Episode 304

Supercharge Recovery from Surgery and More (feat. Zora Benhamou)

Published on: 28th May, 2025

What if you could bounce back from surgery or an injury faster, stronger, and healthier than ever? 

In this Salad with a Side of Fries episode, gerontologist and biohacker Zora Benhamou joins health coach Jenn Trepeck for a deep dive into surgery and injury recovery, biohacks, and minimizing scars—the essential nutrients for optimizing your healing journey post surgery. Together, they bust myths around menopause, aging, and nutrition while unpacking the science behind inflammation reduction, amino acid supplementation, peptide therapy, and more. From osteoporosis prevention to scar management, Zora shares expert strategies to supercharge recovery and reclaim vitality at any age. Whether preparing for surgery or simply wanting to boost your longevity and performance, this conversation delivers actionable tools for real-life wellness.

The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast is hosted by Jenn Trepeck, who discusses wellness and weight loss for real life, clearing up the myths, misinformation, bad science & marketing surrounding our nutrition knowledge and the food industry. Let’s dive into wellness and weight loss for real life, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store.

IN THIS EPISODE: 

  • (05:15) Zora’s story of two hip replacements (in three months) and super-charged surgery recovery through muscle maintenance and protein intake
  • (11:02) Delaying surgery until quality of life is significantly impacted is deeply a personal decision
  • (16:47) Pre-surgery mental preparation and muscle building/maintenance within mobility limits
  • (20:00) Nutrition focus: high protein intake, amino acids, whole foods and nutrient-rich supplements for surgery recovery
  • (22:34) Long-term nutritional deficiencies contribute to bone health issues; commitment to nutrition needed, and a radiation protection hack
  • (29:22) Managing surgery recovery by reducing inflammation
  • (36:33) Discussion of post-surgery nutrition focuses on protein, collagen, anti-inflammatory foods and scar treatments
  • (44:32) Recovery strategies apply to various surgeries, and having a positive mindset for surgery recovery

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Pre-surgery muscle maintenance is critical. Build and maintain muscle mass before surgery through exercise, even with limited mobility, to enhance surgery recovery and quality of life before and after surgery.
  • Increase protein intake before and after surgery to support muscle growth, tissue repair, and ligament recovery.
  • Eliminate processed foods and prioritize whole foods to reduce inflammation and aid healing. Use supplements for radiation protection.
  • To improve scar texture and appearance, apply copper peptides, rosehip oil, and silicone tape, and consider micro needling or lasers.

QUOTES: 

  • (17:27) “Going into that surgery with muscle mass and strength is so important for your recovery. That is key number one.” - Zora Benhamou
  • (22:49) “When our body is not getting all the nutrients it needs to function, it will pull them from our bones.” - Jenn Trepeck
  • (35:59) “In post-op procedures, because of various things, people often are not hungry, but we need nutrients to heal.” - Jenn Trepeck
  • (45:34) “Try to turn it around to a positive and say, this is a great time to work on my health, focus on recovery, and build a better person. - Zora  Benhamou
  • (46:20) "It's never too late to start."  - Jenn Trepeck

RESOURCES:

Become A Member of Salad with a Side of Fries

Jenn’s Free Menu Plan

A Salad With a Side of Fries

A Salad With A Side Of Fries Merch

A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram

Reverse Menopause Weight Gain: New Blood Sugar Balancing Tips – Jenn Trepeck – Hack My Age

Nutrition Nugget: Methylene Blue

The Algae Advantage (feat. Catharine Arnston)

Bone Health & the Problem with Bone Density Scans (feat. Dr. John Neustadt)

GUEST RESOURCES:

Hack My Age - Website

Biohacking Menopause - Membership Program

Zora Benhamou Instagram (@hackmyage)

Hack My Age - Facebook

Zora The Explorer (@hackmyage) | TikTok

Hack My Age - YouTube

Biohacking Menopause Support Group | Facebook

GUEST BIOGRAPHY:

Zora Benhamou is a gerontologist and biohacker dedicated to challenging menopause stigma and ageist stereotypes. As the dynamic host of the Hack My Age podcast, she focuses on empowering women navigating the menopausal transition through biohacking techniques and information from forward-thinking experts.

At 54 years old, Zora embodies the essence of a digital nomad and is a passionate menopause educator. She is the visionary behind HackMyAge.com and the author of the Longevity Master Plan and cookbook, "Eating For Longevity," offering invaluable resources and programs for women in peri-menopause and post-menopause. Zora's commitment to normalizing menopause conversations is evident through creating the support group and community, Biohacking Menopause. 

She completed the Institute of Bioidentical Medicine's Menopause Method training and Dr. Stacey Sims' Menopause for Athletes course and is an active member of esteemed organizations such as the Gerontological Society of America, the Aging Society of America, the British Menopause Society and the European Menopause and Andropause Society. 

With a Master's degree in Gerontology from the prestigious University of Southern California, Zora's expertise extends to sports nutrition coaching and Oxygen Advantage Breathing instruction, further enriching her holistic approach to women's wellness.

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About the Podcast

Salad With a Side of Fries Nutrition, Wellness & Weight Loss
What to eat and when to cheat! Let's decipher between all the “diets” out there. You know what to do but it itsn't working. In fact, your diet could be making you fatter.

Ever wondered if cryo-freezing your fat cells would really work? Should you try acupuncture? A hypnotist? If you do, how do you know if someone’s good?

Salad with a Side of Fries is the podcast that will answer all these questions and more! Talking wellness and weight loss for real life, because most of us are going to drink, eat out, skip the grocery store and who wants a life without fries or dessert?! Host Jenn Trepeck’s expertise as an optimal health coach, in practice for over a decade, along with experts in various modalities will clear up the myths, mis-information, bad science and marketing to reveal the truth of HOW TO EAT and HOW TO CHEAT!*



*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This podcast, its content and guests are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About your host

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Jennifer Trepeck

“My passion for nutrition and helping others stems from “kicking my food issues” with my own weight management saga.” ~ Jenn

I believe that the greatest accountability is paying it forward! That’s why I teach the nutrition education we are all supposed to know but no one ever taught us, along with the science behind food, fitness, and health.

After I graduated from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, I founded Better Life Now LLC while working full-time in hedge funds. In 2019, I took my practice from side-hustle to full-time self-employment and launched my podcast, Salad With a Side of Fries. On the show, we offer science-based tips and tricks for how to achieve wellness and weight loss for real life – because who wants a life without fries or dessert?!

Topics we tackle on the podcast include debunking fad diets, food myths, misinformation in marketing, bad science, and general nutrition. I encourage guests whose expertise is different from my own focus on weight management to bring their unique, fact-based perspectives to talk about subjects they are educated in and passionate about.

Due to my decade-long experience of working with clients, I have gained insight into the health and food industry and the how-tos of building a business.

Some specific health and wellness topics I can speak to include debunking fad diets, exposing the BS we are fed by the food and diet industry, how the people around us can positively and negatively impact our health journey, and shifting mindsets in order to overcome inappropriate barometers of success to instead achieve happy, healthy, and meaningful change.

On the subject of business, I can help you by teaching my critical pieces every entrepreneur should know, how to make your side-hustle into your full-time job, ways to sustainably achieve success without burning out, contemporary networking, and how to prioritize wellness while pursuing your projects.

When I find some free time, I’m typically working out at Physique57, discovering hidden gem restaurants in NYC, or traveling to spend time with friends and family.

I’d love to have an in-depth conversation with you, whether it’s leveling up in business or debunking food myths!