In this eye-opening episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with hormone expert and OB-GYN Dr. Tara Scott to debunk the most damaging myths about menopause and hormone therapy. If you’ve ever been told to “just deal with it” when it comes to menopause symptoms, or you’ve been scared off from exploring hormone replacement therapy (HRT), this is the empowering deep dive you’ve been waiting for. From the real risks to the misunderstood benefits, and the massive gaps in provider training—this conversation puts you in control of your health.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

This episode is your go-to guide for understanding symptoms of menopause, how to get menopause symptom relief, and the science-backed hormone replacement therapy benefits that every woman deserves to know. You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes look at why so many doctors are misinformed, how to advocate for yourself, and the truth about estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and even DHEA.

This episode is brought to you by:

DUTCH Test: Advanced hormone testing for clearer clinical insights—new providers get up to 5 Complete tests at 50% off. https://dutchtest.com

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🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned in This Episode: 

👩🏻‍⚕️Follow Dr. Tara Scott:

💻 Website: https://drtarascott.com/

📸  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hormonegurumd/

⭕ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TaraScottMD

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💻 Website: https://www.drbrighten.com

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🌟 Grab my free hormone friendly recipes here! https://drbrighten.com/hormonekit/

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In this eye-opening episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, I sit down with Ashley Greene Khoury—actress, entrepreneur, and Twilight alum—and her co-founder Olivia Khoury, to talk about the one thing the health industry still gets so wrong: women’s pain. Together, they’re rewriting the story on periods, PMDD, and hormone health through their company, Hummingway—a brand disrupting the femcare space with science-backed, non-toxic solutions.

What started as a personal struggle for both women turned into a mission to end the cycle of dismissal and disempowerment so many of us face when we walk into a doctor’s office. We go deep into topics most platforms won’t touch—from the real effects of birth control, to the way neurodivergent women are failed by traditional medicine. If you’ve ever been told your pain is normal, this episode will change the way you think about your body—and what it’s truly capable of.

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What do forever chemicals, food dye bans, and the future of autism care have in common? According to Dr. Will Cole—more than you might think. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, we’re pulling back the curtain on the environmental toxins hiding in your clothes, cookware, and makeup, how the FDA banning food dye is just the tip of the iceberg, and what RFK Jr.’s controversial statements during Autism Awareness Month got very wrong and how we can do better.

From PFAS chemicals disrupting fertility, hormones, and gut health, to the polarized politics of the autism registry, this is a powerful conversation on how we reclaim our health through information, nuance, and actionable change.

Dr. Cole, a functional medicine pioneer, shares what he’s seeing in labs from patients across the globe, how “normal” symptoms are often anything but, and how to detox your body without falling into wellness perfectionism or fear. This is for the moms, the health-seekers, the neurodivergent families, and anyone tired of being told “everything is fine” when their labs—and life—say otherwise.

This episode is brought to you by: 

Dr. Brighten Essentials: https://drbrightenessentials.com  use code POD15 for 15% off

Sunlighten Infrared Saunas: use the code drbrighten to save up to $1,400 on your sauna purchase. https://get.sunlighten.com/drbrighten

Chorus: http://chorusforlife.com/drbrighten and receive 10 percent off your order or subscription

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🌟 Grab my free hormone friendly recipes here! https://drbrighten.com/hormonekit/

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Welcome to The Dr. Brighten Show! If you’ve ever wondered about your fertility, the quality of your eggs, or whether freezing them might be a smart move, this episode is a must-listen. Today, I’m joined by Dr. Debbie Cassis, an OBGYN, who has helped countless women navigate fertility preservation. 

Whether you’re thinking about starting a family now or just want to preserve your options and understand the egg freezing process, this episode will empower you with science-backed knowledge, expert advice, and a whole lot of real talk about egg freezing, IVF, and what you can do to optimize your fertility health at any age.

