The Dr. Brighten Show
The Dr. Brighten Show is hosted by Dr. Jolene Brighten, a best-selling author and board certified naturopathic endocrinologist who specializes in women's health. Each episode features candid conversations with experts, innovators and thought-leaders working in the field. Listeners get access to new research, personal stories and practical tools for understanding their bodies and hormones. The show aims to be engaging and science-backed, giving women tangible insights they can apply to live more vibrant lives.
Episodes
Psychiatrists Warning: ADHD Relationships, Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, and Building a Life That Works
ADHD rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), women’s mental load, and the relationship fights that never seem to end—this episode explores how ADHD can affect communication, friendship, intimacy, and the stories we tell ourselves about being “too much.” View the full show notes and resources at DrBrighten.com: https://drbrighten.com/podcast/adhd-and-relationships/
Before we get into today’s ep
ADHD and Hormones in Women: Why Symptoms Change Across Your Cycle and in Perimenopause | Agnes K. Simone & Annika Joya
ADHD and hormones are deeply connected, and shifts in estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone may help explain why focus, mood, executive function, and even the experience of ADHD medication can change across the menstrual cycle and during perimenopause. View the full show notes and additional resources at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/adhd-hormones-in-women/.
In this episode of The Dr. Bright
ADHD in Women Symptoms: Why Success Can Hide the Signs
ADHD in women symptoms can hide behind straight As, a successful career, a packed calendar, and the exhausting work of appearing “fine.” In Episode 1 of the ADHD in Women series, Dr. Jolene Brighten joins psychiatrist Dr. Agnes Kwon Simone, pediatric psychologist Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart, and clinical s/xologist Dr. Leann Borneman to unpack the signs women mask, the assessment gaps that lead to mis
Endometriosis and Perimenopause: Can You Use HRT? | Hormone Doctor's Warning
Did you know women with endometriosis are twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD? In my new book, ADHD and Women, I connect the dots between hormones, pain, mood, focus, and the symptoms women are too often told to simply push through—so you can finally understand what is happening in your body and brain. Get your copy: https://drbrighten.com/adhd-and-women/
Endometriosis in perimenopause can
ADHD Rejection Sensitivity: Why Rejection Can Feel So Personal | Alex Partridge
ADHD rejection sensitivity can make one comment, one text, or one change in someone’s tone feel like proof that everything is falling apart. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Alex Partridge joins me to unpack rejection sensitivity, masking, identity, self-trust, and the hidden emotional cost of ADHD; view the full show notes at
https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/adhd-rejection-sensitivity/
Cellular Aging: Why Your Body May Be Aging Faster Than You Think | Dr. Will Cole
Cellular aging may be happening faster than your chronological age suggests—and in this episode, Dr. Will Cole explains what can accelerate it, what mitochondrial dysfunction can actually feel like, and what may help protect your healthspan; view the full show notes at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/cellular-aging/. We break down the science of biological age, organ aging, inflammation, metabolic
Perimenopause Hormone Therapy: What Women Need to Know About HRT, Progesterone & Estrogen
Perimenopause hormones can make you feel like your body changed overnight—even when your labs look “normal,” and in this AMA Dr. Jolene Brighten answers your biggest questions about estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, HRT, birth control, Mirena, ovulation, POI, and postmenopause.
