PRETTY WELL - Anti-Aging, Beauty, Balanced Hormones, Inflammation, Gut Health, IBS, Evidence-based

Why Don't I Feel Like Myself Anymore? The Midlife Conversation Every Woman Needs to Hear

Can I tell you about a conversation with Dr. Christina Enzmann that completely changed the way I think about midlife?

Actually...it started with a question I hear from women all the time.

"Lisa...I just don't feel like myself anymore."

Whenever a woman tells me that, I know she's not talking about one symptom.

She's talking about this feeling that somewhere along the way, her body started playing by a completely different set of rules.

Maybe she's exhausted even though she's sleeping… or maybe she's not sleeping.

Maybe she's gained weight without changing anything. Or maybe she's anxious, forgetful, dealing with heart palpitations, waking up at three in the morning, or wondering why hormone therapy helped her friend but made her feel worse.

It all feels disconnected.

And that's exactly what makes it so frustrating. Every appointment seems to focus on one tiny piece of the puzzle. One doctor talks about hormones. Another talks about stress.

Someone else tells you,  "Well...you're getting older."

That's why I was so excited to sit down with Dr. Christina Enzmann.

First of all, she's just fun to talk to.

She's incredibly smart, but she has this gift for explaining complicated science in a way that suddenly feels obvious. Every few minutes she said something that made me stop and think, "Wait...why has nobody ever explained it like that before?"

Those are my favorite interviews—the ones where I'm learning right alongside you.

Christina shared one perspective that completely reframed the way I think about menopause. It wasn't dramatic. It wasn't gimmicky. It just...made sense.

And once she said it, I thought - “Every woman needs to know this.”

We ended up talking about everything from hormones and the gut microbiome to insulin resistance, sleep, stress, recurrent UTIs, heart palpitations, vaginal health, and why so many women feel like their body has turned against them in midlife.

But what I loved most is that she never looked at those as separate conversations. She connected the dots.

If you've ever found yourself wondering...

Why don't I feel like myself anymore?

Why am I so tired all the time?

Why am I gaining weight when nothing has changed?

Why did hormone therapy work for someone else but not for me?

Is there something my body is trying to tell me?

...I know you're going to love this conversation.

Connect with Dr. Christina Enzmann:

drchristinaenzmann.com

#Perimenopause #Menopause #Hormones #GutHealth #FunctionalMedicine #Microbiome #HealthyAging #Fatigue #Anxiety #Inflammation #Metabolism #BrainHealth #Longevity #WomensHealth

✨Join the conversation:

Share your thoughts with us on social media or in the comments!

🎙 Subscribe, Share & Review:

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people who need these insights. Thanks for tuning in to Pretty Well! See you next week.

Contact Lisa:

Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/

Disclaimer: 

Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.

The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 

advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.

I've had the chance to interview a lot of incredible experts over the years, and every now and then something lands on my radar that makes me stop and say, "Okay...I need to learn more about this."

When I first heard about a molecule called Carbon 60, I'll admit it—I wasn't convinced. There are plenty of products that promise more energy, healthier aging, and better everything.

Most don't live up to the hype.

I wasn't expecting some dramatic overnight change.

That's when I knew I wanted to have this conversation. So I invited Chris Burres onto the show. Chris has spent years researching Carbon 60 and studying its potential role in mitochondrial health and oxidative stress. 

In this episode, we unpack what C60 is, what it does in the body (that nothing else can do), and why healthy mitochondria may play a much bigger role in how we slow aging more than we've realized.

We also have a really honest conversation about something I deeply appreciate: there are no magic bullets. Sleep, nutrition, movement, and mindset still come first. 

But if you've ever wondered whether there's something new on the horizon that's actually worth paying attention to, I think you'll love this conversation.

What I learned has completely changed the way I think about aging and mitochondrial health.

If You've Ever Wondered:

🎙And if you're loving the Pretty Well Podcast, would you do me a quick favor?

