The women on this list are accomplished and famous in their fields. They are known for their expertise in helping women over 45.
I am ON It!
THIS IS ME!
Gretchen Zelek
Where to find her: Instagram: @gogretch
Why you should follow: A certified Athletics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) group fitness instructor and Functional Aging Specialist, Gretchen Zelek is also the founder of Go Gretch, a fitness and lifestyle brand for anyone over 50. When she turned 50 herself, she struggled to find the support education she needed in that new phase of life. Now she helps design fitness tools to make exercise easier with age and speaks at conventions about how to properly train and coach people 50-plus.
The women on this list are accomplished and famous in their fields. They are known for their expertise in helping women over 45.
HOW DID I GET HERE?
I worked hard in my 50’s to learn everything I could to become a group fitness instructor and I have taken MANY classes, attended many conventions and passed many exams to prove it.
I am an AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor, which means I completed a comprehensive training program covering a variety of topics such as exercise science, anatomy, physiology, nutrition, injury prevention, and exercise programming. and I passed a rigorous exam.
Every 2 years I have to complete 15 continuing education units to stay accredited CEUs ensure I am current with best-practice guidelines, plus I expand my knowledge, skills, and abilities in key areas.
I am also a Certified Functional Aging Specialist where I received in-depth training on how to become an expert in functional aging and training of older adults from the Functional Aging Institute.
WHY AM I ON THE LIST?
Midi Health created their list to introduce a variety of experts who share one common goal: to help women, especially women in midlife, get the care they deserve. They provided this list so you could surround yourself with women who get it and can help you.
HOW DID THEY FIND ME?
Midi spent more than a month researching voices who have a personal understanding of women’s midlife health, including but definitely not limited to menopause.
THEY CONSIDERED
Legitimate credentials: Strong social media presence: Extensive experience in my field.
Below are a few of the fabulous women on the list. They are accomplished experts in women’s midlife health and you should listen to them! The entire article is here: https://www.joinmidi.com/post/womens-health-experts
Instagram: @drjengunter // TikTok: @drjengunter
Best-selling author, Dr. Jen Gunter is a board-certified OB/GYN in both Canada and the US and a pain medicine physician. Her books include The Vagina Bible and THe Menopause Manifesto. She has hundreds of thousands of followers on both Instagram and TikTok where she shares actionable tips and useful information on menopause, hormones, and all things women’s health, making conversations about midlife feel more relatable.
NOT GOING TO LIE, I have been fangirling, following and citing Jen Gunter MD for years. You MUST listen to what she has to say.
Jennifer Ashton, MDNot only is she double board-certified in OB/GYN and obesity medicine, she was also the chief medical correspondent on ABC News and co-host of GMA3. Dr. Ashton has always specialized in women’s health and recently departed ABC News in June 2024 to focus on her own company, Ajenda, a women’s health newsletter on all things menopause, health and weight management.
As a cardiologist and Vice President of Medical Affairs at Hello Heart, Dr. Morgan is a sought after expert on many health topics, including menopause, heart health, and racial disparities in healthcare. Prior to joining Hello Heart, she was the executive director of Health and Community Education at the Piedmont Healthcare Corporation in Atlanta for nine years. Her series of expert videos, called The Stairwell Chronicles, demystifies medical insights in a way anyone can understand in under a minute. She covers everything from endometrial cancer risk during menopause to combating loneliness as you age.
Arianna Sholes-Douglas, MD, FACOG
Board certified in OB/GYN and Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Dr. Arianna, as she is known, has been practicing medicine for three decades and specializes in integrative women’s health, intimate wellness, and hormone replacement therapy. She has also found the time to write a book, The Menopause Myth and aside from practicing traditional medicine, she incorporates evidence-based alternative medical therapies at her clinic, Tula Wellness & Aesthetics. She is dedicated to changing the way women, and everyone else, approach and discuss menopause, and encouraging women to advocate for themselves.
A menopause expert and leading exercise specialist in New Zealand, Dr. Wendy Sweet did her doctoral studies in women’s healthy aging and is the founder of My Menopause Transformation, which offers online menopause courses for women looking for easy-to-access info. The online lifestyle program aims to offer help with weight loss, fitness, and symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.
Elizabeth Sherman
Instagram: @elizabeth.sherman.coach
Elizabeth Sherman is a master life and health coach for midlife women with a slew of other qualifications: She’s a certified health, nutrition, and hormonal health coach, and personal trainer. As the owner of Total Health by Elizabeth, she acts as a holistic health coach and strives to help women navigate various common midlife struggles. Her popular podcast, Total Health in Midlife helps women deal with the menopause transition and embrace what’s next.
