Midlife Mayhem

Estrogen Patch Shortage — What’s Really Going On

Estrogen Patch Shortage — What’s Really Going On
In this episode of Midlife Mayhem, Joanne breaks down a growing issue affecting thousands of women right now—the estrogen patch shortage—and why it’s not as simple as “just a supply problem.”
This isn’t about insurance games or pharmaceutical conspiracy. It’s a classic case of demand exploding faster than the system can handle. After the FDA removed the black box warning on hormone therapy, more women and doctors felt confident using HRT—and demand surged almost overnight.
But here’s the catch: estrogen patches aren’t simple products. They’re complex drug-delivery systems requiring specialized manufacturing, meaning production can’t just be ramped up quickly.
💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why estrogen patch shortages are happening right now
The real impact of the Women’s Health Initiative and how it shaped decades of fear around HRT
Why certain doses (especially 0.025 and 0.05) are hardest to find
Why generics aren’t solving the problem
The difference between patches, gels, and creams—and when to use each
⚠️ Why This Matters
This isn’t just inconvenient—it directly affects:
Sleep
Mood
Temperature regulation
Body composition
Cognitive function
In short, your entire hormonal environment.
🔧 Practical Solutions (What You Can Do Right Now)
Joanne gets straight to what matters—how to stay stable even if your patch isn’t available:
✔️ Combine doses (e.g., two smaller patches to match your usual dose)
✔️ Switch to gels or creams like Estrogel or Divigel
✔️ Understand which patches can be cut (matrix patches like Vivelle-Dot or Climara—with caution)
✔️ Talk to your doctor and pharmacist proactively
🚫 What NOT to Do
Don’t stop abruptly and “wait it out”
Don’t skip doses and hope for the best
Don’t start cutting patches without knowing the type
Your body doesn’t care about the delivery method—it cares about consistent hormone levels.
🧠 The Bigger Takeaway
Most people are overly attached to how they take estrogen.
But the real goal is simple:👉 Maintain a stable hormonal environment—by any appropriate method available.
📩 Final Thought
If you’re affected by the shortage, don’t sit back and wait.
Call your doctor. Ask your pharmacist questions. Explore alternatives.
Because when estrogen drops, you feel it—and so does everyone around you.
For more education, coaching, and programs, visit:👉 www.joannelee.com

Gym Mistakes, Food Traps & a Medical Miss That Shouldn’t Happen

This Week in Coaching: What Went Wrong (That Didn’t Have To)
This episode is a bit different.
I’m pulling straight from my week, because what shows up in coaching isn’t random—it’s patterns. And most of the time I’m sitting there thinking…
👉 this didn’t need to happen.
Three situations stood out this week. Different on the surface, but all pointing to the same thing: a gap between what people are doing and what their body actually needs.
⚠️ The Machine That Keeps Hurting People
Let’s start in the gym.
The rotary torso machine—the one where you sit down, lock yourself in, and twist side to side with resistance.
It looks targeted. It feels effective.
👉 That’s exactly why it’s misleading.
Your spine is not designed to repeatedly twist under load. Your upper back can rotate, but your lower back is built for stability. Its job is to transfer force, not generate it through rotation.
And the SI joint? It barely moves at all.
So when you’re locked into a machine and forced to rotate, you’re pushing movement into areas that are supposed to resist it.
That caught up with one of my clients this week. She trains consistently, does everything right—but added this into a run of hard sessions.
👉 Result: irritated SI joint and a miserable few days.
Not just the machine—but very likely the tipping point.
What I hear all the time is, “but it helps with golf.”
No, it doesn’t.
A golf swing is a coordinated, full-body movement. This machine removes that coordination entirely. It isolates something that shouldn’t be isolated.
And then there’s the real reason most people are on it…
👉 they want to lose fat around their waist.
That’s not how fat loss works.
You can’t target it. And ironically, overloading the obliques can actually make the waist look thicker.
So you’ve got a movement that doesn’t match the body, doesn’t match sport, doesn’t achieve the goal—and quietly increases injury risk.
🍩 When “Free Food” Works Against You
The second situation is completely different—but just as frustrating.
A client working in an environment where food is constantly available. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, drinks—everything is provided.
Sounds like a perk.
But when you look closer…
👉 it’s a setup.
This client is trying. They’re training, engaged, sending me photos of what they think are solid choices.
And I can see the effort.
But the options?
“Healthy” snacks loaded with sugar. Nuts coated in maple. Jerky with sugar as a main ingredient. Meals that sound clean but aren’t doing what they think.
So now you’ve got someone doing the work…
👉 but stuck in an environment pulling them backwards.
And then comes the question:
“Why would I bring my own food when it’s all here for free?”
And I get that.
But at some point, you have to call it what it is.
👉 It’s not free if it’s costing you your progress.
🚨 The Conversation That Should Have Happened Years Ago
The third situation is the one that really stayed with me.
A client who’s been in and out of hospital repeatedly with severe digestive issues. Ongoing pain, disruption, and now surgery being discussed.
We were talking after a call, and she casually mentioned:
👉 “It got worse after my gallbladder was removed.”
And that stopped me.
Because no one had explained what that actually means.
The gallbladder stores bile. Bile helps digest fat. When it’s removed, that system changes completely—there’s no storage, no controlled release.
Now layer a higher fat diet on top of that…
👉 and you’ve got a problem.
And yet, she was eating exactly that—higher fat meals, foods that would be completely normal with a gallbladder.
No one had told her otherwise.
So now you’ve got repeated hospital visits, serious discomfort, and discussions about removing part of her colon…
…and no one has stepped back to ask:
👉 what is your diet doing in this situation?
I’ve seen this before. Very closely. And when it shows up again like this, it’s hard not to feel frustrated.
I’m not saying this explains everything.
But I am saying:
👉 this should have been part of the conversation from day one.
🔍 What All Three Situations Have in Common
Different scenarios. Same underlying issue.
👉 A gap in understanding.
The body is being asked to do something it’s not designed to do.The environment is working against the goal.Or critical information simply hasn’t been given.
And that’s where people get stuck.
Or hurt.
Or exhausted trying to do the right thing without the right information.
💡 The Real Takeaway
If there’s one thing to take from this, it’s this:
👉 The more you understand your body, the less you leave to chance.
And the fewer of these situations you’ll find yourself in.
📣 Want Help Getting This Right?
If you want guidance—training, nutrition, or just clarity on what your body actually needs—I work with clients both in person and online.
🌐 joannelee.com📩 hello@joannelee.com

Do You Need Carbs To Build Muscle?

