Tag Archives | perimenopause

671: Perimenopause Meets Chronic Illness: What Women Really Need to Heal Now with Dr. Jessica Drummond

August 15, 2025 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

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Episode Summary

Are you someone trying to manage perimenopause or menopause while ALSO dealing with frustrating chronic illness symptoms?

In this episode, I’m joined by the brilliant Dr. Jessica Drummond—clinical nutritionist, physical therapist, and board-certified health coach—who has spent over 25 years helping women navigate the tangled intersection of hormones, immune health, and chronic illness.

We dive into what to do when your perimenopause symptoms blur into post-viral syndromes, autoimmune flares, chronic fatigue, and more.

Dr. Jessica shares how to discover when there’s something deeper going on—and how to uncover the real root causes of your symptoms.

Plus, she offers practical, science-backed strategies to support your hormones, immune system, and energy levels, even if you’ve felt stuck for years.

Tune in to feel empowered AND educated on your midlife symptoms!

Jessica Drummond, DCN, CNS, PT, NBC-HWC

Dr. Jessica Drummond is the founder and CEO of The Integrative Women’s Health Institute. She has 25 years of clinical experience as a licensed physical therapist, licensed clinical nutritionist, and board-certified health coach working with women who battle chronic pain, illnesses, and post-viral syndromes. Her integrative approach helps her patients overcome hormonal imbalances and chronic pain conditions. Dr. Drummond was educated at the University of Virginia, Emory University, Duke Integrative Medicine, and Maryland University of Integrative Health.

IN THIS EPISODE

Dr. Drummond’s journey with chronic illness in perimenopause
How viral illnesses like COVID impact hormones, and particularly the health of middle-aged women
How Dr. Drummond’s time in Europe impacted her health
Distinguishing illness symptoms from perimenopause symptoms
Non-negotiable habits for improving midlife health and energy
How to prioritize yourself in perimenopause and menopause

QUOTES

“85% of women in perimenopause also have other chronic illnesses; endometriosis, autoimmune disease, pain syndromes, PCOS, chronic concussions, diabetes…”

“I always say this is kind of the only time in life you get to slow down for a minute. I highly suggest hiring a coach… You probably never had this opportunity to lead from your desires.”

“You’re in perimenopause. You have a lot going on physiologically. You have a lot going on in your career, your parenting, but also your decisions aren’t exactly your own. I feel like for me, they’ve always been integrated with at least my husband and my kids… so you also have to deepen your skillset of relationships, of listening, of prioritizing people’s desires and needs.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Integrative Women’s Health Institute Website

Dr. Jessica Drummond’s Free workshop for women’s health and wellness professionals

Integrative Women’s Health Institute on Instagram

Pre-order my new book: The Perimenopause Revolution

RELATED EPISODES

591: Post Viral Syndromes, Your Immune System, and Your Hormones in Midlife with Dr. Jessica Drummond

#648: This Changes Everything: The Perimenopause Revolution Every Woman Needs Now

#392: How to Live with a Chronic Illness and Ways to Bring Awareness to Endometriosis and Autoimmune Conditions with Jenneh Rishe

#609: Non-Negotiable Advice I Would Give My Early Perimenopausal Self

Free Download: Easy, Practical Tips to Get More Energy!

Download the free Energy-Boosting Cheat Sheet now to learn how to unlock abundant health and energy that lasts—in only seconds every day!

669: Why Your Skin Is Breaking Out Again: Healing Hormonal Acne in Perimenopause with Katie Stewart

August 8, 2025 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

Listen to the Episode Here

Or, listen on your favorite app: iTunes (Apple Podcasts) | Stitcher | Spotify | Pocketcasts

Episode Summary

Wondering why your teenage acne seems to be coming back in full force during midlife?

This week, Registered Holistic Nutritionist Katie Stewart joins the podcast to dive deep into the hidden causes of adult acne. Her method, The Clear Skin Solution, has helped women all over the world heal their skin from the inside out.

We’re talking about the root causes of frustrating adult-onset acne like gut imbalances, sluggish detox pathways, hormone fluctuations, and emotional stress, especially in perimenopause and menopause. Katie breaks down why your skin is reacting this way and what you can do to actually fix it—naturally and effectively.

It isn’t about covering up your skin and symptoms; it’s about true, lasting healing!

Check out this conversation and get your skin– and whole body– back in balance.

Katie Stewart

Katie Stewart is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and the founder of Katie Stewart Wellness, where she helps women clear chronic acne by healing from the inside out. Through her signature method, The Clear Skin Solution, and co-hosting the #1 Nutrition Podcast on Apple, The Clear Skin Chronicles, Katie guides women worldwide through personalized whole-body support to help them feel amazing in their skin again.

