Sara Ferrer: [00:00:00] Welcome to Fearless and Flawed. Today we're joined by Dyna Vink. Dyna is an integrative health practitioner and founder of Holistic Nutrition Lifestyle, where she helps women in perimenopause reclaim their energy, balance their hormones, and thrive through evidence-based personalized wellness strategies, drawing on functional medicine testing.

Sara Ferrer: Holistic approaches. He guides women to uncover the root causes of their symptoms and creates sustainable lifestyle shifts that restore vitality and confidence. 

Serena Reynolds: Um, in this conversation we'll explore how Dyna turned her passion for health into a thriving coach practice, how she supports career-driven women through the changes of perimenopause and the mindset shift that makes lasting transformation possible.[00:01:00] 

Sara Ferrer: We'll also dive into the tools and frameworks she's created to help women feel at home in their bodies again. I love that. And the importance of root pause, healing, and the lessons she's learned about resilience, empowerment, and redefining health on your own terms. 

Serena Reynolds: I'm Serena and I build systems that make leaders impossible to ignore.

Serena Reynolds: Turning podcasts into pipelines and webinars into cash machines. 

Sara Ferrer: And I'm Sara, an email marketing pro here to convert clicks into cash. Together we are two women in charge, digging into the fearless, the, oh, so very flawed, but fabulous journeys of female founders rewriting the rules. 

Serena Reynolds: So let's dive in.

Serena Reynolds: Welcome to our show, Dyna. 

Dyna Vink: Great to have you. What a wonderful introduction. 

Serena Reynolds: So I've got a funny feeling I'm going to be asking you more questions than Sara, 'cause I'm much closer to this than she is, but, so let's start this off. So diner, you've built something [00:02:00] so powerful helping women thrive through perimenopause and beyond.

Serena Reynolds: Can you take us back to the moment when you realized that this path is what you wanted to dedicate your life to and your work to? 

Dyna Vink: Hmm. That's such a great question because, you know, many women coaches and entrepreneurs come to their, their passion through life experience. Right? It, that's what drives you.

Dyna Vink: You, you see this? Need and you, you go out and you solve it. And well, for me it was being exited from the corporate world and I had worked there as a marketing director in a high tech firm in the headquarters and, you know, high responsibility job. I had had a, a, a pretty rough perimenopause myself, 13 years of, of it.

Dyna Vink: And it took two years to even figure out what was going on, uh, because doctors were. You know, not helpful and, and my trainer was no good nutritionist. [00:03:00] All the people that I counted on, uh, had completely let me down. And so I kind of dove in and, and, and did the research for myself and, and figured out some lifestyle approaches that would, that would work.

Dyna Vink: And, um, HRT hadn't really made any difference to me. So, uh, once I was exited from corporate, then I thought, okay, um, I'm in my fifties now. Corporate doesn't want me. Uh, so I've always wanted to run my own business. I, I just thought that I would. Be more prepared to, to do that. And let's think about what I can do where my age is not a problem, you know, where my age is not a liability, but it's, it's an advantage.

Dyna Vink: So I thought, okay, um, why don't I package up this, you know, this. Stuff that I've learned and, and, and some of the, the, the, the pathways and the journeys that I've uncovered and, uh, help other women who probably have, I mean, I couldn't have been alone. There must have been thousands if not [00:04:00] millions of women that were struggling with this.

Dyna Vink: But the, you know, the medical system just is not geared, it's not prepared, it's not equipped to, uh, to help women. So that's kind of the, you know what, what, what, uh, started me going, and it wasn't until I was into it for a couple of years that I uncovered the functional medicine testing and whoa, that is such a difference because then you can just.

Dyna Vink: Hone right in on the, on, on the issues and give very targeted help to rebalance the body. You know, so lifestyle approaches are always fantastic, but, uh, to get at some things that are perhaps challenging, like thyroid issues or gut issues or, you know, uh, parasites or, you know, uh, hormone imbalances, I mean, it's, it's a way of, of getting to that sort of immediately and, and being able to resolve those issues.

Dyna Vink: Yeah. 

Serena Reynolds: So I have so many questions from what is perimenopause [00:05:00] different to menopause? What is functional health? I've got so many questions going through my head from what you've just said. So let's start with the first one. Let's describe what perimenopause is, just to clarify. 

Dyna Vink: Right. And, uh, that's kind of a new word for a lot of people.

Dyna Vink: They may have heard of menopause, uh, in sort of veiled terms, but perimenopause could be new. And perimenopause is that whole transition cycle. So once the, the hormones start to shift a little bit, then, uh, that's, that's perimenopause. So perimenopause goes for as long as it takes until you've been without a period for 12 months.

