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811. A Sustainable Approach to Women's Health with Ashley Fillmore09 Nov 202600:44:17

What does it take to create lasting health and fitness changes—especially when life feels overwhelming? In this episode, Dr. Beth Westie sits down with Ashley Fillmore to discuss why a strategic, sustainable approach matters more than quick fixes.

Together, they explore the bigger picture of metabolic health, the pressure of diet culture, and the guilt that can arise when progress doesn't match expectations. Their conversation emphasizes patience, self-compassion, and realistic timelines, with a reminder that your approach to health needs to account for the season of life you're in!

In This Episode
  • Why more health information doesn't always make it easier to know what to do.
  • The role of outside guidance and self-compassion in navigating health challenges.
  • How high expectations, guilt, and shame can contribute to burnout.
  • Why sustainable change requires realistic planning—not promises of instant transformation.
  • The value of returning to the basics and building consistency.
  • How listening to your body and adjusting your lifestyle and mindset can support long-term health.

 

All bout Ashley!

Ashley Fillmore is a leading expert in sustainable weight-loss. She helps women heal their metabolism, balance their hormones, and achieve body-composition changes that last a lifetime. Ashley has a BSc in Exercise and Nutrition and is a certified personal trainer, professional nutrition coach, and health educator with nearly twenty years of experience! Ashley is the host of the top-rated podcast, Cheers to Your Success! She is the founder and president of Metabolic Fix™ – a premium online coaching company that has helped thousands of women finally break free from chronic dieting and achieve long-term, sustainable results using the Metabolic Fix Method™. She is deeply committed to helping women better their lives, and strives to inspire others to embrace the life of health, happiness, and self-love they deserve.

Episode Timestamps

00:00 — Introduction and guest background
Meet Ashley Fillmore and learn about her work helping women pursue sustainable health and body-composition changes.

01:02 — The influence of health knowledge on self-help
How health knowledge shapes the way women approach their own wellness.

01:44 — Ashley's experience in health and hormonal focus
Ashley shares her background and her focus on metabolism and hormonal health.

03:06 — The bigger picture of metabolic health
Looking beyond weight loss to consider a broader approach to health.

04:00 — Information overwhelm and high-achieving women
The challenges of navigating abundant health advice while holding yourself to high standards.

05:14 — Outside guidance and self-compassion
Why support and a kinder approach to yourself can make a difference.

06:12 — Diet culture and high standards
How diet culture can influence expectations around bodies, health, and progress.

07:10 — Guilt and shame around health struggles
A discussion of the emotional weight that can accompany health challenges.

09:08 — Common mistakes: lack of self-grace and burnout
Why pushing harder without allowing yourself grace can become unsustainable.

10:14 — Life stressors and seasons of life
How changing responsibilities and stress levels affect your capacity for health and fitness goals.

16:18 — Unrealistic transformation timelines
Examining expectations about how quickly meaningful change should happen.

18:57 — Patience and realistic planning
The importance of creating a plan that allows time for sustainable progress.

22:15 — The myth of instant transformation
Why lasting results require a different approach from quick-fix promises.

23:32 — Basics and consistency
The value of foundational habits and showing up consistently over time.

33:06 — Body size, health, and authenticity
Exploring the relationship between body size, personal health, and being true to yourself.

34:20 — Listening to your body and managing food noise
A conversation about tuning into your body and navigating persistent thoughts about food.

39:13 — Lifestyle and mindset changes
How everyday choices and your approach to health can support long-term well-being.

40:16 — Where to find Ashley and final thoughts
Learn where to connect with Ashley and hear the conversation's closing reflections.

 

Schedule a free strategy call here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

 

810. Post-Birth Control Syndrome: Why Your Period Disappeared and How to Get It Back02 Nov 202600:26:38
Understanding Your Body After Birth Control

What every woman should know about hormonal changes post-pill.

What happens when you stop hormonal birth control—and why doesn't your body always return to its usual rhythm right away? Dr. Beth Westie explores the transition off birth control, including missing periods, weight changes, mood swings, and the return of ovulation.

Dr. Westie explains how hormonal birth control alters your natural cycle and discusses the role of communication between the brain and ovaries—the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis—in restoring cycle function. Drawing on personal experience and a fertility case study, she explores how stress, nutrient availability, gut health, and underlying hormonal issues may affect this transition.

The episode also covers cycle tracking, testing, and personalized support to help you better understand your symptoms and identify next steps. Every woman's experience is different, and understanding your body's needs is an important part of moving forward.

Episode Timestamps
  • 00:24 — Introduction to the hormonal impacts of birth control
  • 00:52 — Common symptoms after stopping birth control
  • 01:19 — Why Dr. Westie describes birth control as replacing—not regulating—your cycle
  • 02:14 — The physiological cascade associated with hormonal birth control
  • 04:33 — Dr. Westie's personal experience as an athlete
  • 07:18 — Why your natural cycle may take time to resume
  • 08:14 — Understanding communication between the brain and ovaries
  • 09:33 — How stress and lifestyle can affect ovulation
  • 11:23 — A case study on nutrient restriction and fertility
  • 14:06 — Potential nutrient depletion associated with birth control
  • 15:29 — Gut health and estrogen metabolism
  • 17:50 — How interconnected body systems influence hormonal health
  • 18:49 — The importance of testing and personalized assessment
  • 19:16 — Supporting the nutrients needed for hormonal health
  • 20:43 — Managing stress and lifestyle factors
  • 21:39 — Monitoring your cycle and symptoms
  • 23:03 — Using the hormone cascade map to understand your health
  • 24:02 — Taking action and next steps for hormonal recovery
Further Reading
  • Beyond the Pill
  • Your Brain on Birth Control

For questions or personalized support, book a free strategy call with Dr. Westie's team: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

809. Ferritin & Hair Loss: What Women Over 40 Should Know26 Oct 202600:31:35

In this episode, I dig into one of the most overlooked pieces of the women's health puzzle: ferritin. If you've been struggling with hair loss, stubborn fatigue, or that feeling of running on empty no matter how much you sleep, your iron reserves may be at the heart of it. I explain why standard iron testing so often misses the real story, how ferritin acts as your body's savings account for iron, and why hair loss is frequently one of the earliest warning signs that something is off beneath the surface.

I also walk through the factors that quietly deplete your reserves, from heavy periods and gut absorption issues to inflammation that can artificially mask a deficiency. Most importantly, I share what real recovery looks like, including why patience and a personalized, root-cause approach matter so much when you're rebuilding your iron stores.

If this episode resonates with you and you're ready to stop guessing about what your body needs, I'd love to help you get clarity. You can book a free strategy call with our team to talk through your symptoms and explore whether comprehensive testing and a personalized plan are the right next step for you. Sometimes the fastest way forward is simply having someone help you connect the dots.

Free Ferritin PDF Download: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/the-ferritin-pdf-download

Grab a time here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

Chapters
  • 00:00 — Introduction to hair loss and the importance of ferritin
  • 02:11 — Common misconceptions about iron testing
  • 04:11 — Ferritin as a reserve, not just circulating iron
  • 06:21 — Ferritin as an early warning sign
  • 08:46 — Why hair loss occurs before other symptoms
  • 09:40 — The importance of comprehensive testing
  • 11:16 — Diffuse shedding vs. patchy hair loss
  • 12:16 — Regrowth delays and the need for patience
  • 13:13 — Timing and long-term recovery
  • 14:14 — Challenges with supplements and absorption
  • 16:36 — Timeline for ferritin and hair recovery
  • 17:50 — Factors affecting iron absorption
  • 18:47 — Heavy periods and iron loss
  • 19:30 — A holistic approach to iron and health
  • 20:16 — Inflammation and ferritin levels
  • 22:40 — The importance of full iron panel testing
  • 23:39 — Next steps for personalized treatment
  • 26:18 — Long-term results and patience
  • 27:14 — Empowering women to take control of their health
  • 28:05 — Final thoughts and encouragement

 

Ready to get to the root of your symptoms? Book your free strategy call today and let's build a plan that's tailored to you: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

 
808. Chronic Fatigue vs Burnout: What's the Difference?19 Oct 202600:40:28

Are you exhausted no matter how much you rest? In this episode, Dr. Beth Westie breaks down the critical differences between burnout and chronic fatigue—two conditions that are often confused but require very different approaches to heal.

