The Second Half Strong Show

In Part Two of the thyroid conversation on the Second Half Strong podcast, host Heather Hausman moves from the why to the what now . After last week's foundation on why thyroid dysfunction gets missed in midlife and how it weaves into the full hormonal picture, this episode gets practical — covering the labs women actually need, the lifestyle tools that move the needle, and the treatment opti...

On this episode of the Second Half Strong podcast, host Heather Hausman opens one of the most misunderstood topics in midlife women's health: the thyroid. Often overlooked and frequently under-tested, the thyroid is a small but powerful gland whose hormones touch nearly every cell in the body — influencing metabolism, energy, mood, sleep, body temperature, hair, skin, and the rest of the horm...

After two episodes on lifting and fueling the body, this episode of Second Half Strong tackles the third piece of the puzzle — the one that makes the other two actually work. Host Heather Hausman makes a clear case that sleep isn't passive rest; it's active medicine. And in perimenopause, when sleep comes under attack from multiple hormonal directions at once, understanding and protectin...

In this episode of Second Half Strong, host Heather Hausman delivers the full breakdown on the one nutrient she calls a foundation, not a trend: protein. After teasing it for several episodes, she finally unpacks why protein needs actually rise in perimenopause and menopause — a shift rooted in anabolic resistance, where declining estrogen makes muscles less responsive to the same protein that wor...

If you've been telling yourself you'll start strength training "someday," this episode is your roadmap to finally getting started. In this practical and empowering episode of The Second Half Strong Show , Heather Hausmeth breaks down exactly what women in perimenopause and midlife need to know before stepping into the weight room. From overcoming gym intimidation to understandi...

In this episode of Second Half Strong , host Heather Hausman sits down with registered dietitian Abby O'Malley — the practitioner Heather credits with changing the trajectory of her own health — for a deeply personal conversation about the gut-hormone connection in perimenopause and menopause. Trained through KU Med with an integrative and functional medicine fellowship, Abby brings both clin...

In this highly-requested episode of Second Half Strong , host and certified wellness coach Heather Hausman tackles the nutrient women in perimenopause and menopause keep asking about: fiber. Heather breaks down why fiber isn't just about regularity — it's the quiet workhorse behind balanced hormones, stable blood sugar, a thriving gut microbiome, lower inflammation, and even your body&ap...

Heather Hausman gets personal in this deeply meaningful episode of The Second Half Strong Show , sharing the health journey that shaped her mission to help women navigate perimenopause, hormones, inflammation, and midlife health with clarity and confidence. What began as a life-threatening mold exposure and severe asthma attack at age six unfolded into decades of chronic inflammation, endometriosi...

In this episode of The Second Half Strong Show , Heather Hausman moves beyond explaining blood sugar issues and focuses on what actually works. She breaks down how hormonal shifts in perimenopause affect glucose, energy, and cravings—and why your metabolism can feel inconsistent even when your habits stay the same. Listeners will learn practical strategies to stabilize blood sugar, including meal...

In this episode of The Second Half Strong Show , Heather Hausman explores the real conversation many women aren’t having about GLP-1 medications and perimenopause. Instead of debating whether they’re right or wrong, she breaks down what women need to understand about metabolism, hormone shifts, and weight loss after 40—including why fatigue, digestive issues, and weight regain can happen before, d...

In this episode of The Second Half Strong Show , Heather Hausman dives deep into one of the most frustrating—and misunderstood—parts of midlife health: blood sugar instability and metabolic dysfunction in perimenopause. If you’ve been experiencing energy crashes, intense cravings, brain fog, or stubborn belly fat despite eating well and exercising consistently, this episode explains why. Heather b...

In this episode of The Second Half Strong Show , Heather Hausman tackles a question so many women face in midlife: why does everything that used to work suddenly stop working after 40? From intermittent fasting to high-intensity workouts, many popular wellness strategies can backfire during perimenopause—and it’s not because of a lack of discipline. It’s because of biology. Heather breaks down the...

In this episode of The Second Half Strong Show , Heather Hausman reveals the one factor that has the power to influence everything women experience during perimenopause—from belly fat and insulin resistance to hormone imbalance, brain fog, and metabolic slowdown after 40. That factor? Muscle. Moving beyond the idea of muscle as just a fitness goal, Heather explains how it functions as an endocrine...

In this episode of The Second Half Strong Show , Heather Hausman breaks down one of the most frustrating and misunderstood changes women experience during perimenopause and midlife—the sudden increase in belly fat, even when nutrition and exercise haven’t changed. Through a powerful blend of real talk and science, Heather explains why this shift isn’t about willpower, but instead reflects deeper h...

Many women reach their 40s feeling like their bodies have suddenly changed overnight — energy crashes, stubborn weight gain, disrupted sleep, and diets that once worked no longer making a difference. In this episode, Heather Hausman breaks down the real reason behind these shifts: perimenopause and the powerful hormonal changes happening beneath the surface. Instead of blaming willpower or aging,...

Feeling exhausted but wired at night? Waking up at 3:00 AM, struggling with anxiety, brain fog, or sudden mood shifts—and wondering if this is just who you are now? In this episode, Heather Hausman breaks down what’s really happening inside the body during perimenopause and why so many women experience sleep disruption, nervous system dysregulation, anxiety, and cognitive changes during midlife. S...