Emisha Gormley (2:48)

And by that we mean everything that makes you look and feel beautiful.

Molly Sims (2:52)

We're calling on our favorite health experts, industry insiders and friends to answer all.

Emisha Gormley (2:57)

Your beauty questions with a drink in hand.

Molly Sims (2:59)

Definitely with a drink in hand.

Emisha Gormley (3:01)

You're listening to Lipstick on the Rim with Molly Sims. Is it just me or does it feel like women's health is a full time job right now?

Molly Sims (3:14)

Honestly, I feel like every other week I am learning about a new must have supplement or a buzzy ingredient I did not know I needed.

Emisha Gormley (3:22)

Hormones, vitamins, supplements. It's confusing. I think we're which is kind of really why we wanted to do this episode because we kind of want to cut through the noise and actually understand what our bodies need. I'm so happy to have you on. Victoria Joya. She is the founder and CEO of a company called Parallel. She founded it in 2020 is the fastest growing supplement brand in the women's health space. We need you because, you know, I think we went from not talking about women's health to now I feel like that's all we talk about.

Molly Sims (3:58)

That's all we talk about. And I feel like it's all my friends talk about. And I think that there's so much misinformation out there that like we need to set the record straight.

Emisha Gormley (4:06)

We really just want to demystify, you know, a few things because I think we need to know what we shouldn't do as much as we need to know what we should do. You're the first ob GYN founded women's vitamin company. Clinically backed, stage specific nutrition which is what we love because even though I only have a 13 year old, she only has an 11 year old or our oldest. We feel kind of far away from going to the OB and talking about our pregnancy? Or don't you feel like it seems like ages ago I hadn't been to.

Molly Sims (4:45)

The ob if, you know, in six years, I finally went, which was terrible. Don't ever do that, people. But yes, to your point, six years had gone by since I'd taken care of that aspect of my health.

Emisha Gormley (4:55)

Her company is called Parallel. And what I love, Parallel, is aiming to transform women's health by addressing gaps in the supplement space. We're so happy you're here. Okay, so what was the first moment that you realized there was something missing in women's health?

Victoria Joya (5:13)

Yeah, I feel like every woman you speak with has their story of they had this medical issue and it took too long to get answers. You went to doctor to doctor. It was really unclear what was going on, and it felt like you had to advocate for yourself. You had to dig and dig and dig and might have been dismissed, might have just gone home and felt like, oh, this is just what it is. And this is what I have to deal with. For me, personally, I have some autoimmune disease issues. I grew up with rheumatoid arthritis. I had really bad gestational diabetes in all of my pregnancies related related to my autoimmune diseases. And it's like, the more you dig and the more research you do, you, like, peel back this onion. 80% of autoimmune diseases affect women. And then you think about this women's health research gap, where from 1977 to 1994, women weren't included in clinical research studies.

Emisha Gormley (6:08)

Isn't that crazy that we weren't even involved in the clinicals?

Victoria Joya (6:11)

No, it's insane.

Molly Sims (6:12)

Like, everything was always looked at from a male perspective, I think.

Emisha Gormley (6:15)

Yeah.

Victoria Joya (6:16)

And it wasn't actually until after 2011 that that actually shifted. Like, the regulations changed in the 90s, but that actually wasn't put into practice. And so think about how much information is missing. And so, especially in the category of, like, autoimmune health that affects women, that affects everything. That is notoriously hard to diagnose, that is hard to see, that is hard to understand. Like, women are kind of left in the lurch, and it just feels like you're kind of in all of this and, like, all of these categories and all of these stages, whether it's postpartum or trying to get pregnant or pregnant or menopause, like, women just are taught to, like, suffer in silence.

Molly Sims (6:58)

I remember, like, sitting at a luncheon a few years ago talking about Menopause. And it was kind of the first time it had been at the forefront. And this doctor said, think about how many pills there are for erectile dysfunction. And when you think about it from that perspective, like it was like every man on the face of the earth that had like a thought about it like developed a pill and it was such a big thing. Yet for women there wasn't the same. Like, it wasn't apples to apples, like we've been suffering for decades and no one talked about it, but men are like, oh, I can't get it up, let's get a pill. And there's like a million options.

Emisha Gormley (7:37)

And you kind of really became to the forefront when you were pregnant.

Victoria Joya (7:40)

Yes. Right.

Emisha Gormley (7:41)

Prenatal, you know, it was kind of the wild, wild west. If you had an incredible ob, you're kind of on your path. If you didn't have an incredible ob, you're on the path of the Internet, which as we all know can be super confusing, super upsetting and you just kind of don't know where to go. So you don't do anything.

Victoria Joya (8:01)

It's an overload of information that is then layered with misinformation and what you do. Yeah, I started getting really into nutrition and supplements. My second child, my daughter, I found out at our 20 week scan was going to be born with a cleft lip. And we did a lot of different testing at that time to kind of rule out other issues. And I was sort of told that she most likely had a nutrition related birth defect. And she is now six and she is perfect. And she was perfect from the day that she was born. And she's had four surgeries and she also had a bunch of dental disorders deficiencies. She has three sparkle teeth, which are her fake teeth. But then I was also told that it was most likely a calcium deficiency. When I was pregnant and I live on the west side of la, I thought I was doing everything right and I found out that I had all of these potential nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy. And it started me down this massive rabbit hole on prenatal nutrition and prenatal vitamins and the supplement industry and learning so much what was regulated and what wasn't. And the biggest gap, which is huge for women is that like the name prenatal vitamins isn't actually regulated. And so you had to do the research to look on the back of the label to say, is this prenatal vitamin, including all of the ingredients that I actually need? Is this going to cover everything I need throughout my pregnancy?