🚨 Let’s address the fear head-on…
Carbohydrates have become one of the most misunderstood—and frankly, feared—nutrients in the world of body composition.
And I get it.
If fat loss has been your focus, cutting carbs works. It lowers insulin, improves insulin sensitivity, and often unlocks fat loss that felt impossible.
But here’s the problem…
👉 The strategy that helps you lose weightis not always the strategy that helps you build muscle.
And that’s where people get stuck.
⚡ The Truth (Without the Drama)
Do you need carbs to build muscle?
👉 No.
But if your goal is to:
Build new muscle
Train harder
Recover faster
Actually look like you lift
👉 Then carbs go from “optional” to strategic.
🧠 What Your Body Actually Needs to Build Muscle
Muscle isn’t free tissue. Your body doesn’t just hand it out.
To build muscle, you need:
Adequate calories
Sufficient protein
A strong training stimulus
And most importantly…👉 An internal environment that says: “We can afford to grow.”
Low calories + low carbs + high cardio?
That’s not a growth signal.
That’s a survival signal.
🔥 Why Carbs Matter 
1. They Fuel Performance
Carbs are stored as glycogen in muscle—your high-output fuel.
More glycogen =✔ More reps✔ Better intensity✔ Higher training volume✔ Stronger contractions
Less glycogen =❌ Earlier fatigue❌ Lower training quality❌ Less muscle stimulus
2. They Improve the Environment for Growth
Carbs increase insulin…
…and insulin is not the villain people think it is.
👉 It’s a transporter
It helps:
Drive amino acids into muscle
Reduce muscle breakdown
Support recovery
Create an anabolic (muscle-building) environment
Without effective insulin signaling?You can train all you want… and still lose muscle.
3. They Support mTOR Activation
Think of mTOR as the “on switch” for muscle growth.
Protein turns it on
Carbs help support and sustain it
Without carbs, you can still build muscle…
👉 But not as efficiently, and not as consistently.
4. They Prevent Muscle Breakdown
If you don’t eat carbs, your body will make glucose anyway.
How?
👉 By breaking down protein (including muscle) through gluconeogenesis
So yes…
👉 Carbs are protein-sparing
⚠️ The Low-Carb Trap
You can maintain muscle on low carbs.
But building new muscle?
That’s where it gets harder.
Why?
Higher cortisol (especially around training)
Slower recovery
Lower glycogen
Reduced training output
👉 You’re pushing your body toward survival… not growth.
💡 Let’s Talk Strategy
Carbs are not the problem.
Poor timing + poor structure = the problem.
✔ When to Use Carbs:
Around workouts (especially after)
Strategically during the day
Evening (in the right context) for muscle protection
❌ What NOT to Do:
Add carbs on top of a high-fat diet
Eat them randomly all day
Fear them… then binge them
👉 That’s how people gain fat and blame carbs.
⚖️ The Golden Rule
If carbs go up…👉 Fat must come down
You cannot run:
High carb
AND high fat
That’s the fastest way to stall progress.
👀 What You’ll Notice When You Get This Right
Muscles look fuller
You look leaner (yes, leaner)
Better pumps
Better workouts
Faster recovery
👉 Flat muscle = softer look👉 Full muscle = leaner, tighter look
🧭 Final Takeaway
Carbs are not something to fear.
👉 They’re something to respect and use properly
When they have:
A job to do
Somewhere to go (muscle)
They become one of the most powerful tools for body composition.
📣 Want Help Applying This Properly?
This is where coaching matters—because timing, structure, and individual physiology all play a role.
👉 Explore programs and coaching:www.joannelee.com
🎁 Current Offer (Limited Time)
Until May 5th (Cinco de Mayo):
👉 Buy 5-Amino-1MQ or SLU-PP-332🎁 Get a FREE Sleep Formula ($30 value)
No code needed—just order before the deadline.
🎧 Loved This Episode?
Make sure you:✔ Subscribe to Midlife Mayhem✔ Share with someone still afraid of carbs✔ And start using food as a tool, not a fear