Dr. Westie explains how to identify the root causes of your exhaustion, why proper testing is non-negotiable for an accurate diagnosis, and how personalized treatment makes all the difference. Through real-life examples and practical advice, she helps women finally understand why they feel the way they do—and what to actually do about it.

If you've been told your labs are "normal" while you continue to run on empty, this episode is for you.

👉 Ready to get to the root of your fatigue? Book a free strategy call with Dr. Beth's team here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

Chapters & Timestamps Time Topic 00:00 Introduction to burnout and chronic fatigue 02:13 External vs. internal causes of fatigue 03:49 Signs of burnout and when it responds to circumstances 05:58 Deep physiological causes of chronic fatigue 07:54 The cultural mindset and pushing through exhaustion 09:59 The importance of proper testing and diagnosis 11:52 Case study: burnout in a healthcare worker 14:02 Persistent fatigue despite rest and lifestyle changes 15:58 Lab tests for thyroid, adrenal, and nutrient levels 18:03 Treatment approaches for burnout vs. chronic fatigue 20:07 The significance of personalized treatment plans 21:52 Real-life success stories and transformations 23:54 The importance of addressing physiological drivers 25:49 The dangers of ignoring physical symptoms 28:06 Dr. Beth's personal postpartum experience with thyroid issues 30:11 Final thoughts and call to action Key Takeaways

Burnout often responds to changes in your circumstances—reduced stress, rest, and recovery can move the needle. Chronic fatigue persists despite rest and lifestyle changes, because it's driven by underlying physiological issues like thyroid dysfunction, adrenal dysregulation, blood sugar imbalances, and gut health.

The only way to know which one you're dealing with? Proper, comprehensive testing—not a single marker and a "you're fine."

Recommended Lab Testing Mentioned
  • Thyroid panel (beyond just TSH)
  • Adrenal / cortisol function
  • Blood sugar markers
  • Nutrient levels
  • Gut health assessment
Resources & Next Steps

Still feeling exhausted and not sure where to start? You don't have to figure this out alone.

Schedule your FREE strategy call with Dr. Beth Westie's team to uncover the root of your fatigue and build a personalized plan to restore your energy:

🔗 https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

No pressure, no obligation—just clarity about whether this is the right next step for you.

Connect

Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast so more women can find the answers they've been searching for. Share this episode with a friend who's been running on empty!

Disclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace advice from a licensed medical professional. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding your individual health needs.

807. Why Your "Normal" Labs Are Keeping You Stuck in Perimenopause13 Oct 202600:35:04

Dr. Beth Westie, women's health and hormone expert, tackles one of the most frustrating experiences women face in their late 30s, 40s, and 50s: being told their labs are "normal" while their body feels anything but. In this episode, she explores why standard blood work often misses the bigger picture—and why "normal" and "optimal" are not the same thing.

Dr. Beth breaks down how conventional reference ranges are built, why even many functional practitioners don't get women all the way to feeling better, and why the order in which the body's systems are addressed can make or break your results. Along the way, she shares a few real case examples and a personal story that illustrates just how broken the current testing system can be.

If you've cycled through practitioners, protocols, and supplements and you're still not yourself, this conversation offers a new way to think about what's really going on!

Dr. Beth also invites listeners to go deeper in her free live workshop, the Complete Hormone Reset Masterclass, where she walks through her full framework, key pillars, real cases, and the specific markers worth running.

Register for the workshop here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/the-hormone-reset-workshop

806. Functional Lab Testing for Women: What Bloodwork Misses05 Oct 202600:37:52

In this episode, I talk about why functional lab testing can be such an important tool for women who feel like something is "off," even when their standard blood work comes back normal.

So many women are told their labs look fine, but they still feel exhausted, anxious, inflamed, foggy, hormonally imbalanced, or just not like themselves. I share why basic labs often miss the deeper issues and how comprehensive testing can help uncover what is really going on beneath the surface.

I also walk through real-life examples of women who struggled for years without answers and how functional labs helped reveal patterns related to hormones, cortisol, blood sugar, thyroid, gut health, inflammation, and adrenal function. My goal is to help women understand that "normal" does not always mean optimal, and that proactive testing can provide the missing puzzle pieces needed to create a more personalized plan.

This episode is all about empowering women to stop guessing, start asking better questions, and use deeper diagnostics to take control of their health!

If you're ready to stop guessing and start testing, we would love to connect with you and point you in the rght direction! Schedule a free strategy call with on our team members here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

 

Chapter Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction to Women's Hidden Health Challenges
01:52 Limitations of Basic Blood Tests for Women
04:10 Case Study: A Woman's Five-Year Struggle
07:10 The Dutch Test and Hormone Metabolites
09:06 Blood Sugar, Cortisol, and Adrenal Function
10:54 The Power of Functional Lab Testing
13:00 Real-Life Example: Brown Recluse Spider Bite
14:50 Thyroid and Autoimmune Testing
17:11 Early Detection and Proactive Health Strategies
18:55 The Impact of Lifestyle and Genetics
20:49 Why Women Tolerate Poor Health for Years
23:08 Transforming Health with Proper Testing
25:11 The Value of Retesting and Monitoring
27:02 Empowering Women to Take Control of Their Health
28:58 Next Steps: How to Get Started

 

#womenshealth
#functionallabtesting
#hormonebalance
#bloodsugar
#adrenalhealth
#thyroid
#guthealth
#proactivewellness
#menopause
#healthoptimization

805. Low Progesterone and Anxiety in Women Over 4028 Sep 202600:32:18

You used to be the calm one. Your rule was simple: if it will not matter in five years, it does not get more than five minutes of your energy. Now there is a low hum of anxiety that never shuts off, and someone closes a cupboard and you snap. In this episode I explain the connection between low progesterone and that on-edge feeling so many women hit in their 40s, and why it is a hormonal shift, not a personality flaw.

This one hits close to home for me. I get into how progesterone acts as your brain's brake pedal, why it drops first in perimenopause while estrogen keeps going strong, and why you can still have a regular period and not ovulate. I also break down how this is different from PMDD, and why guessing at your cortisol from a Google search can send you the wrong way.

If you are tired of being told to just relax more, that is your signal to look at what your hormones are actually doing. When you are ready to test instead of guess, book a call with my team.
👉 Schedule your discovery call here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call
👉 Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

804. Hypothyroidism in Women: Why You're Still Tired21 Sep 202600:38:05

Have you ever been so bone tired that you thought something has to be wrong, only to be told you are just getting older? You are freezing when everyone else is comfortable, your hair is thinning, and the scale keeps creeping up no matter how little you eat or how hard you push yourself. In this episode I explain why this may be your thyroid, why a single TSH test can miss the problem entirely, and why so many women get told their labs are "normal" when they are nowhere near optimal.

