What this episode is about
Learn how Jill Foos transformed her own health challenges into a blueprint for helping women navigate menopause with confidence, clarity, and renewed vitality.
Key takeaways
- Gabriella set aside part of her reserves for long-term health, so she can go outside insurance for the specialists she needs. She sees her health as an investment.
- Jill Foos says a health coach is a collaborative partner. Your goal can be a doctor's diagnosis or something personal, and a coach joins you on that path.
- Jill Foos has clients close their eyes, picture life in their 70s and 80s, and name their why. She says this is a different menopause than our mothers had.
Moments from this episode
Word for word from the recording. Tap a time to hear it.
Mindfulness without the Buddha statue
“That's why I hesitated finding my own mindfulness practice for so many years, is because I thought it had to look like one thing. You know, in my mind it looked like a room in your home with all these pillows and a Buddha statue.”
Healthy changes are hard
“Making healthy lifestyle changes are hard. If they weren't hard, we'd all be doing them and we'd all be doing them really well.”
Every mistake is a lesson
“There are no mistakes. There's no mistakes. Everything that you do is a learning moment for yourself.”
Your plan has to bring you joy
“Your longevity code or your unique health equation has to bring you joy first and foremost. If at the end of the day it does not bring you joy, it's not going to be sustainable in the long term.”
“It is like taking care of an extra child. It is, it's like mothering again. I'm mothering my mother right now.”
Gabriella Espinosaat 54:10
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Show notes
When perimenopause arrives, many women feel overwhelmed by changes in their bodies, energy levels, and sexual desire.
What if you had a partner to guide you through this transition? Someone who helps you create a personalized plan for your unique body and circumstances?
In my conversation with Jill Foos, National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach specializing in longevity prevention, we explore exactly how health coaching can transform your midlife wellness journey. Jill shares her personal story, practical advice, and eye-opening perspectives on creating your best health in midlife and beyond.
Read the full show notesShow less
What Is a Health Coach and Why You Need One in Midlife
A health coach serves as your collaborative wellness partner, filling crucial gaps in your healthcare journey. As Jill explains, "When people go to the doctor, you may leave the doctor's office with a poor medical diagnosis... but they don't really give you a map to how that's going to happen."
Health coaches bridge this gap, helping you implement lifestyle changes through:
- Collaborative partnership (not telling you what to do)
- Customized approaches tailored to your unique health history
- Connecting dots between symptoms and underlying issues
- Actionable, sustainable steps you can actually follow
- Support for creating meaningful health goals
Key Coach Qualities: Look for a health coach who asks quality questions about your "why," someone who genuinely listens to your history, and who helps you draw connections between different aspects of your health journey.
Creating Your Midlife Wellness Vision
One powerful tool Jill uses with clients is developing a wellness vision specific to midlife. This differs significantly from earlier life stages and creates a roadmap for your future health.
"The first step is recognizing that your vision in your 20s and 30s and perhaps even your 40s is going to look different than your new wellness vision in your 50s, 60s, and 70s and beyond," Jill shares.
To create your own wellness vision:
- Acknowledge that your journey will look different from previous generations
- Envision what you want your life to look like in your 70s and 80s
- Connect with your personal "why" for staying healthy
- Map out different components of your desired future
- Consider what activities and relationships you want to maintain
As Jill noted from her personal vision: "I want to be vibrant. I want to be energetic. I want to be strong. I want to live independently. I want to be of use to my family and to my children and to my grandchildren."
Health Span vs. Life Span: The Key Difference for Quality Aging
An important concept Jill introduces is the distinction between health span and life span. Life span refers simply to how long you live, while health span focuses on the quality of your health throughout those years.
"I want my health span to be strong and vibrant and independent... I want it to be filled with life and zest and pleasure," Jill explains.
Creating your optimal health span requires:
- Addressing current health concerns proactively
- Building lifestyle habits that support long-term wellness
- Focusing on mobility, strength, and independence
- Maintaining cognitive function and emotional well-being
- Preventing age-related decline instead of just treating it
How Mindfulness Improves Your Health and Intimacy
A surprising tool for both health and pleasure in midlife is mindfulness. Jill describes her 13-month mindfulness journey as "the piece of the puzzle that was missing for me."
Mindfulness helps midlife women by:
- Creating grace and patience during physical transitions
- Reducing overwhelm from the "sandwich generation" pressures
- Improving presence during intimate moments
- Helping you stay focused on sustainable health changes
"Mindfulness has really helped me stay present in the moment... so that you can enjoy that space, especially during intimacy" She emphasizes that your mindfulness practice should be as unique as your fingerprint - there's no one-size-fits-all approach.
