The Perimenopause & Midlife Podcast

🎙️ EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Why can belly fat suddenly become harder to shift in midlife, even when you feel like you haven’t changed anything? In this episode, I’m speaking with Dr Avi Charlton, GP, speaker, best-selling author, podcast host and thought leader in lifestyle medicine, about insulin resistance, metabolic health and why our bodies may need a different approach as we move through perimenopause. We explore how insulin can influence fat storage, the signs of insulin resistance women may overlook, GLP-1 medications, intermittent fasting, protein, strength training and why there is no one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition. Dr Avi also explains how stress and cortisol can influence metabolic health, why our past health experiences matter, and how simple strategies such as breathwork, mindfulness and lifestyle changes can support long-term wellbeing. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: What insulin resistance is and how it can affect fat loss Why belly fat can increase during midlife Signs of insulin resistance beyond blood glucose How GLP-1 medications may fit into metabolic healthcare Why protein and strength training matter when using GLP-1s Different approaches to intermittent fasting Why fasting and nutrition should be individualised The role of blood tests in understanding metabolic health How stress and cortisol can influence weight and wellbeing Why what worked for your body before may not work now Simple breathwork strategies to help manage stress ABOUT DR AVI CHARLTON: Dr. Avi Charlton is a GP, speaker, best-selling author, podcast host, and thought leader in lifestyle medicine. She is the founder of Melbourne Low Carb Clinic and Breathe in Health, where she helps people reverse chronic conditions and improve wellbeing through nutrition, functional breathing, and lifestyle interventions. A passionate advocate for empowering individuals to take charge of their health, Dr. Charlton shares her expertise on stage, in the media, through her best-selling book Prescribing Lifestyle: A Doctor’s Prescription to Lasting Weight Loss and Vibrant Health, and as host of the Prescribing Lifestyle podcast. Her work has been recognised nationally, receiving an AusMumpreneur Honourable Mention for Wellness Business of the Year. With over two decades of experience as a doctor, Dr. Charlton continues to inspire and guide people toward vibrant health, sustainable change, and a future where lifestyle is the first prescription. CONNECT WITH DR AVI CHARLTON: Web: www.mlcclinic.com.au Web: www.breatheinhealth.com.au Instagram: @dr_charlton_lifestyleGP Facebook: Dr Charlton Lifestyle GP LinkedIn: Avi Charlton YouTube: Dr Charlton Lifestyle GP OFFERS AND RESOURCES: One-to-one GP consultations for metabolic health, health checks, blood tests and menopause hormone support Books: Low Carb Made Easy, Prescribing Lifestyle and Cookbook Prescribing Lifestyle Podcast, with approximately 127 episodes CONNECT WITH HOST TERRI BATSAKIS: Web: https://terribatsakis.com.au/ Instagram: @terri.batsakis Facebook: @terribatsakis YouTube: @terribatsakis

🎙️ EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Have you spent so much of your life being the capable one, the peacekeeper and the woman everyone can rely on that you’ve lost touch with what you actually want? In this episode, I’m speaking with Katherine Sayson, Speaker, Author and Founder of the Bold Purpose Collective, about the hidden emotional patterns that can keep high-capacity women living through performance rather than purpose. We explore the “good girl” identity, people-pleasing, over giving and the pressure women can feel to carry everything while insisting they’re “fine”. Katherine shares how midlife and perimenopause can become a mirror, bringing deeper questions about identity, purpose, worth and who we want to be in the next chapter of life. We also explore Katherine’s powerful distinction between performance, which creates pressure, and purpose, which creates life, and how noticing what drains you, energises you and brings you joy can help you reconnect with the person beneath all the roles you’ve learned to play. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: How the “good girl” identity can shape the way women live and lead Signs you may be living for everyone else instead of yourself Why being needed isn’t necessarily the same as being valued The difference between purpose and performance How guilt, resentment and exhaustion can signal misalignment Why midlife can be a rebirth rather than a crisis How to begin noticing what gives you life and what drains you Why your value, worth and purpose do not diminish with age How to reconnect with who you were before the world told you who to be ABOUT KATHERINE SAYSON: Katherine Sayson is a speaker, author, and founder of the Bold Purpose Collective. With a background in leadership and personal transformation, she brings a rare ability to articulate the hidden emotional patterns that shape how high-capacity women live and lead. Through reflective storytelling and practical insight, she helps audiences recognize what has long gone unseen — and reconnect with the clarity, voice, and grounded leadership that emerge when identity replaces constant performance. CONNECT WITH KATHERINE SAYSON: Website: https://katherinesayson.com/ Instagram: @katherinesaysoncoach Facebook: @katherinesaysoncoach LinkedIn: @katherine-sayson RESOURCE MENTIONED: Your Life Is Not Random – Katherine’s free workshop designed to help women connect the dots of their story, explore life transitions and begin asking deeper identity and purpose questions. Website: https://yourlifeisnotrandom.com/ CONNECT WITH HOST TERRI BATSAKIS: Web: https://terribatsakis.com.au/ Instagram: @terri.batsakis Facebook: @terribatsakis YouTube: @terribatsakis

