Perimenopause Unmasked: Why You Can’t Ignore Hormones and What the FDA Finally Admitted 🔥
Perimenopause Unmasked: Why You Can’t Ignore Hormones and What the FDA Finally Admitted 🔥
I’ll be honest with you, friend, this one fires me up!!
For more than two decades, women have been suffering in silence because of a study that got it wrong, the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI).
That study, released in 2002, shook the medical world and scared millions of women into quitting or avoiding hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
The headlines were terrifying: “HRT causes cancer and heart disease!” Doctors stopped prescribing it. Women were told to just “deal with it.” And an entire generation lost access to life-changing care.
But here’s what most people don’t know:
The WHI study was deeply flawed. The average age of participants was 63 years old well past menopause and many already had underlying health conditions. Yet the results were used to warn every woman, regardless of age or health, that HRT was dangerous.
That one misstep created two decades of unnecessary suffering for women.
💜 When I Lost Myself Too
I’ve been there.
There was a season when my body was crying out for rest, migraines, fatigue, mood swings, and I just kept going. I had patients to see, husband and kids to care for, and a to-do list that didn’t quit.
One day, I found myself sitting in the dark of my garage, holding my head and whispering, “God, I can’t keep doing this.”
That moment changed everything.
I realized that the same grace I’d offered everyone else, I had refused to give myself.
And that’s what so many women are still doing. We’re showing up for everyone else while our own bodies are waving the white flag.
Let’s get real about what happens when our hormones decline because it’s not just about hot flashes and mood swings. It’s about your whole body chemistry shifting gears.
When estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone drop, you may feel:
😴 Crippling fatigue that sleep doesn’t fix
🧠 Brain fog that makes you forget why you walked into a room
💔 Mood swings, anxiety, and irritability that make you feel unlike yourself
🦴 Bone loss and muscle weakness that increase fracture risk
💓 Heart palpitations and higher cholesterol as cardiovascular protection fades
💧 Dryness and low libido that affect confidence and connection
🪫 Metabolic slowdown, leading to weight gain and frustration
It’s not weakness.
It’s biology.
And as someone who’s sat with women crying in the exam room, I can tell you: it’s heartbreaking to see them convinced that misery is “just part of getting older.”
💥 The Truth: You Need Hormones for Health, Not Just for Comfort
Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are not “optional extras.”
They are essential for your brain, bones, heart, and mood.
🧠 Brain: Estrogen supports memory, focus, and neurotransmitter balance. Without it, your risk for cognitive decline skyrockets and risk of dementia increases.
💓 Heart: Estrogen protects your blood vessels and improves lipid profiles when it drops, heart disease risk goes up.
🦴 Bones: Estrogen keeps bones dense and strong; women can lose up to 20% of bone mass within five years of menopause.
💧 Pelvic Health: It maintains elasticity and moisture in vaginal and urinary tissues which help to decrease the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs). UTIs can be fatal in the elderly population.
❤️ Libido & Energy: Testosterone fuels motivation, mood, and connection, it’s not just about sex, it’s about drive.
🌙 Calm & Balance: Progesterone is nature’s Xanax, it soothes the nervous system, supports sleep, and keeps anxiety in check. When it drops, women often feel wired, anxious, and restless.
When hormone levels plummet, your body literally loses its built-in protective armor.
If you’re curious about natural peptide therapy or want to experience this kind of cellular reset yourself, you can learn more HERE or message me for my MAKE Wellness link. 💙
🙌 Finally! The FDA Listened
After more than 20 years of confusion, fear, and outdated warnings, the FDA has officially removed the black box warning from hormone replacement therapy.
It’s about damn time.
This decision reflects decades of new data showing that, when started within 10 years of menopause onset or before age 60, HRT can reduce risks for heart disease, osteoporosis, and cognitive decline and dramatically improve quality of life.
This isn’t just medicine catching up.
It’s redemption.
✝️ Faith + Functional Medicine: Stewardship, Not Shame
I believe caring for your health is an act of worship.
God designed your body with precision, purpose, and wisdom. Every hormone, every system, every rhythm has meaning.
When your hormones fall and your energy fades, it’s not a punishment, it’s a signal.
Ignoring your body isn’t holiness. It’s neglect!!
Self-care isn’t selfish.
It’s stewardship.
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit... therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
At Graceful Wellness in Rockwall, Texas, Dr. Stephanie Shisler and I are on a mission to help women feel like themselves again, body, mind, and spirit.
We combine traditional and integrative medicine to create personalized care plans that address the root cause, not just the symptoms. Whether it’s hormone optimization, peptide therapy, or lifestyle support, we help women rewrite their story with clarity and confidence.
We’ve seen women go from exhausted and hopeless to energized, balanced, and thriving not because of quick fixes, but because they finally started listening to what their body was asking for.
Alongside HRT, I love using natural peptides from MAKE Wellness to help the body heal and perform at its best.
These small but mighty molecules help regulate metabolism, sleep, focus, and recovery, safely and naturally.
Here are a few of my favorites:
🌿 LEAN – helps control cravings and manage stress-related eating.
💪 FIT – supports lean muscle growth and strength.
💧 HYDRATE – restores minerals and keeps you calm under stress. ⚡ ENERGIZED – boosts natural energy (without caffeine or crashes) and supports mental clarity throughout the day.
🧘♀️ CALM – lowers cortisol and helps regulate the stress response.
😴 RESTORE – promotes deep, restorative sleep where true healing happens.
Each one is a tool to help women restore balance from the inside out, supporting hormones, energy, and overall vitality.
🔥 Warrior Mom Truth
The FDA’s decision to remove the black box warning isn’t just a medical update, it’s a wake-up call for women everywhere.
A reminder that your health matters. Your symptoms matter.
And that you don’t have to live half-alive, surviving in a body that’s crying out for care.
You’ve spent years pouring into everyone else.
Now it’s time to pour back into you.
Because when women rise in strength, truth, and faith, families heal, legacies change, and generations are transformed.
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” 3 John 1:2
With grit, grace, and Christmas cheer,
🩷 Jenn Robb/ Warrior Mom🩷 Save this blog for the days you forget how strong you really are.
🩷 Share it with another mom who’s fighting her own battle, remind her she’s not alone.❤️ Let’s Plan Our Peace NOW (Not in December)
Let’s be honest by the time December hits, the to-do list grows legs, the calendar overflows, and somebody’s going to forget the stocking stuffers. (It’s fine. It happens. 😉)
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Let’s fill our cups, guard our peace, and walk into this season with intention and grace.🎁 It’s FREE.
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Then pour yourself something warm, grab your coziest blanket, and give yourself permission to just be still. You’ve earned it, Momma.
“He will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in Him.” Isaiah 26:3
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