119: Make Perimenopause About Gain, Not Loss (& What You Need to Eat) with Cynthia Thurlow, NP

Healthy Parenting Handbook with Katie Kimball

Healthy Parenting Handbook with Katie Kimball
119: Make Perimenopause About Gain, Not Loss (& What You Need to Eat) with Cynthia Thurlow, NP
Apr 23, 2026 Episode 119
Katie Kimball

Let me ask you something. When was the last time you felt genuinely sharp? Not just “I had coffee and I’m functional” sharp, but clear-headed, energized, actually-in-the-room sharp?

Most of us have quietly accepted a version of ourselves that’s a little foggy, a little tired, a little “off” and chalked it up to getting older, being busy, or just how things are now. But here’s the thing: that fog has reasons. Real, biological, fixable reasons, and most of them have nothing to do with willpower or discipline.

In this post, we’re pulling back the curtain on what’s actually going on inside your body and brain during perimenopause. We’re talking about the surprising link between your gut and your mood, what your sleep problems are really trying to tell you, and why stress is so much sneakier than anyone gives it credit for.

Resources We Mention for Daily Habits for Perimenopause

Get your free life skills workshops at raisinghealthyfamilies.com/skills

Affiliate links used here. Thanks for supporting the Healthy Parenting Handbook!

Episode Artwork 119: Make Perimenopause About Gain, Not Loss (& What You Need to Eat) with Cynthia Thurlow, NP 37:29 Episode Artwork 118: The Menopause Gut: Understand How to Respond to Changing Hormones in Your 40s with Cynthia Thurlow NP 31:05 Episode Artwork 117: Heal Your Hunger: How to End Emotional Eating Now with Tricia Nelson 46:42 Episode Artwork 116: How to Translate the Language of Your Child or Teen's Behavior with Wendy Snyder 27:07 Episode Artwork 115: Why Starting Over Is a Parenting Superpower with Wendy Snyder 28:50 Episode Artwork 114: The Truth About Time Management for Moms (It’s Not Your Planner) with Anna Dearmon Kornick 41:55 Episode Artwork 113: The Two Stories of Every Cluttered Space with Ingrid Jansen of the Declutter Hub 43:57 Episode Artwork 112: Financial Literacy for the Whole Family with Amanda Teixeira 43:10 Episode Artwork 111: Troubleshoot Your Child's Poor Digestion with Tara Hunkin, NTP 43:38 Episode Artwork 110: Ask Me Anything: Picky Eating, Screen Time, and Intentional Choices 30:18 Episode Artwork 109: Quick Change Tastebuds, Slow Biology, & Why Gut Health May Impact Picky Eating with Elissa Arnheim 44:58 Episode Artwork 108: Why You're Stuck in a Clutter Loop (and a System Won't Save You) with Katy Wells 19:15 Episode Artwork 107: Helping Kids Take Ownership of Their Space and How Decluttering Can Solve Your Anxiety with Katy Wells 26:14 Episode Artwork 106: No Such Thing as Bad Weather: Practical Ways to Get Kids Outside with Pooja Tandon and Danette Glassy 42:02 Episode Artwork 105: How Danish Families Build Connection, Responsibility, and Contentment with Jessica Joelle Alexander 28:26 Episode Artwork 104: The Danish Way of Parenting with Jessica Joelle Alexander 31:06 Episode Artwork Teen Tidbits, Day 5: The Teenager’s World Is No Longer Black & White: How to Use That to Your Advantage as a Parent 6:35 Episode Artwork Teen Tidbits, Day 4: Passing on Family Values Through Teen Involvement in the Kitchen 6:48 Episode Artwork Teen Tidbits, Day 3: Why Cooking Helps Teens Let Go of Perfectionism 5:36 Episode Artwork Teen Tidbits, Day 2: How Agency in Cooking Teaches Teens to Make Smart Choices 4:18 Episode Artwork Teen Tidbits, Day 1: Passing Along Ownership to Our Kids 6:31 Episode Artwork 103: Steps to Meal Planning on a Budget for Teens and Young Adults (Part 2) 14:25 Episode Artwork 102: Meal Planning on a Budget for Teens and Young Adults (Part 1) 15:56 Episode Artwork 101: Raising Work-Ready Teens Through Leadership and Life Skills with Arthur C. Woods 37:45 Episode Artwork 100: Why Are You So Tired? (Chronic Fatigue and Long Haulers with Dr. Evan Hirsch) 55:47