MENO with Jacqueline Buckingham

In this episode, we meet Melissa Berry, a former high-power fashion publicist who transformed a stage 1 triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis into a movement. Melissa's backstory involves shipping watches to Vogue while navigating chemotherapy and a bilateral mastectomy. She founded the Cancer Fashionista Foundation to solve a critical problem: the lack of a curated "Vogue of breast cancer" that helps women maintain their identity through treatment. We explore the deeper "why" of reclaiming agency and stopping the normalization of isolation, focusing on how to maintain your essence and mental health when you feel your femininity has been "mugged". IN THIS EPISODE, WE COVER: ➡️ The Mastectomy Survival Kit: Insider must-haves, including drain-belt robes, satin pillowcases for hair loss comfort, and clean beauty oils. ➡️ Dating Post-Cancer 101: Navigating the vulnerability of "reconstructed body" reveals and why most partners are more compassionate than you'd expect. ➡️ Biohacking Self-Image: Using the "High-Five Habit" and "mandatory date nights" with yourself to re-wire your brain for self-love after medical trauma. ➡️ The Truth About Sexual Wellness: Addressing vaginal dryness, "scheduling" intimacy, and using tools like 3D tattoos or "Perky's" to feel sexy again. ➡️ Warrior Goddess Transformation: How to turn surgical scars into symbols of victory through professional photo shoots and floral body art. RESOURCES: https://cancerfashionista.com @cancerfashionista ABOUT MENO MENO is the definitive platform for menopause and perimenopause care — connecting women to trusted experts, solutions, and support. https://joinmeno.com/ https://www.instagram.com/join.meno https://www.tiktok.com/@join.meno Follow our Founder/CEO on Instagram @jacquelinebuckingham Disclaimer: MENO is for general information and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine in any way. MENO does not constitute professional health care services or medical advice. No doctor/patient relationship is formed as a result of this podcast. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content of MENO is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard getting medical advice for any such medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any conditions.

In this episode, Molly MacDonald, co-founder and CEO of The Pink Fund, shares her powerful story of being diagnosed with breast cancer while raising five children and facing financial collapse — and how she turned that experience into a movement that has helped thousands of women. We talk about the reality of financial toxicity in cancer care, why so many women are forced to choose between treatment and income, and how The Pink Fund is changing that. This is a conversation about resilience, advocacy, and what women actually need when facing a diagnosis. Welcome to MENO™ with Jacqueline Buckingham, the definitive destination for perimenopause, menopause, and everything on The Pause Spectrum™. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: ➡️ The hidden cost of breast cancer: financial toxicity ➡️ Why many women delay treatment due to income loss ➡️ What options exist for financial support + resources ➡️ How to advocate for yourself or a loved one ➡️ What to know about breast reconstruction + insurance gaps RESOURCES: The Pink Fund: www.thepinkfund.org Breast Cancer Research Foundation: https://www.bcrf.org/ Susan G. Komen: https://www.komen.org/ ABOUT MENO MENO is the definitive platform for menopause and perimenopause care — connecting women to trusted experts, solutions, and support. https://joinmeno.com/ https://www.instagram.com/join.meno https://www.tiktok.com/@join.meno Follow our Founder/CEO on Instagram @jacquelinebuckingham Disclaimer: MENO is for general information and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine in any way. MENO does not constitute professional health care services or medical advice. No doctor/patient relationship is formed as a result of this podcast. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content of MENO is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard getting medical advice for any such medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any conditions.

Stop apologizing for your symptoms. Award-winning oncologist and author Dr. Elizabeth Comen (Memorial Sloan Kettering) joins us to dismantle the "hysteria" myth and explain why women have been historically ignored by the medical establishment. Welcome to MENO™ with Jacqueline Buckingham, the definitive destination for perimenopause, menopause, and everything on The Pause Spectrum™. IN THIS EPISODE: ➡️ Medical Gaslighting: Why even doctors (like Dr. Comen) face it. ➡️ Ozempic & Longevity: What high-performance women need to know about muscle loss. ➡️ The History of "Crazy": How early medicine taught us to lie about women's bodies. ➡️ The Advocacy Blueprint: How to bring an advocate to your next appointment. ➡️ Investing in Women: Why the female health economy is the future. RESOURCES: Dr. Elizabeth Comen's Book: https://www.drelizabethcomen.com/ Follow Dr. Comen: @drelizabethcomen ABOUT MENO MENO is the definitive platform for menopause and perimenopause care — connecting women to trusted experts, solutions, and support. https://joinmeno.com/ https://www.instagram.com/join.meno https://www.tiktok.com/@join.meno Follow our Founder/CEO on Instagram @jacquelinebuckingham Disclaimer: MENO is for general information and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine in any way. MENO does not constitute professional health care services or medical advice. No doctor/patient relationship is formed as a result of this podcast. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content of MENO is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard getting medical advice for any such medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any conditions.

