Cake For Dinner

We sat down with Dr. Stephanie Rogers, a board-certified geriatric and internal medicine physician, associate chief of geriatrics clinical programs at UCSF, and the voice behind Age Well with Dr. Steph.

Dr. Rogers shares practical, evidence-based insights on aging, dementia prevention, brain health, muscle loss, strength training, GLP-1s, social connection, chronic stress, caregiving, and what women can actually do to stay strong, independent, and mentally sharp as they age.

This conversation challenges the fear-based narrative around aging. Dr. Rogers explains why life satisfaction can actually improve as we get older, why memory decline is not inevitable, and why two of the biggest dementia prevention factors may surprise you: hearing loss and LDL cholesterol.

We also discuss why muscle is one of the most important parts of aging well, especially for women, and why strength training becomes even more important for anyone using GLP-1 medications. Dr. Rogers also breaks down the overlooked power of social connection, why she prefers the term health span over longevity, and how chronic stress impacts the brain and body over time.

If you are a woman in midlife, caring for aging parents, thinking about your long-term health, or simply overwhelmed by all the wellness information online, this episode gives you simple, grounded takeaways you can actually use.

Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/

Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1
Follow Dr Stephanie Rogers : https://www.instagram.com/agewellwithdrsteph/

In this episode of Cake for Dinner, we sit down with Sydney Sadick, media entrepreneur, author, fashion expert, and founder of Spotlight magazine.

Sydney started a fashion blog as a teenager and turned that early passion into a career that has included interviewing some of the biggest names in the world, appearing on major television shows, writing a bestselling book, and building her own luxury lifestyle publication.

In this conversation, Sydney shares how she got her start at just 16 years old, why she has always been motivated by a challenge, and what it really takes to create your own opportunity in a competitive industry. She opens up about growing up in a family with a strong work ethic, learning to hustle early, and building a business in a media world where people often say print is dying.

Sydney also talks about interviewing celebrities, working red carpets, launching Spotlight magazine, mentoring younger women, and why success is never as overnight as it may look from the outside.

This episode is for anyone with a big idea, a dream career, or the desire to build something of their own. Sydney’s story is a reminder that ambition, grit, and consistency still matter — and that sometimes the best opportunities are the ones you create yourself.

Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/

Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1
Follow Sidney Sadick : https://www.instagram.com/sydneysadick/

In this episode of Cake for Dinner, we sit down with Dr. Doris Day, one of the country’s leading dermatologists, scientist, author, and pro-aging advocate, for an honest and eye-opening conversation about what really happens to women’s skin during perimenopause and menopause.

Dr. Day breaks down why so many women feel like their face changes overnight, what collagen loss actually means, and why aging gracefully should never be confused with aging helplessly. From dry skin, breakouts, facial volume loss, and wrinkles to posture, facial expression, inflammation, and hormone changes, this conversation goes far beyond surface-level skincare.

We also get into Sculptra, fillers, lasers, Botox, retinol, sunscreen, collagen supplements, red light therapy, cellulite treatments, and what women in their 40s, 50s, and beyond should actually spend their money on — and what they can skip.

This episode is empowering, educational, and deeply reassuring for any woman who has looked in the mirror during midlife and thought, “What is happening to my face?”

Dr. Day reminds us that it is not too late, 45 or 50 is still young, and there is so much we can do to support our skin, our health, and our confidence as we age.

Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/

Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1
Follow Doris Day: https://www.instagram.com/drdorisday/

What can death teach us about truly living?

Bestselling author and spiritual leader Rabbi Steve Leder joins the conversation to share what he has learned from standing beside hundreds of dying people, officiating more than a thousand funerals and eventually experiencing the devastating loss of his own father.

Rabbi Leder explains why professional experience with grief could not prepare him for the moment he placed his hand on his father’s chest and confronted his own mortality. That experience changed the way he understood death, memory, compassion and the preciousness of time.

Together, they explore why grief is not a linear process, but an ocean of waves that can return without warning. Rabbi Leder shares why we should stop trying to overpower those waves and instead allow them to wash over us until we are ready to stand again.

The conversation also examines parenting through crisis, addiction and recovery, imposter syndrome, mental health, gratitude and the people who leave permanent fingerprints on our lives. Rabbi Leder offers a powerful reminder that suffering is never worth it—but we should not allow it to become worthless.

Most importantly, he reveals what he has learned from holding the hands of dying people: they are often not afraid of death. Their greatest concern is usually whether the people they love will be okay after they are gone.

This is an honest, comforting and unforgettable conversation about grief, purpose and learning to live before our time runs out.

 

Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/

Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 

Follow Rabi Steve: https://www.instagram.com/steve_leder/

 

00:00 Meet Rabbi Steve Leder
00:32 When Grief Became Personal
05:05 Confronting His Own Mortality
08:05 Why Pain Changes Us
10:36 How Loss Changed His Work
13:15 Grief Comes in Waves
16:40 Carrying the People We Lose
20:46 Finding Meaning After Suffering
24:41 From Troubled Teen to Rabbi
31:12 The Power of Gratitude
34:02 What Makes Someone Unforgettable
38:35 Parenting and Imposter Syndrome
43:10 You Only Have 1,000 Sundays
47:17 Why the Dying Aren’t Afraid

OCD is one of the most misunderstood mental health conditions in the world—and it's far more than being organized or liking things a certain way.

In this episode, OCD specialist Kristina Orlova shares her own journey of living with undiagnosed OCD for years, believing she was simply "losing her mind" before finally receiving answers. Together, we unpack what OCD actually looks like, why intrusive thoughts become so terrifying, the hidden subtypes most people have never heard of, and why reassurance often makes OCD worse instead of better.

Whether you're living with OCD yourself, supporting a loved one, or trying to understand what someone is experiencing, this conversation offers practical education, hope, and a roadmap toward recovery.

We also dive deep into Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the gold-standard treatment for OCD, and explain how it helps people reclaim their lives one step at a time.

00:00 Introduction

02:05 Meet OCD Specialist Kristina Orlova

02:50 Kristina's Personal OCD Journey

05:20 What Intrusive Thoughts Actually Feel Like

08:03 Why OCD Is So Different From Everyday Thoughts

10:48 Why OCD Is So Misunderstood

11:39 What OCD Really Looks Like

16:03 How Parents Should Respond to OCD

20:40 Why People Get OCD Wrong

23:13 Lesser-Known Types of OCD

25:12 Signs Parents Should Watch For

30:24 Why Traditional Talk Therapy Can Make OCD Worse

32:17 How Exposure Therapy (ERP) Works

38:48 A Real Success Story With ERP

42:00 When Should You See an OCD Specialist?

44:30 Final Thoughts & Resources

Learn more about Keesha: https://keeshascott.com/

Book Pre Order CAKE FOR DINNER: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0H5CW77FP?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=B0H5CW77FP&linkCode=xm2&tag=simonsayscom&dplnkId=ca66e48c-1d99-4095-a35e-8d40794ffd1d&nodl=1 

Follow Kristina: https://www.instagram.com/ocdwhisperer/