Emisha Gormley (9:38)

Folate Coq 10, DHEA, the. All of it.

Victoria Joya (9:42)

Yeah. And so it's like all the onus was totally on this woman and it was such a one size fits all category. I mean the whole supplement category is. But especially like, it's like These are the two pills to take during the 10 plus years that you might have a child. And it'll cover your needs if you're trying to get pregnant. It'll cover your needs through all the different stages of pregnancy where as we know we've gone through it, it's not the same in like week 10.

Emisha Gormley (10:08)

Every pregnancy is different as well.

Victoria Joya (10:10)

Yes. It's like so complicated. And then there's also postpartum where that's actually a different stage. And it didn't feel like this was sufficient for women and was actually covering all of her needs. And it was so complicated on her to do all of her own work at a time that you're pretty overwhelmed with everything.

Emisha Gormley (10:29)

How do you ensure every formula is clinically validated and not just wellness marketing, what you're talking about?

Victoria Joya (10:35)

Yeah. So that was kind of the origin story of starting this. So this all happened seven years ago and I wanted to create something better. I wanted to, you know, I never wanted a mom to be sitting there going down this rabbit hole, being like, what did I miss? What could I have done? And no woman should ever feel guilt. I don't mean that in that sense. But we should have better products out there. We know more. And I think that we just, every day we can learn more and do better and have better products and better research and so lean into that. And so when I wanted to start parallel, I knew that it needed to have the right science behind it, it needed to have the right research, needed to have the right medical backing. And so brought on our medical co founder, Dr. Bhaiati, who's a practicing OB GYN. She's been doing this for 25 years. She's been seeing this woman and needed her to be our right hand and be making these products with us for these women, for the women that she was treating for herself, for us, for moms. And that's been the through line to what we've done for the last five years. And so when we launch a new product, it doesn't start from marketing, which is where I think a lot of brands have. Product development comes out of marketing of like, ooh, this is a new ingredient.

Emisha Gormley (11:58)

Or it's a new buzzword.

Molly Sims (11:59)

Yeah.

Victoria Joya (12:00)

And like this competitor's doing this. We should launch something. Absolutely nothing comes from Marketing. It comes from her where she's like, I've had 10 patients come in this week and like, we need an iron supplement to pair with their prenatals. Like, some women need it, some women don't. They have to choose that. Or I have all these women asking me about a green supplement, but what's out there isn't safe for pregnancy. We need to create something like that. And so we have her being the voice of, like, this is what we're gonna do. This is why there's a gap here. This is needed. And then also being, you know, our kind of voice of reason for we can't do anything gimmicky or sort of slimy because she'll send me a text and be like, take that post down. Like, supplements aren't magic pills. They're not going to do that. Like, take that down. And in a world where there's a lot of marketing and you know, it's like, this supplement is going to make you lose ten pounds in a week and turn your hair brown from gray.

Emisha Gormley (13:04)

Probably not.

Victoria Joya (13:05)

Yeah.

Emisha Gormley (13:11)

If you've listened to our holiday Gift Guide episode a couple weeks ago, then you know, Emisha and I consider holiday shopping a sport. And one of our go to places for finding the perfect gifts is Macy's. Macy's honestly makes it so easy, especially if you're down to the wire. They've curated gifts by Persona, category and price point for the someone in your life who thinks they're a chef. The KitchenAid artisan stand mixers, one of a kind green pan cookware or classic Le Creusette Dutch oven is truly the perfect gift. Okay, for the homebody in your life. Ugg hoodies slippers are the chef's kiss. And for your most stylish friend, you can't go wrong with the Sam Edelman studded ballerina flats or the suede coach bag. Plus, Macy's has amazing deals going on with the Macy's Great Gift Sale happening now through December 24th with up to 30 to 60% off gifts that truly don't disappoint. They're dropping new curated lists every day. For kids, for her, for him, all the last minute lifesavers you can pop in store for quick access or order online by 1221 at 5pm Eastern for guaranteed Christmas delivery. Maisie's Great Gift Sale happening now through December 24th with up to 30 to 60% off gifts that truly don't disappoint.

Molly Sims (14:24)

AG1 is a daily healthy drink that combines your multivitamin pre and probiotics superfoods, and antioxidants into one simple green scoop. Sleep. It's truly one of the easiest things you can do to support your body every single day. I've been drinking AG1 first thing in the morning for a while now, and it's become such a part of my routine that I honestly don't even think about it anymore. I'll mix it up while I'm making coffee or getting the kids ready. It takes maybe 30 seconds, and it makes me feel like I've actually done something good for myself before the day's even started. Especially this time of year when life feels extra busy with travel events and just trying to keep up. It helps me stay consistent and grounded. The new AG1 next gen formula has even more vitamins and minerals than before and is clinically shown to help fill common nutrient gaps. I just feel more balanced, more focused, and ready to take on the day. What I love most is how easy it is. I usually pack a few travel packets in my bag, and it's been a total lifesaver. During busy weeks. I rotate between citrus and tropical flavors, which are my favorite. AG1 has their best offer ever. Head to drinkag1.com lipstick to get a free welcome kit, vitamin D3 and K2, an AG1 flavor sampler. And you'll get to try their new sleep supplement AGZ for free, which has been a total game changer for my nightly routine. That's $126 in free gifts for new subscribers at Drink Ag1.com lipstick let's walk through the line.

