High Performance Health

Integrative oncologist Dr. Nina Fuller-Shavel joins me to explain why cancer rates are climbing in midlife women, even those who look healthy on paper.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

- Why cancer rates are rising even in midlife women who look and feel healthy

- The gut-estrogen connection: how your microbiome affects hormone-driven cancer risk

- The 3 simple interventions that cut cancer risk by 60% in a landmark trial

- How strength training lowers inflammation and disease risk

- Why lifetime estrogen exposure matters more than the estrogen drop in perimenopause

- Why standard HRT dosing gets it wrong, and what blood levels to actually ask for

- Why TSH alone can't tell the full thyroid story, and what a full panel should include

- How chronic stress and trauma quietly drive long-term disease risk

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Why Cancer Rates Are Rising in Midlife Women

09:44 The Vitamin D, Omega-3 and Strength Training Protocol That Cut Cancer Risk by 60%

18:17 Perimenopause, Estrogen Exposure and Why HRT Dosing Alone Isn't the Answer to Cancer Risk

28:10 Hashimoto's, Thyroid Antibodies and Why TSH Alone Is Misleading You in Perimenopause

36:02 Inflammation, Cortisol and Chronic Stress: The Hidden Drivers of Disease Risk in Midlife

43:57 Trauma, Boundaries and Why Saying No Is a Non-Negotiable in Midlife Health

51:35 Full Body MRIs, Genetic Testing and Polygenic Risk Scores: What's Actually Worth Doing

59:03 Wearables, CGMs and the One Longevity Message Every High-Achieving Woman Needs to Hear .

VALUABLE RESOURCES

● Synthesis Clinic (Dr. Nina's integrative oncology practice) 👉 https://www.synthesisclinic.co.uk/

● Dr. Nina's personal site 👉 https://www.drninafullershavel.com/

● Follow Dr. Nina on Instagram 👉 https://www.instagram.com/drninafullershavel/

ABOUT THE GUEST

Dr. Nina Fuller-Shavel is a physician specializing in precision health and integrative oncology, and the founder of Synthesis Clinic, an award-winning integrative cancer care practice in the UK. She's also CEO of the National Centre for Integrative Oncology. Diagnosed with breast cancer at 33, she brings a deeply personal, root cause approach to hormone health, cancer risk, and women's longevity.

Want to go deeper? Start here:

💌 Fresh Start Mondays NewsletterYour weekly 3-minute guide to creating the healthiest, most vibrant version of you.
Each Monday, get one simple habit to boost energy, balance hormones, and enhance longevity—joined by 25,000+ women worldwide.
👉 https://angelafosterperformance.com/

🌸 The 21-Day Hormone ResetDoing everything right but still don't feel like yourself? The 21-Day Hormone Reset helps you understand your hormones, restore your energy, and start working with your body instead of against it.
👉 https://www.highperformance-health.com/

🥗 The Ultimate Guide to Creatine for Women👉 https://academy.angelafosterperformance.com/

⚡ 10 Habits That Helped Me Reverse My Biological Age by 25 Years During Perimenopause👉 https://academy.angelafosterperformance.com/

👩‍💼 About Angela Foster

Angela Foster is a corporate lawyer turned health and performance coach, keynote speaker, and creator of the BioSyncing® Method. She is the host of the High Performance Health Podcast, featuring over 500 conversations with world-leading experts in longevity, hormones, neuroscience, nutrition, and female performance.

Angela's mission is to help one million ambitious women optimise their hormones, energy, cognitive performance, and longevity—so they never have to choose between success and their health.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who would benefit from it.

Follow Angela for daily health and performance tips:

Instagram: @angelasfoster

Facebook: @AngelaFosterPerformance

#AngelaFoster #HighPerformanceHealth #Women'sHealth #Menopause #Perimenopause #StrengthTraining #Longevity #MuscleBuilding #HealthyAgeing #EricHelms

If you've been told that perimenopause and menopause inevitably lead to permanent cognitive decline and "brain fog," the neuroscience says otherwise.

In this episode, neurologist and Neuroscience Academy founder Dr. Sarah McKay explains what actually drives cognitive changes during midlife and why temperature regulation, sleep disruption, and constant smartphone distractions matter far more than the catastrophized media narratives.

