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In Part 1 of this conversation with Ronny Szelinsky, founder of Get Happy, we explore the gynecological microbiome — the bacterial community that spans the vagina, uterus, cervix, and urinary tract. Ronny explains why this microbiome operates by completely different rules to the gut, what happens when it becomes dysbiotic, and how its disruption can silently undermine fertility, hormonal health, and longevity. The science is newer than most people realise: the uterus was considered sterile until approximately 2018.

Key Topics

• What the gynecological microbiome is and which anatomical areas it covers
• Why Lactobacillus dominance — not diversity — is the marker of a healthy gynecological microbiome
• The discovery that the uterus is not sterile: what next-generation sequencing (NGS) revealed
• The bidirectional microbiome-hormone axis: how bacteria and oestrogen regulate each other
• What causes gynecological dysbiosis: the contraceptive pill, sexual intercourse, sex toys, antibiotics, thyroid medications, vaginal hygiene products
• Normal menstrual inflammation vs chronic pathological inflammation — and the difference between them
• How a dysbiotic microbiome attacks sperm and prevents embryo implantation
• Why 50% of bacterial vaginosis cases have no symptoms — and what that means for unexplained infertility

Timestamps

• 00:00 — Intro and episode overview
• 01:00 — What the gynecological microbiome is; the body's multiple microbiomes
• 03:00 — Reproductive ageing: what it means beyond fertility
• 06:00 — Ronny's background and why he entered this field
• 10:00 — Causes of gynecological dysbiosis: the pill, antibiotics, sexual activity, hygiene products
• 15:00 — How the mucosal lining absorbs compounds and why topical exposure matters
• 19:00 — The uterus is not sterile: the NGS sequencing revolution
• 22:00 — Inflammation: normal vs pathological, and the menstrual cycle
• 27:00 — Sperm attack and implantation failure: the fertility mechanism

References and Resources

• Get Happy website: www.get-happy.com
• Ronny Szelinsky — LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronny-szelinsky
• NGS (Next-Generation Sequencing): technique referenced for identifying vaginal and uterine bacterial strains
• Bacterial vaginosis and Gardnerella vaginalis: standard medical references available on NHS/MedlinePlus

Insta/TikTok: @BiohackingEve
Website: www.BiohackingEve.com

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In Part 2, Anna Butterworth completes the five menopause archetypes with the Post-Menopausal Visionary and the Uninformed Endurer, then explores climate impacts on hormonal health, the VC funding problem in women’s health, and the curveball questions.

Key Topics:

• The Post-Menopausal Visionary: ageing as purpose, not decline

• The evolutionary argument: why humans and whales go through menopause

• Skin and vaginal dryness, muscle loss, osteoporosis in post-menopause

• Anti-ageing culture vs. embodying age

• Home health suites and at-home biomarker diagnostics

• The Uninformed Endurer: the forgotten consumer

• Low-barrier, affordable, stigma-free menopause solutions

• Why generic, scalable tools matter as much as personalised ones

• Upskilling primary care teams to identify menopause symptoms

• Environmental factors: PFAS, toxins, climate change and menstrual irregularity

• Why a one-degree temperature rise disproportionately affects women

• VC funding models and why they’re stunting women’s health innovation

• The Phase app and cycle-based productivity

• Book recommendations: Invisible Women and Unwell Women

• Anna’s unusual habit: a lifelong fascination with Mormon culture

• Investing in your team as the highest-return decision

References & Resources Mentioned:

• The Future of Menopause 2035 – Ultraviolet Agency report - https://www.ultravioletagency.com

• Phase app (phaseapp.io) – cycle-based productivity tool

• Biohacking Eve earlier episode with Maggie McDaris, founder of Phase - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/15-aligning-work-with-biology-maggie-mcdaris-on-cycle/id1782080943?i=1000743385443

• Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez

• Unwell Women by Elinor Cleghorn

• Iris Apfel – referenced as cultural example of ageing visionary

• Pamela Anderson – referenced as example of natural ageing in public life

Guest Links:

• Ultraviolet Agency – https://www.ultravioletagency.com

• Anna Butterworth LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/annabutterworth

Insta/TikTok: @BiohackingEve
Website: www.BiohackingEve.com

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In Part 1, Anna Butterworth introduces the first three of five menopause archetypes from her Future of Menopause 2035 report – the Peri Prepper, the Seeker and the High Performer – exploring who each woman is, what she needs and where the current system falls short.

Key Topics:

• The Future of Menopause 2035 report and why archetypes matter

• 48 symptoms of menopause and the problem with generic solutions

• The Peri Prepper: preparing for perimenopause in your mid-thirties

• GPs dismissing younger women who want to prepare early

• Millennials ageing into menopause with cycle-tracking literacy

• The AI slop era and the challenge of validating health information

• The Seeker: holistic wellness meets evidence-based rigour

• The gap between data-led tools and spiritually-oriented tools

• The High Performer: brain fog, boardrooms and the £150bn cost

• The link between menopause-related brain fog and long-term dementia risk

• Menopause benefits as the next frontier in talent retention

• The wisdom workforce: why younger women watch how companies treat older staff

References & Resources Mentioned:

• The Future of Menopause 2035 – Ultraviolet Agency report - https://www.ultravioletagency.com

• Bloomberg statistic: £150 billion global economic cost of menopause-related symptoms

Guest Links

• Ultraviolet Agency – https://www.ultravioletagency.com

• Anna Butterworth LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/annabutterworth

Insta/TikTok: @BiohackingEve
Website: www.BiohackingEve.com