In this deeply honest episode of Evalina Beauty’s Life is Beauty Full podcast, host Samantha Legge, Founder and CEO of Evalina Beauty, sat down with Aeryon Ashlie — wellness expert, author of Navigating Perimenopause, and founder of Aeryon Wellness — for an enlightening conversation about hormones, health, and how to move through perimenopause with confidence, grace, and self-compassion.
Together, they unpacked what every woman needs to know about this often-misunderstood life stage, offering clear, practical advice and heartfelt encouragement for anyone navigating the changes that come with midlife. Aeryon’s personal story, deep expertise, and candid approach made this episode one of the most inspiring yet — a reminder that perimenopause isn’t the end of youth or vitality, but rather a powerful invitation to reconnect with our bodies, our mindset, and our worth.
A Personal Journey That Sparked a Mission
Aeryon’s passion for helping women began with her own story. For 25 years, she struggled with bulimia, beginning in her teens. Growing up in a home where athletics and appearance were everything — her dad was a bodybuilder and her mom a figure skating coach — she learned early that being smaller was praised. “I always felt if I could just disappear a little more, I’d be okay,” she recalls.
Everything changed when her young daughter nearly walked in on her during a binge-and-purge episode. That moment became the wake-up call that set her on a path toward recovery and purpose. “I knew right then that if I didn’t heal, she’d inherit my relationship with food — even if she never saw it.”
Through cognitive behavioral therapy, support from her mom (a counselor), and a complete shift in mindset, Aeryon rebuilt her health and her life. That healing journey became her first book, Bulimia into Balance, and later inspired her mission to help other women heal from the inside out.
When Aeryon began speaking publicly about perimenopause a few years ago, she was surprised by how little awareness there was. “Two and a half years ago, people would ask, ‘What’s perimenopause?’” she laughs. “We even had people calling it ‘peri-metapause.’” Those early talks quickly filled up. Women were desperate for clear information and community around what was happening to their bodies. Out of that came her newest book, Navigating Perimenopause — a workbook-style guide designed to make a complex topic simple, visual, and empowering.
“I wanted women to be able to flip through it and go, ‘Okay, that’s what’s happening in my body,’” Aeryon explains. “There’s so much confusion and fear. I wanted to create something that makes women feel prepared and supported.”
The Five Pillars of Wellness
At the heart of Aeryon’s philosophy are her Five Pillars of Wellness — a framework that helps women support both their physical and emotional health through every stage of life. “It’s never just about what you eat or how much you move,” she says. “It’s about how you think, who you spend time with, and how you care for yourself every day.”
1. The Thoughts You Think — Mindset is where everything begins. “The way you talk to yourself determines how you treat yourself,” Aeryon says. She recommends small daily mindset habits — affirmations, gratitude, and self-compassion. “You can’t control your hormones, but you can control your thoughts — and that can change everything.”
2. The Friends You Keep — “Community is medicine,” Aeryon says simply. “You need people who lift you up, not drain you.” She encourages women to take stock of their relationships and set healthy boundaries. “We heal faster when we feel seen,” she adds. “Finding connection with women who understand this season can be life-changing.”
3. Daily Movement — “Movement is medicine — not punishment,” Aeryon reminds. Her top recommendation is strength training. “The more muscle you have, the longer you live,” she explains. Even simple habits like walking, stretching, or lifting light weights at home can make a difference. “Consistency matters more than perfection,” she says. “
4. Nutrition — “What we eat is information,” Aeryon says. “It doesn’t have to be complicated — eat real food most of the time, drink water, and don’t skip meals,” she adds. And after years of healing her own relationship with food, she reminds women that nourishment should never come from guilt or restriction: “Feed your body with love and intention.”
5. Supplementation — Supplements should support, not replace, a healthy lifestyle. Her essentials include magnesium bisglycinate, vitamin D, and adaptogens like ashwagandha and ginseng. “In Canada, always look for an NPN number — it means the product is licensed and backed by research.”
The HRT Conversation: Facts Over Fear
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is often surrounded by fear. Aeryon believes this stems from outdated research that misrepresented the risks. “When the big study came out years ago, the data was misunderstood, and women were pulled off HRT overnight,” she explains. Her message: every woman’s experience is unique. “Work with a practitioner who listens to you and helps you make a plan that feels right for your body.”
Aeryon’s message: start learning and asking questions before symptoms become disruptive. “Don’t wait until you’re in full hot-flash mode to figure out what’s going on,” she laughs. Her book includes practical tools for tracking symptoms and questions to ask your doctor. “We don’t get a lot of time with our doctors, so going in prepared makes all the difference.” She also stresses strength training: “The more muscle you have, the longer you live.”
Putting Yourself First — Without Guilt
For many women, midlife is a perfect storm: hormonal changes, kids growing up, aging parents, and demanding careers. “We’re holding it all together, and it’s a miracle we’re not falling apart more often,” Aeryon jokes. “We’re so good at putting everyone else’s needs before our own,” she says. “But if you don’t put your own oxygen mask on first, you can’t help anyone else.”
Of all the pillars, Aeryon believes mindset is the most transformative. “Your thoughts can change your hormones,” she says. She’s a big believer in awareness — catching negative thought loops and replacing them with something kinder. “When that inner critic shows up, train yourself to stop it,” she explains. “When you change your story, you change your body.”
Reframing Midlife as Empowerment
For generations, women were taught that menopause meant the end — of youth, beauty, and vitality. Aeryon and Samantha both agree it’s time to flip that script. “This isn’t the end,” Aeryon says. “It’s the beginning of a new, stronger, wiser chapter.” Samantha adds, “At Evalina, we want women to feel confident in their own skin — to look good, but also feel good. Because when you feel your best, you live your best life.”
When Samantha asks what belief she’s let go of as she’s grown older, Aeryon answers: “That I’m not enough.” For years, she was told she was too much — too emotional, too ambitious. “Now I know I’m enough — exactly as I am,” she says. “You deserve to take care of yourself. You deserve to feel good. And you deserve to shine.”
About the Podcast
Life is Beauty Full is the podcast by Evalina Beauty, hosted by founder Samantha Legge, dedicated to exploring how we can find beauty in all seasons of life — through conversations about wellness, personal growth, and purpose. Episode 08 with Aeryon Ashlie is a reminder that perimenopause isn’t something to fear; it’s a time to reconnect with ourselves, embrace change, and step fully into who we are becoming.