Welcome back to the Mother's Empowerment Podcast! As we kick off the new school year, we're diving into a conversation that's long overdue - perimenopause. This isn't just about hot flashes and mood swings; it's about understanding a phase of life that affects 50% of the population yet remains largely ignored by traditional medicine. Join host Isabelle Bridges as she sits down with Dyna Vink, a certified Integrative Health Practitioner and founder of Holistic Nutrition Lifestyle, to explore how knowledge truly is power when it comes to navigating this transformative time.   Meet Our Guest: Dyna Vink Dyna Vink is a certified Integrative Health Practitioner who founded Holistic Nutrition Lifestyle to help women better understand and manage the symptoms of perimenopause. As she entered this transitional phase herself, she quickly discovered a lack of clear, accessible information about the profound changes women experience during this time of their lives. Too often, women are left to treat a collection of confusing and seemingly unrelated symptoms without realizing they all point to one root cause: perimenopause.   Key Topics Covered 🔍 The Knowledge Gap Why 80% of medical doctors lack proper perimenopause education How traditional medicine's disease-focused approach fails women in transition The gaslighting effect when symptoms are dismissed as "normal aging" 📅 Timeline & Expectations Perimenopause can begin as early as 33, with average menopause at 51 Duration: 4-15 years (potentially a full decade or more) Symptoms often continue beyond menopause - preparation is key 🏥 Traditional vs. Functional Medicine Why standard blood tests miss the bigger picture The problem with treating individual symptoms instead of root causes How functional medicine testing reveals the complete hormonal story 💪 Empowering Action Steps Eliminate inflammatory foods (dairy, sugar, alcohol, processed foods) Support liver detoxification pathways Prioritize weight-bearing exercise for bone health Consider functional medicine testing for personalized solutions 🦴 Bone Health Myths Busted Why dairy isn't the calcium solution we thought it was The importance of cruciferous and leafy green vegetables How weight-bearing exercise actually strengthens bones Powerful Quotes from This Episode "Empowerment meant finding out what the heck perimenopause is... It wasn't 75 different things. It was just one. It was perimenopause." - Dyna Vink "How much do you matter to yourself? I take care of my kids, my pets, my home... am I on the list?" - Isabelle Bridges "What happens to all the people that depend on you when you're not able to cope?" - Dyna Vink The Forgotten Fourth Archetype We discuss how women in perimenopause exist in an unnamed space - no longer the "mother" but certainly not the "crone." This is our time to reclaim and redefine this powerful phase of life.Resources Mentioned Dyna's FaceBook group: https://www.facebook.com/holisticnutritionforladiesinperi/ Dyna's Discovery Call: https://offers.holisticnutritionlifestyle.com/discoverycall Dyna's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@PerimenopauseRelief Ready to take control of your health journey? Dyna is offering free discovery calls to see if you're a candidate for functional medicine testing. This is your chance to get personalized insights into what's really happening in your body. Book your free discovery call: https://offers.holisticnutritionlifestyle.com/discoverycall A Personal Note from Isabelle I'm booking my own discovery call with Dyna right after this recording! I believe in accountability, especially when it comes to self-care and health. Share when you book your call - let's support each other in prioritizing our wellbeing. Remember: You matter. Not just because when you're better, everyone else is better - but because you matter, period. Until next time, take care and remember how much you matter. SO MUCH!!! Love, Isabelle