December 8, 2025 • 48 mins
Come and listen to our Host, Tina Spoletini, as she chats with today's guest, Karen Porter, for our “End of Year, Beginning of Me” Podcast Series.
A powerfully themed mini-series helping women close the year with clarity and step into the next one with grounded self-love and vision.
For almost 30 years Karen battled severe IBS, anxiety and debilitating bouts of suicidal
depression that left her hospitalized and grasping for her life. Forced to re-evaluate everything
and take her health into her own hands, she started looking into alternative methods to help her heal where the traditional medical approach had failed. She learned the tools to transform her life, to feel healthy, happy, focused, and radiant! Her health, and consequently her life, shifted entirely, and she felt compelled to help as many women as possible to feel their absolute best! Especially moving into menopause and beyond.
At almost 60 herself, Karen is passionate about helping women over 50 regain their energy and feel great in their bodies, so they can live their best life! As a Women’s Health & Wellness Coach she takes the confusion and overwhelm out of mindset,managing stress, meals, movement & happiness with a proven program – Your Best Life Reset – which guarantees weight loss, reduced inflammation, more energy, better sleep, better mental focus, hormone balancing and increased confidence! She helps you to make the rest of your life, the BEST of your life! Karen has been featured on stages, podcasts, as well as on CP24, Global TV and Breakfast Television.
For almost 30 years, Karen battled severe IBS, anxiety, and suicidal depression that left her hospitalized and desperate for answers. When traditional medicine failed her, she turned to alternative healing methods that completely transformed her health and happiness. Now, approaching 60, Karen is passionate about helping women over 50 regain their energy, balance their hormones, and feel vibrant through her proven Your Best Life Reset program. She’s been featured on stages, podcasts, and major media outlets like CP24, Global TV, and Breakfast Television—empowering women to make the rest of their life the best of their life.
https://karenporter.ca/
We explore how gut health, breathwork, and mindset helped Karen Porter move from decades of IBS and depression to an empowered, vibrant midlife grounded in simple, sustainable habits. Practical resets, the five M’s framework, and a supportive community offer clear steps to feel better now.
• Elimination diet fundamentals and inflammatory trigger foods
• Gut-brain axis links to anxiety, sleep, and mood
• Menopause as a liberating reset, not a life sentence
• Lifestyle foundations before considering HRT
• The five M’s: mindset, nervous system, meals, movement, joy
• Breathwork basics, nasal breathing, and longer exhales
• Hydration, electrolytes, and cutting late-night snacking
• Clarifying your why and building resilient routines
• Your Best Life Reset program structure and support
• Free resources, challenges, and how to connect with Karen
For more Divas That Care Network Episodes visit www.divasthatcare.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
It's Divas That Care Radio.
Stories, strategies, and ideasto inspire positive change.
Welcome to Divas That Care, anetwork of women committed to
making our world a better placefor everyone.
This is a global movement forwomen, by women engaged in a
collaborative effort to create abetter world for future
generations.
(00:20):
To find out more about themovement, visit divas that
care.com after the show.
Right now, though, stay tunedfor another jolt of inspiration.
SPEAKER_01 (00:31):
Welcome to Confidence in Bloom, the podcast
that reminds you that confidenceisn't about becoming someone
new, it's about becoming home toyourself.
I'm your host, Tina Spolotini,and this season we're embracing
the theme End of Year, Beginningof Me, a time to pause, reflect,
and let go of what no longerserves you.
(00:53):
Together we'll explore realstories and soulful insights to
help you quiet that itty bittyshitty committee, release the
shoulds that weigh you down, andstep into the new year grounded
in self-love, clarity, andconfidence.
Let's begin today'sconversation.
Today's I'm chatting with KarenPorter.
(01:16):
For almost 30 years, Karenbattled severe IBS, anxiety, and
suicidal depression that lefther hospitalized and desperate
for answers.
When traditional medicine failedher, she turned to alternative
healing methods that completelytransformed her health and
happiness.
Now approaching 60, Karen ispassionate about helping women
(01:36):
over 50 regain their energy,balance their hormones, and feel
vibrant through her proven yourbest life reset program.
She's been featured on stages,podcasts, and major media
outlets like CP24, Global TV,and Breakfast Television,
empowering women to make therest of their life the best of
(01:57):
their life.
SPEAKER_02 (01:58):
Welcome, Karen.
Hello, thanks for having me.
SPEAKER_01 (02:02):
Oh, absolutely.
I'm really looking forward toour discussions because you
know, menopause is sort of oneof the top of the list, right?
With most women that I chatwith.
And I want, I mean, you've comefrom some pretty incredibly dark
chapters in your life.
You know, with depression andIBS.
I mean, we those two issues arethey're common.
(02:24):
They seem to be very common inthe world today.
Um, what I'm interested in is,you know, how you pulled
yourself out of that.
Like what created the beginningof me shift in you?
SPEAKER_02 (02:38):
Right.
Well, it was the the IBS isreally something that I had uh
from my 20s to my late 40s, andactually uh really the bouts of
uh debilitating anxiety andsuicidal depression as well.
It was like, okay, it happenedonce in my 20s and then twice in
(03:01):
my 30s and then twice in my 40s,and um and it it was just
really, really bad to the pointwhere I was hospitalized and in
a psychiatric ward.
Um, but what really got me outof it were, you know, were
several things, but um, youknow, and each time was a little
(03:25):
bit different.
But what really had the mostimpact on my life was really um
when I met a nutritionist at acooking class, and um I thought,
oh, I need to talk to her more.
And she helped me sort of changethe way I was looking at food
(03:46):
and the way that I was eating.
Um, and then you know, thathelped helped my gut, which then
also affected my brain becauseof the gut brain access, right?
So that, you know, that startedto help my mental health, but
then it was um, you know, otherthings as well.
(04:06):
Um, you know, I talk about howimportant mindset is and
regulating our nervous system.
So that is something I work onevery day to be more resilient
and and manage my stress, right?
Uh so yeah, it was meditation,it is breath work.
(04:27):
So it, you know, it's a it's abunch of tools which I now share
with my clients.
SPEAKER_01 (04:34):
So I mean, I love that because it's never just one
thing.
Right.
And we all know, I mean, we'vebeen hearing it for years now,
that our gut health is whatcreates our life, right?
If our gut is not happy, ourbrain isn't happy, the rest of
our body is not happy, ouremotions are not I mean, it's
you know, we all have to get soI'm you know, I'm curious um
(04:57):
what the nutritionist found orwhat you found when you talked
with her.
I'm assuming it was a woman, butI think that's what you said,
yeah.
Um that you know, getting likeeating different, right?
What did you eat like before?
Were you eating like fast food,McDonald's, you know, kind of on
the run all the time, or wereyou eating at home?
SPEAKER_02 (05:19):
Um a little bit of both.
You know, I we yeah, we were wewere busy with young kids, and
you know, you work with what youhave, you do the best that you
can with the information thatyou have, right?
I mean, I look back at it nowand think, oh my gosh, but I
didn't, you know, I didn'treally know differently.
(05:42):
We all know that apples arebetter than potato chips, but
you know, all of the the choiceswe make throughout the day
really affect us.
So the the biggest thing I didwith her is really started with
an elimination diet.
So I really took those thosethings that had the potential to
(06:06):
be bothering me out of my diet.
And after a month of that, Isaid, oh my gosh, like I just
feel so much better.
And um, so you know, that isreally, you know, some of the
big things are gluten and dairyand refined sugar, right?
Um, and then it's thinking abouteating nutrient-dense foods, so
(06:29):
whole, you know, whole foodslike vegetables and fruit and
meat in, well, obviously we'recooking the meat and you can
cook the the vegetables, but youknow, in their whole form.
Um, and unfortunately, uh, webecause we're busy, we tend to
go for these convenience things,but even things that are
(06:52):
healthy, like if they'reprepared elsewhere, when you're
actually looking at theingredients, it's it's not what
would be trulyanti-inflammatory.
So an elimination diet is reallythe same as an anti-inflammatory
diet, it's removing thosethings.
And you might think, oh gosh, Icouldn't give up bread and
(07:14):
sugar, and but you you know,with help, you actually can
modify things, and then yourtaste buds change when you when
what you're doing starts tochange the microbes in your gut,
right?
Yeah, so many people think likeso.
(07:34):
For me, um IBS or irritableirritable bowel syndrome was how
it expressed or showed up in mybody, right?
But you don't have to have youknow constant bloating,
diarrhea, or constipation foryour gut to be affecting other
areas, right?
(07:54):
So, what I'm saying is you mightthink you don't have gut issues,
but you could, and it can affectyour mental health, it can
affect your hormones, it canaffect uh so many different
things, right?
So your your experience throughperimenopause and into menopause
(08:14):
and beyond can be so differentif you uh if you know the right
tools, if you know how to makethe changes or work with
somebody that does.
SPEAKER_01 (08:25):
Yeah, yeah.
And the thing with IBS, and youknow this, you know, probably
better than I do, they there'sno real cause of it.
And when you go to the doctor,they don't really know a whole
lot about it, which is probablywhy in your history the medical
doctor couldn't help you, theWestern medical doctor, right?
Because they don't there's notest to say this is what the
(08:48):
problem is, right?
Right.
They just know that your stomachis not working, or not your
stomach, but your guts are notworking properly with the rest
of your body.
SPEAKER_02 (08:57):
Right.
So they can do testing and ruleout prones and colitis, but then
you're left with this catch-allIBS, right?
And you're right.
Uh, because I remember asking mydoctor about food testing, and
he said, no, because it's foodand stress.
Well, yeah, but we can startmaking changes with the you
(09:20):
know, with the food part, right?
SPEAKER_01 (09:23):
Yeah, you know, but I think, and I mean, you've gone
through it.
I think the best way is throughelimination, right?
Testing, yeah, testing might beable to tell you, yeah, you have
a little bit of an intoleranceto this, but it's probably not
that big a deal, or you have anallergy, I mean, allergies, it
would be nice, right?
It would be nice to watch, youknow.
But the reality is it's how yourbody is dealing with life in
(09:45):
general, whether it's stress oryou know, whatever it is, and
then it's like your gut istelling your body how to to like
disperse all this stuff, right?
And if it's not given the rightnutrients, it's gonna make it
sick, right?