Why "brain fog" isn't a true clinical term and how different life stages use it to describe general cognitive fatigue

What a recent survey revealed about the surprising age group that actually worries the most about cognitive decline

Why the hypothalamus and fluctuating estrogen levels trigger hot flashes and disrupt your critical sleep architecture

How the sympathetic nervous system's response to body heat causes you to wake up feeling anxious, wired, and hypervigilant at 3 AM

What really happens to your brain's ability to metabolize glucose for energy during perimenopause and why thinking can suddenly feel incredibly effortful

Whether structural network changes in the midlife brain are a sign of decline or just a natural reorganization similar to puberty

How constant smartphone usage and divided attention are destroying your ability to focus and remember basic tasks

Why catastrophizing menopause and societal ageism are causing women to wrongly attribute simple, everyday forgetfulness to severe cognitive decline

03:48 Why sleep disruption and altered sleep architecture occur during perimenopause

06:45 How dropping estrogen levels affect the brain's energy and glucose metabolism

07:58 Why the brain structurally reorganizes its networks during midlife

10:33 The role of ageism and catastrophizing in the modern menopause narrative

Want to go deeper? Start here:

💌 Fresh Start Mondays NewsletterYour weekly 3-minute guide to creating the healthiest, most vibrant version of you.Each Monday, get one simple habit to boost energy, balance hormones, and enhance longevity—joined by 25,000+ women worldwide.👉 https://angelafosterperformance.com/

🌸 The 21-Day Hormone ResetDoing everything right but still don't feel like yourself? The 21-Day Hormone Reset helps you understand your hormones, restore your energy, and start working with your body instead of against it.👉 https://www.highperformance-health.com/

🥗 The Ultimate Guide to Creatine for Women👉 https://academy.angelafosterperformance.com/

⚡ 10 Habits That Helped Me Reverse My Biological Age by 25 Years During Perimenopause👉 https://academy.angelafosterperformance.com/

👩‍💼 About Angela Foster

Angela Foster is a corporate lawyer turned health and performance coach, keynote speaker, and creator of the BioSyncing® Method. She is the host of the High Performance Health Podcast, featuring over 500 conversations with world-leading experts in longevity, hormones, neuroscience, nutrition, and female performance.

Angela's mission is to help one million ambitious women optimise their hormones, energy, cognitive performance, and longevity—so they never have to choose between success and their health.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who would benefit from it.

Follow Angela for daily health and performance tips:

Instagram: @angelasfoster

Facebook: @AngelaFosterPerformance

WHAT YOU'LL LEARNTIMESTAMPS

If you've been told that menopause means muscle loss, weight gain, and declining strength are inevitable, the science says otherwise.

In this episode, world-renowned strength scientist Dr. Eric Helms explains what actually drives body composition changes during perimenopause and menopause and why progressive strength training, good sleep, and consistent nutrition matter far more than chasing the latest social media trends.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN


Why sleep disruption during perimenopause may be the biggest hidden driver of fat gain, poor recovery, and stalled progress


Why progressive overload not lifting the heaviest weights possible is the key to building muscle and protecting bone health


Whether women really need to train with heavy 5x5 programs or if moderate weights and higher reps work just as well


How many sets, reps, and weekly training sessions are actually needed to build muscle after 40


Why muscle building should take priority over endless fat-loss cycles if you want to improve your shape and body composition


The biggest myths about training timing, fasted workouts, cortisol, and "optimal" exercise routines


How much cardio you really need for longevity, metabolic health, and body composition


Whether women can build significant muscle in their 40s, 50s, and beyond even if they've never lifted weights before


What the evidence actually says about menopause hormone therapy (HRT), testosterone therapy, muscle growth, and body composition


How much protein you really need for muscle growth, fat loss, and healthy ageing and why total daily intake matters more than perfect meal timing


Whether collagen supplements truly improve connective tissue and skin health according to the latest research

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Why body composition changes during perimenopause00:31 What's really happening physiologically during menopause01:10 Why sleep becomes the biggest factor affecting results03:25 How poor sleep impacts muscle gain and fat loss06:20 Bloating, water retention, and hormonal changes explained08:55 The biggest mistakes women make during menopause11:20 Why resistance training is the most important intervention16:50 Do women really need to lift heavy?22:30 How to build muscle and improve body shape after 4026:30 The ideal rep ranges, training intensity, and volume30:57 How much training is actually enough?37:56 Cardio for longevity, health, and body composition42:53 Can women still achieve incredible results in their 40s and 50s?49:00 The truth about hormone replacement therapy and testosterone54:35 Protein recommendations explained01:06:00 Does collagen actually work?01:09:18 Final takeaways

A BIG thank you to our sponsors who make the show possible:

👉Timeline. Support your mitochondrial health with Urolithin A at the clinically studied dose to support cellular renewal and energy production, helping counter the natural decline in mitochondrial function that comes with age.

