Low Estrogen Signs and Symptoms and How to Treat Low Estrogen

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Balancing Your Hormones, Perimenopause/ Menopause Leave a Comment

Low estrogen levels can be the cause of hot flashes, missing periods, vaginal dryness, joint pain, and other symptoms. Understanding the cause of low estrogen is important in selecting the right treatment. Low estrogen is most often associated with menopause, but it can happen throughout your lifetime due to a variety of factors. Sometimes, the low estrogen signs and symptoms …

What is HPA Axis Dysfunction + 7 Steps to Heal HPA-D

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Adrenal Leave a Comment

If you haven’t heard the term “adrenal fatigue,”it is a common way people describe the symptoms that are a result of something called HPA axis dysfunction. While it can feel like an accurate way to describe how you’re feeling, “adrenal fatigue” isn’t a true medical diagnosis. Instead, what you’ll find in the research is the term HPA axis dysfunction, and …

Understanding Menopause Hair Loss: Causes, Symptoms, Solutions, and Preventive Measures

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Perimenopause/ Menopause Leave a Comment

During the menopause transition and following, hair follicles may shrink, causing the hair to become thinner and thinner until it eventually falls out. Hormone related changes that affect the follicle contribute to slower growing hair and make it easier for it to fall out. As if hot flashes weren’t bad enough, if you are in your mid-40s or 50s and …

Thyroid Medications: A Comprehensive Guide

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Thyroid, Thyroid & Hormone Balance Leave a Comment

Levothyroxine is the most common thyroid medication to treat hypothyroidism, but as you’ll learn in this article, there are several other thyroid medication options. As a board certified naturopathic endocrinologist, I have found that patients can respond differently to thyroid medication, which means what works for one person, may not work for another. Thyroid function is critical to overall health. …

Late Menopause: What Are the Risks and Benefits

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Perimenopause/ Menopause Leave a Comment

Menopause is defined by the absence of a period for 12 consecutive months. On average, most women enter menopause by age 51. In the case of late onset menopause, menstrual periods may not end until someone’s late fifties or early sixties. There are several benefits and risks to late onset menopause and the cause can be multifactorial—all of which we …

How to Lose Weight With PCOS

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: PCOS, Weight Loss Leave a Comment

Weight gain or difficulty losing weight is a common symptom of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Because PCOS has a complex metabolic and reproductive hormone imbalance associated with it, the question of how to lose weight with PCOS is more complicated than the standard “eat less and exercise more” many of us hear. Conversations about weight are complex. In some ways, …

Best Hormone Balance Foods for Breakfast

The Best and Worst Breakfast Foods for Hormone Health

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Balancing Your Hormones, Food Leave a Comment

When it comes to breakfast, this what I share with my patients as a board certified naturopathic endocrinologist to help them optimize their hormonal balance every day. The first meal of the day is a substantial opportunity for you to support insulin sensitivity, reproductive hormones, and reduce stress levels on your body. Research shows a healthy breakfast sets the stage …

Ozempic for Weight Loss

Ozempic for Weight Loss: Side Effects, Benefits, Risks

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: PCOS, Weight Loss Leave a Comment

Ozempic®  for weight loss claims are everywhere—the drug that became popular as a celebrity trend and crossed into the mainstream. The big question I get is, does ozempic work for weight loss or is it just another trend? This is especially true for women with PCOS, hypothyroidism, or those going through perimenopause. Ozempic or Semaglutide is used to treat type …

Holy Basil Benefits

Holy Basil Benefits & Hormonal Balance

Dr. Jolene BrightenPublished: Adrenal, Anxiety, Depression, Mood, Sleep Leave a Comment

Holy basil is an herb used for hormonal balance, blood sugar support, anxiety, cholesterol, and inflammation by many people. As I’ll explain in this article, research has shown holy basil benefits range from stress and mental/ emotional support to helping with fatigue and providing nutritional support. Holy Basil Benefits:  Addressing hormone balance takes a holistic approach, but holy basil is …