Age Like a Badass Mother: Feel confident, fierce, and alive after 45
What does it take to stay healthy, curious, confident, and excited about life as we get older? On the podcast, Lauren Bernick talks with doctors, scientists, authors, researchers, and well-lived elders about the things that can make the second half of life better: health and longevity, food and fitness, menopause, sex, relationships, body image, confidence, meaning and purpose, appearance, and everything else we start thinking about a little differently once we hit our 40s, 50s, and beyond.
She reversed her heart disease with a plant-based diet, which doctors said couldn't be done. That led her to wonder what other lies and myths we've been sold about health and aging.
Lauren doesn't pretend there’s one right way to age. She asks questions, digs into the research, shares what she's learned, and isn't afraid to challenge the conventional wisdom. As a former stand-up comic, she knows how to bring out the best in her guests, especially if there's a two-drink minimum.
Smart. Slightly salty. Irreverent and thought-provoking. For women who have lived enough to know themselves, but aren't finished becoming who they're going to be.
What should women eat during menopause to protect their heart, maintain strong bones, and build muscle as they age? Registered dietitian and Cooking for Peanuts creator Nisha Melvani joins Lauren Bernick to share practical, plant-based nutrition strategies that make healthy eating delicious, affordable, and easier to maintain.
With more than 1.3 million Instagram followers, Nisha is known for her creative vegan recipes, nutrient-packed sauces, and simple ways to get more nutrition into everyday meals. In this episode, she explains how foods like oats, barley, legumes, and psyllium can help lower LDL cholesterol, why cholesterol and ApoB deserve attention during menopause, and how to build meals that support bone health and muscle maintenance.
Nisha also shares her approach to getting enough protein from plants, the greens and other foods she prioritizes for bone health, why she eats prunes, and how broccoli sprouts can add a nutritional boost to everyday meals. Plus, we discuss creatine for muscle and energy, the supplements Nisha takes, why she looks for rigorous third-party testing, and how she creates delicious, nutrient-dense sauces without relying on oil.
If you want to eat well for longevity without spending hours in the kitchen or sacrificing flavor, this conversation is packed with practical ideas to try.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How to lower LDL cholesterol through food, including oats, barley, legumes, and psyllium - Why cholesterol and ApoB levels can change during menopause - How genetics influence heart disease risk, even in people who are thin and eat well - How to build plant-based meals that provide enough protein for muscle and bone health - The best plant-based calcium sources, including low-oxalate greens and fortified soy milk - Why Nisha eats prunes and pumpkin seeds for bone health and other nutritional benefits - How broccoli sprouts provide glucoraphanin, which can be converted into sulforaphane - How to make flavorful, creamy sauces using nuts, seeds, and vegetables - Creatine for muscle performance, energy, and body composition - Nisha's approach to supplements and why third-party testing matters - How to eat enough nutrient-dense food during menopause without overly restricting calories - About Nisha Melvani
Nisha Melvani, MS, RD, is a registered dietitian, recipe creator, and author of Cooking for Longevity and Practically Vegan: More Than 100 Healthy, Easy, Delicious Vegan Dinners on a Budget. Through Cooking for Peanuts, she helps people make plant-based eating approachable with delicious recipes, practical nutrition advice, and smart cooking techniques.
This episode is sponsored by Grand Teton Ancient Grains Grand Teton Ancient Grains (ancientgrains.com) https://www.ancientgrains.com/?a_aid=agelikeBAmom&a_bid=4130b16b Use code Healthy10 at checkout for 10% off your purchase
Websites, Cookbook, and Merch https://wellelephant.com/ecookbook/ https://www.agelikeabadassmother.com/ https://wellelephant.com/ Shop Merch https://age-like-a-badass-mother-shop.fourthwall.com/
Follow us and reach out at: Email: lauren@agelikeabadassmother.com Facebook: @WellElephant Instagram: @agelikeabadassmother https://www.youtube.com/@agelikeabadassmother
Going after what you want is vulnerable. Whether it's starting a business, writing a book, changing careers, finding love, or finally admitting what you're longing for, putting yourself out there means risking rejection. But there's a bigger risk: letting fear make your decisions until one day you realize you never really went for it.
