Hello Hormones with Dr. Carrie Jones

If you have been doing "all the right things" for your hormones and still do not feel better, this episode is for you. Maybe you tried a detox, added supplements, cleaned up your diet, worked on your gut, or followed the protocol that helped your friend. Not knowing that if your body is depleted, inflamed, or not ready for that next step, doing more can actually keep you stuck.
In this episode of Hello Hormones, we talk about why the order you heal in matters more than the protocol itself. We get into why hormone detoxes, gut protocols, supplement stacks, and social media fixes can backfire when you do not know what your body actually needs first. If you have been trying harder and still not feeling better, this episode will help you understand why the next step may not be doing more. It may be doing things in the right order. 
I'm joined by Dr. Beth Westie, functional medicine practitioner, chiropractor, educator, and author of The Female Fat Solution and The Female Menopause Solution. She has lived this work personally too. After being told birth control was her only option for ovarian cysts, she went looking for a better way and now helps women use labs, nutrition, and the right sequence to support their hormones through perimenopause, menopause, and beyond.
What's Discussed:
(00:53) Why perimenopause can change your mood, boundaries, tolerance, and sense of self.
(09:10) What a depleted body can look like when you can no longer keep up with the life you used to manage.
(14:31) Why detoxes, supplements, diet changes, and social media protocols can backfire without testing.
(18:31) Why Dr. Beth starts with labs and uses them to decide what the body is ready for next.
(20:30) What the DUTCH test can reveal that standard blood work may miss.
(22:04) Why the GI-MAP matters for bloating, gut symptoms, hormone changes, and liver support.
(30:53) How to think about liver detox, nutrition changes, cold foods, cold plunges, alcohol, and postmenopause support in the right order.
 
✍️ FREE GUIDES:
Top 7 Perimenopause Myths You Need to Stop Believing ASAP: drcarriejones.com/myths

Hormones 101 Cheat Sheet: drcarriejones.com/hormones101  

The Perimenopause & Menopause Labs Test Checklist: drcarriejones.com/labs

The 101 on Stress, Cortisol And Your Nervous System Ebook: drcarriejones.com/stressfreebie  

Which Stage of Perimenopause Am I In? Ebook: drcarriejones.com/stages

 
Thank You to Our Sponsor: 
OmneDiem: To give your body the histamine support it's been missing, head to omnediem.com/coupon/drjones & explore their full range of products, and use code DRJONES for 25% off.
Sunlighten: Supercharge your cells in a Sunlighten Sauna. Visit sunlighten.com/partner-savings/ to get $2100 OFF and free shipping.

Find more from Dr. Carrie Jones:
Website: drcarriejones.com

Newsletter: drcarriejones.kit.com/newsletter

Instagram: @dr.carriejones

Facebook: @drcarriejones

TikTok: @drcarriejones

YouTube: @drcarriejones

Pinterest: @drcarriejones
Find more from Dr. Beth Westie 
Website: drbethwestie.com/ 
Instagram: @drbethwestie
Facebook: @drbethwestie  
Disclaimer: Information provided on this channel is for informational purposes only. This information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, or any information contained on or in any product. Do not use the information provided on this channel for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or other supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. Information provided on this channel and the use of any products or services related to this podcast by you does not create a doctor-patient relationship between you and Dr. Carrie Jones. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent ANY disease.

Have you hit midlife and suddenly everything feels dry, itchy, or irritated in places that make no sense? Your inner ears itch. Your shins itch. Your scalp itches. Your eyes feel dry and scratchy. Your back has that one spot you cannot reach. Even your private areas may feel itchy when there is no obvious infection, rash, or clear reason why.
In this episode of Hello Hormones, I'm breaking down why this may not be solved by more lotion, more water, or another steroid cream. As estradiol and progesterone shift in midlife, your skin barrier, oils, mast cells, histamine response, inflammation, and nerve sensitivity can all change, which may explain why itching can come and go, show up in random places, or feel worse at night.
I also walk through options to talk about with your healthcare provider, whether you are using hormones, not ready for hormones, or looking for additional support. We get into ceramides, urea cream, omega-3s, borage oil, black currant seed oil, quercetin, vitamin C, DAO enzymes, sea buckthorn oil, castor oil, warm compresses, and what to rule out when itching could be coming from something other than hormones.
What's Discussed:
(00:00) Why midlife can make everything feel dry, itchy, and irritated in random places.
(00:25) Why lotion and water may not be the whole answer.
(01:15) How estradiol, progesterone, aging, and the skin barrier are connected.
(02:34) The mast cell and histamine connection behind itching.
(03:23) Why itching can show up without a rash, infection, or obvious cause.
(06:03) Skin barrier support options like ceramides, urea cream, omega-3s, borage oil, and black currant seed oil.
(10:08) Histamine and dry-eye support, including quercetin, vitamin C, DAO, sea buckthorn oil, castor oil, screen support, and warm compresses.
If midlife has made your skin, eyes, ears, or private areas feel dry and itchy for no clear reason, this episode will help you understand what may be happening and what options you can discuss with your provider.
✍️ FREE GUIDES:
Top 7 Perimenopause Myths You Need to Stop Believing ASAP: drcarriejones.com/myths