Emisha Gormley (15:42)

It's an incredible your story. Everything prenatal. Let's start there. What's one thing every pregnant woman probably needs on her radar?

Victoria Joya (15:53)

Well, we started with our prenatal, but it's sort of our motherhood suite. And I think this is what's different. And what we really sought to do was that the prenatal is not kind of this like blanket supplement. And so we have a pack that's specific to conception, that's specific to each trimester of pregnancy because it's you don't need to just survive or just kind of COVID the baseline needs. Like if we can kind of break it down and give her exactly what she needs when one she can take fewer pills per day, we can give her something more tolerable. Like in the first trimester, it can be hard to tolerate your prenatals. Like we're not gonna load that with calcium. Cause you don't really need it early on. You need it when bones are forming later on. And so you can really be thoughtful with how you formulate. If you can think about the exact stages. And then postpartum, like, acknowledge that's a stage.

Emisha Gormley (16:46)

It's not just like, I don't think anybody acknowledged it. For us, there was no stage of postpartum. Nothing. I was told to take nothing.

Victoria Joya (16:52)

Yeah, I mean, think about it. It's like you literally give birth to a baby and then everyone just cares about the baby and your hormones are going crazy, your hair's falling out, you're sweating through the night. Like it's the precursor to perimenopause, but, like, you're going literally crazy and you're basically told, like, you're fine, you're done. It's been six weeks.

Emisha Gormley (17:11)

So it's called the mother suite.

Victoria Joya (17:13)

We call it the motherhood suite.

Emisha Gormley (17:14)

I love that.

Victoria Joya (17:15)

And we like really think about each stage of the journey and like, really seeing her for where she is and even like conception, acknowledging that as a stage, like, for some people that's longer. There's a big journey there. We actually have like an egg free support pack for IVF too that can be paired with that. Like, we all don't just wake up and like sneeze and say we're pregnant. And like, we're actually acknowledging that today. And even when we were working on this seven years ago and my oldest is eight, nobody was talking about pregnancy losses too. And it was like, it's not. And this woman is going through so much and by herself alone, like getting.

Emisha Gormley (17:52)

Pregnant, then having a miscarriage, then going through that both mentally and physically. Because then sometimes you have to get a dnc. Sometimes, you know, you can pass naturally, but your body is in. And then you have to start all over again.

Molly Sims (18:05)

Yeah.

Victoria Joya (18:05)

And you've done that all by yourself because you didn't tell anyone you were pregnant. So you're just smiling along, going to work every day and like pretending everything's okay. And so we really wanted to create the products that could see those stages and so you could feel supported. You weren't looking at a baby on a bottle every moment when you were going through that too. And I think also creating like the community and the space to see those moments and, you know, be there for her and acknowledge that it's not easy and it's not a straight line.

Molly Sims (18:35)

It's not a straight line and it's a different path for everyone. Do you think that supplements can really help with things like energy and your mood and brain fog, whether you're pregnant or not pregnant or Whether you're my age, 47 and perimenopausal.

Victoria Joya (18:51)

Yes I do. And there is so much research out there and like clinical research and evidence backed ingredients like ashwagandha and some of it's crazy because there's so much research today, but there's also like Ashwagandha has been use for the last thousand years and it's like it's almost something everyone should be just taking daily. Like it just kind of helps like.

Emisha Gormley (19:14)

Level your take it daily.

Victoria Joya (19:15)

I take it daily.

Emisha Gormley (19:16)

I want to take it. I'm going to take that one. It's called stress support.

Victoria Joya (19:19)

Yeah. Like B vitamins help with energy, Iron helps with energy. Like there's all those things where you actually can feel it. But I think with supplements you do have to take them daily. You have to get into a routine. It's not an Advil. Like you're not going to take it and be like, oh I feel good now. Unless it's all caffeine based, which is not actually good for you in the long term. And so I think that's where there's like this missing link and a little bit in like the supplement industry is, can, can be like snake oil salesman. So it's like you actually need these daily routines to build up to that and start to feel it. Like you need to give your body like six weeks to really feel the impact. But there's so much evidence behind a lot of these ingredients that it can kind of help your day to day.

Emisha Gormley (20:05)

Okay, let's talk about the next stage. Perimenopause. What should we be taking on a daily basis?

Victoria Joya (20:10)

Well, you should take our perimenopause support pack and part of that was we formulated this. You know, it felt like such a natural next step for us of like going into another stage of life that has historically kind of been ignored or this. Women suffer in silence and kind of go through it and it's again not a straight line and it's a roller coaster. This is where we spent so much time talking with Dr. Bhayati and what her patients were feeling and going through. And then she herself was going through perimenopause over the last five years. I'll take one step back because I think this is so interesting is that menopause, which has been this blanket term, menopause is actually one day. It's the one day that you've been one year without your period and then the next day you're postmenopausal.

Emisha Gormley (21:00)

Oh, I didn't know that.

Victoria Joya (21:02)

Is it's like, really crazy.

Molly Sims (21:04)

I had no idea.

Victoria Joya (21:05)

There's like this weird misnomer in this.

Emisha Gormley (21:06)

I always say it's a year from your last period.

Victoria Joya (21:09)

Yes. So that's like menopause, which is this day. But perimenopause is actually that, like, whole phase and roller coaster leading up to that one day. And then you're postmenopausal and you don't have periods anymore. And that's kind of the other side of it.

Molly Sims (21:26)

And then the only thing I'm looking forward to in menopause.

Victoria Joya (21:30)

The day after.

