Podcast
The Female Health Solution Podcast
Hosted by The Female Health Solution Podcast · EN
Are you struggling with your health, hormone issues, or weight?
Look no further, The Female Health Solution Podcast and host Dr. Beth Westie are bringing you cutting edge information specific for women.
Each week Dr. Beth dives into a different topic on women's health, nutrition, hormones, weight loss and so much more. She gives you her best tips and tricks that you can start implementing right away.
Along with sharing her expertise she brings you leading experts in the Women's Health field to share in depth information on their specialty.
If you are ready to take your heath, fitness, nutrition, and life to the next level be sure to hit "subscribe" and let's dive in!
32episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
767. The Truth About Fatigue, Cortisol, and Adrenal Health
Jan 1900:31:42Tap to summarizeIf 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
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766. Wired But Tired: The Cortisol Pattern Most Women Miss
Jan 1200:27:27Tap to summarizeThe 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/
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