Age Better with Liz Earle

We often think of cortisol as the big, bad stress hormone we need to keep as low as possible. But what if too little is just as bad for your health? Naturopathic doctor Erin Kinney joins Liz to explain why cortisol is an essential hormone for energy, focus, inflammation and resilience – and why our levels can become depleted in midlife.

They discuss how chronic stress can leave us stuck in a cycle of using up more cortisol than we can replenish, and how this can impact everything from sleep and mood to digestion and weight loss.

Erin also shares practical ways to support a healthy cortisol rhythm, including morning sunlight, regular mealtimes and learning to activate our 'relaxing muscles'.

In this episode:
Why cortisol is essential for our health
Signs and symptoms of a cortisol imbalance
The connection between blood sugar and stress
Why your tension headache and joint pain might be down to low cortisol
Are your harder workouts and low-calorie meals stopping you losing weight?
Why it’s better to learn to manage stress than fear it
The importance of sunlight and good sleep for healthy cortisol production
How declining hormones disrupt sleep and stress resilience
The impact of nutritional deficiencies on cortisol levels
How fasting and eating too little can stall weight loss
Why low mood and apathy can be a sign of depleted cortisol
The adaptogenic herbs that can help calm your nervous system
The importance of lifestyle, healthy boundaries and putting yourself first

More from Erin:
Follow Erin on Instagram
Read Erin’s book The Cortisol Cure

Get in touch with a question for Liz:
Email: podcast@lizearlewellbeing.com
WhatsApp: 07518 471 846

More from Liz:
How To Age
A Better Second Half
Follow Liz on Instagram
Follow Liz Earle Wellbeing on Instagram

Host: Liz Earle
Producer: Anouszka Tate (Fresh Air Production)
Content Writer: Lucy Parley
Head of Brand: Ellie Smith

Some links may be affiliate links, which help support the show at no extra cost to you. Read our Affiliate Policy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Liz discusses the importance of looking after our bone health as we get older and explains the difference between osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. She also shares how she supports her own bone density and joint health, from HRT and strength training to impact exercise, high-protein foods and supplements.

Plus: How salt can be used to hydrate, ways to treat seborrheic dermatitis, hormonal changes after coming off contraceptives and can grapeseed oil boost skin collagen?

Also in this episode:

•Create your own hydrating electrolytes
•Can grapeseed oil boost collagen or prevent varicose veins?
•Ways to calm a seborrheic dermatitis flare-up
•The difference between osteoporosis and osteoarthritis
•Why HRT might be more effective for osteoporosis than osteoarthritis
•Signs it might be time to consider HRT
•Post-contraceptive pill hormonal changes or perimenopause?

Links in this episode:

•Read Simple ways to future proof your joints
•Glucosamine Sulphate + Chondroitin
•Collagen peptides
•15% off BioCare Curcumin Turmeric Complex
•Omega-3
•Vitamin D
•Tea tree shampoo
•More on the NHS teledermatology referral service
•My Skin Doctor
•Skindoc
•Boots online doctor: skin health
•Use code LIZLOVES for 15% off at Neal’s Yard Remedies
•Use code LIZLOVES for 15% off at Fushi
•Himalayan shilajit – save 15%
•Ancient + Brave True Hydration – save 20%
•ARTAH Cellular Hydration – save 25%
•Liz’s homemade electrolyte drink

Get in touch with a question for Liz:

•Email: podcast@lizearlewellbeing.com
•WhatsApp: 07518 471 846

More from Liz:

•How To Age
•A Better Second Half
•Follow Liz on Instagram
•Follow Liz Earle Wellbeing on Instagram

Host: Liz Earle
Producer: Lynnike Swerts (Fresh Air Production)
Content Writer: Lucy Parley
Head of Brand: Ellie Smith

Some links may be affiliate links, which help support the show at no extra cost to you. Read our Affiliate Policy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What can we do to stay strong, healthy and adaptable as we age? Olympian Dame Denise Lewis joins Liz to share how movement, mindset and challenging ourselves can help us thrive in midlife and beyond.

They discuss the importance of strength training, finding exercise you enjoy, and how setting new goals can help us maintain physical and mental resilience as our bodies change.
Denise also shares her approach to sleep, nutrition and managing stress, and explains how she connects lifting heavy weights with pushing through difficult life moments.

