n this episode of The Menowave Lounge: Hot Flashes and Cool Conversations, host Robin Duke sits down with Debbie Francis — Certified Organic Formulator, holistic wellness educator, and founder of ReFlourish Organics.

What started as a personal solution for vaginal dryness during menopause led Debbie to a profound mission: helping women feel empowered, informed, and intimately connected through all-natural self-care.

Debbie shares her journey from DIY coconut oil remedies to launching a wellness brand that educates women on what’s really in their products — and how to choose ingredients that nourish, not disrupt, our hormonal health.

From the hidden toxins in “natural” skincare to the emotional layers of intimacy in menopause, this conversation is rich with insight, heart, and practical wisdom.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• What it means to be a Certified Organic Formulator — and why that matters
• How petrochemicals and synthetic ingredients impact hormone balance
• The truth about “natural” vs. “organic” — and how to spot greenwashing
• Why menopause can disrupt intimacy — and how to gently restore it
• The “5 Re’s” framework to reconnect with your body, identity, and joy
• How to build a skincare and intimacy routine that truly supports you

Debbie also shares a free Ingredient Checklist to help you decode product labels and make empowered choices, plus a sneak peek at what’s ahead for ReFlourish Organics — including new product scents and a special live Q&A.

Ready to reconnect with your body and reimagine self-care as an act of joy? This one’s for you.

Join Debbie live in the Menowave Facebook Group next week for a Q&A session diving deeper into ingredients, intimacy, and holistic wellness. First-time customers can use code ROWELCOME at ReFlourishOrganics.com for special pricing.

In this episode of The Menowave Lounge: Hot Flashes and Cool Conversations, hosts Robin Duke and Janette Blissett sit down with Lisa Swanson, fitness and weight loss expert with over 35 years of experience helping women over 50 achieve sustainable, stress-free weight loss.

From crushing gym intimidation to rethinking metabolism, Lisa brings clarity, compassion, and practical wisdom to a topic so many women struggle with in silence. Her holistic approach — blending aligned nutrition, progressive strength training, and mindset support — is helping postmenopausal women reclaim energy, confidence, and joy in their bodies again.

Spoiler alert: If you’ve been trying to “eat less and move more,” you might be doing too much — and stressing your system into shutdown.

In This Episode, We Cover:

🔥 Why your metabolism is more like a stress barometer than a calorie calculator
🧠 The power of “baby step beliefs” — and how they rewire self-trust and motivation
💪 Why strength training matters more than cardio after 50
🧘‍♀️ The overlooked role of rest, recovery, and emotional stress on weight loss
👟 Walking, yoga, silence, and other gentle ways to reset cortisol
🌿 How to approach weight loss from wisdom, not punishment

Lisa also shares the truth about scale obsession, the myth of "starting over," and how to shift from overwhelm to empowerment with small, sustainable changes.

Ready to reclaim your metabolism and reframe your mindset? You’re not starting over — you’re starting from experience.

In this episode of The Menowave Lounge: Hot Flashes and Cool Conversations, hosts Robin Duke and Janette Blissett welcome Jen Kunkel, a Midlife Women’s Wellness Strategist and host of the Women Rocking Midlife podcast. With a background in chemical and biomedical engineering, Jen challenges outdated views on menopause and embraces a holistic, empowered approach to well-being. In This Episode, We Cover:

✨ How emotional energy gets stored in the body and resurfaces during menopause
✨ The connection between menopause, chakras, and vibrational energy
✨ Practical techniques for releasing stuck emotions and balancing your energy
✨ How mindfulness and meditation can ease menopause symptoms like anxiety and sleep disturbances
✨ The power of setting daily intentions to recognize and manage emotional triggers

Jen shares her personal journey through perimenopause and how she discovered the deep mind-body connection. She offers insightful strategies for shifting energy, healing past emotional imprints, and finding peace during this transformative stage of life. Key Takeaways:

✨ Menopause is not just a physical transition—it’s an emotional and energetic one, too.
✨ Identifying triggers and emotional patterns can help reduce mood swings and anxiety.
✨ Simple practices like chakra balancing, mindful eating, and daily reflection can make a big difference.
✨ Menopause is not just a physical transition—it’s an emotional and energetic one, too.
✨ Identifying triggers and emotional patterns can help reduce mood swings and anxiety.
✨ There is no one-size-fits-all approach—find what works best for your body, mind, and spirit.

Looking for more support on your menopause journey? Join our supportive community for expert resources, connection, and inspiration designed to help you thrive through every stage of midlife.

About Our Guest:
Jen Kunkel is on a mission to empower women to take control of their own physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Despite holding a degree in Chemical/Biomedical Engineering, she, like many women, has been frustrated by conflicting and missing mainstream advice on women's fitness and health. Jen believes that society’s approach to menopause and aging is outdated—it's not a disease to be cured, nor a fact of life to simply suffer through. Instead, she advocates for a holistic, high-vibration, and purposeful lifestyle that allows women to take personal responsibility for their well-being. Having overcome teen depression through fitness, meditation, and personal growth, Jen turned to these same methods when facing the emotional turmoil of perimenopause. Through deeper exploration of the mind-body-emotion connection, she developed transformative practices that helped her escape anxiety and depression, dramatically improving her quality of life.

Now, she helps other women experience their own enchanted menopause journey.

Learn more about Jen and listen to her podcast at jenkunkel.com and wildsavvy.com. If you’re stuck in the Meno Spiral of Doom, get Jen’s latest FREE resource at wildsavvy.com/gift. Tune in for a fascinating discussion on emotional well-being, energy healing, and how to thrive through midlife with vitality and self-awareness.

