Muscle, Strength and Menopause

Ever been told your labs are normal while you lie awake at 3 a.m. wondering what is happening to your body? In this episode, Sara breaks down the three phases of the menopause transition, perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause, and explains what is really changing in your hormones during each one, why the advice that worked at 35 often stops working at 45, and what you can actually do about it.

In this episode:

• Why the menopause transition is essentially reverse puberty, and why menopause is technically a single day
• Why progesterone, not estrogen, is usually the first hormone to decline in perimenopause, and how that explains the anxiety, irritability and 3 a.m. wake-ups
• What estrogen dominance really means, and how stress, gut health and alcohol widen the gap
• Why your hormones need about three months to reflect the changes you make
• What happens at menopause, why the symptoms show up everywhere, and why belly fat changes at this stage
• The relief and the responsibility of post-menopause: muscle, bones, protein and strength training
• The three body systems that shape your symptoms in every phase

Join my Workshop on how to reset your gut in 21 days and get to the real cause of Bloating, constipation, gut issues and IBS.

https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/september-workshop-registration

📅 October 20th at 12 pm EST and October 22nd at 7 pm EST . Can't make it live? For $14 You will get the full recording plus the complete 21-day protocol.

More information about our Programs and book a FREE virtual Consultation Call with our team https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/eve-info

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. Free Hormone & Metabolism Assessment

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook ‌

Perfect Sports Nutrition Supplement

Use discount code FRENZA20

Home | PERFECT Sports US

The makers of DIESEL Protein powder

Skynbio

website: https://skynbio.comsca_ref=10929708.S7SVnfESwc5dwN85

Use Discount CODE: FRENZA15

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Practitioner | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

In this episode of Muscle, Strength and Menopause, host Sara Frenza breaks down the profound connection between gut health and hormone clearance. Drawing from real client cases inside the Elevated Vitality Experience, Sara explains how sluggish liver clearance, elevated gut enzymes, low stomach acid, and leaky gut drive estrogen dominance and insulin resistance. She shares why your daily probiotic isn't solving the issue and how proper testing eliminates the expensive guessing game.

Today, you'll learn why your gut and urine are the only two exits for used estrogen and how phase 1, phase 2 (methylation), and phase 3 clearance work. You'll discover the gut enzyme beta-glucuronidase, which unwraps neutralized estrogen and recycles it right back into your bloodstream to drive heavy periods, PMS, and belly fat. Sara breaks down why hormone balance starts in the stomach, how low stomach acid causes reflux, and why the 80s/90s low-fat craze wrecked bile flow. Finally, she exposes the link between leaky gut (LPS endotoxemia), insulin resistance, five-alpha reductase activity, and midlife chin hairs, alongside the exact sequence needed to heal your gut for good.

Join my Workshop on how to reset your gut in 21 days and get to the real cause of Bloating, constipation, gut issues and IBS.

https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/september-workshop-registration

📅 October 20th at 12 pm EST and October 22nd at 7 pm EST . Can't make it live? For $14 You will get the full recording plus the complete 21-day protocol.

More information about our Programs and book a FREE virtual Consultation Call with our team https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/eve-info

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. Free Hormone & Metabolism Assessment

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook ‌

Perfect Sports Nutrition Supplement

Use discount code FRENZA20

Home | PERFECT Sports US

The makers of DIESEL Protein powder

Skynbio

website: https://skynbio.comsca_ref=10929708.S7SVnfESwc5dwN85

Use Discount CODE: FRENZA15

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Practitioner | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

In this personal episode of Muscle, Strength and Menopause, host Sara Frenza shares why gut health hits so close to home. After watching her own mother suffer for years with an unaddressed IBS label—trapped at home until functional testing uncovered severe bacterial overgrowth and leaky gut—Sara breaks down the exact steps she would take if she were diagnosed with IBS tomorrow. She explains why cutting out foods endlessly isn't the answer and how correcting root imbalances in the proper sequence can completely resolve chronic digestive distress.

