773. What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You About Perimenopause with Dr. Jenny

Why does it feel like your metabolism slows down after 35… even when you're doing all the "right" things? If you're eating healthy, exercising consistently, and still struggling with stubborn weight, fatigue, or low motivation, this episode explains what may actually be happening inside your body. For many women, metabolism changes in the mid-30s and beyond are not about willpower or discipline. They're driven by shifts in hormones, cortisol, thyroid function, muscle mass, and stress physiology. When these systems become dysregulated, traditional strategies like eating less and exercising more can actually make things worse. In this episode, I break down the real reasons weight loss resistance happens for women over 35 and what a true metabolism reset actually requires. In this episode you'll learn: • Why dieting and calorie restriction can slow your metabolism after 35 • How chronic stress and cortisol impact fat loss and energy • The connection between thyroid function, estrogen, progesterone, and metabolism • Why random supplements and generic plans often fail • What actually needs to be addressed to reset your metabolism Many women I work with have already tried multiple diets, supplements, and health protocols. But the missing piece is often identifying which hormone or gut pattern is actually driving the symptoms. Without that clarity, it's easy to end up stacking protocols that never fully resolve the root issue. That's why I'm hosting a live Hormone & Gut Pattern Identification Workshop where I walk you through how to identify the dominant hormone or gut pattern that may be affecting your metabolism, energy, digestion, and mood. In this 90-minute live workshop, you'll learn how to: • Identify your dominant hormone or gut pattern • Understand why previous health protocols may not have worked • Learn which system needs to be stabilized first • Know which labs actually confirm what's happening in your body • Stop guessing and finally have a clear starting point Workshop Details Wednesday, March 18 7 PM CST Reserve your spot here: https://drbethwestie.com/the-hormone-clarity-workshop/ If you're ready to go deeper and want personalized guidance on what's happening in your body, you can also schedule a discovery call with my team to talk through your symptoms and next steps. Book your discovery call here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call  

Perimenopause is something the vast majority of women will experience and yet so many of us feel blindsided by it. I'm Dr. Jenny and in this episode, I talk about why perimenopause often isn't discussed in conventional medical appointments and why so many women are left hearing about it through social media instead of their doctor's office. Menopause is diagnosable. It shows up clearly on blood work. Perimenopause? Not so much. The 5–15 years before menopause can feel like a hormone roller coaster: Exhaustion Brain fog Night sweats and hot flashes Mood swings Irregular cycles Low libido Weight changes Feeling like you're "losing your mind" Here's the truth: If you feel like you're on a roller coaster, it's because your hormones are on a roller coaster. In this episode, I break down: Why adrenal health (your stress response system) is the foundation of hormone balance How chronic stress impacts DHEA and testosterone (hello brain fog and low libido) Why blood work can miss perimenopausal shifts How estrogen processing in the liver and gut plays a massive role in symptoms Why progesterone often declines first and what that means for sleep and mood How comprehensive testing (like the DUTCH test) gives us a real map instead of a single snapshot Most importantly, I explain how you can take your power back. We created a FREE Perimenopause Mini Podcast Series to help you understand: What actually is perimenopause (and what isn't) Why symptoms show up years before menopause What works, what doesn't How to get to the root cause of your symptoms quickly Listen to the FREE perimenopause series here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/perimenopause-3

In this episode of the Female Health Solution Podcast, I break down what happens when women commit to six months of targeted hormone support using DUTCH testing, personalized protocols, and real lifestyle shifts. I'm sharing real client examples and the behind-the-scenes reasons why so many symptoms finally start to resolve when we stop chasing quick fixes. We talk about why hormone changes don't happen overnight, why six months is the sweet spot for real, measurable progress, and how testing takes the guesswork out of your symptoms so you're not wasting time, energy, or money on things that miss the mark. In this episode, I cover: Why DUTCH testing gives us clarity that standard labs miss What actually changes between your initial DUTCH test and your 6-month retest Why symptoms like low libido, fatigue, anxiety, weight gain, and terrible periods often trace back to cortisol, not what you've been told The difference between capacity and living in survival mode Why regulating your nervous system can feel uncomfortable before it feels better How women regain energy, mood stability, creativity, libido, and resilience What it looks like when your period stops running your life Why seeing your progress on paper helps rebuild trust with your body I also explain why so many women have been dismissed, gaslit, or told to "just deal with it," and how retesting helps you stay connected to what your body actually needs long-term. If you're tired of white-knuckling your way through exhaustion, mood swings, brain fog, painful periods, or feeling like you don't recognize yourself anymore, this episode is for you. Ready to see what six months could change for you? The Hormone Foundations Program is our most popular 1:1 program where we: Run an initial DUTCH Complete test Support you with personalized recommendations for six months Address cortisol, nutrient deficiencies, sleep, cycle issues, and more Retest at six months so you can see your progress in black and white Learn more: https://drbethwestie.com/hormone-foundations-program/  

