Healthy Buzz: Hormone Health, Gut Health, Perimenopause & Women’s Wellness

53. HRT Myths, Metabolism, and Midlife Health with Danielle Kepics (The Hormone Disconnect Series Episode 4)

The biggest risk for many women isn't hormone therapy, it's the misinformation that's kept them suffering for decades. In this episode of Healthy Buzz, Brandee sits down with Danielle Kepics, physician assistant and founder of Empowered Medicine, to unpack one of the most misunderstood topics in women's health: hormone replacement therapy (HRT). As part four of the Hormone Disconnect series, this conversation breaks down the lasting impact of the Women's Health Initiative study, the confusion between birth control and hormone replacement therapy, and why so many women are still being denied evidence-based care. Danielle explains the difference between synthetic and bioidentical hormones, discusses the pros and cons of various HRT delivery methods, and shares what women need to know before considering options like pellets, patches, oral hormones, creams, or testosterone therapy. If you've been told you're "too young" for HRT, dismissed by your provider, or feel overwhelmed by conflicting information online, this episode will help you ask better questions, advocate for yourself, and better understand your options. In This Episode: • Why the Women's Health Initiative study created decades of fear around HRT • Oral vs. transdermal estrogen: understanding the pros and cons • What women should know about progesterone, testosterone, and hormone pellets • How hormones influence insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular health, and metabolism • The truth about body composition, muscle mass, and midlife weight gain • Why HRT is not a replacement for nutrition, movement, and lifestyle habits • Questions to ask when searching for an HRT provider • How to advocate for yourself when you've been dismissed by your healthcare team Connect with Danielle: Website: https://www.empoweredmedicine.co/ Website: https://empoweredmindbody.practicebetter.io/#/signin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empowered.medicine/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielle.kepics/ Substack: https://empoweredmindbody.substack.com/ Graphic of breast cancer risk we talk about https://thebms.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/01-NEW-INFOGRAPHICS-NOV2025-C.pdf Perimenopause quiz: https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/69bc7d13da5211ffd6e5879c myths about HRT: https://www.empoweredmedicine.co/myths Connect with me: Sign up for my newsletter: https://bcw.beecollectivewellness.com/newsletter-signup Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/beecollectivewellness/ Produced by Espresso Podcast Production: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com

52. Functional Lab Testing: The Missing Piece Behind Your Hormone Symptoms (The Hormone Disconnect Series Episode 3)

Being told your labs are “normal” doesn’t mean your body is functioning optimally. For many women struggling with hormone symptoms, fatigue, PMS, weight changes, gut issues, and unexplained health concerns, the answers often live in the gaps conventional testing misses. In this episode of the Hormone Disconnect Series, Brandee breaks down the differences between conventional and functional lab testing, why standard labs are designed to identify disease rather than dysfunction, and how functional testing can uncover the root causes behind persistent symptoms. She explains how the right data can help connect the dots between your symptoms, hormones, gut health, stress response, and overall wellness. You'll learn about the functional labs Brandee uses most often with clients, including comprehensive stool testing, hormone testing through saliva and urine, and real-time hormone tracking. She also shares how proper timing, interpretation, and individualized analysis can completely change the way you understand your health. What You'll Learn: * Why normal lab results don't always mean optimal health * The difference between conventional reference ranges and functional optimal ranges * How gut health directly impacts hormone balance * Why timing matters when testing hormones * The benefits of GI-MAP, DUTCH testing, saliva hormone testing, and Mira cycle tracking * How functional lab testing helps uncover root causes instead of masking symptoms * Why personalized interpretation is just as important as the test itself Hormone Lab Guide: https://beecollectivewellness.com/hormone-lab-guide [https://beecollectivewellness.com/hormone-lab-guide] Work With Me: https://beecollectivewellness.com/nutrition-coaching [https://beecollectivewellness.com/nutrition-coaching] Connect with me: Sign up for my newsletter: https://bcw.beecollectivewellness.com/newsletter-signup [https://bcw.beecollectivewellness.com/newsletter-signup] Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/beecollectivewellness/ [https://www.instagram.com/beecollectivewellness/] Work with me: https://beecollectivewellness.com/nutrition-coaching [https://beecollectivewellness.com/nutrition-coaching]

51. The Hidden Health Effects of Hormonal Birth Control with Nicole Jardim, Fix Your Period (The Hormone Disconnect Series Episode 2)