View the complete show notes, references, and resources at
https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/perimenopause-hormones/
Women’s Health Questions Answered: AMA 1 Lightening Round
Endometriosis pain can rewire the brain and nervous system, yet women are still told to tolerate severe pelvic pain, traumatic IUD insertions, and years of medical dismissal; explore the research and resources in the show notes at
http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen. In this AMA, Dr. Jolene Brighten explains central sensitization, vagus nerve dysfunction, cycle-related inflammation, copper IUD pai
Late Diagnosed ADHD and Autism | Rich & Rox Pink
Late diagnosed ADHD & autism can change the story you’ve been telling yourself (and your relationship) for decades. In this episode, Dr. Brighten joins Rich and Rox Pink of ADHD Love and the Late Bloomers podcast to talk diagnosis, masking, relationships, perimenopause, HRT, and what finally made their lives make sense; view the full show notes and resources at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/late
Endometriosis Inflammation: Why This Disease May Affect More Than Your Pelvis
Endometriosis inflammation may have implications far beyond pelvic pain, including associations with cardiovascular disease, autoimmune conditions, and long-term health risks. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten explains what the research actually shows, why a normal CRP doesn’t necessarily rule out inflammation, and what women and clinicians should understand about endom
The Hidden Cause of Brain Inflammation Doctors Miss | Dr. Pejman Katiraei
Brain inflammation may influence behavior, sensory processing, sleep, mood, and cognition in ways many families never realize. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten and Dr. Pejman Katiraei explore the connections between the immune system, gut health, environmental exposures, ADHD, autism, PANS/PANDAS, and neuroinflammation; view the complete show notes at https://drbrighte
Melatonin Benefits: Why Your Brain Needs Darkness for Better Sleep, Brain Health, and Healthy Aging | Deanna Minich
Melatonin benefits extend far beyond helping you fall asleep. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, I sit down with nutrition scientist Dr. Deanna Minich, MS, PhD, CNS, IFMCP, to explore the surprising science behind melatonin, circadian rhythms, color, inflammation, brain health, and why being deficient in darkness may be one of the most overlooked threats to your long-term health. For additi
Chronic Inflammation: The Hidden Driver Behind Autoimmune Disease, Fatigue, and Gut Health | Daniel Cardenas
Chronic inflammation is at the root of many of today's most common health conditions, including autoimmune disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, leaky gut, chronic pain, fatigue, and brain fog—but it's often overlooked until significant damage has already occurred. View the full show notes, research, and resources mentioned in this episode at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/chronic-inflammation/ .
In
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Your Body Knows: The Hidden Cost of Always Being "The Strong One"
What happens when being the strong one becomes the reason your body starts breaking down? In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten explains how chronic stress, hypervigilance, nervous system dysregulation, and emotional over-functioning can contribute to burnout, hormone symptoms, autoimmune disease, and chronic illness. For additional resources and references, visit the show notes at
https://drbrigh
The Hidden Burnout of ADHD & Autism After Motherhood | MasterChef Vanessa D'Souza
Motherhood can expose ADHD and autism in ways many women never expect. In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten and Vanessa D’Souza discuss how postpartum hormones, burnout, masking, sensory overload, and relationship dynamics can leave neurodivergent women feeling like they’ve lost themselves—not because they’re failing, but because no one prepared them for what happens after birth. For the complete
Why MasterChef Was the Perfect Storm for My Autism & ADHD | Vanessa D’Souza
High-masking autism in women often goes unnoticed because success can hide disability. In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with MasterChef UK contestant Vanessa D'Souza to discuss autism, ADHD, sensory processing, masking, autistic burnout, and why so many women aren't diagnosed until adulthood. 📖 For show notes, resources, and links mentioned in this episode, visit: https://drbrighten.
My Long COVID Story: What Finally Helped Me Recover (Not Medical Advice)
Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen
In early 2020, my life completely changed when I contracted COVID-19. As a doctor, I thought I knew what to expect—but my symptoms didn't look like anything on the news. Instead of a cough or high fever, I experienced a
Endometriomas and Endometriosis: What Every Woman Needs to Know About Diagnosis, Surgery, and Self-Advocacy with Dr. Amanda Chu
Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen
Endometriosis and Endometriomas are often misunderstood, leaving many women without answers for years. In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with endometriosis surgeon Dr. Amanda Chu, MD, to discuss how endometr
Endometrioma: The Hidden Sign of Deep Endometriosis That Could Affect Fertility | Amanda Chu
Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation.
Endometrioma may be one of the most overlooked signs of advanced endometriosis—and it could have major implications for pain, fertility, ovarian reserve, and long-term health. For full show notes, resources, and links m
Overthinking at Night: Why Your Brain Won’t Shut Off When Your Body Is Exhausted
Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation.