That's basically what it comesdown to.
SPEAKER_02 (10:02):
Right.
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
And yeah, the doctor would giveme different medications to try
and help with this, you know,the the spasms or whatever,
whatever it was.
But yeah, that doesn't fixanything.
That it's just a band-aid.
Uh yeah, exactly.
Unfortunately, with so many ofour pharmaceuticals, they're
(10:23):
just uh a band-aid, they arejust masking or or not even
trying to mask, you know, thesymptoms and causing something
else, right?
SPEAKER_01 (10:33):
Exactly.
So I'm curious to know what youwhat you feel.
Um so lots of women, I mean, Iknow women my age that I chat
with, as we reach into our 50s,we are exhausted.
I mean, we've run, we've raiseda family, we've you know, had a
career, we've done, we've donelife, and now we're at an age
(10:54):
where we're heading into themenopause stage and we're
exhausted, right?
We're disconnected, we're Imean, disconnected from our
bodies, let alone from you know,like the rest of life.
Right.
How does this time of lifebecome like powerful?
Like how can we look at this andyou know, sort of be empowered
(11:14):
and look at it as a newbeginning?
SPEAKER_02 (11:17):
Yeah, you can uh I mean, it definitely can be
empowering and um and a newbeginning.
Uh, you know, I I responded tosomething, a post recently, and
it said, what is your uhexperience or how do you feel
about menopause?
(11:38):
And I saw that lots of peopleput comments like hell and
awful, and you know, and I putliberating, and there was a few
other positive comments likemine.
Um, but I'm sure some people,you know, that are going through
the hell are just like, oh, youknow, that's great that your
(12:00):
experience is like that.
But um, you know, I make thechoices every day from my
knowledge, right?
Because this is what I'vestudied and researched, and this
is what I'm immersed in, right?
Um, so I'm I make the choicesdaily to help me to feel good
(12:23):
and feel empowered, right?
So for generally for women, it'syou know, working with somebody
or trying to get that uh theinformation, right?
It's it's not about you know,you still hear calories in,
calories out, or you know, it'sobviously it's not that at all.
(12:43):
Um, and you know, we don'talways want to be measuring
things either, right?
Um I I try to I teach my uhclients the principles, and then
you know, then they know how to,you know, to do it for the rest
of their of their lives, right?
(13:04):
So it's by you know working withsomebody, somebody getting the
uh getting the knowledge um andhaving the plan to move forward.
So food is a big part of it, butthere's so many other things
that we need to pull in, right?
Like I say, you can eat all thegreat stuff and exercise all you
(13:26):
want, but if you're stressed,you know, like every day running
the treadmill, looking aftereverybody else, you're still not
gonna feel great, right?
You're you're gonna beexhausted, your adrenals are um
overworked, and your adrenals,by the way, are what has to take
over when your uh, you know,estrogen and progesterone and
(13:50):
testosterone start to change,right?
Yeah.
So if you're exhausted, it'sjust gonna get, it's just gonna
get worse.
But you know, what is common inmenopause, like the hot flashes,
the exhaustion, the um, youknow, the overwhelm that I hear
of often.
Um, you know, the the moodswings, the weight gain, the,
(14:13):
you know, the difference in thebody composition, uh, so many
different things, can uh, eventhough they're common, it
doesn't it doesn't mean they'renormal or that it has to be that
way, right?
So um I want women not to acceptthat and and know that there is
(14:36):
a different uh a different pathmoving forward.
SPEAKER_01 (14:40):
I love that.
I love that.
Now I I do have a question, andI'm not sure if if you know the
answer to this, but menopausesymptoms, you know, like the
exhaustion, the the brain fog,the you know, all these things,
they seem to be very common,like very similar to what
everybody is complaining about.
Whether it's men like there arewomen going through the
(15:02):
perimenopause stage, or even nowI'm hearing lots of men
complaining about the samesymptoms.
How do we deal with that?
Like, I mean, yeah, women canlook at that as a perimenopause
symptom and say, okay, well,let's get my hormones intact,
right?
I mean, that's basically whatyou're saying you do with them
or help them to do.
(15:24):
But men are having the sameissues.
Where we're like they're nothaving menopause, like they're
not going through perimenopause.
I know that they're goingthrough now, men go through
their own, you know, menopausestage, right?
I know that there's a name forit, but obviously not coming to
many.
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (15:40):
And so now until their testosterone is going
down.
SPEAKER_01 (15:44):
And so is it the same, like, I mean, I I know you
don't work with men in thatsense, but what like are are we
blaming menopause?
Like, is it an excuse for uswomen, or is it just a
combination of so many thingsthat we just don't know anymore?
SPEAKER_02 (16:01):
Right.
And and I do actually have somemen clients.
And and yeah, so the uhsometimes they join with their
wives, and sometimes they uhthey just come to me on their
own.
Um, and I see the same greatresults, like they're they're
losing inflammation, they'relosing weight, they're um
(16:25):
feeling so much better,energy-wise, sleeping better,
like so many different things.
But yeah, they don't have theperimenopause that's you know,
that's where hormones arefluctuating and and you know,
we're just all over the place,right?
They're more of a gradualdecline in their testosterone,
(16:45):
but they can feel, like yousaid, exhausted or have brain
fog.
And but you know, so much of ithas to do with the food, the
exercise, the the nervoussystem, and the mindset.
SPEAKER_01 (17:01):
Now it's all the same, like it's all the same.
SPEAKER_02 (17:04):
It is, it it really is.
Um, and so we want to doeverything to support those
things, and then sometimes welook um outside of that in terms
of supplements or adaptogens uhthat we might want to add to
either women or men.
(17:26):
Um, and then of course there'sHRT, but and and women hear
about uh you know the hormonereplacement, and it can be good
for you know for some women, butit's definitely not where we
should start, right?
SPEAKER_01 (17:44):
I'm glad you said that.
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (17:45):
We need to make lifestyle changes, right?
Like you can't just do that'sthe same as a pill for every
ill, right?
That's the same, you know.
SPEAKER_01 (17:56):
Everybody wants the magic pill, right?
Exactly.
I mean, there is no magic pill,right?
SPEAKER_02 (18:01):
No, yeah, and it's not an excuse for not eating
well or moving your body, right?
And you know, women think, oh,like my body's working against
me, and everything used to befine until I hit 50 or until I
hit menopause or whatever.
But it's actually just that,it's that time where the things
(18:24):
that you might have been able toget away with, you no longer
can.
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (18:29):
It's finally caught up to you, right?
That's what I mean.
Exactly.
When I was a kid, well, it'llcatch up to her one day, right?
Right.
And you are, right?
And now, like, you know, some ofus, some of us thrive during
menopause.
Like I've heard women say, youknow, it came and went and they
didn't know.
And I'm like, how is thatpossible?
I couldn't get myself out of bedfor three years, right?
(18:49):
All I wanted to do was sleep,yeah.
Right.
And and then I mean, I didn'thave a lot of pain, but tired.
I mean, I was exhausted, right?
I was past exhausted, right?
And and I mean, I went to adoctor and she said, Well, this
is normal for women your age,and she popped antidepressants
at me.
Now, at the time I was like, youknow, a little naive to it
(19:10):
because I didn't take a lot ofmedication in my life.
So I'm like, oh, well, if thisis something that's gonna help
me, here I go.
Well, you know, right yearslater, I'm like, okay, this is
not working.
SPEAKER_02 (19:19):
Right?
SPEAKER_01 (19:20):
It didn't help me.
Right.
And if anything, I think it madethe things worse.
But I mean, that's that's awhole new conversation.
But I mean, had I known ofsomeone like you, Karen, I would
have been like, what do I donow?
Right, right, exactly.
I mean, I did, I played with alot of the different things over
the years, and I mean, thereality is that the medication
(19:43):
controlled what was goingthrough my brain.
Right.
And so, you know, now that Iknow I tell women that are
feeling the way I felt, I don'tcare how old they are, but as
soon as they give me any kind ofsymptom that they're feeling
like I felt, I'm like, do nottell the doctor you want
antidepressants.
And if they suggest it, don'ttake it because you need to try
(20:04):
other things first that are morenatural.
Like exactly right.
Like play with the eliminationdiet.
Figure out what your body nolonger likes.
Because let's face it, what wecould eat when we were in our
20s and 30s, our bodies mightnot want anymore.
Right.
And we need to admit that.
We need to admit it and embraceit.
SPEAKER_02 (20:23):
Right.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Yeah.
For sure.
And yeah.
And sometimes stabbing in thedark is is difficult.
And that's why I suggest workingwith the coach.
Because sometimes um you couldhave trouble with um vegetables
that are healthy, uh, butthey're they're under the
(20:46):
nightshade category.
So that's potatoes, tomatoes,eggplant, and bell peppers.
But you'd never think that, youknow, you would need to cut out
those things.
But it's just another thing whenyou're working with somebody,
they can help to figure that outfor you.
Exactly.
SPEAKER_01 (21:04):
And I would think, like, okay, so not everybody is
the same.
So what works for one might notwork for the other.
But you also have an idea of theaverage, right?
Well, some finding women, youknow, like some women are not
liking potatoes that that's notagreeing with them.
Or, you know, like tomatoes,tomatoes are acid-y, like, you
know, probably nobody should beeating it because it's burning
(21:24):
the inside of our stomach.
But you know, I'm not a doctorand I can't say that, right?
SPEAKER_02 (21:28):
But there are benefits to it.
SPEAKER_01 (21:30):
Right?
But there are, yeah, exactly.
Yeah, yeah.
So I I mean, I love this.
I mean, we could talk all daybecause I know you have lots of
knowledge to share with me, butwe want to, we I want to just
like, you know, get the youknow, the the basics and then
have listeners reach out to youif they have more questions.
Um I now you we mentioned alittle bit about mindset and how
you know what like the toolsthat we have and how they work.
(21:53):
How do you help women sort ofshift their their mindset so
that they know how to use thetools that you can teach them?
SPEAKER_02 (22:04):
Right.
And and that's exactly yeah, themindset is so important.
And I talk about the five M's inmy with my clients.
And the first one is masteringmindset.
Well, even though I call itmastering mindset, none of us
really master it, but it'ssomething that we need to work
(22:26):
on, right?
