If you've written creatine off as a supplement for guys at the gym, Dr. Dan Pardi, sleep researcher, neuroscientist, and Chief Health Officer at Qualia Life, will change your mind. Dan has spent decades studying what creatine actually does in the body — and what the research reveals for midlife women is genuinely surprising. It's not about muscle. It's about energy. And energy is foundational to everything.

Try Qualia Creatine+: https://qualialife.com/better — use code BETTER for 15% off.

Episode Overview:
0:00 Introduction — Who Is Dan Pardi?
5:29 Creatine 101: From Olympic Track to Every Body
8:11 Myths Busted: Bloating, Bulking, and What's Actually Happening
14:51 The Kidney and Hair Loss Myths
21:49 Where Does Creatine Go? (The Concrete Slope Analogy)
29:58 How Creatine Buffers Energy: The ATP Mechanism
51:55 Women, Hormones, and Creatine Deficiency
57:57 When and How to Take It
1:04:45 Formulations: Monohydrate vs. Everything Else
1:17:29 How to Start, What to Track, and Dan's Full Supplement Stack
1:35:23 After Party — Dr. Stephanie's Takeaways

Resources mentioned in this episode: http://drstephanieestima.com/podcasts/ep467/

We couldn’t do it without our sponsors:

TROSCRIPTIONS - There’s a completely new way to optimize your health. Give it a try at https://troscriptions.com/BETTER or enter BETTER at checkout for 10% off your first order.

TIMELINE - Timeline’s clinically proven formula is now available at a new, lower price . Mitopure now starts at $79, when you go to https://timelinenutrition.com/better with code BETTER.

JUST THRIVE HEALTH - Take the Just Thrive FEEL BETTER challenge today, and save 20% on your first order. Go to https://justthrivehealth.com/better and use the code BETTER to see the difference for yourself.

PIQUE - Designed to deeply hydrate, enhance skin elasticity & firmness and support sustained energy—exactly what we need during this stage of life. Start your daily ritual today with 20% off for life—plus a free gift to elevate your routine. Head to https://piquelife.com/drestima.

COZY EARTH - Give yourself the kind of comfort that lives with you all day — not just the moment you get home. Head to https://cozyearth.com and use my code BETTER for up to 20% off.

****************************
P.S. When you're ready, here are two ways Dr. Stephanie can help you:

Subscribe: The Mini Pause — My weekly newsletter packed with the most actionable, evidence-based tools for women 40+ to thrive in midlife.

Build Muscle: LIFT — My progressive strength training program designed for women in midlife. Form-focused, joint-friendly, and built for real results.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Your gut doesn't lie — and in perimenopause, it's sending distress signals most doctors completely ignore.

Nurse practitioner, two-time TEDx speaker, and Everyday Wellness podcast host Cynthia Thurlow joins Dr. Stephanie for a conversation that starts in Morocco (food poisoning, a hospitalization, and a perimenopause wake-up call nobody saw coming) and ends with a clear-eyed framework for supporting your gut, your bones, your immune system, and your sleep through the hormonal chaos of midlife.

Episode Overview:
(0:00) Intro/Teaser
(7:00) How a Parasite Became a Perimenopause Wake-Up Call
(11:00) Why Women Resist the Word “Perimenopause”
(16:00) The Gut-Hormone Connection Nobody’s Talking About
(21:00) The Medical System Was Never Built for Middle-Aged Women
(30:00) Body Composition, the Scale, and the Comments That Stick
(34:00) The ACE Study: How Childhood Trauma Rewires the Gut and Immune System
(41:00) Oral Contraceptives, Antibiotics, and the Developing Microbiome
(48:00) The Estrobolome
(53:00) The 6–12 Window
(56:00) Sleep, Stress, and Nutrition — The Three Biggest Levers in Perimenopause
(1:02:00) Advice for Mothers of Daughters
(1:05:00) Cynthia’s Personal Daily Protocol
(1:13:00) The Menopause Gut: Elevator Pitch and Where to Find It
(1:15:00) After Party — Dr. Stephanie’s Key Takeaways

Resources mentioned in this episode can be found at https://drstephanieestima.com/podcasts/ep466/

We couldn’t do it without our sponsors:

ONESKIN - With age, skin becomes thinner, produces less collagen, proliferates at a slower rate, and accumulates damage. Fight back and save 15% at https://oneskin.co/better with code BETTER.

