Is your gallbladder is disposable? Bile may be doing more for your hormones and digestive health than you realize. If you've been told your need to remove your gallblader, or even if you've ever struggled with symptoms like fat intolerance, bloating, or mysterious right-side pain after meals, this episode connects the dots between bile flow, gallstones, and what happens when estrogen, HRT, or gut imbalance enter the picture.

We'll also talk about why bile matters, how gallstones actually form, why women in midlife are especially vulnerable, and why factors like hydration, inflammation, fat intake, and even your microbiome can change the way bile behaves. And I'll get into what your symptoms may be trying to tell you, along with practical ways to support digestion both before and after gallbladder surgery.

For more info on how I can help you visit my site BetterByDrBrooke.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Dr. Brooke Show #464 - Should You Stay on GLP-1 Meds Forever?

Dr. Brooke Show #466 - Should You Be Taking HCL? (Stomach Acid and Digestion)

Grab the Midlife Is More Than HRT guide free right here if, like me, midlife didn't feel quite like you expected. And be sure to listen to episodes #438 and #439, which were all about the mess that midlife can be, and my 3G + 4R process to tackle it!

Stuff I Know You Will Love

I have a high bar for fish oils, and a bad product is worse than not taking omega 3s at all. Confirmed third-party tested for rancidity and heavy metals, distilled properly, triglyceride form - and ALL of it can be found in AquaOmega. AND for every bottle sold they will clean up 1 pound of plastic and debris from the ocean. Did I mention they are are about a third of the cost of the brands I've been recommending for years!? Save 20% with this link and code BETTEREVERYDAY at checkout.

If you are looking for an expert prescriber for HRT during your perimenopause or menopause journey but are at odds with your local provider being a bit behind current best practices or you simply can't find anyone near you to help, it is MIDI to the rescue! I've worked with a number of telehealth services in my search for providers that are up to date on modern menopause medicine, have great customer service, and are licensed in all 50 states and I'm so thrilled to have found my provider with MIDI. If you too need help with getting HRT please use this link bit.ly/drbrookemidi to try MIDI with no membership fees and insurance billing available.

Be sure you connect with me in my FREE PRIVATE Facebook group: Hormones & Happiness with Dr. Brooke where other amazing, like-minded women like YOU are already hanging out! Join us!

Follow Dr. Brooke on Instagram and get signed up for my awesome emails here. Seriously, I write really great emails, or so 1000s of women tell me and I'd like to send you one too.

To work with Dr. Brooke click here and if you loved this episode, please leave a review!

A year ago, my life was completely upended. When you go through something hard, people that care about you try to say helpful things, some of this can feel so cliché. Turns out though, certain phrases become an old adage because they are right on the money. Whether you are going through something mildly challenging or like me: nervous system on fire, life impoloding, grasping to hold your life and family together, the words of wisdom I share in this episode while seeming trite, really will help you get through. From "you won't feel this way forever" to "don't judge until you've walked a mile in their shoes", I share how popular advice held up under fire.

For more info on how I can help you visit my site BetterByDrBrooke.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Dr. Brooke Show #456: 5 Meme-Worthy Concepts That Just Hit Harder in Midlife

Dr. Brooke Show #438: Midlife is More than HRT, Part I

Dr. Brooke Show #439: Midlife is More than HRT, Part II

Grab the Midlife Is More Than HRT guide free right here if, like me, midlife didn't feel quite like you expected. And be sure to listen to episodes #438 and #439, which were all about the mess that midlife can be, and my 3G + 4R process to tackle it!

Stuff I Know You Will Love

I have a high bar for fish oils, and a bad product is worse than not taking omega 3s at all. Confirmed third-party tested for rancidity and heavy metals, distilled properly, triglyceride form - and ALL of it can be found in AquaOmega. AND for every bottle sold they will clean up 1 pound of plastic and debris from the ocean. Did I mention they are are about a third of the cost of the brands I've been recommending for years!? Save 20% with this link and code BETTEREVERYDAY at checkout.

If you are looking for an expert prescriber for HRT during your perimenopause or menopause journey but are at odds with your local provider being a bit behind current best practices or you simply can't find anyone near you to help, it is MIDI to the rescue! I've worked with a number of telehealth services in my search for providers that are up to date on modern menopause medicine, have great customer service, and are licensed in all 50 states and I'm so thrilled to have found my provider with MIDI. If you too need help with getting HRT please use this link bit.ly/drbrookemidi to try MIDI with no membership fees and insurance billing available.

So many of you take magnesium already but it's often citrate or glycinate only, and while that might be checking a couple of boxes, it might not hit support for muscles and cellular energy. Enter BIOptimizers with 7 forms of magnesium to support sleep, digestion and energy. Try it for 15% off with this link and code DRBROOKE knowing there is a 365, no questions asked, money back guarantee!

Be sure you connect with me in my FREE PRIVATE Facebook group: Hormones & Happiness with Dr. Brooke where other amazing, like-minded women like YOU are already hanging out! Join us!

Follow Dr. Brooke on Instagram and get signed up for my awesome emails here. Seriously, I write really great emails, or so 1000s of women tell me and I'd like to send you one too.

To work with Dr. Brooke click here and if you loved this episode, please leave a review!

A popular, easy-to-get, inexpensive supplement might be life-changing - or causing more harm than good. In this episode, I'm talking about HCl (stomach acid). Many people are taking way more than needed, or taking it when downstream digestion issues (i.e. your gallbladder, infections like H. pylori) or even low estrogen might need to be dealt with first. And at home testing like take as many capsules as you can until you feel a warming sensation may be leading you astray. In this episide, I cover why that may be, and how to better assess root causes of acid-related issues.

For more info on how I can help you visit my site BetterByDrBrooke.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Dr. Brooke Show #208 - Overlooked Key Concepts in Fixing Digestion, Bloating, IBS & More

Dr. Brooke Show # 357 - All About HCL, Pro, Pre and Antibiotics

Grab the Midlife Is More Than HRT guide free right here if, like me, midlife didn't feel quite like you expected. And be sure to listen to episodes #438 and #439, which were all about the mess that midlife can be, and my 3G + 4R process to tackle it!

Stuff I Know You Will Love

I have a high bar for fish oils, and a bad product is worse than not taking omega 3s at all. Confirmed third-party tested for rancidity and heavy metals, distilled properly, triglyceride form - and ALL of it can be found in AquaOmega. AND for every bottle sold they will clean up 1 pound of plastic and debris from the ocean. Did I mention they are are about a third of the cost of the brands I've been recommending for years!? Save 20% with this link and code BETTEREVERYDAY at checkout.

If you are looking for an expert prescriber for HRT during your perimenopause or menopause journey but are at odds with your local provider being a bit behind current best practices or you simply can't find anyone near you to help, it is MIDI to the rescue! I've worked with a number of telehealth services in my search for providers that are up to date on modern menopause medicine, have great customer service, and are licensed in all 50 states and I'm so thrilled to have found my provider with MIDI. If you too need help with getting HRT please use this link bit.ly/drbrookemidi to try MIDI with no membership fees and insurance billing available.

Be sure you connect with me in my FREE PRIVATE Facebook group: Hormones & Happiness with Dr. Brooke where other amazing, like-minded women like YOU are already hanging out! Join us!

Follow Dr. Brooke on Instagram and get signed up for my awesome emails here. Seriously, I write really great emails, or so 1000s of women tell me and I'd like to send you one too.

To work with Dr. Brooke click here and if you loved this episode, please leave a review!

Wondering if your headaches are triggered by your hormones? Whether you are in your 20s or 30s with normal hormonal variations throughout the cycle OR you are dealing with hormone fluctuations and decline in your 40s or 50s, this episode is for you. I cover how headaches of many types, including migraines and cluster headaches, are impacted by hormones directly or by their impact on histamine, inflammation or neurotransmitters - and several strategies to help!

For more info on how I can help you visit my site BetterByDrBrooke.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Dr. Brooke Show #428: How Estrogen + Progesterone Impact Your Sleep

Grab the Midlife Is More Than HRT guide free right here if, like me, midlife didn't feel quite like you expected. And be sure to listen to episodes #438 and #439, which were all about the mess that midlife can be, and my 3G + 4R process to tackle it!

Stuff I Know You Will Love

So many of you take magnesium already but it's often citrate or glycinate only, and while that might be checking a couple of boxes, it might not hit support for muscles and cellular energy. Enter BIOptimizers with 7 forms of magnesium to support sleep, digestion and energy. Try it for 15% off with this link and code DRBROOKE knowing there is a 365, no questions asked, money back guarantee!

