In this episode, Suzi Dia — Women's Health Coach and Personal Trainer — joins us to discuss how women can thrive through perimenopause by building strength, protecting bone health, improving sleep, and supporting their bodies through lifestyle habits that actually make a difference.

We explore what really happens to our hormones during perimenopause and menopause, why strength training becomes one of the most important tools for healthy aging, and how muscle mass, protein intake, recovery, and stress management all play a role in reducing symptoms and supporting long-term health.

Suzi shares practical guidance on building sustainable fitness habits, meeting your protein needs, navigating common nutrition myths (including soy), improving sleep quality, understanding heart rate variability and recovery, and why self-care isn't selfish—it's essential. Whether you're navigating perimenopause now or simply want to age with strength and vitality, this conversation is packed with practical, evidence-based tools you can start using today.

Connect with Suzi Dia:
https://www.montclairhealthcoaching.com/

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• Why strength training is essential during perimenopause and menopause
• How protein supports muscle, metabolism, and bone health
• The connection between sleep, recovery, stress, and hormone health
• Common nutrition myths—including the truth about soy
• Lifestyle habits that can help reduce perimenopause symptoms
• Practical ways to improve sleep, recovery, and overall wellness
• Why building muscle is one of the best investments for healthy aging
• The value of individualized health coaching and learning to listen to your body

00:00 Introduction & Suzi's Journey into Women's Health
06:03 Empowerment Through Health Coaching
11:08 Prioritizing Self-Care as Women
16:17 Common Fitness & Health Misconceptions
22:42 How Lifestyle Impacts Perimenopause Symptoms
37:48 Hormones, Menopause & Healthy Aging
45:34 Strength Training, Bone Health & Nutrition
51:00 Protein Intake & Nutrition Tips
56:17 Soy, Protein & Nutrition Myths
01:04:21 Alcohol, Sleep & Recovery
01:12:22 Stress Management & Long-Term Health

Most women have never heard of the Endocannabinoid System—despite the important role it plays in helping the body maintain balance, immunity and wellbeing.

In this episode, we explore the fascinating science of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS), a regulatory network involved in mood, stress response, sleep, pain perception, inflammation, immune function, and overall well-being. Many experts consider the ECS one of the most important systems in the human body—yet it's rarely discussed or taught in mainstream health education.

Abby shares her journey from burned-out ICU nurse to Canny Nurse Certified RN and cannabis educator, while Chelsea reflects on how grief, healing, and life experience shaped her relationship with cannabis and wellness. Together, we bridge personal stories with evidence-based education to help women better understand their bodies and expand their options for supporting health and healing.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What the Endocannabinoid System is and how it works
• Why most people have never been taught about the ECS
• How cannabis interacts with the body
• The discovery and history of the Endocannabinoid System
• The politics and stigma surrounding cannabis
• Endocannabinoid deficiency and emerging research
• Natural ways to support the ECS beyond cannabis
• Stress, burnout, resilience, and nervous system health
• Dosage, tolerance, and intentional cannabis use
• Why education creates more choice, agency, and body literacy

Whether you're curious about cannabis, interested in women's health, or simply want to better understand the incredible systems already at work within your body, this conversation offers a thoughtful introduction to one of the most overlooked areas of modern health education.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to the Endocannabinoid System

06:07 Abby's Personal Journey with Cannabis

16:36 Cannabis 101: The Endocannabinoid System

25:11 Personal Insights on Cannabis

30:11 The Endocannabinoid System

36:15 Endocannabinoid Deficiency Syndrome

53:30 The Harmonious Nature of Cannabis

59:55 Understanding the Endocannabinoid System

01:07:59 Dosage and Tolerance with Cannabis

01:13:36 Cannabis, Self-Care, and Culture

01:19:20 Holistic Approach to Cannabis Use

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In this episode, Carissa Karban — co-founder of Astrapuffs, speaker, embodiment practitioner, and so much more! — joins us to discuss: her journey from an unconscious Enneagram 8 to a loving challenger; the impact of astrology, human design, and Enneagram on her personal growth; the role of games in shaping behavior and identity. She also takes us on an exploration of the potential impact of AI and virtual worlds on human interaction and the creation of a shared world for humans and AI.

The conversation delves into the influence of AI on human experience, the impact of collective informing on AI, embodied wisdom and healing, shifting from othering to collaboration, and rituals for embodiment and connection.

The discussion explores the intersection of technology, human emotion, and societal values, emphasizing the importance of collective input and the integration of masculine and feminine energies. We delve into emotional expression through music, the importance of a support network, the power of storytelling and emotional flow, shadow work, the relationship with emotions and healing, AI and its relationship to objects, defining success and radical presence, and an overview of the Astrapuffs game.

Learn more about Astrapuffs here - https://astrapuffs.com/

Connect with Carissa - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carissakarban/

✨ We will be co-hosting a retreat with Carissa this Fall! Join our newsletter → https://modernsacred.substack.com/ to stay up-to-date on that and so much more! Plus, when you sign up you will receive our amazing Women's Empowerment Playlist for FREE!

Takeaways

• The transformative journey from an unconscious Enneagram 8 to a loving challenger.
• The potential impact of AI and virtual worlds on human interaction and behavior. The impact of AI on human experience
• The importance of embodied wisdom and healing Emotional expression through music can aid in processing and transitioning between different emotional states.
• The importance of radical presence and defining success based on alignment and love.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Carissa Karban
• 06:04 The Intensity and Softness of Type Eight Personalities
• 18:04 The Impact of AI and Virtual Worlds on Human Interaction
• 24:19 Creating a Shared World for Humans and AI
• 31:20 Embodied Wisdom and Healing
• 57:31 Rituals for Embodiment and Connection
• 01:02:59 Relationship with Emotions and Healing
• 01:19:55 Defining Success and Radical Presence