This one is personal for me. My thyroid crashed after I had my first baby, and I went from training as a college athlete to not being able to carry my son's car seat across a parking lot, all while people kept telling me how great I looked. I spent about six years on thyroid medication, I live with Hashimoto's, and I still have to order and pay for my own thyroid labs because my clinic would not rerun the numbers I have tracked for years. I walk through the full panel I actually look at, why TSH is only the message from your brain and not what your thyroid is doing, and why your T4 has to convert to active T3 before you feel any difference. I also share a client who was 0.2 away from being put on thyroid medication and brought her numbers down without a single thyroid supplement, because we worked on her gut, cortisol, and inflammation instead.

If you have been told your thyroid is fine but you know something is off, that is your signal to look deeper than one number. When you are ready to get the full panel run and find out what is actually driving how you feel, book a call with my team.
👉 Schedule your discovery call here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call
👉 Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

803. Estrogen and Gut Health: Bloating in Perimenopause14 Sep 202600:30:14

In this episode I explain why your gut and your hormones are in constant two-way communication, how shifting estrogen in perimenopause slows your digestion and drives that afternoon bloat, and why the probiotics and elimination diets you have been trying may be targeting the wrong thing.

Gut issues are not something I talk about from the outside. I live with a sensitive stomach and celiac myself, so I know how frustrating it is to do everything right and still feel awful. I get into how estrogen shapes the bacteria in your gut, how your gut in turn decides how much estrogen stays in your body, and why that feedback loop can leave you puffy, gassy, and suddenly reacting to foods like eggs and salads that never used to bother you.

If you are tired of guessing your way through probiotics and powders that never quite work, join me for my FREE gut workshop on Sunday, September 20th at 7PM Central. I will go deeper into the estrogen and gut connection, what to actually test, and simple shifts you can start this week. If you cannot make it live, register anyway and I will send you the replay. Sign up using the link in the show notes.

👉 Register for the free gut workshop here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/the-bloat-workshop
👉 Schedule your discovery call here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

802. PMDD in Your 40s: Luteal Phase Anxiety Explained07 Sep 202600:28:50

For two weeks a month you feel steady, capable, and grounded, and then somewhere around day 17 a switch flips. A wave of anxiety rolls in that you cannot shake. By day 20 it is a low sense of dread, like a thundercloud parked over you that was not there before. By day 25 your husband slams a cupboard the way he always does, and instead of a mild eye roll you go from zero to a thousand. Then your period starts, the cloud lifts, and you feel like yourself again, until the next month does the exact same thing. In this episode I explain why this pattern repeats, the real difference between PMS and PMDD, and why the luteal phase that is supposed to calm you down can end up doing the opposite.

I get honest about why "it's just your hormones" is dismissive and wrong, how progesterone is meant to switch on the calming system in your brain, and why that same system can backfire and leave you feeling the opposite of calm, especially as your hormones get more erratic in your 40s.

If your symptoms are timed to your cycle and getting worse year over year, that is your signal that there is a whole system underneath that needs support, not a personality flaw and not something to ride out. When you are ready to find out what is actually driving it and get a step-by-step roadmap built from your own labs, book a free call with my team.
👉 Schedule your free call here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call
👉 Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

801. Histamine Intolerance in Women: Bloating and Hormones31 Aug 202600:30:18

You have eaten the same yogurt bowl every morning for months. Then, one random Tuesday you eat it again, same bowl, same time, and suddenly you're painfully bloated, your face is flushed, your head is pounding, and a wave of anxiety hits. So, you start a food journal. You cut the berries, then the yogurt, then the coffee, and nothing changes. In this episode I explain why this can be a histamine response, and why estrogen and histamine feed off each other in a loop almost no one talks about.

This one is personal for me because I live with it. I get into my own history, from being told for years that I was not allergic to anything to reacting so badly to a single mosquito bite that I wake up scratching in the middle of the night. I also cover why a food sensitivity test is not always the right first step, and the simple daily habit I use to help my body clear histamine out.

If you are tired of going from specialist to specialist without anyone connecting the dots, grab my FREE Hormone Cascade Map in the show notes to see how it all links together. And when you are ready to find out whether estrogen is driving your histamine, book a call with my team.
👉 Schedule your discovery call here: Discovery Call
👉 Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here: Hormone Cascade Map

800. Perimenopause and Cortisol: The 3 AM Wake-Up Explained24 Aug 202600:37:05

It's 3AM and you are wide awake, more alert than you have felt all day, your brain racing through tomorrow's to-do list while you count how many minutes of sleep you might still get. In this episode I explain why so many women snap awake in the middle of the night, and why it often traces back to your cortisol rhythm, your melatonin, and the way progesterone and estrogen shift in perimenopause.

If you are tired of running in circles and want to understand what your body actually needs, grab my FREE Hormone Cascade Map in the show notes to see how your hormones all connect. And when you are ready for the next step, book a call with my team to talk through where you are at and how to get your system working better for you.
Schedule your discovery call here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call
Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

799. Insulin Resistance in Women Over 40: Why Weight Won't Budge17 Aug 202600:40:02

Have you been doing everything right, cutting out the sugar, never missing a workout, counting every calorie, and still watching the scale creep up while your energy and sleep get worse? In this episode, I'm explaining why "eat less, move more" can backfire once your hormones shift in perimenopause and menopause, and what insulin resistance may have to do with the weight that feels stuck around your midsection.

If you're tired of being told to just eat less and you're ready to test the right things, book a call with my team to talk through what you've tried, what hasn't worked, and the best next step for your body. And don't forget to grab my FREE Metabolic Testing Guide in the show notes, where I list the exact labs to start with.

Books I mention in this episode (I'm not affiliated with any of these authors, I just love the information):
📚 Doing Harm by Maya Dusenbery
📚 Pain and Prejudice by Gabrielle Jackson
📚 Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez

👉 Schedule a call with my team here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call
👉 Download your FREE Metabolic Testing Guide here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kYdj9pqO6e9VX9nvXDnL2WxaTkVtBWZO/view?usp=sharing

798. Low Ferritin: The Iron Problem Standard Labs Miss10 Aug 202600:46:31

When you're exhausted, foggy, losing hair, and feeling like something is off, it's easy to hear "your labs are fine" and start doubting yourself. In this episode, I'm walking you through the iron deficiency signs that so often get missed, like chewing ice, restless legs, and air hunger, and why a normal hemoglobin does not always mean your iron is actually fine.

I'm also getting honest about my own years of being iron deficient, the wild clinical story that changed how I think about absorption, and why simply taking more iron may not move the needle if something deeper is going on.

If you're ready to stop guessing and finally understand what your labs are telling you, join me for my FREE Ferritin Workshop on Tuesday, August 18th at 7PM Central. I'll go deeper into testing, thyroid, and gut absorption, and answer your questions live. Can't make it live? Register anyway and I'll send you the replay. Zero commitment, completely free.
👉 Register for the free Ferritin Workshop here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/the-ferritin-workshop

👉 Schedule your discovery call here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

👉 Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

797. What 1,000 Women's Labs Taught Me About Why You're Always Tired03 Aug 202600:21:43

I've read over a thousand labs from women who were told they were "fine"—their numbers looked great, yet they were completely exhausted. The problem? The tests that actually explain chronic fatigue usually aren't the ones being run at your doctor's office.

In this episode, I'm sharing the five patterns I see behind exhaustion again and again, the exact labs to test for, and the order I typically see them show up in—from ferritin and thyroid to blood sugar, cortisol, and B12.

If you're tired of guessing and want to finally patch the right holes in the right order, head to the show notes to grab my free guide or click the link to schedule a call with my team.

 

👉 https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

👉 Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

 
796. If I Had One Month to Get Your Sleep Back, Here's the Exact Order I'd Fix It27 Jul 202600:21:18

If I had just 30 days to fix your sleep, I wouldn't hand you a melatonin or tell you to meditate harder. Perimenopause sleep doesn't break in one place—it breaks in a sequence, and that 2 a.m. wide-awake jolt, the racing mind, the 4 a.m. ceiling-staring are each a different mechanism.

