Getting to the Bottom of Hormone Imbalances with Megan Bliss

Hormones are the name of the game today, and we're going to be joined by Megan Bliss, a great friend of mine who is a nurse practitioner, hormone guru, and she helps you to get to the root cause of why you feel the way you feel. And hormones are where we're going to really focus our attention on today when we're talking about hormones. Hormones are signals that communicate messages around your body, from your brain to your organs to your bones to even the lining of your blood vessels. Hormones run the show. And with respect to hormones, they can be helpful for you to feel good and calm, to have good digestion, to feel like you have focus. And hormones can also go astro and cause problems when out of balance. But the tricky thing is if your hormones are normal on lab testing, but you feel like your hormones are out of balance. And so the question that we're all going to be talking about today is what do hormones have to do with it? And what do I do if my doctor won't test my hormones or says they're fine? Megan, you just joined us. I'm so happy to see you again.

Thank you for having me. You're such a pleasure to talk with, and I'm so excited to be with you again.

Our podcast episode just went live, so we're recording this live on Instagram. Today is February 16th is 2022, and yesterday a podcast just dropped with Megan and I, and I've been listening to it, and it's just such good content.

Yes, Yes. I love chatting with you. I mean, you brought some solid stats to the table, which I loved.

We need the stats. You know, there's certain personality types. They're like, this sounds. This sounds too good to be true. Like, drop some stats on me. And I was like, I got you, babe. So if you're looking for stats, they're there. They're in that podcast.

Love it. Love it.

How have you been since we were together?

So good. So good. I mean, I am ready for some warm weather. I know you are. Where it's warm. I am envious. I'm ready for some warm weather that always, you know, lifts the mood and all of that. So I'm ready to get spring coming.

Ready for spring. Spring ready for some sunshine. Actually, before we got on here, I was like, I need to be mindful and go sit outside, because I know that your circadian rhythm, the sunshine, the vitamin D, that all impacts our hormones, it impacts our mood. So it all goes together. It's so important.

So important. And that's like one of the core Things that I tell people is get outside every single day. And so for me, climate that's actually really kind of hard this time of year. So, you know, a little safety net. I've gotten places, I have a lot of animals and so I have to take care of these animals and it makes me get outside every single day to take care of these animals. So it's a good thing.

They're like bringing you outside and balancing you whether you like it or not in the cold weather.

Yep, it's good for my health.

I was wanting to talk with people before we jump into like the good gloriousness I wanted to just throw out there. If you're watching this or if you're listening to this conversation and you're wondering, like, really, is this conversation with Kane and Megan, is this going to be valuable for me? And so I want you to listen to some of these check marks that I've listed off. And if you resonate with any of these check marks, then this is a good conversation for you. And you should definitely check out the podcast interview where we dive in even deeper. And then of course, while I'm reading you these check offs and you're listening, then make sure you also click on Megan's name and give her a follow because she's amazing videos and like, your content is so fun and engaging and really helpful.

Well, thank you.

Like, I try. You're like, you show up in like such a superhero way. So I'm looking at my computer screen here and so as you're listening to this, here are just a couple signs that your hormones may be contributing to some of the symptoms that you're experiencing. Even if your testing shows up normal. Okay, so first one is, is I struggle with anxiety or depression that doesn't feel like it corresponds to my circumstances. Could be hormones. I struggle with digestive upset. Sometimes I get diarrhea or sometimes constipation. I just feel like my gut is in rebellion. If you have that, it could be hormones. I've been told that I have thyroid nodules. So if anyone's ever felt your neck and you've been told that you have a little bump on your thyroid. Okay, makes sense that it could be thyroid hormone, right? Oftentimes I feel dizzy. If I stand up too quickly, that's another sign it could be hormones. I feel stressed, exhausted, wired and tired. Like my energy levels just aren't stable. Could be hormones. Just a couple more. If you resonate with any of these and this conversation is for you, for women specifically, my moods fluctuate. With my hormone cycle or changing, like either postpartum, starting your period or going into menopause. Any of these having to do with your moods? These could be hormones. And with men is. I find that I have a hard time growing muscles, sustaining endurance, energy and libido. If you resonated as a human being with any of these, then this is a great conversation for you. We're going to be talking about the connection between your hormones and your brain and your emotions. How did that sound? Megan?

