Have you ever wondered why anxiety seems to spike during midlife—or why stress feels harder to manage during perimenopause or menopause?

In this episode, Katina dives deep into the powerful connection between anxiety, stress, and menopause, and shares how understanding this link can help you take back control of your mind, mood, and overall well-being.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• What anxiety really means, both scientifically and spiritually
• How stress can lead to anxiety and throw your body out of alignment
• The connection between hormones, cortisol, and gut health
• Why perimenopause can make stress harder to handle
• How to restore balance spiritually, physically, and emotionally

Key Points

• Anxiety isn’t “just in your head.” It’s often the body’s response to stress and hormonal shifts.
• The word anxiety comes from Latin and Greek roots meaning “to choke,” “to press tightly,” or “to be pulled apart”, a powerful reflection of how it feels internally.
• Cortisol, the stress hormone, can trigger anxiety, sleep issues, weight gain, and blood sugar imbalances.
• Your gut microbiome plays a major role in mood and emotional regulation over 90% of serotonin is made in the gut!
• Declining hormones during menopause make it harder for your body to regulate stress, but healing and balance are absolutely possible.

Connect with Katina

If you’re experiencing symptoms like hot flashes, sleepless nights, mood swings, weight gain, brain fog, or anxiety, and want to learn more about our menopause programs, email:
ksmith@happinessinyoucoach.com
Subject Line: Menopause Programs

Have you ever walked into a room and completely forgotten why you’re there? Or struggled to find the right word mid-sentence? You’re not alone. Brain fog is one of the most common and least talked about symptoms of menopause.

In this episode of Menopause Breakthrough, I break down:

• The hormonal shifts that directly affect memory, focus, and mental clarity
• Why stress, sleep disruption, and blood sugar imbalances can make brain fog worse
• The difference between normal forgetfulness and when it’s time to dig deeper
• Simple nutrition, lifestyle, and mindset strategies you can start today to lift the fog
• Encouragement to give yourself grace during this season — because you’re not “losing it,” your brain is asking for support

By the end of this conversation, you’ll not only understand why brain fog happens, but also feel empowered with realistic ways to bring your focus back and get through your days with more ease.

✨ Tune in to learn how to support your mind and body during menopause, so you can show up sharp, energized, and like yourself again.

If you would like to stay up to date on our programs, resources, and announcements, join our e-mail list by sending a message to ksmith@happinesinyoucoach.com and type e-mail list in the subject line.

Did you know that stress and menopause don’t just overlap, but they amplify each other? That’s why so many professional women feel like they’re running on empty, quick to irritability, unable to focus, and constantly exhausted.

In this episode of Menopause Breakthrough, I break down the connection between shifting hormones and stress, and why this season of life can feel so overwhelming. We’ll talk about:

• The three stages of menopause (perimenopause, menopause, postmenopause) and what’s happening in each.
• How hormone decline plus the stress response creates fatigue, brain fog, and irritability.
• The role workplace pressure plays in worsening symptoms.
• A functional nutrition perspective and why inflammation, blood sugar, and gut health are so important.
• The benefits of support from functional practitioners and health coaches who look for the root cause, not just a symptom or prescription.

✨ Takeaway: Menopause and stress are not separate battles but they overlap. Understanding this cycle and learning how to support your body is the first step to regaining control of your health.

💡 Practical tips you’ll hear in this episode:

• Track what’s triggering your stress and fatigue.
• Use micro-recovery breaks during the workday.
• Eat balanced meals (protein, carbs, and healthy fats) to stabilize your blood sugar and Did you know that stress and menopause don’t just overlap, but they amplify each other? That’s why so many professional women feel like they’re running on empty, quick to irritiability, unable to focus, and constantly exhausted.
  In this episode of Menopause Breakthrough, I break down the connection between shifting hormones and stress, and why this season of life can feel so overwhelming. We’ll talk about:
  • The three stages of menopause (perimenopause, menopause, postmenopause) and what’s happening in each.
  • How hormone decline plus the stress response creates fatigue, brain fog, and irritability.
  • The role workplace pressure plays in worsening symptoms.
  • A functional nutrition perspective and why inflammation, blood sugar, and gut health are so important.
  • The benefits of support from functional practitioners and health coaches who look for the root cause, not just a symptom or prescription.
• ✨ Takeaway: Menopause and stress are not separate battles but they overlap. Understanding this cycle and learning how to support your body is the first step to regaining control of your health.
  💡 Practical tips you’ll hear in this episode:
  • Track what’s triggering your stress and fatigue.
  • Use micro-recovery breaks during the workday.
  • Eat balanced meals (protein, carbs, and healthy fats) to stabilize your blood sugar and

If you would like to stay up to date on our programs, resources, and announcements, join our e-mail list by sending a message to ksmith@happinesinyoucoach.com and type e-mail list in the subject line.

Have you ever thought, “I don’t even feel like myself anymore?” That’s exactly where I was a few years ago, and it nearly cost me my health and career.

In this very first episode of Menopause Breakthrough, I’m opening up and sharing my personal story, the struggles, the turning points, and the reason I created this podcast for professional women navigating perimenopause and menopause.

I talk about:

• My season of stress and burnout, fatigue, brain fog, mood swings, and feeling completely disconnected from myself.
• The frustrating lack of answers I received from my doctor.
• How I found hope and healing through faith, functional nutrition, holistic support, and lifestyle changes.
• Why so many women are left in the dark about perimenopause, and how I’m here to change that.

You’ll also walk away with three practical steps you can start today:

1. Be the leader of your health.
2. Step back and reflect on where you are and what you need.
3. Begin tracking your symptoms and noticing what might be triggering them.

💡 Most importantly, I want you to hear this: You are not broken. You’re going through a transitional season that requires new tools, awareness, and support so that you can thrive through it.

✨ This episode sets the stage for everything to come on this podcast: hope, clarity, and practical tools for your menopause journey.

If you would like to stay up to date on our programs, resources, and announcements, join our e-mail list by sending a message to ksmith@happinesinyoucoach.com and type e-mail list in the subject line.

Something exciting is coming for professional women! If you’re navigating stress, burnout, or menopause—and want real solutions for more energy, clarity, and balance—you’ll want to tune in.

Launching Sept 29: Menopause Breakthrough for Professional Women podcast with your HIY Coaching & Consulting CEO, Katina Smith, MBA, CFNC, CMC.

Mark your calendar—first 3 episodes drop launch day!

If you would like to stay up to date on our programs, resources, and announcements, join our e-mail list by sending a message to ksmith@happinesinyoucoach.com and type e-mail list in the subject line.