Overthinking at night can feel like anxiety, but for many women, racing thoughts, waking up at 3 AM, and feeling exhausted but unable to sleep may be connected to cortisol, blood sugar, ADHD, hormones, and nervous syste
Why Am I So Irritated All the Time? The Hidden Cause Most Women Miss
Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation.
Have you ever found yourself snapping at your partner, feeling annoyed by your kids, or becoming irrationally frustrated by something as simple as a dirty dish in the sink—and then immediately wondering, What is wrong w
Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer: What Women Need to Know About Risk, Screening, and Prevention | Jenn Simmons
When it comes to hormone therapy and breast cancer, few topics create more confusion, fear, and conflicting information. Women are often told they need to be concerned about breast cancer risk, yet many never receive a nuanced discussion about screening, lifestyle factors, inflammation, environmental exposures, or how to evaluate their individual risk profile. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten S
Is Picky Eating a Nutrient Deficiency? Dr. Elisa Song Explains
My new book, ADHD and Women, is now available for pre-order! Learn how hormones influence ADHD symptoms and get your copy here: http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen
End picky eating with practical, root-cause strategies from integrative pediatrician Dr. Elisa Song, MD, and view the full show notes at DrBrighten.com: https://drbrighten.com. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Bright
The IVF Missing Piece: Why Recurrent Miscarriage May Not Be “Just Egg Quality”
I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd
What if the IVF missing piece is not only the embryo—but the environment that embryo is trying to implant into? In this powerful episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with Dr. Gerardo Barroso Villa, a world-renowned fertility expert a
Brain Inflammation and Food: Dr. Austin Perlmutter on the Gut-Brain Connection, Brain Fog, and What to Eat for Better Cognitive Health
I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd
What if your brain fog, low mood, and poor focus were not just “in your head,” but connected to what is happening in your immune system, gut microbiome, and daily food choices? In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with Dr. Au
Endometriosis Imaging: Why Your "Normal" Results Don't Rule Out Endometriosis
I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd
Most women with endometriosis are told their imaging is "normal" — sometimes for years, sometimes for decades — while the disease silently progresses through their body. When Bryan Johnson posted a viral photo of his girlfriend Kate Tollo undergoing a transvag
Estrogen and Dopamine: Why Your Brain, Motivation, and ADHD Symptoms Can Change With Your Hormones
Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation.
This conversation is about one of the most misunderstood areas in women’s health: how hormones interact with the brain. Dr. Brighten explains why estrogen is not just a reproductive hormone, why dopamine is not just a “
PMDD vs PME: How to Tell the Difference and Why It Changes Treatment
I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd
If symptoms get worse before a period but do not let up once bleeding starts, is it really PMDD, or could it be PME instead? In this episode, Dr. Brighten breaks down why PMDD vs PME is not a small wording difference but a clinical distinction that can change
Autoimmune Disease Management with Dr. Terry Wahls: Nutrition, Mitochondria, and Women's Hormone Transitions
I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd
Autoimmune disease management is often reduced to one question: which medication comes next? This episode pushes back on that narrow frame.
For listeners living with fatigue, brain fog, pain, or gradual loss of function, that frustration is real. The conversa
PCOS Has a New Name: What PMOS Means and What Still Hasn’t Changed
I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd
PCOS has a new name, and a lot of people are asking the right question: does this actually change anything?
