The Menopause Midwife

This week, I sit down with Charles Akle, MD, an innovator in immunology who has devoted his life to helping others discover wellness by addressing the root causes of chronic inflammation. Dr. Akle now serves as Chief Medical Officer of Immy, a supplement designed to combat chronic illnesses through inflammation and immune support.

We dive deep into the silent enemy—chronic inflammation—and how it’s tied to everything from stress and cancer to the very process of aging and menopause. Dr. Akle discusses the importance of farming your microbiome for resilience and longevity.

You’ll learn why your gut is your biggest immune organ, why getting "dirty" is vital (the "Old Friends Hypothesis"), and the red flags your body is giving you when inflammation is in control.

We also discuss the groundbreaking power of Fecal Microbiome Transplants (FMT), the essential role of the immune system in your menopausal transition, and the non-negotiable importance of a holistic approach that includes diet, exercise, sleep, and the people who love you.

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Immy Social Media Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/immyhealth
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/immyhealth
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@immyhealth
• Website: https://www.immy.co/

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Timestamps

00:00 Intro

00:52 Dr. Akle’s Journey: From Oncology to Immunology

05:53 Why Your Gut is Your Biggest Immune Organ

08:51 The Importance of Microbial Diversity

12:31 The Cancer-Immunology Connection

16:42 Immy: The “Conductor” of Your Microbiome

19:54 How to Farm Your Microbiome

26:47 Coping with Post-Viral Illness

30:17 The Connection Between Chronic Inflammation and Cancer Risk

33:59 The Groundbreaking Power of FMT

37:22 Red Flags of Chronic Inflammation

42:28 Why Your Supplement Source Matters

49:48 Menopause, Hormones, and the Gut Shift

01:01:11 Rapid-fire Questions

Between teen drama, Slack pings, and reheating your coffee for the third time, it’s easy to forget the version of you that existed before the roles piled on. If you’ve ever caught yourself wondering, “Where did I go?” this episode is your invitation to slow down and gently remember.

I’m joined by my dear friend Jenny Golding — writer, photographer, and nature-connected life guide — to explore how rewilding (yes, even in your Target leggings) can help you reconnect with your most grounded, joyful self.

We talk about midlife pivots, the pressure to keep performing, and how nature can regulate your mood, quiet your nervous system, and offer you a whole new way to feel at home.

If you’re craving clarity, peace, and a life that feels more like you again, this is the conversation you didn’t know you needed!

Get Jenny’s book rec here: https://amzn.to/4ntA51l

Social Media Info

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ayellowstonelife/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ayellowstonelife
• Substack: https://jennygolding.substack.com/
• Website: https://www.ayellowstonelife.com/

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• Bioptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough: https://www.ohm406.com/search?q=Bioptimizers+Magnesium+Breakthrough&type=products

Timestamps

00:00 Intro

00:52 Introducing Jenny Golding

03:44 The "Wilderness of Midlife"

08:40 The Guilt Factor

10:56 What Does Slow Living Really Mean?

13:58 Benefits of Nature Connection

16:12 The Sit Spot Practice & Healing

19:34 The Biological Power of Nature

21:12 What is Wilder Life?

29:38 Mindful Photography Invitations

30:52 DIY Retreats & Self-Permission

35:45 Jenny's Favorite Practices

39:20 Rapid-fire questions

This week, we're diving deep into the critical connection between your gut health and hormone balance—a dynamic that becomes absolutely vital during midlife and menopause. Our incredible guest, Shay Pausa, Co-Founder and COO of Healthy Gut, is here to help you cut through the "gut confusion" and simplify the overwhelm of supplements and fads, giving women the evidence-based knowledge they need to optimize their complex digestive system.

Shay breaks down why your gut is truly your hormone detox HQ and immune command center—revealing the surprising truth that 70–80% of your immune system lives in your gut and why this matters for inflammation, mood, and hot flashes. You'll learn the essential link between digestion and hormone metabolism, understanding why midlife bloating, constipation, or reflux is often a sign of hormone traffic jams. We expose the truth behind leaky gut and how a lack of key players like Butyrate and Digestive Enzymes quietly fuels issues like estrogen dominance, fatigue, and brain fog.

Get ready for actionable solutions! We cover the “daily poop report” checklist for better hormone clearance and offer simple steps to help you ditch supplement overwhelm. If you're navigating peri or menopause and feel "off" but can't pinpoint why, this episode is your game-changer for glowing skin, a sharper mind, and better sleep—making you the ultimate CEO of your digestion.

Ready to support your gut lining?

Purchase directly from Healthy Gut here: https://healthygut.com/shop/?rstr=609&coupon_code=ohm15 and get a 15% discount with my code OHM15

Or visit my website to buy directly from me: https://www.ohm406.com/search?q=healthy+gut&type=products

Get Shay's favorite gut-friendly food here: https://www.olivemypickle.com/

Listen to my episode on digestion and the microbiome here: https://themenopausemidwife.alitu.com/episode/694f97bb-6fc1-4a0b-ac4f-b54b45847db3

Shay Pausa Social Media Info

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forherhealth_/
• Website: https://healthygut.com/

Featured Ad Products:

• Perfect Amino Powder: https://www.ohm406.com/product-page/perfect-amino-powder-chocolate
• Julva Pro DHEA Vulval Cream: https://www.ohm406.com/product-page/julva-pro-dhea-vulval-cream

Timestamps

00:00 Intro

00:52 Introducing Shay Pausa, COO of Healthy Gut

05:14 Shay's Mission: Empowering Women to Take Charge of Their Well-Being

09:55 How much of your immune system is in your gut?