THE COMMON COLD

🎧 THE COMMON COLD — What’s REALLY Going On Inside Your Body (And Why It’s Not What You Think)
You think you “caught a cold”… but that’s not actually what happened.
In this episode of Midlife Mayhem, I’m recording this in real time—full head cold, blocked nose, zero taste, and all—because it’s the perfect opportunity to break down what’s actually happening inside your body.
And trust me… most people get this wrong.
🤧 FIRST — A COLD IS NOT AN ILLNESS
It’s a label, not a specific disease.
What you’re experiencing is a collection of symptoms caused by different viruses—most commonly the rhinovirus.
➡️ You didn’t “catch a cold”➡️ You were exposed to a virus➡️ Your body is now responding
🦠 WHAT IS A VIRUS (REALLY)?
Not alive in the way you think.
A virus is:
Genetic material wrapped in a protein shell
No metabolism
No ability to survive on its own
👉 It’s basically an instruction packet that hijacks your cells to make more copies of itself
⚠️ VIRUS vs BACTERIA — THIS MATTERS
This is where people go wrong.
Viruses (like a cold):
Not alive
Hijack your cells
❌ Antibiotics do NOTHING
Bacteria (like strep throat):
Living organisms
Reproduce independently
✅ Antibiotics work
👉 Taking antibiotics for a cold?Not just useless… it can actually make things worse by damaging your gut and immune system
🤯 WHY YOU FEEL SO BAD
Here’s the twist:
👉 The virus is NOT what makes you feel awful👉 Your immune response is
Your body releases cytokines (chemical messengers) that:
Trigger inflammation
Increase mucus
Create fatigue, brain fog, congestion
➡️ All the symptoms you hate?They’re your body doing its job perfectly.
👃 WHY IT STARTS IN YOUR NOSE
Viruses love cooler environments
Your nasal passages = perfect entry point
So your body responds with:
Mucus (to flush it out)
Swelling (to contain it)
Annoying? Yes.Random? Not at all.
👅 WHY YOU CAN’T TASTE ANYTHING
It’s not your taste buds—it’s your sense of smell.
When your nasal passages are blocked:
Smell receptors shut down
Flavor disappears
➡️ That’s why everything tastes like cardboard
💊 VITAMIN C vs ZINC
Let’s be honest about what actually works:
Vitamin C:
Mild support
Might shorten duration slightly
Not a game changer
Zinc:
Interferes with viral replication
ONLY works if taken early (first 24–48 hours)
👉 Miss that window? You’re just chasing it.
⏳ THE REAL TIMELINE OF A COLD
Days 1–2: Subtle symptoms (you barely notice)
Days 2–4: Immune system ramps up
Days 3–5: Peak misery
Days 5–7: Improvement
Up to Day 10: Lingering symptoms
If you’re healthy → usually faster.
🦠 WHEN YOU’RE MOST CONTAGIOUS
This surprises people:
👉 You’re most contagious before you even know you’re sick
And in the first few days of symptoms.
🫁 “IT MOVED TO MY CHEST” — NOT EXACTLY
It doesn’t “move.”
It’s about where inflammation is strongest:
Upper airway → head cold
Lower airway → chest symptoms
💪 WHY MUSCLE MATTERS (YES, EVEN HERE)
Muscle isn’t just for aesthetics.
It’s:
A metabolic reserve
A support system for immune function
A buffer during stress (including illness)
👉 When you’re sick, your body pulls from reserves👉 Muscle gives you something to pull from
This is why people with more muscle tend to be:
More resilient
Better at handling stress
👶 WHY KIDS BOUNCE BACK (AND ADULTS DON’T)
Kids:
Less exposure → get sick more
Faster immune response → recover quickly
Adults:
More stress
Slower recovery
More inflammation
Parents?They get hit the hardest.
❄️ IS THERE REALLY A “COLD SEASON”?
Colds happen all year.
But winter creates the perfect setup:
Indoor environments
Dry air
Less ventilation
➡️ More opportunity for viruses to spread
🔑 THE BIG TAKEAWAY
You’re not “weak” when you get sick.
👉 You got caught off guard👉 Your immune system is responding exactly as it should
And those symptoms?
They’re not the problem…They’re the solution in action
▶️ WATCH MORE ON YOUTUBE
If you enjoyed this episode and want deeper dives into metabolism, fat loss, and cutting-edge strategies:
👉 Head over to YouTube and search Joanne Lee Cornish👉 Subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming video series

A New Med for an Old Problem, Navigating Hormones & The Chilli That Took Me Down

Weekly Insulin, Testosterone & a Lesson I Should Have Known
🚨 NEW: ONCE-WEEKLY INSULIN
A new insulin, Insulin icodec, has just been approved.
👉 One injection per week👉 Instead of daily (or multiple daily) injections
That’s a major shift in how diabetes can be managed—and more importantly, how well people actually stick to it.
🤯 WHY GIVE INSULIN TO TYPE 2 DIABETICS?
This is where most people get confused.
Type 2 diabetes starts with too much insulin…
…but over time, the pancreas burns out.
👉 Insulin drops👉 Blood sugar rises👉 The system fails
At that point:
👉 Insulin isn’t the problem—it’s the missing piece
⚠️ WHAT’S REALLY HAPPENING
Without enough insulin:
Glucose stays in the blood
Can’t reach the cells
The body is essentially starving despite eating
💉 COMPLIANCE CHANGES EVERYTHING
This episode also dives into a bigger theme:
👉 The best plan only works if you follow it
I share:
My experience with testosterone injections (not for me)
Kevin’s experience (worked well for him)
Same tool—different outcomes.
🌶️ A QUICK (AND HUMBLING) LESSON
I also share something I should have caught sooner:
👉 Histamine
From foods I was eating daily (tomatoes + leftovers)
Once removed:✔ Symptoms gone✔ Problem solved
🎯 TAKEAWAY
👉 The goal isn’t perfection👉 It’s consistency
📩 hello@joannelee.com📺 YouTube: Joanne Lee Cornish