🎙️ EPISODE DESCRIPTION: What if you’re not having a midlife crisis at all, but simply outgrowing the version of yourself you’ve been? In this episode, I’m speaking with Bianca Caruana, Ceremonial Guide, Holistic Counsellor and founder of The Goddess Temple in Brisbane, about the emotional and identity shifts that can occur through perimenopause and midlife. We explore why women can feel disconnected, overwhelmed or lost during this transition, and how years of pushing through, caring for others and trying to fit into expectations can leave us unsure of who we are underneath it all. Bianca shares a different perspective on midlife: rather than something to fix or fear, it can be an opportunity to let go of what no longer fits, reconnect with your body and begin discovering the woman you are becoming. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: Why an identity shift can feel like you’re falling apart What it means to move from the “mother” into the “wise woman” stage Why women can become disconnected from their bodies How constantly pushing through can contribute to burnout and overwhelm Why loneliness can exist even when you’re surrounded by people How hyper-independence can make asking for support difficult The importance of safety, surrender and self-inquiry Simple practices for coming back into your body Why community, women’s circles and feeling truly seen can matter How midlife can become an opportunity to live more authentically ABOUT BIANCA CARUANA: Bianca Caruana is a Ceremonial Guide, Holistic Counsellor, and founder of The Goddess Temple in Brisbane, where she supports women through identity shifts, life transitions and periods of personal transformation. Much of Bianca’s work centres around the emotional and identity-based changes women experience throughout life, particularly during midlife and perimenopause. She views this stage as a significant transition, where many women begin moving from the role of mother into what some traditions describe as the “wise woman” stage of life. Through women’s circles, grief ceremonies, life-transition celebratory gatherings and other community experiences, she creates opportunities for women to pause, reflect and feel supported as they navigate change. Bianca speaks about the way modern life has removed many of the rituals, community structures and rites of passage that once helped women move through major transitions with greater understanding and support. Her work focuses on themes including burnout, disconnection, nervous system awareness, belonging and the importance of recognising midlife not as something to “fix”, but as a meaningful transition that deserves care, reflection and community. CONNECT WITH BIANCA CARUANA: Web: www.biancacaruana.com Contact: www.biancacaruana.com/contact Instagram: @bianca.jade.light Web: www.thegoddesstemple.com.au Instagram: @thegoddesstemple.au CONNECT WITH HOST TERRI BATSAKIS: Web: https://terribatsakis.com.au/ Instagram: @terri.batsakis Facebook: @terribatsakis YouTube: @terribatsakis