In this episode, I'm walking you through the exact order I'd fix it in—what I'd address first, second, and third, and why doing it in the right sequence makes all the difference, especially if nothing has worked for you before.

If you're tired of throwing things at the wall and hoping something sticks, go to the show notes and click the link to schedule a call with my team. You don't have to stay stuck!

 

👉 https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

👉 Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

795. The Order I Fix Things In When a Woman Has Everything Going Wrong at Once23 Jul 202600:41:07

When you're tired, bloated, anxious, losing hair, and gaining weight all at once, it's easy to feel paralyzed—where do you even start? In this episode, I'm walking you through the order I actually fix things in when a woman has everything going wrong at the same time, and why sequence matters so much more than most people realize.

I'm also getting honest about my own postpartum health crisis, the questions that changed everything for me, and the surprising ways your health can impact even your marriage.

If you're ready to stop guessing and finally target the right things in the right order, click the link to schedule a call with my team and take that first step! 

👉 https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

👉 Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

794. Replay: All About Estrogen & Progesterone15 Jul 202600:14:59

In this episode, we are diving into the importance of my two favorite hormones: Estrogen and Progesterone. 

I go over the role each of these hormones place in the female body, what it can look (and feel) like when there is an imbalance, and what we can do to fix it!

Ready to get answers? Schedule a free discovery call with one of my team members to get personalized next steps:

👉 https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

👉 Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

793. REPLAY: How To Improve Your Cortisol Response08 Jul 202600:13:03

Cortisol is the body's main stress hormone and often overlooked, yet so important for hormone balance and physical results. You can be eating the perfect diet and struggle to see results simply because your cortisol response is off.

This episode covers a number of things to look out for if you are under stress and signals that your cortisol response needs some help!

Ready to get hands on guidance and figure out the right next steps for YOU? Schedule a free strategy call with one of our team members:

👉 https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

 

👉 Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

792. Three Numbers That Tell Me More Than Your Doctor's Entire Thyroid Workup29 Jun 202600:28:47

In this episode, I dig into one of the most frustrating things I see women struggle with: being told their thyroid is "fine" based on a single number, while they're still dealing with fatigue, weight gain, hair thinning, brain fog, and feeling cold all the time.

Here's what I want you to take away:

TSH isn't a full thyroid test. It's just a signal from your brain to your thyroid—not a measurement of what your body is actually producing or whether your cells can use it. The "normal" range is so wide you could drive a Mack truck through it. Normal doesn't mean optimal.

The numbers I actually look at:

  • Free T3 – the active hormone your cells actually use. It's the one that matters most and almost never gets tested. You can have plenty of T4 (the storage form) and still feel awful if you're not converting it.
  • Reverse T3 – I think of this as the brake pedal that stress slams on. It's a mirror-image molecule (like your left hand vs. your right) that parks in your receptors and blocks the active hormone from getting in. Chronic stress, low iron, illness, crash dieting, and inflammation all push your body to make more of it.
  • TPO and TG antibodies – these can rise 7 to 10 years before your TSH ever moves. Catching Hashimoto's early gives you a window to address the root drivers.

It's never just one thing. Your thyroid gets ambushed—inflammation, stress, nutrient deficiencies, gut issues—all stacked and compounded over time. This is especially true in perimenopause, when rising cortisol, falling ferritin from heavy periods, and lower stomach acid all converge. That's why so many women hit a thyroid crash in their 40s.

A real story from my own life: I went in for a checkup and asked to have my antibodies retested (I have a history of Hashimoto's). My doctor physically couldn't add the lab to my file because the system only allows it once—even though my previous result was out of range. This isn't about one bad doctor; the system isn't built to support you. I now have to order my own labs through an outside lab.

What your body needs to convert T4 to T3: selenium, zinc, iron, and a calm nervous system. These nutrients are commonly depleted in women, especially with a history of oral birth control. And food is the most bioavailable source—so variety matters. Eating the same meal-prepped chicken and broccoli every week can leave you deficient.

A word on supplements: more isn't better. I recently had to remove several supplements from a client's routine because they were overloading her with B vitamins and depleting her minerals. Expensive and fancy doesn't mean right for your body.

My bottom line: You have to be the driver of your own health. Look back through your old labs right now and check whether your antibodies and Free T3 have ever been tested. If you've been struggling for six months or more, take action. Your body has an incredible ability to heal when we test properly, look at the whole picture, and give it the right things at the right time.

If you need help figuring out your next steps, the link to schedule a strategy call with my team is in the show notes. You're not too far gone—you're closer now than you were before you knew this!

👉 https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

👉 Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

791. Case Study Episode: Three Women, Three Cascades, Three Results22 Jun 202600:30:47

In this episode of the Female Health Solution podcast, I'm doing something a little different. Instead of walking through the science, I'm sharing the real stories of three women I've worked with recently—each doing all the "right" things, yet feeling stuck, dismissed, and frustrated. If you've ever been told your labs are "fine" while you know something is off, these stories are for you. You're not crazy, and you're not too far gone.

Case #1: The 44-Year-Old ER Doctor
She was wired but exhausted, running on caffeine and adrenaline through brutal shifts, and couldn't sleep without a pill. A one-off cortisol test came back "perfect," but it never mapped her full circadian rhythm. When we ran proper testing, we found chronically elevated cortisol and blood sugar instability driving her sleep issues. With targeted support (Chinese herbs, blood sugar regulation, and adequate protein—just 4 to 5 supplements, not 20), she was sleeping deeply without a pill within three months, dreaming again, and sharper at work.

Case #2: The 51-Year-Old CEO
She had meals prepped, a trainer, total accountability—and still couldn't budge the tire around her belly. She assumed it was menopause, but it was really insulin resistance (a "normal" glucose of 98, with fasted insulin never tested) layered on a completely flat cortisol curve. She was also severely under-eating for her stress and output. I had her eat significantly more, which terrified her—yet she lost three pounds in the first six weeks as her body finally started functioning instead of just surviving.

Case #3: The 37-Year-Old Mom of Three
She told me she didn't recognize herself anymore—snapping at her kids, feeling like a "rage monster," then drowning in guilt. This wasn't a character flaw or bad mindset; it was physiology. Her inverted cortisol curve was tanking her progesterone (which fuels the calming GABA receptors), and her liver wasn't processing well—where anger and irritability literally get held. Within the first month of supporting her liver and reversing that cortisol pattern, her mood transformed. My favorite win? She started listening to her old-school Taylor Swift again and became the fun mom she'd always wanted to be.

The Common Thread
All three women were right that something was wrong—and all three needed the right testing in the right order to fix it. You can't out-supplement a liver processing issue or out-train insulin resistance. When we identify what's actually happening and do things in the correct sequence, everything changes.

If you saw yourself in any of these stories, head to the show notes and download my Hormone Cascade Map so you can start doing the right things at the right time. And if you're sick and tired of feeling stuck and being dismissed, click the link to schedule a strategy call with my team. We'll look at what you've tried, run the in-depth functional testing you actually need, and build a customized plan to get you real results. You deserve answers—let's get them.

 👉 https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

👉 Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

790. The HPA Axis and Why "Adrenal Fatigue" Is NOT a Diagnosis17 Jun 202600:38:45

In this episode, I'm tackling one of the most misunderstood topics in women's health: adrenal fatigue. While the term "adrenal fatigue" isn't technically accurate, the symptoms women experience are very real. What's actually happening is something called HPA axis dysfunction, a breakdown in the communication between the brain and adrenal glands that impacts energy, hormones, metabolism, sleep, and overall health.

