📌 Book a Consultation: www.gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/

You were made to heal. So why are you getting worse every year? If you are a woman in your 40s or 50s, the answer you have been given is aging. That answer is wrong.

In this episode, I'm going to break down the four body systems God designed to heal you, why they stop working, and exactly what to do about it.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 
0:00 God Designed Your Body to Heal. Here's the Science Behind Why It Stopped.
0:37 Your hormones were built to do more than you were told 
1:37 Why your body is inflamed and won't stop 
3:32 The real reason for unexplained joint pain 
4:19 Why eating less stopped working after 40 
6:12 The muscle system nobody talks about 
7:39 Why diet culture had it backwards 
8:18 Reading the signals your body sends 
9:56 The four tests to ask your provider for 

❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED 

Why do women in their 40s suddenly gain weight without changing their diet? 
When estrogen drops, cells stop responding to insulin the way they used to, so glucose cannot move into cells properly. This causes the body to store fat and send stronger hunger signals, even though nothing about the diet has changed.

Why does joint pain and brain fog appear during perimenopause with no clear diagnosis? 
Estrogen is one of the body's main tools for switching off inflammation once healing is complete. When estrogen drops, that switch stops working, so normal healing information keeps running with nothing to shut it down, showing up as joint pain, gut issues, and brain fog.

Does losing muscle actually affect long term health, not just appearance?
Yes. Muscle regulates blood sugar, protects joints, produces anti inflammatory compounds, and keeps metabolism running at rest. Women who maintain muscle mass age well, and women who lose it do not.

📱 RESOURCES 
Website: gigharbormedicalspa.com 
Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconciergenp_/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHMedicalspa 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SharonLemoine-ARNP

🔔 Subscribe for straight answers about hormones, perimenopause, and women's health from a nurse practitioner with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. New episodes every week.

ABOUT SHARON LEMOINE, ARNP 
Sharon Lemoine is a board certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP, FNP-C) with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. She is the founder of Gig Harbor Medical Spa and Concierge Medicine in Washington State, specializing in hormone optimization, perimenopause and menopause care, functional medicine, weight loss, and peptide therapy. As a Type 1 diabetic, thyroid cancer survivor, and woman navigating surgical menopause herself, Sharon brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to every episode. She believes your body is a gift worth honoring, and that you are in control of your health.

#Perimenopause #HormoneHealth #WomensHealthOver40 #MenopauseSymptoms #functionalmedicine 

Sharon Lemoine, ARNP
Gig Harbor Medical Spa
11515 Burnham Dr Suite 105, Gig Harbor, WA 98332
(253) 649-3916
https://gigharbormedicalspa.com

📌 Book a Consultation: www.gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/

I was diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic at 31, and my first reaction was pure anger. I had done everything right. Twenty six years later, at 57, I am in the best shape of my life, and this diagnosis is one of the biggest reasons why.

In this episode, I'm going to walk you through what 26 years of living with type 1 diabetes actually taught me about eating, training, hormones, and control, and why the numbers never improve first, the habits do.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 What 26 Years as a Type 1 Diabetic Actually Taught Me About My Body (That No Doctor Could)
0:42 My diagnosis story at age 31
2:00 The moment my diagnosis became information
3:00 Why real time feedback changes everything
5:22 Strength training versus cardio for blood sugar
7:00 My exact morning workout routine
8:59 Hormones, hysterectomy, and blood sugar control
9:59 Why women wait for numbers to improve first
13:23 The question that keeps me consistent
15:30 What 26 years actually built in me

❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Does exercise affect type 1 diabetes blood sugar? 
Yes, strength training helps stabilize blood sugar because muscle mass absorbs extra glucose without requiring extra insulin, while long distance cardio can cause spikes that require more insulin to balance. Building consistent muscle over years is one of the most reliable long term tools for stable glucose control.

Can hormone imbalances affect diabetes management? 
Yes, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone directly affect insulin sensitivity, muscle recovery, and fat storage, so untreated hormone imbalances can make blood sugar control much harder even with perfect diet and exercise. This is especially true during perimenopause, menopause, or after a hysterectomy, when hormone shifts can quietly undo years of consistent glucose habits.

