Balancing Hormones Naturally

The Truth About Fasting for Women: Why Most Studies Don’t Apply to Your CycleBalancing Hormones Naturally Podcast with Leah BrueggemannEveryone keeps telling you to fast. Skip breakfast. Push your eating window. Drink coffee until noon. And somewhere along the way, fasting got marketed as the secret to weight loss, balanced blood sugar, and longevity for every human on the planet.Here is what nobody mentions in those reels: most of the research behind those claims was done on men or postmenopausal women. If you have an active cycle, applying that data to your body without context can quietly tank your hormones, flatten your energy, and wreck your periods.In this episode, Leah breaks down what fasting actually does to a cycling woman’s body, when it works in your favor, when it backfires, and the one fasting style most women can use safely without sending their adrenals into a tailspin.What You’ll Learn in This Episode• Why fasting research done on men doesn’t translate cleanly to menstruating women• How estrogen and progesterone change your insulin sensitivity across your cycle• The connection between aggressive fasting, LH pulsatility, ovulation, and progesterone• Why intermittent fasting can become a fancy way of chronically under-eating• What circadian fasting is, why Leah loves it, and how to do it• Follicular fasting: the one-day-per-cycle window where a longer fast may serve you• How melatonin and your circadian insulin sensitivity should shape when you eat• Why your minerals and vital reserve matter before you ever consider a fast• How to break a fast without spiking your blood sugar into the stratosphereKey Concepts From the EpisodeYou’re Not a Small ManMen run on a 24-hour hormonal rhythm. Women run on a 28 to 36-day rhythm. Their dominant hormone is testosterone, which doesn’t tank under stress the way progesterone does. Stretching male fasting protocols across a cycling woman’s body ignores all of that.Insulin Sensitivity Changes Throughout Your CycleEstrogen increases insulin sensitivity. Progesterone decreases it. So depending on where a woman is in her cycle, the same fasting protocol can produce wildly different results. One snapshot in a study cannot capture that.Aggressive Fasting Can Suppress OvulationCalorie restriction taken too far has been shown to lower LH pulsatility within just five days. Lower LH means a weaker ovulatory surge, which means a weaker corpus luteum, which means less progesterone. That cascade shows up as irregular cycles, thinning hair, irritability, low energy, and insomnia long before it shows up on a lab.Sometimes Intermittent Fasting Is Just Under-Eating in DisguiseSlapping a name on a tiny eating window doesn’t change the math. If the calories aren’t there, the body reads starvation. The early energy boost most women feel? Usually adrenaline. Eventually the bill comes due in the form of stalled fat loss, blunted thyroid function, and worsening cycles.Circadian Fasting: The Safer DefaultStop eating after dinner and don’t eat again until morning. Roughly a 12-hour window. This honors your natural insulin rhythm (you are more insulin sensitive in the morning, more resistant at night) and supports digestion and blood sugar without spiking cortisol. Most cycling women can use this safely.Follicular Fasting (One Day Per Cycle)Pick one day in your follicular phase and pull your final meal earlier (say, 3 pm instead of 6 pm). Estrogen is rising, insulin sensitivity is on your side, and the impact on stress hormones is minimal. One day. Then back to your normal circadian fast.Mineral Status and Vital Reserve Come FirstFasting on top of depleted minerals and a chronically dieted body is pouring gas on a fire. Replenish first. Mineral-rich foods (yes, including beef liver, not only vegetables) build the foundation that any fasting strategy needs.Practical Takeaways• Eat within 30 to 60 minutes of waking• Aim for 30 grams of protein at breakfast• Get fiber and low-glycemic carbs in early• Never eat a naked carb (pair the apple with a hard-boiled egg or a handful of nuts)• Build a dinner that can actually carry you through the night: protein, fat, fiber, low-glycemic carbs• Break your fast with protein, not sugar and coffee• Prioritize nourishment before restriction every single time• Pay attention to mineral intake, especially if you’ve been chronically dietingA Line Worth Saving“You don’t need to starve to heal. You need to support your hormones, not suppress them.”Episode Sponsor: Aversio Wellness MaitakeMushrooms are everywhere right now, but most products use a fraction of the dosage that was actually studied. Aversio Wellness uses real therapeutic dosages and a strong extraction ratio, so one or two capsules do the job (instead of swallowing a pile of pills).Their newest standalone product is Maitake, which Leah is calling the new starting point for women who want a mushroom that delivers visible results. Maitake supports blood sugar balance, ovulation, and immune function, and since blood sugar drives basically every hormonal pathway in your body, this one earns its place.Shop at aversiowellness.com and use code LEAH for 15% off.Want to Go Deeper?Grab Leah’s free hormone training and learn her three secrets to balancing hormones naturally:freehormonetraining.comConnect With Leah• Instagram (personal): @leahbru• Instagram (podcast): @balancinghormonesnaturally• Free Hormone Training: freehormonetraining.comDisclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Please work with a qualified practitioner before making changes to your nutrition, fasting practice, or supplement routine.