BIOPTIMIZERS - Magnesium Breakthrough contains multiple types of magnesium plus cofactors like B6 to enhance absorption. Visit https://bioptimizers.com/better and use code BETTER to save 15%.

JUST THRIVE HEALTH - Take the Just Thrive FEEL BETTER challenge today, and save 20% on your first order. Go to https://justthrivehealth.com/better and use the code BETTER to see the difference for yourself.

LMNT - Stay hydrated without the sugar, food dye, and other dodgy ingredients found in popular electrolyte and sports drinks. Receive a free LMNT Sample Pack with any order when you make a purchase at https://DrinkLMNT.com/Better

COZY EARTH - Cozy Earth helps you feel better by keeping your temperature perfect overnight to facilitate deep restorative sleep. Head to https://cozyearth.com and use my code BETTER for up to 20% off.

****************************
P.S. When you're ready, here are two ways Dr. Stephanie can help you:

Subscribe: The Mini Pause — My weekly newsletter packed with the most actionable, evidence-based tools for women 40+ to thrive in midlife.

Build Muscle: LIFT — My progressive strength training program designed for women in midlife. Form-focused, joint-friendly, and built for real results.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if your sexual health was as important as your heart rate? What if understanding your sexuality was the final frontier of truly knowing yourself?

In this groundbreaking conversation, Dr. Juliana Hauser—sex therapist, author of A New Position on Sex, and expert in sexual agency—challenges everything we've been taught about sexuality, pleasure, and desire.

Dr. Hauser explains why sexual wellness isn't something you add to your to-do list (if you're breathing, you're already a sexual being), and why the real work is about developing sexual agency: the skill of knowing your yeses and nos, listening to your body, and showing up authentically in all your relationships.

Episode Overview (timestamps are approximate):
(0:00) Intro/Teaser
(4:00) Why Sexual Wellness Is a Vital Sign for Women’s Health
(8:00) If You’re Breathing, You’re Sexual: Reframing Sexuality
(9:00) Sexuality as the Final Frontier of Self-Development
(21:00) Sensuality & Self-Discovery: Learning Your Yucks and Yums
(25:00) Why Knowing Your Anatomy Is Essential for Sexual Health
(32:00) Genital Show and Tell: Celebrating Anatomical Diversity
(35:00) Labiaplasty & Cosmetic Surgery
(44:00) The Arousal Cycle & Why the Standard Model Is Flawed
(50:00) Menopause & Sexuality: What Changes
(57:00) Aging Vulvas & Why We Need Better Education
(59:00) UTIs, Sepsis & Sexual Health: The Hidden Mortality Risk
(1:07:00) After Party: Dr. Stephanie’s Reflections on Sexual Wellness

Resources mentioned in this episode can be found at https://drstephanieestima.com/podcasts/ep465

We couldn’t do it without our sponsors:

OXFORD HEALTHSPAN PRIMEADINE - A whole-food spermidine supplement that supports cell renewal and healthy aging. Save 20% at https://OxfordHealthspan.com/DrStephanie with code DrStephanie.

COZY EARTH - Cozy Earth helps you feel better by keeping your temperature perfect overnight to facilitate deep restorative sleep. Head to https://cozyearth.com and use my code BETTER for up to 20% off.

TIMELINE - Timeline’s clinically proven formula is now available at a new, lower price . Mitopure now starts at $79, when you go to https://timelinenutrition.com/better with code BETTER.

APOLLO - The Apollo wearable supports energy, focus, relaxation, and sleep by syncing with your rhythms. Go to https://ApolloNeuro.com/BETTER to get $99 off Apollo with Smart Vibes AI.

PIQUE LIFE - If you want to redefine your evening ritual and still feel like yourself the next day, you can get 10% off for life. Yes, for life at https://piquelife.com/better

****************************
P.S. When you're ready, here are two ways Dr. Stephanie can help you:

Subscribe: The Mini Pause — My weekly newsletter packed with the most actionable, evidence-based tools for women 40+ to thrive in midlife.

Build Muscle: LIFT — My progressive strength training program designed for women in midlife. Form-focused, joint-friendly, and built for real results.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.