Why do healthy foods sometimes raise blood sugar? 
Fruit and other healthy carbohydrates can spike blood sugar quickly on their own, but pairing them with a protein or fat slows glucose absorption and prevents the sharp spike. Understanding this pairing principle matters more than counting calories or avoiding entire food groups.

📱 RESOURCES
Website: gigharbormedicalspa.com
Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconciergenp_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHMedicalspa
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SharonLemoine-ARNP

🔔 Subscribe for straight answers about hormones, perimenopause, and women's health from a nurse practitioner with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. 

ABOUT SHARON LEMOINE, ARNP
Sharon Lemoine is a board certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP, FNP-C) with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. She is the founder of Gig Harbor Medical Spa and Concierge Medicine in Washington State, specializing in hormone optimization, perimenopause and menopause care, functional medicine, weight loss, and peptide therapy. As a Type 1 diabetic, thyroid cancer survivor, and woman navigating surgical menopause herself, Sharon brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to every video. She believes your body is a gift worth honoring, and that you are in control of your health.

#Perimenopause #HormoneHealth #WomensHealthOver40 #MenopauseSymptoms #FunctionalMedicine

📌 Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/

You've done the gut work. The elimination protocols, the probiotics, the food logs, and you're still bloated, foggy, and exhausted. That's because the gut wall itself is damaged, and no food protocol repairs a broken wall.

In this episode, I'm going to show you what's actually damaging your gut lining beyond diet, why cleaning up your food only goes so far, and what the peptide BPC 157 does that nothing else can.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 
0:00 You've done the gut work. Here's why it's still not working. 
1:02 What's actually happening inside your gut wall 
2:17 Why eating clean doesn't fix a damaged gut lining 
2:53 4 hidden causes of gut damage that have nothing to do with food 
3:25 How chronic stress is quietly destroying your gut lining 
4:54 Why perimenopause changes your gut (even when your diet hasn't) 
5:21 How common medications silently damage your gut barrier 
6:40 The patient pattern I see in my practice again and again 
9:49 What BPC 157 does that diet, probiotics, and supplements can't 
12:06 What to do next if you've tried everything and still feel stuck

❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Why doesn't diet fix leaky gut? 
Diet reduces irritation to the gut lining but cannot repair the barrier itself. If the lining is structurally damaged, removing inflammatory foods only slows the assault. It does not close the gap.

What is BPC 157 and how does it help gut health? 
BPC 157 is a peptide (a short chain of amino acids) studied for its role in gut tissue repair. It appears to accelerate healing of the gut lining, reduce local inflammation, and support new blood vessel growth in damaged tissue through pathways separate from diet, probiotics, or supplements.

What causes leaky gut besides food? 
Chronic cortisol from ongoing stress directly loosens the junctions between gut cells. Declining estrogen during perimenopause reduces the protective function of the gut lining. Regular use of NSAIDs and antacids are well-documented irritants, and environmental toxins like glyphosate compound that load over time.

📱 RESOURCES 
Website: gigharbormedicalspa.com 
Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconciergenp_/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHMedicalspa 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SharonLemoine-ARNP

🔔 Subscribe for straight answers about hormones, perimenopause, and women's health from a nurse practitioner with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. New episodes every week.

ABOUT SHARON LEMOINE, ARNP 
Sharon Lemoine is a board-certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP, FNP-C) with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. She is the founder of Gig Harbor Medical Spa and Concierge Medicine in Washington State, specializing in hormone optimization, perimenopause and menopause care, functional medicine, weight loss, and peptide therapy. As a Type 1 diabetic, thyroid cancer survivor, and woman navigating surgical menopause herself, Sharon brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to every episode. She believes your body is a gift worth honoring, and that you are in control of your health.

