What does mental health really mean? Ashley sits down with Starr Cunningham, President & CEO of the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia, to talk about why mental health lives in the grey, how to identify your early warning signs (hello, green/yellow/red), and why language and community—especially kindness—change the game. Starr shares her lived experience, the Foundation's community-driven grant model, and two easy ways to get involved: the Holiday Black-Tie Gala (Nov 22) and the Messages of Kindness campaign.

Our Guest Today:

Starr Cunningham (she/her) — President & CEO, Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia. Former broadcaster (23 years on TV). Mental health advocate with lived experience. Values: community, compassion, accountability.

Key Takeaways:

• Mental health isn't black + white; your early warning signs are individual.

• Build a circle of trust that can reflect what they notice—kindly.

• Lead with language like "I've noticed…" to start safer conversations.

• Community solutions work best when communities define the need.

• You can support the work right now via Gala tickets and Messages of Kindness.

In this episode of The Superwoman Code, Dr. Ashley Margeson ND breaks down what perimenopause really is (hint: it's like puberty, but in reverse), why it can feel like a hormonal rollercoaster, and the symptoms that often get dismissed or overlooked. From joint pain and sleep disruptions to rage, brain fog, and anxiety spikes, you'll learn that you're not imagining it — your body is shifting.

Ashley also shares why energy feels so different during this stage, how biology collides with life load, and three practical ways to navigate perimenopause with more confidence, calm, and support.

• What perimenopause actually is, and why it can last 7–10 years.

• Why hormones don't decline smoothly — and what that means for your mood, sleep, and energy.

• The lesser-known symptoms of perimenopause (like joint pain, rage, and brain fog).

• Why energy crashes are about more than hormones — they're about hormones + responsibility + culture.

• Three practical tools: cycle tracking, nervous system support, and reframing the story.

💬 "Perimenopause is a change in your system — but you're not supposed to feel like shit as that shift happens."
💬 "Perimenopause is a rollercoaster because it's the collision of biology and life load."

• 🎟️ Tickets to the Hormone Intelligence Event — November 6, Halifax

• 📲 Follow Dr. Ashley on Instagram: @drashleymargeson

• 👋 Meet Dr. Ashley at the Atlantic Menopause Show

Start tracking your symptoms this week — even if your cycle feels irregular. Notice when your energy dips, when your mood shifts, or when sleep is off. Patterns give you power — and with power, you can plan support.

Ever felt like deciding what's for dinner at 4 p.m. is the hardest thing you'll do all day? That's not a sign of laziness or poor planning — it's decision fatigue. In this episode of The Superwoman Code, Dr. Ashley Margeson ND explains why your brain feels maxed out before noon, how hormones amplify that exhaustion, and the practical steps you can take to lighten the mental load.

From judges denying parole cases to the invisible mental labour of remembering bake sales and toilet paper runs, decision fatigue affects us all. But here's the good news: there are ways to reduce its impact without moving off-grid or giving up joy in your life.

• What decision fatigue actually is — and why it's not about laziness.

• How tiny, everyday choices drain your "burnout bank account."

• Why hormones can make decision fatigue worse in the week before your period.

• The science behind irritability, procrastination, and brain fog when you're decision-depleted.

• Practical strategies to reduce decision fatigue, from automating basics to cycle-aware planning.

• Three simple takeaways to start protecting your brain energy right now.

💬 "Decision fatigue isn't about laziness. It's your brain hitting overdraft fees before dinner."
💬 "It's not you. It's your brain juggling decision fatigue on top of two hormones taking a nosedive."
💬 "Every simplified decision is a deposit back into your bank account."

• 🎟️ Tickets to the Hormone Intelligence Event — November 6, Halifax

• 📲 Follow Dr. Ashley on Instagram: @drashleymargeson

This week, pick one thing to automate, one micro-rule to try, and one decision to offload. Notice how your brain feels.