The Hotflash inc podcast

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This podcast originally ran on July 10th, 2025

In this episode of the Hotflash inc podcast, host and founder Ann Marie McQueen sits down with Dr Lara Briden – a naturopath, women’s health speaker, and author of Period Repair Manual, Hormone Repair Manual, and Metabolism Repair for Women. Together, they unpack some of the buzziest and most confusing midlife health trends: from hormone therapy + GLP-1 combos to supplement overwhelm, vaginal estrogen, and the sudden concern over labia shrinkage.

Dr Briden brings a refreshing and deeply grounded perspective to the conversation, challenging common narratives and reminding us of the biological brilliance of the female body – especially in midlife.

Highlights:The overhyped narrative about hormone therapy and GLP-1s
What GLP-1 medications really do, and why they’re fascinating to Dr. Briden
Supplements as a security blanket, and why Ann Marie and her friends are rethinking them
Taking a “supplement holiday” – what it is and why it helps
The connection between GLP-1s and gut health
What happens when you go off hormone therapy or GLP-1s?
A naturopath’s minimalist supplement travel kit
Vaginal changes in menopause: what’s real, what’s clickbait
The difference in how men vs women are told to view their bodies as they age
Vaginal estrogen and the truth about genitourinary syndrome of menopause
The bizarre labia shrinkage trend and the pressure of “perfect” body parts
Why menopause is not a mistake of evolution – it’s a feature
The danger of over-identifying with health labels
“Wear it lightly” – a powerful reframe from Dr. Briden
The trend of diagnosing yourself through Instagram
Not everyone suffers in perimenopause – and that’s okay

Connect with Dr. Lara Briden:Website: www.larabriden.com
Instagram: @larabriden
X: @larabriden
Books: Available wherever books are sold, including Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Pan Macmillan

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X: @hotflashinc
Episode website: Hotflashinc
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This podcast originally ran on December 12th, 2025
In this episode, Ann Marie speaks with Dr Gary Elkins, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University and director of the Mind-Body Medicine Research Laboratory, in Waco, Texas. Dr. Elkins is the leading researcher in the field of clinical hypnosis for menopause, with more than 25 years of experience and more 100 peer-reviewed publications.
He joins Hotflash inc to explore the groundbreaking science behind hypnosis for hot flashes, its surprising effectiveness (up to 70% reduction!), how it works in the brain, why it matters for breast cancer survivors, and how hypnosis may also support sleep, stress, and other midlife symptoms. They also discuss Evia, the self-hypnosis app built on Dr. Elkins’ research, and the critical importance of hjaving non-pharmaceutical options for symptom relief.

Highlights
How hypnosis became part of NAMS (now The Menopause Society) guidelines
Research showing hypnosis reduces hot flashes by 70%
What hypnosis is and what it definitely isn’t
 What happens in the brain during hypnosis
 The “triple fallacy” and misunderstanding physical symptoms
 Comparing hypnosis to hormone therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
 How hypnosis helps improve sleep and calm anxiety
 Why hot flashes are a physiological issue, not a psychological one
 What to expect: when and how hypnosis starts to work
 The power of daily practice and support from others
 Addressing misconceptions about hypnotizability and intelligence
 What the research says about empathy, creativity and hypnosis
 The mind-body connection and the experiential system
 How hypnosis taps into the subconscious (without the woo)
 Dr. Elkins on consulting for the Evia app and why it matters
 Future research: hypnosis for sleep and psychedelic states without drugs

Guest Info – Dr. Gary Elkins
 Website: www.garyelkins.org
 Book: Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy: What You Need to Know
 Handbook: Handbook of Medical and Psychological Hypnosis
•• Evia App: https://www.eviamenopause.com

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:
Web: hotflashinc.com
Newsletter: Hotflash inc. on Substack
TikTok: @hotflashinc
Instagram: @hotflashinc
X: @hotflashinc
Episode website: Hotflashinc
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See hotflashinc.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

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In this episode of the Hotflash inc Podcast, journalist Ann Marie McQueen interviews Dr Sarah McKay, Oxford-educated neuroscientist, author of The Female Brain Book, and founder of the Neuroscience Academy.
This is a powerful, nuanced conversation about what we know, what we don’t, and what’s being exaggerated online. Grounding, clarifying and deeply reassuring.
If you’ve been worried about your brain in midlife, this episode is for you. 

The Hotflash inc Summit All Access Pass
https://summit.hotflashinc.com/hotflash-inc-summit-all-access-pass
Coming Soon: The Hot Truth About Hormone Therapy
https://hotflashinc.com
Thank you to our sponsor:
Phosis – Use code HOTFLASHINC for 15% off
https://phosis.com
Founded by Susan Campbell, Phosis is clinically proven, exceptionally clean skincare created specifically for dry, perimenopausal skin.
What we explored this episode:
07:15 – Cognitive load, smartphones & the myth of “midlife decline”
 18:40 – Brain restructuring during menopause: adaptation vs degeneration
 27:30 – “The brain eats itself” – what the mouse study actually showed
 39:10 – Dementia risk: incidence vs prevalence explained clearly
 44:30 – Absolute vs relative risk
 58:20 – Hormone sensitivity, the pill & depression research
Memorable quote:
“We absolutely must report absolute risk.”
Fact check:
Dr. Pauline M. Maki leads NIH-funded research on women’s cognitive/mental health and how sex hormones and reproductive transitions affect well-being.
Dr Susan R. Davis is an NHMRC Principal Research Fellow (since 2007) and Director of the Women’s Health Research Program at Monash University (School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine).
TGA = Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration, the government regulator for medicines, medical devices, and biologicals.