#Perimenopause #HormoneHealth #WomensHealthOver40 #MenopauseSymptoms #FunctionalMedicine

Sharon Lemoine, ARNP
Gig Harbor Medical Spa
11515 Burnham Dr Suite 105, Gig Harbor, WA 98332
(253) 649-3916
https://gigharbormedicalspa.com

📌 Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/

You went to your doctor. Labs came back normal. And you still feel like something is wrong.

You are not imagining it. And you are not alone. The standard lab ranges most doctors use are designed to detect disease, not optimize health. A woman can be well below her optimal hormone levels and still fall inside the so-called normal range. Her doctor sees the number, tells her she is fine, and sends her home. She is not fine.

In this episode, I'm going to show you exactly what a real hormone evaluation looks like, why so many women in Gig Harbor go undiagnosed for years, and what actually changes when you get the right workup.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 
0:00 Gig Harbor Hormone Specialist for Menopause (What You Need to Know)
0:47 What perimenopause actually is and when it starts 
1:56 Why your labs look "normal" but you still feel terrible 
2:28 What a full hormone panel actually tests 
2:56 Body composition: muscle mass, body fat, and visceral fat 
3:22 What a thorough consultation involves 
3:46 Treatment options: bioidentical HRT, pellet therapy, supplementation 
4:19 Real patient case: chronic fatigue, low libido, "normal" labs 
7:12 Results after 3 months of pellet therapy

❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED

What does a hormone specialist for menopause actually test? 
A thorough workup goes beyond basic labs to include estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, thyroid function, fasting insulin, and a full metabolic panel. It also includes a body composition assessment measuring visceral fat, which directly drives inflammation and hormone-related symptoms.

Why do women with hormone symptoms get told their labs are normal? 
Standard lab ranges are built to detect disease, not optimize health. A woman can fall inside the "normal" range and still be well below her optimal hormone levels. The number looks fine on paper because the test was never designed to catch what is actually wrong.

What is pellet therapy and how does it work for menopause? 
Pellet therapy delivers bioidentical hormones slowly under the skin, maintaining steady levels over several months. Bloodwork is repeated every few months and the dose is adjusted until levels reach a therapeutic range, not just a "not sick enough to treat" range.

📱 RESOURCES 
Website: gigharbormedicalspa.com 
Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconciergenp_/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHMedicalspa 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SharonLemoine-ARNP

🔔 Subscribe for straight answers about hormones, perimenopause, and women's health from a nurse practitioner with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. New episode every week.

ABOUT SHARON LEMOINE, ARNP 
Sharon Lemoine is a board-certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP, FNP-C) with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. She is the founder of Gig Harbor Medical Spa and Concierge Medicine in Washington State, specializing in hormone optimization, perimenopause and menopause care, functional medicine, weight loss, and peptide therapy. As a Type 1 diabetic, thyroid cancer survivor, and woman navigating surgical menopause herself, Sharon brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to every episode. She believes your body is a gift worth honoring, and that you are in control of your health.

#Perimenopause #HormoneHealth #WomensHealthOver40 #MenopauseSymptoms #FunctionalMedicine

Sharon Lemoine, ARNP
Gig Harbor Medical Spa
11515 Burnham Dr Suite 105, Gig Harbor, WA 98332
(253) 649-3916
https://gigharbormedicalspa.com

📌 Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/

You are eating less than you ever have. Smaller portions, no dessert, tracking every label. And you are still gaining weight. Most providers will not say this out loud, but after 40, eating less can actively make the problem worse.

In this episode, I'm going to show you exactly why calorie restriction backfires for women over 40, what is really driving the weight gain, and the one test to ask for this week.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 
0:00 Why Eating Less Isn't Working for Christian Women Over 40 (And What Your Body Actually Needs)
1:02 Where the "eat less, move more" advice actually breaks down 
2:00 How estrogen decline shifts fat storage to your midsection 
2:59 Why calorie restriction spikes cortisol and locks in belly fat 
3:59 What it really looks like to do everything right and still gain weight 
5:43 Two hidden causes that derail metabolism in women over 40 
6:13 How insulin resistance stalls fat loss even on a small diet 
7:04 Why under-eating causes muscle loss and shrinks your metabolism 
7:55 The test that changes everything: fasting insulin explained 
8:53 What to ask your doctor about hormone levels right now

❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Why am I gaining weight even though I'm eating less? 
After 40, declining estrogen changes where your body stores fat, and calorie restriction spikes cortisol, which signals your body to hold onto fat, especially around your midsection. Eating less is often compounding the problem rather than solving it.

