Is This You?

You're doing the right things, eating well and exercising, and your body isn't responding the way it used to. Your sleep is lighter and your patience is shorter. You've gained weight around the middle, your libido has dropped, and you feel wired at night and flat in the morning. You may have been told this is aging, or stress.

It might be both. But "aging" isn't a diagnosis, and there's usually a lot we can do.

How I Look at Your Hormones

Hormones work as a system, so I don't test one in isolation. Depending on your history, we look at thyroid, cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, and insulin.

One test I find really helpful is the DUTCH test, a dried urine test that shows not only your hormone levels but also your cortisol pattern across the day and how your body breaks estrogen down. That last part matters, because knowing how you metabolize hormones can guide what we do with diet, lifestyle, supplements, and treatment.

What Could Be Driving It

Cortisol and Chronic Stress

When your stress response has been switched on for a long time, your cortisol rhythm can flatten out or flip, so you're tired in the morning and alert at midnight. That affects your sleep, your blood sugar, and your thyroid. We work on this with lifestyle adjustments, biofeedback, vagus nerve stimulation, and targeted supplements.

Thyroid

Low thyroid function can look a lot like other hormone problems: fatigue, weight gain, low mood, and dry skin. I don't rely on a basic TSH test. I look at the full thyroid picture.

Estrogen, Progesterone, and Testosterone

These shift with age in both women and men, and the symptoms are different for each. I've written more about how I approach women's health and men's health.

Insulin

Insulin is a hormone too. When it runs high, it drives weight gain and cravings and can throw other hormones off. PCOS, for example, is often insulin-driven. This is why I usually look at blood sugar alongside your other hormones.

How We Work on It Together

When partnering together, we start with a thorough health history and testing chosen for your specific case. From there, I'll build a plan with you that may include nutrition, sleep and stress work, targeted supplements, and bioidentical hormone replacement when it's indicated.

I prescribe hormones carefully. We start low, monitor your labs, and adjust based on how you feel. Not everyone needs hormone therapy, and I'll tell you if I don't think it's the right fit for you.

My aim is to address the root cause of how you're feeling, so you have the energy and clarity to enjoy your life again.