Hello to our readers around the world! I started this series last year, in the wake of so much global darkness and uncertainty. I need hope, inspiration and wonder to thrive, so I started hunting for amazing breakthroughs in medicine, longevity, tech, science, climate solutions and other areas to lift me up. Sharing them with the Womancake community has been my pleasure, and I’ll continue to do it every month so we can all stay as positive as possible.

Let’s begin with a breakthrough about a common vitamin: new research shows that B12 might hold the key to a healthy aging process. The study points to a much deeper role in overall metabolic health and “skeletal muscle mitochondrial energy production”, as well as other things like stress pathways and epigenetic regulation. Basically, B12 levels appear to affect multiple biological systems, and even small deficiencies can have a negative and widespread impact. The good news is you can check your B12 levels at your next blood test, and if it comes back low you can get a supplement on Amazon for as low as $10. (NOTE: always check with your healthcare providers before doing any of these things!).

You know I love some good news in the world of cancer treatment, and this one is a blockbuster: trials for a new “smart drug” show that it can shrink tumors by as much as 30-50%! The research was done on patients who have cervical, liver, bowel, bladder, lung and head/neck cancers. All of them had not responded to previous treatments. Cancer cells can be insidious, and that can “hide” from mechanisms like immunotherapy that are designed to hunt and kill them. This trial drug makes cancer cells visible so that immunotherapy can do its work. These results are staggering, but more research is needed before the new drug can find its way to the public. Until a universal cancer vaccine appears, I’ll bet on this type of drug!

Let’s jump to a massive breakthrough in the science of aging. Are you sitting down? A new drug appears to actually reverse aging in skin, and dramatically speed wound healing. It clears out “zombie” cells and activates genes associated with collagen production. I don’t even know how to process this!! I can see a future where the multi-billion dollar skincare industry gets completely upended by simple, topical products we apply to our faces and bodies. No pricey serums, surgeries or laser treatments, all of it would be rendered obsolete. Would this crash the economy? Would we not care because we’d look so much younger? Would the decades-old burn scar on my knee finally disappear??? It’s early days with this research, but you better believe I’ll keep an eye on it.

Speaking of the aging process: a new study suggests that arts and cultural engagement can slow your rate of aging. I come from a family of musicians, and I grew up in an arts community full of vibrant and engaged people of all ages, so this does not surprise me. But look, if you think you’re “not creative”, this is great motivation to push beyond that limitation and get into some music, painting, writing or any type of artsy thing that strikes your fancy. Who cares if you suck! Push past your cringe factor and let yourself enjoy being a beginner, learning brand-new and wonderful things. Or just become a subscriber at a museum, theater, or arts show. The benefits can be truly astounding.

How about a body-based breakthrough: it now appears that the humble thymus gland may be essential for longevity and immune responses to cancer. I kinda thought the thymus was sort of like the appendix? Like, hanging out, but not really doing much? Nope! It actually plays a huge role in our overall health and T-cell ability to kick cancer’s ass. The next obvious question: what can we do to improve thymic health? I did a quick search, and it looks like pretty much all of our current good habits keep the thymus primed. More on that here (NOTE: always consult your healthcare providers before doing any of these things!).

BONUS BREAKTHROUGHS:

Speaking of the human body, I am pleased to inform you that a brand-new internal system has been “discovered”, and by that I mean that some scientists have now identified why and how acupuncture works. I was born and raised in Vancouver BC, a town with wonderful Chinese people who brought acupuncture to the region, and uplifted the health of the entire population. It was so remarkably effective that the Province of BC actually put acupuncture on the provincial health plan, so anyone can get it. BTW, acupuncturists in ancient China were treating women for menopausal symptoms centuries before anyone else. You can find your local community acupuncture clinic here.

Can I share a quick beauty breakthrough? After years of using a jade roller, I finally got this stainless steel face roller, which is heavy and cool on the skin and de-puffs like magic. It takes a bit to get the hang of it, but the results are excellent.

Got any breakthroughs of your own? Share them in the comments!

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this Womancake Magazine article is intended for informational purposes only, and is not intended for the purpose of diagnosing, treating, curing or preventing any illness. Before using any products referenced in this piece, consult your healthcare providers, read all labels and head all cautions that come with the products. Information received from this piece, or anywhere in this magazine, should not be used in place of a consultation or advice from a healthcare provider. If you suspect you have any adverse conditions, please consult your healthcare providers immediately. This magazine, including Alicia Dara and any other writers or editors, disclaim any responsibility from any possible adverse effects from the use of any information contained herein. Opinions of any guests or contributors in this magazine are their own, and the magazine does not accept responsibility for statements made by guests or contributors. This magazine does not make any representations or warranties about a guest’s qualifications or credibility.

