The Female Health Solution Podcast

In this episode of the Female Health Solution Podcast, I'm breaking down something I see all the time with the women we work with: the cortisol and caffeine energy rollercoaster.
If you feel like you need coffee or energy drinks just to function, crash hard in the afternoon, or plan your day around your next caffeine hit, this conversation is for you. I explain why this pattern is common but not normal, how cortisol actually drives these highs and lows, and why relying on caffeine keeps your body stuck in a stress response.
We talk about what cortisol really does in the body, how it impacts blood sugar, energy, sleep, and mood, and what simple shifts can help you create smoother, more reliable energy throughout the day without feeling tethered to caffeine.
If you're ready to get off the rollercoaster and support your energy in a way that actually works with your body, I invite you to join our Free 5 Day Revive. It's designed to help you feel strong, steady, and energized with simple, actionable steps you can start right away.
Listen in and let's get your energy working for you again.
Join the Free 5 Day Revive: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/the-5-day-revive

In this episode of the Female Health Solution Podcast, I break down why good sleep doesn't always equal restorative sleep, and why waking up exhausted is often a hormone and cortisol rhythm issue, not a lack of sleep or effort on your part.
Yes, sleep matters. But if your body isn't producing or regulating cortisol correctly, you can still wake up tired, foggy, and unmotivated, even after a full night in bed.
What we cover in this episode:
Why cortisol plays a major role in how energized (or exhausted) you feel in the morning

The difference between getting sleep and actually restoring your nervous system

How stress, broken sleep, under-fueling, and overexercising quietly drain your energy

Why women need more and different quality sleep than men

The "wired but tired" pattern and how it shows up when cortisol is off

Why pushing through exhaustion works… until it doesn't

I also explain why so many women hit a point where they can keep functioning, but feel awful doing it. Just because your body is resilient doesn't mean it should live in survival mode.
If you're sleeping but not recovering, something deeper is missing.
How we figure out what's actually going on
This is where functional testing matters. I walk through why I rely on the DUTCH Test to look at:
Your cortisol pattern throughout the day

Estrogen, progesterone, and androgen balance

Nutrient status that impacts energy and recovery

Different cortisol patterns require different support. If your adrenals are flatlined, you need a very different approach than someone whose system is stuck in overdrive. Guessing, or throwing random sleep supplements at the problem, rarely works.
A great place to start: the FREE 5-Day Revive
If you're not ready for testing yet, I created a free 5-Day Revive Challenge focused on helping your body feel more strong, steady, and energized.
Inside the 5-day, we focus on:
Morning and evening routines that support healthy cortisol rhythms

Simple nutrition and protein targets to prevent depletion

How to fuel before and after workouts so you actually recover

Light, movement, and nervous system regulation

A short daily assessment so guidance is targeted, not overwhelming

This is not about perfection or adding more to your plate. It's about making small, intentional changes that actually move the needle.
👉 Join the free 5-Day Revive: https://dr-beth-westie.mykajabi.com/the-5-day-revive
Send it to a friend, do it together, and use it as a reset for your energy.

Have you ever been told your labs are "normal," but you still feel exhausted, foggy, wired, or not like yourself?
I'm Dr. Jenny, one of the docs on the team with Dr. Beth Westie. In this episode of The Female Health Solution Podcast, I share my clinical perspective after working with hundreds of women inside Dr. Beth Westie's practice. We dive into why normal blood work doesn't always mean your hormones are functioning well and how deeper testing helps us uncover what's really happening behind the scenes.
I also show the difference between blood work and the DUTCH Test, why cortisol patterns matter more than a single lab value, and how estrogen, progesterone, stress hormones, and nutrient depletion can drive symptoms long before anything shows up as "abnormal."
If you're tired of being told everything looks fine while your body says otherwise, this episode will help you understand where answers are often hiding and what to do next.
To learn more about getting real clarity and support, explore The Hormone Foundation Program here: https://drbethwestie.com/hormone-foundations-program/
Join before Jan 30 for a free Jumpstart Tincture bundle ($250 value)

If you are exhausted all the time and can't figure out why, this episode is for you. Today I'm breaking down the real truth about adrenal health, cortisol, and fatigue, and why so many women feel stuck, dismissed, or confused when it comes to their energy.
Fatigue is not one thing. It is not always just stress, and it is definitely not something you should be told to "just push through."
One of the most frustrating things about fatigue is that so many symptoms overlap. Low energy can come from nutrient deficiencies, blood sugar instability, thyroid dysfunction, estrogen or progesterone imbalance, adrenal dysfunction, or cortisol issues. This is why guessing rarely works.
When women ask me:
Why do I feel like this?