I explain what the HPA axis is, why chronic stress changes how your body responds to cortisol, and how major life events can push your system into dysfunction even when you're doing all the "right" things. We also dive into the three major stressors that affect the body: traumas, toxins, and thoughts.

If you've been feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, stuck, or like your body just isn't responding the way it used to, this episode will help you understand what's really happening beneath the surface.

If you're ready to stop guessing and get personalized guidance, schedule a free Strategy Call with my team. We'll review your symptoms, discuss your health goals, and help you identify the best next steps for your body.

Schedule your Strategy Call here:
https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

789. The Real Science on Insulin Resistance in Perimenopause08 Jun 202600:36:15

If you're struggling with stubborn weight gain, afternoon energy crashes, 3 a.m. wakeups, sugar cravings, brain fog, mood swings, or hot flashes, insulin resistance may be a bigger factor than you realize. In this episode, I break down why insulin resistance is not just a pre-diabetes issue and how it can quietly impact your hormones for years before it shows up on standard lab work.

In this episode, I cover:

• Why insulin resistance can explain or worsen many common perimenopause symptoms
• The connection between estrogen decline and blood sugar regulation
• How muscle mass directly impacts insulin sensitivity and metabolism
• Why strength training is more effective than excessive cardio for metabolic health
• How cortisol and chronic stress contribute to belly weight, cravings, and sleep disruptions
• The most important lab markers to evaluate, including fasting insulin
• Why supplements alone rarely solve the problem without addressing underlying hormone imbalances
• Practical nutrition strategies to support blood sugar balance and hormone health

If this sounds like what you're experiencing, schedule a Strategy Call with my team! We'll discuss your symptoms, review your goals, and help determine the best next steps for testing and support so you can start improving your hormone health with a personalized plan.

Book your FREE Strategy Call here:

https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here:

https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

 

788. The Estrobolome...The Gut Bacteria Deciding Your Hormone Fate01 Jun 202600:35:08

In this episode, I'm diving into the estrobolome, the powerful community of gut bacteria that plays a major role in how your body processes and clears estrogen. If you've been told your hormones are "normal" but you're still struggling with heavy periods, worsening PMS, breast tenderness, bloating, mood swings, or cycles that keep getting shorter, your gut may be the missing piece.

I'm explaining:
• What the estrobolome is and how it impacts estrogen detoxification
• Why estrogen clearance matters just as much as hormone production
• The role of beta-glucuronidase and how estrogen gets recycled back into the body
• Signs your gut may be contributing to hormone imbalance
• How constipation, bloating, dysbiosis, and low motility affect hormone health
• Why GI Map and DUTCH testing can uncover issues standard labs miss
• The connection between gut health, serotonin, PMS, and PMDD
• How scar tissue, pelvic floor dysfunction, and inflammation can impact digestion and hormone symptoms

I also share a client story about how improving gut health and incorporating hands-on bodywork helped dramatically reduce digestive discomfort and hormone-related symptoms.

If you feel like you've tried everything for your hormones and nothing is fully working, it may be time to look deeper at your gut health and estrogen detox pathways.

Ready to get answers and personalized support?Click the link in the show notes to book a strategy call with my team so we can help you identify the right next steps for your body and your symptoms:

👉 https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

👉 Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

787. Why HRT Isn't Working for Your Friend — The 3 Foundations She Skipped26 May 202600:33:20

If your HRT is not working the way you expected, it does not always mean the hormones are the problem. Often, the real issue is that your body is missing key foundations needed to process and respond to those hormones effectively.

In this episode, I break down the three biggest areas I look at first: your liver detox pathways, your gut and estrobolome health, and your blood sugar and cortisol regulation.

I explain why some women start HRT and feel worse, with symptoms like increased hot flashes, night sweats, bloating, mood swings, and breast tenderness. In many cases, this happens because the body is not clearing estrogen properly, causing it to recirculate instead of leaving the system.

I also walk through the three Ps of hormones which are production, processing, and pathways. If even one of these is off, your results can suffer no matter what protocol or supplement you are using.

We also talk about how gut inflammation, histamine responses, and insulin resistance can block your body's ability to respond to hormones at the cellular level.

If this sounds familiar, download my Hormone Cascade Map to better understand what may be happening in your body: 

https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

And if you are ready for personalized guidance, book a strategy call with my team. We will help you uncover what your body needs and map out your next best steps so you can finally start feeling better:

https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

786. Why You Can't Lose Weight After 37 (It's Not Your Metabolism)18 May 202600:38:15

If you feel like your body stopped responding after 37, it is not because your metabolism suddenly "slowed down" with age.

In this episode, I break down the real reason so many women feel stuck despite eating well, exercising consistently, and doing everything "right." The truth is, your body can get trapped in a cycle involving cortisol, insulin, and estrogen that drives fat storage, inflammation, exhaustion, and frustration.

I explain how chronic stress raises cortisol, disrupts blood sugar, increases insulin resistance, and fuels estrogen imbalance, creating a loop that makes weight loss feel impossible no matter how hard you work. And if you are exhausted, inflamed, and tired of guessing what your body needs, there is a better way forward.

Book your discovery call here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

Download your Hormone Cascade Map here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

Episode 785: Root Cause Healing With Dr. Z15 May 202600:52:02

In this episode, I sat down with Dr. Brandy Zachary (Dr. Z) to talk about functional medicine, menopause, and why so many women are being dismissed when they need real answers most.

Dr. Z shares her personal health journey, from life changing illness and being declared permanently disabled to rebuilding her health through functional medicine and creating tools that now help practitioners better serve their patients.

Here's what we dive into:

  • Why so many practitioners were never taught how to truly address root cause healing
  • The biggest mistakes women make when searching for menopause solutions
  • Why there is no "one size fits all" menopause protocol
  • How hormone shifts often expose deeper underlying imbalances already happening in the body
  • Why depression and anxiety during menopause are often overlooked and dismissed
  • How bioidentical hormone support can create relief while deeper healing happens
  • The importance of personalized care instead of influencer driven health advice
  • Why women should never "just suffer through it" during this stage of life
  • How menopause can become one of the most empowering seasons of a woman's life with the right support
  • Why practitioners need better education around women's hormones

Dr. Z also shares how she is helping train providers and building tools to help end medical gaslighting so women can finally get the care they deserve.

This is an incredibly empowering conversation for women navigating hormonal changes and for providers who want to better support them.

Connect with Dr. Z:

DiganoseThis Podcast FunctionalMedicine 2.0 Podcast
https://searchfunctionalmedicine.com/ https://thedrz.com/ Clinical Core Monthly
784. Why You Can't Lose Weight After 37 (And Why Eating Less Makes It Worse)11 May 202600:37:48

If you feel like your body just isn't responding the way it used to, you're not imagining it. Most weight loss advice out there was never designed for women, especially not women navigating hormone changes in their late 30s, 40s, and beyond.

The idea that you just need to eat less and move more sounds simple, but for many women, it actually makes things worse. When your body is under constant stress, whether from under-eating, over-exercising, or life in general, it shifts into a state where it holds onto fat instead of letting it go.

A big piece of this comes down to hormones. As estrogen levels change, your body becomes less sensitive to insulin, which means it's easier to store fat even if you're eating "healthy." At the same time, muscle mass naturally declines if you're not actively working to maintain it, and that directly impacts your metabolism.

Layer in chronic stress and rising cortisol, and now your body is even more resistant to fat loss. You might notice things like stubborn belly weight, low energy, poor recovery from workouts, or waking up in the middle of the night. These are all signals that your system is under strain.

