Show Notes:

• Special guest: Dr. Breanne Hinz, my go-to chiropractor and all-around holistic health guru. She’s all about treating the whole person—body, mind, and spirit.
• The "portal" of midlife—Dr. Bre and I share what this means to us, and how this transitional stage of life is a powerful opportunity for transformation and renewal.
• We talk about the importance of pausing— it's almost like perimenoPAUSE is giving us an instruction we so frequently miss. Midlife is the perfect time to stop and start listening to your body.
• We dive into guilt, especially the kind that comes with resting, doing things for yourself, or fixating on what you are and aren't "supposed to do."
• Dr. Bre shares her thoughts on breaking old patterns, letting go of people-pleasing, and learning to trust your own intuition (even when it feels uncomfortable).
• Cycles, rest, and self-compassion are key—not just for women, but for everyone trying to find more ease in life.
• We share our favorite rituals: journaling, meditation, salt baths, and the magic of just sitting still and noticing what’s going on inside.
• Join The Pause: A Creative Portal for Midlife Women. This is a 60-minute virtual writing circle on January 15th at 6:30 pm MST/ 8:30 pm EST. Learn more here.
• Are you a midlife woman who writes, looking for a supportive, nourishing community to nurture both your spirit and your writing practice? Join MidCircle—details here.

Dr. Breanne Hinz aka “Dr. Bre” is a founder and lead chiropractor at Aligned Chiropractic and Performance Center, based in Arvada CO, where she practices with her husband, who is also a chiropractor. She’s specializes in nervous system regulation and treating whole families, and is certified in pediatric (and adult) craniosacral therapy. When not treating patients she enjoys yoga, being outdoors, and playing with her kids. She also has an in depth meditation practice and sees life from a growth mindset.

Follow Steph on IG @stephsprenger, and on Substack at The Reclamation Era.

This week's episode features a conversation with Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, environmentalist and journalist, about endocrine disruptors and women's health.

• Practical tips for reducing toxins: Rachel keeps it real—she shares information without making you panic or feel overwhelmed. The goal is to be informed, not freaked out!

• Cleaner cleaning supplies: Chemicals in everyday cleaners can be harmful; while there are a number of safer, non-toxic products on the market, don't forget about a return to vinegar and baking soda to keep your house clean, safely!

• Easy swaps to cut down on toxins: Don’t microwave or store hot food in plastic—use glass or even just a bowl with a plate on top. For lunches, try wax paper bags instead of plastic. Other tips: Take your shoes off when you come home, and consider shopping at thrift stores—seriously!

• What exactly are endocrine disruptors? Endocrine disruptors are sneaky chemicals that mess with your hormones. Earlier puberty and earlier perimenopause are concerning, and endocrine disruptors could be a contributing factor. Think: hormones in factory-farmed milk. Also, check out the Skin Deep database below for product safety information.

• Advocating for our health: Rachel and I dive into inaccurate perceptions of perimenopause versus menopause, patriarchy and its impact on women's health, and what might happen if men experienced "manopause."

• Vote, and also, vote with your wallet: Rachel shares one of the most important things we can do to advocate for cleaner living and a healthier planet: Vote for better people. She also reminds us that as consumers, we have more power than we may think simply through the messages we send by the types of products we choose to buy.

• Positive change is happening! Rachel shares resources on how to stay informed, and most importantly, she reminds us that there really are good things happening for the climate and for us as informed consumers.

Resources:
Environmental Working Group website
Skin Deep Database
Sister District Project
The Good Newsletter
Environmental Voter Project

Follow Steph on Substack at The Reclamation Era and on IG @stephsprenger

About Rachel:

Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff swapped sustainability tips with Jane Goodall, Jenna Elfman, and King Charles lll, among others. A former journalist, two-time TEDx speaker, and podcast host, Rachel was interviewed on the “Today” show and published in the Washington Post.

Rachel’s career as an environmentalist (including founding the now-defunct EcoStiletto and Mommy Greenest websites) informs her podcast series, climate content consulting, and the Good Newsletter (since 2008). She holds an MA in journalism (USC) and an MFA in fiction (Pacific University), lectures through the

This episode is a must-listen for anyone feeling the squeeze of midlife, burnout, or just the relentless grind of doing it all. Steph sits down with Jenni Gritters, author of "The Sustainable Solopreneur," for a real, no-holds-barred chat about what it means to build a business (and a life) that actually works for you—especially if you’re neurodivergent, a parent, or just plain tired of patriarchal hustle culture.

