Graced Health: Perimenopause and Menopause Wellness for Christian Women

Click to Text Thoughts on Today's Episode
As part of our Sunset Series, I'm introducing you to podcasters I know, trust, and love — so you'll have somewhere to turn when Graced Health wraps up. Today I'm talking with my friend Heather Creekmore, host of the Compared to Who podcast and author of several books, including Aging Gratefully. Heather and her husband Eric live in Austin with their four teenagers, and she's spent years helping women stop comparing and start living through a faith-based approach to body image.

Main Points Today:

1. Who Compared to Who is for

2. Heather's own story with body image
 
3. Body image in perimenopause and menopause

4. Value and worth don't erode with age
 
5. The "Gaining W.A.I.T." concept
 
6. Rethinking "love your body" language
 
7. Everyday language that reinforces diet culture
 
8. Where to start with Compared to Who
 
9. A note of hope
 
Listen to the Compared to Who Podcast

Connect with Heather
www.improvebodyimage.com

My latest recommended ways to nourish and move your body, mind and spirit: Nourished Notes Bi-Weekly Newsletter
30+ Non-Gym Ways to Improve Your Health (free download)

Connect with Amy:
GracedHealth.com
Instagram: @GracedHealth
YouTube: @AmyConnell

Click to Text Thoughts on Today's Episode
After more than five hundred episodes, the Graced Health podcast is coming to an end. Before we get there, we're slowing down intentionally — because every good workout deserves a cool-down.
Over the next several weeks, I'll be introducing you to podcasters I know personally and trust deeply. And on August 11th, I'll share the full story of why I'm stepping away and what I'm stepping toward.
Subscribe now so you don't miss a single Cool-Down episode.
My latest recommended ways to nourish and move your body, mind and spirit: Nourished Notes Bi-Weekly Newsletter
30+ Non-Gym Ways to Improve Your Health (free download)

Connect with Amy:
GracedHealth.com
Instagram: @GracedHealth
YouTube: @AmyConnell

Click to Text Thoughts on Today's Episode
The wellness industry will always have something new to sell you — red light masks, cold plunge tubs, vagus nerve stimulators, hydrogen water bottles, sleep maxing gadgets. And honestly? Some of them might even be worth it. But how do you know?
In this final episode of the Common Sense series, I'm giving you something more valuable than a product review: a framework for thinking. Seven questions to ask yourself before you buy anything — so you can move forward with clarity, confidence, and yes, a little healthy skepticism.
In this episode:
The one question that cuts through almost any wellness trend: does this claim actually make sense?
How to spot "magic wand" language — and why no single product will ever fix your sleep, your energy, or your hormones
Who's really behind the recommendation, and why that matters more than the testimonial
What the research actually says about popular trends like vibration plates, infrared saunas, and vagus nerve stimulators
Why the right tool isn't always the best tool — and how to match a product to your actual needs and lifestyle
A honest conversation about privilege, economics, and what else that money could do for your health
How to make sure your wellness choices align with your values and what God is calling you to right now
A quick-start research guide: how to use AI, Perplexity, Consensus, and PubMed to go deeper than a Google search
Resources mentioned:
Why Now is the Perfect Time to Integrate the Blue Zones Lifestyle — Season 18, Episode 13
Sleep Better in Midlife: 16 Common Sense Tips that Actually Work
Inhale Calm, Exhale Stress: A Common Sense Guide to Breathing
Perplexity
Consensus
PubMed
How To Fitness Podcast with Kate Lyman and Michael Ulloa
My latest recommended ways to nourish and move your body, mind and spirit: Nourished Notes Bi-Weekly Newsletter
30+ Non-Gym Ways to Improve Your Health (free download)

Connect with Amy:
GracedHealth.com
Instagram: @GracedHealth
YouTube: @AmyConnell

Click to Text Thoughts on Today's Episode
I made up a breathing technique involving a clock face. Yes, really. And it works. That's just one of 10 tools in this week's episode on mindful breathing for stress — perfect timing if your nervous system has felt a little extra "on" lately.
In this episode of the Common Sense series, I tackle a topic that's simple, free, and easy to overlook: breathing. A coaching client's request sparked this deep dive into how intentional breathing can help regulate stress — especially as cortisol and stress resilience shift during perimenopause and menopause.
In this episode:
Why stress resilience changes in perimenopause/menopause
The sympathetic vs. parasympathetic nervous system, explained simply
Why a longer exhale than inhale is the strongest signal of safety to your body
The vagus nerve's role in calming your system
A simple 4-minute daily practice I love to use
Episode Links
The underlying reasons you are chronically exhausted (Hint: all roads lead to gut health) with Halley Brooke

Meditation Myths Busted: A Guide to Everyday Mindfulness with Ann Swanson

Exhausted, Overwhelmed, and Over 40? Here's Why Your Body's Stress Response Has Changed with Marcyline Bailey

Sleep Better in Midlife: 16 Common Sense Tips That Actually Work

Rewrite your Food Story to change the way you eat, think and live with Elise Museles

3am Insomnia: When Hormones Hijack Your Sleep in Midlife with Kathleen Saucier

Melt Vagus Nerve YouTube Video

Products Discussed (Amazon Aff)
Melt Soft Body Foam Roller
Meditation for the Real World by Ann Swanson
Breath as Prayer by Jennifer Tucker

My latest recommended ways to nourish and move your body, mind and spirit: Nourished Notes Bi-Weekly Newsletter
30+ Non-Gym Ways to Improve Your Health (free download)

Connect with Amy:
GracedHealth.com
Instagram: @GracedHealth
YouTube: @AmyConnell

Click to Text Thoughts on Today's Episode
Were you constantly told to "stand up straight" growing up? In this common sense episode, we're taking a fresh look at posture—not as a matter of appearance, but as an important part of strength, mobility, balance, and healthy aging. Learn what's really happening to posture during midlife, why it's so common to find yourself hunching forward, and what you can do to improve it.
In This Episode
 Why posture changes during midlife 
 How estrogen loss affects muscle mass, connective tissue, and bone density 
 The impact of modern life (phones, screens, driving) on posture 
 What "upper crossed syndrome" is and why it matters 
 The connection between posture, balance, falls, and longevity 
 Understanding kyphosis ("dowager's hump") and when to seek medical advice 
 The easiest posture habit you can start today 
 Strength exercises that support better posture 
 Key stretches to open tight muscles 
 How foam rolling fits into a posture routine 
 The truth about posture correctors and weighted vests 
 Special considerations for osteoporosis and osteopenia
Episode Links
Weighted Vest: A Common Sense Approach

YouTube Videos
Strengthen Your Spine Without Pull-Ups | 4 Proven Exercises
Strong Back Without Pull-Ups? Here's How

My latest recommended ways to nourish and move your body, mind and spirit: Nourished Notes Bi-Weekly Newsletter
30+ Non-Gym Ways to Improve Your Health (free download)

Connect with Amy:
GracedHealth.com
Instagram: @GracedHealth
YouTube: @AmyConnell