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Hello to our readers all around the world! It’s me, Alicia Dara, Editor-In-Chief of Womancake Magazine, a source and platform for women over age 40. This year I’m focused on helping you find your Power Voice, the one you’ve been waiting for your whole life.

Paid readers get access to items like these:

How to use your Power Voice during sex. Some midlife sex tips from noted expert Dr Heather Bartos. How to perk up your face with midlife makeup products and techniques. How to kick ass and still get some sleep in my interview with The Midst Editor In Chief Amy Cuevas Schroeder, how to dress for this stage of your life in my interview with Stacy London, the gob-smacking time I got a spiritual haircut, how to make your home sparkle with my never-fails house cleaning secret, and (lord help us!), my biggest guilty pleasure of all time.

Now let’s get to today’s essay. Please leave your thoughts in the comments, I was finally able to fix the “404 error” problem, so go for it!

You are standing at the edge of a mysterious threshold. It’s weird and spooky and so dark that you can’t see your hand in front of your face. There are strange sounds and smells, and the air feels cool but charged. Chills run down your spine and your ears are ringing. All of your senses are thrumming on high alert.

But no fear. This is all supposed to happen, right here and now. You are crossing this threshold at just the right time. In truth, this might be the last possible moment that you could do it.

Take a deep breath, and feel the tension in your body softening. Let go of your anxiety and prepare yourself for the breakthrough.

Here it is: you do not thrive on neglect.

Somewhere in your past, probably in childhood, you were neglected. This is a fact that can’t be changed, so let’s not sugar-coat it: you suffered horribly in ways that you didn’t have the words for.

Yet you were not frozen or dumbstruck by those events. You kept moving forward. You figured out how to power through. You learned how to make it work.

Somewhere along the way this became a point of pride, and you started communicating it to other people: “Don’t worry about me, I thrive on neglect!”

This feels 100% true. How could it not? You pulled your shit together and made a good life for yourself. You are a self-sufficient, self-sustaining, self-caring badass. You are your own fucking hero.

But wait, stop and breathe for a minute. Look around. You are across the threshold now, standing in a new realm of clarity and insight.

This is the part where I gently but firmly suggest that, contrary to your personal mantra, you don’t actually know what thriving is.

Thriving is the opposite of what you’ve been doing all by yourself, keeping your self-sustaining fortress strong and impenetrable. Thriving is a co-creative experience, in which we nurture and care for each other in ways big and small. Genuine thriving requires genuine vulnerability, and the courage to ask other people for what you want and need. It can be painful sometimes, because others won’t always be able to deliver, and because you won’t, either. Sometimes you will fuck up royally, and you’ll have to make amends. But I assure you, that is part of the overall thriving process.

Let all of this sink in for a minute. You are growing, changing, transforming. You are letting go of a long-cherished belief that kept you feeling safe. That safety was an illusion, hopefully you can see that now. You are not safe if you aren’t able to be 100% real with others about what you need and want. You’re gonna have to go there. That’s not to say that you will suddenly become a blubbering ball of need. You’re just going to unlock some parts of yourself that have been held back, and allow them the chance to flourish.

Here are some ways to use your Power Voice in service of thriving:

1. If you have a hard day coming up, ask a trusted friend to be available for a call that night. Let them know you’ll need to vent or cry, or just talk about something fun and exciting to re-direct your thoughts and emotions. Be specific so they can deliver.

2. If you are feeling neglected by a good friend, call them and tell them you miss them. It’s OK to say this! You’re not guilt-tripping, you’re opening a door to your heart so they can come back inside. Be warm and welcoming when they do.

3. If you’ve been served a bad dish at a restaurant (EX: cold, scorched, dry and/or flavorless), ask the waiter to take it away and bring you something better. Life is short, and you’re paying for a valuable service, so get your money’s worth of enjoyment.

If these suggestions feel scary, don’t worry. You can start even smaller, just by telling the people that you love about the things you genuinely love and look forward to. Give them the chance to provide you with, or at least steer you to, those things. Thank them and do the same in return. Thriving will come, and it will be your new normal, and these people will be there, too. Allow yourself to feel grateful for the loving kindness that flows between you. Feel your heart softening and growing. Growth, change and transformation. What else is there?