Optimal Protein Intake: 0.8g vs 1g Per Pound Explained

How Much Protein Do You REALLY Need? (And Why I’m Not Changing My Mind)
💥 Episode Summary
Everyone’s talking about protein again… and now the narrative is shifting.
“Studies say you don’t need that much.”“0.7g per pound is enough.”“Stop overdoing protein.”
Sounds convenient, doesn’t it?
In this episode of Midlife Mayhem, I break down exactly why I’m not changing my stance—and why aiming for 1 gram of protein per pound of goal weight still stands strong.
Because this isn’t just about muscle. Not even close.
🔬 What the Studies Actually Say (and what they DON’T)
Yes — research shows that around 0.7–0.8g per pound can support muscle protein synthesis.
But here’s the problem:👉 That’s only measuring one outcome — muscle building from training.
And I don’t coach for just one outcome.
🧠 The 5 Real Reasons I Push Higher Protein
1️⃣ Muscle Protein Synthesis (obviously)
You want results from your training — protein delivers that.
But that’s just the baseline.
2️⃣ Protein Controls Your Calories (whether you realize it or not)
If you only eat:
90g protein = 360 calories
Where are the rest of your calories coming from?
👉 Carbs and fats.
And that’s exactly where most people:
Overeat
Stall
Or gain fat
Protein isn’t just a target — it’s a control mechanism.
3️⃣ Protein Regulates Appetite (fast)
When protein goes up:
Hunger drops
Cravings disappear
Food noise quiets down
This isn’t theory — I see it every single time.
Within 2–3 days, people go from:👉 “I can’t stop eating”to👉 “I can’t finish my meals”
That’s physiology, not willpower.
4️⃣ Lean Protein Doesn’t Get Stored as Fat
Let’s be clear:
Carbs → can be stored as fat
Fat → easily stored as fat
Lean protein → not converted to fat
There’s no efficient pathway for it.
So if you're going to “overeat” something?
👉 Protein is the safest place to do it.
5️⃣ Midlife Changes Everything
If you’re 40+:
You digest protein less efficiently
You absorb less
You require MORE per meal for the same effect
A 25-year-old and a 55-year-old do not play by the same rules.
So those studies?
👉 Who were they testing?
Because it matters.
⚠️ The Real Problem
People don’t struggle with protein because they can’t eat it.
They struggle because:👉 They don’t want to
And those are very different things.
🔄 What Happens When You Get This Right
Appetite stabilizes
Body composition improves
Training results accelerate
Food preferences shift
Everything becomes… easier
That’s the goal.
🚫 Final Thought
The studies aren’t wrong.
They’re just incomplete.
And I’m not coaching for “just enough.”I’m coaching for results, control, and longevity.
📣 Links, Programs & Resources
👉 Programs & Coaching:www.joannelee.com
👉 Supplements (5-Amino-1MQ & SLU-PP-332):www.joanneleestore.com
👉 YouTube (Live every Sunday):Search Joanne Lee Cornish and subscribe
📩 Questions: hello@joannelee.com

