/Nataliejllfit Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Nataliejillfit For advertising inquiries: https://www.category3.ca/ 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. Information provided in this podcast and the use of any products or services related to this podcast does not create a client-patient relationship between you and the host of Midlife Conversations or you and any doctor or provider interviewed and featured on this show. Information and statements may have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent ANY disease. Advertising Disclosure: Some episodes of Midlife Conversations may be sponsored by products or services discussed during the show. The host may receive compensation for such advertisements or if you purchase products through affiliate links. Opinions expressed about products or services are those of the host and/or guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of any sponsor. Sponsorship does not imply endorsement of any product or service by healthcare professionals featured on this podcast.

What if the reason your skincare stopped working has nothing to do with your products, and everything to do with your mitochondria? I sit down with Jennifer Scheinman, registered dietitian and senior manager of nutrition affairs at Timeline, to talk about the science most of us have never applied to our skin. We already know mitochondrial decline drives muscle loss, brain fog, and fatigue as we age. I go deep on why that exact same cellular decline is showing up on your face as wrinkles, sagging, thinning, and dullness, and why retinol and vitamin C alone are not enough to address it. I go deep on the surprising connection between estrogen and mitochondrial function, why so many of us wake up one day feeling like we do not recognize our own skin, and what is actually happening at the cellular level during that shift. I go deep on the controversial sun exposure conversation, the difference between natural and clean skincare, and the real research behind urolithin A, the molecule at the center of Timeline's new MitoPure skincare line. Jennifer walks us through exactly how mitophagy works, what the clinical data actually shows in women ages 47 to 65, and how to build a simplified routine without giving up the products you already love. If your skin has felt like it aged overnight, this conversation will change how you think about what it actually needs. We Go Deep On: Why mitochondrial decline shows up on your face before anywhere else The "reverse puberty" of menopausal skin Why retinol gets harder to tolerate as you age The estrogen-mitochondria connection nobody talks about Is sun exposure good or bad? The Goldilocks answer Why "too fit" can actually age your face faster What mitophagy is and why it matters for your skin Natural vs. clean vs. toxic: cutting through the noise The real research behind urolithin A and MitoPure How to simplify your skincare routine without losing results Catch the full episode on YOUTUBE HERE: https://bit.ly/MidlifeConversationsYouTube Learn More About Jennifer Scheinman Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/timeline_longevity Website ➜ https://timeline.com/NATALIEJILL Thank you to our show sponsors: QUANTUM UPGRADE: Try Quantum Upgrade completely free for 15 days—no credit card required. Use code NATALIEJILL at checkout on https://quantumupgrade.io/start Free Gifts for being a listener of Midlife Conversations! Mastering the Midlife Midsection Guide: https://theflatbellyguide.com/ Age Optimizing and Supplement Guide: https://ageoptimizer.com Connect with me on social media! Instagram: www.Instagram.com/Nataliejllfit Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Nataliejillfit For advertising inquiries: https://www.category3.ca/ 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. Information provided in this podcast and the use of any products or services related to this podcast does not create a client-patient relationship between you and the host of Midlife Conversations or you and any doctor or provider interviewed and featured on this show. Information and statements may have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent ANY disease. Advertising Disclosure: Some episodes of Midlife Conversations may be sponsored by products or services discussed during the show. The host may receive compensation for such advertisements or if you purchase products through affiliate links. Opinions expressed about products or services are those of the host and/or guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of any sponsor. Sponsorship does not imply endorsement of any product or service by healthcare professionals featured on this podcast.