👉 Get 20% off Mitopure when you visit http://timeline.com/ANGELA and use code ANGELALA. 

VALUABLE RESOURCES

• Follow Dr. Eric Helms on Instagram:👉 https://www.instagram.com/helms3dmj/

• MASS Research Review👉 https://massresearchreview.com/

• Muscle & Strength Pyramid Books👉 https://muscleandstrengthpyramids.com/

ABOUT THE GUEST

Dr. Eric Helms is a coach, athlete, researcher, author, and educator specialising in strength training, muscle hypertrophy, body composition, and sports nutrition. He holds a PhD in strength and conditioning, is Chief Science Officer at 3DMJ, co-founder of MASS Research Review, and co-author of the internationally acclaimed Muscle & Strength Pyramid books. Widely regarded as one of the world's leading evidence-based voices in physique and performance science, Eric has spent more than two decades coaching athletes and translating research into practical strategies that help people build muscle, improve performance, and optimise long-term health.

Want to go deeper? Start here:

💌 Fresh Start Mondays NewsletterYour weekly 3-minute guide to creating the healthiest, most vibrant version of you.Each Monday, get one simple habit to boost energy, balance hormones, and enhance longevity—joined by 25,000+ women worldwide.👉 https://angelafosterperformance.com/

🌸 The 21-Day Hormone ResetDoing everything right but still don't feel like yourself? The 21-Day Hormone Reset helps you understand your hormones, restore your energy, and start working with your body instead of against it.👉 https://www.highperformance-health.com/

🥗 The Ultimate Guide to Creatine for Women👉 https://academy.angelafosterperformance.com/

⚡ 10 Habits That Helped Me Reverse My Biological Age by 25 Years During Perimenopause👉 https://academy.angelafosterperformance.com/

👩‍💼 About Angela Foster

Angela Foster is a corporate lawyer turned health and performance coach, keynote speaker, and creator of the BioSyncing® Method. She is the host of the High Performance Health Podcast, featuring over 500 conversations with world-leading experts in longevity, hormones, neuroscience, nutrition, and female performance.

Angela's mission is to help one million ambitious women optimise their hormones, energy, cognitive performance, and longevity—so they never have to choose between success and their health.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who would benefit from it.

Follow Angela for daily health and performance tips:

Instagram: @angelasfoster

Facebook: @AngelaFosterPerformance

In this Bitesize episode, we revisit a key conversation on why resistance training and fat loss need to be treated as two separate goals — and why blending them usually backfires. This short-form cut pulls together the core science on training for muscle/strength versus training for calorie burn, why "lifting to near failure" matters more than the weight on the bar, and a practical progression toward an unassisted pull-up. It also revisits the protein research: why menopausal women are commonly deficient, and how simply increasing protein intake can drive meaningful fat loss and lean mass gains — no calorie-cutting required.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

Why lifting heavy, moderate, or light doesn't matter for muscle growth — but matters enormously for building strength

How to structure your resistance training if your goal is to build or maintain muscle versus increase strength

Why treating your lifting sessions as a "calorie-burning workout" can undermine both your strength and muscle-building results

A practical progression (band-assisted reps, then eccentric lowering) for working toward an unassisted pull-up

Why menopausal-aged women are commonly deficient in protein, and what happens when protein intake alone is increased

The optimal protein target (1.6g/kg or ~0.75g/lb of body weight per day) for maximizing lean mass and fat loss

Where protein intake starts to hit diminishing returns

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Separate Your Training Goals: Muscle growth responds to sets taken near failure regardless of load; strength gains require heavier weights. Combining strength/muscle work with calorie-burning goals in the same session tends to produce lower-quality training on both fronts.

Progression Over Perfection for Pull-Ups: Band-assisted reps followed by slow eccentric (lowering) practice is an effective, movement-specific path to an unassisted pull-up — though the strength requires ongoing maintenance to keep.

Protein Is an Underused Lever: Many menopausal-aged women fall well below optimal protein intake (studies cite averages around 70g/day). Increasing protein alone — without cutting calories — has been shown to reduce body fat and increase lean mass.