➡️ Subscribe, rate, and share this episode with the women in your life who are navigating this journey!

In this episode of The Menowave Lounge: Hot Flashes and Cool Conversations, hosts Robin Duke and Janette Blissett dive into the complexities of intimacy, relationships, and self-care during menopause. As women experience hormonal shifts, changing libido, and emotional transitions, these changes also impact their relationships—especially with partners going through their own midlife transformations.

Robin and Janette explore:

✨ How menopause and “men-opause” affect intimacy and connection
✨ Ways to communicate openly with your partner about changing needs
✨ The role of self-care, humor, and grace in navigating this life stage
✨ How to embrace new dimensions of intimacy beyond physical connection

Whether you're partnered or single, this episode offers real talk, expert insights, and empowering strategies to help you redefine intimacy and deepen emotional connections during menopause.

Looking for more support on your menopause journey?

Join our community for expert advice, connection, and inspiration to thrive through every stage of midlife.

In this episode ofThe Menowave Lounge: Hot Flashes and Cool Conversations, hosts Robin Duke and Janette Blissett welcomeZuzana Turinic, a Fitness Trauma Menopause Coach with over two decades of experience in health and fitness. Zuzana’s journey began in Slovakia, where she earned her first fitness certification and led aerobics classes. After moving to Australia, she deepened her commitment to empowering women, even winning a bodybuilding competition in her 40s. But when she faced a cancer diagnosis and the onset of perimenopause, her perspective on health and strength transformed. Now, she’s on a mission to help women navigate menopause with confidence and vitality.

Join us as Zuzana shares her90-day framework for creating a sustainable healthy lifestyle. We’ll explore:✅ Why strength training is a game-changer for menopause and longevity✅ How to overcome barriers like fear and uncertainty around fitness✅ The step-by-step plan to build consistency, increase intensity, and sustain progress✅ The mindset shifts that turn exercise into self-care instead of a chore

Tune in forpractical, empowering strategies to take control of your health and thrive at any stage of life.

💜 Looking for more support on your menopause journey?Join the Menowave community at Menowave.org/community for expert resources, connection, and inspiration designed to help you thrive through every stage of midlife.

In this episode of The Menowave Lounge: Hot Flashes and Cool Conversations, hosts Robin Duke and Janette Blissett sit down with women’s health expert Maraya Brown to explore how ambitious women can reclaim their vitality, balance their hormones, and thrive through the menopause journey.Maraya shares her powerful story of transformation, insights from over 23 years of experience, and practical strategies to help women unlock confidence, energy, and passion—all while navigating the demands of modern life.Tune in to discover actionable tips for embracing your changing body, advocating for your health, and building a vibrant, balanced life.Feeling inspired by this episode? Take the next step on your wellness journey! Join our supportive community and access exclusive resources designed to help you thrive through every stage of life. https://www.facebook.com/groups/439232282854798Join Maraya for Pause and reclaim your time - stop struggling to figure it out on your own and enduring poor care: https://www.facebook.com/events/s/pause/2019406991833281/

In this episode of The Menowave Lounge: Hot Flashes and Cool Conversations, Coach Robin Duke sits down with health and fitness expert Patricia Ivory to explore how women over 40 can conquer weight loss resistance, balance their hormones, and reclaim their vitality.

Patricia shares her unique muscle-centric approach, insights from working with over 600 women, and practical tips for breaking through plateaus and achieving lasting health.

Tune in to discover actionable strategies for living a vibrant, balanced life and embracing your best self at any age!

Ready to take control of your health and embrace vibrant living? Visit Menowave.org to discover empowering resources, expert coaching, and a supportive community designed to help you thrive during menopause and beyond.

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Coach Patricia Ivory is a health, fitness & body composition expert specializing in helping women over 40 overcome weight loss resistance, balance hormones, and restore vitality.

Certified by the Health Coach Institute, she is pursuing advanced training in Functional Nutrition for Hormone Balance and Weight Loss through Metabolic Mentor University. A certified Personal Trainer and nutritionist with a muscle-centric approach, she also holds certifications in Pilates and Life Coaching.

With over 600 success stories, Coach Patricia empowers women to break through plateaus, transform their bodies, and achieve sustainable, holistic health.

Join the challenge:

⁠https://fitandtonedover40.com/join-21-day-challenge⁠

In this episode of the Menowave Lounge, hosts Robin and Marti, along with guest Jennifer Gilliland, discuss practical strategies to reduce holiday stress for women in menopause. They explore setting realistic expectations, asking for help, honoring traditions, and staying present. Jennifer, a registered dietitian and licensed therapist, shares insights on managing seasonal anxiety and the importance of self-care, planning, and asking for support. The episode emphasizes the need to prioritize personal well-being while creating joyful holiday experiences and offers tips on how women can navigate this season with less chaos and more joy.

00:00 Introduction to Holiday Stress in Menopause

00:45 Meet the Hosts and Guest

01:28 Understanding Holiday Stress and Anxiety

04:24 Managing Expectations and Traditions

15:41 Prioritizing Self-Care and Health

26:18 The Importance of Connection and Asking for Help

32:49 Final Thoughts and Holiday Wishes

Jennifer Gilliland: ⁠jennifergillilandnutrition.com

Robin Duke: https://www.bodymindcoaching.biz/

Marti Daly: marti@martidaly.com

Join the Menopause Support Group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/439232282854798

Check out Menowave: menowave.org