If you are looking for an expert prescriber for HRT during your perimenopause or menopause journey but are at odds with your local provider being a bit behind current best practices or you simply can't find anyone near you to help, it is MIDI to the rescue! I've worked with a number of telehealth services in my search for providers that are up to date on modern menopause medicine, have great customer service, and are licensed in all 50 states and I'm so thrilled to have found my provider with MIDI. If you too need help with getting HRT please use this link bit.ly/drbrookemidi to try MIDI with no membership fees and insurance billing available.

Be sure you connect with me in my FREE PRIVATE Facebook group: Hormones & Happiness with Dr. Brooke where other amazing, like-minded women like YOU are already hanging out! Join us!

Follow Dr. Brooke on Instagram and get signed up for my awesome emails here. Seriously, I write really great emails, or so 1000s of women tell me and I'd like to send you one too.

To work with Dr. Brooke click here and if you loved this episode, please leave a review!

These medications have been incredibly successful at helping women lose weight, quiet food noise, and feel in control of their appetite. They have also had some other benefits such as lowering inflamamtion, improving joint pain, and clearing brain fog. There is also some evidence they decrease risks of certain cancers. With all of these benefits, some women may choose to stay on them long term while others, for a variety of reasons, want to transition off of them in time without losing all of their progress. In this episode, I cover what we need to test before, during, and after using GLP-1s to get optimal results that last.

For more info on how I can help you visit my site BetterByDrBrooke.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Dr. Brooke Show #454: Why Bone Health Is A Marker of HEALTH Not Just Disease

Grab the Midlife Is More Than HRT guide free right here if, like me, midlife didn't feel quite like you expected. And be sure to listen to episodes #438 and #439, which were all about the mess that midlife can be, and my 3G + 4R process to tackle it!

Stuff I Know You Will Love

If you are looking for an expert prescriber for HRT during your perimenopause or menopause journey but are at odds with your local provider being a bit behind current best practices or you simply can't find anyone near you to help, it is MIDI to the rescue! I've worked with a number of telehealth services in my search for providers that are up to date on modern menopause medicine, have great customer service, and are licensed in all 50 states and I'm so thrilled to have found my provider with MIDI. If you too need help with getting HRT please use this link bit.ly/drbrookemidi to try MIDI with no membership fees and insurance billing available.

Be sure you connect with me in my FREE PRIVATE Facebook group: Hormones & Happiness with Dr. Brooke where other amazing, like-minded women like YOU are already hanging out! Join us!

Follow Dr. Brooke on Instagram and get signed up for my awesome emails here. Seriously, I write really great emails, or so 1000s of women tell me and I'd like to send you one too.

To work with Dr. Brooke click here and if you loved this episode, please leave a review!

There's so much debate on whether functional testing like the DUTCH test is helpful for women trying to sort out their hormone issues. I use it frequently, but like serum testing, it has its place and it's limitations. However, the biggest thing that burns me up is when a woman goes out of pocket for this test and then have so much info misinterpreted or merely just left on the table. This means you come away with way less value than you should have - I hate that! In this episode I talk about what I see most often missed or misunderstood on the DUTCH test.

If you've ever had a DUTCH test, have it in hand for this episode! And if you're thinking about getting one, listen to this first.

For more info on how I can help you visit my site BetterByDrBrooke.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Estrogen & Progesterone: Episode #428 - How Estrogen & Progesterone Impact Your Sleep

Estrogen & Progesterone: Episode #444 - Should You Be Cycling Your HRT?

Better by Dr. Brooke: Clear + Normalize, Androgen Balance Support

Grab the Midlife Is More Than HRT guide free right here if, like me, midlife didn't feel quite like you expected. And be sure to listen to episodes #438 and #439, which were all about the mess that midlife can be, and my 3G + 4R process to tackle it!

Stuff I Know You Will Love

If you are looking for an expert prescriber for HRT during your perimenopause or menopause journey but are at odds with your local provider being a bit behind current best practices or you simply can't find anyone near you to help, it is MIDI to the rescue! I've worked with a number of telehealth services in my search for providers that are up to date on modern menopause medicine, have great customer service, and are licensed in all 50 states and I'm so thrilled to have found my provider with MIDI. If you too need help with getting HRT please use this link bit.ly/drbrookemidi to try MIDI with no membership fees and insurance billing available.