If you feel like you’re doing everything right (eating well, taking supplements, supporting your hormones) but you still don’t feel better or can’t stay consistent, this episode may explain why. The missing piece for so many women isn’t another protocol. It’s brain rewiring. Your nervous system and subconscious patterns directly control your hormones, digestion, inflammation, and stress response, and until those patterns shift, your body will stay stuck in survival mode.In this episode, I’m breaking down:What brain rewiring actually is and why it’s not “woo,” but rooted in neuroscienceThe difference between calming your nervous system temporarily vs. truly regulating and rewiring itHow your subconscious brain runs patterns that control cortisol, blood sugar, ovulation, thyroid function, digestion, and inflammationWhy your brain acts like a prediction machine and how past experiences shape your current hormone responsesHow chronic fight-or-flight keeps your body stuck prioritizing survival over healing, reproduction, and repairWhy no supplement, diet, or protocol can override a nervous system that feels unsafeHow language, identity, and internal beliefs directly impact hormone outcomesThe concept of “pattern interruption” and how changing your response in the moment rewires your physiologyReal client examples of reduced IBS flares, inflammation, and stress symptoms through nervous system rewiringWhy brain rewiring is about teaching your body safety not eliminating stress completelyYour symptoms are not random and they’re not just physical. They’re the result of patterns your nervous system has learned over time. When you interrupt those patterns and teach your brain that it’s safe, your body can finally shift out of survival mode and into healing mode.This episode will help you understand why brain rewiring is one of the most powerful tools for hormone healing and how reclaiming control of your nervous system allows your body to finally do what it was designed to do.Leah’s Favorite Things: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/favorites🙏Thank you to Eversio Wellness for sponsoring this episode!👉 Go to https://www.eversiowellness.com/discount/LEAH or enter code LEAH at checkout for 15% off.—I’m Leah Brueggemann, a Functional Diagnostic Nutritional® Practitioner and Hormone Health Coach, helping you balance your hormones in effective and realistic ways so you can live a healthier, happier life.Through the Balance Hormones Naturally podcast, you’ll discover why your cycle is so important to your everyday health and how you can use nutrition to help support the rise and fall of your hormones and finally feel truly amazing. We dig deep to understand and heal the root causes of your symptoms so you can achieve lasting results through manageable and realistic lifestyle changes, allowing you to live a healthy and balanced life without a life-long pharmaceutical prescription.Let’s connect:📷 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/balancinghormonesnaturally/🙋🏻‍♀️ Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leah_brueg/🌐 Website: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/📧 Email: leahbcoaching@gmail.com

If you’ve been told you have estrogen dominance and your instinct has been to detox harder, cut more foods, or throw every estrogen-lowering supplement at the problem, this episode is for you. Estrogen dominance does not automatically mean you have too much estrogen, and aggressively trying to lower it often makes symptoms worse. In this episode, I’m breaking down what estrogen dominance actually is, why it’s more about clearance than production, and how to support your body without pushing it into burnout.In this episode I’m sharing:What estrogen dominance really means and why your estrogen labs can look “normal” or even lowHow estrogen is supposed to rise and fall across your cycle and where things break downWhy low progesterone often masquerades as “high estrogen” symptomsHow impaired drainage (not detox) creates a hormone traffic jamThe overlooked role of copper dysregulation in estrogen-heavy symptoms like breast tenderness and PMSCommon estrogen-dominant symptoms: heavy or painful periods, PMS, migraines, anxiety, weight gain, and sleep issuesWhy DIM, calcium d-glucarate, fasting, and aggressive detox can backfireHow liver detox actually works (phase 1 vs phase 2) and why protein and amino acids are non-negotiableWhy you can’t detox what you can’t eliminate, and the importance of pooping, peeing, sweating, and breathingThe gut–estrogen connection, including beta-glucuronidase and how low fiber leads to estrogen recirculationSimple food-based supports: cruciferous veggies, flaxseed, berries, citrus, bitters, garlic, onions, and a daily carrotHow to increase fiber slowly without bloating and when digestive enzymes helpHormone balance isn’t about forcing detox it’s about building capacity. When drainage pathways are open, minerals are supported, digestion is working, and fiber intake is consistent, estrogen can finally move the way it’s meant to. This episode will help you stop fighting your hormones and start supporting them in a way that actually creates relief.If you’re ready to move beyond symptom-chasing and understand what your body is really asking for, this episode gives you a clear place to start.Leah’s Favorite Things: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/favorites🙏 Thank you to Paleovalley for sponsoring this episode!