Get 10% off your first Leela Quantum order with the code NatalieJill at checkout at https://midlifeconversations.com/leela Try Quantum Upgrade completely free for 15 days—no credit card required. Use code NATALIEJILL at checkout on https://quantumupgrade.io/start What if the headache you can't explain, the brain fog that won't lift, or the exhaustion no lab test can find has been sitting in the walls of your own home this whole time? This week Natalie sits down with Dr. Henz, a neuroscientist and EEG researcher, and Philipp Von Holtzendorff-Fehling, a former T-Mobile executive turned tech founder, for a conversation that goes places most health podcasts never go. Dr. Henz shares her own story of getting mysteriously ill in a tech-filled office, including a decade-long fertility struggle doctors couldn't explain, and how she eventually connected it to the invisible electromagnetic fields surrounding her every day. Philipp pulls back the curtain on his years inside the telecom industry, why he walked away from a corporate career to dig into this question full time, and what his team found after testing dozens of products claiming to protect you from EMF exposure (spoiler: most of them do nothing, and a couple made things worse). You'll hear about the internal lab research Dr. Henz and Philipp have compiled using high-density EEG technology, what happens to brain wave activity during something as simple as a phone call, and their perspective on why getting closer to nature and natural frequencies may matter more than we think. This one will change how you think about your phone, your WiFi router, and the space you sleep in tonight. WE GO DEEP ON: Dr. Henz's personal health crisis and the invisible cause behind it Why your body has no built-in sensor for electromagnetic exposure What high-density EEG reveals about brain activity and stress frequencies Philipp's journey from T-Mobile executive to EMF researcher The internal lab data behind Quantum Upgrade's technology What happened when they tested 70+ EMF "protection" products Simple, low-effort shifts you can make starting tonight Catch the full episode on YOUTUBE HERE: https://bit.ly/MidlifeConversationsYouTube Episode Links: See Natalie's brain scan results https://www.midlifeconversations.com/nataliejillresults/ Leela Quantum: Get 10% off your first Leela Quantum order with the code NatalieJill at checkout at https://midlifeconversations.com/leela Quantum Upgrade: Try Quantum Upgrade completely free for 15 days—no credit card required. Use code NATALIEJILL at checkout on https://quantumupgrade.io/start Free Gifts for being a listener of Midlife Conversations! Mastering the Midlife Midsection Guide: https://theflatbellyguide.com/ Age Optimizing and Supplement Guide: https://ageoptimizer.com Connect with me on social media! Instagram: www.Instagram.com/Nataliejllfit Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Nataliejillfit For advertising inquiries: https://www.category3.ca/ 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. Information provided in this podcast and the use of any products or services related to this podcast does not create a client-patient relationship between you and the host of Midlife Conversations or you and any doctor or provider interviewed and featured on this show. Information and statements may have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent ANY disease. Advertising Disclosure: Some episodes of Midlife Conversations may be sponsored by products or services discussed during the show. The host may receive compensation for such advertisements or if you purchase products through affiliate links. Opinions expressed about products or services are those of the host and/or guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of any sponsor. Sponsorship does not imply endorsement of any product or service by healthcare professionals featured on this podcast.

If we are doing all the things in midlife and we still feel off. The brain fog. The bloating. The dull skin. The hormones that feel louder, not quieter. The recovery that takes three days from one glass of wine. This episode is for us. Because everyone keeps telling us the next step is hormones. HRT. Bioidenticals. Patches. Pellets. And those can absolutely help. But there are three quiet things slowing down in our bodies at the same time, and nobody is teaching us about them in plain English. The walls of our cells. Where hormones are supposed to knock and get a response. The body's trash truck. The thing that carries used hormones out of the body so they do not pile back up. The wallpaper lining our gut. The thing that keeps inflammation from running the whole show. All three slow down in midlife. That is why more hormones alone has not been the full answer for so many of us. My guest is Jessica Kane Berman, co-owner of BodyBio, a third-generation cellular health company her grandfather founded almost 30 years ago. Jessica walked through PCOS, fertility issues, mold, and Lyme, and she healed using the science her own family pioneered. We go through all three slowdowns in plain English, and we end with one thing we can do this week. This is the foundation underneath everything we are already doing. WE GO DEEP ON: • Why more hormones alone has not been the full answer in midlife • The three quiet things slowing down in our bodies at the same time • The walls of our cells, and why brain fog and dull skin are clues • The body's trash truck (bile), and why estrogen feels louder when it slows • The wallpaper lining our gut, and why food sensitivities and belly inflammation show up after 40 • Where HRT fits in (and why these three make HRT actually work) • What PC, TUDCA, and butyrate really do, in plain English • One simple thing to do this week if we are overwhelmed by where to start TIMESTAMPS • 00:00 | Why more hormones alone has not been the full answer • 06:00 | First slowdown. The walls of our cells. • 18:00 | Second slowdown. The body's trash truck. • 32:00 | Third slowdown. The wallpaper lining our gut. • 44:00 | All three together. Where HRT fits. • 52:00 | One thing to do this week. Catch the full episode on YOUTUBE HERE: https://bit.ly/MidlifeConversationsYouTube 🔗 Products Mentioned: TUDCA: Liver Health Supplement BodyBio PC (Phospholipid Complex) Butyrate: Gut Health Supplement For all, go to https://bodybio.com/NATALIEJILL and use code NATALIEJILL to save Learn More About Jessica Berman Instagram ➜ http://www.instagram.com/bodybio Website ➜ https://bodybio.com/NATALIEJILL and use code NATALIEJILL to save Free Gifts for being a listener of Midlife Conversations! Mastering the Midlife Midsection Guide: https://theflatbellyguide.com/ Age Optimizing and Supplement Guide: https://ageoptimizer.com Connect with me on social media! Instagram: www.Instagram.com/Nataliejllfit Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Nataliejillfit For advertising inquiries: https://www.category3.ca/ 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. Information provided in this podcast and the use of any products or services related to this podcast does not create a client-patient relationship between you and the host of Midlife Conversations or you and any doctor or provider interviewed and featured on this show. Information and statements may have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent ANY disease. Advertising Disclosure: Some episodes of Midlife Conversations may be sponsored by products or services discussed during the show. The host may receive compensation for such advertisements or if you purchase products through affiliate links. Opinions expressed about products or services are those of the host and/or guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of any sponsor. Sponsorship does not imply endorsement of any product or service by healthcare professionals featured on this podcast.

Facelifts are having a MOMENT. Kris Jenner. Denise Richards. Suddenly every woman over 50 is asking the question out loud: is this what it takes now? Do I need a facelift? Is there a natural alternative that actually works? Facial plastic surgery jumped 19% in 2025. Forty-five percent of surgeons say menopause is what is driving it. Which means somebody needs to be telling us the REAL story, not the marketing one. This episode is with Dr. Anthony Youn, board-certified plastic surgeon known as America's Holistic Plastic Surgeon. He is the most-followed plastic surgeon on the internet with 13 million+ across TikTok and YouTube. He is the author of four bestsellers including Younger For Life and he hosts The Doctor Youn Show. Here is why he is different. He is a surgeon who tells women to AUTOJUVENATE before you operate. Skincare. Supplements. Collagen. Red light. Nutrition. Hormones. THEN, and only then, do we talk procedures. This is the honest midlife conversation about what works, what doesn't, and what is marketing. WE GO DEEP ON Why facelifts have gone mainstream and the Kris Jenner / Denise Richards effect SMAS vs. deep plane vs. ponytail lift, explained in plain English The natural stack that actually works BEFORE surgery (the autojuvenation method) When it IS actually time to consider surgery, and when to wait The simple 6-product skincare routine for every midlife woman Clean skincare: what is real, what is marketing fear Sunscreen truth: mineral vs. chemical, and the brands he actually recommends Collagen supplements: the research, the dose, what to look for on the label Red light therapy: does it actually work, and the masks worth the money Botox honestly: the 2025 CDC counterfeit warning and how to stay safe Filler, pillow face, and why we are in the anti-filler era BBL danger: the deadliest cosmetic surgery and how to lower the risk The ONE thing every midlife woman should do this week This is not a product pitch. This is the conversation that gives you control. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Facelifts have gone mainstream 18:00 — Simple skincare that actually works 32:00 — Collagen, red light, and what the research says 45:00 — Botox and filler, the honest truth 58:00 — BBL, autojuvenation, and the ONE thing this week Learn More About Dr. Anthony Youn Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/tonyyounmd Website ➜ http://dryoun.com Podcast ➜ The Doctor Youn Show Thank you to our show sponsors: TIMELINE: Timeline is offering 20% off your order of Mitopure! Go to https://timeline.com/NATALIEJILL KION: Kion is offering 20% off your order! Go to https://getkion.com/nataliejill BONCHARGE: Get glowing, younger looking skin with minimal effort or time. Go to http://boncharge.com/ and use code NATALIEJILL to save 15% Free Gifts for being a listener of Midlife Conversations! Mastering the Midlife Midsection Guide: https://theflatbellyguide.com/ Age Optimizing and Supplement Guide: https://ageoptimizer.com Connect with me on social media! Instagram: www.Instagram.com/Nataliejllfit Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Nataliejillfit For advertising inquiries: https://www.category3.ca/ 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. Information provided in this podcast and the use of any products or services related to this podcast does not create a client-patient relationship between you and the host of Midlife Conversations or you and any doctor or provider interviewed and featured on this show. Information and statements may have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent ANY disease. Advertising Disclosure: Some episodes of Midlife Conversations may be sponsored by products or services discussed during the show. The host may receive compensation for such advertisements or if you purchase products through affiliate links. Opinions expressed about products or services are those of the host and/or guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of any sponsor. Sponsorship does not imply endorsement of any product or service by healthcare professionals featured on this podcast.