Why you must run a functional stool test (like the GI-MAP) before trying another restrictive diet, as bloating can stem from four completely different issues that look identical from the outside is something you'll learn from this episode. Also, you'll discover why IBS is just a symptom description and how root issues like SIBO, Candida, low stomach acid, or gut dysbiosis can be effectively targeted with botanical anti-microbials and evidence-based protocols. Sara details how to adopt an anti-inflammatory baseline plate using protein, colorful vegetables, and healthy fats to pull the "fire" out of your gut. Finally, she reveals why chronic fight-or-flight stress and high cortisol physically wear down your gut lining, and shares practical daily digestion hacks—including proper chewing, meal spacing, and natural stomach acid support—to stop food from fermenting in your stomach.

Join my Workshop on how to reset your gut in 21 days and get to the real cause of Bloating, constipation, gut issues and IBS. https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/september-workshop-registration

📅 October 20th at 12 pm EST and October 22nd at 7 pm EST . Can't make it live? You will get the full recording plus the complete 21-day protocol.

More information about our Programs and book a FREE virtual Consultation Call with our team https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/eve-info

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. Free Hormone & Metabolism Assessment

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook ‌

Skynbio

website: https://skynbio.comsca_ref=10929708.S7SVnfESwc5dwN85

Use Discount CODE: FRENZA15

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Practitioner | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

In this episode of Muscle, Strength and Menopause, Sara Frenza breaks down the exact lab markers conventional medicine fails to test and why sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone are only one piece of a much larger metabolic puzzle. Sharing her mother’s painful journey with unaddressed gut issues and her own experience being dismissed in perimenopause, Sara reveals how stress, gut health, thyroid function, and inflammation create an interconnected pattern of symptoms.

Today you'll learn why standard lab ranges leave sick patients labeled as "fine" and how optimal functional ranges pinpoint the real root cause of weight loss resistance, fatigue, and brain fog. Sara uncovers the step-by-step stress cascade—how elevated cortisol steals progesterone, drives estrogen dominance, slows the thyroid, and thins the gut lining. You will discover the 7 key tests every woman over 40 needs: a 5-part full thyroid panel, HS-CRP (inflammation), Fasting Insulin (metabolic dysfunction), the DUTCH Complete urine test (hormone metabolism and cortisol curves), the GI-MAP stool test (leaky gut, beta-glucuronidase, and estrogen recycling), DHEA-S (adrenal reserve), and SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin).

Join my Workshop on how to reset your gut in 21 days and get to the real cause of Bloating, constipation, gut issues and IBS. https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/september-workshop-registration

📅 September 15th and 17th. Can't make it live? You will get the full recording plus the complete 21-day protocol.

More information about our Programs and book a FREE virtual Consultation Call with our team https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/eve-info

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. Free Hormone & Metabolism Assessment

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook ‌

Perfect Sports Nutrition Supplement

Use discount code FRENZA20

Home | PERFECT Sports US(CANADA SITE)

Home | PERFECT Sports US (USA SITE)

The makers of DIESEL Protein powder

Skynbio

website: https://skynbio.comsca_ref=10929708.S7SVnfESwc5dwN85

Use Discount CODE: FRENZA15

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Practitioner | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

In this episode of Muscle, Strength and Menopause, Sara Frenza breaks down the hidden mechanics of thyroid health that conventional medicine frequently overlooks. As a board-certified functional medicine nutrition practitioner, Sara shares her personal journey into functional wellness after watching her mother's severe gut and metabolic health decline without answers. She dives deep into why standard lab ranges leave women feeling sick at "normal" levels, how sex hormones and dieting crash your thyroid, and why the real key to thyroid conversion lies in your liver and gut.

Why 1 in 8 women will deal with thyroid issues and up to 60% of people with a condition remain undiagnosed. You'll uncover how the body converts storage hormone (T4) into active worker hormone (T3), the role of reverse T3 as a metabolic "brake," and why 80% of conversion happens in the liver while 20% occurs in the gut. Sara outlines the complete, full thyroid panel you actually need—including TSH, free T4, free T3, reverse T3, and thyroid antibodies. We explore the four main thyroid conditions (hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Hashimoto's, and Graves' disease), how chronic stress and leaky gut trigger autoimmune attacks, and why extreme calorie restriction or GLP-1 diets can force your body to throttle down its metabolism.

