Perimenopause Decoded: What’s Normal, What’s Not, and What to Do About ItPerimenopause Decoded: What’s Normal, What’s Not, and What to Do About It
Healthy YOU!
Mood swings. Restless nights. Feeling off without a clear reason. For many women in their late 30s to 40s, these changes may be linked to perimenopause. In this episode of Healthy YOU, host Frankye Myers sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Lunsford, board-certified OB-GYN, to talk through what’s really happening during this stage of life—what’s normal, what’s not and when it may be time to seek care.
32:18•31 Mar 2026
Perimenopause Decoded: Hormone Chaos, Real Symptoms and Real Solutions
Episode Overview
- Perimenopause can begin as early as the mid-30s and can last from one to ten years, with symptoms ranging from hot flushes to anxiety, joint pain and erratic cycles.
- Family history, nicotine use and past gynaecological surgeries are key factors that can bring menopause on earlier.
- Assessment works best when symptoms, menstrual patterns and overall health (including vitamin D, B12 and thyroid levels) are looked at together, rather than relying on a single hormone test.
- Nutrition, strength training, quality sleep, limiting alcohol and building strong social connections are core tools for easing symptoms and supporting long-term health.
- Options from supplements to contraceptives, non-hormonal medicines and bioidentical hormone therapy can be combined to create a plan that fits each woman’s needs and risks.
“You are not broken. You are not going crazy. You should not be gaslighted.”
How do people manage co-occurring mental and physical health issues while recovering their sense of self? This conversation on Healthy YOU! zooms in on perimenopause, that confusing stretch of years when hormones start shifting long before periods fully stop. Host Frankye Myers chats with Dr Elizabeth Lunsford, a board-certified OB-GYN and certified menopause practitioner, who spends much of her clinic time helping women make sense of changes in their 30s and 40s.
She explains that symptoms can show up much earlier than many expect: hot flushes and night sweats, sure, but also anxiety, joint pain, ringing in the ears, heavier or erratic periods, sleep problems and weight gain. As Dr Lunsford puts it, hormones in perimenopause can feel like “the zone of chaos.” You’ll hear how family history, nicotine use and past surgeries can shift the timing of menopause, and why lab tests alone rarely tell the full story.
Instead, Dr Lunsford looks at the whole picture: menstrual changes, mood, sleep, and underlying issues such as low vitamin D, B12 or thyroid problems. There’s plenty of practical advice too. Food gets serious billing – “food is medicine” – with a push towards protein, vegetables, fibre and cutting back on added sugar, refined carbs and alcohol. