Strong + Unfiltered: Perimenopause, Hormones, Gut Health + Metabolic Optimization

EP 253: Why Women Don't Trust Their Doctors: Hormones, Statins + Medical Gaslighting

If you've ever left a doctor's appointment thinking, "That answered exactly none of my questions," this episode is for you. This week, I'm joined by fellow physician assistant and functional medicine practitioner Shelly Satizabal for a candid conversation about perimenopause, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), birth control, statins, medical gaslighting, and women's health. We discuss why so many women are told they're "too young" for perimenopause, why symptoms get dismissed despite "normal" labs, and how women continue to fall through the cracks of a healthcare system that historically wasn't designed around female physiology. We also dive into hormones, cholesterol, statins, women's health research, and why asking questions shouldn't make you a difficult patient. If you've ever felt unheard, brushed off, or like nobody is interested in finding the root cause of your symptoms, this conversation is for you. Learn more about working with me [https://www.empoweredmindbody.co/individualofferings] Shop my masterclasses (learn more in 60-90 minutes than years of dr appointments) [https://www.empoweredmindbody.co/store] Follow me on IG [https://www.instagram.com/danielle.kepics] Follow Empowered Mind + Body on IG [https://www.instagram.com/empowered.mind.body/] Learn More About Shelly here [https://www.embodybyshelly.com] Follow Shelly on IG [https://www.instagram.com/embodybyshelly/?hl=en]

EP 252: Your Ovaries Left the Group Chat: Perimenopause, Overtraining + Why You Feel Like Shit

Welcome back to Strong + Unfiltered. This episode turned into a spicy little reality check about perimenopause, overtraining, body recomposition, endurance culture, nervous system overload, and the internet making women think they're doomed in midlife. We're talking about why your habits matter more than your hormones, why some women are running themselves into the ground emotionally and physically, and why HRT is not magic fairy dust you throw onto a metabolic dumpster fire. We also get into body recomposition in your 40s, what actually worked for me over the last 16 weeks, why I intentionally stopped running, how much protein women actually need, the importance of sleep + recovery, and the role stress, histamine, and nervous system dysregulation play in how you feel. And yes… we somehow also ended up ranting about marathon culture during pregnancy, social media support, avocado-induced histamine chaos, and why some endurance athletes respectfully need therapy. Enter the Brick Giveaway here! [https://forms.gle/Ls5KGfEewPAGRbzu7] Learn more about working with me [https://www.empoweredmindbody.co/individualofferings] Shop my masterclasses (learn more in 60-90 minutes than years of dr appointments) [https://www.empoweredmindbody.co/store] Follow me on IG [https://www.instagram.com/danielle.kepics] Follow Empowered Mind + Body on IG [https://www.instagram.com/empowered.mind.body/] Follow Jess on IG [https://www.instagram.com/jesss.cahhh]

EP 251: The Truth About HRT: Blood Clots, Cancer Risk, Pellets + Perimenopause Symptoms

Welcome back to Strong + Unfiltered. Today's episode is a solo Q&A all about hormone replacement therapy, perimenopause, progesterone, estrogen, blood clot myths, and the massive amount of misinformation women are still being fed about hormones. We're diving into the REAL differences between birth control and bioidentical HRT, what the WHI study actually did (and didn't) show, why some women are safer ON estrogen than off of it, and why "just wait until menopause" is outdated advice that's keeping women suffering unnecessarily. I also break down pellets, PCOS and HRT, cyclic estrogen dosing, how I monitor hormones in practice, and why symptoms like anxiety, rage, fatigue, sleep issues, brain fog, joint pain, and "not feeling like yourself" may absolutely be connected to perimenopause long before your periods disappear. If you've ever been told your labs are "normal" while you feel exhausted, anxious, inflamed, ragey, wide awake at 2am, or completely unlike yourself… this episode is for you. Get your FREE 9 HRT Myths Debunked ebook here [https://www.empoweredmedicine.co/myths] Book an Empowered Medicine consult call here [https://l.bttr.to/qv2lK] Book a Hormone Strategy Session here [https://l.bttr.to/iMb1I] Enter the GIVEAWAY to win a FREE brick here [https://forms.gle/9eAJTKNVxHRAgeBo7]

EP 250: Doing Everything Right But Not Losing Weight? Here's Why

If you feel like you're doing everything right… eating "clean," working out constantly, tracking your macros… and still not losing weight, this episode is going to hit. Danielle is breaking down your biggest questions around weight loss resistance, metabolism, under eating, and overtraining, and calling out the habits that are quietly keeping you stuck. We're talking about why chronic dieting, low calorie intake, and doing too much cardio can actually slow progress, and what to do instead if you want real fat loss, better body composition, and a stronger metabolism. You'll learn how to think about reverse dieting, when to use tools like macro tracking or food scales (and when to stop), and why eating more might actually be the thing your body needs. This is your reminder that your metabolism isn't broken… but the way you've been taught to approach weight loss might be. Enter the Brick Giveaway here! [https://forms.gle/Ls5KGfEewPAGRbzu7] Get your Labs Freebie Here! [https://www.empoweredmindbody.co/labs] Learn more about working with me [https://www.empoweredmindbody.co/individualofferings] Shop my masterclasses (learn more in 60-90 minutes than years of dr appointments) [https://www.empoweredmindbody.co/store] Follow me on IG [https://www.instagram.com/danielle.kepics] Follow Empowered Mind + Body on IG [https://www.instagram.com/empowered.mind.body/]

EP249: Are Your "Healthy Habits" a Red Flag? The Truth About Orthorexia + Endurance Training

Danielle sits down with Becca Murphy to unpack her personal experience with orthorexia, disordered eating, and how "doing all the right things" can quietly spiral into underfueling, overtraining, and hormonal imbalance. We're talking about the sneaky, socially acceptable behaviors that get praised in fitness culture but are actually massive red flags, especially for high-performing women navigating endurance training, weight loss, and metabolic health. From obsessive tracking with apps like MyFitnessPal, to chronic dieting, to using exercise as a coping mechanism, this episode connects the dots between control, trauma, and the way we use "health" to avoid what's really going on underneath. We also break down how low energy availability, RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), and chronic underfueling can show up as fatigue, poor recovery, hormone issues, and stubborn body composition changes. If you've ever felt wired and tired, stuck in rigid routines, anxious about missing a workout, or unsure how to stop tracking calories and macros… this episode is for you. Enter the Brick Giveaway here! [https://forms.gle/Ls5KGfEewPAGRbzu7] Learn more about working with me [https://www.empoweredmindbody.co/individualofferings] Shop my masterclasses (learn more in 60-90 minutes than years of dr appointments) [https://www.empoweredmindbody.co/store] Follow me on IG [https://www.instagram.com/danielle.kepics] Follow Empowered Mind + Body on IG [https://www.instagram.com/empowered.mind.body/] Follow Becca on IG [https://www.instagram.com/beccabluerose/]