Hello Hormones with Dr. Carrie Jones

Perimenopause is when many women feel like their body suddenly stopped playing on easy mode. Fluctuating estrogen reduces the brain's stress-buffering capacity, so fatigue, anxiety, irritability, and overwhelm all hit harder at the exact same time.
We dive deeper into this topic in the latest Hello Hormones Podcast episode with Dr. Aimie Apigian. We also chat about why perimenopause is often when trauma finally shows up, why high-functioning women tend to fall apart in midlife, and the number one mistake women make when trying to heal trauma.
Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH, is a double board-certified physician in functional medicine and addiction medicine with training in neuroscience and trauma therapy. She is the creator of the Biology of Trauma® framework and leads the Biology of Trauma® certificate training program for healthcare professionals.
Head to drcarriejones.com/stressfreebie to get access to The 101 on Stress, Cortisol & Your Nervous System. It's free, it's helpful, and it's exactly what you need to start the year feeling more like yourself.
What's Discussed:
(01:00) Why unresolved trauma often surfaces during perimenopause
(03:30) How hormone shifts lower stress tolerance and amplify nervous system responses
(06:22) Why high-functioning women rely on coping until it suddenly stops working
(09:15) The difference between a stress response and a trauma response in the body
(17:03) What "capacity" really means and why it feels depleted in midlife
(27:09) Why mindset work alone doesn't heal trauma stored in the body
(31:02) The biggest mistake women make when trying to heal trauma
(49:17) Why irritability and rage in perimenopause can be signs of coming out of freeze
✍️ FREE GUIDES:
Hormones 101 Cheat Sheet:  https://drcarriejones.kit.com/hormones101 

The Perimenopause & Menopause Labs Test Checklist: https://drcarriejones.kit.com/labtestchecklist

The Symptoms of The Perimenopausal Transition (WTF…) Ebook: https://drcarriejones.kit.com/perimenopausesymptom 

Which Stage of Perimenopause Am I In? Ebook: https://drcarriejones.kit.com/stagesofperimenopause 

 
LETS CONNECT: 
Dr. Carrie Jones:
Website: http://drcarriejones.com
Newsletter: https://drcarriejones.kit.com/newsletter
Instagram: @dr.carriejones
Facebook: @drcarriejones
TikTok: @drcarriejones
Youtube: @drcarriejones
Pinterest: @drcarriejones
 
Dr. Aimie Apigian, MD, MS, MPH:
Website: https://biologyoftrauma.com
Instagram: @draimie
Facebook: @draimie
Youtube: @DrAimieApigian
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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're over 40 and suddenly dealing with weird symptoms like itchy ears, new body odor, or constant puffiness, you're not imagining things. In this Hello Hormones episode, I explain why these things show up out of nowhere and how hormones are usually the quiet culprit.
We dive deeper into odor changes that smell musky or oniony, itchy ears that make zero sense until you understand estrogen shifts, and that puffy, water-retaining feeling that has nothing to do with fat gain. Each of these has a physiological explanation and simple fixes you can often start at home.
We also chat about hair loss and how to calm an inflamed scalp, rosacea that sneaks in during perimenopause, and sore or tender breasts that are not always an estrogen problem. The goal is clarity, relief, and giving you practical tools so these symptoms stop feeling mysterious and start feeling manageable.
What's Discussed:
(00:34) Why your armpits can suddenly smell oniony or musky after 40
(04:15) Feeling puffy everywhere and why it's often lymph and water retention, not fat gain
(07:02) Itchy ears as an early perimenopause symptom linked to estrogen shifts
(09:12) The commonly missed area when using vaginal estrogen and why it matters
(11:17) Tender breasts and the surprising connection to coffee, chocolate, and caffeine
(14:03) Castor oil for hair loss and how scalp inflammation blocks regrowth
✍️ FREE GUIDES:
Hormones 101 Cheat Sheet:  https://drcarriejones.kit.com/hormones101 

The Perimenopause & Menopause Labs Test Checklist: https://drcarriejones.kit.com/labtestchecklist

The Symptoms of The Perimenopausal Transition (WTF…) Ebook: https://drcarriejones.kit.com/perimenopausesymptom 

Which Stage of Perimenopause Am I In? Ebook: https://drcarriejones.kit.com/stagesofperimenopause 

 
LETS CONNECT: 
Dr. Carrie Jones:
Website: www.drcarriejones.com
Newsletter: www.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.

Why does heart disease suddenly become such a big issue for women after perimenopause?
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Eve Henry, a physician specializing in longevity and women's health, to talk through how heart and metabolic health often shift quickly in midlife, even when nothing about your lifestyle has changed.
We cover how estrogen loss impacts cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar, and which markers matter most, including ApoB and A1C. We also talk about visceral fat and inflammation, how they affect long-term heart health, and where hormone therapy, lifestyle support, and early intervention fit in.
Dr. Eve Henry is a board-certified internal medicine physician with advanced training in integrative medicine, and she's deeply focused on helping women protect their heart and metabolic health through midlife and beyond.
What's Discussed:
(00:00) Why heart disease is the leading health risk for women