What's the worst that could happen if you just start taking a supplement, right? You already don't feel great, so something has to help… right? In this episode, I explain why that mindset often backfires, especially when it comes to hormones. I see this all the time: women taking "hormone balance" supplements, DIM, progesterone support, adrenal formulas, or detox products without testing first. The intention is good, but without knowing what your body actually needs, you can easily make symptoms worse instead of better. In this episode, I break down: Why supplements are not all the same (foundational vs targeted vs phase-specific) How taking the wrong supplement at the wrong time can worsen fatigue, anxiety, PMS, cycle issues, and sleep Why hormones require timing, balance, and sequencing, not random support How cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, and neurotransmitters all interact and why treating one without the others often fails Why DIM is one of the most commonly misused hormone supplements (and how it can actually drive estrogen too low) How adrenal dysfunction can block progesterone support from ever "landing" Why liver detox, gut health, and hormone clearance matter just as much as hormone production Why hormones work on a negative feedback loop and why real change takes longer than 30 days I also explain why we use DUTCH testing to look at the full picture: Hormone production Hormone metabolism and pathways Cortisol rhythm Neurotransmitters Nutrient markers Testing allows us to answer the real questions: Is the issue production, processing, or clearance? Are adrenals driving hormone imbalance? Is your system overstimulated or suppressed? What phase of healing do you actually need right now? This is exactly why I created the Hormone Foundations Program. Inside the program, we: Test first with the DUTCH Complete Build a personalized, phase-based supplement and lifestyle plan Adjust support as your body moves through healing stages Retest to confirm progress (because numbers don't lie) Guide you for a full six months so changes actually stick If you've tried supplements before and felt worse, stalled out, or burned out, this episode is for you. Learn more about the Hormone Foundations Program: https://drbethwestie.com/hormone-foundations-program/ Not sure? Book a Discovery call: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

In this episode of the Female Health Solution Podcast, I'm breaking down something I see all the time with the women we work with: the cortisol and caffeine energy rollercoaster. If you feel like you need coffee or energy drinks just to function, crash hard in the afternoon, or plan your day around your next caffeine hit, this conversation is for you. I explain why this pattern is common but not normal, how cortisol actually drives these highs and lows, and why relying on caffeine keeps your body stuck in a stress response. We talk about what cortisol really does in the body, how it impacts blood sugar, energy, sleep, and mood, and what simple shifts can help you create smoother, more reliable energy throughout the day without feeling tethered to caffeine. If you're ready to get off the rollercoaster and support your energy in a way that actually works with your body, I invite you to join our Free 5 Day Revive. It's designed to help you feel strong, steady, and energized with simple, actionable steps you can start right away. Listen in and let's get your energy working for you again. Join the Free 5 Day Revive: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/the-5-day-revive

In this episode of the Female Health Solution Podcast, I break down why good sleep doesn't always equal restorative sleep, and why waking up exhausted is often a hormone and cortisol rhythm issue, not a lack of sleep or effort on your part. Yes, sleep matters. But if your body isn't producing or regulating cortisol correctly, you can still wake up tired, foggy, and unmotivated, even after a full night in bed. What we cover in this episode: Why cortisol plays a major role in how energized (or exhausted) you feel in the morning The difference between getting sleep and actually restoring your nervous system How stress, broken sleep, under-fueling, and overexercising quietly drain your energy Why women need more and different quality sleep than men The "wired but tired" pattern and how it shows up when cortisol is off Why pushing through exhaustion works… until it doesn't I also explain why so many women hit a point where they can keep functioning, but feel awful doing it. Just because your body is resilient doesn't mean it should live in survival mode. If you're sleeping but not recovering, something deeper is missing. How we figure out what's actually going on This is where functional testing matters. I walk through why I rely on the DUTCH Test to look at: Your cortisol pattern throughout the day Estrogen, progesterone, and androgen balance Nutrient status that impacts energy and recovery Different cortisol patterns require different support. If your adrenals are flatlined, you need a very different approach than someone whose system is stuck in overdrive. Guessing, or throwing random sleep supplements at the problem, rarely works. A great place to start: the FREE 5-Day Revive If you're not ready for testing yet, I created a free 5-Day Revive Challenge focused on helping your body feel more strong, steady, and energized. Inside the 5-day, we focus on: Morning and evening routines that support healthy cortisol rhythms Simple nutrition and protein targets to prevent depletion How to fuel before and after workouts so you actually recover Light, movement, and nervous system regulation A short daily assessment so guidance is targeted, not overwhelming This is not about perfection or adding more to your plate. It's about making small, intentional changes that actually move the needle. 👉 Join the free 5-Day Revive: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/the-5-day-revive Send it to a friend, do it together, and use it as a reset for your energy.