It's so, so important.
Um, the next one is managing ournervous system.
So that is, you know, managingour stress, right?
We can't let that take over.
Uh, the next one is meals madewith ease, and then movement for
optimization, and then the lastone is magnifying joy or
(22:50):
happiness.
So all of those things are keyand things that I work on with
clients.
Um, but yeah, back to yourquestion about mindset.
It's funny because I postedtoday and I posted about a
little mindset tweak.
And I'm sure you've heard thisbefore, but it's something I
remind myself of and I talkabout it with my clients, and
(23:14):
it's just reframing something.
So, you know, uh something like,oh, I have to exercise.
No, I get to exercise, right?
SPEAKER_01 (23:25):
That's me.
I know I have to.
I do not like it.
And I, yeah, uh that's actuallymy next question for you.
SPEAKER_02 (23:32):
Yeah, we just need to help you find something that
brings you a movement thatbrings you joy, and that's the
problem.
A lot of us are doing thingsthat someone said we should do
and we don't love it and wedon't want to keep doing it,
right?
So it's important to find that.
Um, but okay, so how it mightapply to um food is, and I'm
(23:55):
always saying this to myclients, um, when they say, Oh,
I can't have that chocolate bar.
No, no, no.
You want to, even in your ownmind, you don't want to say that
to yourself.
You want to say, I'm choosingnot to have that.
SPEAKER_01 (24:11):
Right.
Because I can't, I mean, I'm notallowed, right?
SPEAKER_02 (24:14):
Oh, I'm not allowed is the worst, right?
Like I'm not allowed, or I can'thave it, or you know, whether
you're saying it in your ownmind or you say it to someone
else, either way, it'sdisempowering and demotivating
everything.
Yeah, yeah.
So yeah, so even if you say I'mchoosing not to have that right
(24:36):
now, because I'm working withKaren and I'm I'm doing this
program.
I'm, you know, I'm working ongetting healthy.
I want to feel good.
Like it's it's the long-termgoal that you need to put ahead
of, you know, what do I feellike right now?
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (24:56):
Because the reality is I can have whatever I want.
I can make whatever I want,right?
Right.
But it's the what I want to dothat I that needs changing.
SPEAKER_02 (25:06):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (25:07):
And so now we have to like, you know, re reframe
it, or you know, I I guessthat's the best way of saying
it.
Yeah.
And we it's not that we don'twant to do that anymore.
It's we want to get better,right?
And if I want to get better,eating that or doing that is
going to either keep me where Iam or make things worse for me.
SPEAKER_02 (25:30):
Am I right?
Yeah.
Exactly.
Yep, exactly.
And and it was brought to myattention yesterday because
actually I was speaking to uh acohort who was a life coach.
And I said, Well, these are thethings I'm working on.
I need to finish my course on A.
I need to do, and I I should be,and she caught me saying it, not
(25:54):
as it uh, you know, uh uhapplied to food or exercise or
something, but you know, thisapplies to everything, right?
SPEAKER_01 (26:01):
So yeah, life coaches are still living, right?
They're we're not we are notperfection, we are not like we
are still learning and stillgoing through all the all the
things ourselves, right?
So yeah, it's easy for us now.
I can, you know, listening tosomeone else, it's easy to
listen for those cues, but yeah,when we're talking, we're not
listening for them, right?
(26:21):
Right.
Like we're not mentally likewe're not there.
SPEAKER_02 (26:24):
Yeah, yeah.
I think that I have those aroundmy food and exercise, but
sometimes other things, youknow.
I have sure even I get to washthe dishes because you know, we
got to have a nice dinner, andyou know, this is you know, just
I don't want to, I'm not goingto.
SPEAKER_01 (26:45):
Like we're allowed to say that, right?
Because I mean, let's face it,we're there's things that we do
because we feel like we have todo them right now, right?
But the real reality is, islike, okay, I'm not saying let
your dishes overflow for threedays.
That's not what I'm saying.
But if you really feel tiredbecause you just had a big
turkey dinner and you're tiredand you'd rather be visiting
(27:07):
with you know whoever's sittingat it, that's okay.
Like, don't feel the pressure,right?
And and that will help youchange that mindset of I can or
I can't.
SPEAKER_02 (27:17):
Right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Exactly.
And the other cool thing thatwhen you were speaking, I just
thought about was um when we getour our food and our movement
and things sort of dialed in, itactually not and not perfect.
When I say dialed in, uh neverabout perfection, I'm always
(27:41):
about progress, but you know,doing better, being you know,
being a better version ofyourself.
Um, but what I was just thinkingof is when we do get that dialed
in, we actually give ourselvesmore time.
So people think it takes time,right?
And in the beginning it doesbecause you're making mental and
(28:03):
physical changes, but itactually gives us more time
because you get more energy.
So, you know, how is that not awin, right?
Right.
So um you, you know, it'ssomething you're doing
initially, but you, you know,you get used to it, and then you
realize you've got more energy.
So you've you've bought yourselftime.
(28:25):
And the other thing I had aclient talking about recently
was she had a very stressfuljob, and she said, you know,
wow, after working with you onlythrough half of the you know,
the the program, she said, Ican't remember when I was when I
was stressed, like she became somuch more resilient to handle
(28:49):
the things.
So not only now do you have moretime because of your energy, but
you're you're able to handlethings better, right?
SPEAKER_01 (28:59):
So you're not feeling the stress.
I love that.
Who doesn't want that life,right?
SPEAKER_02 (29:04):
Exactly.
Exactly.
SPEAKER_01 (29:06):
As we close out this year, Karen, what are some
practical ways that you knowwomen in general can reset their
health and energy beforestepping into the new year?
SPEAKER_02 (29:18):
So, you know, there are some, there of course are
many things, but um one that uhwe haven't talked about yet um
is our breathing, right?
So I just recently um certifiedas a breathwork facilitator, and
(29:40):
I so I do breath work sessionswith my clients, um, which are
you know longer sessions, butour breathing is so important
because especially when we'restressed, we're taking shallow
um chest breaths.
We need to slow our breath downand extend our our abdomen and
(30:02):
really do deep belly breaths,right?
So, and and breathe through yournose, right?
Try and be aware and when you'renot talking or eating, try and
keep your mouth closed, right?
So many benefits to breathingthrough our nostrils.
So try and slow down yourbreath.
There's lots of differentthings, box breathing, five,
(30:25):
six, seven breathing,alternating nostril breathing,
like different things like that,right?
But really try and be consciousof your breath.
Take a longer exhale if you can.
So that that's um that's onething.
Another thing that we we hearabout all the time is drinking
water, right?
So that's we've heard that foryears and years, but really
(30:49):
trying to drink half of yourbody weight in ounces of of
water.
But if you if you really don'tdrink water now, you know,
that's obviously a big goal.
So just try and just try andstart, right?
Um, just have a couple glassesof water a day, or you know, buy
(31:11):
a bottle that you like and justkeep it with you and try and try
and drink more water.
I'm also a big fan ofelectrolytes in the water.
Um, and that's like sodium,potassium, and magnesium, so
minerals that we, you know, thatwe need.
SPEAKER_01 (31:28):
Yeah, and those have to unfortunately be added to our
water because they take themout, right?
Most cities, yeah.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (31:34):
Um, yeah, and then the other thing I was gonna say
the nighttime snacking.
So we, you know, we got toreally try and and eliminate
that.
So um, you know, I likeintermittent fasting, um, but
that's a whole big discussion,right?
So um, but one of the biggestthings is try to stop eating
(31:57):
after dinner, it's huge, right?
So um brush your teeth.
Um, you know, whatever you cando, because oftentimes we just
want to change the flavor in ourmouth, right?
Um, so brush your teeth.
And then if you do feel likehaving something, uh, one, are
you staying up too late?
I find that when I stay up laterthan I usually do, then I'm
(32:20):
like, oh, what can I eat?
I'm not gonna go to bed hungry,right?
So I've I've stayed up too late.
Um, but ask yourself, are youreally hungry?
Right.
And if you're not, like you needanother activity, right?
Try and do do something else,right?
And sometimes it's doingsomething else physical or
(32:42):
putting yourself somewhere else,right?
SPEAKER_01 (32:45):
Yeah.
Um, I so I have a thing with thethe eating after, like I had a
hard time, so I didn't considermyself a snacker like after
supper.
My husband used to, he alwaysliked coffee and sometimes lots
of times cookies is coffee.
And so I was like, well, I wouldhave just a cup of tea, and I
was okay with that.
(33:05):
But then I found that you know,every once in a while for about
a week or two at a time, I wouldgo and I would have that snack
with him.
And then I would be like, I'd goto bed feeling so full and just
uncomfortable.
And I'd be like, why am I doingthis?
Right.
So what I started doing was whenI did the dishes after supper,
uh, I would shut the lights onand I'm like, kitchen is opposed
(33:26):
to it, right?
If we want a cup of tea, like,okay, we'll have a cup of coffee
or a cup of tea, that's fine.
But that's it.
If I was if I had a snack, Iwould actually prepare it,
right?
And put it aside in the coffeemachine so that when we made the
coffee and the tea, we'd haveyou know that snack.
And it was usually like onecookie each, right?
(33:47):
Not a dish of cookies, right?
And so my husband would be like,Well, I want more.
Well, yeah, I know you wantmore, but do you need more?
Right.
We don't need that, especiallyat that hour, right?
At that 9:30, 10 o'clock, weshould be like our body's going
into digestion mode.
And so the more we put into ourbody, the harder it's gonna have
(34:08):
to work when we're sleeping.
And women going throughmenopause, right?
Sleep is affected exactly.
Three o'clock in the morningwhen our liver is doing all the
work it's supposed to be doingto clean us out.
We're wide awake because theliver's overdoing it, right?
The liver's like, oh, you'remaking my life so difficult.
SPEAKER_02 (34:26):
Right.
Yeah, or your blood sugar is,you know.
SPEAKER_01 (34:30):
Yeah, like I mean, you know, like that's and that's
part of your like, you know,eating, like the eliminating,
like getting rid of all thatstuff.
Because we we want to make ourorgans work for us, right?
Right, not against us.
And so I think that's where youknow, like the whole brain-gut
connection comes in, right?