🔗 Resources & Links:

✨Join the conversation:

Contact Lisa:

Disclaimer: 

Wonder If Your Supplements Are Working? With Reed Davis of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition®

He calls it metabolic chaos—the slow, invisible breakdown that can begin years before you're diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease, an autoimmune condition, or another chronic illness.

We also explore why supplements aren't a substitute for understanding what's really happening inside your body, why masking symptoms (even with supplements) can delay healing, and how functional lab testing can help uncover what's driving your fatigue, digestive issues, inflammation, hormone imbalance, brain fog, and other chronic symptoms.

-Are my supplements doing anything for me?

Timestamps

Contact Reed:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/FunctionalDiagnosticNutrition/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fdntraining/ You Tube - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7xDnEKCe9gKeWZ2vbE3C8w Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/san-diego-natural-heal

Contact Lisa:

Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/

Disclaimer: 

Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.

The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 

advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.

He Lost 80 Pounds (and Not How You Think). Ben Azadi Spills the Tea.

Metabolism is about so much more than the number on the scale. It's the foundation of your energy, brain function, hormones, and long-term health.

When it's working well, you feel energized, focused, and resilient. When it's not, it can feel like you're doing everything "right" but still struggling with fatigue, stubborn weight, and frustrating symptoms.

Ben also shares important considerations for women, common mistakes people make when trying to improve their metabolic health, and practical strategies you can begin implementing today.

-Ben's mission to help reverse type 2 diabetes on a global scale

About Ben Azadi

Listen & Follow

New episodes of Pretty Well drop every week. If this episode resonates, follow the show, share, and leave a review — it helps more women find conversations like this one.

Get Ben's new book + free bonuses: ketoflexbook.com

Contact Lisa:

Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com  

IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/ 

Disclaimer: 

Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.

The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 

advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.

You finally decide to do it. You're going on HRT.

You're so excited to feel better.

And then…

Nothing changes.

—or—

Everything gets worse. Like, way worse.

More anxiety. More bloating. More mood swings.

Or no response at all. 

So you try a different dose or a different formulation, but nothing gets better.

So now you’re left wondering:

👉 Is it me?

👉 Is this just how it’s going to be?

👉 Why does this work for everyone else—but not for me?

This episode gets to the root of what's happing — but not in the way you expect.

🔥 Why This Episode Is a Must-Listen

This isn’t another conversation about adding more hormones.

It’s about why your body might not be responding to what’s already there.

And once you see this piece, a lot of confusion starts to make sense, fast.

Especially if you’re in perimenopause or menopause and things are feeling more intense, less predictable, and harder to “figure out” than they used to be.

⏱️ Timestamps You’ll Want to Bookmark

[00:01:00] – The question that changes how you think about hormones

[00:03:00] – What’s actually happening in perimenopause (that no one explains clearly)

[00:05:00] – Why your symptoms can feel amplified, messy, and unpredictable

[00:08:30] – The two patterns so many people fall into with hormone therapy

[00:11:00] – The hidden layer that determines whether hormones help… or backfire

🧠 The Shift That Changes Everything

Most conversations stop at:

👉 “You need more hormones.”

👉 “You need a different dose.”

But what if the real issue isn’t what you’re taking but how your body is handling it?

There’s a difference between:

Having the right inputs

And your body actually using them

And when that gap exists, it creates symptoms that feel confusing, unpredictable, and incredibly frustrating.

🚩 If This Sounds Like You, Press Play:

👉Hormone therapy made you feel worse instead of better

👉You’ve tried different forms or doses with no real change

👉Your symptoms feel stronger or more chaotic than expected

👉You’re being told your hormones are “declining”… but your body feels anything but calm

There’s a reason for that and it’s not random.

FAQs:

Why doesn’t hormone replacement therapy work for some women?

Because the issue may not be hormone levels—it may be how the body processes, responds to, and uses those hormones.

