Side Project

Financial wellness looks a lot different in middle age... If my spouse passed away unexpectedly, would I know what to do? How should we think about investing? What questions should we be asking when it comes to estate planning? Laura Combs, Executive Managing Director at Mercer Advisors, joins us to talk about what women can do to take charge of their financial health. Laura walks us through a few...

Episode 16: Marriage and “Intimacy” We’re talking about sex, baby. It’s super important to “check under the hood” in our long-term relationships, whether we’re married or not, but it’s hard to know what that looks like. Reproductive psychiatrist Dr. Nicole Cirino joins us for an open conversation on sex in middle age. Listen in as we discuss common sexual concerns, the role hormones play in sexual...

Heart disease is the #1 cause of death for women in the United States, yet an estimated 80% of these cases are preventable. How can we assess our risks and change our lifestyles to keep our hearts healthy? Pioneering cardiologist Dr. Nieca Goldberg answers all of our questions: How does menopause affect our hearts? How much are heart issues dictated by genetics versus lifestyle? When should we see...

Sugar consumption has grown exponentially over the past two decades, and with it comes much higher rates of things like diabetes and heart disease. In this episode we speak with Dr. Courtney Peterson, Associate Professor of Nutrition at Harvard’s TH Chan School of Public Health, about sugar and cardiometabolic health. Listen in as we discuss how our bodies’ response to sugar changes as we age, how...

Friends, it’s time to get down and dirty here on Side Project. In this episode, we talk to gastroenterologist Bincy Abraham to learn how we can care for our microbiomes as we age. How much fiber should we actually be getting, what’s the deal with colonoscopies, and on a scale of 1-10, just how bad is the Standard American Diet for our gastro health? We’re asking about everything from bowel movemen...

We’re bombarded with information and forced to multitask so often that it can be difficult to focus on just one thing when we have the opportunity. In this episode, we talk to counselor and Dharma teacher Erin Selover to learn strategies to help us quiet the noise. Learn how you can build a meditation practice by starting with just a few minutes here and there – on the bus, in the bathtub, or even...

Few of us take the time to even consider our feet, much less proactively care for them. Yet things like foot health, walking speed, and balance are an accurate predictor of our own mortality. In episode 11 we talk to podiatrist Emily Splichal about the various ways we can improve our foot health. Dr. Emily offers tips, exercises, and favorite products and treatments to help us maintain our foot fi...

We set off to create ten episodes to address all the middle-aged things our friends are talking about. Now we’re wrapping up our Side Project experiment by talking through our favorite learnings and take-aways. Listen as we parse through the discussions and arrive at our conclusions about wellness, women’s health, and the changes we’re committed to as we age. Learn more and subscribe at SideProjec...

Physical pain can be a dark and isolating thing. Rheumatologist and immunologist Naureen Alim joins us for episode ten to discuss why chronic pain creeps up on us in middle age via things like injuries, arthritis, autoimmune disease, osteoporosis, and more. Many of us were raised as part of the Suck-It-Up Generation, so how do we find relief? Listen as we talk through strategies for coping with an...

How should we think about our health today in order to have a greater impact for the long haul? Midi Health Co-Founder & CEO Joanna Strober joins us for episode nine to discuss how we can safeguard our bodies in order to stay stronger for longer. It’s not just longevity – it’s also STRONGEVITY. We’re digging deep into everything from estrogen patches, testosterone, and sleep to protein, fiber,...

Is middle age where fashion goes to die? We’re talking to Janel Dyan, brand advisor, stylist, speaker, and bestselling author of Story. Style. Brand. Janel explains why she doesn’t believe in rules for dressing and walks us through how clothing helps us tell our own stories. Listen as she dishes on accessory trends, favorite brands, and why we should always complete the sit test. 

Why is it so challenging to maintain the right weight as we age, even with exercise and a pretty good diet? We’re talking to Dr. Rupal Mathur, an internal medicine doctor and weight loss specialist to get her perspectives, tips, and simple swaps. Dr. Mathur answers our weight loss questions about everything from Ozempic and supplements to protein and strength training. Learn more and subscribe at...

Why is it so taboo to talk about death? In this episode, we speak to Kacie Gikonyo, a registered nurse, death doula, and Founder of the Death Doula School. Listen in as Kacie talks about what a death doula is and how one can help your loved ones at any stage of life. She also offers new ways to talk about the dying process, plus tips for overcoming resistance to talking about death. Learn more at...

How much should we mess with nature as we age versus aging gracefully? Board-certified dermatologist Sinae Kane joins us to talk about ways we can keep our youthful radiance as we age, from the simple and topical to the complex and injectable. Learn more at SideProjectHQ.com and be sure to subscribe. 

Quality sleep is so important to our health, yet it feels much less attainable in middle age. Khaliah Guillory, a certified sleep coach and the Founder of Nap Bar, joins us to talk about how hormonal changes affect our sleep and ways we can crack the system to get more rest. We dig into how and when to nap, what to do when we’re awake in the middle of the night, and optimal sleep environments. Lea...

Sometimes it feels like we're surrounded by anxiety. How did we get here, and how do we know when it's time to seek help? Mimi Winsberg, Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer at Brightside Health, talks us through coping strategies, supplements and medications, and the addictive power of Cheetos. Learn more at SideProjectHQ.com and be sure to subscribe.

It's a nutritional potpourri! Listen in as we discuss how our nutritional needs change as we age. Which supplements are right for me? How much protein do we actually need every day? Plus, matcha, caffeine, and the magical foods we should all be adding to our diets.  Learn more at SideProjectHQ.com and be sure to subscribe.

What even is perimenopause?! Listen in as Menowar Founder Allison Lewin educates us on the what's, why's, and how's. How do you stop hot flashes? Should we be putting estrogen on our faces? How safe is it to take hormones? Can we prevent brain fog? We're here to ask all the questions we're talking about in the bathroom, but rarely discuss in public.  Learn more at SideProj...

Longtime tech execs Leyla Seka, Julie Liegl, and Ruthie Miller are using their sabbaticals to focus on a new project: their (mildly neglected) health and wellness. Join us as they take an entertaining journey through the modern issues facing today’s Sandwich Generation: sleep, anxiety, perimenopause, weight management, nutrition, mental health, and more.