More information about our Programs and book a FREE virtual Consultation Call with our team https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/eve-info

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. Free Hormone & Metabolism Assessment

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook ‌

Perfect Sports Nutrition Supplement

Use discount code FRENZA20

Home | PERFECT Sports US (CANADA SITE)

Home | PERFECT Sports US (USA SITE)

The makers of DIESEL Protein powder

Skynbio

website: https://skynbio.comsca_ref=10929708.S7SVnfESwc5dwN85

Use Discount CODE: FRENZA15

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Practitioner | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

Despite eating clean, strength training, and appearing to be the picture of health, Tara survived a rare Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD) heart attack at age 46 after being repeatedly dismissed by emergency room doctors who attributed her symptoms to anxiety. In this conversation, Tara shares her harrowing experience navigating medical dismissal, the underlying health warning signs—including a decade of severe gut dysfunction and chronic stress—that preceded her event, and how she completely transformed her definition of health and strength.

In this episode, you'll learn why SCAD is the leading cause of heart attacks in women under 50 and its strong connection to perimenopause, menopause, and hormonal fluctuations. You'll hear about the dangerous reality of medical gaslighting and why women must act as the CEO of their own health when told "everything is normal". Tara and Sara explore how chronic fight-or-flight stress, over-exercising, and unaddressed gut issues like SIBO impact cellular health and cardiovascular risk. Finally, you will learn how functional testing—such as GI-MAP stool testing and nutrient panels—helps women optimize their bodies for long-term health, cellular recovery, and true longevity.

Connect with Tara Benoit https://www.instagram.com/tarabenoitofficial/

https://tarabenoit.com/

More information about our Programs and book a FREE virtual Call with our team https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/eve-info

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. Free Hormone & Metabolism Assessment

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook ‌

Perfect Sports Nutrition Supplement

Use discount code FRENZA20 Home | PERFECT Sports US (CANADA SITE)

Home | PERFECT Sports US (USA SITE)

The makers of DIESEL Protein powder

Skynbio

website: https://skynbio.comsca_ref=10929708.S7SVnfESwc5dwN85

Use Discount CODE: FRENZA15

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Practitioner | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

In this episode of Muscle, Strength and Menopause, Sara Frenza dives deep into the hidden science of estrogen metabolism and hormone clearance. As a board-certified functional medicine nutrition practitioner on HRT herself, Sara explains why HRT fails to address the root causes of weight loss resistance, fluid retention, and chronic fatigue. She breaks down how sluggish liver pathways, gut dysbiosis, high cortisol, and hidden thyroid dysfunction block hormone performance, turning your treatment into a source of frustration.

Why HRT acts as a fire alarm silencer rather than putting out the root metabolic fire causing your symptoms, Today, you'll discover the three phases of estrogen clearance (liver phase 1, phase 2 methylation, and gut phase 3) and how an overgrowth of beta-glucuronidase bacteria or constipation causes your body to recycle estrogen right back into your bloodstream. We explore why muscle loss is the single biggest driver of midlife weight gain, why HRT protects muscle but cannot build it without resistance training and optimal protein, and how high cortisol steals from your progesterone production. Finally, Sara breaks down why 20% of thyroid conversion happens in the gut and why comprehensive functional testing—including DUTCH urine testing, GI-MAP stool testing, and full blood panels—is essential to map out your unique hormone roadmap.

More information about our Programs and book a FREE virtual Call with our team https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/eve-info

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. Free Hormone & Metabolism Assessment

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook ‌

Perfect Sports Nutrition Supplement

Use discount code FRENZA20

Home | PERFECT Sports US (CANADA SITE)

Home | PERFECT Sports US (USA SITE)

The makers of DIESEL Protein powder

Skynbio

website: https://skynbio.comsca_ref=10929708.S7SVnfESwc5dwN85

Use Discount CODE: FRENZA15

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Practitioner | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

In this episode of Muscle, Strength and Menopause, host Sara Frenza is joined by Coach Liz Kennedy, a certified nutrition coach, personal trainer, and expert coach inside the Hourglass Body Method. Liz spent 33 years as a social worker helping others, but spent two decades trapped in the toxic cycle of extreme restriction, guilt, and body dysmorphia. She shares her transformative journey of finding CrossFit in her 40s, touching a barbell for the first time, and discovering that fueling her body and building muscle was the ultimate key to physical and mental freedom.

