"Perimenopause is basically reverse puberty. When estrogen and progesterone fluctuate, it impacts everything—from sleep and mood to insulin resistance and sugar cravings."

In this episode of Keeping It Real, host Jenn Godfrey sits down with Dr. Beth Dorsey, a board-certified Doctor of Eastern Medicine and Functional Medicine practitioner with over 20 years of experience specializing in women's health and fertility.

Together, Jenn and Dr. Dorsey break the silence around perimenopause and menopause-topics long treated as taboo or dismissed by traditional medicine. From sudden late-night sugar cravings and painful periods to mood shifts and sleep disruptions, they dive into the root biological causes behind these symptoms and why women as early as their mid-30s and 40s experience them.

Dr. Dorsey explains the two main phases of perimenopause, the critical role progesterone plays in opposing estrogen, and how declining hormones affect blood sugar regulation and insulin. They also discuss the pros and cons of GLP-1 medications (like Ozempic), the danger of losing critical muscle mass during midlife, and how functional medicine bridges the gap between lifestyle, root-cause testing, and integrative care.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

The "Reverse Puberty" Effect: Why periods can become heavy, irregular, or painful again in your late 30s and 40s.

Late-Night Sugar Cravings & Blood Sugar: How fluctuating estrogen impacts insulin resistance and metabolic health.

Functional Medicine vs. Western Medicine: Why standard lab tests might say you're "normal" even when you feel off.

GLP-1s in Midlife: The risks of muscle loss during perimenopause and why strength training and protein matter.

Foundational Wellness Steps: How nutrition, macros, fiber, and continuous glucose monitoring (CGMs) can restore balance naturally.

About Jenn Godfrey

@RealJennGodfrey is the host of Keeping It Real, a podcast dedicated to unfiltered, honest conversations about health, motherhood, business, and personal transformation.

About Dr. Beth Dorsey, L.Ac, FABORM

Since 2006 Dr. Beth Dorsey has practiced Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and worked extensively with women's health and hormones, fertility, and pregnancy patients both virtually and in the Santa Cruz and Soquel area.

Featuring https://www.instagram.com/RealJennGodfrey/ and https://www.instagram.com/pointsforwellness/

💬 Join the Conversation: Have you noticed unexpected hormonal shifts or strange cravings in your 30s or 40s? What strategies have helped you regain balance? Drop your experiences in the comments below!

🎧 Subscribe to Keeping It Real for more conversations on holistic health and midlife wellness → https://linktr.ee/RealJennGodfrey

🌐 Connect with Dr. Beth Dorsey & Resources → https://pointsforwellness.com/

#Perimenopause #WomensHealth #FunctionalMedicine #HormoneHealth #MenopauseAwareness