If you’ve spent years blaming your hormones for fatigue, brain fog, and mood swings and still feel like no one has explained what is actually wrong, this episode is for you.
In this live Q&A, I answer a question from “Julia,” a homeschooling mom in the Pacific Northwest with seven children, including a newborn. She is recovering from birth at home, preparing for a move, doing all the “right” things she knows help (light, exercise, sleep, protein)… and still feels the toolbox is just out of reach. After more than 20 years of hormone chaos, she is terrified of slipping back into the dark season she’s been in before and just wants enough energy to do the basics and enjoy her life instead of wanting to crawl into a hole.
I walk through why symptoms like fatigue, fog, and mood swings can plague someone for decades without ever being fully explained, and why the real problem is usually upstream of the hormones themselves: metabolic and nutrient imbalances, toxins and stress (including emotional and relational trauma), and infections and microbiome problems. I also talk about postpartum hormone crashes, progesterone, and why so many women are put on antidepressants when what they really need is their hormone “signal” restored. This is the same framework I expand on in The End of Autoimmunity.
Do you have a question for me?
Submit them here and I will answer them as I am able.
My book is now available to purchase here. If you read it, please leave a comment or review. I am looking forward to reading your thoughts.
As always, this is education, not medical advice. See our disclaimers here.
Until next time, be well,
Dr. Stillman
Here’s exactly what we cover in this episode
00:00 – How the public Q&A works: weekly live sessions, how to submit questions, and how these replays become podcast episodes
00:32 – Julia’s story: homeschooling seven kids including a newborn, recovering from birth at home, preparing for a move in the Pacific Northwest, doing the “right” things but feeling like the toolbox is out of reach and fearing another dark season
01:10 – The core question: why fatigue, brain fog, and mood swings can haunt someone for 20+ years without a clear explanation or lasting relief
02:00 – Hormones as light switches: why hormones are signals, not the whole system, and why you have to look upstream at energy production, nutrients, toxins, and infections
03:17 – First root cause: nutrient and metabolic imbalances; using thyroid as an example (tyrosine, B6, vitamin C, zinc, and other cofactors) and why many different deficiencies can create “thyroid” symptoms
04:01 – How Dr. Stillman thinks about nutrient testing, why he starts with metabolic issues first, and how he covers this in chapter 5 of The End of Autoimmunity, including hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA)
04:38 – Second root cause: toxins and stress; modern endocrine disruptors, how toxins can block hormone receptors, and why you can have “normal” hormone levels with low‑hormone symptoms
05:35 – The paradox of hormone excess and deficiency at the same time: adding more hormone to “overcome” interference, and ending up with insomnia and dizziness or similar mixed pictures
06:34 – Hormone resistance: women with high hormone levels (for example, PCOS and elevated DHEA) who still have deficiency symptoms, and why low toxic burden and lower stress are essential for balanced hormones
07:25 – Emotional and relational stress as hormone disruptors: abuse, neglect, lack of love, stored trauma, and how forgiveness, emotional release, and leaving toxic relationships can sometimes resolve “hormone” symptoms
09:45 – Third root cause: infections and the microbiome; elevated beta‑glucuronidase, glucuronidation and enterohepatic circulation, and how gut bugs can drive hormone recirculation and imbalance
11:37 – When antibiotics or herbal antimicrobials can be surprisingly helpful for hormone symptoms, why Dr. Stillman uses them in a shared decision-making process, and why stool testing is usually reserved for resistant or extreme cases
13:44 – Why some women struggle so much more postpartum: huge hormone swings, sharp progesterone drops, and how this can trigger postpartum depression, anxiety, or psychosis
14:45 – Progesterone and GABA: why progesterone is one of the most underappreciated hormones in women’s health, how it partners with the calming neurotransmitter GABA, and why low progesterone can feel like a brain stuck at 7,000 RPMs
16:00+ – Why many women are put on SSRIs and SNRIs while the underlying hormone signal is never addressed, and how all of these layers (nutrients, toxins, infections, emotions, hormones) fit into a single decision-making framework
Enter the giveaway to win a free copy of my book here. The giveaway ends today, September 16th.
You can purchase my book available now!
Additional Resources
For Dr. Stillman’s latest article visit here
Want to take your health to the next level? Here are a few ways to deepen your knowledge and take action on your health:
Dr. Stillman’s 14 Day Reset.
Work with Dr. Stillman – Ready to optimize your health with a functional and integrative approach? Book your evaluation here.
Stay Informed & Inspired – Subscribe to Dr. Stillman’s newsletter for exclusive health insights, podcast updates, and expert guidance on living a vibrant life.
Don’t forget to share this episode with someone who needs to hear it!
This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