Leptin Explained: Why You’re Always Hungry & Why Fat Loss Gets Hard

Leptin: The Hormone That Can Make You Hungry… or Not
Hello Midlife Mayhem—
Today we’re talking about something that explains a LOT when it comes to fat loss and appetite:
👉 Leptin
And I’ll start with this—
I recently did a podcast on appetite, and while the information was solid…I didn’t fully acknowledge the people who are:
👉 Hungry all the time👉 Fighting cravings constantly👉 Being told “just eat less” when it feels impossible
This episode fixes that.
🧬 What is Leptin?
Leptin is your body’s appetite regulator, produced by your fat cells.
👉 More fat = more leptin👉 Less fat = less leptin
And your brain responds like this:
High leptin:
Eat less
Burn more
Low leptin:
Eat more
Burn less
👉 Perfect in theory… frustrating in real life.
⚖️ Why Fat Loss Gets Hard
As you lose weight:
Leptin drops
Your brain senses “less stored energy”
You get hungrier
Your metabolism slows
👉 This is why those last pounds feel so difficult.
It’s not you. It’s physiology.
🔁 Leptin Resistance (This Changes Everything)
This is where it really matters.
👉 You have plenty of leptin… but your brain doesn’t recognize it.
So instead of saying:“we’re fine”
Your brain says:👉 “we’re starving”
And the result:
Constant hunger
Lower calorie burn
Strong drive to eat
👉 This is not a willpower issue.
💉 Weight Loss Medications (The Fork in the Road)
These medications reduce appetite—and for many people, that’s life-changing.
But then comes a fork:
Path 1:
No real habit change
Appetite returns
Weight comes back
Path 2:
Better food choices
More protein
Strength training
New identity
👉 Same tool. Completely different outcome.
🔄 Leptin Refeeds
Strategically increasing calories (especially carbs) can signal:
👉 “We’re not starving”
This can help:
Keep fat loss moving
Reduce metabolic slowdown
Improve adherence
And yes—
👉 It needs carbs to work properly.
🧠 The Takeaway
Leptin can:
Help regulate appetite
Or completely override it
So if you’ve ever thought:
👉 “Why am I always hungry?”
There may be a real physiological reason.
🎧 Listen to the full episode
If appetite has ever felt like a constant battle—this one will connect a lot of dots.
📺 Join me LIVE every Sunday
I go live on YouTube every Sunday—breaking all of this down in real time.
👉 Subscribe here: @joanneleecornish
🛒 Products & Programs
👉 www.joannelee.com
📩 Questions?
👉 hello@joannelee.com

NNMT, Cancer & Fat Loss: The Hidden Link You Need to Understand

NNMT, Cancer Risk & 5-Amino-1MQ – Where Science Ends and Assumptions Begin
Alright… this one is interesting.
Because I talk a lot about 5-Amino-1MQ—mainly in the context of fat loss, metabolic health, and keeping weight off long term.
But recently, I was in a conversation with a doctor…and he told me he personally takes it because his mother died from a glioblastoma.
And his reasoning?
👉 It inhibits NNMT👉 NNMT is involved in certain cancers👉 So… maybe there’s something there
Now before we go any further—
I am NOT saying 5-Amino prevents or treats cancer.And neither was he.
What he was doing…was taking a known biological pathway and making an informed assumption.
And honestly?
It’s a fascinating one.
🧬 What is NNMT (and why does it matter)?
NNMT (Nicotinamide N-Methyltransferase) is an enzyme involved in how your body manages:
Energy production
NAD+ levels
Metabolic function
Aging processes
When NNMT is elevated, it’s associated with:
Fat storage
Insulin resistance
Slower metabolic function
Lower NAD+ availability
👉 This is why it shows up so strongly in midlife weight gain
And it’s also why I talk so much about 5-Amino-1MQ—because it inhibits NNMT, which can shift the body away from storing fat and toward using energy.
🔬 Where it gets interesting…
NNMT doesn’t just show up in metabolism.
It’s also upregulated in certain cancers, including:
Glioblastoma
Pancreatic cancer
Bladder cancer
Ovarian cancer
In these environments, NNMT appears to support:
Tumor growth
Cell survival
Metabolic adaptation
👉 In simple terms: cancer cells may use NNMT to survive.
So researchers have asked:
What happens if we inhibit NNMT?
In early-stage research (cells + animal models),👉 inhibiting NNMT has shown reductions in tumor growth.
That’s real.
But here’s the key…
⚖️ Where the line is (this matters)
We have:
NNMT is involved in metabolic disease
NNMT is involved in some cancers
5-Amino inhibits NNMT
So the leap becomes:
👉 “Does taking 5-Amino reduce cancer risk?”
And the honest answer is:
We don’t have evidence to say that.
No human trials.No prevention studies.
What we have is a mechanistic connection—and a very interesting one.
🔄 The bigger pattern
Here’s where it gets even more compelling…
NNMT increases with:
Age
Obesity
Insulin resistance
And those same conditions are associated with:
Higher cancer rates
More chronic disease
More metabolic dysfunction
So now we’re looking at a broader picture:
👉 A metabolic environment that becomes more vulnerable over time
And NNMT may be one of the players in that shift.
Not the cause.Not the cure.But part of the story.
🧠 Take this the right way
This is not a recommendation.
This is not a protocol.
This is simply a lens.
One enzyme
One molecule that inhibits it
Two very different areas of research that overlap
👉 That intersection is worth understanding.
Just remember:
Interesting ≠ provenMechanism ≠ outcome
🛒 If you want to explore further
If you’ve been following my work, you already know I use and talk about:
5-Amino-1MQ
SLU-PP-332
You can learn more or get them here:
👉 www.joanneleestore.com
Use code:
👉 DAISY for 20% off
⏳ Expires April 1