Emisha Gormley (21:31)

During the fires, I'm like, I didn't have my period for a couple of months. I'm like, bye. You're like, no, it was just stress. Jk, we're back. We're back.

Molly Sims (21:39)

And Flo just showed up for unexpectedly.

Emisha Gormley (21:42)

Let me tell you.

Victoria Joya (21:43)

So basically, perimenopause is like this whole roller coaster, and it's not. There's not a blanket. Like, these are the clear symptoms of perimenopause. It's like this whole hormonal shift. Like your cycles start to get more irregular, but they could get closer together, they could get further apart, they could stop for a little bit, then they come back and then it's like you're more irritable. You can't deal with stress in the same ways. You have brain fog that you can't explain. Your sleep is all messed up. Levels of anxiety come back. It's almost the same also as puberty. Like, your hormones are on fire and are just like this roller coaster. And similarly, women just kind of were supposed to go through this. And then, yes, there's like the hot flashes and like estrogen surges and your metabolism is changing. Like, all of a sudden you might be gaining weight and all of these changes are happening and it's over a period of time and it's like coming like it's a roller coaster. And so we created a pack that is meant for you to take every single day and sort of that, like, daily pack for this multi year transition to this one day.

Emisha Gormley (22:52)

And how many pills is that in one day?

Victoria Joya (22:54)

It's five pills.

Emisha Gormley (22:55)

That's not bad.

Victoria Joya (22:56)

No. And it's in one sachet. So it's like giving. Our whole idea was to simplify it for this woman. Like, she has so much on her plate. And we're not saying like, okay, here are the 10 bottles and we'll send them to you in a bundle. And you can take those. It's like, here's one sachet. Just take it with your meal and take it every day. And it has your multivitamin to kind of COVID your baseline needs. It has your omega to cover heart health and brain health. And it has two targeted supplements for this perimenopause stage. One is for metabolic health, which has your green tea and has some berberine. And then one is our perimenopause support complex for peri symptoms with rhubarb and dim and ashwagandha and kind of helping.

Emisha Gormley (23:38)

That helps with the mood swings, right?

Victoria Joya (23:40)

Yes. That's amazing.

Emisha Gormley (23:43)

Is there such a thing as too many supplements and how do we know what's safe to do and not to do so?

Victoria Joya (23:50)

Yes, there really is. And I mean, especially during pregnancy, but all throughout different stages. There are. And I think that's also why we created parallel. And this was what Dr. Bhaiati was seeing in her office, was that people were taking like a multivitamin, then they were taking a beauty supplement and then they were taking a green supplement. And actually all of those are basically multivitamins. And so you're actually overdosing yourself and that's a lot of burden on your liver and, like, stressing your body more than supporting your body. So it's just this industry is kind of crazy because the onus is on the consumer to say, like, does this have all my B vitamins and A vitamins? This one does too. And this one does too. And so we really wanted to create products that layer safely together.

Molly Sims (24:42)

Every year around the holidays. I swear I have the same thought. I want to host and make everything from scratch, but life gets so busy and suddenly it's the week of and I'm just scrambling. That's where Gold Belly comes in. It's this amazing site I order from all the time, where you can get the most iconic famous foods from restaurants all across the country and they ship it right to your door. It's basically my secret weapon for holiday hosting and gifting. This year, I've had my eye on Ina Garden's coconut cake. You can literally have one of her signature desserts delivered to your house. It's so chic, so festive, and honestly, who doesn't want to say they're serving Ina Garden's cake? Last year, I sent Junior's red velvet cheesecake to Molly and it was a total hit. Perfectly packaged, fresh and so good that my dad still brings it up months later. That's what I love about Goldbelly. It's an experience. You can send La De Rey macaroons to your best friend, Joe's stone crab from Miami to your foodie uncle or Russ and daughter's iconic bagel and lox brunch kit for the morning after the holiday chaos, everything arrives beautifully packed and ready to serve, which makes hosting way less stressful. So if you're looking for that perfect gift for everyone on your list or want to impress your friends and family with an unforgettable meal and make hosting a breeze this holiday season, go to goldbelly.com and get 20 off your first order with promo code LIPSTICK. That's goldbelly.com code LIPSTICK for 20 off your first order. This week on lipstick on the Rim, we sat down with the one and only Rachel Zoe and wow, this episode is a ride. We talked about everything. Motherhood, divorce, finding herself again, joining Real Housewives literally overnight. And then she said this.

Rachel Zoe (26:11)

Can I tell you a true story in Covid? In the darkness of COVID I had a cat eye every single day where nobody saw me. Not one soul. And when I had Covid, not even my ex husband saw me or my children. And you know what I did? I went into my bathroom, I did a black liquid liner, put on lashes, black liner in the water line, a full lip, did my hair and sat in my bed. And that is what I did. And I looked at myself and I said, you are not a well person. I said, are you fucking okay? You have 104 fever. You are like, you are like contagion right now.

Molly Sims (27:00)

If you love fashion, beauty or bravo, this Rachel Zo episode is a must. It's out now. There any popular TikTok trends? Because I do think that like I open TikTok and it's definitely there's a lot of supplement like talk on there. Is there anything that you've seen that makes you cringe?

Victoria Joya (27:17)

I mean, I think all of it. I get very overwhelmed by TikTok. I need to figure this out. I feel like as a brand we have to figure this out. I mean, there's like the protein of everything right now and I think that's huge on TikTok. I think it's like there is too much of it. But then there is actual science and research to that of like women actually do need more protein, especially as they age because with these hormonal changes, you are losing muscle mass, like bone density. Like all of our grandmothers had osteoporosis. Like maybe we should make a shift earlier. Like there's.

