Is It Really Perimenopause?

For women aged 35 to 42 who feel off but keep hearing, “Your hormone levels are normal.”
This one’s for you.

You’re exhausted by 3 PM.
Your sleep is broken.
You’re anxious or weepy before your period.
You’re gaining weight despite eating “better.”
You feel like a stranger in your own body.

But every time you ask for help, you're told:
"Your bloodwork looks fine.”

Here’s the truth: your hormones might be technically “normal” but your body is telling a different story.

This is perimenopause, and it’s happening earlier and more often than most people realize.

What Is Perimenopause, Really?

Perimenopause is the transitional time before menopause. It can start as early as your mid-30s and last 8 to 10 years.
Your ovaries are still functioning, but not as smoothly, and this affects your hormone levels especially progesterone, your calming, balancing hormone.

This is when women start to feel:

  • Tired but wired

  • Easily overwhelmed

  • Moody or anxious, especially before their period

  • Foggy in the brain

  • Like their sleep just won’t reset

  • Less interested in sex

  • Bloated, gassy, or irregular digestion

  • Puffy or inflamed

You might feel like your body is aging faster than it should and that’s a sign to look deeper.

What’s Causing These Changes If Your Hormones Are “Normal”?

Let’s be clear: this isn’t just aging.
There are real, root causes behind what you’re feeling and most of them are fixable.

Here’s what may be behind your symptoms:

1. Cortisol is hijacking your hormone balance

Chronic stress raises cortisol, which can block your body from making enough progesterone.
Without progesterone, estrogen gets the upper hand , which is leading to heavy periods, mood swings, breast tenderness, and more anxiety.
Read more on this topic in my Cortisol BLOG

2. Gut health has taken a hit

Bloating, gas, constipation, and food sensitivities are more common in this stage.
An unhealthy gut can mess with how your body clears out used hormones, leading to imbalances. It is a major issue that I help solve daily in my practice, read more on this topic in my BLOG on Gut Health

3. Your liver is overworked

Your liver filters out toxins, medications, and excess hormones.
But if it’s backed up from years of birth control, medications, alcohol, or processed foods, it can’t keep up leaving you hormonally overloaded.

More on this topic Here

4. You're running on empty nutritionally

Not eating enough protein.
Skipping meals.
Trying diet after diet.
Add in low levels of magnesium, B6, iron, and zinc, and your body doesn’t have the raw materials to support healthy hormone production.

5. You’re not sleeping or recovering

Poor sleep = more cortisol = less hormone balance.
This can lead to more belly fat, foggy thinking, and deeper fatigue.

If I could tell you to focus on solving 1 problem to get rid of so many of the other issues you are struggling with, it would be dial in your sleep. It’s the superpower you don’t even know you have.

Learn the basics of sleep support in this article.

How Do You Know It’s Perimenopause?

Here’s what I often hear from women like you:

  • “I used to love working out. Now I just crash after.”

  • “I cry before my period and can’t sleep the week before.”

  • “I’ve had to buy two sizes of pants – just for bloating.”

  • “I feel like I'm always on edge.”

  • “Everyone says my labs are normal, but I don’t feel normal.”

If that’s you… you're not broken. Your body just needs the right kind of support.

Here’s What to Do Right Now

You don’t need 20 supplements or a complete life overhaul.

Start here:

1. Support your sleep

  • Try magnesium glycinate before bed

  • Cut caffeine after 1 PM

  • Wind down with a calming routine (breathwork, stretching, low light)

  • Create an evening ritual to help you coast into sleep effectively.

When you sleep, your body resets. Hormones rebalance. Cortisol drops.
Sleep is your superpower in perimenopause.

2. Support your liver

  • Start your day with lemon water

  • Eat cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, arugula)

  • Try a gentle detox support like UltraClear Renew to help clear hormone buildup

  • Avoid alcohol when your symptoms are flaring — even a glass or two can worsen the storm

3. Take a quality multivitamin daily

  • Choose one designed for women’s needs with active B vitamins, magnesium, and antioxidants

  • This fills in the nutritional gaps and supports hormone regulation
    (Phytomulti with iron is my go-to)

Want a Clearer Picture of What’s Happening?

If you’ve been told your bloodwork is “normal,” but you know something isn’t right there are better ways to test.

I use the ENDO+ hormone test, which shows:

  • Progesterone, estrogen, cortisol, and how they shift through the day

  • Your stress pattern

  • How well you're detoxing hormones

  • Where inflammation or imbalance is coming from

It gives us answers and a plan.

You Deserve to Feel Like Yourself Again

You don’t have to wait for full menopause to start taking action.
In fact, the earlier you support your hormones, the easier the transition will be.

Small steps, every day that’s how you take your power back.

And when you're ready for more help, I’m here.

Book a Free Consult
Let’s talk about what’s really going on and get a personalized plan to get you feeling better.

Disclaimer: This is for educational purposes only and does not take the place of a medical consultation.