Hormones 101 Cheat Sheet: drcarriejones.com/hormones101  

The Perimenopause & Menopause Labs Test Checklist: drcarriejones.com/labs

The 101 on Stress, Cortisol And Your Nervous System Ebook: drcarriejones.com/stressfreebie  

Which Stage of Perimenopause Am I In? Ebook: drcarriejones.com/stages


Find more from Dr. Carrie Jones:
Website: drcarriejones.com

Newsletter: drcarriejones.kit.com/newsletter

Instagram: @dr.carriejones

Facebook: @drcarriejones

TikTok: @drcarriejones

YouTube: @drcarriejones

Pinterest: @drcarriejones
 
Disclaimer: Information provided on this channel is for informational purposes only. This information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, or any information contained on or in any product. Do not use the information provided on this channel for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or other supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. Information provided on this channel and the use of any products or services related to this podcast by you does not create a doctor-patient relationship between you and Dr. Carrie Jones. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent ANY disease.

If you are in perimenopause wondering why you suddenly cannot handle the same life, stress, schedule, or people you used to manage, this episode will give you a completely different way to look at your symptoms. We are taught to blame every hot flash, rage spiral, night sweat, brain fog moment, and 2 a.m. wake-up on hormones alone, but Chinese medicine sees those symptoms as messages about the body's resilience, adaptability, and ability to move through change.
We dive deeper into this in the Hello Hormones Podcast with Dr. Lorne Brown. We also chat about why Chinese medicine calls menopause the second spring, why hormones can be the trigger without being the whole problem, how PMS and fertility struggles can predict a harder perimenopause, and where liver stagnation, acupuncture, Chinese herbs, stress, trauma, and hormone therapy fit into supporting the transition.
Dr. Lorne Brown is a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine and founder of Acubalance Wellness Centre in Vancouver, Canada. He has over 25 years of clinical experience in fertility, perimenopause, menopause, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, and integrative hormone care.
What's Discussed:
(02:17) Why Chinese medicine calls menopause the second spring.
(03:43) How the body redirects resources from the reproductive system toward the heart center.
(07:03) Why perimenopause symptoms are messages from the body.
(08:02) Why hormones may be the trigger, but not always the whole problem.
(12:21) Where hormone therapy fits and why symptom relief is not the same as rebuilding resilience.
(24:28) How PMS, fertility struggles, painful periods, and mood symptoms can predict a harder perimenopause.
(36:03) Why Chinese herbs are used as formulas, not single ingredients pulled off a shelf.
Listen to this episode to stop blaming yourself for symptoms that feel confusing, intense, or out of nowhere, and start understanding what your body may be revealing about stress, resilience, and the support you actually need in perimenopause.
✍️ FREE GUIDES:
Top 7 Perimenopause Myths You Need to Stop Believing ASAP: drcarriejones.com/myths

Hormones 101 Cheat Sheet: drcarriejones.com/hormones101  

The Perimenopause & Menopause Labs Test Checklist: drcarriejones.com/labs

The 101 on Stress, Cortisol And Your Nervous System Ebook: drcarriejones.com/stressfreebie  

Which Stage of Perimenopause Am I In? Ebook: drcarriejones.com/stages

 
Thank You to Our Sponsor: 
OmneDiem: To give your body the histamine support it's been missing, head to omnediem.com/coupon/drjones & explore their full range of products, and use code DRJONES for 25% off.

Find more from Dr. Carrie Jones:
Website: drcarriejones.com

Newsletter: drcarriejones.kit.com/newsletter

Instagram: @dr.carriejones

Facebook: @drcarriejones

TikTok: @drcarriejones

YouTube: @drcarriejones

Pinterest: @drcarriejones
Find more from Dr. Lorne Brown:
Acubalance Wellness Centre:   www.acubalance.ca/

Dr. Lorne Brown: www.lornebrown.com/

The Coherence Code Podcast: www.lornebrown.com/podcast 
 
Disclaimer: Information provided on this channel is for informational purposes only. This information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, or any information contained on or in any product. Do not use the information provided on this channel for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or other supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. Information provided on this channel and the use of any products or services related to this podcast by you does not create a doctor-patient relationship between you and Dr. Carrie Jones. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent ANY disease.

