Menopause is NOT the End—It's Your Body Begging for Attention!

Photo by Kateryna Hliznitsova on Unsplash

Ladies, let’s get real for a second. If you're anywhere near perimenopause or menopause, you’ve probably had that “WTF is happening?” moment.

One day, your body just stops playing by the rules.
The diet that used to work? Nope.
The energy you used to have? Gone.
The sleep? What sleep?

Suddenly, you’re waking up drenched at 3 AM, snapping at the dog for breathing too loud, and wondering why your jeans feel like they shrunk in the dryer—except, deep down, you know it’s not the dryer’s fault.

I know, because I’ve been there. And let me tell you—this rollercoaster doesn’t have to be your new normal.

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Why Perimenopause Catches Us Off Guard

Let’s bust a myth right here: menopause doesn't hit overnight like a hormonal wrecking ball. It starts quietly—usually around age 35. Surprise!

But nobody tells us that. We’re told that it starts “just before” your period starts to stop. You know that period of time when you have a period and it skips a month or two, and the duration of time gets longer and longer in between your periods, until one day Aunt Flo goes on a vacay never to return. It its place, she’s left behind some frenemies.

We’re left to “power through” symptoms like:

• Brain fog so thick you forget your own phone number

• Mood swings that have you flipping between crying and snapping in 30 seconds flat

• Exhaustion that coffee can't touch

• That fun combo of bloating, inflammation, and a waistline that seems to inflate overnight

Doctors often say it’s “just aging.” Or worse—offer a prescription and a pat on the head. No root cause. No support. Just “ride it out.”

And so we do. We numb, distract, restrict, and normalize feeling like sh*t.

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From ‘Just Tired’ to ‘What the F* Is Happening to My Body?!’

I was exhausted.
Not like “oh, I didn’t sleep great” tired.
I mean bone-deep, brain-fried, nothing-in-the-tank tired.

Hot flashes would hit every couple of days, jacking up my sleep and leaving me in a sweaty, restless daze at 3 AM. Then came the brain fog—like I was walking around in a cloud. I couldn’t think clearly, couldn’t remember anything, and started second-guessing myself constantly.

The mood swings? Let’s just say I was not my usual grounded, centered self. I felt like I was pretending to be me—performing some version of my life while feeling completely detached from it.

Then I saw a trailer for a new movie about menopause and it hit me…
Maybe it’s time I stop ignoring what’s happening and actually support my body through it.

I started researching, testing, and trying some strategic changes. And within just a few days, everything shifted.

I also want to add one more “fun” symptom to the mix—because no one talks about this one until they’re already peeing themselves:
The sudden, unwanted leaks when you sneeze, cough, or jump.
Especially if you’ve had kids or dealt with pelvic floor issues.

For me, it wasn’t constant, but during a cold or heavy allergy season, I’d have moments where a hard sneeze = emergency laundry. Thankfully, I found a supplement postpartum that helped restore my pelvic floor strength, and now I keep it on hand as a support “as needed.”

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The Gut-Hormone Connection Nobody Talks About

Now here’s where it gets juicy...

Your gut and hormones aren’t just pen pals — they’re roommate besties. And when one of them gets cranky, the other throws a fit too.

Let’s break it down:

1. The Estrobolome Is a Real Thing

There’s a collection of gut bacteria called the estrobolome. Its whole job? To metabolize estrogen and help your body eliminate the excess.
If your gut is sluggish or imbalanced (hello constipation, bloating, or diarrhea), estrogen can recirculate instead of exiting your body.

Result? Estrogen dominance — and with it, breast tenderness, weight gain, fibroids, mood swings, and heavy periods.

2. Leaky Gut = Hormonal Firestorm

When your gut lining gets compromised (aka leaky gut), inflammation skyrockets. Inflammation messes with:

• Cortisol production (goodbye calm, hello anxious rage)

• Thyroid hormones (hello sluggish metabolism)

• Insulin sensitivity (which makes you crave sugar at 3 PM like it’s your full-time job)

3. Poop is Your Hormone Exit Strategy

If you’re not pooping regularly, you’re not detoxing properly. And guess what gets reabsorbed when you don’t clear the pipes? Hormones. Your liver processes them, but your gut has to carry them out. If the train’s backed up, those old estrogens jump the fence and wreak havoc.