IN THIS EPISODE

Katie’s battle with hormonal acne and how she overcame it
Why adult acne shows up (or comes back) in your 40s, 50s or 60s
The 5 acne clearing pillars to address the root cause of your acne
How gut issues and hormone shifts trigger acne later in life
The inside-out approach for helping women get clear skin after 40
Managing stress to overcome hormonal imbalances and acne
Tips for a mindful, hydrating, and SAFE daily skincare routine
Habits and small wins to help clear your skin in the long term

QUOTES

“We have worked with over 3000 women across the world, and we have not seen a single woman out of those thousands have the exact same combination of imbalances in the body.”

“This is why digestion is super critical because it’s opening up those pathways and allowing us to get rid of things, but also absorb the things that we need.”

“Stress is that silent killer. I know stress is at the core root of acne or most diseases in the body.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Work with Katie in The Clear Skin Solution!

Katie’s Website

The Clear Skin Chronicles Podcast

The Clear Skin Chronicles on YouTube

Katie on Instagram

Join My Thriving in Perimenopause and Menopause Summit HERE!

Get 15% off your Qualia Senolytic purchase with code MARIZA

RELATED EPISODES

#631: Halt and Reverse Skin Aging, Plus the Top Preventable Factors Driving Skin Aging with Dr. Alessandra Zonari

#412: The Impact Hormone, Toxins and Gut Imbalances Have on Inflamed and Aging Skin with Dr. Trevor Cates

#561: The Best Non-Surgical Remedies for Looking Younger Skin with Dr. Anthony Youn

#623: Red Light Therapy for Upgrading Your Mitochondria, Cellular Energy, Skin and Brain Health with Jonathan Otto

Free Download: Easy, Practical Tips to Get More Energy!

Download the free Energy-Boosting Cheat Sheet now to learn how to unlock abundant health and energy that lasts—in only seconds every day!

668: Your Brain on Perimenopause: The Hidden Neurological Transition No One Warns You About

August 5, 2025 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

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Or, listen on your favorite app: iTunes (Apple Podcasts) | Stitcher | Spotify | Pocketcasts

Episode Summary

If you’ve been struggling with brain fog, anxiety, irritability, or just not feeling like yourself in midlife, this episode is here for you to connect the dots.

I’m shining a light on a hidden transition that impacts so many midlife women—but almost no one mentions it: the neurological shift of perimenopause.

I share my own experience of feeling completely destabilized by brain-related symptoms I never expected—and how I finally discovered they were actually part of a profound brain-hormone transition happening under the surface.

Then we cover the real science behind what’s happening in your head, and why your symptoms are valid AND can be managed with the right tools in place.

Tune in to this episode to get my top non-negotiables for a healthier brain, and tackle midlife sharper, stronger, and more fully YOU than ever!

IN THIS EPISODE

Why are brain-related symptoms so common during menopause?
The impact that hormonal changes have on all body systems
Two incredible perimenopause and menopause resources for you
What goes on at a cellular level in the brain during menopause
Top science-backed strategies for improving brain function
How to join my FREE perimenopause and menopause summit!

QUOTES

“When I recently surveyed several thousand women in perimenopause about their most disruptive symptoms, something fascinating emerged. Yes, weight gain was on that list– it always is. But what stood out the most was the brain-related symptoms, the mood issues, the low or zero stress tolerance, and that terrifying feeling that your mental energy just vanished.”

“If you want to get back to feeling stronger, more confident, more like yourself, again, it really begins with understanding what is happening with your body and embracing it.”

“For decades, perimenopause holds the highest risk for psychological disorders in women compared to pre- and post-menopausal women. In fact, one study found that 70% of women said irritability is [their] most common symptom.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Preorder my new book: The Perimenopause Revolution HERE

Join my FREE Thriving in Perimenopause and Menopause Summit HERE (Plus get my Hormone Loving Recipe Guide FREE!)

Use code ENERGIZED and get 20% OFF on your first order of BEAM Minerals

RELATED EPISODES

Check out these episodes with a few amazing experts who are part of my Perimenopause and Menopause Summit:

584: The Health Costs of Our Modern Life & How to Start Feeling Better with Dr. Casey Means

#552: The Midlife Muscle Crisis: Why Maintaining Muscle Is Necessary For Fat Loss, Strength and Longevity with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon

#506: Optimizing Testosterone, Growth Hormone and Other Metabolic Hormones in Our 40s and Beyond with Dr. Stephanie Estima

#574: The Connection between Trauma, the Immune System, and Autoimmune Disease: Lab Testing and Solutions with Dr. Sara Szal Gottfried

Free Download: Easy, Practical Tips to Get More Energy!

Download the free Energy-Boosting Cheat Sheet now to learn how to unlock abundant health and energy that lasts—in only seconds every day!