In this episode, I break down the shift from PCOS to PMOS—polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome—and why I see it as directionally positive, but nowh
Why Perimenopause Hormone Therapy Can Make Symptoms Worse: Gut, Liver, Thyroid, and Toxin Factors | Pamela Langenderfer
I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd
Have you ever started perimenopause hormone therapy and expected relief, only to feel more bloated, more irritable, more tired, or more in the grip of insomnia instead? If that sounds familiar, you are not imagining it. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Pamel
Why PMDD Treatment Fails: SSRIs for PMDD, Birth Control, and What Your Doctor May Be Missing
I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd
If you have PMDD and feel like you’ve tried everything—SSRIs, birth control, progesterone, gut protocols, antihistamines, supplements, cycle tracking—and you’re still crashing every luteal phase, this episode is for you. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten S
PMDD Antihistamines: Why They May Help — and Why Histamine Isn't the Whole Story
I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd
It seems like everywhere women turn lately, someone is talking about using Allegra or Pepcid to get through the worst days of their cycle. The stories are consistent: a few pills, and the dark cloud lifts. The question is — is it real?
The short answer is:
High Insulin, Severe PMS, Fibroids & Postpartum Anxiety: Your Hormone AMA
I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd
Many women are told that lab work is normal while symptoms keep getting louder. Weight-loss resistance can worsen even with a normal A1C. Mood can crash before a period even when routine testing shows nothing unusual. Anxiety can intensify after birth and st
Could GLP-1s Help Endometriosis? The Progesterone Resistance Theory
I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd
Can a GLP-1 medication change the way progesterone works in endometriosis? That is the central question Dr. Brighten explores in this episode, and it is not a throwaway idea. It sits at the intersection of inflammation, hormone receptor signaling, and the re
ADHD, Motherhood, and Invisible Overload
I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd
When I say ADHD in women, I am not talking about simple distraction. I am talking about the kind of overload that happens when the brain is already working hard, and then motherhood asks for a million tiny decisions before noon.
That is the reality I wanted
Perimenopause Sleep Hormones: Cynthia Thurlow on Why Rest Changes First
What if the first sign that perimenopause is shifting hormones is not a hot flash, but broken sleep? For many women, the earliest clues are more subtle: waking at 2 a.m., feeling wired but tired, noticing more palpitations, or realizing that brain fog and irritability are showing up alongside restless nights.
In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with Cynthia Thurlow, nurse practitioner,
Fertility Protocol for Conception: Labs, Nutrition & Proven Strategies
What if targeted, evidence-informed changes to daily habits could improve your chances of conceive without turning your life upside down? In this episode, I walk you through a practical fertility protocol that centers metabolic health, ovulatory function, and simple habit shifts that actually stick. I focus on what the data shows is most actionable—which labs to run and how to interpret them, whic
Dry Eye Relief: What’s Causing Your Dry, Gritty Eyes (and the Simple Routine That Helps) | Dr. Carly Rose
Most dry eye treatment focuses on drops. This episode is about what drops don’t fix — and the daily habits that actually change things.
In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten talks with Dr. Carly Rose (Dr. Rose) about what dry eye really is, why it keeps showing up, and what actually helps.
Dry eye is often less about “not making tears” and more about the tear film not sta
What Is ADHD Masking? The Perimenopause ADHD Connection
If you’ve ever wondered why you used to be able to hold it all together and now suddenly feel like your brain is working against you, this episode will hit home. In this conversation, Dr. Brighten unpacks the reality of ADHD masking, why so many women go decades without a diagnosis, and how perimenopause ADHD symptoms can make long-standing coping mechanisms stop working almost overnight. This epi
Skin Aging Treatment and Skin Microbiome: What “Leaky Skin” Could Be Telling You About Inflammation, Hormones, and Healthy Aging | Kiran Krishnan
What if the condition of your skin was saying far more about your health than whether you need a new moisturizer? In this conversation, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with microbiologist Kiran Krishan to unpack a provocative idea: that skin barrier dysfunction may be linked not only to dryness, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation, but also to systemic inflammation, hormone shifts, gut health, and even
Can Ozempic and GLP-1’s Help Treat Endometriosis
If you’ve been wondering whether Ozempic, semaglutide, tirzepatide, or other GLP-1 medications could help with endometriosis symptoms, chronic pelvic pain, adhesions, fatigue, or endo belly, you are not alone. More and more women with endometriosis are reporting that GLP-1 medications may be helping with symptoms that go far beyond weight loss, from lower inflammation and less pain to improved ene
Birth Control for Endometriosis? Hormones, Progesterone Resistance, and What Doctors Aren’t Telling You
If you’ve ever been told to “just go on birth control” for endometriosis, this episode is going to change the way you understand endometriosis and hormones.
