Hello Hormones with Dr. Carrie Jones

Skipped periods, hot flashes, brain fog, joint pain, dry everything, and yes, even itchy ears. These are the symptoms women are told to chalk up to stress or aging, when the real story is often a drop in estrogen that nobody bothered to investigate.
I dive deeper into this in the latest episode of Hello Hormones, where I walk through the 10 warning signs of low estrogen every woman should know. I also talk about why estrogen impacts everything from your sleep and mood to your gut, your gums, and your inner ear balance, when to suspect estrogen as the root cause versus something else, and what to actually do if these symptoms sound like you.
What's Discussed:
(1:02) The hot flash myth that has 20-year-olds being dismissed by their OBs.
(2:49) The musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause and why your big toe might ache.
(3:45) How estradiol drives REM and deep sleep and why progesterone alone won't fix it.
(5:28) The depression and anhedonia link most doctors miss before prescribing an antidepressant.
(8:40) The weirdest low estrogen symptom of all, itchy ears, ringing, and balance issues. 
 
✍️ 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: 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.

Women in midlife are told their burnout is a willpower problem. That if they just set better boundaries, did the morning routine, booked the massage, and stopped saying yes to everything, they would feel better.

But what almost no one is talking about is that your nervous system is the master control of every hormone in your body, and by the time women hit perimenopause, that system has been stuck in "pedal-to-the-metal mode" for years.
In the latest episode of Hello Hormones, I sit down with Dr. Melissa Sonners, a mind-and-body alignment expert, chiropractor, and author of the brand new book The Connection Code. After her own brutal battle with neurological Lyme, meningitis, and encephalitis, Melissa rebuilt her entire approach to health and has spent the last decade studying the neuroscience of how women actually come home to themselves.

Her work breaks down the brainwaves, the inner voices, and the micro-moments that quietly rewire your nervous system, no hour-long routine required. When self-care starts to become exhausting, it's time to check-in and see if your nervous system is fighting all these years to be heard. 
What's Discussed:
(01:18) Why self-care needs a rebrand, and what most women are getting wrong about it. (08:09) Why your anxiety and burnout are not personality flaws, they are physiological states. (13:05) Brainwaves explained: the five gears your nervous system runs on every day.
(14:58) Why theta, the brainwave of intuition, gets loudest in perimenopause.
(16:55) The ego voice that keeps women stuck and how to finally talk back to her.
(22:35) The two inner voices every woman has & the one question that tells you which is talking.
(29:31) Why your body raises symptoms when you stop listening to its whispers.
(37:51) The 20-minute magical morning routine that rewires the nervous system.  
Thank you to our sponsors!

Sunlighten: Supercharge your cells in a Sunlighten Sauna. Visit sunlighten.com/partner-savings/ to get $2100 OFF and free shipping. 
 
✍️ 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: www.drcarriejones.kit.com/newsletter

Instagram: @dr.carriejones

Facebook: @drcarriejones

TikTok: @drcarriejones

YouTube: @drcarriejones

Pinterest: @drcarriejones



Find more from Melissa Sonners:
Website: beehive.drmelissasonners.com 
Instagram: @beinspiredmama 
Facebook: Be Inspired Mama
TikTok: @beinspiredmama 
YouTube: @beinspiredmama  
Podcast:  podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-inspired-mama/ 
The Connection Code Book: beehive.drmelissasonners.com/the-connection-code/ 



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.

The test most doctors use to check your thyroid is not even a thyroid hormone. TSH is a brain hormone, and relying on it alone is how so many women end up with "normal" labs while they feel completely awful. It is a gap that causes most women to never get the full picture of the status of their thyroid.
You can be eating clean, working out, doing all the right things, and still gain weight, lose hair, and feel a crushing fatigue that no amount of caffeine can fix. And too often, women are told it is just perimenopause or just aging, when the real story goes much deeper.
In this episode of Hello Hormones, I sit down with Dr. Amie Hornaman, thyroid expert, podcast host, and author of the brand new book The Thyroid Fix:The No Nonsense Guide to Fix Fatigue, Fogginess and Fat That Won't Budge. Dr. Amie has a gift for making thyroid health make sense, busting the myths most women have been handed, and showing them what optimal thyroid approaches really look like.
If you have ever been told your labs are fine while your hair is falling out and your energy is gone, this one is for you.
What's Discussed:
(02:11) Thyroid myth or fact: your "normal" labs mean your thyroid is fine.
(04:31) The medication myth, and why perimenopause can make your thyroid meds stop working.
(06:45) The biggest red flags that your thyroid is being undertreated.
(08:26) The everyday habits quietly tanking your thyroid.
(12:10) Thyropause explained: when your thyroid craps the bed after 40.
(16:06) Why the standard TSH test misses the picture, and what to ask for instead.
(21:46) Why your body raises reverse T3 and thinks you are lying in the ICU.
(25:08) The birth control stat: a 243% higher risk of hypothyroidism.
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
Timeline Nutrition: Support your cells and how you age with Mitopure® Gummies from Timeline. Visit timeline.com/DRCARRIE and save up to 39% OFF your Mitopure® Gummies. 
 