Connect with our guest:
Website: https://drsarahmckay.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsarahmckay

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:
Web: hotflashinc.com
Newsletter: Hotflash inc. on Substack
TikTok: @hotflashinc
Instagram: @hotflashinc
X: @hotflashinc
Episode website: Hotflashinc
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See hotflashinc.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

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In this episode of The Hotflash inc Podcast, journalist Ann Marie McQueen interviews Dr. Kirsten Smith, ND, a naturopathic doctor and certified menopause practitioner practicing between Ontario and Costa Rica. Together, they grapple with the exploding conversation around menopause hormone therapy – what’s grounded in evidence, what’s being overstated, and what gets lost when urgency turns into dogma.
This is a candid, nuanced look at the current “meno-rush” – where hormone therapy is hailed as life-saving by some, dismissed by others, and increasingly positioned all around as the only solution. Dr. Smith brings 17 years of clinical experience blending conventional diagnostics with holistic medicine, offering what she calls a third path: thoughtful, individualized care rooted in both science and lived reality.
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the polarization – this conversation is for you.

The Hotflash inc Summit All Access Pass
https://summit.hotflashinc.com/hotflash-inc-summit-all-access-pass
Coming Soon: The Hot Truth About Hormone Therapy (get on the list!)
https://hotflashinc.com

Thank you to our gold sponsor from the Hotflash inc Summit, Phosis and its founder Susan Campbell. Phosis creates clinically proven, exceptionally clean skincare formulated specifically for dry, sensitive hormonal skin. Use code HOTFLASHINC for 15% off Phosis.com

What we explored this episode:
00:00 – Why menopause hormone therapy has become so polarized
07:45 – The “meno-rush”: how Instagram accelerated the hormone conversation
12:10 – Pharmaceutical influence and the pendulum swing from neglect to hype
18:45 – Who hormone therapy doesn’t work for (and why that matters)
23:20 – The pathology problem: when everything gets blamed on perimenopause
28:10 – Speed culture, nervous systems, and why true healing takes time
Memorable quote:
“We’ve gone from ignoring menopause to hyper-medicalizing it – and neither extreme serves women.”
Where to follow Dr. Kirsten Smith
IG @drkirstensmithnd
Facebook drkirstensmithnd
Linked In drkirstensmithnd

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:
Web: hotflashinc.com
Newsletter: Hotflash inc. on Substack
TikTok: @hotflashinc
Instagram: @hotflashinc
X: @hotflashinc
Episode website: Hotflashinc
Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube | Substack
See hotflashinc.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

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In this episode of The Hotflash inc Podcast, journalist Ann Marie McQueen speaks with Bonnie Wisener, registered holistic nutritionist, digestive health expert, and founder of Shift Nutrition and Wellness, about why gut issues so often flare in perimenopause and menopause.
Together, they explore the powerful (and often missed) links between hormones, the nervous system, IBS, food restriction, and midlife stress – and what actually helps when digestion starts to unravel.
This is a grounded, practical conversation for anyone dealing with bloating, constipation, IBS, food fear, or the sense that their gut has suddenly “turned” in midlife.

The Hotflash Inc Summit All Access Pass
https://summit.hotflashinc.com/hotflash-inc-summit-all-access-pass
Coming Soon: The Hot Truth About Hormone Therapy
https://hotflashinc.com
Thank you to our Hotflash inc Summit sponsor
Phosis – Clean, clinically proven skincare for hormonal skin
Use code HOTFLASHINC for 15% off at https://phosis.com

What we explored this episode
00:00 – Why gut symptoms spike in perimenopause
06:20 – IBS as a gut–brain disorder, not a food problem
13:45 – Why restriction and elimination diets backfire
20:30 – Nervous system regulation as digestive medicine
29:10 – Protein, fiber, blood sugar, and midlife digestion
38:40 – Supplements, probiotics, and what actually helps
Memorable quote:
“Digestive issues in menopause aren’t separate problems – they’re different expressions of the same system shift.”
Resources mentioned
Nerva App (by Mindset Health): https://nervaibs.com
Probio Chart: https://www.probiochart.com

Connect with our guest
Website: https://shiftnutritionandwellness.com/
Instagram: @shiftnutritionandwellness

Join the Hotflash inc perimenoposse:
Web: hotflashinc.com
Newsletter: Hotflash inc. on Substack
TikTok: @hotflashinc
Instagram: @hotflashinc
X: @hotflashinc
Episode website: Hotflashinc
Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube | Substack
See hotflashinc.com/privacy-policy for privacy information