Modern Menopause by Parlor Games

A USA Today story about a nurse who died from an UTI sent Morven and Dr. Robyn straight to the research. In this episode they talk about how UTI patterns can look different as we age, why that's worth knowing, and what a large observational study of about 1.8 million women found when researchers looked at vaginal estrogen use — including what the researchers themselves say the data can and can't t...

Some of the best menopause advice comes from the friend who’s a few steps ahead of you and says it like it is. Marni and Dom, audiobook narrators and hosts of Bitches in Heat , built a whole podcast around that idea. They join Morven and Dr. Robyn Kutka to talk about why humor makes hard conversations easier, why no question is too basic, and how sharing stories helps other women (and the people w...

Her blood work said to raise your estrogen. Her saliva said lower it. Her urine said you're good. Dr. Robyn shares a real client's results, a 51-year-old with osteoporosis using topical hormones, and shows why each lab tells a different story. Then Morven asks the question: if the numbers disagree, which one do you act on? A previously recorded podcast mentioned in the show is titled: The Great Te...

Morven and Dr. Robyn tackle the myths women hear about life after 65, starting with the idea that it's too late to try something new, whether that's a hobby, a sport, or a whole new look. They get into the real science behind loneliness and the HPA axis, why balance training matters more than people think, and the pervasive myth that women over a certain age shouldn't be having sex. Plus: the "sma...

A professional post-menopausal athlete came to Dr. Robyn with no hot flashes, no mood changes, no sleep issues — just injury after injury and a 25% drop in performance. The culprit turned out to be a compounding error that had quietly flipped her estrogen ratio, dosing her with four times the estradiol she should've had. Morven and Dr. Robyn walk through how that imbalance shows up in muscle and l...

Menopause doesn't just thin the hair on your head, it can thicken it in places you'd rather it didn't. Dr. Robyn explains why one hormone shift causes two opposite effects depending on where the follicle lives, and what's actually worth trying if you're dealing with noticeable hair changes. Let’s talk about what's happening to your hair in midlife — and what's actually worth your time and money to...

For decades, sex meant focusing on what your partner needed, not what you did. Board-certified sexologist Jackie JacksonDaley joins Morven and Dr. Robyn to talk about what changes when women finally ask what they want — from vanishing libido to the real reason so many couples feel mismatched in the bedroom. Plus: an honest, no-shame conversation about toys, boundaries, and why "self-exploration" i...

Insulin is a hormone and menopause changes how your body listens to it. Dr. Robyn Kutka joins Morven to talk meno belly, blood sugar, testing options, and why you can influence your numbers without needing to control them. The information provided is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Statements made have not been evaluated by the FDA nor are they intended to treat or diagno...

She built a tea company for women in menopause, produced a documentary that screened at the UN, founded Wise Pause Wellness, and it all started with one very inconvenient hot flash. This week Morven and Dr. Robyn sit down with Denise Pines, a producer, entrepreneur, policy advocate, and filmmaker. You might recognize her as the woman behind The M Factor documentary series. Denise gets real about t...

Ten years post-menopausal, feeling stuck in fight-or-flight, convinced the fix was obvious — she just needed her estrogen back. It's one of the most common assumptions women make during midlife, and one of the easiest for a provider to miss. In this episode, Morven and Dr. Robyn walk through a real, side-by-side case study — two years of actual saliva test results — to unpack why "your hormones mu...

Can't fall asleep? Wide awake at 3 AM? Sleeping but not actually resting? You're not imagining it. Morven and Dr. Robyn dig into why progesterone and estrogen changes may affect your sleep, what cortisol has to do with it, and the daytime habits (not just bedtime ones) that actually move the needle. Plus: real listener questions on 3 AM wake-ups, sleep trackers, and when to loop in your doctor. Ex...

You've heard of BPA-free, but do you actually know what xenoestrogens are and why they matter—especially as your hormones shift with age? In this episode, Morven and Dr. Robyn Kutka unpack what xenoestrogens are, how they mimic estrogen in the body, and why they're linked to everything from hormone imbalances to metabolic changes and weight gain. Plus, there’s a surprising source of xenoestrogens...