What’s Inside:

• Why the old rules of grind culture just don’t work for most women (especially during motherhood and perimenopause)—and why that’s not your fault.
• Jenni’s journey from media burnout to building a business that honors her body, her family, and her creativity.
• The power of pausing, pivoting, and giving yourself permission to evolve (spoiler: it’s not failure, it’s growth!).
• How nature, cycles, and the “sacred feminine” can inspire a more sustainable way to work and live.
• The importance of community, support, and letting go of the “eldest daughter” perfectionist energy.
• Practical tools for checking in with your capacity, setting boundaries, and making space for what really matters.
• Why midlife is actually a portal to power, not a slide into irrelevance—and how to embrace your “queen” era.
• Jenni's programs for solopreneurs, including her sacred council and creative intensives (with a waitlist you can join!).

Big Takeaways:

• You don’t have to do it all, all the time. Seasons, cycles, and pauses are not just okay—they’re necessary.
• Your body is wise. Listen to it before it shouts!
• There’s no one-size-fits-all for business or life. Find what fits you, and don’t be afraid to compost what doesn’t.
• Community and support are essential—let’s circle up and carry the lantern for each other.
• Permission to build a career you love that doesn't drain you: granted.

Links & Resources:

• Jenni’s website: jennigritters.com
• Instagram & LinkedIn: @jennigritters
• Newsletter: The Sustainable Solopreneur
• Book: "The Sustainable Solopreneur" (Amazon & direct from Jenni’s site)
• Waitlist for The Council

Thanks for tuning in! Let’s keep redefining normal, together.

• I speak with Sarah Michelle Sherman about her journey to a diagnosis of ADHD and Bipolar disorder and the impact of medication on her life.
• Getting the right diagnosis is all about having a provider who spends the time listening to you in order to get a full picture of your mental health—the correct diagnosis means the correct medication, which can make a world of difference.
• Neurodivergence has a lot of Venn diagram overlap AND comorbidity with other conditions like anxiety and mood disorders—it can be difficult to separate out symptoms and accurately attribute them when you are dealing with multiple diagnoses.
• Getting the right meds for you can be life-changing—AND life saving. Sarah shares the powerful truth that she would not be here without medication.
• The shame around taking medication needs to end. No one shames people for taking diabetes or blood pressure meds—mental health deserves the same respect. Stigma is harmful and keeps people from getting the help they need.
• With all the extra self-care, therapy, and yes, sometimes medication, comes a gift: the ability to feel deeply. The lows can be tough, but the joy and love are just as real—and that’s a superpower.
• Medication isn’t about changing who you are or making anyone “compliant.” It’s about helping people (and kids) manage their busy minds so they can be themselves, not about forcing anyone to fit a mold.
• The importance of treatment in order to be a good *enough* (not perfect!) mother. We discuss how challenging motherhood can be on our mental health or neurodivergent brains, and how much pressure there is to stay present and "get it right."

Sarah Michelle Sherman is a writer living in Albany, New York. Her work has appeared in HuffPost, Today, Parents, and other outlets. She’s currently working on a collection of personal essays exploring depression, motherhood, the end of her marriage, and the search to find herself through it all. With unflinching vulnerability, Sarah strives to challenge the mental health stigma and inspire others to have more honest conversations about the tangled complexities of being alive. A passionate believer in the power of storytelling to foster empathy, connection, and a sense of belonging, she writes with the hope of reaching those who need to feel seen and understood. For the ones who are lonely, lost, or fearlessly chasing a life others have told you doesn’t exist—Sarah writes for you.

Follow Steph on Substack at The Reclamation Era and on IG @stephsprenger

Show Notes:

• Meet Amie Newman: writer, editor, and all-around champion for women’s voices, especially when it comes to the messy realities of our bodies.
• Amie is working on an anthology called This Is Not Your Mother’s Eating Disorder—and she wants your stories!
• We dive into what it’s like getting an ADHD diagnosis in your 40s and 50s. Spoiler: you’re not alone, and you’re definitely not crazy.
• Midlife women are starting to share openly (suuuuuper openly) with our friends (and sometimes the internet) about our bodies, perimenopause, menopause, relationships, aging, and our health. And that is a beautiful thing, EXCEPT:
• Sometimes this results in a "DIY approach" to our health—without professionals "looking out for us," we are left to be our own detectives, advocates, and even doctors. And that needs to change.
• Real talk about ADHD, perimenopause/menopause, and eating disorders, and how they intersect—especially in midlife.
• Amie shares when and how her eating disorder returned, and why it's important for us to understand the hormone connection. Women who have experienced eating disorders in adolescence need a heads-up that midlife can bring a recurrence.
• Community is everything. From estrogen patch revelations at ladies’ night to sharing tips on how to talk to your doctor, we’re all learning from each other.
• The “Latchkey Crones” are here! Gen X women are building new rituals, telling new stories, and refusing to go quietly into suffering or irrelevance.
• Find Amie on Substack at “This Is Not Your Mother’s Eating Disorder” for more stories, resources, and connection.

Bonus moments, aka "the outtakes":

• Hysterical laughing fits over earrings, AI photo fails, and the discovery that sometimes strangers in parking garages are just future friends.
• The world might be a mess, but at least our earrings are awesome.

Amie is a writer, editor and storyteller who dives headfirst into the messy, fascinating realities of women’s bodies and lives. After graduating from NYU, Amie started her career in TV, working at MTV, PBS, and NBC. She also produced and collaborated on short documentaries on a variety of social change issues.

A former editor and staff writer at RH Reality Check (now Rewire News) and contributor to Our Bodies, Ourselves, she’s spent her career amplifying women’s voices around reproductive health, motherhood, menopause, and everything in between. She helps lead a nonprofit social service organization and loves nothing more than getting women talking and writing about their bodies, health, and all the things they have been told to keep quiet about. She’s currently editing an anthology on eating disorders in midlife women, This Is Not Your Mother’s Eating Disorder, inviting new stories, poems, illustrations and essays from midlife women who have experienced an eating disorder later in life and wants to hear from you.

Amie is the proud mother of two brilliant humans, an abortion doula, and certified yoga teacher, and lives by the water in Seattle where she’s teaching herself to play the guitar and co-leading women’s circles on rituals, myths, and storysharing for perimenopausal and menopausal women.

🎙️ Peri-Normal Podcast: The Perimenopausal Glucose Diaries: Insulin Resistance and CGMs

Welcome back to the Paranormal Podcast! In this episode, Steph dives into the wild ride of perimenopause, neurodivergence, and midlife—sharing her personal journey with glucose monitoring, hormone therapy, and the realities of being a single parent with ADHD.

What’s Inside:

• Real talk about perimenopausal weight gain, hormone changes, and why the old tricks don’t always work anymore
• Steph’s experience with continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and what she’s learned from tracking her data
• The emotional rollercoaster of health advocacy, stress, and self-acceptance

Key Takeaways from Steph’s Glucose Tracking:

• 🍦 Some foods that should spike glucose (like ice cream) didn’t, while “healthy” foods (like oatmeal and rice) did—context and meal composition matter!
• 🥗 Adding protein and fiber to every meal helps prevent glucose spikes
• ⏰ Eating smaller, regular meals throughout the day keeps glucose more stable (no more skipping breakfast!)
• 🧘‍♀️ Stress has a direct impact on glucose—both daily stress and even nightmares can cause spikes
• 😴 Sleep quality and glucose are linked; tracking both gives a fuller picture of health
• 🔄 Steph sometimes experiences hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), not just high—perimenopause and hormones can make things unpredictable
• 🧠 She’s learned to trust her body’s signals: feeling flustered or tired often matches up with glucose data
• 🏋️‍♀️ Moving more (even if it’s just dancing in the kitchen) and experimenting with carb cycling has helped with both mood and weight

Steph’s Tips for Navigating Perimenopausal Glucose Changes:

• Eat breakfast—even if you don’t feel like it
• Pay attention to how your body reacts to different foods (everyone’s different!)
• Add protein and fiber to every meal
• Move your body in ways that feel good (housework counts!)
• Don’t be afraid to experiment and track your own data

Resources & Links:

• Steph’s favorite CGM: Stello by Dexcom, used with the Nutri Sense app: USE CODE MOTHERPLUS with this link to save 30%.
• Book rec: “Change Your Diet, Change Your Mind” by Dr. Georgia Ede, M. D.
• Podcast episode: ADHD Chatter with Dr. Georgia Ede (ignore click-baity title!)