For most of our lives, we've been handed a prescription and told it would fix everything — painful periods, irregular cycles, acne, you name it. But what if we were never actually given the full picture? This isn't an anti-birth-control episode. It's a pro-information one. In this episode, Brandee sits down with women's health expert Nicole Jardim for one of those conversations that makes you wish you'd had it ten years ago. They dig into what hormonal birth control is actually doing inside your body, why calling it a "cycle regulator" is more marketing than medicine, and how suppressing ovulation can quietly affect everything from your mood and gut health to your nutrient levels and long-term wellbeing. Nicole gets personal too — sharing her own experience with debilitating periods and years on the pill before she started asking the questions no one had thought to ask her. Whether you're on hormonal birth control right now, thinking about coming off it, or just realizing there's a lot about your own hormones you were never taught — this episode meets you where you are, with science and real-world experience to back it up. In This Episode: * Why hormonal birth control does not actually regulate your menstrual cycle * What happens to ovulation and hormone production while on the pill * The connection between birth control and nutrient depletion * The impact of birth control on gut health, inflammation, and the microbiome * Understanding the nuanced conversation around cancer risk and hormonal contraceptives * How fertility awareness methods support body literacy and reproductive health * Practical considerations for coming off hormonal birth control and supporting your body through the transition STOP GUESSING & START ADVOCATING FOR YOUR HEALTH WITH THE RIGHT LABS: www.beecollectivewellness.com/hormone-lab-guide [www.beecollectivewellness.com/hormone-lab-guide] Connect with Nicole: The Fix Your Period Quiz (Free) - https://fixyourperiod.com/quiz/  [https://fixyourperiod.com/quiz/  ] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolemjardim/ [https://www.instagram.com/nicolemjardim/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicolemjardim/ [https://www.facebook.com/nicolemjardim/] Fix Your Period: Six Weeks to Banish Bloating, Conquer Cramps, Manage Moodiness, and Ignite Lasting Hormone Balance – A Women's Health Protocol Beyond Birth Control: https://www.amazon.com/Fix-Your-Period-Bloating-Moodiness/dp/ [https://www.amazon.com/Fix-Your-Period-Bloating-Moodiness/dp/0062937324?crid=2SQJF2U37M55E&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7An1_bGAP_JYrXpaQa2VBos6xNn_8LEEc4nVTFROUL797AmmTGlbBxAkdHsNMHxFSBUgsAJF_2WfHd9Ndb1v6SrFTfmFVM8QtSXMNFuC48hZXqGY7Wka0k0WqyJ3BizLMeKty5nbKM-dXzUfliDxHkpdxyyhQaHtxQxliFS4HpypXRrLcdLz5J8IqXFfKzN3yf-Vr0PbvSBZIjkCzqNTMriENbaLZd-Ulrp5YEWAOHs.t2gvLPn2MbxZU8uF_BxksffjR6ozvkd-TfOlmbXps5A&dib_tag=se&keywords=fix+your+period+nicole+jardim&qid=1714512292&sprefix=fix+your+period,aps,74&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=thehealelem-20&linkId=6c29f9cd1fc91acd4f2956cb7ca63b2b&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl] Connect with me: Sign up for my newsletter: https://bcw.beecollectivewellness.com/newsletter-signup [https://bcw.beecollectivewellness.com/newsletter-signup] Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/beecollectivewellness/ [https://www.instagram.com/beecollectivewellness/]   Produced by Espresso Podcast Production: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com [ https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com]

50. The Hormone Disconnect Series - The Hormone Conversations Every Woman Needs to Hear (Episode 1)

I spent 17 years on hormonal birth control without fully understanding what it was doing to my body. I almost talked myself out of HRT even when my data was literally showing me I needed it. And alcohol? I had no idea what it was quietly doing to my hormones. If you've ever felt dismissed, confused, or like you're getting half the picture from your doctor — this series is for you. In this episode: * Why I stayed on hormonal birth control for 17 years and what I wish someone had told me sooner * How getting COVID triggered a hormonal shift that changed everything at 44 * The unexpected perimenopause symptoms nobody talks about (brain fog, itchy skin, ringing ears) * How I almost gaslighted myself out of starting HRT — even with data showing I needed it * My progesterone sensitivity journey and how I had to advocate for a different protocol * What alcohol is actually doing to your blood sugar, cortisol, sleep, and hormones * A preview of all five episodes in the Hormone Disconnect Summer Series Episodes in this series: Ep 2: Hormonal birth control with Nicole Jardim Ep 3: Functional lab testing — why standard labs miss what's actually going on Ep 4: HRT with Danielle Kepics Ep 5: Alcohol and your hormones with Dr. Brooke Scheller Connect with me: Sign up for my newsletter: https://bcw.beecollectivewellness.com/newsletter [https://bcw.beecollectivewellness.com/newsletter]-signup Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/beecollectivewellness/ [https://www.instagram.com/beecollectivewellness/] Produced by Espresso Podcast Production: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com [https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com]

49. PCOS is Now PMOS: What This Historic Name Change Means for Your Diagnosis

Something groundbreaking just happened in women's health. The Lancet officially renamed PCOS to PMOS (Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome)—and if you've ever been dismissed because you don't have cysts on your ovaries, or you've been sitting with a diagnosis that never quite explained how you feel, this episode will make a lot of things click. I'm breaking down why the old name was harmful, what PMOS actually means, and why a name change alone won't automatically get women better care. Because up to 70% of affected individuals remain undiagnosed—and that needs to change. I'm also sharing my personal journey of being dismissed by three providers over three years before finally getting diagnosed at 38, and what I wish I had known then. This is a huge win for women's health, but there's still so much work to do. Let's talk about what this means for you and how to advocate for yourself moving forward. In This Episode: * What PMOS stands for and why this name change matters (hint: it's not just about cysts) * The Rotterdam criteria and how PMOS is actually diagnosed * Why up to 70% of people remain undiagnosed—and the serious health risks that come with that * My personal story of medical dismissal and why "lean PCOS" needs to stop being a thing * How to advocate for yourself and what questions to ask your provider right now Resources Mentioned: * The Lancet paper on PCOS to PMOS name change * Rotterdam criteria for PMOS diagnosis Connect with me: Sign up for my newsletter: https://bcw.beecollectivewellness.com/newsletter-signup [https://bcw.beecollectivewellness.com/newsletter-signup] Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/beecollectivewellness/ [https://www.instagram.com/beecollectivewellness/]   Produced by Espresso Podcast Production: https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com [ https://www.espressopodcastproduction.com]