What is a fasting insulin test and why does it matter for weight loss? 
A fasting insulin test shows whether your cells are responding properly to insulin. If your fasting insulin is above 10, your body is likely storing glucose as fat instead of burning it, even on a small diet. Most standard panels do not run this test.

What hormone tests should women over 40 ask for? 
Ask your provider for fasting insulin, estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone, not just a vague "everything looks normal." These specific numbers tell you where your hormones are relative to where they should be for how you feel and function well.

📱 RESOURCES 
Website: gigharbormedicalspa.com 
Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconciergenp_/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHMedicalspa 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SharonLemoine-ARNP

🔔 Subscribe for straight answers about hormones, perimenopause, and women's health from a nurse practitioner with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. New episodes every week.

ABOUT SHARON LEMOINE, ARNP 
Sharon Lemoine is a board-certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP, FNP-C) with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. She is the founder of Gig Harbor Medical Spa and Concierge Medicine in Washington State, specializing in hormone optimization, perimenopause and menopause care, functional medicine, weight loss, and peptide therapy. As a Type 1 diabetic, thyroid cancer survivor, and woman navigating surgical menopause herself, Sharon brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to every episode. She believes your body is a gift worth honoring, and that you are in control of your health.

#Perimenopause #HormoneHealth #WomensHealthOver40 #MenopauseSymptoms #FunctionalMedicine

Sharon Lemoine, ARNP
Gig Harbor Medical Spa
11515 Burnham Dr Suite 105, Gig Harbor, WA 98332
(253) 649-3916
https://gigharbormedicalspa.com

📌 Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/

If you are in Gig Harbor or the surrounding area and you have been searching for a hormone specialist for menopause, this episode is going to save you a lot of time and a lot of frustrating appointments.

You are exhausted in a way that sleep does not fix. You are anxious and you cannot explain why. You used to feel sharp and motivated. Now you are white-knuckling your way through the day. Your doctor ran labs, told you everything looked normal, maybe suggested antidepressants, and sent you home. You left knowing something was still wrong. Here is what is actually happening.

In this episode I'm going to explain what perimenopause actually is, why most conventional doctors keep missing it, what a thorough hormone workup looks like, and what changed for one of my patients once we found the real answers.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 
0:00 Hormone Specialist for Menopause in Gig Harbor: What to Expect at Your First Appointment
1:09 How estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone decline erratically 
1:22 Why brain fog, weight gain, and low libido are hormone problems 
1:48 Why standard lab ranges miss perimenopause every time 
2:14 What a complete hormone panel actually includes 
2:46 Body composition assessment: why your weight alone tells you nothing 
3:11 A full consultation means actually listening to your full history 
3:35 Treatment options: bioidentical HRT, pellet therapy, supplementation 
4:09 Patient case study: from anxious and exhausted to thriving in 6 months

❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Why do doctors keep telling perimenopausal women their labs are normal? 
Standard lab reference ranges are designed to detect disease, not to optimize health. A woman can be significantly below her personal optimal hormone levels and still fall within the so-called normal range. Her doctor sees the number, marks it fine, and sends her home. She is not fine. She is just not sick enough for the standard test to catch.

When does perimenopause actually start? 
Perimenopause can begin in your late 30s or early 40s, years before your last menstrual cycle. During that time, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone decline erratically, affecting your brain, sleep, metabolism, mood, joints, and libido. Every single one of those changes is hormone-driven.

What does a hormone specialist test for that a regular doctor doesn't? 
A comprehensive hormone panel includes estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, thyroid function, fasting insulin, and a full metabolic panel. A hormone specialist also evaluates body composition including visceral fat levels and spends the full first appointment reviewing your complete history before recommending anything.