Like we need to think on thesame line as you know, our our
(34:53):
organs, because I mean, let'sface it, they're a part of us,
right?
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, I love that.
So I'm assuming like you talkedabout your best life reset with
me the last time we chatted.
And I think all the things thatyou mentioned are kind of a part
of that, like this, the fiveM's, you know, the the you know,
the balance of the food and allthat stuff.
(35:14):
So I'm I'm I want to know more,unless, of course, you've
already kind of discovereddiscussed most of it.
SPEAKER_02 (35:20):
Uh no, I can I can certainly talk more about it.
But so your best life reset is a12-week program, and it's um
it's a group program.
So we have you know other womengoing through it at the same
time.
Um and I really love thatcommunity because they they gain
(35:43):
from each other, right?
They hear from me, but theyalso, you know, gain insight
from each other.
Um, and so even though it's agroup, we I also do one-on-one
coaching um with the clients.
So then I'm helping themindividually.
And you know, there really isaccountability uh in terms of
(36:08):
you know what they're eating,what they're doing, what you
know, so that especially in thefirst couple of weeks, I want to
make sure they're on the rightpath and they've got that
success, right?
And then throughout, we're youknow, we're working on the
mindset, and you know, we'regonna be doing these things to
(36:31):
um you know to manage yourstress better.
And yeah, and talking aboutsleep and how can we get better
sleep and what affects our sleepand and all of those things,
right?
SPEAKER_01 (36:42):
So my god, I'm getting so excited.
Honestly, I don't, I don't know.
I think just the whole idea ofyou know aligning your values
with your behaviors and actuallygetting it right, right?
Like it just sounds to me likeyou really work with your
clients to get them working in aposition where they can make you
(37:03):
know head and gut work together.
Like it's it's exactly like mymy insights are getting all like
dancing and I just love thatbecause I want I want our
listeners to do the best thatthey can to create that life.
SPEAKER_02 (37:19):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (37:19):
I mean, there are too many people walking down the
street here like robots, right?
I mean, we're all like we allfeel like shit, we all feel like
you know, they're we're tootired to deal with life, right?
And we're missing out, we'remissing out on so much, yeah,
right.
And if we just get it alltogether and we're not like
you're not gonna like you knowtake all the favorite things
(37:42):
away because let's face it, ifyou really love something, don't
give it up.
You need that happiness, right?
But right, if it's not bringingit up.
SPEAKER_02 (37:50):
I might show you how to do it a bit differently
though, right?
SPEAKER_01 (37:53):
Right, right, exactly.
But I mean the the reality is, Imean, if I really love my pasta,
right?
I mean, I I love pasta, but Ihave I have slow, you know,
taken taken it out a little bit,right?
But that doesn't mean like wehave to give it up forever,
right?
Right, and I think that's whatyou know the best life reset
comes down to, right?
(38:14):
From what I'm you know, from thelittle bit that we're talking
here.
So I'm like just super excited,and I'm like, I want everyone to
come talk with you.
SPEAKER_02 (38:22):
Yeah, and and I love it because the first six weeks
we do uh a certain way ofeating, and then the second six
weeks is really bringing somethings back in.
So it's not it, it's not a dietat all, but it's not a a program
where you, you know, you get toa certain point and then you're
(38:44):
on your own, right?
Like I love the people to stay,uh, you know, it's a it's a
lifelong thing, like you knowhow to do it, but you can jump
back in at any time to thegroup, you know, if you need um,
you know, tips or motivation oryou just want to speak with the
(39:05):
community.
And the other thing I wanted tosay is that um, you know, it's
really about healing your bodyfirst, right?
And so the whole premise of theprogram is to get your body into
the parasympathetic state of umrest and digest where and where
(39:26):
you're relaxed, as opposed toyou know, the the sympathetic
state, which is fight or flight,right?
That stress state that we allknow, right?
SPEAKER_01 (39:36):
Which most of us are living in, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (39:38):
Exactly.
And the other thing that'sreally important when I start
working with somebody, I alwayssay, I want you to think about
your why, right?
Because this is what we'll needto come back to when you start
feeling challenged, right?
So, you know, and sometimes awoman will come to me and say,
Well, I want to lose 20 pounds.
(39:59):
Well, That's not really yourwhy.
What we got to peel that backfurther.
So, why is that important toyou?
Because you can buy clothes at20 pounds higher, right?
But it's not that we need to bea smaller number of ourselves.
It's like we don't need to be,you know, and you don't need to
(40:19):
fit into what you were as ateenager.
It's not about that, but it'slike if how about you know
losing the inflammation so yourbody feels better?
Um, you know, to me, weight isis just a byproduct, right?
It's it's getting the the bodyhealthy first.
(40:40):
So for somebody, it might bewell, I want to be able to run
around with my grandkids, or Iwant to be able to travel the
world and and do all the hikingand biking and things that I
want, right?
So you then then it's importantto have that in front of you.
That that is what you want,right?
(41:01):
Yeah, it's it's different forevery woman, what uh you know
right, and there's no rightanswer, right?
No, it's like whatever isdifferent to you, yeah, yeah,
exactly.
SPEAKER_01 (41:11):
So whatever's motivating you, that's what
matters, but it's not just aboutthe number on the scale, no,
more to it than that.
Yeah, I agree with you there.
And I've been I've been thinkingthat way for years now, right?
SPEAKER_02 (41:23):
Yeah, and most of us have, yeah, most women, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (41:27):
Exactly.
I love that.
So if a listener is feelingstuck, you know, in the same
cycle of that stress, fatigue,the self-doubt, where should she
begin?
SPEAKER_02 (41:37):
Um, well, you can certainly follow me on Instagram
at Karen Porter Health Coach.
Um on my website, which is KarenPorter.ca, I've got a great
download, which um is I call itmy recipe to um to health and
(41:58):
happiness.
Um, and it it really gives umyou know pointers on things that
you can uh you know that you cando to really be feeling better.
Um in November, um, I'm gonna bedoing a pre-holiday feel
(42:21):
fabulous five-day challenge.
So that's gonna be the week ofNovember 10th.
And so that's a free challenge.
I, you know, I love to helpwomen, and I know that the women
who come to the challenge reallyum, you know, really want to
want to feel good.
So I I love that.
(42:42):
I love doing those.
SPEAKER_01 (42:43):
Yeah, yeah, I love that.
That's awesome.
Yeah, so I'm um you're gonnagive me all the links to that
because we're gonna put thatwith the show notes and I'm
probably gonna join.
Um, when it comes to challenges,I don't take them very well, so
I'm gonna join, but I can'tpromise.
SPEAKER_02 (43:00):
No, when you can, you know, even if you get one of
the days, one of the tips, youknow what I mean?
SPEAKER_01 (43:07):
Like it's your body, yeah.
Your mind is gonna connect withsomething as long as it's
something positive, that's whatmatters.
I yeah, I love that.
So when you look back at yourlife now, Karen, what is one
thing that you are most proud ofyourself for overcoming?
SPEAKER_02 (43:25):
Well, yeah, it I would say it's the you know, it
is the lowest points that I'vehad, right?
Um so the anxiety that turnedinto depression and I was in my
worst possible state, wanting toend my life, which came with so
(43:46):
much shame because I had a greatlife, right?
Um, and just overcoming that andbeing now in a position where I
feel awesome and I want to sharethat with other women.
SPEAKER_01 (44:02):
I love that.
And that's what we do, right?
That's what I mean.
That's what when we've figuredout what works for us, we want
it to work for everyone else,right?
I love that for you.
So, and finally, our lastquestion.
As we look forward to 2026already, what does the beginning
of me mean to you personallyright now?
SPEAKER_02 (44:22):
Sorry, what does the beginning of me?
SPEAKER_01 (44:25):
Like, what is your 2026 look like?
SPEAKER_02 (44:29):
Right.
Um, it you know, it really isrefining what um, you know, what
feels good for me, refining orredefining my success.
Um, you know, there are just somany different parts of that,
(44:51):
but you know, like you weretalking before, as we age and
and things change, um what'simportant to me now is very
different than you know what wasimportant five or 10 years ago,
right?
So it's really just uh, and thisis for everybody, but it's like
it's aligning with ourselves,it's aligning with me so that I
(45:15):
can be the in the best placepossible.
And it's not selfish, it is youknow, it's important because if
you're the best version of you,you can be better for everyone
around you, and living out yourpurpose the best way you can.
SPEAKER_01 (45:33):
That's yeah, that's totally what I'm getting from
you.
And I love, I love that.
So I'm and I say that becausepersonally, like I'm I'm still
like, you know, um navigatingthe perimenopause.
I think, you know, like for themost part, I I'm like feeling
better about it because I'm I'mtrying to look at it in a
positive way, like you said,like if we look at it as you
(45:56):
know, it's horrible, becausethere were, I mean, years ago I
was saying it's freaking hell,right?
Because I felt so shitty.
But now, you know, now that Iknow like what's going on and
how I can manage it, I'm feelingso much better about it.
Right.
Yeah, and I actually am notbitchy about it, right?
Like, I mean, I'm I'm stillbitchy, but I'm not bitchy about
(46:19):
the menopause, right?
Because the fact is we're gonnaget we're gonna get there.
SPEAKER_02 (46:23):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (46:24):
Whether we want to or not, we're gonna pass that.
And so we need to, I feel likewe need to embrace it with with
love and positivity, right?
Like it's a it's a fact of life,so we gotta do it, right?
It's like looking in the mirrorand like, oh my god, you know,
who is that person?
Because the person I wanted tobe was 20 years ago, right?
(46:44):
But today that's not who I am.
So what do we do?
Do you know right?
We can't, I mean, we can we cango look younger, right?
There aren't any women doing it,but the fact is I'm still 50,
right?
Right still, like I'm still theage that I am, right?
And so, you know, this like thisconversation has helped me even
(47:05):
more realize that you know, justaccept who we are for who we and
what we are, right?
SPEAKER_02 (47:12):
And just know, and to add positive to that, just
know that you can have an effecton it, right?
That you know, we can makechanges to make it even more
comfortable, right, right,exactly.
SPEAKER_01 (47:30):
And I guess that's what it comes down to.
We don't have to just let ithappen, right?
SPEAKER_02 (47:35):
Exactly, exactly.