Today, you will learn on how to break free from the 80s/90s toxic diet culture mindset of shrinking yourself and turn exercise into an empowering act of self-care. You'll discover how lifting heavy weights and building muscle completely transforms your physique, boosts your confidence, and helps eliminate body dysmorphia and food guilt. We break down practical, real-world nutrition strategies—including Liz's expert meal prep systems, bowl-building framework, and prioritizing single-ingredient whole foods—to naturally crush cravings and keep you full. Finally, Liz shares how to navigate mental health shifts during menopause, why focusing on protein is your single biggest nutritional lever, and how to start building your "70-year-old body" today for lifelong independence.

Connect with Liz Kennedy:

https://www.instagram.com/kennedyliz/

https://www.facebook.com/liz.b.kennedy.3

More information about our Programs and book a FREE virtual Call with our team

https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/eve-info

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. Free Hormone & Metabolism Assessment

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook ‌

Skynbio

website: https://skynbio.comsca_ref=10929708.S7SVnfESwc5dwN85

Use Discount CODE: FRENZA15

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Practitioner | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

In this episode of Muscle, Strength and Menopause, host Sara Frenza sits down with Coach Karen Kelly, one of the expert coaches inside the Hourglass Body Method. With over 30 years of experience in the fitness industry—from teaching cardio classes in tights and a thong to running half marathons—Karen shares her powerful journey of entering her 50s and realizing that her old habits were no longer working. As a postmenopausal woman who has lived it, Karen breaks down the practical, science-backed habit systems that turn healthy living into an effortless routine.

The traditional "eat less, move more" cardio approach backfires for women in midlife and how to shift toward strength training for long-term health and mobility. You'll discover why environment beats willpower every single time, along with fascinating research on how the visible food in your kitchen can actually predict your weight. We explore simple, actionable tools like "strategic remembering" and habit stacking—such as pairing your evening magnesium or morning supplements with routines you already do—to make healthy choices automatic. Finally, Karen reveals how to create a "backup plan" to eliminate the all-or-nothing mindset, why a 10-minute workout always counts, and how to train today for the independent, vibrant life you want at age 80.

Connect with Karen on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wellbalancedwomenover50/

Book a Strategy Call (Functional Wellness Program or Nutrition & Fitness Coaching Program)

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/free-discovery-call-with-team

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. Free Hormone & Metabolism Assessment

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook

Skynbio

website: https://skynbio.comsca_ref=10929708.S7SVnfESwc5dwN85

Use Discount CODE: FRENZA15

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Practitioner | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

In this episode, I’m joined by Carm Bugliarisi, one of our expert coaches inside the Hourglass Body Method Program. Carm brings over 25 years of experience in the fitness and nutrition industry, but her most valuable lesson came from her own personal journey through perimenopause.

We pull back the curtain on the "three-legged stool" of female metabolism—ovaries, adrenals, and thyroid—and explain why your body essentially "flatlines" when these systems are stressed. We break down the massive difference between conventional lab ranges and functional ranges, why you must stop "starving" yourself to lose weight, and why you likely need to trade your excessive cardio for strength training.

Book a Strategy Call (Functional Wellness Program or Nutrition & Fitness Coaching Program)

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/free-discovery-call-with-team

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. Free Hormone & Metabolism Assessment

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook ‌

Perfect Sports Nutrition Supplement

Use discount code FRENZA20

Home | PERFECT Sports US (CANADA SITE)

Home | PERFECT Sports US (USA SITE)

The makers of DIESEL Protein powder

Skynbio

website: https://skynbio.comsca_ref=10929708.S7SVnfESwc5dwN85

Use Discount CODE: FRENZA15

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Practitioner | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

Today in this episode, I go over 10 normal lab results that are actually red flags. When your doctor says your lab results are "normal," it simply means you haven't been flagged for immediate danger or disease. However, "normal" does not mean your body is thriving or operating at its optimal level. I break down the gap between standard conventional lab ranges and the optimal ranges used by functional medicine practitioners. Tune in to learn what your body is actually trying to tell you through these standard lab markers so you can catch metabolic and hormonal issues before they develop into chronic diseases.