📱 RESOURCES 
Website: gigharbormedicalspa.com 
Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconciergenp_/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHMedicalspa 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SharonLemoine-ARNP

🔔 Subscribe for straight answers about hormones, perimenopause, and women's health from a nurse practitioner with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. New episodes every week.

ABOUT SHARON LEMOINE, ARNP 
Sharon Lemoine is a board-certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP, FNP-C) with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. She is the founder of Gig Harbor Medical Spa and Concierge Medicine in Gig Harbor, Washington. Sharon is a Type 1 diabetic, thyroid cancer survivor, and a woman navigating surgical menopause herself. She treats patients with the same thoroughness she wished she had received.

#Perimenopause #HormoneHealth #WomensHealthOver40 #MenopauseSymptoms #FunctionalMedicine

Sharon Lemoine, ARNP
Gig Harbor Medical Spa
11515 Burnham Dr Suite 105, Gig Harbor, WA 98332
(253) 649-3916
https://gigharbormedicalspa.com

📌 Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/

You fall asleep fine. Then at 3 a.m. you are wide awake, mind racing, body hot, with no explanation. You have tried melatonin, blackout curtains, the meditation app, and cutting caffeine. None of it helped. That is because this is not a sleep problem.

In this episode, I'm going to show you exactly why the 3 a.m. wake-up happens, why it lands in that specific window every single night, and what you can do about it starting tonight.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 
0:00 Why So Many Christian Women Wake Up at 3AM Every Night
1:07 Why everything you have tried keeps failing 
2:51 Why the wake-up always lands in the same window 
5:20 Three questions to know if this is your pattern 
6:38 The progesterone and cortisol connection 
7:58 Why your labs look normal but your body disagrees 
9:28 The 7-day sleep log: what to track starting tonight 
10:17 What to bring to your provider and what to ask for 11:49 Sharon's personal story and what finally changed

❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Why do I keep waking up at 3 a.m.? 
In perimenopause and menopause, declining progesterone removes the regulator from cortisol, which then spikes earlier than normal and pulls you out of deep sleep in the 2 to 4 a.m. window. This is a hormonal disruption pattern, not a sleep disorder.

Will melatonin help me stop waking up at 3 a.m.? 
Melatonin supports sleep onset, not early waking driven by a cortisol spike. If you fall asleep fine but wake on a consistent schedule, melatonin is not addressing the actual problem.

What labs should I ask for if I wake up at 3 a.m. every night? 
Request progesterone, estrogen, free testosterone, and a four-point cortisol panel. A single morning draw will not capture the pattern that drives nighttime waking.

📱 RESOURCES 
Website: gigharbormedicalspa.com 
Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconciergenp_/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHMedicalspa 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SharonLemoine-ARNP

🔔 Subscribe for straight answers about hormones, perimenopause, and women's health from a nurse practitioner with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. New episode every week.

ABOUT SHARON LEMOINE, ARNP 
Sharon Lemoine is a board-certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP, FNP-C) with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. She is the founder of Gig Harbor Medical Spa and Concierge Medicine in Washington State, specializing in hormone optimization, perimenopause and menopause care, functional medicine, weight loss, and peptide therapy. As a Type 1 diabetic, thyroid cancer survivor, and woman navigating surgical menopause herself, Sharon brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to every episode. She believes your body is a gift worth honoring, and that you are in control of your health.

#Perimenopause #HormoneHealth #WomensHealthOver40 #MenopauseSymptoms #FunctionalMedicine

Sharon Lemoine, ARNP
Gig Harbor Medical Spa
11515 Burnham Dr Suite 105, Gig Harbor, WA 98332
(253) 649-3916
https://gigharbormedicalspa.com

📌 Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/

After 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients, I am more sure of this than anything else in my clinical career: faith belongs in the exam room.

Nobody in my field says it out loud. I have decided to stop waiting for permission.

