Longevity Optimization with Kayla Barnes-Lentz

Longevity isn’t just workouts, supplements, and recovery tools, it starts with nervous system health. 
In this episode, Dr. Aimie Apigian explains what trauma actually is (not a label, but a measurable physiological response), how the body shifts from stress into overwhelm, and why “pushing through” often turns into years of avoidance, numbing, and hidden internal strain.
She breaks down the biology behind the trauma response, including the role of adrenaline, cortisol timing, and how mitochondrial capacity influences resilience.
You’ll also learn her practical, body-based approach to creating “safe enough” in real time, plus the three phases of healing: safety, support, and expansion, so you don’t stay stuck avoiding triggers forever.
In this conversation:
Stress vs trauma response (and what changes physiologically)
Why adrenaline drives the response and cortisol arrives later
How the body stores trauma as patterns, not just memories
The 3 nervous system states and the thoughts they generate
A simple somatic exercise to build safety in the body
Why devices/meds can be bridges, not the destination
Using biomarkers + wearables without fooling yourself
Why modern media can create vicarious trauma
Join the most comprehensive *female-specific community for health and longevity optimization.* After over a decade dedicated to human performance and women’s health, I created this space to share everything you need to know to optimize health and lifespan. Inside, you’ll get access to exclusive protocols, live Q&As, the latest female longevity science, and a private, supportive community of like-minded women.
https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/checkout/become-a-member

Connect with Kayla:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylabarnes/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femalelongevity
Twitter:https://x.com/femalelongevity
Website:https://www.kaylabarnes.com/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@KaylaBarnesLentz
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn22...
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com

Learn more about Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/draimie/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrAimieApigian
Website: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/
Order her Book “The Biology of Trauma”: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/book

For the first time in history, ovarian biological age can be measured, and I became the first woman in the world to take the test.

Until now, women have had no real way to understand how their ovaries are aging beyond rough estimates like AMH. But this new machine-learning algorithm, trained on over 40,000 real women across different life stages, analyzes hormone biomarkers, body composition, and reproductive history to estimate ovarian age relative to chronological age.

This is a massive step forward in female longevity science.

In this episode, I walk through what the test measures, how the algorithm works, and what becoming the first data point actually means, not just for me, but for women collectively. We also explore what may be driving ovarian aging in the first place.

I also share how I’m now testing specific interventions in isolation, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, to determine whether we can meaningfully influence ovarian aging over time.
Ovarian lifespan is significantly shorter than overall lifespan and once we can measure it, we can begin to understand it.

This is only the first step in redefining female longevity.

Join the most comprehensive *female-specific community for health and longevity optimization.* After over a decade dedicated to human performance and women’s health, I created this space to share everything you need to know to optimize health and lifespan. Inside, you’ll get access to exclusive protocols, live Q&As, the latest female longevity science, and a private, supportive community of like-minded women.
https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/checkout/become-a-member

*Kayla's social + website:*
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kaylabarnes/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femalelongevity
Twitter: https://x.com/femalelongevity
Website: https://www.kaylabarnes.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn22RGB0argbRPvAaQ
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/longevity-optimization-with-kayla-barnes-lentz/id1591130227
Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com

SHOW NOTES:
00:01:03 Timeless Biotech Website:https://timelessbiotech.com/
00:01:13 Podcast With The Founder of Timeless Biotech:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-_EuNUwjsM&t=57s
00:04:12 Kayla’s Protocols:https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com/
00:09:58 Podcast With Dr. Chris Masterjohn:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3quYW_pCDU
00:10:48 Study About Ovarian Stiffness Increasehttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7681059/#acel13259-sec-0002
00:16:22 Study For Increased PFAShttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41620147/
00:17:56 Red Light Therapy Study:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1011134424001842?via=ihub

Perimenopause is not just about hormones, it’s a metabolic transition that affects insulin sensitivity, gut health, stress tolerance, and long-term disease risk.
In this episode, Cynthia Thurlow, board-certified nurse practitioner and functional medicine expert, explains how women’s metabolism changes in midlife and why insulin resistance, poor stress resilience, and gut dysfunction often appear years before menopause.
She breaks down how perimenopause can begin earlier than most women expect, why symptoms vary so widely, and how lifestyle factors like fasting, exercise intensity, sleep, alcohol, and chronic stress interact with hormones during this transition.
Join the most comprehensive *female-specific community for health and longevity optimization.* After over a decade dedicated to human performance and women’s health, I created this space to share everything you need to know to optimize health and lifespan. Inside, you’ll get access to exclusive protocols, live Q&As, the latest female longevity science, and a private, supportive community of like-minded women.https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/checkout/become-a-member
This conversation explores:
Why insulin resistance often emerges in perimenopause

How stress and trauma shape metabolic and hormonal health

The role of gut health in PMS, mood, and estrogen balance

When fasting helps women and when it makes things worse

Why “doing everything right” can still lead to symptoms

How to individualize nutrition, training, and recovery in midlife

Connect with Kayla:
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/kaylabarnes/
TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@femalelongevity
Twitter:https://x.com/femalelongevity
Website:https://www.kaylabarnes.com/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@KaylaBarnesLentz
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Website:https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com

Learn more about Cynthia Thurlow
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cynthia_thurlow_/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/cynthiathurlow
Website: https://www.cynthiathurlow.com/
Pre-order her upcoming book: The Menopause Gut (28th of April 2026):https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/777129/the-menopause-gut-by-cynthia-thurlow-np/?mcp…
ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) questionnaire:https://www.acesaware.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/ACE-Questionnaire-for-Adults-Identified-English-rev.7.26.22.pdf

When cellular energy production is impaired, no diet, supplement, or health protocol can work as intended.
In this episode, Dr. Chris Masterjohn, nutrition scientist and expert in micronutrients and metabolism, explains why mitochondrial function is the limiting factor behind stalled progress, persistent fatigue, and supplements that stop working over time.
He breaks down why vitamin D supplementation often creates new problems when it is taken without proper nutrient balance, how high doses can disrupt other systems in the body, and why sunlight has biological effects that vitamin D pills alone cannot replicate.
Join the most comprehensive *female-specific community for health and longevity optimization.* After over a decade dedicated to human performance and women’s health, I created this space to share everything you need to know to optimize health and lifespan. Inside, you’ll get access to exclusive protocols, live Q&As, the latest female longevity science, and a private, supportive community of like-minded women.https://kayla-barnes-lentz.circle.so/checkout/become-a-member
This conversation explores:
Why mitochondrial bottlenecks explain most energy and health plateaus

How micronutrient deficiencies undermine supplements and biohacks

When creatine supports cellular energy and why it works differently than most supplements

Why vitamin D supplementation can backfire without context and balance

Why sunlight affects biology in ways supplements cannot replace

How diet, fasting, and exercise interact with mitochondrial capacity

Why optimizing one system often breaks another without proper foundations

Connect with Kayla:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylabarnes/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@femalelongevity
Twitter:https://x.com/femalelongevity
Website:https://www.kaylabarnes.com/
Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn22...
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com
Learn more about Dr Chris Masterjohn’s work:
Website: https://www.chrismasterjohn-phd.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrismasterjohn/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chrismasterjohn

In this episode, Dr. Jessica Shepard, board-certified OB/GYN and Chief Medical Officer of Hers, shares that the FDA just removed the black box warning on hormone replacement therapy after 23 years.
We discuss what actually happened with the WHI study that created all the fear around estrogen and breast cancer, and why the research never actually supported that narrative.
Dr. Shepard explains why you shouldn't wait until menopause to start the HRT conversation and how starting in your perimenopausal years can make all the difference for long-term health. Dr. Shepard shares the essential labs she runs on patients including ApoB, HbA1c, and thyroid optimization, plus the longevity metrics women should be tracking.
We also get into supplement recommendations including why she recommends 10 grams of creatine daily, the role of inflammation in aging, and how estrogen is naturally anti-inflammatory which is why women see increased cardiovascular risk and metabolic dysfunction after menopause.

Kayla's social + website:
Instagram:  kaylabarnes
TikTok:  femalelongevity
Twitter: https://x.com/femalelongevity
Website: https://www.kaylabarnes.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4OLWWn2...
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Follow Her Female Protocol: https://www.protocol.kaylabarnes.com
Dr. Jessica Shepherd's social + website:
Website: https://www.jessicashepherdmd.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicashepherdmd/
Transform Your Health: https://eudemonia.net/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=kayla-podcast&utm_campaign=jessica-shepherd