Episode Timestamps:

03:26 - Lab Marker 1: Fasting Glucose

05:32 - Lab Marker 2: Fasting Insulin

08:00 - Lab Marker 3: HbA1c (Hemoglobin A1c)

11:20 - Lab Marker 4: hs-CRP (High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein)

12:56 - Lab Marker 5: Full Thyroid Panel

16:56 - Lab Marker 6: Homocysteine

18:49 - Lab Marker 7: DHEA-S (Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate)

20:41 - Lab Marker 8: SHBG (Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin)

23:38 - Lab Marker 9: Ferritin

26:12 - Lab Marker 10: Vitamin D

Book a Strategy Call (Functional Wellness Program or Nutrition & Fitness Coaching Program) ⁠https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/free-discovery-call-with-team⁠

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. ⁠Free Hormone & Metabolism Assessment⁠

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) ⁠Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook⁠

Perfect Sports Nutrition Supplement

Use discount code FRENZA20

Home | PERFECT Sports US (CANADA SITE)

Home | PERFECT Sports US (USA SITE)

The makers of DIESEL Protein powder

Skynbio

website: ⁠https://skynbio.comsca_ref=10929708.S7SVnfESwc5dwN85⁠

Use Discount CODE: FRENZA15

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Practitioner | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza‌

‌Website: Home - Sara Frenza

In this episode of the Muscle Strength and Menopause podcast, host Sara Frenza dives deep into why popular GLP-1 medications and peptides often fail to deliver results for women over 40. While these treatments are often marketed as miracle solutions for weight loss, they frequently stall when the body's underlying foundation is cracked. Sara explains that peptides are merely signals that can only be processed by a hormonally balanced and metabolically efficient system. The discussion covers the critical need for comprehensive testing—including metabolic health, inflammation markers, hormones, and gut health—before starting any peptide protocol. You will learn how dropping estrogen levels in perimenopause and menopause can close the "docking stations" these medications need to function, and why healing the gut is the essential first step to overcoming weight loss resistance.

Book a Strategy Call (Functional Wellness Program or Nutrition and Fitness Program)

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/free-discovery-call-with-team

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. Free Hormone & Metabolism Assessment

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook ‌

Perfect Sports Nutrition Supplement

Use discount code FRENZA20

Home | PERFECT Sports US (CANADA SITE)

Home | PERFECT Sports US (USA SITE)

The makers of DIESEL Protein powder

Skynbio website: https://skynbio.comsca_ref=10929708.S7SVnfESwc5dwN85

Use Discount CODE: FRENZA15

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Practitioner | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

Unlock the hidden connection between your digestion and hormonal health without the usual guesswork. If you've been battling fatigue, stubborn weight, brain fog, or mood swings during perimenopause and post-menopause, this episode reveals the real root causes lurking in your gut. It is time to stop blaming age and start understanding how your body's breakdown process impacts your entire health.

Most women are unaware that the quality of their digestion, specifically stomach acid, enzymes, and bile, directly influences hormone balance, energy, and even nutrient deficiencies that stubbornly refuse supplementation. Here's the truth: eating right isn't enough if your body isn't absorbing nutrients properly. From bloating and greasy stools to unexplained fatigue, I break down the five clinical signs that your digestion is compromised and how these issues feed into estrogen dominance, inflammation, and cortisol imbalance.

In this episode, we unpack the intricate dance of digestion, highlighting surprising insights: why low stomach acid causes reflux (not excess), how undigested food fuels bacterial overgrowth, and why fat malabsorption hampers vital nutrients like Vitamin D and B12 all crucial for bone, immune, and hormonal health. You'll learn about specific comprehensive functional testing, like the GI Map, that uncovers the true cause of your symptoms, alongside practical strategies you can implement today like mindful eating, herbal bitters, or enzyme support to start healing from within.

