Cortisol gets blamed for a lot in midlife.

Weight gain.
Poor sleep.
Feeling wired but exhausted.
Hormone symptoms that don’t seem to settle.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the cortisol conversation online or elsewhere, you’re not alone.

And while it’s true that cortisol plays a role in many of these issues, here’s the part that often gets missed:

Cortisol itself isn’t the problem. It’s actually a hormone we need.

Bio-identical hormones can be an incredibly helpful tool for many women moving through perimenopause and menopause.

I’ve experienced this personally. For me, bioidentical progesterone was a game changer for my sleep during perimenopause.

But here’s the part that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough:

Hormones aren’t always the first thing that needs to be addressed — and in some cases, adding them too early can actually make symptoms worse.

Let me explain…

There’s a lot more conversation happening now about perimenopause and menopause — and that’s a good thing.

But I also hear something different from many of the women I work with who are past that stage.

“I wish this had been talked about more when I was going through it.”

“I struggled for years and didn’t feel like I had any real options.”

If that’s you, this is what I want you to hear…

The end of a year and the start of a new one naturally invites reflection. It always makes me think about the passage of time - where I am relative to where I’d like to be, and how I want my life and health to feel moving forward.

As we head into 2026, there are a few things I’m ready to say goodbye to, especially in the world of women’s health.

Here are three of them…

I know this is an incredibly busy time of year. It can feel like a whirlwind, but I hope it also holds some peaceful moments when you’re able to pause, take in the lights, and remember what truly matters.

I am so grateful for this community. Thank you for taking the time to read these messages and for allowing me to share my thoughts and a bit of my life with you.

As we head into the holidays, I want to offer a gentle reminder that doing what brings us joy is an important part of our health. Most weeks I write about nutrition, movement, hormones, and the habits that help us feel our best. But something I’ve learned over the past few years is how powerful it is to pay attention to what genuinely brings us joy, and then make sure we spend some time doing it.

This might be a little controversial…

but walking does not count as exercise in the way most women over 40 need it to.

And neither does yoga.

They’re both fantastic forms of movement — they support stress, mobility, mental health, and overall wellbeing. But when it comes to hormonal balance, metabolism, and aging well, they simply can’t do the job on their own.

This simple truth could change the way you approach your health.

What I actually do, how FASTer Way fits in, and why both matter for your midlife health.

Not every workout feels great. Not every meal you cook will be perfect. Some days you won’t reach your water goal or get all your steps in. But there’s incredible value in showing up anyway.

That’s been a theme I’ve talked about a lot lately — how the simple act of showing up for yourself builds momentum. Whether it’s in exercise, nutrition, or any other area of your life, consistency — especially when it’s inconvenient or imperfect — is what creates lasting change.

A haunted house… but it’s your hormones

A haunted house… but your doctor says your hormones “look fine” — even though you’re exhausted, snapping at everyone, and every joint in your body aches.

A haunted house… but you wake up at 3 a.m. haunted by your racing mind, hot flashes, and a sudden urge to reorganize your entire life.

A haunted house… except the habits and programs that used to help you feel your best — or lose weight — just don’t seem to work anymore.

Sound familiar?

Cortisol is your stress hormone — but it’s not your enemy.

It’s meant to peak in the morning to help you wake up energized, then gradually fall throughout the day so you can wind down and sleep deeply at night.

But for many women, that rhythm is off.

I got to do something really fun this week (that also made me a bit sweaty!)…

The inspiration behind the visit wasn’t just shopping, though—it was to join Danielle, the owner, live on Instagram and talk about perimenopause and menopause with her amazing community. And I wanted to share that conversation with you too.

This week, I want to talk about something that’s been on my mind a lot—because I’m right in the thick of it. Hormonal changes that happen in the transition to and through menopause.

Lately, I’ve been hearing from so many women (and seeing it all over my social media feed too!) about the struggles of menopause—hot flashes, poor sleep, stubborn weight gain, mood swings… the list goes on. One perspective that really got me thinking is how much energy we spend resisting these changes, wishing our bodies would stay the same as they were before these big hormonal shifts happened.

This week, I procrastinated a little (okay, maybe a lot) by working on a 1,000-piece puzzle. As I was putting it together, I couldn’t help but think about how similar it is to our health. At first, it can feel overwhelming—just a pile of scattered pieces with no clear direction. But if we keep working at it, the pieces do fit together.

I am thankful for the women I get to work with as a naturopathic doctor and a FASTer Way coach to help them thrive through perimenopause and beyond. I am also grateful for the life that I am creating for myself and my family. Each day feels different. Some days are harder than others, but I’ve never felt more content than I do right now. It’s true that our responsibilities change as we get older, but that doesn’t mean that life needs to be boring! We give our kids lots of experiences so that they can try out new activities and meet new people, and there’s no reason we can’t continue to enjoy feeling that excitement during our adult years.

Do you consider yourself a night owl or an early bird? Until the last couple of years, I described myself as a die-hard night owl. These days I am usually asleep by 10pm and wake up by 5:40am. And I have to admit, I really love it! This change didn’t happen overnight though.

 For many years, I experienced constipation and gas. I had pretty regular bowel movements, but I definitely wasn’t eliminating the equivalent I was eating as food. I am happy to say that these days my digestive tract is pretty happy, but I’m always game to try something that can make it even better. 

Are you experiencing weight gain, constipation, foggy thinking, hair loss, and/or frequently feeling tired or cold?  If so, you may have a thyroid imbalance…even if you have been told that everything is “normal”. If your gut is telling you something is off, then it is important to listen to it, and dig a little deeper.

I remember when every day was a struggle for me. I did the things I needed to do and thought that was just the way it felt to be a working mom. I didn’t even realize how tired I was until I wasn’t, but I’m glad that I found my way through to where I am now. If you are struggling with your energy, I want you to know that you aren’t alone. I hear this all the time from the women I work with. It’s easy to chalk it up to “regular” life or age and think that’s just the way you have to feel. It doesn’t have to be that way though.