664: The Hidden Reason You’re Exhausted: How to Fix Cortisol and Boost Stress Resilience in Perimenopause

July 22, 2025 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

Listen to the Episode Here

Or, listen on your favorite app: iTunes (Apple Podcasts) | Stitcher | Spotify | Pocketcasts

Episode Summary

Ever feel so depleted that even a full night of sleep doesn’t touch the exhaustion you’re carrying? I’ve been there, too.

In this episode, I’m sharing the raw moment I found myself feeling this exact way– completely overwhelmed and totally disconnected.

If you’re navigating perimenopause or menopause and feel like your stress is out of control, this conversation is for you. We’re unpacking why the bone-deep exhaustion, brain fog, and lack of capacity you feel aren’t just about aging—they’re signals that your cortisol levels and stress response system are maxed out, leaving you in survival mode.

I’ll break down what I’ve learned about reversing your stress response naturally, even in the busiest seasons of life. We’ll explore simple, science-backed steps to help you step out of over-efficiency mode and reclaim your calm, clarity, and joy.

Ready to feel like YOU again, even in the chaos of midlife transitions? Don’t miss this episode!

IN THIS EPISODE

Why so many of us live in survival mode during midlife
Hormone fluctuation and its impact on cortisol regulation
Understanding the physiology of your stress response system
The link between cortisol and weight gain
My favorite cortisol resetting rituals
Habits to implement to reverse the stress response system

QUOTES

“90% of the time, we’re solving all the problems, we’re holding it all together. We’re over-efforting, overproducing. We’re productive machines… and that primary hormone that we hear a lot about is gonna be cortisol.”

“Cortisol is just a hormone that’s responding to the environment and to how I’m living my life. So we have to look at how we live our life and how we shift the way we live our life so we’re not having this crazy response.”

“How you live your life is how you live your day, and how you live your day is how you start your day.”

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Dr. Mariza Instagram: DM me / tag your self-care moment @drmariza

Pre-order The Perimenopause Revolution and claim your free bonuses HERE!

RELATED EPISODES

#630: The Critical Difference Between GOOD Stress & BAD Stress + the Health Benefits of Doing Hard Things with Jeff Krasno

#566: This Is What I Did to Finally Stop Operating in Stress, Overwhelm and Burnout with Dr. Mariza

#518: How to Let Go of Stress Symptoms and Go from Surviving to Thriving with Dr. Izabella Wentz

#533: What I Wish I’d Known About Stress, Weight Resistance and Feeling Like Crap

#359: 5 Tools to Lower Cortisol Levels

Free Download: Easy, Practical Tips to Get More Energy!

Download the free Energy-Boosting Cheat Sheet now to learn how to unlock abundant health and energy that lasts—in only seconds every day!

#661: When ‘Normal’ Isn’t Normal: How to Be Heard (and Taken Seriously) at the Doctor’s Office

July 11, 2025 in Podcast, Women’s Health 0

Listen to the Episode Here

Or, listen on your favorite app: iTunes (Apple Podcasts) | Stitcher | Spotify | Pocketcasts

Episode Summary

Have you recently left your doctor’s office feeling more confused than when you walked in?

Or finally worked up the courage to share the brain fog, crushing fatigue, or unexplainable mood swings—only to get brushed off with: “It’s just part of getting older”?

I see you—because I was you—and I know how frustrating and lonely it can feel to navigate midlife changes when so few doctors truly understand what’s happening in your body.

In this empowering episode, we dive into how to be heard at the doctor’s office during perimenopause and menopause, what to track before your appointment, the right questions to ask, and the signs it might be time to find a new provider.

You deserve answers. You deserve care that sees the whole you. And you deserve to walk out of your appointments with clarity and a plan to feel your best.

Tune in to this episode to reclaim your voice and your power in this beautiful season of life!

IN THIS EPISODE

Navigating the knowledge gap in women’s health care
Tips for confidently advocating for yourself to your doctor
Addressing common symptoms in midlife and menopause
Questions to ask your doctor and labs you should test for
Finding a functional medicine doctor who will hear you out
My FREE perimenopause survival guide and more about my upcoming book: The Perimenopause Revolution

QUOTES

“Even today, the average woman waits 7 to 10 years for a proper diagnosis of conditions like Hashimoto’s and other autoimmune issues.”

“If you feel dismissed, it’s okay to find another provider. I know this can feel daunting, but your health and your quality of life is on the line. You deserve a provider who listens.”

“There are so many doctors and providers out there like me who care deeply, who understand what it’s like to be going through this transition, what it’s like to be a woman navigating the world, particularly the healthcare system, and what it’s like to struggle with symptoms, and you just desperately want answers to feel better again.”