This episode is a wake-up call for women in peri- and post-menopause who feel misunderstood or dismissed by traditional approaches. Ignoring these signals can lead to ongoing hormonal chaos, weight gain, and mood disruptions. But with targeted awareness and functional testing, you can take control and restore balance at the root. If you're tired of patchwork solutions and want personalized, science-backed strategies, this is your essential guide!

Book a Strategy Call (Functional Wellness Program or Nutrition and Fitness Program)

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/free-discovery-call-with-team

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. Free Hormone & Metabolism Assessment

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook

Skynbio website: https://skynbio.comsca_ref=10929708.S7SVnfESwc5dwN85

Use Discount CODE: FRENZA15

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Practitioner | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

In this episode of Muscle, Strength and Menopause, I’m diving into the often-overlooked topic of environmental toxins and their impact on women in perimenopause and menopause. From the products we use on our skin to the containers we store our food in, many of us are exposed to hormone-disrupting chemicals every single day without even realizing it.

You'll learn what toxic load is, how your body processes and eliminates toxins, and why supporting your natural detoxification pathways becomes increasingly important as hormonal changes occur in midlife. I also explain the role of endocrine disruptors such as BPA, parabens, phthalates, and pesticides, and how they can contribute to symptoms like brain fog, weight gain, PMS-like symptoms, heavy periods, and hormonal imbalances.

Most importantly, this episode isn't about fear—it's about awareness and practical action. I'll share simple, realistic steps you can take to reduce your exposure and support your body's ability to detoxify more effectively.

If you've been focusing on nutrition, exercise, and supplements but still feel like something is missing, this episode may help uncover an important piece of the puzzle.

Timestamps:

00:35 – Morning routine and hidden chemical exposure

01:28 – Understanding fragrance and plastic's impact on hormones

02:51 – The concept of toxic load and its sources

04:17 – Categories of toxins and their effects

05:41 – How the liver processes toxins

08:29 – Introduction to endocrine disruptors

10:23 – Main offenders: BPA, parabens, and phthalates

15:31 – Impact of toxins on women in perimenopause

18:18 – Practical steps to reduce toxin exposure

Book a Strategy Call (Functional Wellness Program or Nutrition and Fitness Program)

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/free-discovery-call-with-team

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. Free Hormone & Metabolism Assessment

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook ‌

Perfect Sports Nutrition Supplement

Use discount code FRENZA20

Home | PERFECT Sports US (CANADA SITE)

Home | PERFECT Sports US (USA SITE)

The makers of DIESEL Protein powder

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Practitioner | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

In this episode of Muscle Strength and Menopause, I dive deep into the essential laboratory tests that go beyond standard medical checkups for women over 40. I explain why many women are told their results are "normal" even when they feel exhausted, bloated, or unable to lose weight. By comparing conventional lab ranges with the optimal functional ranges I use in my practice, I show you how to identify subclinical dysfunctions before they become full-blown diseases.

I walk you through the three cornerstones of my Elevated Vitality Experience: comprehensive blood panels, the DUTCH hormone test, and the GI-MAP stool test. You will learn why testing just TSH isn't enough for thyroid health, how your body's estrogen metabolism pathways can drive symptoms even when levels appear low, and why gut health must be the foundation of any hormonal protocol. Join me as I reveal the clinical landscape that standard testing misses and help you reclaim your health in midlife.

Book a Strategy Call (Functional Wellness Program or Nutrition and Fitness Program)

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/free-discovery-call-with-team

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/hormone-metabolism-assessment

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook ‌

Perfect Sports Nutrition Supplement

Use discount code FRENZA20

Home | PERFECT Sports US (CANADA SITE)

Home | PERFECT Sports US (USA SITE)

The makers of DIESEL Protein powder

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sara_frenza/

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

In this episode, I go over the critical role of gut health in hormonal balance for women in midlife. I explain how "leaky gut," or increased intestinal permeability, can lead to systemic inflammation that disrupts metabolism, thyroid function, and estrogen utilization. I break down the four main categories of stress—dietary, emotional, physical, and environmental—that damage the gut lining and why a "gut-first" approach is essential for lasting health results in menopause. I also share my framework for healing the gut through targeted functional testing and a comprehensive five-step system designed to help women reclaim their energy and strength.

