Have you ever noticed that your energy is not consistent throughout the month? Some weeks you feel sharp, motivated, and on top of everything, and other weeks you feel exhausted, anxious, foggy, or completely wiped out. That is not random. That is hormones.

In this episode, I walk you through how estrogen and progesterone impact your energy across your entire cycle and why understanding this changes everything. Once you see it, you cannot unsee it.

I break down what a typical 28 day cycle looks like and what your hormones are supposed to be doing at each phase.

What we cover in this episode:

• Why estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest during your period and why testosterone is actually the dominant hormone at that time
• How rising estrogen after your period fuels motivation, focus, productivity, and natural energy
• Why ovulation is often your peak energy, creativity, and confidence window when hormones are balanced
• What progesterone is supposed to do after ovulation and why it should feel calming, grounding, and supportive
• Why needing more rest, calories, and recovery in the second half of your cycle is normal
• How basal body temperature changes after ovulation and what that tells us about progesterone
• The difference between your ovulation window and your fertile window
• Why energy crashes, anxiety, irritability, or feeling wired but exhausted are signs something is off
• What estrogen dominance and progesterone deficiency actually look like in real life
• Why irregular cycles and unpredictable energy are not something you just have to live with

I also explain the high hormone phase after ovulation and why this is the most important time to test hormones. This is when both estrogen and progesterone are present and your body has to process them properly.

If you feel great one week and terrible the rest of the month, if PMS is intense, if ovulation feels painful or exhausting, or if your energy never feels predictable, those are all signs your hormones are not being produced or processed the way they should be.

This is where hormone testing matters.

Why I use DUTCH hormone testing:

A DUTCH test allows us to see:
• How much estrogen and progesterone you are actually producing
• Whether you are ovulating and producing progesterone consistently
• How your body is metabolizing and clearing hormones
• Cortisol patterns that affect energy and burnout
• Androgen levels, nutrient markers, and methylation

Blood work can show hormone levels at a single moment, but it does not show functional patterns or how hormones are being used and cleared. DUTCH testing gives us the full picture.

I share a real example of a woman who had done everything right. Clean eating, less caffeine, better sleep, no sugar, no alcohol, and still had terrible energy. Her DUTCH test showed exactly why her body could not make energy effectively. Once we saw the data, everything made sense.

Numbers do not lie. Testing removes the guessing.

Your energy should ebb and flow with your cycle, but it should still be manageable. Your hormones should not hold you back from living your life, working toward your goals, or feeling like yourself.

If your hormones are interfering with your quality of life, it's time to test.

Get your hormone test: https://drbethwestie.com/dutch-hormone-testing/

How do you know if it's really your cortisol causing symptoms like exhaustion, burnout, low mood, or low libido? How do you know if it's adrenal insufficiency, adrenal dysfunction, or something else entirely?

In this episode, I break down exactly how to tell the difference between low cortisol and high cortisol, why symptoms overlap with thyroid issues and other hormone imbalances, and why guessing or treating blindly can actually make things worse.

• The difference between adrenal function vs cortisol output
• Why blood, saliva, and urine cortisol tests tell very different stories
• Why DUTCH testing shows the full picture of adrenal function and cortisol metabolism
• Common low cortisol symptoms, including
– Extreme fatigue and burnout
– Low motivation and low mood
– Feeling "overcast" instead of like yourself
– Low libido (even with normal testosterone)
– Dizziness when standing, heart racing, weakness
– Sleep issues that don't improve with rest

• Why these symptoms are often confused with
– Thyroid dysfunction
– Low testosterone
– Low estrogen or DHEA
– Neurotransmitter imbalances
– Gut issues, blood sugar problems, dehydration, or histamine issues

• Why women are often told to "just be less stressed" when their systems are actually running on empty
• Why taking the wrong supplement for cortisol can pour gas on the fire
• How stress, sleep loss, life changes, and overtraining can stall healing even when you're "doing everything right"

Without the right testing, it's like being lost in the woods with the wrong map. DUTCH testing shows us where you are, what systems are struggling, and what needs support first so your body can actually recover.

Once we know what your system needs, herbal tinctures can be powerful tools during the healing process, especially for adrenal and nervous system support.

Tinctures are not meant to be a forever crutch. They are part of a strategic phase to help calm the stress response, support cortisol regulation, and give your body the resources it needs to stabilize so deeper healing can happen.

If you are feeling
• Wired but exhausted
• Burned out and flat
• Emotionally fragile
• Unable to recover from stress
• Or like your body just won't respond anymore

Targeted adrenal and nervous system tinctures can help bridge the gap while you address sleep, nutrition, gut health, and lifestyle foundations.

To support you as you move into the New Year, we're offering:

10% off all tinctures + FREE shipping
Use code: NEWYEAR
Valid Dec 30 - Jan 2

This is a great time to give your nervous system and adrenals some extra support while you work on the bigger picture.

Shop the sale: https://nutritionforyourhormones.com

In this episode, I break down why you can feel exhausted all day but suddenly wired the moment you try to sleep. We talk about how cortisol, melatonin, blood sugar, and perimenopause all play a role, and what you can actually do to get real rest.

• Your circadian rhythm depends on high cortisol in the morning and low cortisol at night.

• If cortisol spikes in the evening, you will feel "tired but wired."

• Taking melatonin will not help if melatonin is normal and cortisol is the real problem.

A DUTCH hormone test shows:

• Your full cortisol pattern throughout the day

• Melatonin output

• Blood sugar, nutrient, and inflammation markers

• Estrogen and progesterone levels that may affect sleep

This is why DUTCH is so helpful for women who have tried every sleep aid with no results. One client had perfect melatonin but high nighttime cortisol. Once we targeted that, her sleep finally improved.

• Protein before bed: At least 20 grams to stabilize blood sugar and quiet cortisol.

• Nighttime routine: Lower lights, cooler bedroom, weighted blanket, deep breathing, red light, warm bath.

• Journaling: Empty your brain before bed so you are not carrying mental clutter into sleep.

Falling progesterone can make it harder to relax or stay asleep. Supporting progesterone naturally and adding magnesium or B vitamins at night can help.

• Adrenal tincture to support cortisol regulation

• Sleep tincture to calm the nervous system

• Magnesium in the evening to relax muscles and reduce tension

Consistency matters. Sleep often improves gradually over three or more weeks.

If you are done guessing, DUTCH testing shows exactly:

• Whether cortisol, melatonin, blood sugar, or inflammation is keeping you awake

• What your hormones are doing at night

• Which specific areas to target

This saves time, money, and frustration so you can finally sleep again.

You can order a DUTCH test here and get a personalized review and plan: https://drbethwestie.com/dutch-hormone-testing/

Better sleep starts with understanding what your hormones are doing behind the scenes.