🔗 SPONSORS + LINKS This episode is made possible by our generous sponsors. To support the show and gain access to trusted resources, visit: 👉 DrBrighten.com for free hormone health guides and fertility resources 👉 DrBrightenEssentials.com for the highest-quality supplements

🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Dr. Debbie Cassis’s Clinic: Hestia Fertility https://www.hestiafertility.com/en/?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaaD2_KtQr3rUrBiB9ID4uTH7bByiVSTNKWD3zcgTPjOmNLXEEJEobiVtGc_aem_Y4_N1iPJ1u5LXH7XCmugCQ

Dr. Debbie Cassis’s Instagram: @drad.debbiesassis https://www.instagram.com/dra.debbiecassis/?hl=en

Myo Inositol Plus to Support Egg Quality: Dr. Brighten Essentials https://drbrightenessentials.com/products/myoinositol-plus?selling_plan=995426338

Endometriosis Resource:Interview with Ram Cabrera https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/how-to-tell-if-you-have-endometriosis/

Beyond the Pill: Dr. Brighten’s book with fertility information https://amzn.to/3becjT7

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If you’ve been dismissed with “normal labs” while still struggling with hair loss, brain fog, stubborn weight gain, anxiety, infertility, or exhaustion, this episode will feel like a lifeline. In this powerful conversation, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with Dr. Izabella Wentz, clinical pharmacist, thyroid expert, and bestselling author, to uncover the real root causes of Hashimoto’s hypothyroidism—and what you can do to reclaim your energy, mood, and metabolism. Whether you’ve just been diagnosed or suspect something’s been missed, this conversation will equip you with the tools to finally take back your health.

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If you’ve ever felt like your body is stuck in overdrive—wired, inflamed, exhausted—and no amount of supplements or protocols seem to help, this episode is for you. Dr. John Kim, functional medicine pharmacist and expert in cellular health, joins me to pull back the curtain on one of the most overlooked root causes of chronic disease: the cell danger response. Born from autism research and grounded in mitochondrial science, this conversation will completely change how you view inflammation, healing, and the deep impact of childhood trauma on your long-term health.

We’re going beyond symptom management and diving into the mitochondrial-level mechanisms behind hormone imbalance, fatigue, and why so many people—especially women—feel like their bodies are “off” but their labs are “normal.” You’ll learn how sympathetic nervous system dysfunction, unresolved trauma, and environmental toxins trap your body in survival mode… and what it actually takes to break free.

Lumebox: https://drbrighten.com/lumebox  use code drbrighten for our exclusive community discount on your purchase.  

Sunlighten Infrared Saunas: use the code drbrighten to save up to $1,400 on your sauna purchase. https://get.sunlighten.com/drbrighten

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The Cell Danger Response research by Dr. Robert Naviaux: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31877376/

HeartMath® for heart coherence training: https://www.heartmath.com/

Iris software for red-light screen filtering: https://iristech.co/

🎙️ADHD Burnout: Why Women Are Always on the Edge of Exhaustion: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwYf-2orq-8

🎙️ Dr. Navaz Habib’s episode: Stimulate the Vagus Nerve Daily: The Key to Reducing Inflammation & Anxiety: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hugVgKTRrS8

The ADHD Hormone Sync: https://drbrighten.com/sync/

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drjolenebrighten

👉 If you found this episode valuable, drop a comment below to tell us what you loved most, and share it with a friend! Let’s spread the knowledge. 💬✨

📚 Mentioned in this episode:📲 Follow Dr. John Kim

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/john.pharmd/

Website: https://www.kimwellness.co/

🌿 Follow Dr. Jolene Brighten

Website: https://drbrighten.com

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drjolenebrighten

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If you’ve ever felt like your brain is moving through molasses, your to-do list is shouting at you, and no amount of caffeine can bring you back to life—this episode is for you. In this raw and real conversation, Dr. Jolene Brighten breaks down the science, the lived experience, and the hormonal chaos behind ADHD burnout. Especially for women in perimenopause, burnout hits harder, lasts longer, and is often misunderstood by everyone—including your doctors.

This isn’t just about feeling tired. It’s about the slow, invisible unraveling of your executive function, emotional regulation, and ability to feel joy. And it's made worse by fluctuating estrogen, relentless life stress, and decades of masking in a neurotypical world.

You’ll learn how to recognize ADHD burnout symptoms before they take over, what the 5 stages of burnout actually look like in real life, and the most effective tools for ADHD burnout recovery—without toxic positivity, shame, or one-size-fits-all advice.

🎙️ SPONSORSHIP LINKS

Dr. Brighten Essentials: https://drbrightenessentials.com  use code POD15 for 15% off 

LMNT Electrolytes: http://drinklmnt.com/Brighten receive your exclusive gift with purchase – Helping you support your child’s development with science-backed products.