In this solo episode, I'm sharing one of the wildest stories from my own life: how I met my husband at 15, spent years believing we were meant to be together, walked away when he wasn't treating me the way I deserved, and watched everything change when I finally chose my own self-respect over chasing him.
I'm also talking about why I'm publicly chasing a dream right now through the Top Host contest, and why I've decided I'd rather be seen trying than spend the rest of my life wondering, "What if?"
If you've been waiting for the perfect moment, this is your reminder that momentum starts with one brave step.
We talk about:
Why admitting what you want is one of the bravest things you'll ever do
Why "everything's always working out in my favor" became my lifelong mantra
How taking imperfect action creates opportunities you can't predict
The surprising dating advice I used to give when I owned a singles business
Why failure isn't the opposite of success
The hidden cost of playing it safe
My challenge for you: Pick one thing you've been wanting and take the first step. Tell a friend. Send the email. Apply. Sign up. Start writing.
You don't have to know exactly how it'll work out.
You just have to be brave enough to begin.
Resources:
Vote for Lauren in the Top Host contest (through December 10, 2026):
Ep 123: Follow Your Longings. Stay Generative. Live Boldly. Advice From an 80-Year-Old Who Knows
How often do you put what you want on the back burner because someone else needs something from you? Women are taught to be accommodating, pleasing, helpful, and easy to get along with. But what happens when you stop planning your life around everyone else and start paying attention to your own longings and enthusiasm?
Barrie Zucal is 80, and she has some things to say. She started a global coaching company at 60, took up powerlifting at 68, and broke two Maryland state records at 70.
She just released a new book, Bold: How Women PLAY BIG by Leading Instead of Pleasing, and her life is a pretty convincing argument for its message.
We talk about why women so often abandon themselves to keep everyone else happy, how to stop being overly accommodating, and three questions that can help you figure out how you actually want to live.
Her advice? Stay generative. Keep moving. Pay attention to what you're enthusiastic about. And don't ignore what you're longing for.
Buy her book: https://www.amazon.com/Bold-Women-Leading-Instead-Pleasing/dp/B0HHRGKVRK
https://barriezucal.com/
This episode is sponsored by Grand Teton Ancient Grains Grand Teton Ancient Grains (ancientgrains.com) https://www.ancientgrains.com/?a_aid=agelikeBAmom&a_bid=4130b16b Use code Healthy10 for 10% off
Websites, Cookbook, and Merch https://wellelephant.com/ecookbook/ https://www.agelikeabadassmother.com/ https://wellelephant.com/ Shop Merch https://age-like-a-badass-mother-shop.fourthwall.com/
Follow us and reach out at: Email: lauren@agelikeabadassmother.com Facebook: @WellElephant Instagram: @agelikeabadassmother https://www.youtube.com/@agelikeabadassmother #BarrieZucal, #WomenEmpowerment, #StopPeoplePleasing, #HealthyAging, #WomenOver50, #MidlifeReinvention, #StrengthTrainingForWomen, #PersonalGrowth, #LiveBoldly, #AgeLikeABadassMother, #Podcast,
Ep. 122: The Physical Side of Grief: Immunity, the Lungs & Letting Go With Dreena Burton
Grief isn’t just an emotion. It can affect the body, too. In this monthly check-in, Dreena Burton explains the connection between grief, the lungs, the immune system, and the body’s ability to defend itself. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, fall is the season of letting go, and Dreena explains why holding on to grief may show up physically, including through the lungs and even the skin.
We talk about what the fall season can teach us about releasing what no longer serves us, why the lungs and large intestine are the organs associated with this time of year, and how to support them with warming foods, ginger, garlic, soups, breathwork, and simple body-care practices. Dreena also explains the surprising connection between the lung meridian, fascia flow, and grip strength, which has important implications for healthy aging.
And if you're grieving, Dreena has an important message: letting go doesn't mean forgetting or “getting over” someone. It means giving yourself permission to actually feel the grief, process it, and allow it to move through you. Sometimes making space for what comes next begins with releasing what you're carrying.