In this episode of MENO, host Jacqueline Buckingham sits down with Dr. Avrum Bluming, a renowned breast oncologist and the author of Estrogen Matters: Why Taking Hormones in Menopause Can Improve Women's Well-Being and Lengthen Their Lives -- Without Raising the Risk of Breast Cancer. For over three decades, Dr. Bluming has been dedicated to uncovering the facts surrounding breast cancer and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Together, they explore the patient-provider relationship, dismantle long-standing misconceptions about estrogen and progesterone, and discuss how women can advocate for their own health through data collection. IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER: ➡️ The Patient-Provider Relationship: How an informed patient and a respectful physician can work together to achieve better health outcomes, rather than defaulting to an arrogant stance. ➡️ The Impact of Menopause Symptoms: How the median duration of menopause symptoms is 7.2 years—and can last 10 years or longer for women of color—causing up to 30% of female physicians and nurses in England to retire early. ➡️ The Primary Roles of Estrogen and Progesterone: Why estrogen is the primary drug for menopausal treatment, and how progesterone helps eliminate the increased risk of uterine cancer for women who still have a uterus. ➡️ Misrepresentations in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Study: A critical look at the flaws, biases, and data misrepresentations of the 2002 WHI study that caused a dramatic drop in women taking hormones. ➡️ HRT and Decreased Breast Cancer Risk: The little-known findings from the WHI that women taking estrogen alone actually had a 23% decreased risk of breast cancer and a 40% decreased risk of death from it. ➡️ Hormones and Heart Disease: Why estrogen decreases the risk of significant heart disease by 50%, an important fact given that seven times as many women die of heart disease as breast cancer. ➡️ Cognitive Decline and Osteoporosis Benefits: How hormones help protect against cognitive decline and why estrogen keeps bones elastic, offering a proactive prophylactic treatment against osteoporosis. ➡️ HRT for Breast Cancer Survivors: An analysis of 26 studies regarding hormone therapy for breast cancer survivors, revealing that 25 found no increased risk of cancer recurrence. ➡️ Advocacy Through Informed Consent Forms: How women can access Legal Informed Consent Forms and Quality of Life Questionnaires via Dr. Bluming's Instagram page to build a medical partnership with their doctors. RESOURCES https://www.amazon.com/Estrogen-Matters-Hormones-Menopause-Lengthen/dp/0316578908 ABOUT MENO MENO is the definitive platform for menopause and perimenopause care — connecting women to trusted experts, solutions, and support. https://joinmeno.com/ https://www.instagram.com/join.meno https://www.tiktok.com/@join.meno Follow our Founder/CEO on Instagram @jacquelinebuckingham Disclaimer: MENO is for general information and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine in any way. MENO does not constitute professional health care services or medical advice. No doctor/patient relationship is formed as a result of this podcast. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content of MENO is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard getting medical advice for any such medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any conditions.

In this episode, Jacqueline sits down with gastroenterologist Dr. Kumkum Patel to break down the taboo surrounding gut health and discuss all things "poop". If you have dealt with lifelong constipation or IBS, and want to understand how it directly relates to perimenopause and menopause, this episode is for you. Welcome to another episode of MENO with Jacqueline Buckingham, the authority on menopause, perimenopause, and wherever you are on the pause spectrum. IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER: ➡️ The Train and Station Analogy: A breakdown of the three main structural and mechanical reasons behind constipation, comparing your digestive tract to a train traveling to its station. ➡️ The Enteric Nervous System: Exploring the trillions of nerves surrounding your bowel, the role of the vagus nerve, and how your "second brain" can put a death grip on your colon when triggered by stress or past trauma. ➡️ The Pelvic Floor Connection: How weak core muscles, inadequate propulsive force, and tight sphincter muscles can close off the "train station" and trap stool. ➡️ Potty Hacks and Mechanics: Why tools like the Squatty Potty are functionally effective, and how using a boba straw to mimic diaphragmatic breathing can help activate the vagus nerve to push poop out without straining. ➡️ Hormones and Motility: How the major loss of estrogen and progesterone during perimenopause and menopause slows down your gut motility and impacts pelvic floor compliance. ➡️ Prolapse and Rectoceles: An explanation of what a vaginal or rectal prolapse is, and how chronic straining can create an anterior rectocele pocket where stool gets trapped. ➡️ Advanced Medical Solutions: A discussion on why standard osmotic laxatives like Miralax don't fix peristalsis, and an introduction to prescription medications that target bowel receptors to wake up a sluggish colon. ➡️ Balancing Protein and Fiber: Why prioritizing a high-protein diet without chasing it with water and 30 grams of fiber will cause severe constipation, and how to easily sneak fiber back into your outline with chia seeds. Resources https://kumkumpatelmd.com/ ABOUT MENO MENO is the definitive platform for menopause and perimenopause care — connecting women to trusted experts, solutions, and support. https://joinmeno.com/ https://www.instagram.com/join.meno https://www.tiktok.com/@join.meno Follow our Founder/CEO on Instagram @jacquelinebuckingham Disclaimer: MENO is for general information and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine in any way. MENO does not constitute professional health care services or medical advice. No doctor/patient relationship is formed as a result of this podcast. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content of MENO is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard getting medical advice for any such medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any conditions.