That is so good. So good. And yeah, and I would even add on to that, like a hysterectomy, because you don't know, you know, when specifically when you're cycling, stuff like that. So if you've. A tubal ligation can also alter things. So anything like that, that's so important.

And, you know, it's really interesting that even if someone has had a hysterectomy and you kept your ovaries, you can still go into menopause. And so there aren't really any real rules. And so I'm really grateful that you brought that up. Even if you've had a hysterectomy and you can't assess the bleeding, it's really important to consider hormones, too.

Yes. Yep. 100%. 100%.

Oh, my gosh. So the first question I want to ask you as we're digging in is tell me about what drove you to your current mission.

Personal. A personal strife. And I don't know, I feel like so many. So many, like, twists and turns in my life have shifted my direction and led me to, like, where I am right now. You know, it's just subtle shifts. Subtle shifts. But there's definitely the personal aspect in the fact that after having a couple babies, being stressed through grad school, a husband going through grad school, all of that, I didn't feel good. I didn't feel good. I was not taking care of myself. And I knew it had to do with hormones. When I would gain weight after breastfeeding and. Or while breastfeeding and everybody else was, like, dropping the pounds, I was continuing to go up, and I'm like, oh, yeah, yeah, this. This has a lot to do with hormones. Even though I'm eating decent now and moving and all of that, there was a lot to do with hormones. So I knew that that aspect of things, those vanity aspects of things played into. Played into the hormones and all and the underlying stuff. I didn't feel good. I didn't. I wasn't. I wasn't my best self. And I was a nurse practitioner, seeing patients, seeing women constantly who were in the same boat I was. And I was like, not only do I need to help them, do my best to help them, but I've got to help myself, too. And I'm a mom of three girls. I've got three girls coming up, and I don't want them to have to feel like they're swimming and I don't know what's going on. And I want to be able to help my girls, too.

It was a necessity is you weren't feeling good and you weren't getting the answers, and so you had to research it, not just for you, but for your girls, for your family.

Yeah, yeah. Very personal aspect there. Along with. Along with just, I. I don't want anybody else, any other woman to be stuck in that sucky feeling.

So how did you figure out that it was actually hormones? I think that a lot of women, as you're sharing this, like, resonate, like, oh, my gosh, Like, I had kids. Everybody else was losing the weight, nursing. I'm not losing the weight. So what did you do to actually confirm your suspicion?

Well, I tried, like, ordering hormone blood tests. You know, women would come in and they're like, I think my hormones are screwed up. And I'm like, okay, I validate you. I'll do what I can to check, you know? And so I'd run just regular lab tests, and the ranges on general labs are so big and nonspecific, and it would all come back normal. And I'm like, but I believe them. I believe what they're talking about, you know? And so really kind of just stumbled on the lab testing I currently use and went to a conference, was exposed to this lab testing that I currently use and was. And it was just like the heavens had opened and the stars had aligned. And I was like, yes, this is being more specific and not just throwing sand in the wind.

It's like eye opening. And I really want to emphasize. So if you guys are listening to this and somebody has run a test and you're not getting the answers you need, it's kind of like my car won't start and I hit the gas pedal and, well, I guess the car's broken, but maybe you didn't actually put the key in the ignition. It's the wrong way to assess the information. So when you, Megan, went, and you learned about this other type of testing, suddenly it's like the angels were singing, the heavens opened up. You were just getting all of this valuable information. And it was probably really validating, too, for these women that you're working with that are like, oh, my gosh, like, I see something.

Yeah. And I don't know how many times I've had women come to me and they're like, they're like. And I think they're just bracing themselves for being told everything is so. They just. They lack some confidence in it, you know, and they're just like, oh, I don't know. I don't know, I don't know. And then I see relief flood over them. Look at what is going on here. We've got some reasoning. And I just think that data can be validating and a relief, Just such a relief for people.

So tell us a little bit more about the testing, because the insurance model will cover, you know, just like basic serum estradiol, and if you're lucky, maybe they'll throw in like a little progesterone and testosterone in there. Tell us more about the testing.

So I like a saliva testing. Don't you do. Do you do the Dutch test?

I'm a Dutch lover. I like. So that's what I use.