Hormonal therapy is often the first-line treatment for endometriosis, but not all hormones work the same way and for many women, birth control helps symptoms without ever addressing the underlying disease. In this powerful final panel episode
The 10 Most Unusual Symptoms of Perimenopause (and What They Really Mean)
Perimenopause doesn’t announce itself the way most women expect. There’s no official start date, no clear signal—just a slow unraveling of things that used to feel easy. Your brain misfires mid-sentence. Your body sends strange, almost unbelievable signals. And somewhere along the way, you’re told, “Your labs are normal.”
In fact, many women start searching things like “itchy ears perimenopause,”
Endometriosis Surgery: What Most Doctors Won’t Tell You
In this powerful surgical roundtable, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with four leading endometriosis surgeons to unpack what truly determines success in endometriosis surgery and why so many women are left worse off after procedures that were supposed to help. This is the 3rd episode in our endometriosis panel expert series—be sure to check out the previous episodes for more endometriosis specific
Natural Ways to Manage Endometriosis Beyond Surgery
If you are looking for natural ways to manage endometriosis, the most important thing to understand is this: endometriosis is not just a surgical condition. In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten explains why many women continue to experience pelvic pain, fatigue, brain fog, gut issues, and flares even after surgery, and what a more complete support plan can look like. The conversation covers inflam
Endometriosis Relief of Pain: Experts Explain Laparoscopy, Chronic Pelvic Pain, and Why So Many Women Are Still Suffering
This conversation dives deep into endometriosis relief of pain, laparoscopy for endometriosis pain, and the treatment of chronic pelvic pain in females, offering insight into why conventional approaches often fall short. The experts discuss how endometriosis pain can evolve over time, from inflammatory pelvic pain to complex nervous-system-driven chronic pain, and why a comprehensive treatment str
The Hidden Connection Between Estrogen and Histamine: Why Your Hormones Cause Inflammation
If you’ve ever wondered “why do I get migraines before my period?” or felt weirdly “allergic” to your own cycle, you’re not imagining things. You may be stuck in the estrogen histamine feedback loop, a biologic back-and-forth where hormones and immune chemistry keep poking each other until symptoms flare.
This is the part that makes people feel dismissed: your labs can look “normal” while your bo
What Is Endometriosis? 4 Surgeons Explain the Symptoms, Misdiagnosis, and Whole-Body Impact
Endometriosis is one of the most misunderstood conditions in women’s health. Millions of women live with severe pain, fatigue, digestive problems, infertility, and systemic inflammation—yet many are told their symptoms are “normal” or dismissed entirely. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, we take a deeper look at what is endometriosis, why it behaves as a whole-body inflammatory disease, an
3 Period Problems Women Should Never Ignore (Heavy Bleeding, PMS, and Period Pain)
If you’ve ever been told that heavy periods, worsening PMS, or debilitating cramps are just part of being a woman, this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show challenges that narrative. In this conversation, Dr. Jolene Brighten breaks down the three most common menstrual problems she sees in clinical practice—heavy bleeding, PMS that keeps getting worse, and severe period pain, and explains why they hap
Endometriosis Symptoms vs Normal Period Pain with Dr. Patrick Yeung
I talk to women every week who’ve been told their pain is “just part of being a woman”—even when it’s stealing their school years, careers, relationships, and fertility. This episode is a direct challenge to that narrative. Endometriosis is not simply a pelvic problem or a “hormone issue.” It’s a systemic, neuroinflammatory condition that can drive full-body symptoms, persistent pain, and fertilit
Daily Protein Intake for Women: Why You Don’t Need 200 Grams (And What to Do Instead)
If you feel like "protein" has become a competitive sport on your social media feed, you are not alone. Between the "What I Eat In A Day" videos and the pressure to carry hard-boiled eggs in your purse, the message is clear: more is better. But for the woman in perimenopause, "more" is not a strategy: it is a recipe for burnout. You do not need to eat like a bodybuilder to save your muscle. You ne
Divorce Rate in America: Why Women File & What Menopause Has to Do With It
Let’s talk about the divorce rate in America without the blame games, the “men are trash” hot takes, or the tired advice that sounds good on a mug but falls apart the minute a kid pukes at 2 a.m.
