In this conversation, we unpack the hidden layers of our relationship with food—how it’s shaped by culture, childhood, trauma, biology, and the nervous system. 

Gina Worful, Founder of the Mastering Mindfulness Institute, is a registered dietitian who watched countless people struggle inside the conventional health model—white-knuckling their way through diets, blaming themselves when their body disagreed, and feeling more confused than empowered. She took a different approach: one that helps people reclaim their power with food, rebuild trust in their body, and understand the deeper patterns that I have seen often surface during perimenopause.

What you will learn 

• Why diets and willpower often fail and how shame keeps people stuck in cycles of control and “falling off the wagon.”
• The difference between blood sugar crashes and nervous system dysregulation, and how each uniquely drives cravings.
• How childhood experiences (like food scarcity, “clean your plate” rules, or cultural beauty ideals) can deeply shape eating patterns.
• The powerful role of self-trust, pleasure, and embodiment in healing our relationship with food.
• Practical tools for tuning into the body—like breath, awareness, and mindful eating practices—that bring regulation and freedom back to the table.
• Why dropping into the body isn’t always comfortable (especially with trauma) and how to gauge your capacity so you don’t overwhelm your system.
• Real-life stories, from mindful indulgence to scar tissue release, that show how body awareness can be both healing and empowering.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to TMI Talk with Dr. Mary

00:03 Understanding Perimenopause and Food Relationships

00:40 Introducing Gina Worful and Her Approach

00:56 Exploring the Layers of Food Relationships

04:32 The Impact of Diet Culture and Shame

05:25 The Role of Control and Willpower

11:14 The Brazilian Perspective on Body Image

21:54 The Science Behind Cravings and Stress

33:34 Practical Tips for Managing Eating Habits

37:41 External Reminders and Executive Function

37:58 Emotional Eating and Childhood Wounds

39:09 Scarcity Mindset and Food Habits

43:04 Reconnecting with Your Body

52:49 Understanding Capacity and Discomfort

01:00:56 Mindful Eating and Pleasure

01:07:23 Conclusion and Contact Information

You can learn more about Gina below:

https://www.masteringmindfulness.institute

instagram.com/gina.worful

Want support for perimenopause that goes beyond hormones?

Whether you (or your clients) are taking HRT but still having symptoms, not ready for it, or can’t tolerate it...there’s more we can do.

I’ll be sharing practical tools from a movement and rehab perspective, focusing on the nervous system, fascia, lymph, viscera, and musculoskeletal system.

If you want updates on workshops, resources, and strategies to support this phase of life more fully, would love you to join my email list.

Subscribe to my email list here

I’ll see you in 2 weeks!

PS:

If you are interested in being a guest on the show, please fill out the form here.