Why do I feel worse on estrogen therapy?

In some cases, underlying imbalances can amplify the body’s response, making symptoms feel more intense.

Why do I feel nothing on hormone therapy?

The body may not be properly responding to or registering the hormones at a cellular level.

🎯 The Real Takeaway

This isn’t about forcing your body into balance.

It’s about understanding why it’s not responding the way you expected so you can finally work with it instead of against it.

💬 Final Thought

When something doesn’t work, it’s easy to assume it’s the wrong solution.

Sometimes… it’s just the wrong starting point.

✨Join the conversation:

Share your thoughts with us on social media or in the comments!

🎙 Subscribe, Share & Review:

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people who need to know they're not alone and there is hope. Thanks for tuning in to Pretty Well! See you next week!

Contact Lisa:

Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/

Disclaimer: 

Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.

The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 

advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.

Your hormone symptoms are unpredictable. Your mood is all over the place. Some months are fine, some months are a disaster — and nobody has been able to tell you why.

You've tried the supplements. Maybe even hormone replacement. And something is still off.

Here's what even functional medicine and a holistic approach are still missing: it might not be a hormone problem at all. It might be a hormone processing problem. And the place to look isn't your ovaries. Your hormonal balance starts in your gut.

In this episode I'm breaking down the estrobolome (the part of your microbiome that controls how much estrogen is actually circulating in your body at any given time). When it's off, everything feels off. And it's way more common than anyone is telling you.

What we get into:

Your gut is actively deciding whether your used estrogen gets eliminated or recycled back into your body.

This often overlooked piece has everything to do with how you feel and how your hormones are functioning.

Next week: already on hormone replacement and it's still not working — or making things worse? That's exactly where we're going.

🔗 Resources & Links:

✨Join the conversation:

Share your thoughts with us on social media or in the comments!

🎙 Subscribe, Share & Review:

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people who love this type of content. Thanks for tuning in to Pretty Well! 

Contact Lisa:

Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/

Disclaimer: 

Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.

The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 

advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.

The Seed Oil Truth the Food Industry Doesn't Want You to Know.

You've probably heard that seed oils are bad. But do you actually know what they're doing inside your body and why swapping them out could be one of the most powerful things you do for your health?

Cherie Calbom, The Juice Lady — bestselling author, nutritionist, and author of The Truth About Seed Oils — joins me to pull back the curtain on the fats we've been cooking with for decades, and what the science actually says about how they're driving inflammation, hormonal disruption, and chronic symptoms that most women have just accepted as normal.

What we get into:

Cherie has sold over 3 million books and spent decades helping people get answers their doctors couldn't give them. This conversation is the kind of straight talk your body has been waiting for.

📖 Find Cherie at juiceladycherie.com

A few moments worth listening twice:

05:30 – From chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia to rebuilding her health

🔗 Resources & Links (As An Amazon Associate I Earn A Small Commission From Qualifying Purchases At No Extra Cost To You):

✨Join the conversation:

Share your thoughts with us on social media or in the comments!

🎙 Subscribe, Share & Review:

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people who need these insights. Thanks for tuning in to Pretty Well! 

Contact Lisa:

Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/

Disclaimer: 

Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.

The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 

advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.

What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About "Normal" Women's Symptoms.

If you've ever walked out of a doctor's appointment feeling dismissed, confused, or like you somehow did it wrong — this one's for you.

Award-winning health journalist Meghan Rabbitt has spent years investigating what women haven't been told about their own bodies. And what she's uncovered is equal parts infuriating and empowering.

This is the user manual for your health that no one handed you.

What we get into:

The shift that changes everything: just because something is common doesn't mean it's normal. Pain, heavy periods, brain fog, exhaustion — these aren't things to push through. They're things to investigate.

This episode doesn't just give you information. It changes how you relate to your body.

🎙️ Find Meghan at meghanrabbitt.com

Links & Resources (as an Amazon affiliate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to yo):

✨Join the conversation:

Share your thoughts with us on social media or in the comments!