Follow along with Dreena's lung and large-intestine fascia flows at fasciaflo.com/badass.
This episode is sponsored by Grand Teton Ancient Grains
Want to eat more plant-based for your health but have no idea where to start? You don't need to become vegan overnight, learn a hundred new recipes, or give up the foods you love. Andrea Corbi Fein says the easiest way to begin is to eat more plants, make simple swaps, and start with one plant-based meal a day.
Andrea is a certified professional plant-based cook and founder of Ingreened, where she works with people to make eating more plant-forward practical and approachable. Her own journey began after a brain tumor and AVM diagnosis at 34 and a growing realization that she needed to take her health seriously. A few years later, she watched a Dr. Michael Greger presentation, decided to try eating plant-based for two weeks, and never stopped.
Now Andrea helps others do the same without making food miserable. We talk about easy swaps for meat and dairy, how to make tofu actually taste good, why beans deserve a much bigger role in your diet, and how to build simple meals around foods you already enjoy. She also explains why eating plant-based doesn't have to mean giving up your favorite foods or relying on a refrigerator full of specialty products.
If you've been thinking about eating more plants for your health but keep getting stuck on “Okay, but what am I actually supposed to eat?" start with this podcast episode and see how easy it can be.
What if eating more fruits and vegetables could help you look healthier in just four to six weeks?
A new peer-reviewed review says it might.
In this mini episode, I break down fascinating research showing that eating more colorful fruits and vegetables may improve your skin's appearance, give you a healthy glow, and even affect how you smell.
You'll hear:
Why we've been selling healthy eating all wrong
The surprising science behind the "plant glow"
How much produce researchers say may make a visible difference
Why refined carbs may show up on your face
A simple challenge to see what happens when you add three extra servings of colorful fruits and vegetables every day for a month
I've spent years talking about how plants can help prevent heart disease and diabetes. But if I'm being honest, this might be the most motivating nutrition research I've seen in a long time.
Because sometimes "eat your vegetables so you can live longer" isn't nearly as compelling as "eat your vegetables because you'll probably look better."
Sometimes the quickest motivation is seeing the benefits reflected right back in the mirror.
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who thinks healthy eating is only about preventing disease.
Resources Mentioned:
Episode 44: Glow with dermatologist Dr. Katta
2026 peer-reviewed review: The Role of Plant-Forward Diets in Physical Attractiveness: Integrating Facial, Olfactory, and Morphological Signals for Behavior Change
This episode is sponsored by Grand Teton Ancient Grains
Ep. 119: Sex Is a Life Force: Why We Need Sexual Vitality as We Age with Dr. Christina Tracy Stein
Sexual vitality is about more than sex. It’s about feeling alive, connected, present in your body, and engaged with the person you are, not the person you were 20 or 30 years ago.
And if your sex life has changed as you've gotten older, you'll want to hear this conversation before you decide there's something wrong with you. Maybe you want sex more often than your partner. Maybe they want it more than you do. Maybe you rarely feel spontaneous desire anymore and assume your libido has disappeared. Or maybe hormones, medications, stress, health, or changes in your body have made sex feel different than it used to.
Dr. Christina Tracy Stein, author of The Accomplished Woman and a clinical sexologist, explains what's actually going on and offers some surprisingly practical ways to think about desire and intimacy differently. We talk about spontaneous versus responsive desire, why you don't necessarily have to feel horny first to want sex, and why scheduling sex can sometimes reduce rejection and create anticipation instead of killing the romance.
We also get into the bigger picture. Christina talks about sex as life-force energy and why sexual vitality can be an important part of aging well. We talk about novelty, mindfulness, body image, friendship, emotional intimacy, and how couples can stay connected when their bodies, desires, and relationships inevitably change.
Your sex life doesn't have to look like it did at 30 to be satisfying at 58, 68, or 78. And you don't have to be “in the mood” in the way you may have assumed you did.
If you've ever wondered whether your changing desire is normal, why you and your partner seem to be on completely different sexual schedules, or how to keep intimacy alive in a long-term relationship, this episode is for you.