Your mouth has over 700 species of bacteria living inside it right now. And the balance of those bacteria is directly driving whether you have brain fog, bleeding gums, heart disease, or Alzheimer's. Nobody told us this. And nobody told us that in menopause, EVERYTHING about our mouth changes. Saliva drops. Gums get sensitive. Bone density falls. And the antibacterial mouthwash we have been using for 20 years? It might be making it worse. This episode is with Dr. Sanda Moldovan, an award-winning periodontist AND board-certified nutritionist, founder of Orasana, and author of Heal Up. She has spent two decades studying the oral microbiome and she is one of the most respected oral health experts in the country. She walks us through the THREE simple things we can do tonight to reset our oral biome. None of them are expensive. None of them are complicated. And the science is on her side. WE GO DEEP ON Why the mouth is the gateway to your whole body (heart, brain, joints, gut) The menopause mouth: why estrogen drops change your gums, saliva, and oral microbiome The 3 simple things to do tonight: electric brush, water floss, oral probiotic before bed Tongue scraping: 60% of your oral bacteria lives on your tongue Oil pulling: does it actually work, and the safety warning nobody mentions The mouthwash myth: how antibacterial rinses can raise your blood pressure The nitric oxide connection your dentist never told you about The labs to ask for: OralDNA salivary testing The red flags every midlife woman should stop ignoring 3 simple things you can start tonight that actually move the needle This is not a doom episode. This is the conversation that gives you control. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Oral microbiome 101 and the mouth-body connection 12:00 — The 3 simple things to do tonight 28:00 — The mouthwash myth and the nitric oxide story 42:00 — Nutrition for the mouth and the red flags to watch 56:00 — The biome reset and your 8-step starter protocol Catch the full episode on YOUTUBE HERE: https://bit.ly/MidlifeConversationsYouTube Learn More About Dr. Sanda Moldovan Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/drsandamoldovan Website ➜ http://drsandamoldovan.com Thank you to our show sponsors: BON CHARGE: Get glowing, younger looking skin with minimal effort or time. Go to http://midlifeconversations.com/boncharge and use code NATALIEJILL to save 15% TIMELINE: Timeline is offering 20% off your order of Mitopure! Go to https://timeline.com/NATALIEJILL Free Gifts for being a listener of Midlife Conversations! Mastering the Midlife Midsection Guide: https://theflatbellyguide.com/ Age Optimizing and Supplement Guide: https://ageoptimizer.com Connect with me on social media! Instagram: www.Instagram.com/Nataliejllfit Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Nataliejillfit For advertising inquiries: https://www.category3.ca/ 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. Information provided in this podcast and the use of any products or services related to this podcast does not create a client-patient relationship between you and the host of Midlife Conversations or you and any doctor or provider interviewed and featured on this show. Information and statements may have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent ANY disease. Advertising Disclosure: Some episodes of Midlife Conversations may be sponsored by products or services discussed during the show. The host may receive compensation for such advertisements or if you purchase products through affiliate links. Opinions expressed about products or services are those of the host and/or guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of any sponsor. Sponsorship does not imply endorsement of any product or service by healthcare professionals featured on this podcast.