Episode Timestamps:

• 03:55 – The four specific categories of stress that damage the gut lining.
• 07:44 – The limitations of an IBS diagnosis and why it points to gut barrier dysfunction.
• 10:04 – How gut health directly influences immune system and neurotransmitter production.
• 11:10 – The connection between gut inflammation and impaired thyroid conversion (T4 to T3).
• 12:12 – Role of gut bacteria in estrogen dominance and hormonal clearance.
• 14:15 – How the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes bacteria affects weight gain and calorie absorption.
• 16:25 – The importance of short-chain fatty acids like butyrate for gut repair and insulin sensitivity.
• 24:36 – The "Five R" framework for functional gut healing: Remove, Replace, Reinnoculate, Repair, and Rebalance.

Book a Strategy Call (Functional Wellness Program or Nutrition and Fitness Program)

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/free-discovery-call-with-team

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/hormone-metabolism-assessment

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook ‌

Perfect Sports Nutrition Supplement

Use discount code FRENZA20

Home | PERFECT Sports US (CANADA SITE)

Home | PERFECT Sports US (USA SITE)

The makers of DIESEL Protein powder

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sara_frenza/

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

Welcome to another episode of Muscle, Strength, and Menopause. I am your host, Sara Frenza, and today I am joined by a truly phenomenal guest, Marisa Mariella. Marisa is an educator turned community builder, chef, and media host who is rewriting the rules on what it means to step into your power, pursue your passions, and crush your biggest goals in midlife.

If you have ever felt like your vibrant years are behind you, or that it’s "too late" to start a new career, launch a project, or completely reinvent yourself after 40, this conversation is exactly what you need to hear.

Marisa shares her powerful journey of leaving a stable career in education to build a thriving community centered around food, mental wellness, and self-care. We dive deep into how she overcame profound personal challenges and workplace harassment by turning her passion for cooking into a vessel for healing and human connection, eventually launching her own successful cooking show.

In this episode, Marisa and I debunk the toxic societal myths surrounding aging, beauty, and women's health. We discuss why midlife is actually your prime season for growth, and Marisa shares her favorite practical tools for mindfulness, daily gratitude, and unapologetic self-care.

Tune in to get inspired, reclaim your narrative, and get the exact encouragement you need to start chasing your wildest dreams today!

Connect with Marisa

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marisamariella/

Website: https://marisamariella.com/

Upcoming tours: https://marisamariella.com/travel-2/

Book a Strategy Call (Functional Wellness Program or Nutrition and Fitness Program)

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/free-discovery-call-with-team

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/hormone-metabolism-assessment

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A)

Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Practitioner | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

In this episode, I dive deep into the science behind perimenopause to show you that the symptoms you are experiencing—from brain fog to stubborn belly fat—are not just in your head. I discuss the significant gaps in current menopause care, highlighted by a new Ontario Health quality standard, and explain why so many women feel dismissed by the traditional medical system.

I walk you through the biological shifts occurring in your body, including how hormone withdrawal affects your metabolism, muscle mass, sleep, and brain chemistry.

Finally, I share how functional lab testing can help connect the dots and provide a personalized roadmap for navigating this transition with strength and confidence.

Top 10 Timestamps

• 01:23 - Introduction to the "Muscle Strength and Menopause" podcast and my background as a specialist.
• 03:30 - Discussion of the Ontario Health Menopause Quality Standard and the gaps in current care.
• 04:38 - Statistics showing that only 27% of women have their clinicians proactively start a conversation about menopause.
• 05:33 - The economic impact of menopause, including lost productivity and women leaving their careers.
• 09:25 - Defining perimenopause versus menopause and the hormonal changes involved.
• 11:51 - How progesterone decline affects the nervous system, sleep, and mood years before periods change.
• 12:46 - The science of why estrogen decline leads to muscle loss and increased abdominal fat.
• 14:52 - Understanding how elevated cortisol and sympathetic nervous system dominance drive muscle breakdown.
• 16:49 - How fluctuating estrogen levels impact serotonin, leading to brain fog, anxiety, and cravings.
• 27:08 - An overview of functional lab testing, including the Dutch test and GI map, to identify root causes.