Simple ways to start mindfulness include:
- Focus on everyday activities like brushing teeth
- Notice sensations while folding laundry
- Practice breath awareness for a few minutes daily
- Use guided meditations specific to areas you want to improve
Building Your Complete Healthcare Team for Midlife
As you move through menopause, your healthcare needs change. Jill recommends creating a comprehensive healthcare team that extends beyond traditional medical providers.
Essential team members to consider:
- Menopause specialist (not just your regular OB/GYN)
- Preventive cardiologist or well-informed GP
- Dermatologist for annual skin checks
- Dentist for regular oral health
- Financial advisor to plan for health expenses
- Therapist for emotional support
- Pelvic floor specialist for sexual wellness
- Personal trainer for age-appropriate fitness
"I think setting up a healthcare team goes beyond the walls of a healthcare system and into other areas of our life where we don't have the strengths that we want," Jill explains.
Understanding Your Genetics for Personalized Health
One fascinating aspect of health coaching is helping women understand their genetic predispositions. Jill shares her experience discovering her MTHFR gene variant and APOE status, which informed her approach to heart disease and Alzheimer's prevention.
"When you know this about yourself, you can make lifestyle decisions and choices and go on a path to help support that gene and give it a little bit of boost," she explains.
Genetic insights worth exploring:
- MTHFR gene status (impacts detoxification and heart health)
- APOE status (connected to Alzheimer's disease risk)
- Genetic testing for hair loss patterns
- Heart disease genetic markers if family history exists
Remember that genetics aren't destiny - they're information that helps you make smarter lifestyle choices.
Red Light Therapy: A Game-Changing Technology for Midlife Women
When it comes to health technology, Jill particularly recommends red light therapy for midlife women. She uses a red light therapy cap nightly for hair growth and sits in front of a red light panel daily.
Benefits of red light therapy include:
- Improved wound healing
- Better hair growth and thickness
- Enhanced cellular energy production
- Help regulating circadian rhythms for sleep
- Support for vaginal tissue health with specialized devices
Creating new health technology habits takes planning. Jill recommends:
- Start with just 1-3 sessions weekly
- Schedule specific days and times
- Make the equipment easily accessible
- Connect the practice to your larger health "why"
- Eventually, it becomes as routine as brushing your teeth
Simple Ways to Reduce Environmental Toxins
Environmental health plays a significant role in your overall wellness. Jill focuses on reducing toxic burden through simple, affordable changes:
- Bring a steel water bottle when traveling to avoid plastic
- Replace cleaning supplies with non-toxic alternatives as they run out
- Buy non-toxic cleaners in bulk and refill smaller bottles to save money
- Add houseplants to naturally filter air toxins
- Provide your own cleaning products if you hire housekeepers
Your First Step Toward Better Midlife Health
For women feeling stuck or overwhelmed, Jill offers this advice: "First of all, it's never too late to start. Even if you're 78 or 84, it is never too late to start."
She recommends beginning by reconnecting with your "why" - write down all the reasons you want to live a healthier, more vibrant, independent life. This motivation becomes your compass for future decisions.
Visiting a nursing home can be a powerful motivator too. Seeing the reality of what happens when we don't invest in our health often provides immediate clarity about what's at stake.
The message is clear: midlife isn't a time to give up on your health - it's an opportunity to create an even better future through intentional choices and proper support.
Conclusion: Your Health Partnership Awaits
Throughout our conversation, Jill emphasizes that midlife health transformation doesn't happen through rigid protocols or quick fixes - it requires personalized partnership, compassionate guidance, and sustainable changes.
A health coach like Jill can help you:
- Create your unique health equation based on your body's specific needs
- Develop a compelling vision for your future wellness
- Build accountability for lasting changes
- Navigate confusing health information with evidence-based guidance
- Connect seemingly unrelated symptoms into a coherent picture
- Transform health challenges into opportunities for growth
Remember that investing in your health now creates freedom, independence, and pleasure for decades to come. As Jill puts it, your goal is to "check everything out. Make sure everything inside is working harmoniously together. We want all of our hormones to be working together as an orchestra."
About our guest: Jill Foos is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach who is skilled in evidence-based strategies for behavior change. She holds certifications from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, and has specialized training in supplements and gut health. Her specialty is helping midlife women find their longevity and prevention equation, considering lifestyle interventions to support sleep optimization, nutrition, stress management, and exercise. She founded Jill Foos Wellness, a virtual health coaching business, hosts the Health Trip Podcast, and speaks regularly at corporate women’s events. She is one of Respin’s Head Health Coaches, Halle Berry’s app-based platform for menopausal women.
- Website: jillfooswellness.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/jillfooswellness
About the guest
Jill FoosNational Board Certified Health and Wellness CoachGuest on this episode of Pleasure in the Pause.More about them