Be sure you connect with me in my FREE PRIVATE Facebook group: Hormones & Happiness with Dr. Brooke where other amazing, like-minded women like YOU are already hanging out! Join us!

Follow Dr. Brooke on Instagram and get signed up for my awesome emails here. Seriously, I write really great emails, or so 1000s of women tell me and I'd like to send you one too.

To work with Dr. Brooke click here and if you loved this episode, please leave a review!

Some of the more frustrating symptoms of midlife hormone decline and perimenopause is stubborn fat loss, weight gain, and fat redistribution around the midsection. HRT is often part of what's promoted to manage these metabolic changes, and many women expect to lose weight when they start it. While replacing hormones like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone can help with fat loss and muscle gain, some women will experience weight gain for a variety of reasons when they begin using hormones. In this episode I cover the five biggest reasons this happens and what you can do about it.

For more info on how I can help you visit my site BetterByDrBrooke.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Progesterone cycling: Episode #444 - Should You Be Cycling Your HRT?

Better by Dr. Brooke: adapt + cope - optimal adaptogen blend

Better by Dr. Brooke: better + b active - activated b complex

Better by Dr. Brooke: better + magnesium - magnesium glycinate complex

Grab the Midlife Is More Than HRT guide free right here if, like me, midlife didn't feel quite like you expected. And be sure to listen to episodes #438 and #439, which were all about the mess that midlife can be, and my 3G + 4R process to tackle it!

Stuff I Know You Will Love

If you are looking for an expert prescriber for HRT during your perimenopause or menopause journey but are at odds with your local provider being a bit behind current best practices or you simply can't find anyone near you to help, it is MIDI to the rescue! I've worked with a number of telehealth services in my search for providers that are up to date on modern menopause medicine, have great customer service, and are licensed in all 50 states and I'm so thrilled to have found my provider with MIDI. If you too need help with getting HRT please use this link bit.ly/drbrookemidi to try MIDI with no membership fees and insurance billing available.

Be sure you connect with me in my FREE PRIVATE Facebook group: Hormones & Happiness with Dr. Brooke where other amazing, like-minded women like YOU are already hanging out! Join us!

Follow Dr. Brooke on Instagram and get signed up for my awesome emails here. Seriously, I write really great emails, or so 1000s of women tell me and I'd like to send you one too.

To work with Dr. Brooke click here and if you loved this episode, please leave a review!

Whether you know what to do for your nutrition or this high protein-high veggie way of eating is new, there are a few basics that women need to keep doing, over and over. Let's face it, that can get tedious, but with a few simple hacks, tricks and upgrades you will always have veggies on hand, cooked proteins at the ready, and you suprising yourself with how delicious it all is. If you're overwhelmed, bored or just getting started, this episode will make the basics less borning and increase your success in pulling it all off over and over. I also cover how to take these Dr Brooke Basics and customize it to work better for you.

For more info on how I can help you, visit my site BetterByDrBrooke.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Dr. Brooke Show #304 - Protein Muscle Synthesis

Learn more about the book and program from Hangry

5 Potent Garlic Recipes

Marinade Recipes mentioned in this episode can be found in this article.

Grab the Midlife Is More Than HRT guide free right here if, like me, midlife didn't feel quite like you expected. And be sure to listen to episodes #438 and #439, which were all about the mess that midlife can be, and my 3G + 4R process to tackle it!

Stuff I Know You Will Love

If you are looking for an expert prescriber for HRT during your perimenopause or menopause journey but are at odds with your local provider being a bit behind current best practices or you simply can't find anyone near you to help, it is MIDI to the rescue! I've worked with a number of telehealth services in my search for providers that are up to date on modern menopause medicine, have great customer service, and are licensed in all 50 states and I'm so thrilled to have found my provider with MIDI. If you too need help with getting HRT please use this link bit.ly/drbrookemidi to try MIDI with no membership fees and insurance billing available.

Be sure you connect with me in my FREE PRIVATE Facebook group: Hormones & Happiness with Dr. Brooke where other amazing, like-minded women like YOU are already hanging out! Join us!

