✨ Episode Summary:

As we send our kids back to school, this episode is a loving reminder that we don’t have to let go of the healthy habits we worked so hard to build over summer. Your friendly health coach, Robin, talks about the impact of ultra-processed foods and synthetic dyes on kids’ behavior, focus, and long-term health—and what we can do about it from our own kitchen.

From meal prep tips and snack swaps to why breakfast really is brain fuel, Robin shares tangible steps to help ease into the school routine with intention. Whether your state has removed dyes from school lunches or not, you have the power to make 1% shifts at home that support your family's wellness.

💡 Key Takeaways:

• You have the power to create healthy changes within your home.
• Ultra-processed foods can deeply impact mood, focus, and health.
• Synthetic dyes are linked to behavioral issues in children.
• Resetting your family routine helps ease the back-to-school transition.
• Meal prepping reduces weekday chaos and invites calm.
• Snack swaps don’t have to be overwhelming—read ingredients, keep it simple.
• Involving your kids builds confidence and connection to food.
• Breakfast sets the tone for energy and focus all day.
• Celebrate the quiet wins—they matter.
• Community and encouragement make the journey easier.

Chapters:

00:00 – Back to School: Embracing Change

02:32 – What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?

09:36 – Resetting Routines for a New School Year

18:10 – Meal Prep + Healthy Snack Swaps

23:26 – Breakfast: Fueling for Success

29:56 – Celebrating Small Wins + Finding Support

“Breakfast is brain fuel for children—it matters more than we think.”

👣 Next Steps:

✨ Reflect: What is one small shift you can make this week in your family's wellness routine?

✨ Share: DM Robin your favorite dye-free snack swap or tag her @LiveLifeBalancedWithRobin

back to school, ultra-processed foods, synthetic dyes, meal prep, healthy snacks, breakfast ideas, parenting tips, wellness journey, family routines, ingredient detective

In this enlightening and empowering episode, Robin is joined by Dr. Christi Tompkins to unpack the physical, emotional, and spiritual shifts women experience during perimenopause and post menopause. Together, they shine a light on what’s often left out of the conversation: the power of education, personalized care like Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), and the deep healing that can happen when women feel seen, supported, and informed.

You’ll hear about the importance of self-care, boundaries, community, and celebrating your growth in this sacred chapter of life. This episode is for every woman who wants to feel vibrant, connected, and deeply herself again.

• 🌀 Perimenopause can last years—every woman’s experience is unique. Start tracking your cycle and symptoms to understand your body better.
• 📚 Learn about menopause now—don’t wait until you’re deep in it. Education helps you feel empowered, not blindsided.
• 💊 HRT isn’t one-size-fits-all—work with a provider who personalizes it based on your symptoms and labs.
• 🧘‍♀️ Support your nervous system daily—whether that’s meditation, journaling, or grounding, your emotional health is just as important as hormones.
• ✋ Set boundaries unapologetically—this is the season to protect your peace and realign your priorities.
• 🧡 Find or build community—being around women who "get it" is life-giving and validating.
• ✨ Embrace change as growth—this phase isn’t the end of vitality, it’s the beginning of deeper authenticity.

Dr Christy's Fav App for Mediation is Insight Timer. Check it out and let us know what you think.

00:00 – Introduction to Menopause and Perimenopause

01:20 – Understanding Perimenopause vs. Postmenopause

08:04 – The Importance of Education and Self-Advocacy

09:58 – Anxiety and Hormonal Changes

20:14 – Exploring Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

26:24 – The Role of Self-Care and Mind-Body Connection

32:57 – Navigating Change: Embracing New Versions of Ourselves

39:26 – Mindfulness and Meditation: Tools for Inner Peace

46:52 – Prioritizing Authenticity: Letting Go of Superficial Connections

54:48 – The Journey of Self-Discovery: Embracing Change and Growth

For the past 18 years, Dr. Kristi Tompkins, a Naturopathic Medical Doctor, has grown her practice as a women’s health and lifestyle medicine expert, supporting women in all stages of life with various health and hormone-related conditions.

Her passion is in working with women during the hormone and mid-life transition years of Perimenopause and Menopause, inspiring them to develop deeper mind-body awareness, emotional resilience and empowerment during the “Second Act” of their lives.

Integrating the teachings of Functional Medicine, Transformational Coaching, Mind-Body Medicine, and many other universal therapies, Dr. Kristi partners with her clients, evaluates the underlying cause of all symptoms, uses functional lab tests and creates personalized therapeutic protocols for the most effective transformational healing results.

• https://doctorkristi.com
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-kristi-tompkins/
• https://www.youtube.com/@drkristitompkins

In this heartfelt episode, I chat with the radiant and creative Ovi Poulter, an artist, teacher, and intuitive who beautifully blends creativity with healing. Together, we explore how creative expression can support physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness—especially for midlife women who are rediscovering themselves.

If you've ever felt disconnected from your creativity or unsure how to access it again… this is your gentle nudge. It’s not about painting a masterpiece—it’s about the process, the expression, and the healing that happens when we let our soul speak through art.

1. Creativity is a tool for healing, not just a hobby—it helps move stuck energy and emotions.
2. You don’t have to be an “artist” to be creative—everyone is creative in their own way.
3. Midlife is a powerful time to reignite your passions and return to the things that once brought you joy.
4. Art can help regulate your nervous system, offering calm, clarity, and emotional release.
5. Healing through creativity often starts by giving yourself permission to just play and explore—no judgment.

0:00 – Welcome & Meet Ovi

3:15 – Rediscovering Creativity After Burnout

10:40 – Why Art Is a Healing Modality

16:25 – Letting Go of Perfectionism in Creative Work

22:50 – Tools to Access Your Creativity

30:10 – The Link Between Art, Energy & Emotion

37:45 – How Midlife Women Can Reconnect with Their Creative Sid

44:00 – Ovi’s Personal Healing Journey Through Art

51:00 – Getting Started: Simple Ways to Play with Creativity

57:30 – Final Words of Encouragement

🔗 Connect with Ovi: Floral Sessions with Ovi

• Email: ovipaulterart@gmail.com
• Instagram: @ovipoulterart
• YouTube: YouTube.com/@OviPaulter

💻 Website: www.livelifebalancedwithrobin.com

📸 Instagram: @livelifebalancedwithrobin

📍 Pinterest: @livelifebalanced

🎧 Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite app or YouTube

📬 Email me: robin@livelifebalancedwithrobin.com

Creativity, healing, art therapy, nervous system support, holistic wellness, emotional health, midlife women, self-expression, burnout recovery, intuitive art, inner healing