Join my 28 day Fat Loss Kickstart Program→ Lose 4-8 lbs in 28 days. Starts May 27, 2026 ⁠https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/registration⁠

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. ⁠https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/hormone-metabolism-assessment⁠

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) ⁠Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook⁠ ‌

Perfect Sports Nutrition Supplement

Use discount code FRENZA20 ⁠

Home | PERFECT Sports US⁠ (CANADA SITE) ⁠

Home | PERFECT Sports US⁠ (USA SITE)

The makers of DIESEL Protein powder

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: ⁠sara@sarafrenzafitness.com⁠

Instagram: ⁠Functional Nutrition | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile⁠

Shop programs, bundles & resources: ⁠https://stan.store/SaraFrenza⁠

Website: ⁠Home - Sara Frenza

In this episode of the Muscle Strength and Menopause podcast, I dive deep into the critical, yet often overlooked, connection between gut health and hormone balance for women in midlife. I explain why common symptoms like bloating, constipation, and indigestion are actually "red flags" for gut dysbiosis that can disrupt your metabolism and your entire hormonal ecosystem. I also share the three primary drivers of gut dysfunction—low stomach acid, an impaired migrating motor complex (MMC), and bacterial imbalances—and how these factors directly contribute to the "hormone chaos" experienced during perimenopause and menopause. Finally, I walk you through my exact five-step functional medicine process for moving from a state of gut health to true gut healing.

28 day Fat Loss Kickstart Program→ Next one starts in May 27, 2026 get on the waitlist below. https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/registration

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/hormone-metabolic-assessment-page

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook ‌

Perfect Sports Nutrition Supplement

Use discount code FRENZA20 Home | PERFECT Sports US (CANADA SITE)

Home | PERFECT Sports US (USA SITE)

The makers of DIESEL Protein powder

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Nutrition | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

Website: Home - Sara Frenza

How many of you feel like you are doing everything right—strength training, hitting your protein, and eating well—yet your body is still holding on to stress, your sleep is off, and your belly fat won't budge? This week on Muscle Strength and Menopause, we are diving deep into the language of your nervous system with mindfulness teacher and emotional fitness coach, Brian Coones.

Brian helps high-performing leaders master the inner skills required to thrive in high-pressure environments by blending breathwork, mindfulness, and longevity principles to regulate the nervous system and unlock sustainable performance. In this episode, Brian shares his powerful personal journey from a life-altering medical emergency to becoming a specialist in emotional regulation. We discuss why "emotional fitness" is just as critical as physical training and how mastering your breath can be the ultimate tool for physical and mental transformation.

Connect with Brian Coones:

Website: http://briancoones.com

LinkedIn: Brian Coones

Instagram: @briancoones

Spotify: Rewire with Brian Coones

TikTok: @briancoones

Special Practice: Deep Daily Breathwork & Heart Coherence Meditation

Want 1:1 Support with your health and fitness goals?

Book a free call we have 2 programs to suit your needs:

• Hourglass Body Method Program (Fat loss and body transformation program)
• Elevated Vitality Experience (Functional Wellness Program) which includes lab testing to get the the root cause of your gut and hormone problems. We don't guess.. we test!

→https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/coaching-application-form

28 day Fat Loss Kickstart Program→ Next one starts in May 27, 2026 get on the waitlist below. https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/registration

FREE Metabolic and Hormone Assessment - Find out what is creating the weight loss resistance. https://go.sarafrenzafitness.com/hormone-metabolic-assessment-page

Join my private Facebook Community (attend live podcast recordings & Q&A) Body Transformation and Fat loss for women over 40 | Facebook

‌

Perfect Sports Nutrition Supplement

Use discount code FRENZA20

Home | PERFECT Sports US (CANADA SITE)

Home | PERFECT Sports US (USA SITE)

The makers of DIESEL Protein powder

Connect with Me

Say Hello!

Email: sara@sarafrenzafitness.com

Instagram: Functional Nutrition | Gut, Menopause & Hormone Health (@sara_frenza) • Instagram profile

Shop programs, bundles & resources: https://stan.store/SaraFrenza

‌Website: Home - Sara Frenza