11:45 Actionable Steps to Improve Health Through Gut Wellness

16:50 Butyrate and the Gut Lining

20:57 The 7 Dwarfs of Menopause

22:11 Supplement Strategy: Butyrate, Enzymes, and BHRT

26:03 Butyrate 101

32:40 Butyrate and GLP-1: The Connection to Weight Management

36:29 The Story Behind HoloImmune

42:31 HistaHarmony: Shay's Perimenopause Survival Kit

45:27 Dosing Guide: When and How to take Tributyrin-X, Holozyme, & HoloImmune

53:25 Rapid-fire questions

This week, we're diving into a topic that has been misunderstood and mismanaged for far too long: hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Our incredible guest, Dr. Sarah Daccarett, a renowned hormone specialist and anti-aging expert, is here to set the record straight. As the founder of Inner Balance, she's pioneering a modern, bioidentical approach to hormone management that's designed for women of all ages—not just those going through menopause.

Dr. Daccarett is on a mission to end the cycle of misdiagnosis and overlooked symptoms. She’ll break down why a proper ratio of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone is essential for your well-being, and why so many doctors get it wrong. We'll talk about everything from painful periods and PCOS to mental health and anti-aging, all through the lens of hormonal balance.

Prepare for some eye-opening truths and discover why taking control of your hormones is a game-changer for your health.

Social Media Info

• Website: https://www.innerbalance.com/
• Inner Balance's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/innerbalancemd/
• Dr. Sarah Daccarett's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahdaccarettmd/

Timestamps

00:00 - Podcast Intro

00:52 - Introduction to Dr. Sarah Daccaret and Inner Balance.

07:17 - The difference between Progestin and Progesterone

11:30 - Understanding the Estrogen-Progesterone-Testosterone Ratio

17:24 - How hormones are the foundation of anti-aging

20:01 - Practical Steps for Younger Women's Hormone Health

23:56 - Why is "Estrogen dominance" not accurate?

27:14 - HRT delivery methods and dosing

34:24 - Why is hormone health more than just balance

36:12 - Are doctors not properly trained in women's hormonal health?

38:02 - HRT isn't one-size-fits-all

46:59 - Are we burning through our hormones?

52:08 - HRT and taking the power back

54:36 - What's next for Inner Balance?

55:26 - Rapid fire questions

This week on "The Menopause Midwife," get ready to dive into something truly exciting for your health and vitality! We're thrilled to welcome Sarah Morgan, the founder of Instamed: a company that has developed a groundbreaking and accessible new delivery technology for peptides: buccal strips.

The game changer? Instamed has created easy-to-use strips that deliver these peptides directly into your body through your mouth, bypassing the digestive tract. This innovative "mouth-to-body" method means the peptides get where they need to go effectively and conveniently

Sarah, an accomplished product innovator and a powerhouse in the health and wellness world, is here to share how these amazing compounds can help you reclaim your energy and feel your best. She'll explain why peptides are natural tools for longevity and ultimate wellness, driving all kinds of different biochemical pathways in your body, from metabolism and immune system function to brain function and more. As we age, our bodies make fewer of these important substances, so adding them back can be key to optimizing our health.

Join us to discover how this breakthrough can help you support your body's natural repair systems, boost your metabolism, and even enhance hormone balance for a more vibrant you!

Ready to experience the power of Instamed peptides for yourself? You can purchase them directly through https://getinstamed.com/ref/melissa.miculka/ and get 15% OFF with my code MISSY15, or visit https://www.ohm406.com/search?q=instamed&type=products to buy directly from me

Watch the peptide office hours replay here: https://youtu.be/btcKP7ev2_w

Instamed Website: https://getinstamed.com/

Sarah Morgan Social Media Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahmorgan.co/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sarahmorgan.co
• Website: https://www.sarahmorgan.co/

Get ready to talk about something you might not expect on "The Menopause Midwife": poop! But trust me, it's for a good reason.

This week, we're taking a deep dive into the microbiome, its surprising role in hormone balance, and the groundbreaking product, ThaenaBiotic®

Our incredible guest, Dr. Andrea McBeth, founder and CEO of Thaena, is a pioneer in functional medicine who breaks down the science behind gut health. She'll explain how healthy "internal soil" helps prevent disease, the concept of fecal microbiota transplants (FMT), and why Thaena Biotic's unique postbiotics offer a powerful way to support your body's essential functions, even when the "good bugs" are dead!

Prepare for some mind-blowing insights, and discover why embracing your gut health is a game-changer for your overall well-being.

Ready to try Thaena Biotic for yourself? Support the show and your gut health by using my special link: https://www.thaena.com/themenopausemidwife to get incredible savings! You'll receive $10 off the 7-capsule Thaena, $50 off the 30-capsule Thaena, and $100 off the 90-capsule Thaena. Don't miss out on these exclusive discounts!

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Thaena Social Media Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thaena.inc/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thaena-inc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thaena.inc/