Here’s the reality: divorce is common, but it’s not random. Patterns show up again and again—especially in midlife. And if you’re hearing more conversations about menopause and divorce, that’s not becaus
Colon Cancer Is Rising in Younger Adults — 5 Ways to Protect Yourself Now
When news broke about James Van Der Beek colon cancer, it forced a conversation many people have been avoiding. Colon cancer has long been considered a disease of older adults. But that narrative is outdated. Rates are climbing in younger people. Women are being diagnosed earlier. And far too many are told their symptoms are “just stress,” “just IBS,” or “just hormones.”
In this episode, we unpac
Why You’re Gaining Weight in Midlife: Ozempic, Muscle Loss, and Longevity | Dr. Mary Pardee
Midlife weight gain is often blamed on a “slowing metabolism.” But the science tells a different story.
Between ages 20 and 60, your metabolism barely changes. What does change? Muscle mass. Exercise habits. Hormonal signaling. Cardiovascular risk. And increasingly, the conversation around GLP-1 medications like Ozempic.
In this episode, we unpack the real drivers of midlife weight gain, the sur
Discover Your Energy Archetype and How to Increase Energy | Hadlee Garrison
If you’ve ever asked yourself, Why am I so tired when I’m doing everything right? — this episode is for you.
From clean eating and HIIT workouts to supplements and sleep tracking, many women are doing “all the things” and still waking up exhausted, crashing mid-afternoon, and lying awake at night unable to wind down. The missing piece may not be discipline, motivation, or another wellness hack —
Why Women Lose Interest in Sex in Perimenopause and Midlife | Emily Morse
If you’ve noticed a shift in your desire for intimacy in midlife, you’re not alone—and it’s not simply a hormone problem. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with relationship and intimacy expert Emily Morse for a candid, clinically grounded conversation about why so many women experience changes in connection, closeness, and physical responsiveness during perim
Testosterone Hormone Therapy in Perimenopause: How to Match Symptoms, Labs, and Treatment Correctly
Testosterone is having a moment—but much of what women are being told about it is incomplete, oversimplified, or outright misleading. If you’ve been told testosterone is only about libido, or that your fatigue, emotional flatness, loss of motivation, or inability to build muscle is just “getting older,” this episode challenges that narrative. In this conversation, Dr. Jolene Brighten breaks down w
How to Get Pregnant Faster: The Role of Toxins, Inflammation, and Men’s Health┃Ann Shippy
If you’re trying to conceive and wondering how to get pregnant faster, you’re likely being flooded with advice that ranges from tracking ovulation to “just relaxing” or jumping straight to IVF. What’s often missing from these conversations is a deeper understanding of preconception health—the biological groundwork that determines whether conception is easy, delayed, or doesn’t happen at all.
In t
How to Increase Testosterone Naturally in Women
Low energy. Vanishing libido. Brain fog that makes you feel like you’re pushing through mud. Muscle that refuses to build no matter how hard you train. If you’ve ever been told this is “just stress,” “just aging,” or worse—all in your head—this episode is for you. In this powerful, no-fluff conversation, Dr. Jolene Brighten breaks down how to boost testosterone naturally in women by unpacking the
Why Strength Training for Women Is Not Optional for Longevity | Gabrielle Lyon
For generations, women have been told that healthy aging comes down to eating less, doing more cardio, and staying “small.” But in this powerful conversation, Dr. Jolene Brighten and Dr. Gabrielle Lyon challenges that narrative with a biologically grounded truth: muscle is one of the most critical and most neglected determinants of women’s longevity.
