In this episode of Hello Hot Flash, I sit down with Leslie Gordon Christie, a renowned mindset and personal development coach, and founder of Buff Nation: 40+ and Fabulous. Leslie is on a mission to help women over 40 break free from limiting beliefs, reclaim their energy, and step into the strongest version of themselves—mentally, emotionally, and physically.

We explore how subconscious beliefs can quietly hold you back in your health, relationships, and especially your career—and how a mindset shift can be the key to thriving in midlife.

• How limiting beliefs silently sabotage your health and career

• The connection between mindset, menopause, and motivation

• A 5-step process to reprogram your thinking and reclaim your confidence

• Practical techniques like visualization, affirmations, and daily gratitude

• Why focusing on what you want to create is more powerful than what you want to fix

Leslie Gordon Christie is a mindset and personal development coach who helps professional women shift their thinking to step into their best selves. She is the creator of BUFFnation (Beautiful, Unique, Fearless, Females), an online community empowering women 40+ through personal development, fitness, and nutrition.

With over two decades of experience in health, wellness, and personal development, Leslie is a Certified Proctor Gallagher Consultant, Culinary Nutrition Specialist, and certified personal trainer. Her coaching dives deep into core beliefs, helping clients reframe perspectives, build resilience, and achieve personal and professional growth.

Before launching her business, Leslie was a CTV anchor and reporter, associate editor at *Oxygen* magazine, and a freelance health journalist. Originally from Providence, Rhode Island, she grew up in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and holds a degree from Carleton University. She lives in Conestogo, Ontario, with her husband, Kyle, their two sons, Carter and Allister, and their Labradoodle, Ace.

Website: https://www.wearebuffnation.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thebuffmom

• Ready to launch your podcast: https://hellohotflash.com/podcast-production

• Listen to the Limited Series - Christian Women And Menopause: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/christian-women-and-menopause/id1742579345

Is hair loss during menopause just something we have to accept? Absolutely not. In this candid solo episode, host Stephanie Shaw, certified nutrition coach and menopause advocate, debunks the myth that hair thinning is just a cosmetic issue or “normal aging.”

Stephanie shares her personal hair loss journey and what helped her regrow confidence—and her hairline. You’ll learn the hormonal causes behind menopause-related hair loss, key nutritional gaps that may be contributing, and what labs to request to get real answers. If you're seeing more hair in your brush or noticing your parts are getting wider, this episode will help you understand the why and take next steps.

• Why hair loss is a health signal, not just a beauty issue

• How hormonal shifts—especially estrogen and testosterone—affect your hair

• Medical solutions

• Holistic strategies

• What type of specialist to see first

• The three lab tests to request from your doctor

• A powerful question to ask if your hair loss is being dismissed

In this episode of Hello Hot Flash, we’re diving into the science and strategy behind clearing the mental fog that hits hard during midlife. You’ll learn how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and nutritional shifts can dramatically improve memory, focus, and mental energy—especially when your hormones are changing.

What You’ll Learn:

• The neuroscience of brain fog—and why it’s not “just stress.”
• How CBT techniques can rewire your brain and sharpen your thinking.
• Why nutrition is the missing link for many women struggling with concentration and clarity.

👉 Want help building a plan that's tailored to you? Book your free Action Plan Call here: https://www.hellohotflash.com/actionplancall

Show Notes

In this empowering episode of the Hello Hot Flash Podcast, I talk with Karen Viesta, a certified health and lifestyle coach who helps women over 40 master their health, energy, and boundaries. Together, they explore how people-pleasing behaviors and poor boundaries silently erode your well-being—and what to do about it.

Karen shares why boundaries are not about control, but about self-respect and emotional protection—and how to communicate them clearly so they strengthen, rather than harm, your relationships.

What You’ll Learn:

1. Why people pleasing is often rooted in early conditioning—and how to start breaking free.
2. The key resources boundaries are meant to protect: your time, money, energy, and emotional health.
3. How to communicate boundaries and consequences without guilt, shame, or fear of rejection.

Additional Resources:

• Have a health chat with Stephanie: /https://LOscheduling.as.me/action-plan-call
• Inquire about nutrition coaching here: https://LOscheduling.as.me/Wellness
• Listen to the Limited Series - Christian Women And Menopause: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/christian-women-and-menopause/id1742579345
• Take the free Hot Flash Free challenge here: https://www.hellohotflash.com/scorecard

About Our Guest

To learn more about our guest, head over to https://hellohotflash.com/episodes/stop-people-pleasing.