Most women have heard about the gut microbiome, oral microbiome, and skin microbiome. But the vaginal microbiome is still treated like an awkward side conversation, even though it can affect infections, odor, irritation, dryness, painful sex, pH, arousal, and the way women feel in their own bodies.
And that's where so many women get stuck. They know something feels off, but the answer they get is usually the same: it must be yeast, BV, dryness, hygiene, age, or stress. Then the symptoms come back, the tissue feels even more sensitive, sex starts to hurt, odor feels embarrassing, or the products that were supposed to help make everything burn.
In this episode of Hello Hormones, I'm joined by Wendy Strgar, founder of Good Clean Love and Vaginal Biome Science, for the vaginal health conversation women should have been getting all along. Wendy has spent over two decades studying vaginal health, product safety, intimacy, and the vaginal microbiome. Her work has led to multiple U.S. patents, research studies, FDA regulatory involvement, and a product line endorsed by over 20,000 physicians, which gives her a rare perspective on what women are experiencing, what the science is showing, and where conventional vaginal care is still falling short.
Use code DRCARRIE at https://goodcleanlove.com/DRCARRIE for a 15% discount!
What's Discussed
(00:36) Why women are still left guessing when vaginal symptoms keep coming back.
(06:36) How the vaginal microbiome connects to the gut, immune system, hormones, and whole-body health.
(10:59) What "healthy" actually means when it comes to vaginal pH, bacteria, and balance.
(16:05) Why some products meant to help, may leave sensitive tissue feeling worse.
(22:10) The missed testing behind symptoms that keep getting called yeast, BV, or irritation.
(37:04) What postpartum, perimenopause, menopause, and chemical menopause can change down there.
(54:50) How vaginal health can affect odor, confidence, intimacy, arousal, and painful sex.
 
✍️ FREE GUIDES:
Top 7 Perimenopause Myths You Need to Stop Believing ASAP: drcarriejones.com/myths
Hormones 101 Cheat Sheet: drcarriejones.com/hormones101  
The Perimenopause & Menopause Labs Test Checklist: drcarriejones.com/labs
The 101 on Stress, Cortisol And Your Nervous System Ebook: drcarriejones.com/stressfreebie  
Which Stage of Perimenopause Am I In? Ebook: drcarriejones.com/stages
Thank You to Our Sponsor:
OmneDiem: To give your body the histamine support it's been missing, head to omnediem.com/coupon/drjones, explore their full range of products, and use code DRJONES for 25% off.
Find more from Dr. Carrie Jones: 
Website: drcarriejones.com

Newsletter: drcarriejones.kit.com/newsletter

Instagram: @dr.carriejones

Facebook: @drcarriejones

TikTok: @drcarriejones

YouTube: @drcarriejones

Pinterest: @drcarriejones
 
Find more from Wendy Strgar & Good Clean Love
Instagram: @wendy.strgar  @goodcleanlove
Website: wendystrgar.com 
 
 
Disclaimer: Information provided on this channel is for informational purposes only. This information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, or any information contained on or in any product. Do not use the information provided on this channel for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or other supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. Information provided on this channel and the use of any products or services related to this podcast by you does not create a doctor-patient relationship between you and Dr. Carrie Jones. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent ANY disease.

Depression and anxiety? Yeah, those get all the research and all the press. But nobody wants to talk about the simmering, seething rage that is just under the surface. The anger that comes out of nowhere. The irritation that is 10 times more than you expected. The feeling of I wish somebody would, because you are ready to pop right off. And the worst part is that most women going through it think they are the only one.

I dug into the Reddit boards for this one and found hundreds and hundreds of comments from women all talking about rage. And what was so striking is how many of them did not expect it. They think something is uniquely wrong with them. They feel crazy, ashamed, and completely blindsided by an anger they cannot explain and cannot control. 
So we are going to talk about it. What is actually happening in your brain when perimenopausal rage hits, why it is not the same as PMDD even though they overlap, and what you can actually do about it whether you are ready for hormones or not.
What's Discussed:
(0:00) Why perimenopausal rage is one of the most common and least talked about symptoms of perimenopause and what hundreds of women on Reddit had to say about it
(1:10) How perimenopausal rage is different from PMDD and why that distinction matters for what you do about it
(3:56) Why progesterone is the first hormone to decline and what that does to the GABA brake system in your brain
(4:46) How estrogen volatility disrupts every feel-good neurotransmitter simultaneously including serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin
(6:27) What blood sugar, gut health, sleep, and movement have to do with the rage and why addressing them matters more than most women realize
(9:07) What actually helps including progesterone, L-theanine, passionflower, GABA supplementation, boundaries, and when to consider hormone therapy
(13:47) Why the rage is almost never just one thing and why addressing all of the above together is what actually moves the needle
You are not crazy. You are not broken. And you absolutely do not have to stay rageful if you do not want to. This episode gives you the biological explanation you have been looking for and the practical options to actually do something about it.
Find more from Dr. Carrie Jones:
Website: drcarriejones.com
Newsletter: drcarriejones.kit.com/newsletter
Instagram: @dr.carriejones
Facebook: @drcarriejones
TikTok: @drcarriejones
YouTube: @drcarriejones
Pinterest: @drcarriejones