A Certain Age

Imagine living with chronic pain for years, feeling isolated. That's the reality for millions. Wellness thought leader and chronic illness advocate Nitika Chopra knows this reality all too well—she has had a chronic condition for most of her life, battling pain, depression, and years of being confined to her bed in her early 20s. Now, at 43, she runs Chronicon, a platform built to support the 130 million Americans with chronic conditions. In this episode, we explore the challenges of living with a chronic illness, how to cultivate self-love and help loved ones, and the life-changing power of being more committed to our happiness than our suffering. Join us for a joyful, optimistic look at a complex topic.SHOW NOTES + TRANSCRIPTacertainagepod.comFOLLOW A CERTAIN AGE:InstagramFacebookLinkedInGET INBOX INSPO:Sign up for our newsletter AGE BOLDLYWe share new episodes, giveaways, links we love, and midlife resources Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have hundreds of friends on Facebook and the power to contact our besties with the swipe of a smartphone, yet we live in a loneliness epidemic. If you want tools for making and nurturing friendships, on today’s show, Katie interviews journalist and author Anna Goldfarb about findings from her new book Modern Friendship: How to Nurture Our Most Valued Connections. Anna’s research uncovers why the digital age makes modern friendships challenging, the link between midlife friendship and life satisfaction, and the exact number of hours it takes to form what Anna calls a “wholehearted friendship.” Plus, how to infuse your friendships with delight and shared purpose. If your friendships are too few, too far-flung, or have flatlined, do your social life a favor and listen in.SHOW NOTES + TRANSCRIPTacertainagepod.comFOLLOW A CERTAIN AGE:InstagramFacebookLinkedInGET INBOX INSPO:Sign up for our newsletter AGE BOLDLYWe share new episodes, giveaways, links we love, and midlife resources Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you like uncorking the perfect drink or learning the hidden stories of women too often written out of history, this week’s show is for you. Meet Dr. Nicola Nice, sociologist, spirits entrepreneur, and author of The Cocktail Parlor: How Women Brought The Cocktail Home. Nicola shakes up and sets straight the (overwhelmingly male) record of drinks writing, uncovering the fascinating intersection of history, feminism, and drinks and cocktail culture. Yes, we get into how to pour the perfect Paloma, but we also explore temperance, sobriety, the subversive history of women and tea, and so much more. Bonus: learn to stock the perfect home bar, must-have glassware, zero-proof mocktails, and dry cocktail books for non-drinkers. Bottoms up!SHOW NOTES + TRANSCRIPTacertainagepod.comFOLLOW A CERTAIN AGE:InstagramFacebookLinkedInGET INBOX INSPO:Sign up for our newsletter AGE BOLDLYWe share new episodes, giveaways, links we love, and midlife resources Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Investment banker Rowena Scherer woke up one day and asked herself—do I really want to be a banker for the rest of my life? What came next was a foray into culinary entrepreneurship, a line of award-winning cooking kits for kids, and eventually a kids’ cookbook, “A Taste of the World: Celebrating Global Flavors.” On today’s show, Rowena shares how she went from being the first in her family to graduate from college to Wall Street banker to training as a chef at the prestigious French Culinary Institute and the launch of a line of kids’ products that Time Magazine dubbed the toy of the year in 2022. We get into it all–career reinvention, unlikely, improbably pivots, and why age, experience, and fresh perspectives can superpower new acts.SHOW NOTES + TRANSCRIPTacertainagepod.comFOLLOW A CERTAIN AGE:InstagramFacebookLinkedInGET INBOX INSPO:Sign up for our newsletter AGE BOLDLYWe share new episodes, giveaways, links we love, and midlife resources Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want a better sex life? Sexual health expert Dr. Maria Sophocles helps us amp up our orgasms and sex life with ideas for closing the “midlife bedroom gap” and managing what can get in the way of pleasure—think painful sex, low and mismatched libido, and vaginas that have morphed from “Nordstrom to Ikea” in midlife. We cover actionable ideas to boost lubrication, the role of HRT, sex toys, and steamy audio erotica. Plus, ideas for rewiring your brain to become a “sexual savings account” ready for spontaneous withdrawals. Hot tamale alert! This extra spicy show is the adult sex ed no one teaches you!SHOW NOTES + TRANSCRIPTacertainagepod.comFOLLOW A CERTAIN AGE:InstagramFacebookLinkedInGET INBOX INSPO:Sign up for our newsletter AGE BOLDLYWe share new episodes, giveaways, links we love, and