When to Start HRT: A Woman’s Guide to Aging Well and Reaping the Benefits of Hormones
The Hormone Solution | Perimenopause, Menopause, HRT, Weight Loss & Women's Midlife Health
Release Date: 04/05/2025
Quick Hits: The Women's Hormone Masterclass: A Deep Dive Into Testosterone, Dutasteride, SHBG, & Menopause Weight Gain with Dr. Kyle Gillett
The Hormone Solution | Perimenopause, Menopause, HRT, Weight Loss & Women's Midlife Health
Download the full episode on or on your favorite podcast platforms. In this quick hits I sit down with Dr. Gillett, to exam the complex world of women's hormones today. We'll be focusing on androgens like testosterone, DHEA, and dihydrotestosterone, and their profound impact on female health. Dr. Gillett provides insights on the role of binding globulins, hormone replacement therapy, and the interplay between insulin and androgens. We also discuss the challenges of menopausal weight gain, the benefits of GLP-1 medications for weight loss, and practical strategies anyone can use for...
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Am I in Perimenopause? How to Tell What Phase You’re In
The Hormone Solution | Perimenopause, Menopause, HRT, Weight Loss & Women's Midlife Health
If you had told me at 40 that perimenopause would turn my world upside down, I would’ve laughed. As a nutritionist specializing in women’s hormones, I thought I had it handled. So why did I gain 15 pounds, lose my sleep, and feel like a stranger in my own body? In this episode, I’m sharing what I wish someone had told me before the storm hit. Why are so many intelligent, health-conscious women still confused about where they are in perimenopause? Why are we being offered antidepressants, birth control, or told we’re “too young” instead of getting real answers? I break down the...
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Quick Hits: Navy SEAL Health Hacks: Sleep, Peptides, Psychedelics, Brain Health, and Hormones with Dr. Kirk Parsley
The Hormone Solution | Perimenopause, Menopause, HRT, Weight Loss & Women's Midlife Health
Welcome to Quick Hits — where we bring you the most impactful moments from past episodes in under 15 minutes. Today’s clip comes from one of our most replayed conversations. If you want the full episode, check the link in the description below. In this quick hits episode you will hear a clip from my interview with Dr. Kirk Parsley — former Navy SEAL physician and one of the leading voices in sleep optimization — to unpack what chronic sleep deprivation is really doing to your body. We dive into: Why Ambien and common sleep medications can damage long-term brain and hormonal health...
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The Peptide Revolution: GLP-1s — What Works, What’s Hype, What’s Risky with Jay Campbell
The Hormone Solution | Perimenopause, Menopause, HRT, Weight Loss & Women's Midlife Health
Jay Campbell—five-time international bestselling author, founder of BioLongevity Labs, and one of the original voices in the peptide world—is here to unpack what’s really going on behind the GLP-1 explosion. Are these drugs miracle tools or misunderstood villains? And why are so many smart people still getting them wrong? We go way beyond the hype and fear, diving into microdosing, metabolic repair, thyroid changes, and why dosing may be the make-or-break factor. Could peptides actually rewire the brain, quiet food noise, and permanently improve metabolism? And what happens when midlife...
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Menopause Ages You 9–20 Years… Unless You Do This with Nikolina Lauc
The Hormone Solution | Perimenopause, Menopause, HRT, Weight Loss & Women's Midlife Health
In this episode, I sit down with Nikolina Lauc, CEO and Co-Founder of GlycanAge, and we dive into a questions that should stop every midlife woman in her tracks: is menopause actually accelerating your biological aging? What if the shift from perimenopause to menopause could age you up to nine years in just six months? And more importantly, what can you do about it? We unpack what biological age really means (and why it’s not the same as your chronological age), how inflammation quietly drives aging and disease, and why estrogen may be one of the most powerful longevity tools we have. Is...
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Estrogen Dominance… or Estrogen Deficiency? Is It Safe to Start Estrogen in Perimenopause?
The Hormone Solution | Perimenopause, Menopause, HRT, Weight Loss & Women's Midlife Health
Welcome to the very first Hormone Hotline episode of The Hormone Solution! I’m getting straight into your real-life questions about estrogen—because why, in 2026, are we still being told we’re “estrogen dominant” with rock-bottom levels? If your doctor has warned you against HRT, this episode is for you. Have you been told you can’t start estrogen until you hit full menopause? Or that perimenopause is just too much of a “hormone rollercoaster” to treat? I break down what’s actually happening in your brain and ovaries during late perimenopause, and why adding estrogen might...
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From Toe Curling Orgasms to Healthy Poops: Why Oxytocin Is Essential for Midlife Women with Dr. Lindsey Berkson
The Hormone Solution | Perimenopause, Menopause, HRT, Weight Loss & Women's Midlife Health
What if your mood swings, anxiety, sleep issues, or loss of motivation aren’t just “getting older?” What role does oxytocin really play in midlife, and why has it been overlooked for so long? In this episode, I’m joined by the brilliant hormone scholar Dr. Lindsey Berkson, and we dive into a part of menopause that almost no one is talking about—what’s happening in your brain. We explore how hormones act as the body’s Wi‑Fi system, and what happens when that signal gets disrupted. Could environmental toxins be hijacking not just estrogen and progesterone, but oxytocin too? And...
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Inflammaging Is Hijacking Your Hormones: The Ancient Reset Women Need in Midlife with Dr. Shivani Gupta
The Hormone Solution | Perimenopause, Menopause, HRT, Weight Loss & Women's Midlife Health
Do you know whether you’re Vata, Pitta, or Kapha...and could that explain your stubborn symptoms in midlife? In this episode, I’m joined by my brilliant friend Dr. Shivani Gupta, and we dive into Ayurveda, inflammation, and why your body might be asking for a completely different approach right now. Have you ever wondered why turmeric seems to work like magic for pain, migraines, or inflammation? Or why the same routines that used to work suddenly don’t anymore in perimenopause? We unpack how ancient Ayurvedic wisdom meets modern science—and why that combination matters so much for...
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Why So Many Hormone Providers Get It Wrong (And How to Find One Who Doesn’t)
The Hormone Solution | Perimenopause, Menopause, HRT, Weight Loss & Women's Midlife Health
This episode comes straight from my own lived experience of spiraling before doctor’s appointments and feeling dismissed when it comes to hormones. I dig into why so many hormone providers get it wrong and what’s actually happening behind those rushed, frustrating conversations. Why does advocating for ourselves feel so hard? I walk you through what most doctors are (and aren’t) trained to do when it comes to perimenopause and menopause. How much of this is about lack of education versus lack of time? And how do you stop blaming yourself when you’re told your labs are “normal,”...
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Why You’re Not Healing: Stress, Insomnia, Weight Gain & the Vagus Nerve with Dr. Navaz Nabib
The Hormone Solution | Perimenopause, Menopause, HRT, Weight Loss & Women's Midlife Health
Have you’ve tried everything from protocols, to supplements, to experts and the healing still hasn’t happened? Why do so many of us stay stuck despite doing “all the right things”? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Navaz Habib, aka "The Vagus Nerve Doc," to explore what might be missing. What if the real issue isn’t another diagnosis, hormone imbalance, or gut protocol? What if it’s your nervous system itself? I share my own journey of chasing answers and why discovering the vagus nerve made me question everything I thought I knew about healing. Why does stress seem to override...
info_outlineHave you ever wondered what the four phases of hormonal loss are and why they matter as you age?
How can progesterone help manage symptoms without messing with your estrogen levels?
Why is it so important to test your progesterone levels, even if your cycles are irregular?
Did you know that thyroid and testosterone medications can impact your natural hormone production?
Why is it crucial to stick to physiological doses of thyroid and testosterone for long-term health?
How can early intervention with progesterone actually help protect your breasts?
What’s the real significance of the uterus beyond childbearing, and what happens if you’ve had a hysterectomy?
How does estradiol, a key form of estrogen, play a crucial role in maintaining long-term health?
Are birth control pills the best option when you need estrogen, or is there a better alternative?
How can estradiol help you maintain bone density, cognitive function, and overall well-being?
Why do we need to challenge the fear-based narrative around estrogen and understand its true benefits?
Have you considered how over-the-counter hormone creams might offer an accessible and effective solution?
Could your genetics be affecting how severe your hormonal symptoms are during menopause?
Why can progesterone loss lead to uncomfortable symptoms like heavy periods and even thyroid issues?
What is progesterone cycling, and how does it help balance hormones without disrupting estrogen production?
How do stress, trauma, and dietary habits play a role in when menopause starts?
Why is understanding hormonal feedback loops essential for effective medication and hormone therapy?
Why should you be proactive and really listen to your body when it comes to HRT decisions?
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Are you in peri or post menopause and looking to optimize your hormones and health? At Hormone Solutions, we offer telemedicine services and can prescribe in every U.S. state, as well as in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario in Canada.
Visit karenmartel.com to explore our comprehensive programs:
- Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Individualized Weight Loss Programs
- Peptide Therapy for weight loss
Interested in our NEW Peptide Weight Loss Program? Join today and get all the details here.
Join our Women’s Peri and Post Menopause Group Coaching Program, OnTrack, TODAY!
Your host:
Karen Martel
Certified Hormone Specialist, Transformational Nutrition Coach, & Weight Loss Expert