SPEAKER_01 (47:37):
Thank you so much for joining me today.
This has been awesome.
And I I mean, I know we couldtalk for another couple hours
because there's so much, I knowyou know a lot of stuff, right?
I mean this is there takesresearch.
So thank you so much for joiningme and sharing what you know.
And I really hope that ourlisteners reach out to you
because I think you have greatvalue to share with them.
SPEAKER_02 (47:59):
Thank you so much.
And thanks for having me.
SPEAKER_01 (48:02):
Oh, absolutely.
Thank you for tuning in toConfidence in Bloom.
I hope today's conversationreminded you that you're not
alone on this journey and thatyour confidence grows every time
you tell that itty bitty shittycommittee to hush.
If you're ready to take thiseven deeper, I'd love to invite
you to the Bloom Room, anurturing community where women
come together to releaseself-doubt, reconnect with
(48:24):
themselves, and bloom into thetruest versions of who they're
meant to be.
You'll find the link in the shownotes, and I can't wait to
welcome you inside.
Until next time, remember,confidence isn't something you
find, it's something that bloomsfrom within.
SPEAKER_00 (48:39):
Thanks for listening.
This show was brought to you byDivas That Care.
Connect with us on Facebook, onInstagram, and of course on
divas that care.com, where youcan subscribe to our newsletter
so you don't miss a thing.
It's Divas That Care Radio.
Stories, strategies, and ideasto inspire positive change.
Welcome to Divas That Care, anetwork of women committed to
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This is a global movement forwomen, by women engaged in a
collaborative effort to create abetter world for future
generations.
(00:20):
To find out more about themovement, visit divas that
care.com after the show.
Right now, though, stay tunedfor another jolt of inspiration.
SPEAKER_01 (00:31):
Welcome to Confidence in Bloom, the podcast
that reminds you that confidenceisn't about becoming someone
new, it's about becoming home toyourself.
I'm your host, Tina Spolotini,and this season we're embracing
the theme End of Year, Beginningof Me, a time to pause, reflect,
and let go of what no longerserves you.
(00:53):
Together we'll explore realstories and soulful insights to
help you quiet that itty bittyshitty committee, release the
shoulds that weigh you down, andstep into the new year grounded
in self-love, clarity, andconfidence.
Let's begin today'sconversation.
Today's I'm chatting with KarenPorter.
(01:16):
For almost 30 years, Karenbattled severe IBS, anxiety, and
suicidal depression that lefther hospitalized and desperate
for answers.
When traditional medicine failedher, she turned to alternative
healing methods that completelytransformed her health and
happiness.
Now approaching 60, Karen ispassionate about helping women
(01:36):
over 50 regain their energy,balance their hormones, and feel
vibrant through her proven yourbest life reset program.
She's been featured on stages,podcasts, and major media
outlets like CP24, Global TV,and Breakfast Television,
empowering women to make therest of their life the best of
(01:57):
their life.
SPEAKER_02 (01:58):
Welcome, Karen.
Hello, thanks for having me.
SPEAKER_01 (02:02):
Oh, absolutely.
I'm really looking forward toour discussions because you
know, menopause is sort of oneof the top of the list, right?
With most women that I chatwith.
And I want, I mean, you've comefrom some pretty incredibly dark
chapters in your life.
You know, with depression andIBS.
I mean, we those two issues arethey're common.
(02:24):
They seem to be very common inthe world today.
Um, what I'm interested in is,you know, how you pulled
yourself out of that.
Like what created the beginningof me shift in you?
SPEAKER_02 (02:38):
Right.
Well, it was the the IBS isreally something that I had uh
from my 20s to my late 40s, andactually uh really the bouts of
uh debilitating anxiety andsuicidal depression as well.
It was like, okay, it happenedonce in my 20s and then twice in
(03:01):
my 30s and then twice in my 40s,and um and it it was just
really, really bad to the pointwhere I was hospitalized and in
a psychiatric ward.
Um, but what really got me outof it were, you know, were
several things, but um, youknow, and each time was a little
(03:25):
bit different.
But what really had the mostimpact on my life was really um
when I met a nutritionist at acooking class, and um I thought,
oh, I need to talk to her more.
And she helped me sort of changethe way I was looking at food
(03:46):
and the way that I was eating.
Um, and then you know, thathelped helped my gut, which then
also affected my brain becauseof the gut brain access, right?
So that, you know, that startedto help my mental health, but
then it was um, you know, otherthings as well.
(04:06):
Um, you know, I talk about howimportant mindset is and
regulating our nervous system.
So that is something I work onevery day to be more resilient
and and manage my stress, right?
Uh so yeah, it was meditation,it is breath work.
(04:27):
So it, you know, it's a it's abunch of tools which I now share
with my clients.
SPEAKER_01 (04:34):
So I mean, I love that because it's never just one
thing.
Right.
And we all know, I mean, we'vebeen hearing it for years now,
that our gut health is whatcreates our life, right?
If our gut is not happy, ourbrain isn't happy, the rest of
our body is not happy, ouremotions are not I mean, it's
you know, we all have to get soI'm you know, I'm curious um
(04:57):
what the nutritionist found orwhat you found when you talked
with her.
I'm assuming it was a woman, butI think that's what you said,
yeah.
Um that you know, getting likeeating different, right?
What did you eat like before?
Were you eating like fast food,McDonald's, you know, kind of on
the run all the time, or wereyou eating at home?
SPEAKER_02 (05:19):
Um a little bit of both.
You know, I we yeah, we were wewere busy with young kids, and
you know, you work with what youhave, you do the best that you
can with the information thatyou have, right?
I mean, I look back at it nowand think, oh my gosh, but I
didn't, you know, I didn'treally know differently.
(05:42):
We all know that apples arebetter than potato chips, but
you know, all of the the choiceswe make throughout the day
really affect us.
So the the biggest thing I didwith her is really started with
an elimination diet.
So I really took those thosethings that had the potential to
(06:06):
be bothering me out of my diet.
And after a month of that, Isaid, oh my gosh, like I just
feel so much better.
And um, so you know, that isreally, you know, some of the
big things are gluten and dairyand refined sugar, right?
Um, and then it's thinking abouteating nutrient-dense foods, so
(06:29):
whole, you know, whole foodslike vegetables and fruit and
meat in, well, obviously we'recooking the meat and you can
cook the the vegetables, but youknow, in their whole form.
Um, and unfortunately, uh, webecause we're busy, we tend to
go for these convenience things,but even things that are
(06:52):
healthy, like if they'reprepared elsewhere, when you're
actually looking at theingredients, it's it's not what
would be trulyanti-inflammatory.
So an elimination diet is reallythe same as an anti-inflammatory
diet, it's removing thosethings.
And you might think, oh gosh, Icouldn't give up bread and
(07:14):
sugar, and but you you know,with help, you actually can
modify things, and then yourtaste buds change when you when
what you're doing starts tochange the microbes in your gut,
right?
Yeah, so many people think likeso.
(07:34):
For me, um IBS or irritableirritable bowel syndrome was how
it expressed or showed up in mybody, right?
But you don't have to have youknow constant bloating,
diarrhea, or constipation foryour gut to be affecting other
areas, right?
(07:54):
So, what I'm saying is you mightthink you don't have gut issues,
but you could, and it can affectyour mental health, it can
affect your hormones, it canaffect uh so many different
things, right?
So your your experience throughperimenopause and into menopause
(08:14):
and beyond can be so differentif you uh if you know the right
tools, if you know how to makethe changes or work with
somebody that does.
SPEAKER_01 (08:25):
Yeah, yeah.
And the thing with IBS, and youknow this, you know, probably
better than I do, they there'sno real cause of it.
And when you go to the doctor,they don't really know a whole
lot about it, which is probablywhy in your history the medical
doctor couldn't help you, theWestern medical doctor, right?
Because they don't there's notest to say this is what the
(08:48):
problem is, right?
Right.
They just know that your stomachis not working, or not your
stomach, but your guts are notworking properly with the rest
of your body.
SPEAKER_02 (08:57):
Right.
So they can do testing and ruleout prones and colitis, but then
you're left with this catch-allIBS, right?
And you're right.
Uh, because I remember asking mydoctor about food testing, and
he said, no, because it's foodand stress.
Well, yeah, but we can startmaking changes with the you
(09:20):
know, with the food part, right?
SPEAKER_01 (09:23):
Yeah, you know, but I think, and I mean, you've gone
through it.
I think the best way is throughelimination, right?
Testing, yeah, testing might beable to tell you, yeah, you have
a little bit of an intoleranceto this, but it's probably not
that big a deal, or you have anallergy, I mean, allergies, it
would be nice, right?
It would be nice to watch, youknow.
But the reality is it's how yourbody is dealing with life in
(09:45):
general, whether it's stress oryou know, whatever it is, and
then it's like your gut istelling your body how to to like
disperse all this stuff, right?
And if it's not given the rightnutrients, it's gonna make it
sick, right?
That's basically what it comesdown to.
SPEAKER_02 (10:02):
Right.
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
And yeah, the doctor would giveme different medications to try
and help with this, you know,the the spasms or whatever,
whatever it was.
But yeah, that doesn't fixanything.
That it's just a band-aid.
Uh yeah, exactly.
Unfortunately, with so many ofour pharmaceuticals, they're
(10:23):
just uh a band-aid, they arejust masking or or not even
trying to mask, you know, thesymptoms and causing something
else, right?
SPEAKER_01 (10:33):
Exactly.
So I'm curious to know what youwhat you feel.
Um so lots of women, I mean, Iknow women my age that I chat
with, as we reach into our 50s,we are exhausted.
I mean, we've run, we've raiseda family, we've you know, had a
career, we've done, we've donelife, and now we're at an age
(10:54):
where we're heading into themenopause stage and we're
exhausted, right?
We're disconnected, we're Imean, disconnected from our
bodies, let alone from you know,like the rest of life.
Right.
How does this time of lifebecome like powerful?
Like how can we look at this andyou know, sort of be empowered
(11:14):
and look at it as a newbeginning?
SPEAKER_02 (11:17):
Yeah, you can uh I mean, it definitely can be
empowering and um and a newbeginning.
Uh, you know, I I responded tosomething, a post recently, and
it said, what is your uhexperience or how do you feel
about menopause?