In this episode, I'm going to share my full story, what I believe that medicine never taught me, and why it changes everything about the way I treat people.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 
0:00 Why Faith Belongs in the Exam Room: What 28 Years in Medicine Taught Me
1:24 Part 1: Growing up watching her mother's diet cycle 
2:25 Part 2: The diagnosis that broke the first half open 
4:34 Part 3: When control stopped being enough 
5:49 Part 4: What faith actually does in a treatment plan 
8:04 Part 5: The questions she asks that no intake form has 
10:00 Part 6: What she wants you to carry out of this episode

❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Q: Is it appropriate for a healthcare provider to bring faith into medicine? 
A: After nearly three decades in practice, the patients who achieve the most durable results are almost always the ones with a reason for their health that outlasts short-term motivation. Faith gives people a reason to keep showing up when it gets hard. That is not a lifestyle preference. That is a clinical observation.

Q: Why do some patients have the right diagnosis and treatment plan and still not improve? 
A: There is almost always a motivational gap underneath the clinical picture. Patients who are doing the health work to chase a social standard or gain someone's approval tend to stop when it gets hard. The ones who are doing it for something bigger than the number on the scale tend to keep going.

Q: Why did Sharon Lemoine leave corporate healthcare? 
A: Corporate medicine gives providers roughly seven minutes per patient. That is enough time to hand someone a lab result and move on. It is not enough time to understand what a person is actually carrying. She built a concierge practice because she wanted to have the real conversation.

📱 RESOURCES 
Website: gigharbormedicalspa.com 
Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconciergenp_/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHMedicalspa 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SharonLemoine-ARNP

🔔 Subscribe for straight answers about hormones, perimenopause, and women's health from a nurse practitioner with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. New episodes every week.

ABOUT SHARON LEMOINE, ARNP: 
Sharon Lemoine is a board-certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP, FNP-C) with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. She is the founder of Gig Harbor Medical Spa and Concierge Medicine in Washington State, specializing in hormone optimization, perimenopause and menopause care, functional medicine, weight loss, and peptide therapy. As a Type 1 diabetic, thyroid cancer survivor, and woman navigating surgical menopause herself, Sharon brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to every episode. She believes your body is a gift worth honoring, and that you are in control of your health.

#Perimenopause #HormoneHealth #WomensHealthOver40 #MenopauseSymptoms #FunctionalMedicine

Sharon Lemoine, ARNP
Gig Harbor Medical Spa
11515 Burnham Dr Suite 105, Gig Harbor, WA 98332
(253) 649-3916
https://gigharbormedicalspa.com

📌 Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/

You love your husband. But when he reaches for you, nothing is there. You have prayed about it, gone to counseling, and tried harder. And every day you carry the guilt of knowing what a faithful wife is supposed to want. 

The guilt is real. But the cause is not what you think.

In this episode, I'm going to show you why counseling falls short for this specific problem, what is actually happening in your body when desire disappears, and the exact test to request at your next provider appointment.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 When you love your husband but desire has completely disappeared
1:09 Why your counselor, pastor, and doctor all pointed you in the wrong direction
2:29 The hormone that actually drives desire in women (and what happens when it runs out)
3:02 How testosterone levels drop through perimenopause and why it happens so fast
3:54 3 questions to tell if this is actually your problem
4:29 What it looks like when a body is running on empty (not a failing marriage)
5:31 Why low libido in women over 40 is almost always a testosterone deficiency
6:03 Why standard lab panels never test for it
6:55 What consistently happens when hormone levels get optimized
7:51 The exact test to bring to your next provider appointment


❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Why do women lose sexual desire in their 40s?

Testosterone, the hormone that drives sexual desire in women, begins declining around age 30 and drops sharply through perimenopause. By the mid-40s, levels can be a fraction of what they were a decade earlier, which can cause desire to disappear entirely rather than simply decrease.

Can low libido in a marriage be a hormonal problem rather than a relationship problem?