Results are not guaranteed. The interview is for entertainment purposes only. Please see disclaimer for more details.

In this episode, I break down the real reasons why weight gain happens during perimenopause and menopause — and why it’s not your fault. It's not just about eating less and moving more; it's about understanding the major changes happening inside your body and adjusting your approach.

I explain what tests you can request from your doctor, how hormonal shifts impact your metabolism, and why strategies that used to work often stop working in midlife.

If you're feeling frustrated with stubborn weight gain, heavier breathing, or faster heart rates when exercising — you’re not alone. I share how better information, targeted testing, and the right support can help you take control again.

• Which medical tests you should ask your doctor for to get a clearer picture of your health
• How hormone changes, like lower estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, affect your ability to lose weight
• Why insulin resistance often develops in midlife and how it sabotages weight loss efforts
• Why old methods like extreme calorie cutting and aggressive exercise stop working
• How to work with your body — not against it — using a smarter, more supportive approach

👉 Want help building a plan that's tailored to you? Book your free Action Plan Call here: https://www.hellohotflash.com/actionplancall

Show Notes:

In today’s 10-Minute Menopause Moment on Hello Hot Flash, we're busting one of the biggest myths around menopause — that it automatically means the end of your sex life.

Spoiler alert: it doesn’t!

In this episode, I share medical and holistic solutions to help support libido during midlife, who to talk to, and exactly what to ask for at your next doctor’s appointment.

Whether you're curious about testosterone therapy, natural options like maca root, or just want to feel empowered at your next check-up, this quick episode gives you the facts you need to start important conversations and take back control of your health.

What You'll Learn:

• The role of testosterone therapy in boosting libido after menopause — and important pros and cons to know
• A natural alternative (maca root) that may help support sexual health and energy
• The specific test to ask for at your next doctor’s visit if you're concerned about low libido

In today's episode, we’re diving into how sugar impacts menopause, the surprising connection between blood sugar and hot flashes, weight gain, and mood swings, plus simple medical and dietary solutions you can start today.

If you’re tired of unexplained weight gain, energy crashes, or intense sugar cravings during perimenopause and menopause, this episode is for you!

• The hidden ways sugar wreaks havoc on your body during perimenopause and menopause.

• Two actionable solutions: a medical option (CGM - Continuous Glucose Monitor) and a holistic dietary approach to stabilize blood sugar.

• Which tests to request and which medical experts to see if you're struggling with blood sugar issues during menopause.

• Have a health chat with Stephanie: https://www.hellohotflash.com/actionplancall

• Inquire about nutrition coaching: https://www.hellohotflash.com/discoverycall

• Listen to the Limited Series - Christian Women And Menopause: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/christian-women-and-menopause/id1742579345

• Take the free Hot Flash Free challenge here: https://www.hellohotflash.com/scorecard

Dr. Jenny Tufenkian, licensed naturopathic physician and expert in functional medicine, breaks down the complex relationship between long Covid, chronic fatigue (ME/CFS), and brain inflammation. Learn how lingering viruses, gut health, and emotional well-being play a role in post-viral syndromes—and how you can take steps toward healing.

Whether you're struggling with fatigue, brain fog, or feeling dismissed by providers, this episode offers hope and insight into root causes and solutions.

1. Why long Covid and chronic fatigue syndrome often overlap—and what your inflammation levels might be trying to tell you
2. How reactivated viruses like Epstein-Barr could be contributing to fatigue, brain fog, and immune dysfunction
3. Holistic tools (and medical ones) to support healing—including how to choose the right probiotics and test for lingering spike proteins

(00:01:19) What post-viral fatigue really is—and why it’s often misunderstood (00:05:53) How latent viruses like Epstein-Barr reactivate and cause respiratory and immune dysfunction (00:13:20) What a holistic approach to long Covid recovery looks like (00:15:30) Why inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction are central to persistent symptoms (00:18:04) How viral fragments continue to dysregulate your immune system (00:26:33) How to tailor probiotics to your unique gut health (00:29:27) The link between chronic inflammation and long Covid symptoms (00:33:05) Why emotional healing is key to gut and immune health (00:44:33) The role of pharmacists and integrative providers in long Covid recovery

Find out more about our guest here.