(11:38):
And I saw that lots of peopleput comments like hell and
awful, and you know, and I putliberating, and there was a few
other positive comments likemine.
Um, but I'm sure some people,you know, that are going through
the hell are just like, oh, youknow, that's great that your
(12:00):
experience is like that.
But um, you know, I make thechoices every day from my
knowledge, right?
Because this is what I'vestudied and researched, and this
is what I'm immersed in, right?
Um, so I'm I make the choicesdaily to help me to feel good
(12:23):
and feel empowered, right?
So for generally for women, it'syou know, working with somebody
or trying to get that uh theinformation, right?
It's it's not about you know,you still hear calories in,
calories out, or you know, it'sobviously it's not that at all.
(12:43):
Um, and you know, we don'talways want to be measuring
things either, right?
Um I I try to I teach my uhclients the principles, and then
you know, then they know how to,you know, to do it for the rest
of their of their lives, right?
(13:04):
So it's by you know working withsomebody, somebody getting the
uh getting the knowledge um andhaving the plan to move forward.
So food is a big part of it, butthere's so many other things
that we need to pull in, right?
Like I say, you can eat all thegreat stuff and exercise all you
(13:26):
want, but if you're stressed,you know, like every day running
the treadmill, looking aftereverybody else, you're still not
gonna feel great, right?
You're you're gonna beexhausted, your adrenals are um
overworked, and your adrenals,by the way, are what has to take
over when your uh, you know,estrogen and progesterone and
(13:50):
testosterone start to change,right?
Yeah.
So if you're exhausted, it'sjust gonna get, it's just gonna
get worse.
But you know, what is common inmenopause, like the hot flashes,
the exhaustion, the um, youknow, the overwhelm that I hear
of often.
Um, you know, the the moodswings, the weight gain, the,
(14:13):
you know, the difference in thebody composition, uh, so many
different things, can uh, eventhough they're common, it
doesn't it doesn't mean they'renormal or that it has to be that
way, right?
So um I want women not to acceptthat and and know that there is
(14:36):
a different uh a different pathmoving forward.
SPEAKER_01 (14:40):
I love that.
I love that.
Now I I do have a question, andI'm not sure if if you know the
answer to this, but menopausesymptoms, you know, like the
exhaustion, the the brain fog,the you know, all these things,
they seem to be very common,like very similar to what
everybody is complaining about.
Whether it's men like there arewomen going through the
(15:02):
perimenopause stage, or even nowI'm hearing lots of men
complaining about the samesymptoms.
How do we deal with that?
Like, I mean, yeah, women canlook at that as a perimenopause
symptom and say, okay, well,let's get my hormones intact,
right?
I mean, that's basically whatyou're saying you do with them
or help them to do.
(15:24):
But men are having the sameissues.
Where we're like they're nothaving menopause, like they're
not going through perimenopause.
I know that they're goingthrough now, men go through
their own, you know, menopausestage, right?
I know that there's a name forit, but obviously not coming to
many.
Right.
SPEAKER_02 (15:40):
And so now until their testosterone is going
down.
SPEAKER_01 (15:44):
And so is it the same, like, I mean, I I know you
don't work with men in thatsense, but what like are are we
blaming menopause?
Like, is it an excuse for uswomen, or is it just a
combination of so many thingsthat we just don't know anymore?
SPEAKER_02 (16:01):
Right.
And and I do actually have somemen clients.
And and yeah, so the uhsometimes they join with their
wives, and sometimes they uhthey just come to me on their
own.
Um, and I see the same greatresults, like they're they're
losing inflammation, they'relosing weight, they're um
(16:25):
feeling so much better,energy-wise, sleeping better,
like so many different things.
But yeah, they don't have theperimenopause that's you know,
that's where hormones arefluctuating and and you know,
we're just all over the place,right?
They're more of a gradualdecline in their testosterone,
(16:45):
but they can feel, like yousaid, exhausted or have brain
fog.
And but you know, so much of ithas to do with the food, the
exercise, the the nervoussystem, and the mindset.
SPEAKER_01 (17:01):
Now it's all the same, like it's all the same.
SPEAKER_02 (17:04):
It is, it it really is.
Um, and so we want to doeverything to support those
things, and then sometimes welook um outside of that in terms
of supplements or adaptogens uhthat we might want to add to
either women or men.
(17:26):
Um, and then of course there'sHRT, but and and women hear
about uh you know the hormonereplacement, and it can be good
for you know for some women, butit's definitely not where we
should start, right?
SPEAKER_01 (17:44):
I'm glad you said that.
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (17:45):
We need to make lifestyle changes, right?
Like you can't just do that'sthe same as a pill for every
ill, right?
That's the same, you know.
SPEAKER_01 (17:56):
Everybody wants the magic pill, right?
Exactly.
I mean, there is no magic pill,right?
SPEAKER_02 (18:01):
No, yeah, and it's not an excuse for not eating
well or moving your body, right?
And you know, women think, oh,like my body's working against
me, and everything used to befine until I hit 50 or until I
hit menopause or whatever.
But it's actually just that,it's that time where the things
(18:24):
that you might have been able toget away with, you no longer
can.
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (18:29):
It's finally caught up to you, right?
That's what I mean.
Exactly.
When I was a kid, well, it'llcatch up to her one day, right?
Right.
And you are, right?
And now, like, you know, some ofus, some of us thrive during
menopause.
Like I've heard women say, youknow, it came and went and they
didn't know.
And I'm like, how is thatpossible?
I couldn't get myself out of bedfor three years, right?
(18:49):
All I wanted to do was sleep,yeah.
Right.
And and then I mean, I didn'thave a lot of pain, but tired.
I mean, I was exhausted, right?
I was past exhausted, right?
And and I mean, I went to adoctor and she said, Well, this
is normal for women your age,and she popped antidepressants
at me.
Now, at the time I was like, youknow, a little naive to it
(19:10):
because I didn't take a lot ofmedication in my life.
So I'm like, oh, well, if thisis something that's gonna help
me, here I go.
Well, you know, right yearslater, I'm like, okay, this is
not working.
SPEAKER_02 (19:19):
Right?
SPEAKER_01 (19:20):
It didn't help me.
Right.
And if anything, I think it madethe things worse.
But I mean, that's that's awhole new conversation.
But I mean, had I known ofsomeone like you, Karen, I would
have been like, what do I donow?
Right, right, exactly.
I mean, I did, I played with alot of the different things over
the years, and I mean, thereality is that the medication
(19:43):
controlled what was goingthrough my brain.
Right.
And so, you know, now that Iknow I tell women that are
feeling the way I felt, I don'tcare how old they are, but as
soon as they give me any kind ofsymptom that they're feeling
like I felt, I'm like, do nottell the doctor you want
antidepressants.
And if they suggest it, don'ttake it because you need to try
(20:04):
other things first that are morenatural.
Like exactly right.
Like play with the eliminationdiet.
Figure out what your body nolonger likes.
Because let's face it, what wecould eat when we were in our
20s and 30s, our bodies mightnot want anymore.
Right.
And we need to admit that.
We need to admit it and embraceit.
SPEAKER_02 (20:23):
Right.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Yeah.
Yeah.
For sure.
And yeah.
And sometimes stabbing in thedark is is difficult.
And that's why I suggest workingwith the coach.
Because sometimes um you couldhave trouble with um vegetables
that are healthy, uh, butthey're they're under the
(20:46):
nightshade category.
So that's potatoes, tomatoes,eggplant, and bell peppers.
But you'd never think that, youknow, you would need to cut out
those things.
But it's just another thing whenyou're working with somebody,
they can help to figure that outfor you.
Exactly.
SPEAKER_01 (21:04):
And I would think, like, okay, so not everybody is
the same.
So what works for one might notwork for the other.
But you also have an idea of theaverage, right?
Well, some finding women, youknow, like some women are not
liking potatoes that that's notagreeing with them.
Or, you know, like tomatoes,tomatoes are acid-y, like, you
know, probably nobody should beeating it because it's burning
(21:24):
the inside of our stomach.
But you know, I'm not a doctorand I can't say that, right?
SPEAKER_02 (21:28):
But there are benefits to it.
SPEAKER_01 (21:30):
Right?
But there are, yeah, exactly.
Yeah, yeah.
So I I mean, I love this.
I mean, we could talk all daybecause I know you have lots of
knowledge to share with me, butwe want to, we I want to just
like, you know, get the youknow, the the basics and then
have listeners reach out to youif they have more questions.
Um I now you we mentioned alittle bit about mindset and how
you know what like the toolsthat we have and how they work.
(21:53):
How do you help women sort ofshift their their mindset so
that they know how to use thetools that you can teach them?
SPEAKER_02 (22:04):
Right.
And and that's exactly yeah, themindset is so important.
And I talk about the five M's inmy with my clients.
And the first one is masteringmindset.
Well, even though I call itmastering mindset, none of us
really master it, but it'ssomething that we need to work
(22:26):
on, right?
It's so, so important.
Um, the next one is managing ournervous system.
So that is, you know, managingour stress, right?
We can't let that take over.
Uh, the next one is meals madewith ease, and then movement for
optimization, and then the lastone is magnifying joy or
(22:50):
happiness.
So all of those things are keyand things that I work on with
clients.
Um, but yeah, back to yourquestion about mindset.
It's funny because I postedtoday and I posted about a
little mindset tweak.
And I'm sure you've heard thisbefore, but it's something I
remind myself of and I talkabout it with my clients, and
(23:14):
it's just reframing something.
So, you know, uh something like,oh, I have to exercise.
No, I get to exercise, right?
SPEAKER_01 (23:25):
That's me.
I know I have to.
I do not like it.
And I, yeah, uh that's actuallymy next question for you.
SPEAKER_02 (23:32):
Yeah, we just need to help you find something that
brings you a movement thatbrings you joy, and that's the
problem.
A lot of us are doing thingsthat someone said we should do
and we don't love it and wedon't want to keep doing it,
right?
So it's important to find that.
Um, but okay, so how it mightapply to um food is, and I'm
(23:55):
always saying this to myclients, um, when they say, Oh,
I can't have that chocolate bar.
No, no, no.
You want to, even in your ownmind, you don't want to say that
to yourself.
You want to say, I'm choosingnot to have that.
