Hormone Health Class
Welcome to Hormone Health Class — where we make hormones make sense.+
Hosted by Vanda Aubrey, Functional Medicine Nurse and Board Certified Nurse Coach, this podcast is your go-to space to finally understand your body, balance your hormones naturally, and feel like yourself again.
Whether you're struggling with painful periods, infertility, mood swings, fatigue, PMS, or feel like your hormones are running the show — you're in the right place.
Inside each episode, you'll get practical tips, hormone education, and empowering strategies to help you have easier periods, better moods, and more energy — without restrictive diets or guessing games.
From fertility to postpartum to thriving in your 30s and beyond, think of this as the class you actually needed but never got.
Because you run your life — not your period.
On this podcast, I answer questions like:
• Why am I so tired all the time even though my labs are normal?
• How can I fix my painful or heavy periods naturally?
• What causes PMS and how do I get rid of it?
• How do I balance my hormones after having a baby?
• Why do I feel bloated and moody before my period?
• How can I increase my energy without cutting out all my favorite foods?
• What is estrogen dominance and how do I know if I have it?
• How can I support my hormones to prepare for pregnancy?
• Do I really need to go on birth control to "fix" my hormones?
• What is the best diet for healthy hormones?
• How can I support my thyroid naturally?
• What are the root causes of hormone imbalance?
Hormone Health Class
62: Estrogen Dominance Case Study: How Kat Rebalanced Her Hormones, Improved Energy, and Prepped for Baby #2
Ever wonder what it actually looks like to address estrogen dominance and hormone imbalances in real life? In this special case study episode, I walk you step-by-step through my client Kat’s journey inside my 90-Day Period Makeover Solution. We’ll cover her intake struggles (poor sleep, low energy, stubborn weight), her HTMA and DUTCH test results (including severe estrogen dominance and mineral depletions), the exact strategies we used to support her adrenals, gut, and detox, plus the powerful results she experienced — better sleep, improved energy, stabilized weight, glowing skin, and even an easy conception when she was ready for baby #2.
If you've been curious about hormone testing, what personalized support really looks like, or you’re feeling stuck despite "doing everything right," this episode is for you.
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Hey, hey! Welcome back to the podcast. Today’s episode is going to be a little different — and I’m so excited about it.
I don’t think I’ve ever done this before, at least not in this format. Today, I’m sharing a client case study from someone who worked with me inside my 12-week program — now called the 90-Day Period Makeover Solution: The PMS You Actually Need (how cute is that name?!).
I’ve shared my own results before, but today we’re diving into a real client transformation. For privacy, I’m calling her “Kat.” I’ll probably keep this “Case Study Kat” name for any future case studies, because I love a little cutesy touch.
Let’s get into it. I’m going to walk you through Kat’s journey from start to finish. First, I’ll share what she told me on her intake form. Then, we’ll look at her HTMA and DUTCH test results, go over my recommendations, and review her progress as she implemented her care plan. Finally, I’ll share a bit about where she is now.
When you sign up to work with me, the first step is an intake form. This is where I gather all the details: your history, symptoms, cycle, main goals, and what you hope to achieve.
Kat’s top three concerns were trouble sleeping, skin issues, and weight gain/weight loss resistance. She was postpartum, had a toddler at home, and wanted to prepare her body for a future pregnancy.
She struggled to stay asleep through the night and woke up feeling unrefreshed. She was already doing some workouts — Peloton once a week and strength training two to three times a week — and felt motivated.
Nutrition-wise, she had a good foundation and understood blood sugar balance, which is always so helpful. She described having a lot of stress but felt she had tools to manage it.
Her cycles were regular (around 24–26 days), with cramps rated about a 6/10. For PMS symptoms, she experienced bloating, mood swings, headaches or migraines, depression, trouble sleeping, breast tenderness, low energy, increased anxiety, and carb cravings. During her period, she had heavy bleeding. She wasn’t on any birth control and had no major medical diagnoses.
A sentence that really stuck out to me from her intake form was:
“I feel very tired a lot, and I’m sick of constantly gaining weight no matter how much I try to lose it.”
I think so many of us can relate to that.
The first thing we did was get her testing kits mailed out. Typically, clients get their HTMA results back first since it doesn’t need to be timed with the cycle, while the DUTCH test does.
HTMA Results:
All four of her macro minerals (calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium) were depleted. When this happens, it’s called a “four lows pattern,” showing a really depleted state that needs to be addressed first.
Most of her other minerals were also low. Only four out of 15 minerals were in a normal range; the rest were depleted.
Her copper was low, which is crucial for energy production. Her cobalt was so low it wasn’t even detectable, which flagged potential gut issues.
We also looked at her mineral ratios:
- Sodium/Potassium Ratio: This ratio helps us understand cellular function, especially for nutrient uptake and detox. Hers was low.
- Calcium/Potassium Ratio: Insight into thyroid function at the cellular level. Her ratio suggested her cells weren’t using thyroid hormone effectively, which can explain hypothyroid symptoms despite “normal” bloodwork.
- Sodium/Magnesium Ratio: Reflects adrenal function. Hers was so low it barely registered, indicating adrenal dysfunction and burnout — which made sense given her recent postpartum period and breastfeeding.
She also had a higher-than-typical uranium level in her heavy metals, suggesting possible environmental exposure, so we planned to support detox carefully.
DUTCH Test Results:
Her estrogen level was double the high-end range — clear and significant estrogen dominance. Interestingly, her progesterone was perfect, but because of the extremely high estrogen, she was still in an estrogen dominant state.
Her cortisol pattern was almost flatlined throughout the day. Instead of a healthy morning peak and gradual decline, her levels barely changed — a huge clue her adrenals needed support.
The organic acids section of her DUTCH test showed additional gut health red flags, further confirming the need for gut support.
Her Care Plan:
Sent on August 21st, her plan prioritized:
- Adrenal support.
- Gut support.
- Carefully lowering estrogen levels without crashing them.
She started a potassium cocktail, beef liver supplement for copper, and a binder to help her body eliminate toxins. We also focused on mineral baths, blood sugar balance, and stress resiliency tools — and made sure she actually used them consistently.
Check-Ins & Progress:
On September 15th (a few weeks into implementation), she rated her energy at 7/10 and shared:
“I realized this morning I’ve been sleeping all night! No more 3 AM wake-ups.”
By September 28th, she rated her energy at 8/10 and said she was feeling great.
When we wrapped up in November, she told me:
“I feel so much more in control than I did prior to working with you. My energy has improved, and I’m seeing my skin improve as well.”
A few weeks later, her weight stabilized and started to drop — and she later easily conceived her next baby when she was ready.
Final Thoughts:
This case study really highlights how important personalized care is. You don’t truly know what’s going on inside your body until you test.
I am currently accepting new clients into my 90-Day Period Makeover Solution, where we work together for 12 weeks. You get HTMA and DUTCH testing, weekly check-ins, and ongoing chat support — so you can stop letting your period run your life and start running your own life again.
The application link is in the show notes so we can chat and make sure I can help before you sign up.
If you’re not ready for that yet, check out my free 5-day Hormone Reboot Challenge (also linked).
Thank you so much for listening. Let me know if this case study format was helpful, and I’ll see you next time!