👉 Go to https://paleovalley.com/leah and enter code LEAH at checkout for 15% off.—I’m Leah Brueggemann, a Functional Diagnostic Nutritional® Practitioner and Hormone Health Coach, helping you balance your hormones in effective and realistic ways so you can live a healthier, happier life.Through the Balance Hormones Naturally podcast, you’ll discover why your cycle is so important to your everyday health and how you can use nutrition to help support the rise and fall of your hormones and finally feel truly amazing. We dig deep to understand and heal the root causes of your symptoms so you can achieve lasting results through manageable and realistic lifestyle changes, allowing you to live a healthy and balanced life without a life-long pharmaceutical prescription.Let’s connect:📷 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/balancinghormonesnaturally/🙋🏻‍♀️ Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leah_brueg/🎥: Watch episodes on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@leahbrueggemann🌐 Website: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/📧 Email: leahbcoaching@gmail.com

For this episode, I was a guest on my good friend Brigitta’s Borinstein’s podcast Motherhood Equipped, where we discussed:Why hormones are messengers, not the root problem—and what actually needs support firstThe biggest mistakes women make when trying to “balance hormones” postpartumHow blood sugar instability drives anxiety, rage, fatigue, and sleep issuesWhy pregnancy and breastfeeding are deeply mineral-depleting—and which minerals matter mostThe truth about electrolytes vs. true mineral repletionHow cortisol, progesterone, estrogen, and insulin are all interconnectedWhy liver support plays a massive role in mood, skin, and cycle recovery after birthWhat the fourth trimester really asks of your body—and why rushing recovery backfiresWe also end with a fun little rapid-fire questionnaire, answering common hormonal questions. This was such a fun interview, and full of so many nuggets and insights.Leah’s Favorite Things: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/favorites🙏Thank you to Eversio Wellness for sponsoring this episode!👉 Go to https://www.eversiowellness.com/discount/LEAH or enter code LEAH at checkout for 15% off.—I’m Leah Brueggemann, a Functional Diagnostic Nutritional® Practitioner and Hormone Health Coach, helping you balance your hormones in effective and realistic ways so you can live a healthier, happier life.Through the Balance Hormones Naturally podcast, you’ll discover why your cycle is so important to your everyday health and how you can use nutrition to help support the rise and fall of your hormones and finally feel truly amazing. We dig deep to understand and heal the root causes of your symptoms so you can achieve lasting results through manageable and realistic lifestyle changes, allowing you to live a healthy and balanced life without a life-long pharmaceutical prescription.Let’s connect:📷 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/balancinghormonesnaturally/🙋🏻‍♀️ Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leah_brueg/🌐 Website: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/📧 Email: leahbcoaching@gmail.com

If you’ve been told your labs are “normal” but you still feel exhausted, bloated, moody, anxious, crampy, or completely off in your cycle, this episode is for you. Normal labs do not mean optimal hormones. And they definitely don’t mean nothing is wrong. Most women are living in the gray zone: not sick enough for medication, but not healthy enough to feel good. In this episode, I’m breaking down what balanced hormones actually look like, why lab ranges are misleading, and how to understand what your body is truly asking for.In this episode I’m sharing:Why normal lab ranges does not mean optimal hormone function, and how conventional ranges are built around disease, not wellnessThe difference between conventional vs functional lab ranges, and why tighter ranges matter for symptom-free livingWhy TSH alone is not a full picture of thyroid health, and what T3, T4, antibodies, gut health, and liver function revealHow nutrient deficiencies and poor conversion drive fatigue, PMS, weight gain, and hair loss before labs flag a problemWhy your doctor isn’t necessarily wrong, but is limited by insurance, time constraints, and pharmaceutical-based trainingHow hormones actually work together through the hormone cascade, and why fixing just one hormone rarely solves symptomsThe connection between cortisol, progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, thyroid hormones, and inflammationWhy stress, blood sugar crashes, mineral depletion, and liver overload disrupt hormone flowWhat truly balanced hormones feel like: predictable cycles, stable energy, calm moods, good sleep, healthy digestion, and resilienceThe foundational steps that support hormone balance naturally: blood sugar stability, mineral replenishment, liver support, gut health, and nervous system regulationYour symptoms are not random, they’re communication. You deserve more than being told “everything looks fine” when your body is clearly asking for support. This episode will help you understand how hormones really work, why labs often miss the bigger picture, and how to start building true hormone balance so you can finally feel like yourself again.Leah’s Favorite Things: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/favorites🙏 Thank you to Paleovalley for sponsoring this episode!