Connect with Steph:

• Leave a comment or review—your feedback means the world!
• Follow Steph on Instagram: @stephsprenger or Substack
• Got questions? Reach out and join the conversation!

Welcome to Peri-Normal! In this episode, Steph sits down with the amazing Britt Ballard, creator of The Unsent Show, for a real, unfiltered conversation about perimenopause, creativity, and what it means to be a woman in midlife.

We get into:

• The wild ride of perimenopause—the grief, the superpowers, the chin hairs, the metamorphosis.
• Britt says, “When I gave birth, the woman I was before then died.” We talk about the life cycles of womanhood and the constant deaths and rebirths along the way.
• Why “there’s nothing to fix” might be the most freeing mantra for this stage of life. “ I'm just alive. I'm just porous.”
• “Is it Trump or is it hormones?” Untangling the macro-crises from the micro, and discerning what is ours and what belongs to the collective.
• “My body is finally my own. This is new.” We unpack why midlife is finally the time to get in touch with what we really want.
• Honest talk about hormones, night sweats, bleeding, and the never-ending search for the right supplement or self-care ritual to solve all your problems. “There’s a tincture for that!”
• The gamification of perimenopause: On trying everything from pills to acupuncture, and still feeling like you’re “behind,” or “not doing it right.”
• “Not everything is about estrogen.” Like PMS, perimenopause is not to blame for all our problems or arguments—but it does make it difficult to mask and tolerate problematic behavior.
• Why Britt is looking forward to certain aspects of aging, and how she envisions women playing a role in her future crone life.

Join Britt in Denver on Friday, 9/26 for the Unsent Show, and make sure you find Steph in the audience and say hi! Tickets here.

And don't miss "Back to school comedy night" on 9/28 at the Lafayette Arts Hub. Join Steph and other local moms for hilarious storytelling and stand-up comedy. Tickets here.

Britt is a mother, writer, filmmaker, host of Unsent live show and podcast, and co-founder of the new healing arts non profit Three Things with her husband, rap artist Old Man Saxon. She’s a trained End of Life Doula through Peaceful Presence, and she guides older adults through 3rd Act Life Review Interviews as part of her legacy work offerings. She makes music as Baby Luck (she's not a singer but she can sing!) and more music will be pouring out of her soon. She really loves hosting Unsent Show and is expanding the show in exciting ways, so stay tuned! She’s grappling with grief and freedom, so she's currently writing a film about a daughter whose mom asks her to help her die, and a TV series about a barber turned death doula that she pitched at SeriesFest Pitch-a-thon and won, amongst many other short stories and essays! She also writes The Overflow on Substack, which is her happy place. (She doesn't love the word "should" but you should please read it.) She’s going to write a book someday, or maybe she already is?

Episode Overview:
Welcome to the debut episode of Peri-Normal, a podcast dedicated to demystifying neurodivergence and perimenopause, especially as they intersect at midlife. Host Steph Sprenger shares her personal journey with ADHD, discusses the challenges of diagnosis for women, and sets the stage for candid conversations with experts and real people navigating neurodivergence in midlife.

Key Topics Covered:

• Steph’s ADHD diagnosis story: growing up undiagnosed, internalizing symptoms, and the journey to self-discovery in midlife.
• The unique challenges women face with ADHD, including misdiagnosis and masking.
• The impact of hormones, perimenopause, and motherhood on neurodivergence.
• The importance of understanding the differences between inattentive, hyperactive, and combined types of ADHD.
• How perimenopause can amplify neurodivergent symptoms and the role of hormone therapy.
• The intersection of perimenopausal hormones, glucose issues, and neurodivergence.
• The need for open conversations about midlife brain and body changes, breaking the silence of previous generations.

What to Expect from the Podcast:

• Real conversations with midlife women about their experiences with neurodivergence.
• Discussions on diagnosis journeys, medication, symptom management, and harnessing neurodivergent strengths.
• Exploration of what happens when perimenopause and ADHD collide.
• Occasional interviews with men diagnosed with ADHD at midlife.
• A supportive space for listeners who are diagnosed, neuro-curious, or seeking strategies and science behind neurodivergence and midlife.

Get Involved:

• Interested in being a guest or have an idea? Email: RabbitHoleProdsinc@gmail.com
• Learn more about Steph, book a 1:1 session, or join a writing workshop on her website here.
• Follow Steph's writing on her Substack: The Reclamation Era.