Insulin: Fat Storage or Muscle Tool?

Insulin Isn’t the Enemy: Why Carbs Might Actually Help You Build Muscle
Show Notes
Before we dive in, a couple of quick reminders.
My Muscle Month program starts March 29, and it only runs once a year. If you’ve been thinking about joining, this is the time. The program walks you through exactly how muscle is built and protected in midlife — including insulin, carbohydrates, mTOR, AMPK, and how to actually use these tools to your advantage.
You can join at musclemonth.com.The cost is $525, and if you’d prefer to split the payment just email me at joanne@joannelee.com and I’ll send you the separate link since the new website isn’t showing that option yet.
Also, there’s currently a 20% discount on 5-Amino-1MQ and SLU-PP-332 on the new website. Use the code DAISY (named after our new puppy) at checkout. The code runs until April 1, and everything is available at www.joanneleestore.com.
Now onto today’s topic.
In this episode I talk about insulin, and why it has been given such a terrible reputation in the health and fitness world. For years we’ve heard that carbohydrates spike insulin, insulin stores fat, and therefore carbs must be the problem. And while there is some truth buried in that narrative, the reality is far more interesting.
Insulin is not the villain. It’s actually a tool.
Yes, when insulin is chronically elevated it can absolutely prevent fat loss. A prolonged high-insulin state is one of the biggest reasons people struggle to lose weight, particularly in midlife. Stress, sedentary lifestyles, constant snacking, poor sleep and excessive carbohydrate intake can all push insulin up and keep it there. When that happens, the body simply can’t access stored body fat efficiently.
But that doesn’t mean insulin itself is the problem.
Insulin is one of the body’s key growth signals, alongside protein, testosterone and growth hormone. It helps move nutrients into cells, including glucose and amino acids, which means it plays a direct role in muscle repair, recovery and growth. If someone completely avoids carbohydrates out of fear of insulin, they may actually be removing one of the body’s natural tools for maintaining muscle.
A big part of the conversation in this episode is about environment. Hormones respond to the environment we create. If someone is stressed, sedentary, eating constantly and sleeping poorly, insulin will behave very differently than it will in someone who is active, training, eating strategically and giving the body periods where insulin can come back down.
When used correctly, insulin can actually support both muscle building and fat loss. Timing carbohydrates around activity, especially training, can help direct those carbohydrates into muscle where they’re stored as glycogen rather than fat. Insulin also helps move amino acids into muscle tissue, which is critical for protecting muscle as we age.
I also share a little about my own experience. For many years I ate very low carbohydrate and it worked well for me. But after a major surgery in my 50s where I lost a significant amount of muscle, I had to rethink my approach. Bringing carbohydrates back in strategically allowed me to support muscle again, sleep better, recover better, and overall feel better.
The big takeaway from this episode is simple: insulin is not the enemy. It simply reacts to the environment we create. When we understand how it works, it becomes something we can use to our advantage rather than something we fear.
And if you’d like to go deeper into how all of this works — especially in midlife — Muscle Month starts March 29. You can learn more and sign up at musclemonth.com.
Also, if you’d like to catch the new weekly live sessions, head over to YouTube and subscribe to Joanne Lee Cornish so you’ll get notified when I go live.

The Gallbladder Explained: Digestion, Gallstones, and Weight Loss

The Gallbladder: What It Does, Why It Gets Removed, and Why Rapid Weight Loss Can Cause Problems
🎯 Muscle Month Starts March 29
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The program includes detailed coaching on:
• muscle building in midlife• training strategies that actually work• metabolism and body composition• how to eat to support muscle without gaining fat
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Episode Overview
In today’s episode of Midlife Mayhem, we’re talking about an organ that is removed surprisingly often — the gallbladder.
Many people are told the gallbladder is “no big deal” and that you can live perfectly fine without it. While it’s true that you can live without a gallbladder, it does play an important role in digestion, particularly when it comes to processing dietary fat.
In this episode, Joanne explains what the gallbladder actually does, why gallstones form, and why rapid weight loss can significantly increase the risk of gallbladder problems.
What the Gallbladder Actually Does
The gallbladder is a small organ located underneath the liver. Its primary job is to store bile, a digestive fluid produced by the liver.
When you eat a meal that contains fat, the gallbladder contracts and releases bile into the small intestine. Bile acts like a detergent, breaking fat into smaller droplets so digestive enzymes can process it efficiently.
Without a gallbladder, bile is still produced by the liver — but instead of being stored and released when needed, it drips continuously into the intestine.
For some people this causes no problems. For others it can lead to digestive issues such as bloating, diarrhea, or difficulty tolerating fatty foods.
Why Gallstones Form
Gallstones are hardened deposits that form when the chemical balance of bile becomes disrupted.
Bile is made up primarily of:
• bile salts• cholesterol• bilirubin
Most gallstones are cholesterol stones. They develop when bile contains too much cholesterol and not enough bile salts, allowing cholesterol to crystallize and gradually form stones.
Risk factors include:
• hormonal changes• genetics• metabolic issues• diets high in processed foods and refined carbohydrates
The Rapid Weight Loss Connection
One of the most surprising causes of gallstones is rapid weight loss.
When weight is lost quickly, large amounts of stored fat are released into the bloodstream and processed by the liver. This increases the amount of cholesterol entering the bile.
At the same time, people who are dieting often eat less fat, which means the gallbladder doesn’t contract as frequently. When bile sits in the gallbladder longer while cholesterol levels are rising, it creates the perfect conditions for gallstones to form.
This is why gallstones are often seen after:
• extreme dieting• bariatric surgery• very low calorie diets• prolonged rapid weight loss
What Happens During a Gallbladder Attack
Many people have gallstones and never know it.
Problems occur when a stone blocks the bile duct, which can cause a gallbladder attack. Symptoms often include:
• severe pain in the upper right abdomen• pain that radiates to the shoulder or back• nausea and vomiting• sweating and fever-like symptoms
If the blockage persists and the gallbladder becomes inflamed, surgery is often recommended.
Life After Gallbladder Removal
Gallbladder removal is one of the most common surgeries performed today. It’s typically done laparoscopically and patients often go home the same day.
However, digestion does change afterward because bile is no longer released in controlled bursts during meals.
Some people notice little difference, while others experience:
• digestive discomfort• diarrhea after fatty meals• difficulty digesting high-fat foods
Over time most people adapt, but dietary adjustments and digestive support can be helpful.
Final Thoughts
The gallbladder may be small, but it plays an important role in digestion.
Gallstones can develop due to hormones, genetics, metabolic health, diet, and surprisingly often rapid weight loss.
Understanding how the gallbladder works helps explain why certain dieting approaches and metabolic conditions can increase the risk of gallbladder problems.
🌐 Learn more about Joanne’s coaching and programs:joannelee.com