👉 Go to https://paleovalley.com/leah and enter code LEAH at checkout for 15% off.—I’m Leah Brueggemann, a Functional Diagnostic Nutritional® Practitioner and Hormone Health Coach, helping you balance your hormones in effective and realistic ways so you can live a healthier, happier life.Through the Balance Hormones Naturally podcast, you’ll discover why your cycle is so important to your everyday health and how you can use nutrition to help support the rise and fall of your hormones and finally feel truly amazing. We dig deep to understand and heal the root causes of your symptoms so you can achieve lasting results through manageable and realistic lifestyle changes, allowing you to live a healthy and balanced life without a life-long pharmaceutical prescription.Let’s connect:📷 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/balancinghormonesnaturally/🙋🏻‍♀️ Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leah_brueg/🌐 Website: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/📧 Email: leahbcoaching@gmail.com

If you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD (or strongly resonate with it) and feel like you’re constantly hitting an invisible wall—knowing what to do but unable to follow through—this episode is for you. ADHD doesn’t mean you’re broken, lazy, or incapable. And it doesn’t mean medication is your only option. In this conversation, Gaia Broda and myself are reframing ADHD away from a life sentence and into something far more empowering: information you can use to take your power back.In this episode we’re sharing:Why so many women are being diagnosed with ADHD later in life, and what’s actually driving the riseHow identifying as your diagnosis quietly gives your power away (even when it feels validating)The Core Four pillars for managing ADHD naturally: movement, nutrition, nervous system regulation, and sleepWhy knowing the strategies isn’t the problem, and what’s really stopping follow-throughHow blood sugar crashes, dopamine chasing, and nervous system dysregulation fuel procrastination and overwhelmWhy reaching for sugar, scrolling, or avoidance isn’t a character flaw, but a signalThe role of self-worth, agency, and subconscious beliefs in ADHD symptomsHow hypnosis and subconscious work help rewire the patterns that keep you stuckWhy ADHD brains often come with powerful “zones of genius” and how society teaches us to ignore themWhere to actually start if you’re at rock bottom vs. already “managing but not thriving”An ADHD diagnosis can be a permission slip, not an identity. ADHD doesn’t get to decide what’s possible for you. When you stop outsourcing your power to labels, hacks, or medication alone and start building agency, nervous system safety, and supportive foundations, you can move from surviving to truly thriving. This episode will help you see your brain differently, reclaim your worth, and start working with how you’re wired instead of against it.Connect with Gaia:Beyond Meds Podcast Spotify | YouTube 15 Minute ADHD Morning Routine: https://bit.ly/dopaminedetoxtrainingBiohacking ADHD Membership: https://bit.ly/awcbiohackingmembershipLinkedInwww.gaiabroda.com—Leah’s Favorite Things: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/favorites🙏Thank you to Eversio Wellness for sponsoring this episode!👉 Go to https://www.eversiowellness.com/discount/LEAH or enter code LEAH at checkout for 15% off.—I’m Leah Brueggemann, a Functional Diagnostic Nutritional® Practitioner and Hormone Health Coach, helping you balance your hormones in effective and realistic ways so you can live a healthier, happier life.Through the Balance Hormones Naturally podcast, you’ll discover why your cycle is so important to your everyday health and how you can use nutrition to help support the rise and fall of your hormones and finally feel truly amazing. We dig deep to understand and heal the root causes of your symptoms so you can achieve lasting results through manageable and realistic lifestyle changes, allowing you to live a healthy and balanced life without a life-long pharmaceutical prescription.Let’s connect:📷 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/balancinghormonesnaturally/🙋🏻‍♀️ Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leah_brueg/🌐 Website: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/📧 Email: leahbcoaching@gmail.com