Yes, especially for women in perimenopause. When testosterone and estrogen drop simultaneously, desire goes offline for a biochemical reason that has nothing to do with attraction, love, or the health of the relationship.

What test should I ask for if I have low or absent libido?

Ask your provider specifically for a free and total testosterone test, plus a full hormone panel including estrogen and progesterone. Standard lab panels for women do not include testosterone, so you must request it by name.


📱 RESOURCES
Website: gigharbormedicalspa.com
Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconciergenp_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHMedicalspa


🔔 Subscribe for straight answers about hormones, perimenopause, and women's health from a nurse practitioner with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. New episodes every week.


ABOUT SHARON LEMOINE, ARNP

Sharon Lemoine is a board-certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP, FNP-C) with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. She is the founder of Gig Harbor Medical Spa and Concierge Medicine in Washington State, specializing in hormone optimization, perimenopause and menopause care, functional medicine, weight loss, and peptide therapy. 

As a Type 1 diabetic, thyroid cancer survivor, and woman navigating surgical menopause herself, Sharon brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to every video. She believes your body is a gift worth honoring, and that you are in control of your health.


#Perimenopause #HormoneHealth #WomensHealthOver40 #MenopauseSymptoms #FunctionalMedicine

📌 Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/

Most women start a GLP-1 thinking the goal is to eat less and weigh less. That is exactly how these medications are marketed. But a dropping number on the scale is not the same thing as your body getting healthier.

When you lose weight rapidly on a GLP-1 without a specific protective strategy in place, a significant portion of what you lose is not fat. It is muscle. 

In this episode, I'm going to show you what actually determines whether a GLP-1 honors the body you were given, the one number you need before your first dose, and the five checkpoints almost no one covers before they start.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Why Most Women Walk Away From a GLP-1 Weaker Than When They Started
1:13 Point 1: The Mistake That Turns a Good Decision Into a Setback
2:05 Why the Dropping Scale Number Is Not Telling You the Whole Story
3:07 Point 2: What Actually Drives Lasting Results on a GLP-1
4:46 Point 3: How to Honestly Assess Whether You Are Ready to Start
5:10 Three Questions to Answer Before Your First Dose
7:36 Point 4: The One Number You Need Before Day One
8:28 The Patient Case That Standard Labs Completely Missed
9:42 Point 5: What to Do This Week Before You Start


❓ QUESTIONS ANSWERED

What is the biggest mistake women make before starting a GLP-1?

Starting without a body composition baseline. Without knowing your lean muscle mass before day one, you have no way to track whether the weight coming off is fat, muscle, or both, and most women end up lighter but metabolically weaker.

How do you protect muscle while on a GLP-1?

Three things: get a body composition scan before you start to establish your baseline, keep your protein intake high throughout treatment, and maintain resistance training. The medication suppresses appetite, so protein has to be intentional or muscle loss begins almost immediately.

What is an InBody scan and why does it matter on a GLP-1?

An InBody is a 30-second body composition scan that shows your lean muscle mass, body fat percentage, and visceral fat. It gives you the baseline number your scale will never show, so you can track whether the medication is protecting or depleting what matters most.


📱 RESOURCES
Website: gigharbormedicalspa.com
Book a Consultation: gigharbormedicalspa.com/book-now/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theconciergenp_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHMedicalspa


🔔 Subscribe for straight answers about hormones, perimenopause, and women's health from a nurse practitioner with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. New episodes every week.


ABOUT SHARON LEMOINE, ARNP

Sharon Lemoine is a board-certified Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP, FNP-C) with 28 years in medicine and over 100,000 patients treated. She is the founder of Gig Harbor Medical Spa and Concierge Medicine in Washington State, specializing in hormone optimization, perimenopause and menopause care, functional medicine, weight loss, and peptide therapy. 

As a Type 1 diabetic, thyroid cancer survivor, and woman navigating surgical menopause herself, Sharon brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to every video. She believes your body is a gift worth honoring, and that you are in control of your health.


#Perimenopause #HormoneHealth #WomensHealthOver40 #MenopauseSymptoms #FunctionalMedicine