This is also why so many traditional approaches backfire. More cardio and fewer calories might have worked in your 20s, but now they can lead to muscle loss, a slower metabolism, and even more frustration. Your body isn't broken. It's just responding to a different set of internal signals.

Instead of trying to force weight loss, the focus has to shift to supporting your metabolism. That starts with getting enough protein, often more than you think you need, and focusing on strength training to rebuild and maintain muscle. Walking and lower-stress movement can also support your system without driving cortisol higher.

For many women, the real shift is understanding that you may need to build your body back up before it's ready to let weight go. That's how you create results that actually last.

If you've been doing all the right things and still feel stuck, it's likely not about trying harder. It's about getting the right support for your body specifically.

If this sounds like you, you can book a discovery call to get a clear, personalized plan for what your body actually needs:
https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

👉 Download your FREE Hormone Cascade Map here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/hormone-cascade-map

783. The Full 3am Wake-Up Protocol04 May 202600:30:37

Waking up at 3 a.m. is one of the most common sleep struggles for women, especially during times of stress and hormonal change. This is not random and it is not just anxiety. It is often tied to a deeper connection between your liver, cortisol, progesterone, and blood sugar regulation.

Between 1 and 3 a.m., your liver is most active in detoxification. If your body is dealing with blood sugar crashes, hormone imbalances, or an overloaded system, it can trigger a cortisol spike that wakes you up and keeps you alert!

This is where the "three P's" of hormones matter: production, processing, and pathways. If any of these are off, you can experience disrupted sleep even if you are doing all the "right" things.

Common root causes of 3 a.m. wakeups include:
• Blood sugar dysregulation from under eating or poor protein intake
• Elevated cortisol from stress, overtraining, or lack of recovery
• Low or poorly processed progesterone impacting calming pathways
• Liver overload affecting hormone detox and overnight balance

If you have been trying different solutions without results, the missing piece is often testing. Looking at your hormones, gut health, and blood sugar markers can pinpoint exactly what your body needs.

If you are ready to stop guessing and finally fix the root cause, book a discovery call here:
👉 https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

782. What Your Face Is Telling You About Your Hormones27 Apr 202600:33:08

In this episode, I break down what "cortisol face" really is and why cortisol is not the enemy. Symptoms like facial puffiness, under eye bags, jaw tension, acne, and dull skin are not just cosmetic. They are signals that your stress response is out of balance. If your cortisol does not follow the ideal rhythm throughout the day, your body can get stuck in chronic fight or flight. This dysregulation can impact your minerals, blood sugar, gut health, and hormone balance.

Facial puffiness is often linked to water retention caused by mineral depletion. Jaw tension and clenching are tied to a stressed nervous system and low mineral status. Skin changes like acne, dryness, and premature aging can happen when cortisol interferes with collagen and repair processes. 

If you are dealing with these symptoms and want real answers, this episode will help you understand what your body is telling you and where to start.

If you are ready for deeper support, schedule a discovery call with our team to create a personalized plan: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

781. Why You Can't Think Your Way Out Of Stress22 Apr 202600:35:52

In this episode, I sit down with Leilani Stevens to talk about somatic work, what it really means, and why it can be such a powerful missing piece in healing.

We dive into how somatic work focuses on the body, not just the mind. I share how many women try to think their way out of stress and anxiety, but the body can still be stuck in a survival response. If your nervous system is reading your environment as unsafe, no amount of mindset work will fully resolve that.

We also discuss how this work helps you reconnect with your body, build self trust, and show up differently in your daily life, relationships, and even medical settings.

Leilani shares details about her upcoming immersive retreat, which combines somatic work with aquatic therapy in a heated pool environment. This experience is designed to help the body deeply unwind stress patterns and create a new baseline of calm and regulation. The retreat is a small, intimate experience with guided support, integration, and space to fully reset your nervous system.

If you feel disconnected from your body, stuck in stress, or like something deeper is holding you back, this episode will open your eyes to a completely different approach to healing!

To learn more about the retreat or see if it's a good fit for you, you can visit this link: https://www.somaticremedies.com/fluid-body-retreat-application

780. Why Your Body Won't Let Go of the Baby Weight (Even When You're Doing Everything Right)20 Apr 202600:24:40

In this episode, I break down why weight loss can feel impossible after pregnancy or during hormone shifts, even when you are doing everything "right." The biggest takeaway is this: it is not about willpower, and it is not just about calories. If your hormones are off, your body will resist weight loss no matter how little you eat or how much you exercise.

Calorie deficit only works when your hormones are balanced. If they are not, your body may see restriction as stress and hold on to fat even more. Your body relies on three key steps for hormone health: production, processing, and proper elimination. If any of these are disrupted, your metabolism will not function well.

After pregnancy, a drop in progesterone can lead to estrogen dominance, which promotes fat storage and water retention, especially in the midsection. Chronic stress raises cortisol, which disrupts blood sugar and insulin. This leads to increased fat storage, particularly around the belly. Trying to fix this by eating less or exercising more often backfires because it adds more stress to your system.

If your hormones are imbalanced, more intense exercise can actually make weight loss harder, not easier. If your body is not clearing estrogen properly through the liver and gut, it can recirculate and contribute to weight gain. Gut health plays a bigger role than most people realize.

Even if your habits have not changed, your body has. Pregnancy, stress, and aging all shift how your hormones function, which changes how your body responds. Lasting results come from identifying your specific hormone patterns, whether that is cortisol, insulin, estrogen, or gut health, and addressing the root cause.

If you are feeling stuck and want a clear, personalized plan, you can book a free discovery call with my team here:
https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

779. The Histamine and Hormone Connection: Why Wine, Leftovers and Fermented Foods Are Making You Feel Terrible13 Apr 202600:30:54

Have you ever felt terrible after just one glass of wine? Or noticed that foods you used to eat just fine are now giving you headaches, bloating, brain fog, or a racing heart? You're not imagining it and you're not just "getting older." This might be a histamine problem, and today we're getting into all of it.

Histamine is one of the most missed pieces of the puzzle for so many women. The symptoms can look like inflammation, allergies, or just general mystery symptoms that nothing seems to fix. And here's the tricky part: it's not consistent. You can tolerate something one week and react the next, which makes it incredibly hard to figure out what's actually going on.

In this episode I break down what histamine actually is, why your body might be struggling to process it, and the very important connection between histamine and your hormones that almost nobody is talking about.

What we cover:

  • Why aged cheese, wine, fermented foods, and even leftovers can trigger a histamine response
  • The "histamine bucket" concept and why your symptoms seem so random
  • The two enzymes responsible for breaking histamine down and what gets in their way
  • Why estrogen and histamine have a feedback loop that feeds itself (fire feeding fire)
  • How progesterone actually helps stabilize mast cells and what happens when it starts to decline
  • The gut connection and why healing digestion matters just as much as anything else
  • Genetic factors that can make you more sensitive to histamine than the people around you

The bottom line:

Avoiding wine and fermented foods might give you a little relief, but it is not the long term answer. If your hormones are off, if your gut is struggling, or if cortisol is driving the whole thing, we have to address all of it together in the right sequence. Otherwise you are just guessing.

Join the Hormone Clarity Workshop

I am hosting a live workshop April 14 & 15 where we go through your hormone imbalances and what your body is actually telling you. We cover all of this, including the gut and histamine connection, estrogen, progesterone, cortisol and more. You'll walk away with real clarity on what's going on and where to start.

It is just $17 and I will be there live to answer your questions.