If you’re getting 7–8 hours of sleep and still waking up exhausted, this episode is for you.I used to sleep 10+ hours and still feel completely drained. Now, as a mom of three getting far less sleep, I have more energy than I ever did before. In this episode, I’m breaking down why “more sleep” isn’t the answer, and what actually restores your energy.In this episode, I cover:Why chasing sleep instead of daytime energy is keeping you stuckHow your morning routine directly impacts your nighttime sleepThe hidden role blood sugar crashes play in fatigue, anxiety, and 2–4am wake-upsWhy minerals like magnesium, sodium, and potassium are non-negotiable for energyThe difference between stimulation (caffeine, pre-workout, pushing through) and true restorationHow to adjust movement, caffeine, and nervous system work based on whether you’re wired or shut downWhat your cycle, progesterone, and cortisol patterns can tell you about your fatigueSimple food, lifestyle, and supplement supports for both energy and sleepIf you’re tired of relying on caffeine, crashing every afternoon, or feeling wired but exhausted at night, this episode will help you start working with your body instead of fighting it.Leah’s Favorite Things: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/favorites🙏 Thank you to Paleovalley for sponsoring this episode!👉 Go to https://paleovalley.com/leah and enter code LEAH at checkout for 15% off.—I’m Leah Brueggemann, a Functional Diagnostic Nutritional® Practitioner and Hormone Health Coach, helping you balance your hormones in effective and realistic ways so you can live a healthier, happier life.Through the Balance Hormones Naturally podcast, you’ll discover why your cycle is so important to your everyday health and how you can use nutrition to help support the rise and fall of your hormones and finally feel truly amazing. We dig deep to understand and heal the root causes of your symptoms so you can achieve lasting results through manageable and realistic lifestyle changes, allowing you to live a healthy and balanced life without a life-long pharmaceutical prescription.Let’s connect:📷 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/balancinghormonesnaturally/🙋🏻‍♀️ Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leah_brueg/🌐 Website: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/📧 Email: leahbcoaching@gmail.com

If your migraines show up like clockwork before your period, during your period, or right after it ends, this episode is for you. Hormonal migraines aren’t random, and they’re not a “Tylenol deficiency.” They’re a sign that estrogen, progesterone, minerals, inflammation, and nervous system chemistry are out of balance. While migraines can take time to fully resolve, understanding the pattern behind them is the first step toward real relief.In this episode I’m sharing:Why migraines that hit after your period are often linked to low iron, poor absorption, or copper imbalanceHow migraines before or at the start of your period are driven by estrogen withdrawal, histamines, and prostaglandinsThe connection between fluctuating estrogen, inflammation, serotonin disruption, and migraine painWhy vitamin B2 (riboflavin) supports mitochondrial energy in the brain and lowers migraine susceptibilityHow gluten sensitivity can increase glutamate, lower GABA, and make migraines worse during hormonal shiftsThe role of liver detox and estrogen metabolism, and why supporting bile flow mattersHow bitters, vitamin C, dandelion, and milk thistle support both digestion and hormone clearanceWhy natural antihistamines like nettle, vitamin C, and beef kidney can calm hormone-triggered migrainesWhen to consider deeper testing like HTMA or GI testing if food changes aren’t enoughWhy patience and consistency matter, as migraines are often one of the last symptoms to fully resolveHormonal migraines are not something you just have to endure every month. They’re feedback from your body, not a life sentence. This episode will help you understand why your migraines happen when they do, where to start with food and lifestyle support, and how to approach healing in a way that actually respects your hormones and nervous system.Leah’s Favorite Things: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/favorites🙏Thank you to Eversio Wellness for sponsoring this episode!👉 Go to https://www.eversiowellness.com/discount/LEAH or enter code LEAH at checkout for 15% off.—I’m Leah Brueggemann, a Functional Diagnostic Nutritional® Practitioner and Hormone Health Coach, helping you balance your hormones in effective and realistic ways so you can live a healthier, happier life.Through the Balance Hormones Naturally podcast, you’ll discover why your cycle is so important to your everyday health and how you can use nutrition to help support the rise and fall of your hormones and finally feel truly amazing. We dig deep to understand and heal the root causes of your symptoms so you can achieve lasting results through manageable and realistic lifestyle changes, allowing you to live a healthy and balanced life without a life-long pharmaceutical prescription.Let’s connect:📷 Instagram https://www.instagram.com/balancinghormonesnaturally/🙋🏻‍♀️ Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leah_brueg/🌐 Website: https://www.leahbrueggemann.com/📧 Email: leahbcoaching@gmail.com