More than one in five Canadian adults doesn’t have access to a family doctor or nurse practitioner. And for women going through menopause, that gap in care can feel like a black hole, where symptoms are diminished, misunderstood, or ignored entirely.

With me on the Medsplaining podcast today is Nurse Practitioner and Certified Menopause Provider Jessica Bawden, who’s been caring for women across the reproductive spectrum for over 13 years at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto.

We talk about what menopause symptoms look like in patients today, how the Canadian healthcare system is treating women in midlife, and what we’re doing in our own practices to bridge the gap. It’s an honest, deeply personal conversation about what happens when your body starts changing, and no one around you seems to know what to do.

01:51 Welcome, Jessie Bawden, to Medsplaining!

04:13 The top five reasons women show up at Jessie’s door.

06:15 How healthcare providers are (or aren’t) stepping up.

10:01 The gaslighting we’re done with: “It’s All in Your Head”

11:51 How we cracked the code on hot flashes.

14:40 Jessie’s client story that says it all.

22:26 Weight, and diet…Welcome to the lifestyle tangle.

26:16 Breaking down the why behind the brain fog.

29:09 Jessie’s treatment triage. Who gets what?

34:31 Hormone therapy’s double standard.

37:06 Testosterone for women: Hype or help?

42:45 Jessie’s wish list for better menopause care.

This episode was made possible thanks to an education grant from Bayer Canada.

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With me on the Medsplaining podcast today is entrepreneur Penny Light, founder of Grit & Grace Clothing, and Grit & Grace Adventures—a boutique travel group for women over 45.

Penny’s story hits home for so many because it begins in a place we all recognize: that unsettling health spiral where you catch your reflection and wonder, Where did I go?

In this episode, we explore that moment of feeling lost—and the powerful comeback that happens when you reclaim your health and your life. Penny embodies the strength and possibility this stage of life holds, proving it’s never too late to reinvent yourself and thrive.

✨Reinvent Yourself with Penny Light of Grit & Grace Adventures
01:35 Welcome, Penny Light, to Medsplaining!
02:37 Grit & Grace Clothing: because sometimes reinvention starts with a wardrobe.
05:52 Putting into words no longer feeling like myself...
08:27 Bioidenticals 101.
13:36 The hurdle everyone knows: finding a doctor who doesn't dismiss you.
16:02 Immediate symptom relief? Yes, it's a thing.
16:46 How proper MHT helped grow the business.
18:47 Grit & Grace Adventures: a boutique travel group for all.
22:48 The grandmother hypothesis.
30:07 Lifestyle changes: the real prescription no one wants to hear.
35:16 If Penny could tell every woman one thing about perimenopause, it would be this...
37:21 Penny's grandmother lived to 103. What's her secret to longevity?

Check out Penny on Instagram, and visit Grit & Grace Adventures or Grit & Grace Clothing.

💜 Like, share, and leave a review!
✨Sign up for the Perimenopause Power Plan
🙋‍♀️ Download my FREE perimenopause symptom tracker
💌 Subscribe to my Substack
🩺 Send me a DM on Instagram
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

Thanks for tuning in. See you next time!
Hugs and good health,
Dr. Jen

Save 50% off the Perimenopause Power Plan with code SUMMER50 only until July 1!

I recently got my cholesterol checked, and it got me thinking about how important it is to interpret them the right way—especially for women in perimenopause like myself. There’s a strong misconception that high cholesterol automatically means high cardiovascular risk. Yes, estrogen offers a protective effect against heart disease. As our levels drop during perimenopause, that protection fades. But that doesn’t mean every woman with high LDL is on the verge of a heart attack.

So in this mini episode, I’m looking at my own numbers and explaining the difference between high cholesterol versus high cardiovascular risk.

✨High Cholesterol vs. High CVD risk
01:51 Worried about cholesterol? You’re not the only one losing sleep over those lab results.
02:45 Exposing my cholesterol numbers.
03:28 Wait, what’s the FRS and why does it matter so much?
04:22 Family is everything… Really, your family history can say lots about your health.
05:12 Real ways to lower your cardiovascular risk without any medical intervention.

💜 Like, share, and leave a review!
✨Sign up for the Perimenopause Power Plan
🙋‍♀️ Download my FREE perimenopause symptom tracker

💌 Subscribe to my Substack
🩺 Send me a DM on Instagram
🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube

Thanks for tuning in. See you next time!
Hugs and good health,
Dr. Jen