Dyna Vink: And then you're theoretically in menopause for a day, and then you're in post menopause. So it's this, you know, it's this cycle. And so perimenopause is where a lot of the uncertainty, the questions, the angst, the, you know, the, the dysfunction, the challenges, that's where a lot of that happens. Some of those things [00:06:00] resolve once you hit menopause, but others don't.

Dyna Vink: You know, if you've got. Gut issues. If you've got, um, you know, parasite problems, if you've got heavy metals, if you've got any of these things, then those don't resolve by themselves. Uh, you know, those are imbalances in the body and, uh, unless you do something about it, they will persist and, and become, you know, bigger problems than they were.

Dyna Vink: So, and sleep issues are another example of that. So that's, that's kind of the continuum on perimenopause to post menopause, uh, cycle. 

Serena Reynolds: So I, I have to ask this. So, so obviously you have chemical menopause as well, which is where menopause is induced by, by something that's happened like a ectomy or a hysterectomy, or.

Serena Reynolds: Or whatever. 

Dyna Vink: Chemotherapy. Yeah, 

Serena Reynolds: exactly. So I, I have a few friends that have gone through that now. Um, so, so technically they, they would be post menopause. [00:07:00] They seem to have so many hard symptoms of menopause. 

Dyna Vink: That's right. And so when, when the body doesn't have time to go through that, that transition period when it's just done, you know, overnight kind of thing, um, then there's a, there's a real tough job for the body to, to adapt.

Dyna Vink: Um, we have estrogen receptors all over our body. It's not just a, a reproductive thing, you see. And, um, estrogen is very protective of, of us, of. Bones of skin, of heart, of everything. And when you suddenly remove that, that's a big shock for the body to go through. And then of course, there's also the balancing of of progesterone.

Dyna Vink: So, uh, while your hormones can go down, if they're out of balance as they decline, that's sort of a, a secondary problem. And women can become very anxious. And, uh, so progesterone is more of a calming hormone and all [00:08:00] this angst and whatnot probably increases cortisol dramatically, which is the stress hormone.

Dyna Vink: So you've got a lot of, you know, things happening all at once. And if there isn't, uh, some kind of well management and care and rebalancing that happens after these events, then it can be a pretty tumultuous time. Some women do okay with, with hormone replacement therapy, but others can't take it or don't wanna take it.

Dyna Vink: So it's, it, it's, it's usually not a ail silver bullet in any case, but it can help. 

Serena Reynolds: So I, I'm, I'm in the age bracket now where this is affecting me and my friends and, and my social circles. So. I am also at that age where if I find my doctors, it's almost, I can almost hear the tut, oh, she's just a woman of that age.

Serena Reynolds: You know, almost bypassing the whole, you know what's wrong? Give us your symptoms. Oh, your legs falling off. It must be the menopause. It's your hormones. [00:09:00] So tell us really, what are symptoms that women do suffer? What, what symptoms possibly they should probably check out? Check out. And, and when is it? When is it, when does it become a problem?

Serena Reynolds: And or maybe, maybe it's just society that says that we should just get on with it. Um, or maybe that's my own personal opinion. Not my opinion. It's not my opinion. I take that back. It's not my opinion, but it's my perception of how. We're, we're told to treat this so, so let's go a little bit deeper into what it actually means for women and how that actually affects them mentally, physically, et cetera.

Dyna Vink: Yeah, well let's start with the first one and, and how does it feel when you're gaslit by your doctor? Right. That is not good. And, and that's, um, I can say it's not their fault because it's not a part of the Med med school curriculum. Uh, so if they're lucky, they've had a half [00:10:00] hour casual chat about. The whole thing, but this, this affects all women, like 50% of the population, and there's just not much knowledge about it.

Dyna Vink: So, um, that's a problem. And, and, um, you know, things are very slowly coming about, but you know, when you think of that, uh, you go to your doctor for help and that it's a trusted advisor and they, and they just dismiss everything. So that's a bad feeling. Women start to doubt themselves and, uh, you know, whether they.

Dyna Vink: Are really feeling this or whether it's all in their head. But you know, the fact is, is that this is not an illness. This is a, a, a normal transition that women go through and, uh, doctors are there to treat illness, right? They're not there to promote health. They're there to treat illness. And so, you know, usually they, they have a, a, a fallback to pharmaceuticals.

Dyna Vink: So they'll give you, um. Uh, something for sleep. A sleep medication, they'll give you [00:11:00] something for blood pressure because blood pressure starts to spike when estrogen drops. Uh, they'll give you an antidepressant when you're sad or when you, you know, are feeling kind of isolated or whatever. And all these problems are, are symptoms, but they are not.

Dyna Vink: It, it, it's not a root cause solution, right? You're, you're, you're trying to treat symptoms and most people get, uh, a, a lot of side effects from these drugs. So 80% of people who get antidepressants have side effects. 50% of of people who get sleep medication get side effects. So this is, this is not. You know, an, an easy solution in any way.

