Are we actually improving our lives… or have we just been convinced that nothing we’re doing is ever quite good enough?

This week, I’m getting into optimization culture and why I’m officially questioning our obsession with constantly becoming a “better” version of ourselves. The perfect morning routine, better body, better skin, better parenting, more money, more productivity, more stuff - there’s always something else being sold to us as the missing piece between who we are and who we should be. And I’m tired. 😂

I’m also talking about a tough week of disappointment, what I’ve learned about believing people’s actions over their intentions, keeping my circle small without letting bad experiences harden me, and why I’m trying to get better at letting people show me who they are and moving accordingly.

Plus, we’re talking about the tiny moments of actual rest I apparently have NONE of 😅, what European culture gets right about slowing down, my issue with the fall-decor-overconsumption industrial complex, why we need more IRL time with our girlfriends, and of course, what I’m watching right now.

And before all of that: a couple of current recommendations:

Aerie shirt I just purchased

The audiobook I've been obsessed with

This one is a proper bestie catch-up. Let’s get into it.

As always, if this episode resonates with you, please share it with a friend who might need to hear it, leave a rating or review, or send me a DM with your thoughts.

Follow me on Instagram @erincsousa and subscribe to my Substack.

See you next week!

xx, Erin

This week, we’re going ALL the way into the GLP-1 conversation.

Part one: Dr. Allana Polo on HRT, Hormones & Why “Normal” Labs Aren’t the Whole Story

Dr. Allana Polo is back for Part Two, and we’re talking Mounjaro, Ozempic, weight loss, food noise, insulin resistance, side effects, long-term use - and the shame and stigma that still surrounds these medications.

I’m also getting personal about my own decision to start Mounjaro, why I chose to talk about it publicly, and the flood of messages I received from women who are taking GLP-1s in secret because they’re embarrassed or afraid of being judged.

Dr. Polo helps us separate some of the facts from the noise, while we get into the much bigger conversation around weight, willpower, women’s bodies and why using medication as part of your health plan shouldn’t be treated like taking the “easy way out.”

If you have questions about GLP-1s - or opinions about the people taking them - this is one you’ll want to hear.

As always, if this episode resonates with you, please share it with a friend who might need to hear it, leave a rating or review, or send me a DM with your thoughts.

Follow me on Instagram @erincsousa and subscribe to my Substack.

Follow Dr. Polo on Instagram @dr.allanapolo.

See you next week!

xx, Erin

Resources mentioned:

The Hunger Code by Dr. Allana Polo (an amazing resource to get started with because arming yourself with the right information in this process is invaluable)

If you’ve ever gone to the doctor knowing something feels OFF, only to be told your labs are “normal”… this episode is for you.

This week I’m joined by my own Naturopathic Doctor, Dr. Allana Polo, and when I tell you I have been WAITING to have this conversation - we get into so much of what women in their 40s are currently trying to figure out about their bodies.

We’re talking perimenopause, HRT, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, thyroid, iron, B12, vitamin D, gut health and why symptoms like exhaustion, brain fog, rage, poor sleep, hair loss and generally feeling like garbage don’t necessarily have one obvious cause.

And we use ME as a bit of a case study.

I went into this process convinced I knew what was happening with my hormones (thank you, internet 😅), only to discover that the bigger picture was much more complicated. Dr. Polo walks through what we found in my testing, what we’re working on now and why treating the person - not simply chasing a lab number or assuming every symptom is perimenopause - matters. I hope this helps you see yourself in what I'm dealing with.

We also get into what a naturopathic doctor actually does, why your doctor may not be able to order every test you ask for, whether hormone testing in perimenopause is actually useful, when HRT makes sense, and how to advocate for yourself when you KNOW you don’t feel like yourself.

My biggest takeaway from this conversation? Feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, foggy or just generally unwell does not automatically have to become your new normal as you get older. And you also don’t need to overhaul your entire life tomorrow.

Start asking questions, get curious about what’s happening in your body and take it one step at a time.

This is Part One of my conversation with Dr. Polo - and Part Two is an entire deep dive into GLP-1s, Mounjaro, weight, stigma and the MASSIVE amount of misinformation surrounding them.

Trust me, you’re going to want both.

As always, if this episode resonates with you, please share it with a friend who might need to hear it, leave a rating or review, or send me a DM with your thoughts.

Follow me on Instagram @erincsousa and subscribe to my Substack.

Follow Dr. Polo on Instagram @dr.allanapolo.

See you next week!

xx, Erin

Resources mentioned:

The Hunger Code by Dr. Allana Polo (an amazing resource to get started with because arming yourself with the right information in this process is invaluable)