But I know the Dutch test can be absolutely amazing. Too different from what's traditional and what insurance will cover these other testing modalities. Insurance doesn't like them, but they are so worth every single penny you put into them. So worth it. Anyways, I. I use one. I use one through a company called zrt. It's a specialty lab and live a testing plus some urine testing. In some situations, everybody's a little bit different on what we end up doing. But I do neurotransmitter testing through them as well. Heavy metal testing. I do a lot of testing and. But as far as the hormones go, it was just. That was the test I was first exposed to. And I'm like, oh, my goodness. Okay, let's go. We've got we. And then I also had to be trained on the timing of the test and for every woman's situation and their cycles and all of that.

Right. Because women who are listening to this or watching this, your estrogen doesn't stay the same all month. Your estrogen levels will rise and fall. Your progesterone levels will rise and fall. It's the same with men, too. Your hormone levels are changeable. So testing at the right time can be really important because otherwise you might be getting false negatives. And so keeping a log of your moods, keeping a log of your stress, your sleep, your hormones, your cycles, writing everything down and starting to Keep track of that can be really helpful data, as well as just kind of objective timing. Like, you start bleeding on this day, we want to test you on that day. So I think that's a really good point that you're bringing up, is testing at the right time, you're running these tests, you're having these huge aha moments. Tell me a little bit about the links that you're seeing between hormones and mood or concentration. Mental health.

Yeah. Especially when women are noticing these mood fluctuations in regards to their cycles. Even if they're not, if they've had a hysterectomy or they're not menstruating or something like that, they can usually notice some shifts. Except for men across the board. But especially if they're noticing these shifts, it's so important to get down to the bottom of it, because neurotransmitters and hormones are. Are so. They are powerful chemical messengers in the body. And when. And sometimes when one is off, it can alter the other system too. So I think it just can be so insightful to get down to the bottom of it instead of going, oh, here's a medication. Let's just have you be on this and try it and see if it'll work for the next three months instead. Getting data on what and pinpointing so that you're strategically treating.

Yeah. As an example, we know that estrogen can change metabolism of serotonin. You start at tryptophan, and then you can go down the chironic pathway or you can go down the quinolytic pathway, and estrogen will impact that. Estrogen is also important in activating testosterone and activating and interacting with cortisol. So like you said, it all really intimately marries together. And when we had our podcast interview, you also talked about progesterone in the anxiety link, and I was wondering if you could give, like, a little sneak peek into that today.

Yeah. Because progesterone can attach to those GABA receptors, which GABA receptors are.

So.

When they're met with the right thing, it just is very calming, you know? And so when progesterone or GABA is active and available to sit in these receptor sites, you don't have nearly the worry and the brewing and the bubbling of doing mentality. So it's very important to have adequate amounts. If your stress levels are too high, cortisol can sneak in there and interrupt the flow and make things not. You just don't feel good. So, yes.

Oh, my gosh, this is so good. And last question before we finish up today is what is the piece of advice that you have for women in particular who are struggling with imbalances in their hormones?

I think just knowing that you're validated, like, I think that's one of the most important things, that taking care of yourself is important, that it's not just something that you're going to have to live with for the rest of your life. Just suck it up, you know? And so I think validation is a big thing. But for me also, the foundational things that you don't need necessarily a prescription for anything like that is eating healthy, doing stress work, doing, like, what you do with your clients, and working on stress, and all of that is such a huge, huge impactful thing. So those are kind of like the foundational approaches. And just know that there is help out there and there are some people like us that really do want to help out.

Yeah, we've got your backs. Megan is such an amazing healer and helper. We actually had a comment in here. She was expressing that, Megan, you've helped her so much. And so that's just amazing. So if you have questions about hormones, then you know, we've got your backs. Meg's your girl. And if you deal with anxiety or depression, check out the stuff that I have in my bio. There's tons of free goodies and links in there. And then you just launched, Meg, you just launched a group or tell me what cool stuff you have going on right now so people can dig in.

Yeah. So I'm almost done with my first group program. We're in our last couple weeks right now. It's been great. The ladies have been phenomenal, and I'm planning to launch that again in mid March. Yes. Here we go. I'm so excited. Gets women off waiting lists, all of that, which makes me so happy. So I'm relaunching that mid March. I'm also doing. I've started my one on one practice where I see women virtually all over the world too. So I have got several options as far as working with me. Then I've got my virtual wellness community where we really dig into nutrition and movement and mindset, all of that.

So we need all of it. Everybody. We all need all of it. All of the things.

Yeah.

Awesome. It was so good to get to see you again. And everybody, check out the podcast interview. It was so fun, so informative. This girl is a fountain of brilliance. Thank you for being here.

Thanks so much for having me. I appreciate it.