Perimenopause, Cortisol & Belly Fat: What Your Hormones Are Trying to Tell You
You’re exhausted but can’t sleep. Your brain feels foggy. Your mood has changed, stubborn belly fat seems to appear from nowhere, painful periods derail your life, or recurring UTIs keep coming back. If you’re in your 40s, 50s, or beyond, these symptoms aren’t something you should automatically dismiss as “just getting older.”
In this episode of V.I.B.E. Living Podcast, Lynnis Woods-Mullins sits down with osteopathic physician Dr. Jeffrey Brown, who specializes in hormone imbalance and chronic pelvic pain, to uncover what may really be happening when hormones begin to shift during perimenopause and menopause.
We explore hormone imbalance, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), estrogen dominance, cortisol, chronic stress, gut health, sleep disruption, brain fog, weight changes, and recurrent urinary symptoms—and how these seemingly separate issues may be more connected than many women realize.
Dr. Brown explains what hormone therapy actually means, how BHRT approaches hormonal symptoms, and why the conversation about hormones extends far beyond hot flashes. We discuss the role hormones can play in sleep, bone health, cardiovascular health, cognitive function, mood, energy, and overall quality of life.
We also take a closer look at one of the biggest disruptors of hormonal health: chronic stress and cortisol. Why can you feel completely exhausted all day and suddenly wide awake at night? What does “wired but tired” really mean? And how can long-term stress make navigating menopause and perimenopause even harder?
The conversation goes deeper into estrogen dominance and gut health, including the estrobolome and the role the gut plays in estrogen metabolism. Dr. Brown also discusses when more comprehensive hormone testing may be useful and how everyday exposure to potential endocrine disruptors—including certain plastics, fragrances, cosmetics, and other environmental exposures—may affect hormonal health.
Most importantly, this episode is about helping women become better advocates for themselves.
If you’ve been told your symptoms are simply part of aging—or you know something has changed in your body but haven’t been able to connect the dots—this conversation can help you understand what questions to ask and what options to explore with your healthcare provider.
In this episode, you’ll learn about:
- Perimenopause and menopause symptoms women often overlook
- Signs that may be associated with hormone imbalance
- Cortisol, chronic stress, and the “wired but tired” cycle
- BHRT and hormone therapy
- Estrogen dominance
- Menopause belly fat and metabolic changes
- Brain fog, mood changes, and disrupted sleep
- Gut health, estrogen metabolism, and the estrobolome
- Hormone testing
- Endocrine disruptors in everyday life
- How to have a more productive conversation with your healthcare provider
If this conversation reminds you of yourself—or another woman in your life—share this episode with her. And subscribe to V.I.B.E. Living for more conversations about menopause, hormone health, stress, nutrition, healthy aging, and holistic wellness for women 40+.
Bio
Undergraduate at Cornell University. New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. Family Medicine Residency Mt. Sinai School of Medicine at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. Got frustrated with conventional medicine's focus on symptom care and later became board certified by the American Academy of Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine (A4m). Has been practicing functional medicine with a focus on women's health for over 15 years
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