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What I Did to Reset (That You Can Try, Too)

I didn’t overhaul my life or take 22 supplements a day. I focused on the right basics that actually worked.

Nutrition that supports both gut and hormones:

• Whole, real food — rich in fiber, fat, and protein

• Ditching the blood sugar roller coaster (and those sneaky processed “health” foods)

• Swapping wine for herbal mocktails and infusions (surprisingly satisfying)

Herbal Support That Helped Me Feel Human Again:

Here’s what worked—and why:

DIM + Cruciferous Vegetables

• DIM helps clear excess estrogen and reduce estrogen dominance

• Cruciferous veggies support detox and gut regularity

Medicinal Mushrooms + GABA

• Mushrooms like Lion’s Mane and Reishi support cognitive clarity and stress adaptation

• GABA calms the nervous system and helps improve sleep quality

Evening Primrose + Black Cohosh

• Help with hot flashes, mood swings, and inflammation

• Natural hormone modulators with gut-soothing properties

Chamomile + Dong Quai

• Chamomile reduces gut irritation and calms the mind

• Dong Quai has been used for centuries to support hormone balance, especially in perimenopause

Rhodiola + Ashwagandha

• These adaptogens help regulate cortisol, stabilize blood sugar, and improve resilience

• They also indirectly support digestion and gut restoration through nervous system balance

⚠️ Pro note: I didn’t take all of these at once, and you shouldn’t either. I built a plan based on my body’s signals—and that’s what I help my clients do, too.

👉 Want to see the exact supplements I use and recommend?
I created a curated Amazon list of clean, vetted options. These are ones I’ve personally use or recommended based on real results:
Grab the Amazon list HERE

(​​As an Amazon Associate, I earn money from qualifying purchases.—thank you for supporting my work so I can keep sharing free content like this!)

What Happens When You Support Your Gut (and Hormones) During Menopause?

Seriously — when you stop trying to force your body to behave and start actually supporting the systems that run the show (your gut, your liver, your hormones), your body doesn’t just cope… it starts to heal.

You Start Pooping Like a Pro

No shame here—regular, complete bowel movements are the foundation of hormone balance. If you’re not clearing out waste, your estrogen isn’t leaving either. Bloat, moodiness, and inflammation? All tied to your poop.

Bloating & Puffiness Go Down

Your middle doesn’t have to feel swollen, inflamed, or unrecognizable. When the gut calms and detox flows, your belly softens, and your confidence comes back with it.

Your Mood Stabilizes

When the gut makes more serotonin and GABA, your brain gets calmer. You're less anxious, less ragey, and more like yourself again (without needing to snap at the grocery store clerk for asking how your day’s going).

You Finally Sleep Like a Real Human

No joke, within 2 days of the new supplements, I was back to my normal sleeping patterns. With cortisol smoothed out and gut inflammation down, your nervous system actually rests. You fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up ready to show up—not just survive.

You Start to Recognize Yourself Again

You laugh.

You make decisions with clarity.

You stop second-guessing every thought and stop dragging yourself through the day.

You feel grounded, steady, and like you—possibly for the first time in years.

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Ready to Stop the Spiral?

You don’t need another supplement haul from Amazon. You need clarity, strategy, and the confidence that this isn’t just aging.

Your gut is trying to talk to you.
Your hormones are waving red flags.
And you deserve to feel like YOU again.

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Here’s What to Do Next:

✅ Start paying attention. Track your poop (yep, really), your symptoms, and your sleep. Then take a step back and look for patterns—your body’s been telling you what’s up this whole time.

✅ Take a deep breath. You’re not broken. You’re not crazy. And you’re not alone. This is figure-out-able, and we will get you the support you need for this phase of life.

✅ Join my free community, the Mind and Body Reset Hub, where we ditch the BS and actually work on what’s going on inside your body—together.