Grab your spot here: https://drbethwestie.com/the-hormone-clarity-workshop/

778. Why Your Anxiety Gets Worse in Your Late 30s: The Progesterone Decline Nobody Diagnosed06 Apr 202600:31:18

If you've been feeling more anxious, wired, and exhausted lately and nobody can seem to tell you why, this episode is for you.

One of the most frustrating things I hear from women is that they've been told to just relax, go on a vacation, try yoga, journal, do some deep breathing. And look, I love all of those things. I do them myself. But here's the truth nobody is telling you: if your hormones are in a state of low progesterone and high cortisol, those tools literally cannot do what they're supposed to do.

If you've ever laid in Shavasana at the end of yoga class and your mind is just racing through your entire to-do list instead of melting into the floor, that's not a willpower problem. That's a hormone problem.

In this episode I walk you through why this happens, what's actually going on in your body, and what it actually takes to get unstuck:

What we cover:

  • Why stress management advice keeps failing you (and it's not your fault)
  • The progesterone and cortisol connection that drives anxiety, exhaustion, and that "wired but tired" feeling
  • Why testing your hormones at the wrong time of your cycle gives you useless results (and what to do instead)
  • The three steps to actually moving forward: testing at the right time, identifying other contributing systems, and building a protocol that fits your real life

Ready to go deeper?

I'm hosting a live Hormone Clarity Workshop April 14 & 15: two time options so you can actually make it. We go through your hormone deficiencies and imbalances together, you answer questions, we talk through it, and you walk away with real clarity on where to go next.

It's just $17 and it could be the thing that finally makes everything click.

Grab your spot here: https://drbethwestie.com/the-hormone-clarity-workshop/

777. Functional Vs. Conventional Labs: The Hormone Test That Actually Gives Answers30 Mar 202600:25:13

If you've ever said, "I asked my doctor to test my hormones and they only checked one thing," this episode is for you.

I break down the difference between conventional labs and functional testing, why you can be told everything is normal while you still feel awful, and what to ask for next.

Conventional Labs: Are You Sick Enough?

Conventional testing is designed to look for disease. You are either sick or you are fine. The range is narrow, and if your numbers are not far enough outside of it, you are told you are normal. That can happen even if you are exhausted, gaining weight, losing hair, and struggling with brain fog.

Thyroid is a common example. Many women are told their TSH is normal, end of story, even when their symptoms clearly point to hypothyroid issues.

Functional Testing: Where Is the Imbalance?

Functional testing looks at optimal ranges, not just whether you are sick enough for treatment. You can sit in a not great range for years. Not bad enough for medication, but not good enough to feel like yourself.

Often, you are working hard just to stay afloat with clean eating, supplements, exercise, and stress management. That effort is keeping you from crashing, but it is not getting you into an optimal range.

Why One Lab Value Is Not Enough

Using thyroid again, TSH alone is not a full picture. We often need TSH, Free T3, Free T4, and antibody markers to really understand what is happening.

You might be making hormones but not converting them properly because of stress, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, or estrogen imbalances. If we do not look deeper, we miss that.

Why This Matters 

I have lived this. After having kids, I went through postpartum thyroiditis. I was exhausted, foggy, losing hair, and felt terrible. I was told I was just a tired new mom. But I knew it was more than that.

That experience is a big reason I am so passionate about functional testing. Too many women are dismissed when their labs do not fit into a narrow box.

My favorite functional test is the DUTCH Test, a dried urine test for comprehensive hormones.

It looks at estrogen and progesterone patterns, testosterone and other androgens, cortisol and adrenal function, key nutrient markers, gut and inflammation markers, neurotransmitters, melatonin, and more.

It connects the dots so we can see what is really driving your symptoms.

Ready to figure out what is really going on?

Schedule a discovery call with my team and we can talk through your symptoms, your health history, and whether deeper functional testing like the DUTCH test would be the right next step for you.

Book your discovery call here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

776. The Best Test for Fertility (Are You Really Ovulating?)23 Mar 202600:26:04

How do you know if you're truly ovulating and more importantly, if your body can support a healthy pregnancy?

If you've been tracking your cycle, using apps, monitoring basal body temperature, or wearing a ring or watch… but still don't have clear answers, this episode is for you.

Today, I'm breaking down why tracking alone isn't always enough and why the DUTCH Cycle Mapping Test is my favorite tool for uncovering the root cause of fertility struggles.

What we cover: 
  • The difference between the three types of estrogen (E1, E2, E3) — and why it matters

  • Why ovulation alone isn't the full picture

  • The 3 essential steps for healthy hormones:

    1. Production – Are you making enough hormones?

    2. Processing – Are they being metabolized correctly?

    3. Pathways out – Can your body properly clear them?

  • How cortisol and adrenal health directly impact ovulation

  • Why gut health and nutrient deficiencies (like B vitamins) can block fertility progress

  • The connection between progesterone metabolites and brain support

  • Why supporting your foundation (cortisol, nutrients, gut health) often comes before pushing ovulation

Fertility isn't just about getting pregnant: it's about setting your body up for a healthy pregnancy, smooth postpartum recovery, and long-term hormone stability.

If you want help identifying what may be impacting your hormones or fertility, you can schedule a discovery call with my team. During this call we'll talk through your symptoms, your goals, and whether deeper testing like DUTCH cycle mapping may be the right next step for you.

Schedule your discovery call here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

 

775. The Hidden Hormone Patterns Blocking Your Results (Cortisol, Estrogen & Gut Health)16 Mar 202600:17:35

If you feel like you've tried everything for your hormones… and nothing seems to stick, this episode is for you.

Supplements. Diet changes. Gut protocols. Hormone support. Stress management.

You do the research, follow the plan, and maybe feel better for a little while. But eventually the symptoms come back.

That's because most women are treating symptoms instead of identifying the underlying hormone pattern driving them.

And until you identify that pattern, it's easy to keep chasing solutions that only work temporarily.

In this episode, I explain why hormone protocols often stop working and how to start identifying the real patterns behind hormone imbalance.

In This Episode

• Why treating symptoms alone rarely fixes hormone issues
• The difference between root cause and recurring hormone patterns
• Why probiotics and gut supplements often miss the real issue
• How constipation and gut dysfunction can recycle estrogen in the body
• How cortisol, progesterone, estrogen, and gut health all interact
• Why hormone programs that worked years ago may stop working now

Many women assume they have estrogen dominance or a gut issue when the real driver may actually be stress hormones or cortisol dysfunction.

And until that primary pattern is addressed, everything else becomes guesswork.

Join the Hormone & Gut Pattern Identification Workshop

If you want help identifying the actual hormone or gut pattern driving your symptoms, I'm hosting a live workshop where we break this down step-by-step.

In this 90-minute workshop, you'll learn how to:

• Identify your dominant hormone or gut pattern
• Understand why previous protocols didn't work
• Learn which system needs to be stabilized first
• Know which labs actually confirm what's happening in your body
• Stop stacking random supplements and guessing

📅 Live Workshop
Wednesday, March 18
7 PM CST

Reserve your spot here: https://drbethwestie.com/the-hormone-clarity-workshop/

 

Ready to dive deeper?

If you want help reviewing your symptoms and figuring out the right next step for your hormones, you can also schedule a discovery call with my team.

Book your discovery call here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

 

774. How To Reset Your Metabolism After 3509 Mar 202600:17:03

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

 

773. What Your Doctor Doesn't Tell You About Perimenopause with Dr. Jenny02 Mar 202600:28:39

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

772. What Really Happens After 6 Months of Hormone Support23 Feb 202600:23:39

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/

 

771. The Supplement Mistake That's Wrecking Your Hormones16 Feb 202600:35:56

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

770. Cortisol, Caffeine & the Energy Rollercoaster with Dr. Jenny09 Feb 202600:20:52

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

769. Why You Wake Up Exhausted, Even After A Great Night Of Sleep02 Feb 202600:13:30

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.