🎙 Subscribe, Share & Review:

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more people who need these insights. Thanks for tuning in to Pretty Well! See you next week!

Contact Meghan and buy The New Rules of Women's Health from her website: https://newrulesofwomenshealth.com/

Contact Lisa:

Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/

Disclaimer: 

Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.

The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 

advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.

The Real Reason For Your Cravings and Emotional Eating. It's Not What You Think.

You eat well. You do the work. And you still feel like something is missing — a kind of emptiness that has nothing to do with what's on your plate.

For high-achieving women, food often becomes the answer to a question the body is asking about something else entirely.

And until you understand what you're actually craving, nothing will fill it.

Amber Caudle has lived this — and spent decades helping women find their way through it. She's a chef, author, and founder of The Source Cafe in Hermosa Beach, CA.

In this conversation, we go beneath the surface of emotional eating, perfectionism, and the exhausting cycle of overgiving to explore what your body is really hungry for — and why your nervous system keeps reaching for food when the real need is something else.

-In this episode:Why high-achieving women often use food to manage emotions they don't have language for

Many women spend years trying to fix themselves when they were never broken.

The constant drive to do more, achieve more, help more, and be more isn't always coming from ambition. Sometimes it's coming from a deeper belief: that rest must be earned, worth must be proven, love must be deserved.

And no amount of productivity can satisfy a need that was never about productivity in the first place.

When we start to understand what we're truly hungry for (connection, peace, play, purpose, support, or simply permission to slow down) something shifts. Not just in our relationship with food, but in our relationship with ourselves.

If this episode resonated, send it to the woman in your life who always seems to have it together... and always seems exhausted.

And if you want a simple way to stay grounded in what actually matters day to day, the Morning Mindset Journal is linked below. No protocol. No pressure. Just a place to come back to yourself. ❤️

00:00 Why so many women never feel fully nourished

Amber's book Hungry: https://amzn.to/4xb0PcY

The Morning Mindset Journal: https://lisasmithwellness.com/the-morning-mindset-journal

✨ Join the conversation

🎙 Subscribe, Share & Review

Contact Lisa:

Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/

Disclaimer: 

Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.

The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 

advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.

Your Body Finally Got Better. So Why Don't You Feel Fine? With Best-Selling Author Amy Kurtz

You fought for answers. You finally started to heal. And everyone — including you — assumed that was the hard part.

What Medical Trauma Brain actually is — and why it shows up even after your labs look normal

The part that stays with you: you can spend years fighting to get better, finally get there, and still feel trapped. That's not failure. It's just that no one told you there's an aftermath to surviving something this hard.

🔗 Resources & Links (As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you):

✨Join the conversation:

Share your thoughts with us on social media or in the comments!

🎙 Subscribe, Share & Review:

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! By subscribing and reviewing, you help us (more than you know) to reach more people who are looking for great health information. Thanks for tuning in to Pretty Well! See you next week!

Contact Lisa:

Website: www.lisasmithwellness.com 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/prettywell_podcast/

Disclaimer: 

Nothing in this podcast is to be taken as medical advice, please take informed accountability and speak to your provider before making changes to your health routine.

The primary purpose of The Pretty Well Podcast being to educate. This content is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice nor to take the place of such 

advice or treatment from a personal physician. By listening to this content, you agree to consult your own physician or qualified health professional regarding specific health questions. Neither Lisa Smith, The Pretty Well Podcast, nor any guest takes responsibility for possible health consequences of any person or persons following the information in this educational content. All listeners of this content, especially those who are pregnant or taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, should consult their physicians before beginning any nutrition, supplement, or lifestyle program. The Pretty Well Podcast is for private non-commercial use and our guests do not necessarily reflect any agency, organization, or company that they work for. In addition, opinions of interview guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lisa Smith and/or The Pretty Well Podcast. This content is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date.