Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in Midlife: Asking for a Friend
Michele Henning Folan
179 episodes
6 days ago
Want to feel stronger, steadier, and more capable for the next 30 years? In this episode, I sit down with strength coach Megan Dahlman to map out a clear, science-backed path for women 50+ to build real-world strength—without injury, confusion, or intimidation. We bust common fitness myths (“just lift heavy,” “bash your bones,” “jump every day”) and replace them with smarter, safer strategies that protect joints, support bone density, and build lasting confidence. Megan shares how to train ar...
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Want to feel stronger, steadier, and more capable for the next 30 years? In this episode, I sit down with strength coach Megan Dahlman to map out a clear, science-backed path for women 50+ to build real-world strength—without injury, confusion, or intimidation. We bust common fitness myths (“just lift heavy,” “bash your bones,” “jump every day”) and replace them with smarter, safer strategies that protect joints, support bone density, and build lasting confidence. Megan shares how to train ar...
Want to feel stronger, steadier, and more capable for the next 30 years? In this episode, I sit down with strength coach Megan Dahlman to map out a clear, science-backed path for women 50+ to build real-world strength—without injury, confusion, or intimidation. We bust common fitness myths (“just lift heavy,” “bash your bones,” “jump every day”) and replace them with smarter, safer strategies that protect joints, support bone density, and build lasting confidence. Megan shares how to train ar...
Hitting a metabolic wall in midlife? You’re not alone — and you’re not broken. In this episode, Michele Folan, midlife health coach and former diabetes industry insider, breaks down the science (and the truth) behind microdosed GLP-1 and peptide therapy for women 40+. Drawing on many years in diabetes and cardiovascular health, Michele explains how incretin hormones like GLP-1 and GIP regulate appetite, satiety, and insulin sensitivity — and why they’ve become game-changers for both metabolic...
Ever feel like you’re doing everything for everyone—and slowly disappearing from your own life? In this raw and relatable episode, host Michele Folan sits down with writer and coach Jen Butler, author of the forthcoming memoir Mom Rediscovered, to talk about the messy, brave work of finding yourself again—after kids, after moves, and after the coping habits that promised relief but delivered fog. Jen opens up about her seven-year alcohol-free journey, her decisive breakup with diet culture, a...
Reigniting Desire in Midlife with Dr. Diane Mueller: Stress, Hormones & Real-World Intimacy Fixes Desire doesn’t vanish in midlife—it evolves. In this episode of Asking for a Friend, certified sexologist Dr. Diane Mueller joins host Michele Folan to unpack what really happens to libido, intimacy, and connection as hormones shift, stress piles up, and long-term relationships get comfortable. We explore the science of midlife desire, from how oxytocin calms cortisol and improves sleep to ho...
What’s the Real Cost of That Evening Glass of Wine? A Sobriety Journey with Kate Vitela Kate Vitela, a registered nurse, shares her powerful journey from physical alcohol dependence to over seven years of sobriety. Her story isn’t defined by a dramatic rock-bottom moment but by a gradual awakening to how daily drinking eroded her sleep, career, and relationships. Now, Kate offers a hopeful perspective on recovery through neuroplasticity—the brain’s incredible ability to rewire itself and form...
Unlocking the Oral-Systemic Connection with Dr. Mark Burhenne Did you know your mouth may be the first place chronic disease, hormone imbalances, poor sleep, and even accelerated aging show up? In this powerful episode of Asking for a Friend, functional dentist and bestselling author Dr. Mark Burhenne explains why oral health is the true gateway to whole-body wellness—and why traditional dentistry often overlooks these critical connections. From the surprising impact of dry mouth and receding...
Steffani LeFevour shares that manifestation isn’t magic—it’s mindset. Learn how to create life on your terms. Why do some prayers go unanswered while others manifest with ease? The difference may surprise you. Manifestation mentor and happiness coach Steffani LeFevour joins me on Asking for a Friend to share how women in midlife can stop asking and start becoming—rewriting their stories to create the life they truly desire. Steffani’s journey is both raw and inspiring. After losing her ...
Hashimoto’s, Hormones, Neck Checks & the Future of Thyroid Screening Thyroid cancer is on the rise among midlife women—and most don’t even know they’re at risk. In this eye-opening episode of Asking for a Friend, Dr. Rashmi Roy, Director of Thyroid Surgical Services at the Clayman Thyroid Center and one of the world’s most experienced thyroid surgeons, explains why traditional blood work often misses thyroid cancer completely—and what women can do about it. You’ll learn: ...
Breathe Like Your Health Depends On It: Midlife Stress, Sleep, & Cravings with Sandy Abrams Is your nervous system stuck in overdrive? Hot flashes, disrupted sleep, mindless snacking, snapping at your spouse—these aren’t just “midlife things.” They’re signs your body is begging for calm. And the fastest way to get there? Your breath. In this empowering conversation, breath coach and author Sandy Abrams shows us how to use our breath as a powerful midlife survival tool—helping you manage s...