In this episode:
· How Denise maintains fitness since retiring from professional athletics
· The connection between lifting weights and mental resilience
· The importance of finding exercise you enjoy
· Ideas for making movement more social
· Denise’s experience of menopause and HRT
· How to become your own life coach
· Simple strategies for managing stress
· Why self-acceptance and adaptability are key skills for healthy ageing

Links mentioned in the episode:
· Use code LIZLOVES for 15% off butyrate

More from Denise:
· Follow Denise on Instagram
· Read Denise’s book, Adaptability: Seven Lessons To Thrive in a World of Competing Demands

Get in touch with a question for Liz:
· Email: podcast@lizearlewellbeing.com
· WhatsApp: 07518 471 846

More from Liz:
· How To Age
· A Better Second Half
· Follow Liz on Instagram
· Follow Liz Earle Wellbeing on Instagram

Host: Liz Earle
Producer: Anouszka Tate (Fresh Air Production)
Content Writer: Lucy Parley
Head of Brand: Ellie Smith
Image: The Fold

Some links may be affiliate links, which help support the show at no extra cost to you. Read our Affiliate Policy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could your midlife fatigue, weight gain and thinning hair be down to a lack of iodine? Research shows that up to 68% of us are deficient, with women being particularly vulnerable. Liz is joined by marine biologist Dr Craig Rose to explore why this often-overlooked nutrient is essential for thyroid health, metabolism and brain function, as well as healthy skin, hair and nails. Craig explains how signs of thyroid dysfunction can overlap with perimenopause and menopause symptoms and shares simple ways to get more iodine into your diet.

This episode is sponsored by Doctor Seaweed, who are offering listeners of the show 20% off purchases at doctorseaweed.com when you use the code LIZLOVES at checkout.

In this episode:
· How our diets have become less nutrient-dense
· Why thyroid symptoms can be confused with perimenopause
· Why an iodine deficiency is more common in women
· The ways collagen and iodine support healthy hair, skin and nails
· How marine-sourced foods contribute to longevity and better healthspan
· Why midlife fatigue, brain fog and weak nails and hair can be linked to low iodine
· The link between optimal thyroid function and a healthy metabolism
· Why dementia research is looking at reduced seafood consumption as a risk factor
· The quiz to help you work out if you’re getting enough iodine

Links mentioned in the episode:
· Pure Seaweed supplement
· Marine Collagen+
· Serene Blend+ Tea
· Read The Shrinking Brain by Professor Michael Crawford

More from Craig:
· Follow Doctor Seaweed on Instagram
· More about Doctor Seaweed

Get in touch with a question for Liz:
· Email: podcast@lizearlewellbeing.com
· WhatsApp: 07518 471 846

More from Liz:
· How to Age
· A Better Second Half
· Follow Liz on Instagram
· Follow Liz Earle Wellbeing on Instagram

Host: Liz Earle
Producer: Anouszka Tate (Fresh Air Production)
Content Writer: Lucy Parley
Head of Brand: Ellie Smith

Some links may be affiliate links, which help support the show at no extra cost to you. Read our Affiliate Policy for more information.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While it's often thought of as a male hormone, women also produce testosterone, and levels start to decline from early adulthood. Liz explores how it can help women in midlife and discusses emerging research into the benefits not just for libido, but also mood and cognition. She also shares her own experience of taking testosterone.

Plus: how to treat spotty upper arms, ways to support low vitamin D, what counts as a healthy ferritin level and can nicotine patches help with long covid symptoms?

Also in this episode:

· What is a normal ferritin level in midlife?
· How can I access testosterone from my GP?
· Signs it might be time to start HRT
· Natural ways to increase iron absorption
· Treating bumpy skin on upper arms
· Will nicotine patches help with fatigue and brain fog?
· Sunlight and supplements for low vitamin D
· How testosterone can help with more than a low libido

Links in this episode:

· Podcast on why Liz wouldn’t be without testosterone
· Podcast with Sarah Pugh on daylight, weight and metabolism
· Ameliorate body lotion
· More information on NAC
· Balance hormone app
· Use code LIZLOVES for 15% off Wild Nutrition Iron Plus
· Use code LIZLOVES for 15% off BioCare Iron Complex
· Use code LIZLOVES for 15% off BetterYou Iron Oral Spray
· MyCircadian app
· D Minder app

Get in touch with a question for Liz:

· Email: podcast@lizearlewellbeing.com
· WhatsApp: 07518 471 846

More from Liz:

· How To Age
· A Better Second Half
· Follow Liz on Instagram
· Follow Liz Earle Wellbeing on Instagram

Host: Liz Earle
Producer: Lynnike Swerts (Fresh Air Production)
Content Writer: Lucy Parley
Head of Brand: Ellie Smith

Some links may be affiliate links, which help support the show at no extra cost to you. Read our Affiliate Policy for more information.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.