Strength training for women isn’t about aesthe
ADHD in Women: How Your Periods, Progesterone, PMS, and PMDD Can Change Your Brain Every Month
If you’ve ever wondered why your ADHD feels manageable one week and completely unhinged the next—why your medication suddenly feels useless, your focus evaporates, your emotions feel impossible to regulate, and even simple tasks like making dinner feel overwhelming—this episode was made for you.
In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten breaks down what a major scientific revi
ADHD Sex Drive Explained: How Executive Dysfunction, Sensory Overload, and Hormones Affect Desire | Dr. Leann Borneman
When your ADHD sex drive doesn’t match what you “think it should,” it’s easy to assume something is wrong with you—or that you’ve fallen out of love. But in this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with Leann Borneman to unpack a radically different truth: for many women with ADHD (and many women in perimenopause), the problem often isn’t a lack of desire—it’s a lack of access to desire. If you
ADHD and Perimenopause: Why Perimenopause Is Worse for Women With ADHD | Dr. Jolene Brighten
If you feel like your ADHD symptoms exploded in your late 30s or early 40s—your focus vanished, your sleep fell apart, your body started hurting, and your brain felt like it stopped working—you are not imagining it. And you are not failing.
This episode explains why perimenopause is worse for women with ADHD, why it often begins years earlier than most doctors recognize, and why ADHD women experi
Dietary Fiber Benefits: Gut Health, Hormones, Blood Sugar, and What a High-Fiber Diet Really Does for Women | Gabrielle Palmeri
For years, dietary fiber has been framed as one thing: something you need “to stay regular.” But in this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with registered dietitian Gabrielle Palmeri to unpack why that narrative is dangerously incomplete—especially for women.
This conversation reframes fiber as a metabolic, hormonal, and immune regulator, not a digestive afterthought
Weight Gain in Perimenopause Over 35: Why Your Body Is Changing and What Actually Works
If you’re experiencing weight gain that feels sudden, unexplained, and resistant to everything that used to work—especially after age 35—you are not alone. For many women, weight gain in perimenopause begins years before menopause is ever mentioned in a doctor’s office. Alongside changes in weight, sleep often deteriorates, anxiety increases, cravings feel harder to control, and energy becomes unp
Ozempic, Weight Loss, and the Metabolic Truth No One Is Talking About | Ashley Koff
Weight loss has always been a loaded topic, but in the era of Ozempic, it has become even more polarized. For some, GLP-1 medications feel like a long-overdue breakthrough. For others, they trigger fear, shame, or moral judgment. And for many women, they come with unexpected side effects, confusing outcomes, and the unsettling realization that losing weight doesn’t always mean feeling better.
In
Hormone Replacement Therapy for Menopause: What the FDA’s Black Box Removal Really Means for Women
Hormone replacement therapy for menopause has been one of the most misunderstood and fear-driven topics in women’s health. For years, women were warned away from hormone therapy based on a black box warning that failed to reflect how hormones are prescribed today, who benefits most, and when therapy is most effective. The recent decision by the FDA to remove the black box warning from certain meno
Estrogen Cream for the Face: What the Science Says About Anti-Aging, Collagen, and Hormones
Is estrogen cream for the face really the new holy grail of anti-aging—or is it another skincare trend overselling its promise? In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten breaks down the biology behind estrogen and skin aging, why women’s skin often changes rapidly after 35, and what clinical studies actually show about using topical estrogen on the face. This isn’t about chasin
Doctor Reacts to Lili Reinhart and Breaks the Endometriosis Diagnosis Myth | Dr. Jolene Brighten
Endometriosis shouldn’t require fame, influence, or extraordinary persistence to be taken seriously—yet that’s exactly what Lili Reinhart’s viral post reveals. In her deeply vulnerable message, she shared years of worsening symptoms, medical dismissal, and confusion that ultimately led her to discover she had both endometriosis and adenomyosis. Her experience mirrors the journey of millions of peo