Is your shower drain trying to tell you something? Hair loss is one of the most common and emotionally devastating issues women face in midlife, yet it’s often met with silence—or endless product promises that rarely deliver. In this episode of Asking for a Friend, board-certified internist Dr. Mary Wendel—a physician who has dedicated over 20 years exclusively to women’s hair loss—joins Michele Folan to break the stigma and share the science. After witnessing her grandmother’s struggles and...
The day my DEXA scan results revealed osteoporosis was a wake-up call I dreaded. No symptoms. No warning signs. Just a family history of poor bone health. The casual “take medication and see you in two years" was a no-go for me. Like so many women in midlife, I knew there had to be another way. In this episode, I share my personal journey of reversing bone loss and improving my DEXA scan results—without relying solely on pharmaceuticals. If you are being presented with an option of drug thera...
Is midlife really a crisis, or is it the launchpad to your most vibrant chapter yet? In this empowering episode, Dr. Ellen Albertson, The Midlife Whisperer, brings her infectious energy and groundbreaking wisdom to debunk myths about aging, body image, and what it means to thrive after 50. At 62, Dr. Albertson radiates confidence that challenges society's obsession with youth. Her secret? Self-compassion. Through transformative research with Dr. Kristin Neff, she discovered that women who pra...
What if everything you thought you knew about balance and mobility was flat-out wrong? Dan Metcalfe was a Broadway performer at the top of his game when he suddenly became paralyzed mid-performance. What followed—partial brain death, a long recovery, and a total reinvention—sounds impossible, until you hear him tell it. Dan didn’t just survive. He discovered something that changed everything: balance isn’t just about strong muscles—it’s about rewiring the brain. And the conventional ways we t...
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) shouldn't be shrouded in outdated fears and misinformation. When I finally started HRT at 57, I realized I'd spent years unnecessarily suffering through sleepless nights, hot flashes, and night sweats—chalked up to “normal aging”—when effective treatments already existed. My journey began after a hysterectomy, when a nurse practitioner discovered my testosterone level was critically low (11 ng/dl, with a normal range of 13–87). That led to my first experience...
Breast pain is one of the most common—and most ignored—issues women face from puberty through post-menopause. In this episode of Asking for a Friend, I sit down with Debbie and Troy Sutton, the inspiring mother-son duo behind The Healing Bra—a revolutionary product offering real relief for breast discomfort through every stage of life. From painful mammograms and postpartum nursing to menopause and breast cancer recovery, The Healing Bra’s temperature therapy pads are changing the way women m...
The mirror doesn’t lie, but it doesn’t have to be your enemy either. As wrinkles, dryness, and sagging skin become a part of your reality, it’s easy to feel betrayed by your reflection. But what if midlife skin changes weren’t a crisis but a chance to evolve your skincare game? In this episode, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Mary Alice Mina joins us to share what actually works for skin over 50 – and trust me, it’s probably not what you’ve been hearing on social media. With her extensive t...
What If Your Annual Physical Is Missing the Most Important Clues About Your Future Health? In this episode of Asking for a Friend, I sit down with Dr. Dave DeMarco—primary care physician and owner of DexaFit Cincinnati—to uncover what most standard medical exams are failing to tell us, especially for adults in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. Dr. DeMarco is reshaping the landscape of preventative healthcare by using advanced diagnostics to detect early warning signs of metabolic dysfunction, muscle l...
When life knocks the wind out of you, how do you find your way back to yourself? In this episode of Asking for a Friend, we sit down with Cristina Simmons—a mother, occupational therapist, Faster Way coach, and now author of Eat Your Feelings. Her journey reads like a survival manual for the modern woman: deep grief, childhood trauma, infidelity, chronic stress, raising adopted twins with prenatal drug exposure, and navigating the complexities of raising a child with autism. But Cristina didn...
What if the real glow-up in midlife has nothing to do with wrinkle creams—and everything to do with finally showing up unapologetically as yourself? Meet Sherri Dindal, better known as The Real Slim Sherri—the blue-haired, tattooed, profanity-positive powerhouse who's become a viral voice for women over 40. With over 5 million followers, Sherri’s raw, hilarious, and brutally honest takes on menopause, midlife identity shifts, and societal invisibility have struck a nerve—and built a movement....
What If Sober Was the New Cool? Breaking the Wine Culture Narrative with Kim Bellas This episode of Asking for a Friend is sponsored by Better Help. https://betterhelp.com/askingforafriend Is wine really the answer to midlife stress—or have we just been sold that story? In this episode of Asking for a Friend, I sit down with Kim Bellas, founder of the global movement Sober is the New Cool, to talk about what happens when midlife women challenge the “mommy juice” narrative and rethink their re...
Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in Midlife: Asking for a Friend
Want to feel stronger, steadier, and more capable for the next 30 years? In this episode, I sit down with strength coach Megan Dahlman to map out a clear, science-backed path for women 50+ to build real-world strength—without injury, confusion, or intimidation. We bust common fitness myths (“just lift heavy,” “bash your bones,” “jump every day”) and replace them with smarter, safer strategies that protect joints, support bone density, and build lasting confidence. Megan shares how to train ar...