Are my adrenals burned out?

Is my cortisol too high or too low?

Why does nothing I try actually fix this?

The answer is not a guess. The answer is data.
This is one of the reasons I love the DUTCH test so much. It shows us what your body is actually doing with cortisol, not just a single snapshot in time.
I recently reviewed a DUTCH test for a woman whose main concern was low libido. She had tried every testosterone supplement out there and even changed her workouts to boost hormones. Her testosterone looked great. The real issue was her cortisol and adrenal function.
This is incredibly common. Cortisol issues can shut down libido, energy, motivation, sleep, and even weight regulation, especially in women.
High Cortisol vs Poor Cortisol Clearance
Sometimes fatigue comes from producing too much cortisol. Other times, it comes from the body being unable to clear cortisol effectively. The DUTCH test shows us both.
Elevated cortisol production can look like feeling wired but tired, anxious, inflamed, unable to sleep, or constantly on edge.

Poor cortisol clearance can lead to puffiness, brain fog, inflammation, weight gain, hair loss, and a sense that stress just keeps piling up.

These require different strategies, and this is where personalized care matters.
Why Lifestyle Has to Be Part of Healing
If someone is helping you with hormones but never asks about your sleep, stress, digestion, or daily life, you are not getting full care.
Sometimes healing looks like:
Supporting cortisol regulation with adaptogens and targeted herbs

Improving protein and mineral intake

Fixing sleep timing and consistency

Supporting liver, gut, lymphatic, and kidney clearance

Learning how to stop living in constant survival mode

And sometimes the most powerful changes are surprisingly simple, but only once you know exactly what your body needs.
How We Actually Fix This
Once we know what's going on, the next question is always:
"Okay, what do I do about it?"
This is exactly what we do inside The Hormone Foundations Program.
This is a six-month, one-on-one program where we:
Run a DUTCH test at the beginning

Create a fully personalized plan based on your results

Adjust support as your body changes

Address adrenal function, cortisol production, and clearance

Re-test at the end so we can compare and confirm progress

There is no cookie-cutter timeline. We focus on what your body needs, not what a generic schedule says you should work on.
This is our most popular program for a reason. It gives you answers, a plan, and support every step of the way.
Join the Hormone Foundations Program: https://drbethwestie.com/hormone-foundations-program/
Not sure? Book a Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call

The wired-but-tired feeling is incredibly common, especially for women, and it's one of the most frustrating places to be. You want energy during the day. You want sleep at night. But instead, it feels like your body is doing the exact opposite of what it should.
In this episode, I'm breaking down what's actually happening behind the scenes when you feel wired but tired and why pushing harder, drinking more coffee, or just "trying to relax" usually makes things worse.
When I see this pattern, it almost always points back to dysfunction in the HPA axis, which controls your adrenal function and cortisol output. A lot of women call this adrenal fatigue or adrenal insufficiency.
Here's the key thing most people miss: You can feel exhausted and overstimulated at the same time.
This often happens when:
Your adrenal output is low, so you don't have sustained energy

Your free cortisol is elevated, because life is stressful and you're constantly in reaction mode

You're running on adrenaline instead of real energy

That's why you may feel okay only when there's a fire to put out, then crash hard afterward.
Cortisol can be measured through saliva or urine, but a single snapshot doesn't tell the whole story.
This is where DUTCH testing is so powerful:
It shows free cortisol across the entire day, not just one moment

It shows metabolized cortisol, which saliva testing cannot measure

It reveals whether your body is producing cortisol, using it properly, or struggling to keep up

What I see over and over again with wired-but-tired women is low adrenal function paired with high free cortisol. You're stressed, busy, and carrying a lot, but your system no longer has the reserves to support it.
This pattern doesn't just affect energy. It can disrupt:
Sleep cycles and nighttime rest

Hormone regulation

Muscle recovery and rebuilding

Immune function

Mood, focus, and motivation

This is why advice like "just eat healthier," "go to yoga," or "push through it" doesn't work. Those approaches don't address the root issue.
The first step is understanding what your body is actually doing. That's why I rely so heavily on DUTCH testing. It gives us a clear roadmap instead of guessing.
From there, we can build the right plan for you, whether that means:
Supporting protein and mineral intake

Repairing sleep and circadian rhythms

Addressing stress physiology in a way your body can actually respond to

Rebuilding adrenal resilience instead of draining it further

If you're stuck in that Groundhog Day cycle of exhaustion and overstimulation, this is your sign to stop guessing and start testing.
Click the link below to learn more about the DUTCH test: https://drbethwestie.com/dutch-hormone-testing/