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The ferocious pressure and exuberant burst of Spring has always felt feminine. Every year I feel its quickening in my blood, in my womanhood, yet I still don’t know how to define these things. What the hell is femininity? What is womanhood, and, for that matter, who decides?

Even as a teen girl in the 80s, when rigid gender codes ruled everything, I had …

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Hello to our readers around the world! I started this series last year in the wake of so much global darkness and uncertainty, because I need hope, inspiration and wonder to thrive. So I started hunting for amazing breakthroughs in medicine, tech, science, climate solutions and other areas to lift me up. Sharing them with the Womancake community has bee…

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Hi! So many of you DM’ed me last week regarding my piece about Sinead having an early impact on my Power Voice that I’ve decided to devote all of May to female singers. For many of us, women in music are often the first examples of genuine female power that we encounter in the culture. Yet male musicians are often lionized for de…

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Good lord, this is hard. I’ve tried a hundred times to move forward in our Power Voice training without talking about Sinead, but I can’t.

Every woman has a figure in her childhood whose Power Voice showed her what true freedom could look like. Sinead appeared in front of me like a fucking god, radiant and menacing and hypnotic. I felt her in my 15-year …

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Hello to our new readers around the world! I started this Five Amazing Breakthroughs series last year, in the wake of so much global darkness and uncertainty. I need hope, inspiration and wonder to thrive, so I started hunting for amazing breakthroughs in medicine, tech, science, climate solutions and other areas to lif…

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I’m guessing that if you didn’t know the answer before the Pande…

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Yet there are times when I feel this phrase bubbling up from deep inside, always in respons…

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Hi. Wow. Hoo boy. But OK, let’s do our monthly Five Amazing Breakthroughs report and see if we can’t lift ourselves up a bit. I started this series last year, in the wake of so much global darkness and uncertainty. I need hope, inspiration and wonder to thrive, so I started…

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We are not inside this particular storm. We are on the outside, along the skittering edge of its chaos. You can see it geographically, the theater of war is way over there across the map. Yet we feel it.

We feel it. How are you coping? This morning I woke up with a feral desire to hear a particular song, “Everything In Its Right Place” by Radiohead. (Tak…

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Yes, well. It’s here again: International Women’s Month. If you’re like most women I know you’re probably not feeling, shall we say, all that good about it. Fuck. It would be great to live in a place where women’s rights are consistently protected, strength…

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Would it shock you to learn that your Power Voice is a finite resource?

I would LOVE to tell you that it’s a wild, abundant force of Nature, and that once you find its source inside yourself it will flow forth forever.

Nope! Like everything else in…

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You know that feeling when you get all self-righteous about something, a choice you made that went directly against what everyone around you was doing, and your choice turned out to be profoundly correct? I get that way about cigarettes. I’ve never smoked a single one! But just when that righteous feeling starts to rise up, I remember…

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How many times have I sat across from a woman and thought, She needs to be louder during sex!

AUTHOR’S NOTE: As you know, this year I’m focused on helping you find your Power Voice in every part of your life, and that includes your sex voice. I’m putting the rest of this essay behind a paywall, because it is CHOCK-FULL OF JUICY SEX STUFF, including tips for freeing your sex voice, some instructive anatomical information that will prove why you’re designed to let it rip, and my own very personal experiences in this realm. I promise you will not be disappointed, so subscribe and dive in!

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Little things that lovers do to amplify their connection, a collection of touches, looks, and sounds that are meant only for them. We learn each other’s sounds quite quickly, have you noticed? Laughs, cries, screams and dreams. We clock each other’s rate of breathing, the soft murmur of air whooshing through our Beloved. We sync our breath and blend our…

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Hi, I hope 2026 is off to a good start. I started this Five Amazing Breakthroughs series last year, in the wake of so much global darkness and uncertainty. This was a persona…

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Before I get to this, I’m sure you’re as horrified by what’s been going on in Minneapolis as I am. This is about all of us, in every city and community, and we can help each other when possible. You can donate to the ongoing support of local orgs, including some for those on the front lines of the conflict, and the immigrant rapid response fund at this …

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Hi, how did last week’s Power Voice assignment go? To refresh your memory, it was about hunting for intensely pleasurable experiences, and yelling YES with your Power Voice whenever you find them. As I mentioned, I’m not just talking about great sex, although, YES that could be on your list. But there’s so much more to explore. Just let your instinct be…

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