Emisha Gormley (27:55)

Do you still take calcium every day?

Victoria Joya (27:58)

I do in my. I take the mom multi pack and so it has Calcium in it. So I do take some calcium every day. I eat more. I've also changed my diet, so I think that I didn't eat very much dairy, and now I eat a lot more dairy. I eat a lot more yogurt every day. So I think our philosophy and Dr. Biotti's philosophy is that supplements are only that they are supplements to a healthy diet.

Emisha Gormley (28:24)

And let's talk about nutrition and diet. What does that look like? What does a healthy diet look like for you?

Victoria Joya (28:30)

I try to have a very balanced diet. I have a glucose intolerance, so I really struggle. And I have a huge sweet tooth. So I'll pair those two things together. So I really struggle with. I have glucose issues. So I have to eat a ton of protein with my carbs and, like, protein and fat. And then, like, I met with a nutritionist with this gestational diabetes. So I have. I do actually eat a lot of dairy because it is high in protein and it has some fat in it, and I like it. So like everyone.

Emisha Gormley (29:04)

And it makes you feel good.

Victoria Joya (29:05)

Yeah. And it makes my day feel better. I do eat a lot of cottage cheese, but I've eaten cottage cheese since I was 12 years old. I'm not into the TikTok trend of cottage cheese in everything and in ice cream. I just like cottage cheese.

Emisha Gormley (29:17)

I love cottage cheese. My mother loved cottage cheese. It's very southern.

Victoria Joya (29:20)

My mom, too. That's why I got it. Like, I've grown up eating cottage cheese.

Emisha Gormley (29:24)

I don't eat as much as I used to, but I used to love cottage cheese.

Victoria Joya (29:27)

I like cottage.

Molly Sims (29:27)

I had a seat mate at school at my first job in the city in fashion, she would eat cottage cheese and pineapple for breakfast every single morning.

Victoria Joya (29:35)

It's my favorite meal.

Molly Sims (29:37)

And I ate a bacon, egg, and cheese. And I was like, hey, it's not the same.

Emisha Gormley (29:42)

Bacon, egg and cheese, or cottage cheese and pineapple. So what would you eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?

Victoria Joya (29:47)

So I eat a yogurt with peanut butter for breakfast. I put peanut butter in everything because it's protein and fat.

Emisha Gormley (29:54)

What's your favorite brand?

Victoria Joya (29:56)

I mean, right now, because we go through, like, a giant tub a day, we just do the Whole Foods brand.

Emisha Gormley (30:01)

Yeah, I love that brand. I like Justin's, too.

Victoria Joya (30:04)

Oh, I do like Justin's.

Emisha Gormley (30:04)

Oh, yeah, me too.

Victoria Joya (30:05)

But that's like my, like, hide in the counter.

Emisha Gormley (30:07)

I know it's expensive.

Victoria Joya (30:08)

Like, the kids, we get the giant Whole foods brand, But I eat yogurt and peanut butter. I. I usually eat, like, a Chicken salad for lunch. I have, like, a very balanced diet right now, which is kind of surprising because then I'll eat, like, a huge piece of cake because I have a really bad sweet tooth. I think it's all balance. So that's kind of the thing. Like, I have a very balanced day, and then I will eat my sweets at night.

Emisha Gormley (30:35)

For women 40 plus, what are the most important daily habits you recommend?

Victoria Joya (30:39)

I am not a doctor, but I've spent a ton of time in this field, so I will say I do think protein is huge because of that decrease in muscle mass and bone density. Questions. And also metabolism changing. But the other piece, which is huge to put with that is fiber. And I feel like fiber is like this secret superhero ingredient that we're only starting to talk about more. And it's like, why everyone was in Metamucil. But, like, fiber helps regulate your blood sugar. Maybe that's why I'm also obsessed with it. But helps with weight management, helps with.

Emisha Gormley (31:14)

Heart health, also helps you feel full.

Victoria Joya (31:16)

Exactly, exactly. So we created a protein product, which is our triple support protein. Our Dr. Biotti formulated it, and we were looking at all these different ingredients. So we were working on protein because as we were moving into the perimenopause space, like, what do you need? Then we were talking about fiber, especially for pregnancy. But then actually a lot of research about fiber when you age because of heart health and metabolic health and weight management. And then we also were talking about creatine, which has a terrible reputation, is actually one of the most clinically studied ingredients out there, and has a lot around cognitive health, especially as you age.

Emisha Gormley (31:53)

I'm actually scared to take creatine.

Victoria Joya (31:55)

I know.

Molly Sims (31:56)

I feel like I'm gonna turn into a muscle woman, which I know is not true.

Emisha Gormley (31:59)

I'm like, or I'm not gonna drink enough water, and then I'm gonna get kidney stones. But I really want to take. I want to take it, but take a low dosage.

Victoria Joya (32:06)

Like, so much of this bad reputation is like, 20 grams of creatine a day. Like, take three to five. Like, we're women. Like, you don't need 20 grams. Like, you need three to five grams a day or three. Just. You're going to take it every day. Like, take a small amount every day. Like, you're not going to. You're not going to turn into a muscle man. I take it every single day. But we were looking at all of these ingredients, and Dr. Biotti was like, well, okay, we'll make this one product. And, like, as A business. I was like, well, we want to make three products because we want to sell three different things. And she's like, no. Like, this woman needs all these three things. Like, put it into one, and it's one scoop every day. And it's, like, easy for her. And I was like, okay. Like, I guess that actually is right.