Diminishing Returns Above ~0.75g/lb: Protein benefits continue to accrue above the optimal threshold but with steadily smaller returns, so hitting "close enough" still delivers most of the benefit.

BEST MOMENTS

"Lifting heavy or light really doesn't matter if you're trying to build muscle... it does matter if you're trying to increase strength."

"As soon as we start looking at our lifting programs as a way to burn more calories... that's when we start to say, 'I'm going to lift for two hours.' And those sets usually tend not to be very high quality."

"The act of increasing protein resulted in a significant gain of lean mass and a significant loss of body fat."

This episode is brought to you by Calocurb a natural appetite control supplement that helps you feel fuller, longer, without the jitters or crash of stimulant-based options. Head to⁠ calocurb.com/angela⁠ and use code ANGELA for 10% off your order.

Follow Calocurb:


Website:⁠ Calocurb.com⁠


Instagram:⁠ @calocurb⁠


YouTube:⁠ Calocurb⁠


LinkedIn:⁠ Calocurb

Sarah Kennedy of Calocurb explains why food noise spikes in perimenopause: falling estrogen raises cravings while the hindbrain overrides forebrain willpower under stress or poor sleep. She contrasts natural appetite hormones (GLP-1, GIP, CCK, PYY) with pharmaceutical GLP-1 agonists, which run at roughly 3,000% physiological levels versus the body's natural 300% rise - explaining rebound hunger after stopping injectables. Calocurb, a hops-derived bitter compound, stimulates a 600% natural hormone rise for an 18% average calorie reduction.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN


Why food noise isn't a willpower problem, and what's actually happening in your hindbrain versus your forebrain when cravings take over


How declining estrogen in perimenopause changes your calorie needs even as cravings increase


What GLP-1, GIP, CCK, and PYY actually do in your body, and how they differ from each other


How pharmaceutical GLP-1 agonists compare to your body's own natural hormone levels, and what that gap means for nutrient intake


Why coming off a GLP-1 medication can trigger intense rebound hunger, and what's happening hormonally during that transition


How bitter taste receptors throughout your gut influence appetite signaling, and why this evolutionary mechanism matters


What role the luteal phase, travel, and sleep deprivation play in cravings, and how timing strategies can offset them

TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 

00:58 - Willpower vs. Biology: The Hindbrain-Forebrain Battle Driving Cravings 

04:58 - GLP-1 Explained: How Natural Appetite Hormones Actually Work 10:21 – Supraphysiological Dosing on GLP-1 Drugs and Nutrient Sufficiency Risks 

14:03 – Bitter Taste Receptors: The Gut-Brain Mechanism Behind Appetite Suppression 

16:58 – Managing Mindless Snacking, Grazing, and the "Licks, Sips, and Dips" Problem 

22:06 – Using Appetite Support Strategically During Weight Loss Plateaus 

26:26 – Onboarding, Dosing, and Managing Digestive Side Effects 

28:13 – Blood Sugar Regulation and New Clinical Research on Weight Loss Outcomes 

30:51 – Why You Must Transition Off GLP-1s Strategically to Avoid Rebound Weight Gain 

36:53 – Mood, Motivation, and the Liberating Effect of Quieting Food Noise 

39:44 – Closing Thoughts

VALUABLE RESOURCES• Take the BioSyncing Quiz to help you understand what’s actually happening in your body — and how to fix it.

👉 https://biosyncing.scoreapp.com/

***

This episode is brought to you by Calocurb a natural appetite control supplement that helps you feel fuller, longer, without the jitters or crash of stimulant-based options. Head to calocurb.com/angela and use code ANGELA for 10% off your order.

Follow Calocurb:


Website: Calocurb.com


Instagram: @calocurb


YouTube: Calocurb


LinkedIn: Calocurb

ABOUT THE GUEST

Sarah Kennedy is the Founder and CEO of Calocurb, a natural appetite-management company built around years of scientific research and clinical trials that brought Amarasate, a natural GLP-1 activator derived from New Zealand bitter hops, to market. She brings more than 20 years of experience leading health, nutrition, and consumer products companies, including executive leadership roles at Fonterra and Healtheries/Vitaco NZ. In 2010, she completed a Sloan Fellowship Program in Global Leadership and Innovation at MIT. Sarah's own lifelong struggle with weight and complicated relationship with food became the personal driving force behind Calocurb — when the product worked for her where nothing else had, she made it her mission to bring that option to others looking for a natural, non-injectable way to manage cravings and support healthy weight management.