midlife resources Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Barbara Hannah Grufferman ran her first marathon at 50. At 67, she’s training for her 18th. In this episode, Barbara shares how she went from being the kid who hated gym class to a serial marathoner and healthy aging advocate, podcaster, and author. Barbara breaks down the run-walk-run program that took her from newbie runner to the finish line of her first marathon and shares ideas for exercises and strength training for injury-free running and fitness at any level. We also explore the link between fitness and reinvention, the power of a walking practice, and ChiRunning, a form of running influenced by tai chi. Plus, takeaways from Barbara’s popular podcast AGE BETTER.SHOW NOTES + TRANSCRIPTacertainagepod.comFOLLOW A CERTAIN AGE:InstagramFacebookLinkedInGET INBOX INSPO:Sign up for our newsletter AGE BOLDLYWe share new episodes, giveaways, links we love, and midlife resources Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to inject more play and playfulness into your busy, jampacked lives and schedules? Meet Laura Haver, a play advocate, author, speaker, life coach, mom, and former pro athlete who believes play is for everyone at ANY age. Laura is the author of Play Together: Games & Activities for the Whole Family to Boost Creativity, Connection & Mindfulness and has helped thousands of people experience more fun, fulfillment, and joy in their everyday lives. She shares ideas for tapping into the energy-boosting magic of play, games for grownups, intergenerational activities for family reunions, and how to enhance your relationships one joyful, playful activity at a time!SHOW NOTES + TRANSCRIPTacertainagepod.comFOLLOW A CERTAIN AGE:InstagramFacebookLinkedInGET INBOX INSPO:Sign up for our newsletter AGE BOLDLYWe share new episodes, giveaways, links we love, and midlife resources Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Forget anti-aging. Menopause care brand Womaness has a thoroughly modern mantra: Experience Required. Preach! On this episode, Katie connects with Womaness co-founder Michelle Jacobs to learn how she and her co-founder Sally Mueller jumped feet first into entrepreneurship to launch a wellness and personal care brand for women demanding a modern take on wellness and menopause care. We explore why age is a superpower, the gentle, efficacy of plant-powered products and supplements, and learn why their ultra-popular hero product, Let’s Neck, always sells out.SHOW NOTES + TRANSCRIPTacertainagepod.comFOLLOW A CERTAIN AGE:InstagramFacebookLinkedInGET INBOX INSPO:Sign up for our newsletter AGE BOLDLYWe share new episodes, giveaways, links we love, and midlife resources Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get a straight-talk, science-backed look behind the latest buzzy menopause headlines on a new study that finds that the overall health benefits of HRT outweigh the risks. What does this new study mean for you? This week on the podcast, leading women’s health expert Dr. Jessica Shepherd (you know her from GMA and The Today Show) unpacks the headlines and gives us the 411 on HRT—what it is, how it works, and at what age and stage you can best benefit. We also get into hormone myth-busting, explore who is (and who is not) a candidate, and dive into options beyond HRT for women looking for a more expansive meno care toolkit. Fast-paced, informative, and actionable, this show is a do-not-miss!SHOW NOTES + TRANSCRIPTacertainagepod.comFOLLOW A CERTAIN AGE:InstagramFacebookLinkedInGET INBOX INSPO:Sign up for our newsletter AGE BOLDLYWe share new episodes, giveaways, links we love, and midlife resources Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you tried and failed to make a mindfulness habit stick? Many of us are attracted to the benefits of mindfulness—stress-busting, a sense of calm and centeredness, and a sharper awareness of wonder. But making the practice stick? Tricky. In this episode, we explore a simple daily mindfulness practice that anyone can begin using immediately to access the benefits of mindfulness and unlock more joy in their daily life. In this episode, Katie is joined by Deborah Huber, co-author of “Today I Noticed: A Little Book of Mindfulness That Will Change the Way You See the World.” We uncover the difference between meditation and mindfulness, explore how mindfulness can offer life lessons from the grocery store checkout line, and why a regular mindfulness practice lets you experience daily life as new and novel, even as you tread familiar territory.SHOW NOTES + TRANSCRIPTacertainagepod.comFOLLOW A CERTAIN AGE:InstagramFacebookLinkedInGET INBOX INSPO:Sign up for our newsletter AGE BOLDLYWe share new episodes, giveaways, links we love, and midlife resources Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices