The Female Health Solution Podcast

If you've ever said, "I asked my doctor to test my hormones and they only checked one thing," this episode is for you.
I break down the difference between conventional labs and functional testing, why you can be told everything is normal while you still feel awful, and what to ask for next.
Conventional Labs: Are You Sick Enough?
Conventional testing is designed to look for disease. You are either sick or you are fine. The range is narrow, and if your numbers are not far enough outside of it, you are told you are normal. That can happen even if you are exhausted, gaining weight, losing hair, and struggling with brain fog.
Thyroid is a common example. Many women are told their TSH is normal, end of story, even when their symptoms clearly point to hypothyroid issues.
Functional Testing: Where Is the Imbalance?
Functional testing looks at optimal ranges, not just whether you are sick enough for treatment. You can sit in a not great range for years. Not bad enough for medication, but not good enough to feel like yourself.
Often, you are working hard just to stay afloat with clean eating, supplements, exercise, and stress management. That effort is keeping you from crashing, but it is not getting you into an optimal range.
Why One Lab Value Is Not Enough
Using thyroid again, TSH alone is not a full picture. We often need TSH, Free T3, Free T4, and antibody markers to really understand what is happening.
You might be making hormones but not converting them properly because of stress, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, or estrogen imbalances. If we do not look deeper, we miss that.
Why This Matters 
I have lived this. After having kids, I went through postpartum thyroiditis. I was exhausted, foggy, losing hair, and felt terrible. I was told I was just a tired new mom. But I knew it was more than that.
That experience is a big reason I am so passionate about functional testing. Too many women are dismissed when their labs do not fit into a narrow box.
My favorite functional test is the DUTCH Test, a dried urine test for comprehensive hormones.
It looks at estrogen and progesterone patterns, testosterone and other androgens, cortisol and adrenal function, key nutrient markers, gut and inflammation markers, neurotransmitters, melatonin, and more.
It connects the dots so we can see what is really driving your symptoms.
Ready to figure out what is really going on?
Schedule a discovery call with my team and we can talk through your symptoms, your health history, and whether deeper functional testing like the DUTCH test would be the right next step for you.
Book your discovery call here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

How do you know if you're truly ovulating and more importantly, if your body can support a healthy pregnancy?
If you've been tracking your cycle, using apps, monitoring basal body temperature, or wearing a ring or watch… but still don't have clear answers, this episode is for you.
Today, I'm breaking down why tracking alone isn't always enough and why the DUTCH Cycle Mapping Test is my favorite tool for uncovering the root cause of fertility struggles.
What we cover: 
The difference between the three types of estrogen (E1, E2, E3) — and why it matters

Why ovulation alone isn't the full picture

The 3 essential steps for healthy hormones:
Production – Are you making enough hormones?

Processing – Are they being metabolized correctly?

Pathways out – Can your body properly clear them?


How cortisol and adrenal health directly impact ovulation

Why gut health and nutrient deficiencies (like B vitamins) can block fertility progress

The connection between progesterone metabolites and brain support

Why supporting your foundation (cortisol, nutrients, gut health) often comes before pushing ovulation

Fertility isn't just about getting pregnant: it's about setting your body up for a healthy pregnancy, smooth postpartum recovery, and long-term hormone stability.
If you want help identifying what may be impacting your hormones or fertility, you can schedule a discovery call with my team. During this call we'll talk through your symptoms, your goals, and whether deeper testing like DUTCH cycle mapping may be the right next step for you.
Schedule your discovery call here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

If you feel like you've tried everything for your hormones… and nothing seems to stick, this episode is for you.
Supplements. Diet changes. Gut protocols. Hormone support. Stress management.
You do the research, follow the plan, and maybe feel better for a little while. But eventually the symptoms come back.
That's because most women are treating symptoms instead of identifying the underlying hormone pattern driving them.
And until you identify that pattern, it's easy to keep chasing solutions that only work temporarily.
In this episode, I explain why hormone protocols often stop working and how to start identifying the real patterns behind hormone imbalance.
In This Episode
• Why treating symptoms alone rarely fixes hormone issues • The difference between root cause and recurring hormone patterns • Why probiotics and gut supplements often miss the real issue • How constipation and gut dysfunction can recycle estrogen in the body • How cortisol, progesterone, estrogen, and gut health all interact • Why hormone programs that worked years ago may stop working now
Many women assume they have estrogen dominance or a gut issue when the real driver may actually be stress hormones or cortisol dysfunction.
And until that primary pattern is addressed, everything else becomes guesswork.
Join the Hormone & Gut Pattern Identification Workshop
If you want help identifying the actual hormone or gut pattern driving your symptoms, I'm hosting a live workshop where we break this down step-by-step.
In this 90-minute workshop, you'll learn how to:
• Identify your dominant hormone or gut pattern • Understand why previous protocols didn't work • Learn which system needs to be stabilized first • Know which labs actually confirm what's happening in your body • Stop stacking random supplements and guessing
📅 Live Workshop Wednesday, March 18 7 PM CST
Reserve your spot here: https://drbethwestie.com/the-hormone-clarity-workshop/
 
Ready to dive deeper?
If you want help reviewing your symptoms and figuring out the right next step for your hormones, you can also schedule a discovery call with my team.
Book your discovery call here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

Why does it feel like your metabolism slows down after 35… even when you're doing all the "right" things?
If you're eating healthy, exercising consistently, and still struggling with stubborn weight, fatigue, or low motivation, this episode explains what may actually be happening inside your body.
For many women, metabolism changes in the mid-30s and beyond are not about willpower or discipline. They're driven by shifts in hormones, cortisol, thyroid function, muscle mass, and stress physiology. When these systems become dysregulated, traditional strategies like eating less and exercising more can actually make things worse.
In this episode, I break down the real reasons weight loss resistance happens for women over 35 and what a true metabolism reset actually requires.
In this episode you'll learn:
• Why dieting and calorie restriction can slow your metabolism after 35 • How chronic stress and cortisol impact fat loss and energy • The connection between thyroid function, estrogen, progesterone, and metabolism • Why random supplements and generic plans often fail • What actually needs to be addressed to reset your metabolism
Many women I work with have already tried multiple diets, supplements, and health protocols. But the missing piece is often identifying which hormone or gut pattern is actually driving the symptoms.
Without that clarity, it's easy to end up stacking protocols that never fully resolve the root issue.
That's why I'm hosting a live Hormone & Gut Pattern Identification Workshop where I walk you through how to identify the dominant hormone or gut pattern that may be affecting your metabolism, energy, digestion, and mood.
In this 90-minute live workshop, you'll learn how to:
• Identify your dominant hormone or gut pattern • Understand why previous health protocols may not have worked • Learn which system needs to be stabilized first • Know which labs actually confirm what's happening in your body • Stop guessing and finally have a clear starting point
Workshop Details Wednesday, March 18 7 PM CST
Reserve your spot here: https://drbethwestie.com/the-hormone-clarity-workshop/
If you're ready to go deeper and want personalized guidance on what's happening in your body, you can also schedule a discovery call with my team to talk through your symptoms and next steps.
Book your discovery call here: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

Perimenopause is something the vast majority of women will experience and yet so many of us feel blindsided by it.
I'm Dr. Jenny and in this episode, I talk about why perimenopause often isn't discussed in conventional medical appointments and why so many women are left hearing about it through social media instead of their doctor's office.
Menopause is diagnosable. It shows up clearly on blood work.
Perimenopause? Not so much.
The 5–15 years before menopause can feel like a hormone roller coaster:
Exhaustion

Brain fog

Night sweats and hot flashes

Mood swings

Irregular cycles

Low libido

Weight changes

Feeling like you're "losing your mind"

Here's the truth:
If you feel like you're on a roller coaster, it's because your hormones are on a roller coaster.
In this episode, I break down:
Why adrenal health (your stress response system) is the foundation of hormone balance

How chronic stress impacts DHEA and testosterone (hello brain fog and low libido)

Why blood work can miss perimenopausal shifts

How estrogen processing in the liver and gut plays a massive role in symptoms

Why progesterone often declines first and what that means for sleep and mood

How comprehensive testing (like the DUTCH test) gives us a real map instead of a single snapshot

Most importantly, I explain how you can take your power back.
We created a FREE Perimenopause Mini Podcast Series to help you understand:
What actually is perimenopause (and what isn't)

Why symptoms show up years before menopause

What works, what doesn't

How to get to the root cause of your symptoms quickly

Listen to the FREE perimenopause series here: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/perimenopause-3