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Pulsetto 

Support our sponsors and help keep this show free and packed with amazing guests!

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🔥 CONNECT WITH DR. JOLENE BRIGHTEN

💻 Website: https://www.drbrighten.com

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🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjolenebrighten

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🌟 Grab my free perimenopause hormone friendly recipes here! https://drbrighten.com/plan/ 

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If you’ve ever gone from waking up at 5am to cold plunge, journal, and hit a high-protein breakfast… to crying on the couch while eating saltines and wondering if you’ll ever feel like yourself again—this episode is for you. Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with Aggie Lal to pull back the curtain on what pregnancy really feels like for high-performing women. It’s raw. It’s validating. And it redefines what it means to be healthy when your body demands rest, not optimization.

Aggie shares how pregnancy shook up her identity as a disciplined wellness devotee, and how she learned to trust her body in entirely new ways. They talk about the deep unlearning required to move from “doing it all” to simply being. This is a conversation about softness, surrender, and strength redefined.

This Episode Is Brought to You By:

Dr. Brighten Essentials: https://drbrightenessentials.com use code POD15 for 15% off – Supporting parents and families with tools that work.

Lume Box: http://drbrighten.com/lumebox use code drbrighten for our exclusive community discount on your purchase.

Sunlighten Infrared Saunas: https://get.sunlighten.com/drbrighten use the code drbrighten to save up to $1,400 on your sauna purchase.

Links Mentioned in This Episode:

Follow Aggie Lal:

Website: https://higherselfacademy.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aggie/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@biohackingbestie

Follow Dr. Jolene Brighten:

Website: https://www.drbrighten.com

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

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjolenebrighten

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@drjolenebrighten

Grab my free Hormone Friendly Recipes https://drbrighten.com/hormonekit/

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If you’ve been told that the key to thriving in perimenopause or menopause is endless cardio, eating less, or fasting longer—you’ve been sold a myth. In this powerhouse episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Stephanie Estima joins me to bust some of the biggest myths about fitness for menopause, including why traditional approaches often fail and what actually works to support your body, metabolism, and hormones at this stage of life. Whether your goal is to maintain muscle, reduce symptoms, or finally figure out why your workouts aren’t delivering results like they used to, this episode is your essential guide to exercise for menopause belly, metabolism, and strength.

We’re cutting through the noise to bring you practical advice rooted in science, plus the compassionate, no-BS clarity you deserve. If you’ve ever wondered why the same workouts that worked in your 20s no longer cut it—or why strength training for menopause is about so much more than building muscle—this conversation delivers the tools you need to feel strong, energized, and hormonally balanced.

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Testosterone therapy might be all the buzz—but is it actually the best choice for your health, your hormones, and your future fertility? In this powerful episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, I sit down with top urologist and men’s health expert Dr. Justin Houman to uncover the truth about testosterone, sperm health, erectile dysfunction, and the real risks men aren’t being told before starting hormone therapy. Whether you’re concerned about your partner, your son, your brother—or you’re a man navigating these questions yourself—this episode is packed with essential insights that every family should know.

If you’ve heard that low testosterone is the reason behind every man’s low energy, low libido, or mood swings, this episode might surprise you. We’re breaking down what’s actually going on with men’s hormones today, why more young men are struggling with testosterone and fertility, and what steps can truly optimize hormone health—without jumping straight to testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Plus, we discuss the often-overlooked impact of lifestyle, environmental toxins, and medications like hair loss drugs on hormone health and sperm quality.

Chorus: http://chorusforlife.com/drbrighten and receive 10 percent off your order or subscription

Dr. Brighten Essentials: http://www.drbrightenessentials.com use code POD15 for 15% off 

Lumebox: https://drbrighten.com/lumebox  use code drbrighten for our exclusive community discount on your purchase.  

Support our sponsors! These partners help make this show possible and allow us to keep bringing you high-quality, science-backed content.

💻 Website: https://houmanmd.com/

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🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjolenebrighten

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🌟 Grab my free hormone friendly recipes here! https://drbrighten.com/hormonekit/

🎧 Subscribe to the Podcast: 

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dr-brighten-show/id1786362161

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