Have you ever been told your labs are "normal," but you still feel exhausted, foggy, wired, or not like yourself? I'm Dr. Jenny, one of the docs on the team with Dr. Beth Westie. In this episode of The Female Health Solution Podcast, I share my clinical perspective after working with hundreds of women inside Dr. Beth Westie's practice. We dive into why normal blood work doesn't always mean your hormones are functioning well and how deeper testing helps us uncover what's really happening behind the scenes. I also show the difference between blood work and the DUTCH Test, why cortisol patterns matter more than a single lab value, and how estrogen, progesterone, stress hormones, and nutrient depletion can drive symptoms long before anything shows up as "abnormal." If you're tired of being told everything looks fine while your body says otherwise, this episode will help you understand where answers are often hiding and what to do next. To learn more about getting real clarity and support, explore The Hormone Foundation Program here: https://drbethwestie.com/hormone-foundations-program/ Join before Jan 30 for a free Jumpstart Tincture bundle ($250 value)

If you are exhausted all the time and can't figure out why, this episode is for you. Today I'm breaking down the real truth about adrenal health, cortisol, and fatigue, and why so many women feel stuck, dismissed, or confused when it comes to their energy. Fatigue is not one thing. It is not always just stress, and it is definitely not something you should be told to "just push through." One of the most frustrating things about fatigue is that so many symptoms overlap. Low energy can come from nutrient deficiencies, blood sugar instability, thyroid dysfunction, estrogen or progesterone imbalance, adrenal dysfunction, or cortisol issues. This is why guessing rarely works. When women ask me: Why do I feel like this? Are my adrenals burned out? Is my cortisol too high or too low? Why does nothing I try actually fix this? The answer is not a guess. The answer is data. This is one of the reasons I love the DUTCH test so much. It shows us what your body is actually doing with cortisol, not just a single snapshot in time. I recently reviewed a DUTCH test for a woman whose main concern was low libido. She had tried every testosterone supplement out there and even changed her workouts to boost hormones. Her testosterone looked great. The real issue was her cortisol and adrenal function. This is incredibly common. Cortisol issues can shut down libido, energy, motivation, sleep, and even weight regulation, especially in women. High Cortisol vs Poor Cortisol Clearance Sometimes fatigue comes from producing too much cortisol. Other times, it comes from the body being unable to clear cortisol effectively. The DUTCH test shows us both. Elevated cortisol production can look like feeling wired but tired, anxious, inflamed, unable to sleep, or constantly on edge. Poor cortisol clearance can lead to puffiness, brain fog, inflammation, weight gain, hair loss, and a sense that stress just keeps piling up. These require different strategies, and this is where personalized care matters. Why Lifestyle Has to Be Part of Healing If someone is helping you with hormones but never asks about your sleep, stress, digestion, or daily life, you are not getting full care. Sometimes healing looks like: Supporting cortisol regulation with adaptogens and targeted herbs Improving protein and mineral intake Fixing sleep timing and consistency Supporting liver, gut, lymphatic, and kidney clearance Learning how to stop living in constant survival mode And sometimes the most powerful changes are surprisingly simple, but only once you know exactly what your body needs. How We Actually Fix This Once we know what's going on, the next question is always: "Okay, what do I do about it?" This is exactly what we do inside The Hormone Foundations Program. This is a six-month, one-on-one program where we: Run a DUTCH test at the beginning Create a fully personalized plan based on your results Adjust support as your body changes Address adrenal function, cortisol production, and clearance Re-test at the end so we can compare and confirm progress There is no cookie-cutter timeline. We focus on what your body needs, not what a generic schedule says you should work on. This is our most popular program for a reason. It gives you answers, a plan, and support every step of the way. Join the Hormone Foundations Program: https://drbethwestie.com/hormone-foundations-program/ Not sure? Book a Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

