The Menopause Diet

When I first entered menopause, 17 years ago, I couldn’t sleep no matter what I did.

Read this week’s article and tell us what you think.

https://open.substack.com/pub/pausedoc/p/why-postmenopausal-women-stay-up?

Forgiveness is one of the hardest things God asks us to do. Not because the hurt wasn't real. Not because the wound didn't leave a mark. But because forgiveness requires us to release what we would rather keep holding. The beautiful truth of the gospel is that God has shown us a kind of grace we could never earn. And when we truly understand how deeply we have been loved and forgiven, it begins to change the way we see others. 🙌 Forgiveness doesn't always happen in a moment. Sometimes it's a prayer repeated over and over. Sometimes it's a daily choice. Sometimes it's simply taking the next small step toward healing. But every step toward grace makes room for peace. And every step toward mercy reflects the heart of Christ. If you'd like more encouragement like this, we invite you to join our free weekly devotional where we share Scripture, reflection, and practical ways to grow in faith throughout the week. And for those who support Mindful Christianity through crowd-funded giving, thank you. Your generosity helps us continue creating and sharing free resources that encourage people around the world to slow down, draw closer to God, and experience His peace. Everything is linked in our bio. ❤️

Someone at my Better Man class at Shelter Cove Church last night asked me why I hadn't retired-retired? The man who asked me is older than I am and works just as hard as he did when he was younger. We both laughed. I believe we always need a purpose, and mine is to be a better man, husband, writer, and example.

One of the questions we had to answer during a roundtable discussion was how we want our children to remember us in one word. That brought up stuff. As a young dad, I was successful, but I was a "wild and crazy guy."

I don't want to be remembered for that.

So, I told my group I want to be remembered as a grandfather who was an example and a mentor to my grandchildren.

Since I was a young man and a big reader, I read The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. I had a saying after that rattled in my head, "To be a man as a man should be." Howard Roark was the man.

Then, as I got older, I changed it to "To Be David as David should be." What a fuc& #@! mistake that was.

To be a mentor to my children and grandchildren in my later years, I need "To be a grandfather as a grandfather should be." And what is in the back of my mind and coming forward is "To be a man as God wants me to be." I'm getting closer to that, but I still need a lot of work in that department.

Anyways, as I looked at one of the many walls in our house that is filled with photos of our children and grandchildren, I noticed something. I have the greatest mentor living with me.

Vicky makes these walls, and I do stop and stare at them, and I am always impressed by how blessed we are, and I will be the first to say that it's the Grace of God that She gives Vicky that falls onto me.

All you have to do is look at the photos, and something will stand out. On every wall, and I mean every wall, Vicky honors where this grace comes from.

Today, I will continue my work on being a Better Man. And no one has to tell me — I still have a lot of work to do. May God bless your day.

Nobody told me this. Menopause is not a season. It is one single day. The day you hit twelve months with no period. That is it.

Everything after is postmenopause.

And here is what stopped me cold. If you live into your 80s, you will likely spend more than a third of your life in this stage. Some of us have spent more years than we ever spent having periods.

A third of your life. Maybe more.

For something everyone treats as a finish line, it sure looks like a whole new race.

This is not the wind-down. It is the longest chapter most of us will ever live. Which means we get to decide how we live it.

If you know a woman who thinks the hard part is behind her, she will want to read this. https://pausedoc.substack.com/

Most post-menopausal women know their cholesterol number.

Very few know their ApoB number.

And that may be a problem.

Because ApoB measures the actual particles that can enter the artery wall and contribute to heart disease. In many cases, it tells a much more complete story than standard cholesterol tests.

If you're beyond menopause, this might be the single most important blood test you've never heard of.

In today's article, I explain:

✅ What ApoB is (in plain English)

✅ Why it matters more after menopause

✅ What your number should look like

✅ The simple lifestyle changes that can improve it

✅ My favorite remedy

✅ Vicky's favorite remedy

If you care about your heart, your brain, your longevity, and your future independence, this is worth a 5-minute read.

Read it here:

https://pausedoc.substack.com/p/the-overlooked-blood-test-that-may

— Doc Mac & Vicky
Helping women thrive beyond menopause.