🎙️ EPISODE DESCRIPTION: What if your perimenopause symptoms are not just about your hormones? In this episode, I’m speaking with Naturopath, Herbalist, Mentor and Women’s Health Advocate Kristy Hollis about the often-overlooked factors that influence how women feel through perimenopause. We explore chronic stress, nervous system overload, nutrition, herbal medicine, lifestyle, connection and what can happen after years of pushing through. Kristy shares her own experience of chronic stress and why slowing down, supporting the nervous system and looking at the whole person matters. We also discuss practical everyday strategies, personalised natural therapies, supplement quality and community, particularly for women living in rural and remote areas. This conversation is a reminder that hormones matter, but they may only be one piece of the perimenopause puzzle. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: Why chronic stress and the nervous system matter in perimenopause How years of pushing through can affect your wellbeing Simple ways to create more calm in your day How herbal medicine can be personalised to the individual Why lifestyle changes matter alongside other treatments How reflexology fits within a holistic approach Why supplement quality and dosage matter The importance of protein and healthy fats in midlife Why connection and community support women’s wellbeing How Kristy supports women in rural and remote communities Why listening to your body and noticing changes matters ABOUT KRISTY HOLLIS: Kristy Hollis is a naturopath, herbalist, mentor and industry advocate with over 24 years’ experience delivering holistic healthcare to more than 10,000 women. Based in the Northern Territory for the past 17 years, she is passionate about improving rural and remote health by integrating natural medicine, community care, and cultural knowledge. Her career began in science, with a CSIRO traineeship in entomology, working to control weeds like yellow dock and red clover. Today, she embraces those very plants as powerful healing herbs. That full-circle journey reflects Kristy’s unique ability to blend traditional wisdom and modern evidence in the pursuit of better health outcomes. Her project Women’s Business: Nurture and Thrive provides workshops and personalised naturopathic consultations in remote communities, focusing on women’s health, nutrition, stress, and emotional wellbeing. Kristy’s model is grounded in: In-community workshops delivered with local health partners, Personalised natural therapies including herbal medicine, flower essences and reflexology, Practical tools like cooking demos and recipe sharing. She’s now building partnerships with First Nations healers to deliver truly integrated, culturally respectful care, centred on whole-person, whole-community, and whole-Country healing. A former President of the Complementary Medicine Association of Australia, Kristy continues to advocate for preventative care and naturopathy in mainstream health policy, backed by evidence, collaboration and deep community ties. CONNECT WITH KRISTY HOLLIS: Web: https://everlasting-health.com.au/ Instagram: @everlastinghealthnt Facebook: Kristy Hollis LinkedIn: Kristy Hollis CONNECT WITH HOST TERRI BATSAKIS: Web: https://terribatsakis.com.au/ Instagram: @terri.batsakis Facebook: @terribatsakis YouTube: @terribatsakis

🎙️ EPISODE DESCRIPTION: What happens when profound grief collides with the physical and emotional changes of perimenopause? In this deeply moving episode, I’m speaking with Sanja Jovanovic, who experienced five close losses within five years, including the death of her husband of nearly three decades. This devastating period unfolded alongside her own perimenopause journey, leaving her navigating grief, brain fog, exhaustion, disrupted sleep, identity changes and significant health challenges. Sanja shares how grief affected her physically as well as emotionally, why she learned to advocate fiercely for her health and how small routines helped her continue putting one foot in front of the other. We also discuss how women can ask for support during life’s most difficult transitions and why friends and family should offer practical help rather than waiting to be asked. This is an emotional conversation about loss, hormones, healing and the extraordinary strength women often discover when life changes forever. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: How grief and perimenopause symptoms can overlap Why grief affects the nervous system and body How brain fog and decision fatigue affect daily life Why women need to trust their intuition and advocate for their health The importance of recording symptoms and medical conversations How movement and routine supported Sanja through grief Why asking for help is not a sign of weakness Practical ways to support a grieving woman Why “let me know if you need anything” is often not enough How small daily actions can become evidence of progress How to recognise the strength of women navigating major life transitions ABOUT SANJA JOVANOVIC: What happens when you mix overwhelming grief with the hormonal rollercoaster of perimenopause? This was a topic Sanja Jovanovic never expected to be speaking about. After more than 25 years as a multiple business owner, mentor, and sales leadership trainer, Sanja’s world came crashing down with the loss of her husband of nearly three decades. Suddenly, she found herself navigating the profound depths of grief while simultaneously fighting the physical and emotional shifts of menopause. Now 56, Sanja has turned her survival into a masterclass on resilience. As an author, speaker, and lifestyle mentor, she commands the room with unmatched passion and storytelling ability. This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating their own hormonal timeline together with big life challenges, or for those wanting to fiercely support their female friends and family through life's major transitions. Get ready to be inspired, empowered, and deeply moved. CONNECT WITH SANJA JOVANOVIC: Lifestyle mentoring: @sanja.lifestyle.mentor Women With Stars: @women.with.stars Bite Size Wisdom: @bitesizewisdom_book CONNECT WITH HOST TERRI BATSAKIS: Web: https://terribatsakis.com.au/ Instagram: @terri.batsakis Facebook: @terribatsakis YouTube: @terribatsakis