The wired-but-tired feeling is incredibly common, especially for women, and it's one of the most frustrating places to be. You want energy during the day. You want sleep at night. But instead, it feels like your body is doing the exact opposite of what it should. In this episode, I'm breaking down what's actually happening behind the scenes when you feel wired but tired and why pushing harder, drinking more coffee, or just "trying to relax" usually makes things worse. When I see this pattern, it almost always points back to dysfunction in the HPA axis, which controls your adrenal function and cortisol output. A lot of women call this adrenal fatigue or adrenal insufficiency. Here's the key thing most people miss: You can feel exhausted and overstimulated at the same time. This often happens when: Your adrenal output is low, so you don't have sustained energy Your free cortisol is elevated, because life is stressful and you're constantly in reaction mode You're running on adrenaline instead of real energy That's why you may feel okay only when there's a fire to put out, then crash hard afterward. Cortisol can be measured through saliva or urine, but a single snapshot doesn't tell the whole story. This is where DUTCH testing is so powerful: It shows free cortisol across the entire day, not just one moment It shows metabolized cortisol, which saliva testing cannot measure It reveals whether your body is producing cortisol, using it properly, or struggling to keep up What I see over and over again with wired-but-tired women is low adrenal function paired with high free cortisol. You're stressed, busy, and carrying a lot, but your system no longer has the reserves to support it. This pattern doesn't just affect energy. It can disrupt: Sleep cycles and nighttime rest Hormone regulation Muscle recovery and rebuilding Immune function Mood, focus, and motivation This is why advice like "just eat healthier," "go to yoga," or "push through it" doesn't work. Those approaches don't address the root issue. The first step is understanding what your body is actually doing. That's why I rely so heavily on DUTCH testing. It gives us a clear roadmap instead of guessing. From there, we can build the right plan for you, whether that means: Supporting protein and mineral intake Repairing sleep and circadian rhythms Addressing stress physiology in a way your body can actually respond to Rebuilding adrenal resilience instead of draining it further If you're stuck in that Groundhog Day cycle of exhaustion and overstimulation, this is your sign to stop guessing and start testing. Click the link below to learn more about the DUTCH test: https://drbethwestie.com/dutch-hormone-testing/

Have you ever noticed that your energy is not consistent throughout the month? Some weeks you feel sharp, motivated, and on top of everything, and other weeks you feel exhausted, anxious, foggy, or completely wiped out. That is not random. That is hormones. In this episode, I walk you through how estrogen and progesterone impact your energy across your entire cycle and why understanding this changes everything. Once you see it, you cannot unsee it. I break down what a typical 28 day cycle looks like and what your hormones are supposed to be doing at each phase. What we cover in this episode: • Why estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest during your period and why testosterone is actually the dominant hormone at that time • How rising estrogen after your period fuels motivation, focus, productivity, and natural energy • Why ovulation is often your peak energy, creativity, and confidence window when hormones are balanced • What progesterone is supposed to do after ovulation and why it should feel calming, grounding, and supportive • Why needing more rest, calories, and recovery in the second half of your cycle is normal • How basal body temperature changes after ovulation and what that tells us about progesterone • The difference between your ovulation window and your fertile window • Why energy crashes, anxiety, irritability, or feeling wired but exhausted are signs something is off • What estrogen dominance and progesterone deficiency actually look like in real life • Why irregular cycles and unpredictable energy are not something you just have to live with I also explain the high hormone phase after ovulation and why this is the most important time to test hormones. This is when both estrogen and progesterone are present and your body has to process them properly. If you feel great one week and terrible the rest of the month, if PMS is intense, if ovulation feels painful or exhausting, or if your energy never feels predictable, those are all signs your hormones are not being produced or processed the way they should be. This is where hormone testing matters. Why I use DUTCH hormone testing: A DUTCH test allows us to see: • How much estrogen and progesterone you are actually producing • Whether you are ovulating and producing progesterone consistently • How your body is metabolizing and clearing hormones • Cortisol patterns that affect energy and burnout • Androgen levels, nutrient markers, and methylation Blood work can show hormone levels at a single moment, but it does not show functional patterns or how hormones are being used and cleared. DUTCH testing gives us the full picture. I share a real example of a woman who had done everything right. Clean eating, less caffeine, better sleep, no sugar, no alcohol, and still had terrible energy. Her DUTCH test showed exactly why her body could not make energy effectively. Once we saw the data, everything made sense. Numbers do not lie. Testing removes the guessing. Your energy should ebb and flow with your cycle, but it should still be manageable. Your hormones should not hold you back from living your life, working toward your goals, or feeling like yourself. If your hormones are interfering with your quality of life, it's time to test.  Get your hormone test: https://drbethwestie.com/dutch-hormone-testing/