We are excited to have a special guest, Dr. Carla DiGirolamo, on today’s episode. She is a Board Certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist, Reproductive Endocrinologist and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, as well as a CrossFit athlete. Morven, Dr. Robyn, and Dr Carla dive into the biggest myths keeping women from training hard in perimenopause and menopause. They discuss cortisol, carbs (hint:...

Everyone warned you about hot flashes. No one warned you about this. Mood swings in perimenopause don't look like crying at a dog food commercial — for many women, they look like homicidal rage. That out-of-body feeling where a dirty dishwasher turns into a screaming match, and afterward you're left wondering, "What is wrong with me?" In this episode, Morven and Dr. Robyn break down exactly what's...

In this special episode of Modern Menopause, hosts Morven and Dr. Robyn sit down with Parlor Games co-founders Kate and Kirsti for a candid, multi-generational conversation about perimenopause and menopause. From Kate's decades of hormone expertise to Kirsti's unexpected battle with sex, to Dr. Robyn's own "aha moment" mid-CrossFit competition — this episode covers it all and the cultural silence...

Most women hit perimenopause doing everything the same — workouts, eating, routine — and still watch their body change in ways nobody prepared them for. So why aren't we talking about it honestly? In this episode, licensed therapist Morven and consulting physician Dr. Robyn finally have the conversation that should come standard with every menopause transition. They break down why weight shifts du...

If you've ever leaked a little when you sneeze, avoided jumping on the trampoline with your kids, or quietly suffered through sex that doesn't feel like it used to, this episode is for you. Dr. Sara Reardon, board-certified pelvic floor therapist and creator of The Vagina Whisperer, joins Dr. Robyn and Morven to break down everything you were never taught about your pelvic floor—especially during...

Perimenopause and menopause can feel overwhelming, especially when women are told they need to completely overhaul their lives just to feel normal again. In this episode of Modern Menopause, Morven and Dr. Robyn Kutka discuss evidence-based, non-hormonal approaches that may help support women through perimenopause and menopause issues. They explore: sleep and stress management protein, blood sugar...

On this episode of the Modern Menopause podcast, Morven and Dr. Robyn Kutka explore what many women notice—changes in focus , memory, and mental clarity during perimenopause and menopause. From forgetting words mid-sentence to struggling with concentration and feeling mentally overwhelmed, they dig into why so many women feel like their brain went on vacation without them and how to feel more like...

What exactly is DHEA—and why are so many women suddenly hearing about it during perimenopause and menopause? In this episode of Modern Menopause by Parlor Games , hosts Dr. Robyn Kutka and Morven break down what DHEA is and how it fits into the broader hormone conversation around estrogen and testosterone. They dive into: The difference between DHEA and testosterone Whether women should test hormo...

If you’ve ever been told your lab results are “normal” but still don’t feel like yourself, you’re not alone. In this episode, Dr Robyn Kutka and Morven explore the differences between blood testing and saliva testing for hormones—and why the results may not always reflect how you’re actually feeling. They discuss how common testing methods work, what they measure, and some of the limitations to be...

Vaginal dryness is a topic many women experience but rarely talk about. From feeling drier or less comfortable down there to changes during intimacy, the stuff nobody warned you about—Morven and Dr. Robyn Kutka are talking about all of it. The information provided is intended for educational and informational purposes only. Statements made have not been evaluated by the FDA nor are they intended t...

A lot of women are told that estrogen is the only hormone that matters in perimenopause and menopause — but that’s not the full story. In this episode of the Modern Menopause Podcast, Morven and Dr. Robyn Kutka break down one of the most common misconceptions women hear: that all menopause symptoms come from low estrogen. But what if that’s not the full story? From feeling foggy to tossing and tur...

If perimenopause has been on your radar and you want the real, unfiltered conversation, this one's for you. In this episode of Modern Menopause, your host Morven and hormone expert Dr. Robyn Kutka break down the hormonal changes behind perimenopause, the issues women often miss, and why so many are told they’re “too young” when they’re not. We also discuss testing and how to recognize when somethi...

Is testosterone really the answer to low libido during perimenopause and menopause—or is that just another overhyped myth? In this episode of Modern Menopause , your host Morven and hormone expert Dr. Robyn Kutka break down the truth about testosterone and women’s libido. While it’s often promoted as a quick fix, libido is far more complex—especially during midlife. We get into why libido during m...