SPEAKER_01 (24:11):
Right.
Because I can't, I mean, I'm notallowed, right?
SPEAKER_02 (24:14):
Oh, I'm not allowed is the worst, right?
Like I'm not allowed, or I can'thave it, or you know, whether
you're saying it in your ownmind or you say it to someone
else, either way, it'sdisempowering and demotivating
everything.
Yeah, yeah.
So yeah, so even if you say I'mchoosing not to have that right
(24:36):
now, because I'm working withKaren and I'm I'm doing this
program.
I'm, you know, I'm working ongetting healthy.
I want to feel good.
Like it's it's the long-termgoal that you need to put ahead
of, you know, what do I feellike right now?
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (24:56):
Because the reality is I can have whatever I want.
I can make whatever I want,right?
Right.
But it's the what I want to dothat I that needs changing.
SPEAKER_02 (25:06):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (25:07):
And so now we have to like, you know, re reframe
it, or you know, I I guessthat's the best way of saying
it.
Yeah.
And we it's not that we don'twant to do that anymore.
It's we want to get better,right?
And if I want to get better,eating that or doing that is
going to either keep me where Iam or make things worse for me.
SPEAKER_02 (25:30):
Am I right?
Yeah.
Exactly.
Yep, exactly.
And and it was brought to myattention yesterday because
actually I was speaking to uh acohort who was a life coach.
And I said, Well, these are thethings I'm working on.
I need to finish my course on A.
I need to do, and I I should be,and she caught me saying it, not
(25:54):
as it uh, you know, uh uhapplied to food or exercise or
something, but you know, thisapplies to everything, right?
SPEAKER_01 (26:01):
So yeah, life coaches are still living, right?
They're we're not we are notperfection, we are not like we
are still learning and stillgoing through all the all the
things ourselves, right?
So yeah, it's easy for us now.
I can, you know, listening tosomeone else, it's easy to
listen for those cues, but yeah,when we're talking, we're not
listening for them, right?
(26:21):
Right.
Like we're not mentally likewe're not there.
SPEAKER_02 (26:24):
Yeah, yeah.
I think that I have those aroundmy food and exercise, but
sometimes other things, youknow.
I have sure even I get to washthe dishes because you know, we
got to have a nice dinner, andyou know, this is you know, just
I don't want to, I'm not goingto.
SPEAKER_01 (26:45):
Like we're allowed to say that, right?
Because I mean, let's face it,we're there's things that we do
because we feel like we have todo them right now, right?
But the real reality is, islike, okay, I'm not saying let
your dishes overflow for threedays.
That's not what I'm saying.
But if you really feel tiredbecause you just had a big
turkey dinner and you're tiredand you'd rather be visiting
(27:07):
with you know whoever's sittingat it, that's okay.
Like, don't feel the pressure,right?
And and that will help youchange that mindset of I can or
I can't.
SPEAKER_02 (27:17):
Right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Exactly.
And the other cool thing thatwhen you were speaking, I just
thought about was um when we getour our food and our movement
and things sort of dialed in, itactually not and not perfect.
When I say dialed in, uh neverabout perfection, I'm always
(27:41):
about progress, but you know,doing better, being you know,
being a better version ofyourself.
Um, but what I was just thinkingof is when we do get that dialed
in, we actually give ourselvesmore time.
So people think it takes time,right?
And in the beginning it doesbecause you're making mental and
(28:03):
physical changes, but itactually gives us more time
because you get more energy.
So, you know, how is that not awin, right?
Right.
So um you, you know, it'ssomething you're doing
initially, but you, you know,you get used to it, and then you
realize you've got more energy.
So you've you've bought yourselftime.
(28:25):
And the other thing I had aclient talking about recently
was she had a very stressfuljob, and she said, you know,
wow, after working with you onlythrough half of the you know,
the the program, she said, Ican't remember when I was when I
was stressed, like she became somuch more resilient to handle
(28:49):
the things.
So not only now do you have moretime because of your energy, but
you're you're able to handlethings better, right?
SPEAKER_01 (28:59):
So you're not feeling the stress.
I love that.
Who doesn't want that life,right?
SPEAKER_02 (29:04):
Exactly.
Exactly.
SPEAKER_01 (29:06):
As we close out this year, Karen, what are some
practical ways that you knowwomen in general can reset their
health and energy beforestepping into the new year?
SPEAKER_02 (29:18):
So, you know, there are some, there of course are
many things, but um one that uhwe haven't talked about yet um
is our breathing, right?
So I just recently um certifiedas a breathwork facilitator, and
(29:40):
I so I do breath work sessionswith my clients, um, which are
you know longer sessions, butour breathing is so important
because especially when we'restressed, we're taking shallow
um chest breaths.
We need to slow our breath downand extend our our abdomen and
(30:02):
really do deep belly breaths,right?
So, and and breathe through yournose, right?
Try and be aware and when you'renot talking or eating, try and
keep your mouth closed, right?
So many benefits to breathingthrough our nostrils.
So try and slow down yourbreath.
There's lots of differentthings, box breathing, five,
(30:25):
six, seven breathing,alternating nostril breathing,
like different things like that,right?
But really try and be consciousof your breath.
Take a longer exhale if you can.
So that that's um that's onething.
Another thing that we we hearabout all the time is drinking
water, right?
So that's we've heard that foryears and years, but really
(30:49):
trying to drink half of yourbody weight in ounces of of
water.
But if you if you really don'tdrink water now, you know,
that's obviously a big goal.
So just try and just try andstart, right?
Um, just have a couple glassesof water a day, or you know, buy
(31:11):
a bottle that you like and justkeep it with you and try and try
and drink more water.
I'm also a big fan ofelectrolytes in the water.
Um, and that's like sodium,potassium, and magnesium, so
minerals that we, you know, thatwe need.
SPEAKER_01 (31:28):
Yeah, and those have to unfortunately be added to our
water because they take themout, right?
Most cities, yeah.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (31:34):
Um, yeah, and then the other thing I was gonna say
the nighttime snacking.
So we, you know, we got toreally try and and eliminate
that.
So um, you know, I likeintermittent fasting, um, but
that's a whole big discussion,right?
So um, but one of the biggestthings is try to stop eating
(31:57):
after dinner, it's huge, right?
So um brush your teeth.
Um, you know, whatever you cando, because oftentimes we just
want to change the flavor in ourmouth, right?
Um, so brush your teeth.
And then if you do feel likehaving something, uh, one, are
you staying up too late?
I find that when I stay up laterthan I usually do, then I'm
(32:20):
like, oh, what can I eat?
I'm not gonna go to bed hungry,right?
So I've I've stayed up too late.
Um, but ask yourself, are youreally hungry?
Right.
And if you're not, like you needanother activity, right?
Try and do do something else,right?
And sometimes it's doingsomething else physical or
(32:42):
putting yourself somewhere else,right?
SPEAKER_01 (32:45):
Yeah.
Um, I so I have a thing with thethe eating after, like I had a
hard time, so I didn't considermyself a snacker like after
supper.
My husband used to, he alwaysliked coffee and sometimes lots
of times cookies is coffee.
And so I was like, well, I wouldhave just a cup of tea, and I
was okay with that.
(33:05):
But then I found that you know,every once in a while for about
a week or two at a time, I wouldgo and I would have that snack
with him.
And then I would be like, I'd goto bed feeling so full and just
uncomfortable.
And I'd be like, why am I doingthis?
Right.
So what I started doing was whenI did the dishes after supper,
uh, I would shut the lights onand I'm like, kitchen is opposed
(33:26):
to it, right?
If we want a cup of tea, like,okay, we'll have a cup of coffee
or a cup of tea, that's fine.
But that's it.
If I was if I had a snack, Iwould actually prepare it,
right?
And put it aside in the coffeemachine so that when we made the
coffee and the tea, we'd haveyou know that snack.
And it was usually like onecookie each, right?
(33:47):
Not a dish of cookies, right?
And so my husband would be like,Well, I want more.
Well, yeah, I know you wantmore, but do you need more?
Right.
We don't need that, especiallyat that hour, right?
At that 9:30, 10 o'clock, weshould be like our body's going
into digestion mode.
And so the more we put into ourbody, the harder it's gonna have
(34:08):
to work when we're sleeping.
And women going throughmenopause, right?
Sleep is affected exactly.
Three o'clock in the morningwhen our liver is doing all the
work it's supposed to be doingto clean us out.
We're wide awake because theliver's overdoing it, right?
The liver's like, oh, you'remaking my life so difficult.
SPEAKER_02 (34:26):
Right.
Yeah, or your blood sugar is,you know.
SPEAKER_01 (34:30):
Yeah, like I mean, you know, like that's and that's
part of your like, you know,eating, like the eliminating,
like getting rid of all thatstuff.
Because we we want to make ourorgans work for us, right?
Right, not against us.
And so I think that's where youknow, like the whole brain-gut
connection comes in, right?
Like we need to think on thesame line as you know, our our
(34:53):
organs, because I mean, let'sface it, they're a part of us,
right?
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, I love that.
So I'm assuming like you talkedabout your best life reset with
me the last time we chatted.
And I think all the things thatyou mentioned are kind of a part
of that, like this, the fiveM's, you know, the the you know,
the balance of the food and allthat stuff.
(35:14):
So I'm I'm I want to know more,unless, of course, you've
already kind of discovereddiscussed most of it.
SPEAKER_02 (35:20):
Uh no, I can I can certainly talk more about it.
But so your best life reset is a12-week program, and it's um
it's a group program.
So we have you know other womengoing through it at the same
time.
Um and I really love thatcommunity because they they gain
(35:43):
from each other, right?
They hear from me, but theyalso, you know, gain insight
from each other.
Um, and so even though it's agroup, we I also do one-on-one
coaching um with the clients.
So then I'm helping themindividually.
And you know, there really isaccountability uh in terms of
(36:08):
you know what they're eating,what they're doing, what you
know, so that especially in thefirst couple of weeks, I want to
make sure they're on the rightpath and they've got that
success, right?
And then throughout, we're youknow, we're working on the
mindset, and you know, we'regonna be doing these things to
(36:31):
um you know to manage yourstress better.
And yeah, and talking aboutsleep and how can we get better
sleep and what affects our sleepand and all of those things,
right?
