Ep. 104 | The Stress-Symptom Spiral: Why Relief Starts with Your Nervous System
Release Date: 10/13/2025
It's Not JUST Menopause
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If you’re already feeling the weight of holiday stress — the endless to-dos, the travel, the expectations — and wondering why your body just can’t handle it the way it used to, this episode is for you. In menopause, your stress response changes. What once felt like “manageable chaos” can now send cortisol soaring, disrupt your sleep, and stall your metabolism. In this episode, Functional Nutrition Practitioner and Certified Menopause Specialist Cindi Stickle breaks down exactly why “pushing through” no longer works — and what your body is actually asking for instead. You’ll...
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If you’ve ever felt like your progress disappears the moment life gets stressful — you’re not alone. Most “solutions” for menopause aren’t built to last. Diets, detoxes, and 30-day resets push your body harder… instead of helping it heal. In this episode of It’s Not Just Menopause, I’m breaking down the real reason results fade — and what it takes to finally make progress that sticks. You’ll learn: Why short-term fixes trigger long-term setbacks How stress and cortisol sabotage metabolism and hormones Why you can’t rebuild results on an unregulated nervous system ...
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You’re Not Failing — You’ve Been Misled If you’ve been doing everything “right” — eating clean, working out, tracking macros — and still feel stuck, exhausted, or frustrated with your body… you’re not failing. You’ve been misled. In this episode of It’s Not Just Menopause, I’m breaking down why the “eat less, move more” advice doesn’t work for women in menopause — and how decades of outdated, one-size-fits-all guidance have set women up to fail. You’ll discover: Why traditional weight-loss advice backfires for women in menopause How stress, cortisol, and...
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The Stress–Symptom Spiral: Why Relief Starts with Your Nervous System Are you doing everything “right” — eating well, exercising, taking supplements — yet still feel bloated, exhausted, and stuck? You’re not broken. You’re caught in what I call the Stress–Symptom Spiral. In this episode of It’s Not Just Menopause, I break down the hidden cycle that keeps women in survival mode — where stress makes symptoms worse, and those symptoms create even more stress. You’ll learn: What the “stress–symptom spiral” is and how it keeps you stuck Why cortisol steals from your...
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Episode Title: Menopause Isn’t a Willpower Problem — Here’s What’s Really Going On Are you eating less, exercising more, and still not seeing results in menopause? You’ve probably been told it’s a willpower problem — but that advice is flat-out wrong. In this episode of It’s Not Just Menopause, I break down why “trying harder” backfires in midlife, why your symptoms aren’t a sign of weakness, and what your body actually needs to reset. Here’s what you’ll learn: Why calorie restriction and over-exercising fuel stress hormones instead of fixing them How cortisol,...
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🎙️ Gaslighting with a Stethoscope: Why Midlife Women Deserve Better Menopause Care Episode 102 — It’s Not Just Menopause Podcast You’re not crazy. You’re not weak. And no — it’s not “just stress” or “just getting older.” If you’ve ever walked out of a doctor’s office feeling dismissed, misunderstood, or worse — gaslit — this episode is for you. In today’s no-BS conversation, I’m pulling back the curtain on how midlife women are routinely ignored, overmedicated, and sent home without real solutions during one of the most pivotal transitions of their...
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🎙️ Episode 101 – What Every Menopause Plan Leaves Out And Why It’s the First Thing Your Body Actually Needs If you’re doing everything “right” but your menopause symptoms are still getting worse—not better—it’s time to look deeper. In this episode, Certified Menopause Specialist and Functional Nutrition Practitioner Cindi Stickle reveals the missing piece in most menopause protocols: nervous system regulation. Whether you’re dealing with weight gain, exhaustion, mood swings, or brain fog, this root-cause step is essential—and it’s the first thing your body actually...
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Stress, Menopause, and the Burnout Trap (with Christy Nichol) Are you stuck in survival mode during menopause? In this episode of It’s Not Just Menopause, I sit down with Christy Nichol, burnout recovery coach and stress expert, to unpack how stress impacts midlife women — and why it may be the hidden root cause of your toughest menopause symptoms. Why Stress Makes Menopause Symptoms Worse Chronic stress isn’t just “in your head.” It drives hormonal chaos that leaves women dealing with: Brain fog and memory struggles Weight that won’t budge no matter what you try Mood...
info_outlineThe Stress–Symptom Spiral: Why Relief Starts with Your Nervous System
Are you doing everything “right” — eating well, exercising, taking supplements — yet still feel bloated, exhausted, and stuck?
You’re not broken. You’re caught in what I call the Stress–Symptom Spiral.
In this episode of It’s Not Just Menopause, I break down the hidden cycle that keeps women in survival mode — where stress makes symptoms worse, and those symptoms create even more stress.
You’ll learn:
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What the “stress–symptom spiral” is and how it keeps you stuck
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Why cortisol steals from your sex hormones and slows your metabolism
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How stress impacts digestion, sleep, and energy in menopause
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Simple ways to regulate your nervous system so your body can finally respond
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How my 3R Framework — Regulate, Rebuild, Reignite — helps women calm chaos and restore balance
If you’ve been told to “just stress less” or “try harder,” this episode will show you what your body’s really trying to tell you — and how to get out of the cycle for good.
🔗 Links & Resources
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✅ Take the free Menopause Quiz → cindistickle.com/quiz
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💻 Learn more about my coaching and The No-BS Menopause Method™ → cindistickle.com