Jackie's Take: What's on My Mind in Women's Wellness ✍️ 🤔 

Welcome to In the Saddle! 🏇✨

There’s something both thrilling and mildly terrifying about a first. First steps, first loves, first gray hairs (which, let’s be honest, hit differently in midlife). And today? My first edition of In the Saddle.

I created this newsletter because midlife isn’t a slow fade—it’s a power move. And if you’re here, I know you feel that too. You’re not looking for recycled wellness clichés or generic advice that doesn’t actually apply to women in this phase of life. You want the real stuff—the science, the strategies, and the smart takes that help you stay sharp, energized, and fully in control of your health. Same.

I’m Jackie—women’s health clinician, menopause and longevity expert, and someone who has spent years helping women cut through the wellness noise. I created In the Saddle because, frankly, there’s too much confusion out there, and midlife is too important to waste on bad advice. This isn’t a time to shrink back—it’s a time to take the reins.

Each week, I’ll bring you what’s actually worth your time in women’s health, longevity, and culture—science-backed strategies, cultural trends, and the kind of recommendations you’ll immediately want to send to the group chat. But this isn’t just expert insights—I’ll also be sharing what I’m seeing, learning, and experimenting with in real time from both my own midlife journey and the frontlines of women’s health. The latest research, clinical takeaways, and yes, my own wins and failures when it comes to optimizing energy, hormones, brain health, and everything in between.

I’m so glad you’re here. Let’s make midlife stronger, more invigorating, and better than ever. 🏇🔥

The Tea: What's Trending in Women's Wellness & Culture 🍵 🛍️ 

Amy Griffin's The Tell: A Memoir of Rediscovery and Healing

Amy Griffin is a powerhouse—venture capitalist, founder of G9 Ventures, and a champion of women-led businesses. I first took notice of her last year as she invested in many of the women's health and wellness companies I was following. Then, when I saw that Hoda Kotb (one of my absolute favorites) was interviewing her at the New Canaan Library, I knew I had to be there.

While I haven’t read The Tell yet, I was immediately drawn to her story—one that speaks directly to the challenges and transformations that define midlife. Her memoir isn’t just about trauma; it’s about what it means to go through something difficult, how we cope, and—perhaps hardest of all—how we learn to let go of the need for control.

Why This Matters for Women in Midlife

1. The Antithesis of "Let Them"—Taking Action Over Acceptance

The Let Them movement (popularized by Mel Robbins) is all about letting go of what we can’t control. But Griffin’s story presents a different response: what happens when we decide to take action instead? She searched for answers, confronted her past, and actively worked through it—even knowing she might never get total resolution. And that’s the hard part, right? As women in midlife, we often feel an urgency to fix things, to solve them neatly. But some experiences—especially the painful ones—don’t come with a perfect ending. Griffin’s journey is a reminder that healing isn’t about tying things up in a bow; it’s about trusting yourself in the mess of it.

2. Psychedelic Therapy & the Brain-Body Connection

Griffin didn’t consciously remember her childhood trauma until she underwent MDMA-assisted therapy, proving just how much our brains work to protect us. But that protection comes at a cost. Suppressed trauma doesn’t disappear—it smolders under the surface, subtly shaping our stress response, relationships, and even our sense of self. The way Griffin’s mind shielded her from pain for years—and how she ultimately faced it—is a powerful reminder of the deep, intricate connection between our bodies and brains.

3. Midlife Feels Like Losing Control—But Maybe That’s the Point

One of the most striking themes in The Tell is Griffin’s realization that she had to let go of her need for control. And if that doesn’t hit home for midlife women, I don’t know what does. This stage of life can feel wildly unpredictable—our hormones, our bodies, our careers, our relationships. We spend decades thinking we’re steering the ship, only to realize that sometimes the waves have other plans. Griffin doesn’t try to wrap it all up in a neat protocol or step-by-step guide. Instead, she offers something even more powerful: the idea that trusting yourself might be the only answer there is.

4. The Call to Authenticity—And How It Sometimes Comes from Our Kids

At one point, Griffin’s daughter told her: "Mom, you aren't real." Oof. If there’s one thing midlife demands of us, it’s authenticity. But often, the people who see us the clearest—the ones who hold up the mirror—aren’t who we expect. This moment in Griffin’s story is a reminder that true growth often requires us to listen, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Griffin’s story isn’t just about healing—it’s about what happens when we stop silencing ourselves and start actively participating in our own well-being. And if that’s not a midlife lesson worth paying attention to, I don’t know what is.

The Group Chat Edit - Send This to Your Besties📲 👯‍♂️ 

🎧 Podcast: Did you know, I also co-host a podcast with my Bestie in Wellness (BIW), Carmen Stansberry? On The Well Kept Podcast, “Wellness Scams and Misinformation: What Netflix's Apple Cider Vinegar Exposes”, Carmen and I dive into the complexities of the wellness industry, particularly focusing on the impact of misinformation propagated by wellness influencers 🌿.

📖 Read: A great opinion piece about why our phones are killing our ability to feel sexy 💓 📵 

📲 Wellness Influencer You Can Trust: Dr. Jocelyn Fitzgerald is a double board certified urogynecologist and OB/GYN, pelvic surgeon and all-around women's health advocate and badass. She gets loud for women in all the ways, but most impressive to me is her voice on what she calls "gyneconomics", the reimbursement and pay gap that is systemically holding back women's health. Because, well, follow the 💰️ .

FSH: Facts, Snacks & Hacks ✅ 🥨💡 

✅ Fact: What is FSH? FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) is a hormone that helps regulate your reproductive cycle. As you age, FSH levels naturally rise, often fluctuating alongside estradiol as your ovaries produce fewer hormones. If your periods are becoming irregular, shifting FSH levels may be part of the reason. While a single FSH test can’t confirm menopause, it’s a key clue in the bigger picture. 🧪 

🥨 Snack: Have you heard of nootropics? Especially for my ADHD girlies, these Alice chocolate + functional mushrooms contain cordyceps and lion's mane for a potent boost of energy, focus and clarity without the crash.🍄 

💡Hack: Sleep is apparently the new status symbol, but if your partner’s snoring or your own midlife cortisol spikes are standing in the way, sleep headphones might be your new best friend. Wirecutter’s top pick, the AcousticSheep SleepPhones, is a soft, headband-style option that pairs perfectly with white noise or a boring-but-soothing audiobook. Because in midlife, being well-rested is the ultimate flex. 💫