SPEAKER_01 (36:42):
So my god, I'm getting so excited.
Honestly, I don't, I don't know.
I think just the whole idea ofyou know aligning your values
with your behaviors and actuallygetting it right, right?
Like it just sounds to me likeyou really work with your
clients to get them working in aposition where they can make you
(37:03):
know head and gut work together.
Like it's it's exactly like mymy insights are getting all like
dancing and I just love thatbecause I want I want our
listeners to do the best thatthey can to create that life.
SPEAKER_02 (37:19):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (37:19):
I mean, there are too many people walking down the
street here like robots, right?
I mean, we're all like we allfeel like shit, we all feel like
you know, they're we're tootired to deal with life, right?
And we're missing out, we'remissing out on so much, yeah,
right.
And if we just get it alltogether and we're not like
you're not gonna like you knowtake all the favorite things
(37:42):
away because let's face it, ifyou really love something, don't
give it up.
You need that happiness, right?
But right, if it's not bringingit up.
SPEAKER_02 (37:50):
I might show you how to do it a bit differently
though, right?
SPEAKER_01 (37:53):
Right, right, exactly.
But I mean the the reality is, Imean, if I really love my pasta,
right?
I mean, I I love pasta, but Ihave I have slow, you know,
taken taken it out a little bit,right?
But that doesn't mean like wehave to give it up forever,
right?
Right, and I think that's whatyou know the best life reset
comes down to, right?
(38:14):
From what I'm you know, from thelittle bit that we're talking
here.
So I'm like just super excited,and I'm like, I want everyone to
come talk with you.
SPEAKER_02 (38:22):
Yeah, and and I love it because the first six weeks
we do uh a certain way ofeating, and then the second six
weeks is really bringing somethings back in.
So it's not it, it's not a dietat all, but it's not a a program
where you, you know, you get toa certain point and then you're
(38:44):
on your own, right?
Like I love the people to stay,uh, you know, it's a it's a
lifelong thing, like you knowhow to do it, but you can jump
back in at any time to thegroup, you know, if you need um,
you know, tips or motivation oryou just want to speak with the
(39:05):
community.
And the other thing I wanted tosay is that um, you know, it's
really about healing your bodyfirst, right?
And so the whole premise of theprogram is to get your body into
the parasympathetic state of umrest and digest where and where
(39:26):
you're relaxed, as opposed toyou know, the the sympathetic
state, which is fight or flight,right?
That stress state that we allknow, right?
SPEAKER_01 (39:36):
Which most of us are living in, yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (39:38):
Exactly.
And the other thing that'sreally important when I start
working with somebody, I alwayssay, I want you to think about
your why, right?
Because this is what we'll needto come back to when you start
feeling challenged, right?
So, you know, and sometimes awoman will come to me and say,
Well, I want to lose 20 pounds.
(39:59):
Well, That's not really yourwhy.
What we got to peel that backfurther.
So, why is that important toyou?
Because you can buy clothes at20 pounds higher, right?
But it's not that we need to bea smaller number of ourselves.
It's like we don't need to be,you know, and you don't need to
(40:19):
fit into what you were as ateenager.
It's not about that, but it'slike if how about you know
losing the inflammation so yourbody feels better?
Um, you know, to me, weight isis just a byproduct, right?
It's it's getting the the bodyhealthy first.
(40:40):
So for somebody, it might bewell, I want to be able to run
around with my grandkids, or Iwant to be able to travel the
world and and do all the hikingand biking and things that I
want, right?
So you then then it's importantto have that in front of you.
That that is what you want,right?
(41:01):
Yeah, it's it's different forevery woman, what uh you know
right, and there's no rightanswer, right?
No, it's like whatever isdifferent to you, yeah, yeah,
exactly.
SPEAKER_01 (41:11):
So whatever's motivating you, that's what
matters, but it's not just aboutthe number on the scale, no,
more to it than that.
Yeah, I agree with you there.
And I've been I've been thinkingthat way for years now, right?
SPEAKER_02 (41:23):
Yeah, and most of us have, yeah, most women, yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (41:27):
Exactly.
I love that.
So if a listener is feelingstuck, you know, in the same
cycle of that stress, fatigue,the self-doubt, where should she
begin?
SPEAKER_02 (41:37):
Um, well, you can certainly follow me on Instagram
at Karen Porter Health Coach.
Um on my website, which is KarenPorter.ca, I've got a great
download, which um is I call itmy recipe to um to health and
(41:58):
happiness.
Um, and it it really gives umyou know pointers on things that
you can uh you know that you cando to really be feeling better.
Um in November, um, I'm gonna bedoing a pre-holiday feel
(42:21):
fabulous five-day challenge.
So that's gonna be the week ofNovember 10th.
And so that's a free challenge.
I, you know, I love to helpwomen, and I know that the women
who come to the challenge reallyum, you know, really want to
want to feel good.
So I I love that.
(42:42):
I love doing those.
SPEAKER_01 (42:43):
Yeah, yeah, I love that.
That's awesome.
Yeah, so I'm um you're gonnagive me all the links to that
because we're gonna put thatwith the show notes and I'm
probably gonna join.
Um, when it comes to challenges,I don't take them very well, so
I'm gonna join, but I can'tpromise.
SPEAKER_02 (43:00):
No, when you can, you know, even if you get one of
the days, one of the tips, youknow what I mean?
SPEAKER_01 (43:07):
Like it's your body, yeah.
Your mind is gonna connect withsomething as long as it's
something positive, that's whatmatters.
I yeah, I love that.
So when you look back at yourlife now, Karen, what is one
thing that you are most proud ofyourself for overcoming?
SPEAKER_02 (43:25):
Well, yeah, it I would say it's the you know, it
is the lowest points that I'vehad, right?
Um so the anxiety that turnedinto depression and I was in my
worst possible state, wanting toend my life, which came with so
(43:46):
much shame because I had a greatlife, right?
Um, and just overcoming that andbeing now in a position where I
feel awesome and I want to sharethat with other women.
SPEAKER_01 (44:02):
I love that.
And that's what we do, right?
That's what I mean.
That's what when we've figuredout what works for us, we want
it to work for everyone else,right?
I love that for you.
So, and finally, our lastquestion.
As we look forward to 2026already, what does the beginning
of me mean to you personallyright now?
SPEAKER_02 (44:22):
Sorry, what does the beginning of me?
SPEAKER_01 (44:25):
Like, what is your 2026 look like?
SPEAKER_02 (44:29):
Right.
Um, it you know, it really isrefining what um, you know, what
feels good for me, refining orredefining my success.
Um, you know, there are just somany different parts of that,
(44:51):
but you know, like you weretalking before, as we age and
and things change, um what'simportant to me now is very
different than you know what wasimportant five or 10 years ago,
right?
So it's really just uh, and thisis for everybody, but it's like
it's aligning with ourselves,it's aligning with me so that I
(45:15):
can be the in the best placepossible.
And it's not selfish, it is youknow, it's important because if
you're the best version of you,you can be better for everyone
around you, and living out yourpurpose the best way you can.
SPEAKER_01 (45:33):
That's yeah, that's totally what I'm getting from
you.
And I love, I love that.
So I'm and I say that becausepersonally, like I'm I'm still
like, you know, um navigatingthe perimenopause.
I think, you know, like for themost part, I I'm like feeling
better about it because I'm I'mtrying to look at it in a
positive way, like you said,like if we look at it as you
(45:56):
know, it's horrible, becausethere were, I mean, years ago I
was saying it's freaking hell,right?
Because I felt so shitty.
But now, you know, now that Iknow like what's going on and
how I can manage it, I'm feelingso much better about it.
Right.
Yeah, and I actually am notbitchy about it, right?
Like, I mean, I'm I'm stillbitchy, but I'm not bitchy about
(46:19):
the menopause, right?
Because the fact is we're gonnaget we're gonna get there.
SPEAKER_02 (46:23):
Right.
SPEAKER_01 (46:24):
Whether we want to or not, we're gonna pass that.
And so we need to, I feel likewe need to embrace it with with
love and positivity, right?
Like it's a it's a fact of life,so we gotta do it, right?
It's like looking in the mirrorand like, oh my god, you know,
who is that person?
Because the person I wanted tobe was 20 years ago, right?
(46:44):
But today that's not who I am.
So what do we do?
Do you know right?
We can't, I mean, we can we cango look younger, right?
There aren't any women doing it,but the fact is I'm still 50,
right?
Right still, like I'm still theage that I am, right?
And so, you know, this like thisconversation has helped me even
(47:05):
more realize that you know, justaccept who we are for who we and
what we are, right?
SPEAKER_02 (47:12):
And just know, and to add positive to that, just
know that you can have an effecton it, right?
That you know, we can makechanges to make it even more
comfortable, right, right,exactly.
SPEAKER_01 (47:30):
And I guess that's what it comes down to.
We don't have to just let ithappen, right?
SPEAKER_02 (47:35):
Exactly, exactly.
SPEAKER_01 (47:37):
Thank you so much for joining me today.
This has been awesome.
And I I mean, I know we couldtalk for another couple hours
because there's so much, I knowyou know a lot of stuff, right?
I mean this is there takesresearch.
So thank you so much for joiningme and sharing what you know.
And I really hope that ourlisteners reach out to you
because I think you have greatvalue to share with them.
SPEAKER_02 (47:59):
Thank you so much.
And thanks for having me.
SPEAKER_01 (48:02):
Oh, absolutely.
Thank you for tuning in toConfidence in Bloom.
I hope today's conversationreminded you that you're not
alone on this journey and thatyour confidence grows every time
you tell that itty bitty shittycommittee to hush.
If you're ready to take thiseven deeper, I'd love to invite
you to the Bloom Room, anurturing community where women
come together to releaseself-doubt, reconnect with
(48:24):
themselves, and bloom into thetruest versions of who they're
meant to be.
You'll find the link in the shownotes, and I can't wait to
welcome you inside.
Until next time, remember,confidence isn't something you
find, it's something that bloomsfrom within.
SPEAKER_00 (48:39):
Thanks for listening.
This show was brought to you byDivas That Care.
Connect with us on Facebook, onInstagram, and of course on
divas that care.com, where youcan subscribe to our newsletter
so you don't miss a thing.
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