768. Normal Labs, No Answers: How to Find the Root Cause of Hormone Issues with Dr. Jenny Gerken26 Jan 202600:27:50

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)

767. The Truth About Fatigue, Cortisol, and Adrenal Health19 Jan 202600:31:42

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

766. Wired But Tired: The Cortisol Pattern Most Women Miss12 Jan 202600:27:27

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/

765. The Hidden Hormone Drain: How Estrogen and Progesterone Affect Your Energy05 Jan 202600:26:30

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/

764. Is It Cortisol? How to Tell If Your Adrenals Are Really the Problem29 Dec 202500:17:03

How do you know if it's really your cortisol causing symptoms like exhaustion, burnout, low mood, or low libido? How do you know if it's adrenal insufficiency, adrenal dysfunction, or something else entirely?

In this episode, I break down exactly how to tell the difference between low cortisol and high cortisol, why symptoms overlap with thyroid issues and other hormone imbalances, and why guessing or treating blindly can actually make things worse.

What I Cover in This Episode

• The difference between adrenal function vs cortisol output
• Why blood, saliva, and urine cortisol tests tell very different stories
• Why DUTCH testing shows the full picture of adrenal function and cortisol metabolism
• Common low cortisol symptoms, including
– Extreme fatigue and burnout
– Low motivation and low mood
– Feeling "overcast" instead of like yourself
– Low libido (even with normal testosterone)
– Dizziness when standing, heart racing, weakness
– Sleep issues that don't improve with rest

• Why these symptoms are often confused with
– Thyroid dysfunction
– Low testosterone
– Low estrogen or DHEA
– Neurotransmitter imbalances
– Gut issues, blood sugar problems, dehydration, or histamine issues

• Why women are often told to "just be less stressed" when their systems are actually running on empty
• Why taking the wrong supplement for cortisol can pour gas on the fire
• How stress, sleep loss, life changes, and overtraining can stall healing even when you're "doing everything right"

Without the right testing, it's like being lost in the woods with the wrong map. DUTCH testing shows us where you are, what systems are struggling, and what needs support first so your body can actually recover.

Once we know what your system needs, herbal tinctures can be powerful tools during the healing process, especially for adrenal and nervous system support.

Tinctures are not meant to be a forever crutch. They are part of a strategic phase to help calm the stress response, support cortisol regulation, and give your body the resources it needs to stabilize so deeper healing can happen.

If you are feeling
• Wired but exhausted
• Burned out and flat
• Emotionally fragile
• Unable to recover from stress
• Or like your body just won't respond anymore

Targeted adrenal and nervous system tinctures can help bridge the gap while you address sleep, nutrition, gut health, and lifestyle foundations.

To support you as you move into the New Year, we're offering:

10% off all tinctures + FREE shipping
Use code: NEWYEAR
Valid Dec 30 - Jan 2

This is a great time to give your nervous system and adrenals some extra support while you work on the bigger picture.

Shop the sale: https://nutritionforyourhormones.com

763. Sleep & Hormones: Why Your Brain Won't Shut Off At Night22 Dec 202500:26:18

In this episode, I break down why you can feel exhausted all day but suddenly wired the moment you try to sleep. We talk about how cortisol, melatonin, blood sugar, and perimenopause all play a role, and what you can actually do to get real rest.

What we cover: 1. Cortisol and melatonin basics
  • Your circadian rhythm depends on high cortisol in the morning and low cortisol at night.

  • If cortisol spikes in the evening, you will feel "tired but wired."

  • Taking melatonin will not help if melatonin is normal and cortisol is the real problem.

2. How DUTCH testing reveals the root cause

A DUTCH hormone test shows:

  • Your full cortisol pattern throughout the day

  • Melatonin output

  • Blood sugar, nutrient, and inflammation markers

  • Estrogen and progesterone levels that may affect sleep

This is why DUTCH is so helpful for women who have tried every sleep aid with no results. One client had perfect melatonin but high nighttime cortisol. Once we targeted that, her sleep finally improved.

3. Simple tools to try tonight
  • Protein before bed: At least 20 grams to stabilize blood sugar and quiet cortisol.

  • Nighttime routine: Lower lights, cooler bedroom, weighted blanket, deep breathing, red light, warm bath.

  • Journaling: Empty your brain before bed so you are not carrying mental clutter into sleep.

4. Perimenopause and sleep changes

Falling progesterone can make it harder to relax or stay asleep. Supporting progesterone naturally and adding magnesium or B vitamins at night can help.

5. Herbal and nutritional support
  • Adrenal tincture to support cortisol regulation

  • Sleep tincture to calm the nervous system

  • Magnesium in the evening to relax muscles and reduce tension

Consistency matters. Sleep often improves gradually over three or more weeks.

Why a DUTCH test is your next step 

If you are done guessing, DUTCH testing shows exactly:

  • Whether cortisol, melatonin, blood sugar, or inflammation is keeping you awake

  • What your hormones are doing at night

  • Which specific areas to target

This saves time, money, and frustration so you can finally sleep again.

You can order a DUTCH test here and get a personalized review and plan: https://drbethwestie.com/dutch-hormone-testing/

Better sleep starts with understanding what your hormones are doing behind the scenes.

762. What Your Regular Hormone Labs Can't Tell You15 Dec 202500:31:40

In this episode of the Female Health Solution Podcast, I break down one of the biggest frustrations women face: Your labs come back "normal," yet you still feel exhausted, inflamed, moody, or nothing like yourself, and no one can explain why.

Here's what we cover: Why basic blood work misses the real problem
  • Regular labs look for disease, not dysfunction.

  • A standard CBC or hormone panel can't show how your hormones are produced, processed, or eliminated.

  • Blood tests catch crises, not the early warning signs of perimenopause, adrenal burnout, or estrogen dominance.

What DUTCH urine hormone testing reveals that blood work can't
  • All three estrogens: E1, E2, and E3

  • Phase 1 and Phase 2 estrogen detox (your liver pathways)

  • Methylation which is a major cause of PMS, migraines, brain fog, and mood swings

  • Cortisol rhythm throughout the day

  • Nutrient deficiencies and gut-related patterns

This level of detail finally explains why you feel off and what to do about it.

Real client stories
  • Sara's story: Blood labs said "you're fine."
    Her DUTCH test showed exactly why she had migraines, poor sleep, and terrible PMS. Within months on a targeted plan, PMS dropped by 50 percent and her menstrual migraines disappeared.
    At her follow-up, her clinic literally told her, "We don't know how to read this."

  • Jenna's story: A mom of five determined not to be a "half version" of herself.
    She researched every option and realized she would have to piece together three times the number of tests to get what DUTCH shows in one report.
    Once she saw her results, she finally had a roadmap instead of guessing.

Why your hormone issues are never just one thing

Your genetics, stress load, pregnancies, environmental toxins, sleep, and nutrient status all intersect.
DUTCH shows which pieces are breaking down: production, processing, or elimination, so you stop guessing and start targeting the right areas.

Why DUTCH is the roadmap your health has been missing

This test shows:

  • Where the "holes in your boat" actually are

  • Which systems need support

  • What is driving your symptoms

  • And exactly what to do next

Instead of random supplements, you get clarity.

Ready for real answers?

If you're tired of hearing "your labs are normal" while your body tells a different story, it's time to go deeper.

You can:

  • Order a DUTCH test through us

  • Get a personalized review and plan from my team

  • Finally understand your hormone story and what your body has been trying to tell you

Order your hormone test: https://drbethwestie.com/dutch-hormone-testing/

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