In this episode, I have a curiosity-led conversation with Melinda Staehling, a certified nutrition specialist and Menopause Society practitioner, to explore what it really means to “know” our bodies. Melinda, whose late-in-life AuDHD diagnosis inspired her podcast Departure Menopause, brings a neurodivergent-affirming, weight-inclusive perspective to conversations about health, food, and aging.

We discuss how social, cultural, and systemic rules shape our early experiences with food, body image, and health, often teaching us to distrust our own sense of what our bodies want and need. We challenge the idea that there is one “right” way to eat, sleep, or care for yourself, examining the pressures of diet culture, medical advice, and societal expectations.

Together, we highlight the importance of listening to our own rhythms, honoring bodily changes across a lifetime, and questioning the narratives around control, knowledge, and self-improvement. This is a conversation about reclaiming our own authority over body and health, without shame, pretending, judgment, or one-size-fits-all solutions.

Links:

Melinda's website

Departure Menopause Podcast