How to Lower Cortisol & RESET Your Nervous System in 90 Seconds | Rosie Acosta
If you’ve ever felt like stress runs the show, your cortisol is permanently stuck on “high,” or mindfulness sounds great in theory but completely unrealistic in real life… this episode is about to change everything. Bestselling author and mindfulness teacher Rosie Acosta joins Dr. Jolene Brighten to reveal how you can lower cortisol, calm your nervous system, and shift out of survival mode in as l
The Hidden Hormone Disorder: How Isolation Disrupts Cortisol, Sleep & Emotional Stability | Shawn Stevenson
Loneliness isn’t just an emotional experience—it’s a biological event that behaves like a hidden hormone disorder. In this episode, Shawn Stevenson joins Dr. Brighten to expose how the effects of social isolation ripple across your cortisol levels, immune system, emotional stability, and even your genes. You’ll hear how technology, toxic relationships, fractured community networks, and modern fami
How to Reduce Stress Hormones Naturally (4-Step Plan)
If you’ve been waking up exhausted, crashing in the afternoon, gaining weight around your belly, or feeling overwhelmed by even the smallest things, this episode is going to be a turning point for you. So many women—especially women over 35 and women moving through perimenopause—are unknowingly dealing with chronic cortisol dysregulation, even when they’re eating well, exercising, and doing “every
5 Science-Backed Steps to Stop Female Hair Loss and Regrow Your Hair
If you've noticed more hair in your brush, shedding in the shower, or a widening part line, you're in the right place. This episode breaks down the real reasons women lose hair and exactly what you can do about it. Because I promised in the episode that everything would be clearly divided into categories in the show notes, this page includes a step-by-step, science-backed protocol, organized by me
Pain During Sex, Causes, Symptoms & When to See a Doctor | Dr. Ana Sierra
In this powerful and deeply validating conversation, we unpack what pain is actually telling you, how doctors should evaluate it, why so many women are misdiagnosed, and the anatomical truths every woman deserves to know about her pelvic health. If you've ever wondered why sex is painful and what to do next, this is the most comprehensive and actionable explanation you’ve ever heard—all based enti
How Stress Causes Brain Damage: The New Science of Cortisol, Trauma, and Women’s Brains | Dr. Jessica Peatross
Most people think of traumatic brain injury (TBI) as something caused by a fall, car accident, or physical impact. But new research is redefining TBI entirely — and it has major implications for women. Emotional trauma, chronic stress, and prolonged cortisol elevation can create measurable changes in the brain that mimic the neurological patterns traditionally seen after concussions.
In this epis
The Hidden Brain Risk Every Woman Over 30 Needs To Know | Max Lugavere
Women make up two out of three cases of Alzheimer’s disease, yet most are never told why—or what they can do to protect themselves long before symptoms appear. In this powerful conversation, Max Lugavere breaks down the misunderstood early drivers of cognitive decline, the role of metabolic health, how environmental toxins contribute to neurodegenerative diseases, and the research showing that the
Why your PCOS Got WORSE after 30 and How to FIX it | Dr. Fiona McCulloch
PCOS symptoms often intensify after 30 due to compounding insulin resistance, adrenal stress patterns, and brain–ovary signaling changes. As estrogen and progesterone begin subtle shifts in the mid-30s, many women experience more anovulatory cycles, higher cortisol responses, and worsening androgen symptoms.
This episode takes a whole-system view of PCOS across the lifespan and reframes the condi
The Hidden Link Between Your Gut Issues and Endometriosis | Dr. Jill Ingenito
If you’ve ever wondered why your “IBS,” nausea, bowel pain, or gut flare-ups always seem to sync with your cycle, this conversation will feel like someone finally turned the lights on. In this episode, chronic pelvic pain and endometriosis specialist Dr. Jill Ingenito breaks down the deeply misunderstood connection between gut symptoms and endometriosis—why so many women are misdiagnosed, how pros
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