Midlife Vitality with Dr. Karen

10/19/2026

🫀 Wait...my cholesterol went UP? But I haven't changed anything!

Sound familiar?

One of the surprises many women experience during perimenopause and menopause is seeing their cholesterol numbers change—even when their eating habits haven't.

Hormonal changes, particularly declining estrogen, can influence how our bodies manage cholesterol.

But here's something I wish more women understood: Cholesterol isn't the enemy. Our bodies actually need it to make hormones, build healthy cells, and perform other essential functions.

The important question isn't just “Is my cholesterol high?” It's “What do these numbers mean in the context of my overall health?”

That's where looking at the whole picture becomes so important.

I'm excited to share this conversation filmed with Birch Tree Wellness Studio!

🌿 Have you noticed unexpected changes in your cholesterol levels during midlife?

10/05/2026

Marriage, motherhood, careers, losses, wins, hormones—and a whole lotta life.

We don't arrive at midlife as the same women we were in our 20s. How could we?

So maybe the question isn't how to get the old you back.

Maybe it's time to meet the woman on the other side of the mirror.

Welcome to Midlife Vitality. 💚

09/22/2026

Memphis recap: had a great time, am exhausted, ate Hunka Chunka Burning Love ice cream, saw enough jumpsuits to last a lifetime, and confirmed that Elvis Presley was, in fact, one hell of a hunka hunka burning love. Lord Almighty, I feel my temperature rising. 😂

Unexpected takeaway from Graceland, though: beneath all the wonderfully kooky and gaudy decorating, it felt remarkably like a home. Warm. Loved. Full of family life.

That surprised me—and made the sadness of how his story ended hit a little differently.

Now I'm home, tired, and apparently not quite finished with the Presley family because Lisa Marie's book is next on my reading pile.

First, however: sleep. 😂

09/19/2026

09/18/2026

Continuing my advanced postgraduate research into the relationship between joy and a man with a guitar who wears a cowboy hat complete with raccoon tail. Early findings are promising. 😁

09/18/2026

Yesterday's first stop at Stax Records was fun. Today's first stop reminds you that some places ask you to listen more than speak. We spent this morning learning, remembering, and celebrating the courage of people who insisted that this country live more fully into its promises.

09/17/2026

Dan Nelson: Which wife is better? The one who has to sit at her computer and work all day or the one who plans spontaneous trips? 😂😍

09/17/2026

Courtney Wargo: Stepping out of my comfort zone first thing this morning. 🤗

09/17/2026

Didn't mind waking up at 3:30 THIS morning! ❤️

06/11/2026

Here's a little medical history (can't necessarily say it gave me a big laugh)...

United States 1800's: The majority of male physicians believed that if women studied medicine, their reproductive organs would be damaged.

Yes, really.

Apparently, learning anatomy was considered more dangerous than not understanding it - and of course, there's the idea that our fragility couldn't handle the truth. 🙃

Thankfully, determined women ignored the warnings, changing healthcare forever.

Today, let's celebrate the women who care for us, advocate for us, listen to us, and help us on our healing journeys. 💜

Give a shout-out in the comments, and tag them if you can, to a woman who has positively impacted your health journey:

Doctor
Nurse
Massage Therapist
Herbalist
Reiki Practitioner
Health Coach
Esthetician
Nutrition Professional
(you get the idea)