Emisha Gormley (32:50)

Women don't want to take three or four or five, six, seven. I mean, yeah, we just don't. You don't have the time. You don't have the space.

Molly Sims (32:55)

You don't have the energy.

Emisha Gormley (32:56)

And then you get confused. It's like, what. What can one product hit? A lot of different things, which I think you guys have done really well. Can you share any advice for managing stress or burnout in midlife, especially working moms?

Victoria Joya (33:10)

Do as I say, not as I do. Because I think it's. I mean, you guys are both moms of multiple kids. I feel like the fall is so hard.

Emisha Gormley (33:20)

The fall is hard.

Victoria Joya (33:22)

So we have four kids now, and it's like, the little one is in the. Like, I am just going to be sick from October to March. He's a year old. And then the older ones are like, have a million and one activities. So I feel a little bit like I'm drowning right now. But I do think it's like the. You have to carve out your time to, like, fill your cup, and you have to do it, like, every week. You can't be like, oh, I'll get to that next. And, like, it's not. It doesn't need to be a huge thing. Like, I go for a walk with a girlfriend. Like, grab a drink with a friend. Like, get a massage. Like, do something that makes you feel like your whole self.

Emisha Gormley (33:59)

I tried to get a massage last night. My son took it.

Molly Sims (34:03)

Yeah, I just think that we. Like, I always. This is the conversation I have on a loop with a lot of my girlfriends, is that I think, unless you're a mom. I mean, I. My husband, I don't think has any clue as to how much lives inside my head. So, like, just. It's not the simplest of, like, oh, I just need to take them to school and pick them up. It's scheduling their dentist appointment, their ortho appointment, their shots. They're this, they're that, like, their play dates. They've got to pick up this school supply list. You need to sign up for this. Like. But there's so much that lives in our head that it becomes almost overwhelming. And I think we don't give ourselves grace sometimes. With it. Like, that's the hardest part that I've realized is, like, I'll. I'm going to mess up. I will forget something, and that's okay.

Victoria Joya (34:45)

Yeah, No, I agree. And I think, like, I don't know. I'm a very type a person, but I think with, like, the fourth child, I just have let everything go. And like, everything is like, oops. And like, one of our kids forgets to be picked up like, once a week. And I'm always, like, scrambling and asking the other moms and, like, I have no shame anymore. I'm like, oh, hey, is anyone there that could bring my son home?

Emisha Gormley (35:10)

You have to. I think that's where. Listen, the whole, like, it takes a village. We both have three each and you have four. It does take a village. I mean, we were recording an episode before this, and I was back, you know, pretending that I was changing my clothes, and I was like, making his braces appointment, right? Because I'm like, oh, my God, I'm going to forget it. And I forgot it yesterday. And I'm like. And then you just have days where literally yesterday I felt so awful. I. I canceled work. I never cancel work. I. Unless I'm really not feeling well. And my son had a day off because parents at your conferences. But I literally laid in bed. We ordered. This is going to be so not lipstick on the rim. So again, don't do what I do. I got him Taco Bell. He got to pick his fan favorites. And we watched Chad Powers. And if you guys haven't watched Chad Powers, it's amazing. Glen Powell's show on Hulu. And you know what? I thought, I'm going to take a Z pack because I kept feeling really ill. And I think I was just mentally done. I think I was shocked. Yeah.

Molly Sims (36:21)

I think you called me from the sauna fully clothed.

Victoria Joya (36:24)

Okay.

Emisha Gormley (36:24)

Yeah. Okay. I was also fully clothed with my tennis shoes in the sauna because my body was just, like, depleted. I felt constantly cold and chilled. And literally I was talking to her in the sauna fully clothed. I know I sound like a weirdo, but I was just like, I can't do this. I'm having. I need a moment. And it's kind of exactly what I needed. And I went to bed at 8:15.

Victoria Joya (36:50)

That sounds amazing.

Emisha Gormley (36:51)

Okay.

Victoria Joya (36:52)

All right.

Molly Sims (36:52)

I think we have to do our ama.

Emisha Gormley (36:53)

I know we have to do our Women's Health. Ask me anything. We're doing a Women's Health edition. These are all listener submitted questions, and they're for Victoria. Okay. Manisha asked what supplements are non negotiable and which are just hype.

Victoria Joya (37:10)

I try not to say anything is non negotiable because I think so much of it is like, what can you build into your daily routine and what works for you and where you're at right now. Obviously, prenatals are non negotiable if you're pregnant, but you don't need to take a prenatal if you're not pregnant. Not thinking about getting pregnant. So how do you think about your different stages? I think there is a lot of hype out there of like, you need to be taking crazy things every day. I think it's like, what are your needs? Like, I need to be taking our stress support every single day or I will go crazy. And that's what I need right now. And like, I highly recommend from the last question that you take ashwagandha every day if, like, you're feeling this burnout and overwhelmed.

Emisha Gormley (37:52)

Also, don't forget, once every six months, once a year, try to get your blood taken. See if you're low on iron, see if you're low on calcium because your numbers don't lie.

Victoria Joya (38:01)

Yeah.

Molly Sims (38:01)

Angie asked, how can you tell if you're actually in menopause versus perimenopause? Which I think is such a question so many women have, not just Angie.

Victoria Joya (38:12)

Well, I think that goes back to it's just a misnomer. Perimenopause is this phase leading up to menopause. But it's also really hard to say exactly if you are in like official perimenopause because there's so many different symptoms of it. When we were first working on this product, Dr. Bhaidi was talking to us and we were going through and she's like, you know, you just start getting like, really irritated at your husband and like, you feel like you can't sleep and like, just like everything is irking you. And like I was sitting there and I was like, oh my God. I was like, I'm in perimenopause. She was like, you're seven months pregnant. You're not in perimenopause. But, like, it is just this like shift. And like some days you're gonna feel really crazy and some days you're just like, I'm just like a little bit on edge. And it like is this roller coaster. So I feel like there also needs to be more grace and like, it's a huge phase of life leading up to this day of menopause. But you might not have like, an official diagnosis, but you're. Things are shifting and changing, and, like, you're not crazy. It's your hormones.

Emisha Gormley (39:16)

I think I know this question, but Danielle asked, what's one supplement? Every woman in perimenopause should be on the stress support, don't you think?

Victoria Joya (39:23)

I think the stress support or the perimenopause support pack, which is gonna give you everything you need. But, yeah, it kind of depends on exactly what you're struggling with. If you're, like, having raging hot flashes, maybe this rhubarb and something more specific to that, you know, supplements aren't going to fix everything. There is hrt, and you need to figure out what is right for you, actually, especially in perimenopause. You should be getting your blood taken and your levels tested and really working with your doctor of, like, where are your testosterone? Where's your estrogen?

Emisha Gormley (39:53)

To your point, you're working with a doctor. To be able to work with a doctor, to see a doctor, to, you know, kind of track you is super important, especially in perimenopause, because, like you said, Emisha might have brain fog, and I might have weight gain. I might have, you know, irritability, and she might just not really feel anything. And, oh, I have a few night sweats, but, oh, they went away. So I think it's really important to also kind of take notes on where you are. Like, I looked back, you know, during the fire, and I'm like, oh, I was feeling X, Y and Z, but now I'm feeling this way. Just kind of jot it down. But if you do have a doctor, if you're lucky enough to track you, it will help you. It will help you with your symptoms. It will help with someone knowing kind of where you are. Okay, Allison, I think you already answered this, but she asked, what's the deal with needing to eat so much protein as we get older?

Victoria Joya (40:51)

Yeah, I mean, I think there was a TikTok intensity of it, but it goes back to these hormonal changes are depleting your muscles and your bones, and there is this weight management element of it and your metabolic health and so adding on more protein, I think at a point where you actually might be inclined to eat less. And again, you should speak to your doctor. But this is from all of our conversations with Dr. Bhayati. Like, you actually shouldn't be eating less during this phase, but you should be eating right and, like, helping build your body in the right ways.

Molly Sims (41:26)

I also think we just. We. To your point, listen to your body not to trends. Like, I think that's like the biggest thing is that it does the trends get overwhelming and you're like, is this factual? Like, should I be doing this and getting your labs done? Like that is the simplest way to know what you're deficient in.

Emisha Gormley (41:45)

And I love your Instagram too, because again, you give information. This is why you need to be taking this. This is the what you're feeling. So it's science backed. I think a lot of the misinformation, it's kind of what you said, it's like snake oil. It's like the wild, wild west. I think, you know, parallel is a great company. It's science backed, it's doctor backed, it's clinically backed. We always ask every guest before they go, if you could give advice to your 10 year old self, what would it be?

Victoria Joya (42:13)

Oh my gosh. I mean, I think it's the same thing I try to give to my daughters. I want them to be really confident in who they are. And I don't think I, I still am not. I'm a very anxious person. But you know, I just, I think that for girls, especially in this world of Instagram and TikTok and it's just like building up your self confidence and how to just worry about yourself. And like, this is the thing I try to tell them of, like worry about yourself. Like someone is good at something, it doesn't make you bad at it and if they were bad at it, it didn't make you good. So like really focus on yourself and like feeling good for yourself.

Emisha Gormley (42:49)

And I'm so glad you did this because, you know, I think we all see a lot of problems, but I think until it happens to you, until you went through, you know, this pregnancy with your daughter and you realized, oh my God, I don't have this. I wasn't given that, I wasn't told. It's. It can, you can go down the other way and it can really be upsetting. But I'm so glad you just turned that into parallel. And it's amazing. You guys have amazing products and they're tailored for every stage from preconception to pregnancy to perimenopause and beyond. All designed by obgyns and backed in real science. Make sure and follow Victoria Joya. That's V I, C, T O R, I, A G I O I A and parallel health with 1L. I always spell it with 2, but it's P E R E L E L health. Thank you. You're. We really wanted to have it, because a lot of it is so overwhelming and you just don't know where to go. And we just love the every stage of your company and how it just really meets our woman where she's at.

Victoria Joya (43:52)

Thank you so much.

Molly Sims (43:53)

It's been amazing. And it's good for women to know we're not alone. I think it was definitely like a topic that our moms didn't talk about. That generation was not open about it and now I think the conversation's there. So it's because of companies like you.

Victoria Joya (44:08)

Thank you. Yeah, we definitely want to open up the conversation and you don't have to go through this alone. We're all going through it. And we're not crazy.

Emisha Gormley (44:17)

We're not crazy. Wasn't that such a good conversation?

Molly Sims (44:25)

I feel like I just literally, like had a master class in women's health and I think it's just no one really tells us what is going to happen to our bodies in our 40s and 50s. And it's, it's, it can be scary if you're not prepared for it.

Emisha Gormley (44:37)

Well, I think it goes back to kind of what we were talking about. It's like, no, you're not crazy. No, you, you, you're, you're, you're sleeping only three hours a night. Even though you go to bed at, you know, 10 o', clock, you're really only getting. And it's just, it's not enough or you're moody, or you just can't, can't do the juggle anymore. Brain fog. I think there's so many. And to what Victoria said that, you know, you just don't know what those symptoms are going to be.

