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.

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

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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.

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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.

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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:

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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.

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If you’ve ever been told your bloating, reflux, or abdominal pain is “just IBS” or “probably stress,” you’re not alone—and you’re not crazy. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, I’m joined by leading surgeon and endoscopist, Dr. Paco de la Vega, to uncover the truth about gut dysfunction and why your digestive system deserves better answers. Dr. de la Vega practices in Mexico City and is a rare kind of GI expert—one who blends surgical precision with lifestyle-centered gut care. We go deep into the real root causes of bloating, constipation, and gas, the surprising link between your emotions and digestion, and why your “healthy” diet might be secretly sabotaging your microbiome.

Whether you're someone navigating unexplained gut pain or simply curious about how to improve your digestion without endless supplements or elimination diets, this episode will shift how you think about your belly—for good.

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What happens when a pro athlete, model, wife, mother, and wellness powerhouse sits down to speak the unfiltered truth about being a woman in midlife? You get one of the most real, raw, and revolutionary conversations we’ve ever had on this show. In this episode, I sit down with the legendary Gabby Reece to unpack the evolution of strength, womanhood, parenting, and partnership—especially in a world that expects women to be everything to everyone while quietly disappearing in the process. If you’ve ever felt torn between being “nice” and being ruthlessly honest, or wondered how to navigate midlife without blowing up your marriage, this episode is your wake-up call—and your roadmap.

In This Candid and Transformational Conversation, You’ll Learn:

Gabby and I explore what it really takes to thrive in womanhood, relationships, and parenting when the world tells you to keep shrinking—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. From her unapologetic views on feminine and masculine energy, to her wisdom on aging, sexual intimacy, and identity, this is a masterclass in embodied strength and conscious living.

🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode:

🎙 Gabby Reece’s podcast: The Gabby Reece Show

🥥 Laird Superfood

🌬 XPT Life (Breath, Movement & Recovery)

📘 The Good Life by Dr. Robert Waldinger

📖 Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

📲 Follow Gabby on Instagram: @gabbyreece

💻 Learn more at: https://drbrighten.com

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Follow Gabby Reece:

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👩🏻‍⚕️Follow Dr. Jolene Brighten:

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

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✨ A Small Ask That Makes a Big Impact

If you found value in this episode, please take a moment to subscribe, leave a review, or share it with a friend. It’s a small act that helps more than you know—your support allows us to keep creating meaningful conversations and bringing expert-backed insights to more women around the world. Thank you for being here with us 💛

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Ever been told that leaking pee when you laugh, sneeze, or jump is just part of being a woman—especially after having kids? What if I told you that’s not only false, but that your workouts, posture, or even the way you breathe could be making it worse? In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, I sit down with pelvic floor physical therapist Dr. Diana Mendez to break down the real reasons behind urinary incontinence, painful sex, prolapse, and so many misunderstood symptoms tied to pelvic floor dysfunction. This episode is a game-changer for anyone who’s ever been dismissed, misdiagnosed, or handed a prescription for Kegels without a proper evaluation.

If you’ve ever searched for urinary incontinence treatment and been told to “just do Kegels,” you’re going to want to hit play immediately—because there’s a lot more to the story. Whether you’ve had babies or not, this conversation will help you reconnect with your body, understand how stress and trauma live in your pelvic floor, and take back control of your bladder, your sex life, and your confidence.

👉 Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more expert-led conversations to help you take back your health.

This Episode is brought to you by:

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🔗 Links mentioned in this episode

👇 Let us know in the comments if you’ve ever been told to “just do Kegels”—and how that worked out for you.

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Is your child’s ADHD, anxiety, or picky eating actually caused by mouth breathing? And what does fluoride in your water really do to your brain? In this eye-opening conversation, Dr. Staci Whitman—founder of NoPo Kids Dentistry and global leader in functional pediatric oral health—joins me to expose the hidden links between oral health, airway issues, the microbiome, and behavior.

👉 Don’t forget to LIKE, COMMENT, and SUBSCRIBE for more expert-led conversations to help you take back your health.

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

🔗 Links & Resources Mentioned in This Episode:  

🦷Website: Dr. Staci Whitman’s Practice & Resources

🎧Dr. Elisa Song’s episode: https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/child-gut-health/

🎧Dr. Victoria Sampson’s episode: https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/shocking-truth-about-gum-disease/

📘 Book: “Sleep Wrecked Kids” by Sharon Moore https://amzn.to/44rDhET

📘 Book: “Breath” by James Nestor https://amzn.to/4luQXoJ

🧪Research Paper: National Toxicology Program report on fluoride and neurotoxicity: https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/whatwestudy/assessments/noncancer/completed/fluoride 

🔬Association Between Maternal Fluoride Exposure During Pregnancy and IQ Scores in Offspring in Canada: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2748634

🧪Fluoride Exposure and Children’s IQ Scores - A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2828425 

🛒Product: MyoTape for kids https://www.myotape.com

🛒Functional Tools:

- Myo Munchie https://myomunchee.com/

- Cordless Waterpik https://www.waterpik.com/

🔬Water fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries (Cochrane Review): https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010856.pub3/full#CD010856-abs-0001 

🔬Time to Reassess Systemic Fluoride Exposure, Again (JAMA): https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2828429 

🦷American Academy of Oral Systemic Health: https://www.aaosh.org/

🦷International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology: https://iaomt.org/

🦷Holistic Dental Association: https://holisticdental.org/

🦷American Academy of Physiological Medicine & Dentistry: https://aapmd.org/

 🌬️The Breath Institute: https://thebreatheinstitute.com/

🔬Institute for Functional Dentistry: https://functionaldentistry.com/

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