Hormones Through Every Stage of Life: Puberty, Perimenopause, Menopause, Andropause

Podcast Conversation with Kristen Brunis & Dr. Kris Devillier

I was recently invited onto the podcast with my friend (and host) Kristen Brunis to have one of my favorite kinds of conversations: real talk about hormones, in plain English, with zero shame.

We went everywhere in this episode. We talked puberty, perimenopause, menopause, post-menopause, and even men’s andropause. Nobody sat us down and explained these stages when we were younger. We were just told “this is aging” or “this is normal.” No. Your body is talking. You deserve to understand what it’s saying.

Kristen opened the show by sharing a little of my story: I spent almost 30 years in the grocery industry. That’s where label reading, ingredient detective work, and pattern-spotting really started for me. Over time, that turned into full-on natural health work and ultimately what I do now: helping women and men understand their hormones, advocate for themselves, and feel like they’re back in their own skin again.

In this episode we walk through:

• why progesterone is usually the first hormone to drop and what that can feel like in your actual day-to-day (sleep changes, anxiety at night, irritability that doesn’t feel like “you,” weight shifting around the middle)
• why cholesterol matters so much more than most people are told, and how it sits at the top of the steroid hormone pathway
• how chasing “perfect” cholesterol with aggressive statins can sometimes create a domino effect into things like blood sugar issues and fatigue
• what we mean by “dirty estrogens,” why some estrogens recirculate instead of clearing, and how that affects mood, breasts, and weight distribution
• what DHT is (especially for men) and why it can drive symptoms like hair changes, prostate changes, and irritability
• how testosterone isn’t “just for men,” and what low testosterone can look like in women (low drive, low muscle, low “get up and go”)

We also get into the difference between synthetic hormones and bioidentical options, and what it means to personalize support instead of guessing. Baseline labs matter. You cannot optimize what you’ve never even measured.

Something I really loved in this conversation is that it’s not just “take this hormone and everything is fixed.” We talk about the foundations that make hormones work in a real body:

• sleep quality
• minerals
• stress support
• adequate protein (especially midlife and beyond)
• and adaptogens, which help the nervous system and adrenals carry the load, so hormones aren’t white-knuckling the entire job

Here’s the bottom line: you are not crazy, you are not broken, and you are not “just getting old.” You are chemically shifting. You’re allowed to ask why. You’re allowed to ask for better.

If you’ve ever felt dismissed after saying:

• “My sleep is different”
• “My jeans fit different even though nothing else changed”
• “My brain is foggy”
• “My sex drive disappeared”
• “I’m getting UTIs all of a sudden”
  …then this episode will feel like someone finally sitting next to you, not above you.

We also talk directly to men. Andropause is real. Testosterone decline is real. Mood, energy, drive, muscle; it’s all connected. If you love a man who “just isn’t himself lately,” please send this to him.

This conversation is gentle, faith-friendly, and very pro-advocacy. I want you to walk into appointments calm and informed instead of panicked and ashamed. You’re allowed to ask for labs. You’re allowed to ask what your progesterone is doing. You’re allowed to say, “I don’t feel like myself, what else can we look at?”

Listen to the full episode below.

Episode Summary & Show Notes:

Host: Kristen Brunis
Guest: Dr. Kris Devillier (Nature’s Link Wellness)

We cover:

• Progesterone: why it tanks first and how to recognize it
• Cholesterol at the top of the steroid hormone cascade
• How statins can sometimes ripple into glucose and energy changes
• “Dirty estrogens,” DHT, and what those mean in real terms
• The difference between bioidentical and synthetic hormones
• Testosterone for women and men and why baselines matter
• What to ask for in labs
• When to consider support like minerals, protein, sleep hygiene, and adaptogens alongside hormone therapy

You’ll hear practical cues for:

• weight gain in the midsection
• restless sleep / 2am-4am wakeups
• brain fog and “I can’t focus like I used to”
• low libido or painful sex
• recurring UTIs
• stress load that keeps you in fight-or-flight all day

This is for you if you’re navigating perimenopause, menopause, post-menopause, or andropause, or you’re supporting someone you love through it.

Ready For The Next Step?

If this episode hit home and you’re thinking, “I need someone to actually walk me through my numbers,” that’s the work I do every single day.

You can find me on social media as Kris Devillier and Nature’s Link Wellness and start the conversation with me there. Send me a message and tell me what stage you’re in (peri, menopause, post, or andropause) and what you’re struggling with most right now (sleep, mood, weight, energy, or drive). We’ll start there.

Your body is not the enemy. You just need someone who speaks its language.