Dyna Vink: You, you look at it, so, you know, there are lots of, uh, lots of problems. Like if you have hormone dysfunction, then uh, you can, when your hormones are out of balance, you can have very, very. Large bleeds, and that can be disconcerting. In fact, you can even get clots that, that start to emerge, which can be [00:12:00] quite frightening when you think, oh my goodness, I'm, I'm, you know, like, I'm just losing my, you know, my uterus is coming out and, and, and no one seems to care, right?

Dyna Vink: Like this is like quite alarming. Um, your libido starts to drop, and so this can cause marital or, you know, relationship problems at, at home. Um, it can make you feel lack of confidence. You, you know, you start to wonder what's going on when the weight pile's on. So you've got body issues, your clothes don't fit anymore.

Dyna Vink: So suddenly, you know, you're looking around, what can I possibly wear? And you have to figure out the whole wardrobe situation. Um, at work you may be in presentations and whatnot. You start to, to get hot flashes and anxiety, you get brain fog and you forget your, your words. Uh, it's, it's, you know, there's so many things going on.

Dyna Vink: You've got joint pain, you've got energy issues. Where you sleep is, becomes a, a big problem. So fatigue is, is massive. [00:13:00] And then you've got these, these issues where when one system is off, it can be cause a cascade effect with other systems. So it, you know, once your hormones start to go out, then it could start to affect your, your thyroid And traditional, uh, medical tests are, are looking for illness.

Dyna Vink: They're not looking for how to promote wellness, right? So, so they're looking for different markers that are illness marketers. That's not what we have. So most of the tests that are done don't catch all the subtleties that, uh, that are actually happening in the biochemistry of your body. 

Serena Reynolds: And how do you feel about that?

Dyna Vink: Well, that was one of the reasons I was so excited that functional medicine testing is there so that, so that it can pick all that stuff up. Right? I mean, what, because 

Serena Reynolds: I, I'm, I'm hearing you and I'm, I'm hearing you and I'm like. If it was a man going through this, they would have, it [00:14:00] would be so different.

Serena Reynolds: And you know, you know, I mean this podcast is definitely not about man bashing at all. But I have seen so many women suffer horrifically actually from side effects menopause. Um, you know, some have lost their jobs or some have had to give up their jobs. 

Dyna Vink: Yeah, it's about 20%. 

Serena Reynolds: So, so isn't that so, so, okay.

Serena Reynolds: Technically not an illness. Technically it's a natural process, but if I'm not mistaken, I, I read this somewhere once, I could be wrong, but it's only us and dolphins that go through it. There's no other mammals that have menopause. So how natural really is it for us to, to, to have that big hormonal shift?

Serena Reynolds: In, in our, in our lives. That's not, maybe not one to be answered here, but it just seems ridiculous to me that [00:15:00] that with all women going through it, hopefully at some stage of their life that there would be more help. So I. Obviously you, you, you provide that help. So let's talk about what it is that you do and, and how that helps women go through these processes because this, this is a big deal.

Serena Reynolds: We're not getting the help from the medical profession, which is where we would knock on the door to start with. So what is out there for us? 

Dyna Vink: Yeah. Well, uh, so you, you know, starting with the lifestyle, uh, approaches, uh, there are some, uh, I, I'll call them tweaks. Um, they're, they're, uh, easy but they're not simple.

Dyna Vink: Uh, may, maybe that's the way to put it, but, um, certain things like making different food choices. So when you're busy running around working and you have family responsibilities, then of course it's become natural to look for shortcuts and to look for. Easy solutions to [00:16:00] things like food. And, uh, food is, is, is is the place where I usually start with my women.

Dyna Vink: And so being able to avoid, uh, inflammatory foods because inflammation is the cause of a lot of these challenges that, that people have, and it's also the source of a number of diseases. 

Serena Reynolds: Okay, let's name and shame these foods, the top ones. 

Dyna Vink: Yeah. So, um, it would be, uh, processed foods. Usually dairy, uh, has a, a very inflammatory effect.

Dyna Vink: Sugar is a bad one. Uh, alcohol and caffeine are bad ones. Uh, generally flour is not so good. Right. So those, I know 

Sara Ferrer: you're making me suffer now. I got all the fun stuff. 

Dyna Vink: Just think Mediterranean diet, right? And you've, and, and then it, uh, it's very tasty. It's very delicious. It's, it's, uh, you know, high in good fats.

Dyna Vink: So, um, the, so that's sort of the, you [00:17:00] know, the, the place where we, where we land. And of course it's fine to have the occasional thing from, you know, from the inflammatory food list, but for, for, for a lot of people, particularly in, in America, um, it's. Uh, it, it's, it's a staple, right? And, and it, it's like 90% of the food that they eat, uh, falls within that category.

Dyna Vink: So, uh, yeah, so that's a, a, a, a big change. Uh, another one would be the whole sleeping thing, and how do you get better sleep and preferably without using, you know, some kind of sleep inducement, some. 

Serena Reynolds: I'm leaning in closer to hear this. How do we get better sleep? I'd love to know. 

Dyna Vink: Yes. Well, a couple of key tips would be not to eat or drink, uh, within three hours of going to going to bed.

Dyna Vink: So that's a key thing. Uh, give your your digestive system an opportunity to clear out at least your stomach so that you know a lot of that is is done so your body can [00:18:00] actually rest and do its regular maintenance when you sleep. 'cause it, the only time it can do that maintenance is when you sleep. And if that maintenance doesn't get done, that's when you feel sluggish in the morning.

Dyna Vink: So that's, uh, a big part. Um, avoiding screens. 'cause that blue light can be very intoxicating, very stimulating to the eyes and the brain. So, uh, cut that out at least an hour before, uh, before bed. So going back to the old book reading, right? That's, that's much better than reading screens, than, uh, having your, your bedroom, uh, very dark.

Dyna Vink: Uh, so removing all sorts of lights and, and prompts and whatnot, uh, that's a, a good idea. Having your bedroom a, a cooler temperature makes a big difference. Having, uh, bedding and sleep clothes that are absorbent because, uh, because often there heat, um, hot flashes at night and that can wake you up and, and so you wanna make it as.

Dyna Vink: As [00:19:00] unintrusive as possible when, when that happens. Um, so yeah, so tho you know, from a sleep hygiene standpoint, those are pretty key things to, uh, to, to do. And then other lifestyle would be things like, um, uh, mo well movement. Some people, some women are triggered by exercise, but you know, so there are a couple of kinds.

Dyna Vink: So there would be, uh, walking is, is fantastic. Uh, Pilates yoga is fantastic, but also very important would be weightlifting. So weightlifting is important to, uh, to, uh, well build muscle and building muscle protects bones. So once you, you're losing your estrogen, then that makes you a candidate for osteoporosis.

Dyna Vink: And so what we wanna avoid is, is, is that, and so, you know, having, uh, weight training is, is a way of, of maintaining bones. So those are some, some key things. And then of course, mindset is, is a big one. If, if you have some understanding [00:20:00] of some of this, some of the changes that are going on and how you can actively take charge of the situation, having that mindset is just key.

Dyna Vink: Right? Totally key. I if you can say, oh, I'm feeling this. That's, that's, uh, you know, I, I'm feeling anxious. Um, I, I know what to do about being anxious. I'll just do some, some breathing exercises and within five minutes I can quell that, that anxiety. Within two minutes, I can quell that anxiety, you know, because I know what to do when that happens.

Dyna Vink: So that mindset piece of, of being in control and, um, and being positive. And when you're telling yourself positive things, you're not telling yourself negative things. Right. So you can just process the one thing at, at, at, at a time and that's a, a, a very powerful thing to be able to practice. So that's the lifestyle.

Dyna Vink: Yeah. 

Sara Ferrer: All this sounds great on paper. I wanna eat Mediterranean diet. I'm gonna grab my book, [00:21:00] I'm gonna lift weight, and everything you said makes logical sound rational, like nothing in and of itself feels scary to me when I hear this, but. In theory, someone hears this and they revamp their nutrition, they move more.

Sara Ferrer: What do you find is the challenge in people? Or is there, like, I imagine someone comes to you, they hear this and then they go, well, wait, how do I, how do I, what is the Mediterranean diet? Like how, what? Like, okay, where do I get the bread that doesn't have that, that flour, like. Again, 'cause I just, I think sometimes with listeners we get, you know, our feedback, which is there's someone like you is the expert who comes in and you guide us.

Sara Ferrer: But, but is there, is this a process? Hey, expect, expect three to six months to really understand this. Is this like, you come in, we give you the sheets, it's, we track you every week. Like, because [00:22:00] it sounds great. How do we get there if these are radical changes for some people? 

Sara Ferrer: Yeah. How 

Sara Ferrer: do you address that?

Dyna Vink: Well, the, you're absolutely right. The, the behavior change is the biggest, you know, the, the biggest challenge. And, um, I find that it helps a lot to have data and that's where the functional medicine testing comes in. Right? 

Serena Reynolds: So let's talk about what actually functional medicine is fast. Let's hit that, that nail on the.

Dyna Vink: Okay. So, uh, functional medicine is a way of looking at the body in, in its whole, right? Whereas traditional medicine, uh, it carves everything up. So you've got, uh, endocrinologists, you've got cancer experts, you've got internists. You, you know, you, you've got somebody to take care of every part, but not who looks at the whole body.

Dyna Vink: And this can be very important because, uh, particularly issues like if you have gut health issues, that's gonna affect your whole body. That's like your second brain, [00:23:00] right? So you, you, you can't just talk to an internist about your gut health and expect to have the whole story. Like there's a whole lot more going on.

Dyna Vink: And so functional medicine is a way of, is, is, is the practice of, of looking at that whole body health, uh, which I think is, is. Um, well novel, right? I mean, it, it makes good sense. And then, and then the, they, they've gone and developed a series of tests that are far more sensitive and, uh, expansive than what traditional medicine does.

Dyna Vink: So that's, uh, that's where we can get the data. So there are a number of different tests. Uh, you know, we talk about the big five, uh, as, as the, the sort of. Major one you can cover, you know, 98% of your issues with those, with those five tests. Um, and, uh, those are are tests that, uh, women can do at home. So they don't have to schedule, you know, outside [00:24:00] appointments or anything like that.

Dyna Vink: They're shipped to the home and then, uh, they're taken. So urine tests, there are blood spot tests, there's hair tests, uh, stool tests and um, saliva. So the saliva test is, is for testing cortisol. So you do that four times in a day to, to measure where your cortisol is. So, um, tho those tests are, are, are fantastic way to get the data on exactly what's going on in your body, and then you can, you know, then you can develop a, a customized wellness plan and then you're monitoring.

Dyna Vink: Uh, against those very specific issues. Right? So then you, you start to get the effect of, of that, uh, within, you know, a couple of weeks. Uh, some, sometimes it's, uh, a week, sometimes it's three weeks. You start to notice the, the, the difference. And so that's very rewarding, right? That that's encouraging to people, that they can see a result, they can see a change.

Dyna Vink: And, [00:25:00] uh, and, and I talk to them every two weeks to monitor how this is going. And, uh, it goes on for about four months. So it's, it does take a, a little bit of time. Uh, but, uh, the, you know, the programs kind of the rebalancing program is, uh, is one that I think they're pretty excited to follow because they can, you know, they can see the result.

Serena Reynolds: Okay. So how does that time with menopause, how does, how does that bring your work in together to, to help come up with solutions for women? 

Dyna Vink: Well, um, for perimenopause it's typically an area where there, there isn't much help, right? And so that's an area that I specialize in. Other people specialize in children or they specialize in just general, um, health.

Dyna Vink: Some specialize in weight loss, I mean. Lots of different areas of specialization, some specialize with, uh, with, for women, with PCOS, lots of [00:26:00] areas of special. So, uh, for me it's, it's a matter of, of, uh, helping women in perimenopause who don't have, uh, a lot of recourse and who often have a number of, of simultaneous.

Dyna Vink: Things going on at the same time. And so, you know, when I did it, uh, for myself, I found, uh, that even though I'd been doing all these lifestyle things, I, I, I had heavy metal, which is quite normal after decades. Right. You just sort of absorb it from different places. Uh, it turned out I had some parasites, which is common for like.

Dyna Vink: Between 30 and 40% of the population have it. So not a, a, a big surprise. I had, uh, a, a very small level of candida overgrowth, which can be very unpleasant. And, um, and then I had, uh, some, uh, hormone imbalance. So even though I had been doing all the life. Style things. There were still these issues that were out of balance.

Dyna Vink: And that's [00:27:00] what most of my, my women find. And uh, and then, you know, you've got certain problems like gut health issues that masquerade as other things, you know, or with, uh, parasites for example. You can have teeth grinding in the. 'cause parasites are most active at night. And when they're active, they're stimulating your, you, you know, your muscles and, and your nervous system.

Dyna Vink: And your reaction is to clench against that. So, you know how many dentists are gonna ask about your parasite situation, right? They're gonna sell you, uh, uh, uh, 

Serena Reynolds: a night guard. 

Dyna Vink: Right, which is a, a solution to the symptom. It's not a, a gut, like a, a root cause solution at all. So there, there are a lot of these surprise symptoms that, that crop up that you'd never, you know, you don't connect them and, and because you have this hormone change, all these other things are also likely to sort of.[00:28:00] 

Dyna Vink: You know, be impact in keel. They may not have been really bothersome for, for you. But then once there's a change, then all these other things are suddenly out of whack too. And so that's, that's kind of why I, I focused on perimenopause is because, you know, lifestyle alone is, is great, but it's, it's not the whole thing.

Dyna Vink: And it's like HRT is might help with the, with, with the hormone piece. But there are all these other things that are still left in question. 

Serena Reynolds: If I was to come to you. Um, with perimenopause symptoms, what, what would happen? How would we step through this? What would be the first step? Paint me a picture. How would that look?

Dyna Vink: Yeah. Well, uh, first of all, we have a, a discussion where, uh, you tell me about your symptoms and the challenges that you're having and what you've tried already. And then I can determine whether you're a candidate for functional medicine testing. 'cause not everyone is. And, uh, so [00:29:00] for, you know, for women who, who, uh, who want to go ahead, who are looking for a change and who have, you know, the, the, the symptoms that, uh, that we can actually address.

Dyna Vink: Uh, then, then we would go ahead with the functional medicine testing. I would, uh, recommend what tests, uh, would, would be taken. They would be sent to you. I would, uh, recommend that you start with a detox. So, uh, a detox in this case is focusing on, uh, clearing the liver elimination pathways. So this is important because if there's anything else that needs to be, uh, cleared out, whether it's heavy metals or uh, bacteria overgrowth or you know, or parasites or whatever that needs to be cleared out, it needs to have an escape route.

Dyna Vink: And that's basically through the liver. And our, our livers tend to get very over. They're also busy shrinking as we get older, which is very sad news because we need them more than ever. So it's important to have [00:30:00] good liver health, and that's what this, this detox is intended to do. So with the detox, uh, there's also a, a, um, a food component to it, uh, which is basically the Mediterranean diet.

Dyna Vink: And, uh, so then you can do the detox in, in preparation for the, the test results to come in. And once the test results are in, then we can start with the, with a, a personalized wellness plan, which is based on all the, the, uh, biochemical markers that, uh, that you've, you know, that you've shown in, in the tests.

Dyna Vink: And then we modify, we, we go along. We can make some modifications along the way. Um, sometimes the detox go the, the treatment goes a little quickly and there may be some side effects so we can back off a bit. Other times it's fine, we can go faster. Uh, so we can make those, those determinations along the way.

Dyna Vink: And then, uh, if there's a desire we can test again at, you know, after the three or four months to [00:31:00] determine whether everything is, is back in line as it should be. And then you've, you know, then you've got a, an answer to that and you've got kind of a life program on how you would manage your, your lifestyle, uh, after that.

Dyna Vink: And some, some women, uh, wanna come back after, uh, after a year, you know, they wanna do a couple of tests once a year just to determine what's going on. So, you know, those are, those are really helpful tools to, to have the data in order to guide that decision making. 

Sara Ferrer: It sounds, Dyna, like this is true. You've been through, you had mentioned 13 years, you've been through the symptoms, the gaslighting, the unknown.

Sara Ferrer: Now you're helping other women with. Your company, holistic nutrition lifestyle. I hear the passion. It, it's personal, and now you get to really help others. Right. And I, I have to, I have to imagine that's incredibly gratifying, knowing, being that person who [00:32:00] didn't have the lingo, didn't have the guides and all of that.

Sara Ferrer: So this is. Sounds like you're really freeing a lot of women, mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, from all these symptoms of perimenopause, which I think are so informative, right? It's more than just you're sweating, right? Or, or you're this. The more you talk, I'm like, holy shit, this is all encompassing, right?

Sara Ferrer: And you gotta get up, go to work, do this, be a good partner, whatever that may look like. So I guess what I'd like to know is. You've been doing this. Now you're, it sounds like you're incredibly fulfilled, your wealth of knowledge. We typically like to ask our guests around this time, you know, a, a surprise question from a previous guest.

Sara Ferrer: And the previous guest naturally works in a whole different industry. So this may or may not be relevant, but take it for what it's worth. Our last guests, we said, what are you gonna ask the future guests? Which is you? Yeah. And they said, you know. [00:33:00] I wanna know what the future guest plans are when they step down or step away from their business.

Sara Ferrer: And so I'd like to do a little caveat there because I hear the passion from you, and I know that there's some people that like when it's personal, the business is not separate from who they are. So let me say this. I'm gonna extend that question, which we historically don't alter the questions, but what's the next step when you step down, step away?

Sara Ferrer: Or what's the next five to 10 years look like for the business? For holistic nutrition lifestyle? 'cause I feel like, I'm not sure baby girl's gonna be stepping away anytime soon the way she talks about it with passion and knowledge. Don't, don't, don't, don't step away on us. You gotta give us another 30 years of your experience at least.

Dyna Vink: Yeah. Yeah. 

Serena Reynolds: Sara's gotta reach that far. Yeah, 

Sara Ferrer: that's what I'm saying. I [00:34:00] can call Dyna, you know, Vink, when I'm, when I'm there. Like, it won't be 30 years, trust me. But like, but like, no really. So, so, so take it for what it's worth. What's the next plans after the business or what does the, the future look like and.

Sara Ferrer: Let's say 10 years for the business, if that. Yeah. 

Dyna Vink: Well, I've already, um, embarked on that journey and uh, I'm already into that very question. So two years ago I left Canada and I sold all my stuff and I moved with my cat and two suitcases, and I moved to Panama. And where I am now. And so this was part of it because my, my work is primarily online and I thought, okay, uh, I've had enough of all the, you know, the, the post pandemic situation in Canada.

Dyna Vink: The whole friend relationship situation is different now. Um, my mother passed away, so I didn't need to be there for her. And [00:35:00] so, you know, I wanna go somewhere where it's. Um, a nicer climate. And, and, and so I, I found this community and I just absolutely adore it. So that was sort of, you know, step one. And, um, so here I am with my cat.

Dyna Vink: He's just right there. And, uh, so as far as growing the business, I have plans for that too. And, uh, where I will take it is now I only have, uh, one, uh, employee, but, um, the, the, the plan is to start offloading more and more to other employees as I bring them on board so that I, I'm not always. Uh, on the front lines, right, so that I can step back and, you know, kind of transfer my knowledge to other people who can then carry on the work and continue to, to serve these women who, who are in such a, you know, such a need.

Dyna Vink: So, [00:36:00] um, you know, with the whole functional medicine testing thing, all that is designed to be sent. To, to people's homes anyway. Right. That's perfect. Um, and so I don't physically need to be there. Uh, so it, it, it's kind of a nice model, right? It's, there's, there's a growth can grow it as, as much as I want and carry it on for longer than perhaps I would do if I was just working on my own.

Sara Ferrer: That's a fantastic answer. Like, I'm here, like she's not giving up anything and you're like, girl, I'm in Panama. I'm living my best life already. And like, let me ask you something too, because we talk a lot about atmosphere, mental shifts. You've mentioned a lot about dietary. Um, for those who are listening, who are like, 'cause I remember years ago, years ago, maybe eight years ago, I went to Panama and at the time it was one of the hottest places.

Sara Ferrer: For, um, I think Americans and Canadians or just in general for people to retire. It was one of those [00:37:00] hubs at the time, and I found it. It was an amazing experience. The weather, the people, all that good stuff. Do you find that a lot of what you talked about earlier in terms of, again, food mental shifts is easier to do when you're in Panama, or do you find that there's challenges for a Mediterranean diet or challenges for the movement that's required?

Dyna Vink: No, it's way easier here. Um, so there, there are fewer of the call them negative pulls or negative influences here. Uh, when I came here I was quite, uh, careful about selecting friends and friends that were. Way easier to make here than they were in, in Canada. Uh, so I mean, I'm still a, a, a ferocious Canadian, but, um, I'm also glad to step away and to be able to, uh, to work in, in this environment and, and I've got.

Dyna Vink: Delightful friends. Some of them have asked me for help [00:38:00] and I have, you know, done that help. And that's been a kind of a fun in-person thing, which is a bit different. And as far as food goes, um, this area is the food basket of the country. So there's, uh, an amazing abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables here and, um, and lots of, uh, of fairly clean meat.

Dyna Vink: Uh, the, all the cows here are. Pasture grazed. They don't have any grain feeding or anything like that at all. Uh, the chicken here is amazing. We're just, uh, uh, 20 miles away from the ocean, so there's lots of fish as well. Uh, so it, you know, it's, it from a food standpoint, it's a lot easier to eat clean here than, uh, you know, than certainly anywhere else I've ever lived.

Serena Reynolds: Have you found that also in Spain, Sara? 

Sara Ferrer: Oh, yeah.

Serena Reynolds: As she was saying, I could almost transfer it straight over to, 

Serena Reynolds: yeah, day and night 

Serena Reynolds: to Spain. 

Sara Ferrer: Day and [00:39:00] night. I mean, I think, you know, at the end of the day, willpower only works for so long, you know, to know better and to do better as you get older. And I think there's shame and guilt associated with not doing better.

Sara Ferrer: But how do you do better when 99% of what's around you is ultra processed? Or you gotta drive the car to go to a park that's 25 miles away versus just walking, having. Sidewalks, having things be pedestrian friendly, like 

Serena Reynolds: as a Brit, as a Brit going to Florida to Orlando. Um, I, I won't just tell all of Florida 'cause I, I know it's not all like it.

Serena Reynolds: I went to Orlando and I couldn't see sidewalks, pavements. There was, there was no walking zones. 

Dyna Vink: Yeah. 

Serena Reynolds: It was, it's not 

Serena Reynolds: designed for 

Serena Reynolds: walk. And, and it was, that was a real eyeopener for me. And then, and then of course the, the shopping experience in supermarkets. Was was very different to what I was used to.

Serena Reynolds: And I wouldn't say we were good here in England. I'd say we were pretty bad, [00:40:00] but it was, it was still a big jump for me even. 