In this episode:
Why desire discrepancy is so common between partners
Ep. 118: Who the Hell is Lauren Bernick? Re-meet the Host, Hear Wild GenX Childhood Stories
There are millions of people out there vying for your attention, telling you what’s wrong with you so they can sell you something to fix it. I don’t want to be one of them.
I want Age Like a Badass Mother to be a place where women can get smart, honest information about health and aging without being made to feel broken, inadequate, or like they need to chase youth.
But if you’re new here, or you’ve been listening for a while and realized you don’t actually know much about the woman behind the microphone, it’s time to answer the question:
Who the hell is Lauren Bernick?
I’m 58, married to Andy Bernick, with whom I fell in love at first sight, mom of three grown kids, former pharmaceutical advertising executive, and someone who was diagnosed with serious coronary artery disease at 46. That diagnosis sent me down a rabbit hole that completely changed the way I eat, think about health, and think about aging.
I changed my diet, lost 20 pounds and kept it off for 11 years, and testing showed that I had actually reversed my heart disease. That experience is a big reason I started this podcast, and why I became obsessed with questioning what we're told about health.
But that's only part of my story.
In this personal “meet the host” episode, I talk about what I’ve learned from interviewing doctors and other experts, why I’ve changed my mind about some of the rules I once followed, my 36-year marriage, my three kids, my very Gen X childhood, the complicated relationship I had with my mother, and why watching her age became a cautionary tale for how I want to live my own life.
I also talk about something I’m still figuring out: how to pursue better health without turning your life into one giant list of rules.
Ep. 117: Margaret Cho on Menopause, Growing Up in a Gay Bookstore, and the Love Boat
Margaret Cho has been making people laugh, making people uncomfortable, and saying things that other people probably wish she wouldn’t for a very long time.
In this conversation, we get into menopause, aging, sex, body image, queerness, Hollywood, and the weirdness of watching your parents get older.
Margaret talks candidly about her own experience with menopause, including hot flashes, insomnia, low libido, and vaginal dryness, and what happened when she started hormone therapy. She also talks about why she thinks menopause gets framed as something women should dread when it can actually bring a surprising amount of clarity.
We visit her childhood in San Francisco, where Margaret spent much of her time in her parents’ gay bookstore. She grew up around gay men, lesbians, nightlife and conversations about Harvey Milk, and she witnessed the devastating impact of AIDS on the community around her. Lauren and Margaret compare notes on what it was like to grow up around queer adults and hear things kids probably weren't supposed to hear.
Margaret is also remarkably candid about what Hollywood did to her relationship with her body. She revisits All-American Girl, including being told she was too fat to play herself, and how the pressure to lose weight spiraled into severe anorexia and hospitalization.
We also talk about aging parents, the pressure women face to stay thin and young and partnered, and the strange freedom that can come with getting older and caring a little less about meeting everyone else's expectations.
And because no Margaret Cho conversation would be complete without some wonderfully random cultural detours, she tells us what she's been reading and watching lately, including celebrity autobiographies and Wife Swap.
It's funny, candid, occasionally dark, and very Margaret Cho.
Ep. 116: Why Are You So Bloated? The Chinese Medicine Solution with Dreena Burton
Why are you suddenly so bloated, gassy, or uncomfortable after eating? In this episode, Lauren Bernick and Dreena Burton explore bloating, gas, digestion, fascia, jaw tension, stress, and Traditional Chinese Medicine, including the Chinese medicine concept of “dampness” and its connection to the Spleen and Stomach.
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, late summer is associated with the Earth element, the Spleen and Stomach, and the emotion of worry. Dreena explains the concept of “dampness” and how, within this framework, it can be associated with digestive complaints such as bloating, gas, IBS, fatigue, and a heavy, sluggish feeling.
We also explore the surprising connection between jaw tension and the quads. If you've been seeing all those jaw-release videos on social media, Dreena explains why working on the fascia in your legs may sometimes help release tension in your jaw.
Lauren and Dreena talk about their views on self-care. Are we nourishing ourselves, or have we simply created another giant list of things we're supposed to do?
And lastly, Lauren shares a pretty hilarious self-care confession involving a video game for your vagina. 😂
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