Molly Sims (45:07)

Everybody's different. I think that's the key. And I think that, like, what works for you might not work for me. What works for me, like, I'm convince, you know, my little sleep ritual works for Will, work for everybody, but it doesn't. Maybe it just works with my chemistry, but there's just a lot out there and there's so much misinformation. I just think it's like really important to keep pushing forward on this conversation.

Emisha Gormley (45:26)

We were talking to Dr. B, who's going to be coming on. She's an incredible derm and just she gets so many patients coming in and talking about really different issues. Michelle and I had a conversation with her the other day. We're going to talk about where do you go? You know, some people are like, oh, it's your ob. Oh, it's your gp. Oh, it's your Endocrinologist. Oh, it's your derm. I think a lot of women actually don't know where to go. To Victoria's point, she got diagnosed with an autoimmune rheumatoid arthritis. She's seeing a rheumatologist. She's seeing someone. But a lot of women, all of a sudden, they. They don't know where to go. Their joints are swelling. I think having really good doctors or someone to, like, put you on that path and hold you accountable is super important. And I think to Emma's point, go see that doctor. Whether it's your ob, whether it's your gp, whether it's getting your mammogram, your heart check. My heart check is in a couple of weeks. Like, it's really important. And a lot of, you know, people are doing their pronovo scans. People are doing different things to take your health into your. Your hands, which we all have to do. We all. We have to be our best advocates.

Molly Sims (46:37)

And it's never too late. I mean, listen, like I just said earlier in this episode, I didn't go see an OB for six years. And it wasn't because I didn't care about my health. It was. I moved towns. I had to find a new doctor. Then my daughter was sick, and that was the priority for three years. And then I finally woke up and I was like, okay, it's time for me. Like, I have three kids to take care of. I have to take care of my health, and there's no shame. So, like, I know I'm not alone. I, And a lot of women don't prioritize our own health because we put everybody ahead of ourselves. So if you're listening to this and you haven't gone to the doctor or any doctor, like, don't be embarrassed. Like, I was embarrassed, and I realized I had no reason to be. That was one thing that, like, I took away from that experience was, it's okay. A lot of women are like me.

Emisha Gormley (47:19)

We talked to Dr. Port about that. I think my morning routine has gotten better. Today I made a banana smoothie. I did my vanilla protein powder. I did my collagen. I'm doing the lemon water every day. I'm getting it down me. It's like almost two full lemons to try to alkalize because, I don't know, I feel like I'm so acidic because I drink coffee, I drink wine, and then I'm like, I know, but I'm doing better. And then I. Again, to your point, magnesium at night. I love it. It works on me. Sweet tart cherry. You know, we were talking about, like, rituals a lot the past couple of months. I do think rituals are important. Like, they kind of. It's to Victoria, what she was saying. It's like you're taking the five pills. It's not like you're just taking it once a week. You get into taking it every single day.

Molly Sims (48:12)

Totally.

Emisha Gormley (48:12)

That's also how you can actually see if something's. Something works. I love the parallel because it's packaged, prepackaged. You don't have to think about it. You pop it in. You're like, okay, this is your morning, your afternoon, whatever. For me, it's just one pack, but I'm definitely gonna take that stress support separate, too.

Molly Sims (48:29)

Yeah, I need that too. I also think it's just easy to travel with. Like, I hate when you have to take a bunch of different things.

Emisha Gormley (48:33)

Oh, my God. I know. I feel like my mom, when she would have her, like, you know, the. I'm like, what is happening to me? Yep. Yep. All right, well, I feel like we're getting younger.

Molly Sims (48:44)

I. I really feel like we look better now than we did. Like, I look back at some pictures and I'm like, I feel like I look better now than I did, you know, at a certain late 20s. I think I just didn't take care of myself the way I should have.

Emisha Gormley (48:57)

I think I was at my peak at late 20s. I was.

Molly Sims (48:59)

Oh, yes, you're earp. I think you're at your peak right now.

Emisha Gormley (49:02)

I. I was. I was. I was. Yeah.

Molly Sims (49:04)

I mean, you've always been hot. Model days nowadays, you know, I don't feel like that.

Emisha Gormley (49:09)

I don't feel like that, but. Well, maybe it's just in my head, but I love you, you guys. We have Diana Cohen next week, Crown Affair. We're gonna talk all about hair. She is. Oh, amazing. She's so good. You guys are gonna love the episode.

Molly Sims (49:25)

Yeah, it's a good one.

Emisha Gormley (49:26)

All right.

Molly Sims (49:26)

All right, well, I love you.

Emisha Gormley (49:27)

Love you. I'll see you next week. All right, bye, guys. Thanks for listening to Lipstick on the Rim with Molly Sims and My Ride or Die. Emisha Gormley. We are so excited to bring you guys along on this journey with us. You can find us on Instagram and TikTok at Lipstick on the Rim and Molly B. Sims organization. Go to my blog, where you can dive just a little bit deeper into my favorite products, trends, and more@mollysims.substack.com and don't forget to check out our video episodes on my YouTube channel, Molly Sims. This podcast is production with Sony Music. I wanted to give a special thanks to my team, Rosie Cummings, Ken Orion, Sophine Kevorkin and everyone at Sony Music. Don't forget to listen and follow wherever you get your podcast so you never miss out on the fun.

Molly Sims (50:11)

Sat.