Although OB/GYN Dr. Barbara Taylor is retired from active practicing in her field, she still focuses on helping women through her books and social media. She goes by “Menopause Barbie” or “Menopause Taylor” and has held menopause seminars and written books, including Menopause: Management Your Way…Now and For the Rest of Your Life. On Instagram, she encourages women to embrace their own personal menopause journey and offers plenty of facts and info.
Dr. Anna Cabeca, triple board-certified in OB/GYN, Integrative Medicine, and Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine, has dubbed herself “The Girlfriend Doctor” and aims to be the relatable bestie you can turn to with all of your menopause questions. She’s an expert in hormones, menopause, sexual health, and functional medicine, and has a podcast called The Girlfriend Doctor. She shares more tips and stories to almost 90,000 followers on Instagram as well.
Mary Claire Haver, MD, FACOG
With over 3 million followers on Instagram and TikTok, Dr. Mary Claire Haver is one of the biggest “menopause influencers” out there. She also has more than enough experience to back up her reputation as a menopause expert. She is a Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FACOG), board-certified OB/GYN, and the best-selling author of books like The New Menopause.
She founded The Pause Life to help women get the tools they need to get through menopause, regularly shares tips and guidance on her social media pages, and has her own wellness clinic. She brings a unique POV to diet as a doctor who’s also certified in Culinary Medicine. Dr. Haver decided to specialize in medical nutrition after experiencing the changes of menopause and midlife weight gain, which led her to write The Galveston Diet
Here are “My People”- The Fitness Buffs!
A Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach, Certified Medical Exercise Specialist, and Certified Life Coach, fitness guru Debra Atkinson focuses on helping women in perimenopause, menopause, and post menopause with exercise, weight management, and a more positive mindset. In addition to being a best-selling author, she’s the host of Flipping 50 TV and the The Flipping 50 podcast. Her Tedx Talk about exercise during menopause is a must-watch.
Stephanie Mitchell
Instagram: @stephaniemitchellfitness
Stephanie Mitchell is a nationally certified personal trainer in women’s fitness, ayurvedic practitioner, and wellness expert with a BS and MS in health education. She focuses on helping women over 40 build strength and a better relationship to fitness. She offers personal training and meditation sessions, plus she’s designed a program for women 40-plus that’s tailored to perimenopause and menopause symptoms, including joint pain.
Certified personal trainer Dalyce Radtke has her hands full as a mom of seven (yes, seven!) and fitness coach—but she has still managed to find time to create a huge library of workout advice for those in the pre- and postmenopausal stages. It should come as no surprise that Radtke’s social media accounts have tons of tips on squeezing physical activity into your day even if you feel like you have no time, along with exercise guidance for women age 40 and up.
Dr. Kathleen Jordan is an internal medicine physician and the Chief Medical Officer at Midi. She had years of traditional hospital and healthcare experience before she transitioned to telehealth, and was inspired to join Midi when she struggled to find the right support and care during her own menopause journey. As she puts it, “We have pediatricians for kids, obstetricians for our fertile and reproductive years, and geriatricians for later in life. What we’re building, in a sense, is a team of ‘Midiatricians’ delivering care based on a science-backed understanding of what women experience in midlife.”
Once I was named to this list I needed to learn about Midi Health, to make sure it was legit.
Guess What?! It’s the real deal.
Midi is the fastest growing virtual care clinic focused on female midlife health. In video visits, women meet with a clinician trained specifically in perimenopause, menopause, and other aspects of female midlife health. They collaborate with you to improve your symptoms with a Care Plan personalized to your medical history, genetics, and approach to health. Midi care is holistic, and may include prescription drugs, supplements and botanical remedies, wellness therapies, and lifestyle coaching. Midi orders any blood work and/or imaging needed to track and treat your unique hormonal transition, and we refer you to your regular doctors or specialists for any necessary in-person care.
They collaborate with a number of medical professionals including Keck Medicine of USCm Stanford University and Mount Sinai Hospital,
Lean more here: https://www.joinmidi.com/what-we-treat
This is not sponsored in any way and I am not affiliated with Midi Health. There are affiliate links for some items listed in this blog.
Thanks for reading and please reach out to me if I can provide you with exercises, ideas or contacts to help you on your midlife and beyond journey.