Sara Ferrer: Mm-hmm. Yeah. I mean I think, you know, this whole talk about atmosphere and mental shift, I mean the mental shifts really do, and this is what I'm hearing from you, Dyna, it's like, it's the people you choose to be around you, right?

Sara Ferrer: Mentally, emotionally, all that. But then like. What's available? You know, it's, it's, it's, it's another job if you have to, it sounds like what you're saying is, you know, if you have to actively always go out of your way to do things, there's so many more challenges and obstacles and more chance of failure, right?

Sara Ferrer: More friction. So it sounds like you kind of figured it out. You moved to Panama, you're with your cat, you sound happy, the business. You have a great plan. So now let's have you hit our next guest. With, uh, with a question, what would you like to, and remember, you have no idea what age they are, what industry they work in, but assume that they are a woman.

Sara Ferrer: So that is, that is a fair assumption. 

Dyna Vink: Okay. [00:41:00] Uh, so as business people and, and as I'm a coach, I wonder about whether women use coaches. And I ask that because I always have several coaches that I'm working with and I find it incredibly helpful to get the feedback and to, um, and to, you know, just be part of an engaging conversation that's part of personal growth and per perhaps it's professional growth.

Dyna Vink: So that's the question. 

Sara Ferrer: Awesome. Great question. 

Sara Ferrer: So tell me for those who are listening and they're like, okay, she's online, great. So I don't have to visit her in person because as many people as they wanna go to Panama, that might be a bit of a barrier to get, you know, get services. 

Serena Reynolds: I'd go to Panama.

Sara Ferrer: I, I go too. Listen, find me, you know, an off season flight. Just drop the, uh, drop the digits. Tell me where you are. You don't even have to tell me address. Just tell me like the coorDynates. [00:42:00] I'll find you. Um, but how would you, how would you tell our listeners to, to reach out to you? Where can they go? Web, we'll have all the information on our website, of course, but is there a preferred way through the website, through social media, through shooting you an email so you can be more one-on-one in the beginning?

Sara Ferrer: What does that look like, those intro steps to learning more about you? 

Dyna Vink: Well, the, uh, the easiest thing would be just to go to holistic nutrition lifestyle.com to the website and, uh, write up, uh, there, there's a, there's a, a button to book a discovery call. So we could have this dis, you know, this discussion to see whether you're a good candidate for functional medicine testing.

Dyna Vink: Uh, but if people are still a bit curious, then there's also my, uh, YouTube channel and that's, um, at perimenopause Relief. So, uh, there are a number of videos up there that can, uh, can be helpful, uh, for, for women to, you know, to check them [00:43:00] out and to see if, if this is something that they really want to go ahead with.

Sara Ferrer: I love that. I love that. And anyone listening, I think this has been a great conversation, not only for those who are in it or on the fringes of it, but just for those of us who are like, oh. This is really impactful to know. 'cause I think the more we talk about it, the less taboo it becomes. Y you know, I mean, I, I, I think you've tackled a lot of those, those uncomfortable issues to ta talk about parasites, um, you know, loss of, of libido.

Sara Ferrer: But the more we can normalize this, the more empowered we feel and the more we feel less crazy, which ultimately at the end of the day, when you feel crazy, that really limits your ability to get help. Right. 

Serena Reynolds: When you think how, just a generation ago from me, it wasn't talked about. Menopause was like, sh it's the change.

Serena Reynolds: It's, it's, it's, it's amazing now to see [00:44:00] that there are people stepping forward and there is help available for women that we uniquely go through. 

Dyna Vink: Yeah. Well, and you know, my mother went through it as well, but, uh, she, she didn't, she didn't connect the dots right. Uh, so the fact that she fell and broke her shoulder was not part of the, the perimenopause experience for her and the fact that she was losing all her hair, she didn't connect that.

Dyna Vink: And the fact that she was having relationship problems with her family. She didn't connect any of that. And so now in hindsight I can, I can say, ah, you know, this is what's going on. But, um, yeah, it's, you know, to try and demystify this is, is really my mission and to provide assistance so that women can, can feel empowered and, you know, take back control of their lives.

Sara Ferrer: Awesome. Well, you've done that for us today. Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge. Like I said earlier, we're gonna have [00:45:00] all your information on our website as well, fearless and flaw.com, so that way you don't have to replay or, or back up and figure out what the website was. We'll have all of Dyna's information there, but thank you so much, Dyna.

Sara Ferrer: This was very enlightening and dare I say, encouraging, right? Like at the end of the day. Problems are gonna happen. Knowing that there's a solution really makes life or future experiences a lot easier. So thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. 

Dyna Vink: Well, it was a, it was a delight to, to speak with you and to uh, and to share.

Sara Ferrer: Awesome. Thanks so much, Dyna.