Follow Dr. Brooke on Instagram and get signed up for my awesome emails here. Seriously, I write really great emails, or so 1000s of women tell me and I'd like to send you one too.

To work with Dr. Brooke click here and if you loved this episode, please leave a review!

PCOS has a new name, but will women struggling with this lifelong, complex condition have a new experience? Women struggle both with diagnosis and adequate treatment for this condition, and while the new name honors the significance of the widespread endocrine problems of PCOS, we have a long way to go. In this epeisode I cover the nitty gritty hormone issues of PCOS, or rather PMOS (polyendocrine metabolic ovairan syndrome), what risk factors women still don't fully understand with this condition, as well as dispelling the popular myth that PCOS goes away with menopause.

In honor of this big news, I am offering a ONE WEEK only 30% off flash sale for my most valuable and helpful PCOS/PMOS specific supplements: balanced+beautiful multi, clear+normalize androgen balancer and better+berberine for insulin resistance.

Use code PCOSPOD30 at checkout. Good through 5/29/26!!

better + berberine highly researched, effective insulin sensitizer for blood sugar balance

clear + normalize supports androgen balance with PCOS/PMOS

balanced + beautiful metabolic multi geared towards blood sugar balance

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Dr. Brooke Show #459 - Q&As Part II: HRT, Progesterone Cycling + More

Dr. Brooke Show #431 - PCOS + Perimenopause

Dr. Brooke Show #432 - PCOS + Perimenopause Follow-Up Q&A

Dr. Brooke's FREE Guide to PCOS + Perimenopause

Grab the Midlife Is More Than HRT guide free right here if, like me, midlife didn't feel quite like you expected. And be sure to listen to episodes #438 and #439, which were all about the mess that midlife can be, and my 3G + 4R process to tackle it!

Stuff I Know You Will Love

If you are looking for an expert prescriber for HRT during your perimenopause or menopause journey but are at odds with your local provider being a bit behind current best practices or you simply can't find anyone near you to help, it is MIDI to the rescue! I've worked with a number of telehealth services in my search for providers that are up to date on modern menopause medicine, have great customer service, and are licensed in all 50 states and I'm so thrilled to have found my provider with MIDI. If you too need help with getting HRT please use this link bit.ly/drbrookemidi to try MIDI with no membership fees and insurance billing available.

Be sure you connect with me in my FREE PRIVATE Facebook group: Hormones & Happiness with Dr. Brooke where other amazing, like-minded women like YOU are already hanging out! Join us!

Follow Dr. Brooke on Instagram and get signed up for my awesome emails here. Seriously, I write really great emails, or so 1000s of women tell me and I'd like to send you one too.

To work with Dr. Brooke click here and if you loved this episode, please leave a review!

In this episode, we get into more of Q&As that you've emailed to me, posted in the Facebook group, and some directly from my patients. A few more related to HRT, plus we'll cover SHBG, progesterone cycling, and more. These episodes are always my favorite, so be sure to listen in!

For more info on how I can help you, visit my site BetterByDrBrooke.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Episode #457 - HRT + Joint Pain, Irregular Bleeding, Indigestion & More

Episode #450 Tools For Embracing Change, Navigating Choas + Resetting for 2026

Episode #444 - Should You Be Cycling Your HRT?

Grab the Midlife Is More Than HRT guide free right here if, like me, midlife didn't feel quite like you expected. And be sure to listen to episodes #438 and #439, which were all about the mess that midlife can be, and my 3G + 4R process to tackle it!

Stuff I Know You Will Love

So many of you take magnesium already but it's often citrate or glycinate only, and while that might be checking a couple of boxes, it might not hit support for muscles and cellular energy. Enter BIOptimizers with 7 forms of magnesium to support sleep, digestion and energy. Try it for 15% off with this link and code DRBROOKE knowing there is a 365, no questions asked, money back guarantee!

Be sure you connect with me in my FREE PRIVATE Facebook group: Hormones & Happiness with Dr. Brooke where other amazing, like-minded women like YOU are already hanging out! Join us!

Follow Dr. Brooke on Instagram and get signed up for my awesome emails here. Seriously, I write really great emails, or so 1000s of women tell me and I'd like to send you one too.

To work with Dr. Brooke click here and if you loved this episode, please leave a review!