Episode 70 - Dr. Mary Pardee - Perimenopause 101: What’s Really Happening to Your Hormones

MEET THE GUESTDr. Mary Pardee is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor in Los Angeles specializing in preventive medicine and longevity. With a degree in human nutrition and experience in exercise physiology research for the US government, she offers a comprehensive approach to health. Dr. Mary earned her doctorate from Bastyr University and founded modern med, a practice offering in-person and telemedicine care. Her mission is to close the healthspan-lifespan gap so patients live longer, healthier, more vibrant lives. She is licensed in California and Colorado.WHAT WE TALK ABOUTDr. Pardee’s functional and integrative approach and why she focuses on gut-brain-hormone interactions to guide women through peri- and menopause.Common hormone imbalances in women 35+: low progesterone, estrogen dominance, sluggish thyroid—and how they affect sleep, metabolism, mood.Why fatigue, bloating, mood swings, irregular cycles, and night sweats are often missed or misdiagnosed.Using at-home hormone tests and functional labs to get a true picture—beyond outdated bloodwork.The gut’s role in hormone balance: how estrogen is processed in the microbiome and how gut inflammation disrupts cortisol and insulin.Why perimenopause can be a bigger hormonal rollercoaster than menopause, and how stress, nutrient gaps, and toxins fuel the chaos.Her take on bioidentical hormone therapy—who it helps, when lifestyle change may be enough, and how to use it wisely.How to support mitochondria, adrenal recovery, and blood-sugar stability to ease symptoms.Go-to tools for nervous-system regulation—breathwork, vagus-nerve stimulation, and why over-intense workouts can backfire.The link between hormone health, trauma, and the gut-brain axis—and why healing must address all three.Practical advice for women who feel dismissed or overwhelmed: what to test and how to build a hormone-supportive lifestyle that lasts.EPISODE RESOURCESFunction Health Lab testing for 100+ biomarkers. Code ESCHLICK10: https://shop.thetrailtohealth.com/FunctionHealthButcherBox High-quality meats for stable blood sugar, muscle & hormone health: https://shop.thetrailtohealth.com/ButcherBoxBonafide Provisions Organic bone broth for gut & hormone health. Code TRAILTOHEALTH for 15% off: https://shop.thetrailtohealth.com/BonafideProvisionsTethosNon-alcoholic wine alternatives to support liver & hormones. Code TRAILTOHEALTH for 10% off: https://shop.thetrailtohealth.com/TethosBodyBioPhospholipids, butyrate & minerals for mood, metabolism & mitochondria. Code TRAILTOHEALTH for 15% off: https://shop.thetrailtohealth.com/BodyBioRho NutritionSupplements for hormone health, energy & blood sugar. Code TRAILTOHEALTH for 15% off first order: https://shop.thetrailtohealth.com/RhoPromixClean protein & functional supplements. Code THETRAILTOHEALTH for 10% off: https://shop.thetrailtohealth.com/PromixPulsettoWearable vagus-nerve stimulator for calming & sleep: https://shop.thetrailtohealth.com/PulsettoEarthingGrounding tools to reduce inflammation & support hormone balance: https://shop.thetrailtohealth.com/EarthingCONNECT WITH THE GUESTWebsite:http://www.modrnmed.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.marypardeeFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/modrnmed/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.marypardeeYouTube: https://youtube.com/@dr.marypardee7668?si=Bml5HsYa0FlLfj-fOther IG:https://www.instagram.com/modrnmed/KEYWORDSHormone health, perimenopause, balanced hormones, gut-brain connection, midlife health, menopause relief, root-cause healing, functional medicine, hormone balance, cycle support, adrenal health, hormone reset, women’s wellness, midlife women, inflammation relief, biohacking women