✍️ 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: www.drcarriejones.kit.com/newsletter
Instagram: @dr.carriejones
Facebook: @drcarriejones
TikTok: @drcarriejones
YouTube: @drcarriejones
Pinterest: @drcarriejones

Find more from Amie Hornaman:
Website: dramie.com 
Instagram: @dramiehornaman 
YouTube: @dramiehornaman 
Facebook: Dr. Amie Hornaman 
TikTok: @dramiehornaman 
The Thyroid (And Hormone) Fixer Podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thyroid-and-hormone-fixer-podcast/id1529800263
The Thyroid Fix Book: thyroidfixbook.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.

Cortisol always gets a bad reputation online, but here's the thing: it's not the villain. It's actually essential for your stress response, blood sugar, sleep-wake cycle, and even keeping inflammation in check.

The problem isn't cortisol itself. It's what happens when it stays chronically elevated, and your body starts sending signals you've probably been brushing off as "just stress" or "just getting older."
In this solo episode, I'll walk you through the five warning signs of chronic high cortisol that most women don't connect to stress at all, including one that directly links to your blood sugar and why that matters more than you think.
If you're a woman in midlife and have a gut feel that your cortisol levels are elevated, this episode is exactly where to start.
What's Discussed:
(0:49) The five warning signs of chronic high cortisol
(2:34) Why your weight and face shape might be changing
(3:35) The cortisol-insomnia connection most women miss
(4:40) Hair loss and the stress delay nobody warns you about
(7:23) How cortisol is quietly affecting your blood sugar
 
✍️ FREE GUIDES:
Top 7 Perimenopause Myths You Need to Stop Believing ASAP: drcarriejones.com/myths
Hormones 101 Cheat Sheet: https://www.drcarriejones.com/hormones101  
The Perimenopause & Menopause Labs Test Checklist: https://www.drcarriejones.com/labs
The 101 on Stress, Cortisol And Your Nervous System Ebook: https://www.drcarriejones.com/stressfreebie  
Which Stage of Perimenopause Am I In? Ebook: https://www.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.

Every cell in your body has hormone receptors, which means when your hormones are off, nothing works the way it should. And yet, hormone replacement therapy remains one of the most misunderstood and under-explained topics in women's health.
The confusion isn't your fault. A lot of it traces back to one study from 2002 that scared an entire generation of doctors away from prescribing hormones, and the ripple effects are still being felt today.
In this solo episode of Hello Hormones, Dr. Carrie is answering the questions you actually submitted, the ones your doctor glossed over, the ones nobody's giving you straight answers on, and the ones you weren't sure were okay to ask.
If HRT has felt overwhelming or out of reach, this is the episode that changes that.
What's Discussed:
(4:27) Can supplements replace hormones in full menopause?
(7:09) The hysterectomy question that trips everyone up.
(11:22) Finding the right HRT provider when your current one won't go there.
(15:41) More HRT options than you were probably told about.
(20:25) Why HRT is giving you a skin rash and what to do instead.
(23:06) Water retention on HRT and how to actually fix it.
(24:02) Symptoms vs. labs: how do you know it's actually working?
(28:22) Just started BHRT: when should you test?
Thank you to our Sponsors!

Timeline: Support your cells and how you age with Mitopure® Gummies from Timeline. Visit timeline.com/DRCARRIE and save up to 39% OFF your Mitopure® Gummies. 
✍️ FREE GUIDES:
Top 7 Perimenopause Myths You Need to Stop Believing ASAP: drcarriejones.com/myths
Hormones 101 Cheat Sheet: https://www.drcarriejones.com/hormones101  
The Perimenopause & Menopause Labs Test Checklist: https://www.drcarriejones.com/labs
The 101 on Stress, Cortisol And Your Nervous System Ebook: https://www.drcarriejones.com/stressfreebie  
Which Stage of Perimenopause Am I In? Ebook: https://www.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.