If you are a woman in midlife who is exhausted, foggy, losing your hair, and being told it is just aging — this episode is going to change how you look at your body forever. I sat down with Julie Sawaya, the co-founder of Needed, and what I learned blew my mind. Julie is a trained nutritionist with a Stanford MBA. She was doing EVERYTHING right — farmer's market every Sunday, nutrition certifications, incredibly intentional about every bite. And then she tested herself. Almost every nutrient came back in the red zone. If two trained nutritionists were massively depleted, what is happening to the rest of us? Here is the kicker. The nutrition standard we are all measured against — the RDA — was created in 1941. For men. Going to war. Based on the minimum needed to keep troops from getting sick. That is the floor we are still being measured against in 2026. As women. In midlife. Going through one of the most nutritionally demanding phases of our lives. Ninety-five percent of women are nutritionally depleted. Ninety-seven percent of pregnant women take a prenatal vitamin and are STILL depleted. And nobody is connecting the dots between pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause as one long depletion pipeline. We go DEEP on: The 1941 RDA standard, why it was built for wartime men, and why it is still failing women today The depletion pipeline: how pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause stack on top of each other and most women never get to refill the tank CHOLINE — the nutrient behind midlife brain fog that almost nobody is talking about (and the brand new April 2026 fMRI study showing a single dose improved working memory connectivity within three hours) Omega-3 and the midlife brain — why 89% of US adults are in the high cardiovascular risk range and why plant-based sources alone do not cut it Magnesium — the most Instagrammed supplement in the world right now, and why most women are taking the form their body literally cannot absorb The supplement trap: folic acid vs. methylfolate, magnesium oxide vs. glycinate, cyanocobalamin vs. methylcobalamin — and why 40% of us cannot even process the cheap forms because of an MTHFR variant Red flags and green flags to look for the next time you flip over a supplement bottle Why the protein RDA is laughably low for midlife women, and what we actually need to preserve muscle as estrogen declines The "repletion not restriction" reframe — why midlife is the time to add MORE of the right things, not eat less Your action plan for this week: how to get a nutrient panel, what to look at on your labels, and the food-first changes you can start tomorrow morning This is not a thyroid 101. This is not a supplement infomercial. This is the conversation I wish every midlife woman was given the day she started feeling like something was off. You are not broken. You are not crazy. You are not just aging. You may be running on accumulated nutritional debt that nobody told you to repay. That changes today. Use code NATALIEJILL for 20% off your first order at https://needed.sjv.io/c/5810852/1770238/20859 Connect with Julie Sawaya and Needed: Website: thisisneeded.com and use code NATALIEJILL for 20% off your first order Instagram: @needed Backed by 15,000+ practitioners worldwide Connect with Natalie: Instagram: @nataliejillfit Newsletter and resources: nataliejillfitness.com Midlife Conversations is the podcast made for midlife women who refuse to accept "you are just getting older" as an answer APPROXIMATE TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 — The wake-up call: two trained nutritionists, both in the red zone 06:00 — Where the RDA actually came from (spoiler: 1941, wartime, men) 12:00 — The depletion pipeline: pregnancy to perimenopause as one continuum 18:00 — The forgotten gap between postpartum and perimenopause 25:00 — Choline: the nutrient behind midlife brain fog nobody is talking about 32:00 — Omega-3 and the midlife brain: why most women are not getting close 38:00 — Magnesium forms: why the cheap one in your multivitamin is barely doing anything 42:00 — The supplement trap: what is actually in your generic multivitamin 48:00 — Red flags and green flags on a supplement label 55:00 — Protein in midlife: why the RDA is wrong and what you actually need 62:00 — Repletion, not restriction: what an ideal midlife day of eating looks like 65:00 — Your action plan for this week Thank you to our show sponsors: QUANTUM UPGRADE: Try Quantum Upgrade completely free for 15 days—no credit card required. Use code NATALIEJILL at checkout on https://quantumupgrade.io/start Free Gifts for being a listener of Midlife Conversations! Mastering the Midlife Midsection Guide: https://theflatbellyguide.com/ Age Optimizing and Supplement Guide: https://ageoptimizer.com Connect with me on social media! Instagram: www.Instagram.com/Nataliejllfit Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Nataliejillfit For advertising inquiries: https://www.category3.ca/ 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. Information provided in this podcast and the use of any products or services related to this podcast does not create a client-patient relationship between you and the host of Midlife Conversations or you and any doctor or provider interviewed and featured on this show. Information and statements may have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent ANY disease. Advertising Disclosure: Some episodes of Midlife Conversations may be sponsored by products or services discussed during the show. The host may receive compensation for such advertisements or if you purchase products through affiliate links. Opinions expressed about products or services are those of the host and/or guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of any sponsor. Sponsorship does not imply endorsement of any product or service by healthcare professionals featured on this podcast.