(05:52) Why cholesterol is often the first lab to change in perimenopause

(06:43) How estrogen loss changes cholesterol and blood pressure 

(14:22) Blood sugar changes, inflammation, and visceral fat in midlife

(19:04) Perimenopause as a metabolic stress test

(23:41) ApoB, Lp(a), A1C and baseline labs women should know

(40:37) Coronary calcium scans vs CT angiograms

(57:21) Why early intervention matters for long-term heart health

 
✍️ FREE GUIDES:
Hormones 101 Cheat Sheet:  https://drcarriejones.kit.com/hormones101 

The Perimenopause & Menopause Labs Test Checklist: https://drcarriejones.kit.com/labtestchecklist

The Symptoms of The Perimenopausal Transition (WTF…) Ebook: https://drcarriejones.kit.com/perimenopausesymptom 

Which Stage of Perimenopause Am I In? Ebook: https://drcarriejones.kit.com/stagesofperimenopause 

 
LETS CONNECT: 
Dr. Carrie Jones:
Website: www.drcarriejones.com
Newsletter: www.drcarriejones.kit.com/newsletter
Instagram: @dr.carriejones
Facebook: @drcarriejones
TikTok: @drcarriejones
Youtube: @drcarriejones
Pinterest: @drcarriejones 
Dr. Eve Henry:
Website: www.drevehenry.com
Instagram: @drevehenry
X: @DrEveHenry1
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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.

Hormone therapy gets confusing fast, especially when you're over 40 and everyone seems to have a different rule, warning or opinion. 
Many of the most common questions about it come from gaps in how it's explained. When nuance is missing, women are left trying to make decisions without the full picture.
In this Hello Hormones episode, I'm gonna pick the nine questions I hear all the time and go over them one by one with you. We talk about progesterone versus progestins, patch myths, vaginal hormone options and what actually matters when it comes to blood pressure and HRT. Tune in.
What's Discussed:
(01:26) The difference between progesterone and progestins 

(03:06) About Prometrium, peanut allergies and safer progesterone options

(05:15) Why topical progesterone doesn't protect the uterus when using estrogen

(09:11) Which estrogen patches are true estradiol and which contain progestins

(11:09) Vaginal estrogen vs vaginal DHEA and when each one makes sense

(15:06) What actually matters about blood pressure when considering HRT

✍️ FREE GUIDES:
Hormones 101 Cheat Sheet:  https://drcarriejones.kit.com/hormones101 

The Perimenopause & Menopause Labs Test Checklist: https://drcarriejones.kit.com/labtestchecklist

The Symptoms of The Perimenopausal Transition (WTF…) Ebook: https://drcarriejones.kit.com/perimenopausesymptom 

Which Stage of Perimenopause Am I In? Ebook: https://drcarriejones.kit.com/stagesofperimenopause 

 
LETS CONNECT: 
Dr. Carrie Jones:
Website: www.drcarriejones.com
Newsletter: www.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.

Many women hit a weight plateau in perimenopause and assume it's about willpower, when the real issue is that the body isn't getting the physiological support it needs during hormonal change. After 40, eating less and pushing harder often puts the body into a protective mode, signaling it to conserve energy by storing fat.
We dive deeper into this in the latest Hello Hormones episode with Ashley Koff, RD. We also chat about why fasting often backfires in perimenopause, what actually changes when GLP-1 signaling lasts days instead of minutes, and why gut function, hydration, and stress signals decide whether the body feels safe enough to lose weight.
Ashley Koff, RD, is the founder of The Better Nutrition Program and the author of Your Best Shot: The Personalized System for Optimal Weight Health. She is a registered dietitian with over 30 years of experience across private practice, nutrition education, media, and consulting, and serves as Nutrition Course Director for IFMF.
What's Discussed:
(02:59) How under-eating and over-exercising backfire after 40

(03:21) GLP-1 as hormone replacement and why duration matters more than dose

(11:17) Fasting in perimenopause: when it helps and when it hurts

(19:32) Food variety, taste receptors, and GLP-1 signaling on the tongue

(24:26) Stress, the vagus nerve, and why weight gain can be protective

(29:29) The GLP-1 era, weight bias, and why judging bodies misses the point

(43:19) What GLP-1 actually does in the body beyond appetite suppression

(50:37) Can you stimulate GLP-1 naturally and what actually influences it

✍️ FREE GUIDES:
Hormones 101 Cheat Sheet:  www.drcarriejones.kit.com/hormones101 

The Perimenopause & Menopause Labs Test Checklist: www.drcarriejones.kit.com/labtestchecklist

The Symptoms of The Perimenopausal Transition (WTF…) Ebook: www.drcarriejones.kit.com/perimenopausesymptom 

Which Stage of Perimenopause Am I In? Ebook: www.drcarriejones.kit.com/stagesofperimenopause 

 
LETS CONNECT:  
Dr. Carrie Jones:
Website: www.drcarriejones.com
Newsletter: www.drcarriejones.kit.com/newsletter
IG: @dr.carriejones 
TikTok: @drcarriejones
Youtube: @drcarriejones 
Ashley Koff, RD:
Website: www.thebetternutritionprogram.com
Instagram: @ashleykoffapproved
Ashley's Upcoming Book: ORDER HERE
 
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.