The Overlooked Blood Test That May Tell a Post-Menopausal Woman More About Her Future Health Than Any Other And you've probably never heard of it

Oh, Tahoe. Beautiful views, crisp mountain air, and apparently, a 400-pound valet parking attendant who refuses to close the door when he is done. 🐻🚗

This week, a local Tahoe bear decided our car was his personal walk-in closet. He figured out how to open the door on night one, found absolutely zero food (because we are seasoned Tahoe pros), and left the door wide open. The good news is that he is such a seasoned pro; he didn't leave a scratch.

The battery died. We had to call roadside assistance. 🔋The guy gave us the most Tahoe advice ever:

"Honestly, just leave the doors unlocked. If he wants in and it's locked, he will rip the door off like a tin can."

So, we listened. This fluffy repeat offender came back multiple times this week. He opens the door, rummages through our car manuals, realizes I still don't keep snacks in there, leaves the door wide open, and strolls over to the neighbor’s car to try his luck there (as captured in this video).

We are officially smarter than the average bear now, or at least smart enough to purchase a portable battery jumper. Enjoy the pic and video of our local car thief moving on to his next victim! 👇

As a longevity practitioner, I’m trying to find the health optimization angle here. I preach stress management, zone 2 cardio, and deep REM sleep for a long life. But nothing tests your nervous system regulation quite like watching a literal grizzly-adjacent creature use your door handle like he owns the place. 🧘‍♂️

A Little Usie From Lake Tahoe

This photo was taken at Edgewood Golf Course on the shores of beautiful Lake Tahoe.

Since I am in my seventies now, which still sounds strange when I say it out loud. Vicky is ageless, no matter her age.

The funny thing is, neither of us spends much time thinking about our age.

We're too busy planning the next trip, taking the next walk, having the next conversation, and figuring out what adventure comes next.

When I was younger, I thought healthy aging meant simply living longer.

Now I realize it means something very different.

It means having enough energy to explore new places.
Enough strength to carry your own luggage.
Enough mobility to hike the trails.
Enough vitality to say "yes" when life invites you somewhere beautiful.

That's why we spend so much time writing about hormones, food, movement, sleep, and mindset.

Not because we want you to live a long time.

Because we want you to live well for a long time.

Our hope is that twenty years from now you'll be standing somewhere beautiful with someone you love, smiling for a picture like this one, and thinking:

"I'm so glad I took care of myself when I had the chance."

We invite you to read our Substack posts by clicking the link below. https://pausedoc.substack.com/

Most people think retirement looks like slowing down.

I’m not so sure.

This morning, before the world fully woke up, I sat with a cup of coffee, a laptop, and a view that almost doesn’t seem real. The lake was still. The mountains were quiet. Not a single thing on my to-do list felt urgent.

And yet, I was excited to get to work.

At 70 years old, I’ve learned something that I wish I had understood much earlier:

The goal isn’t to retire from work.

The goal is to retire from work that no longer matters.

When your work is connected to your purpose, it stops feeling like labor and starts feeling like service.

I spent decades building clinics, helping patients, raising a family, paying bills, and chasing goals. Those years were good years. But this season feels different.

Now I get to choose.

Choose what I write.
Choose who I help.
Choose where I work.
Choose how I spend my mornings.

And perhaps most importantly, choose who I become.

The lake reminds me of something.

A calm surface doesn’t mean nothing is happening beneath it.

Growth often looks quiet.

A healthier body.
A stronger marriage.
A deeper faith.
A closer family.
A meaningful mission.

These things rarely arrive with fireworks. They are built one sunrise, one decision, and one disciplined day at a time.

As I begin my seventies, I’m more convinced than ever:

You are never too old to start a new chapter.

In fact, sometimes the best chapters are the ones you write after everyone else thinks the story should be over.

Today, I’m grateful for my friends letting me enjoy their view.

But even more grateful that I still have work worth waking up for.

☕️🏔️❤️

“Doc, why is discipline so easy in the morning and so impossible at night?”

https://pausedoc.substack.com/p/how-to-be-disciplined-when-you-are?triedRedirect=true

I’m not anti-testing.
I’m anti-confusion.
But let me ask you something:

“Have you ever measured every grain of salt or checked the temperature of every bite of food you cook?”
No.
You taste it. You adjust it. You know whether it’s working.

Most women beyond menopause do not need to become financially and emotionally exhausted by endless testing, especially when the treatment plan usually ends up being nearly identical anyway.

Eat Well - Move Well - Think Well

https://pausedoc.substack.com/p/what-lab-tests-really-tell-me-a-woman?r=6sbl7t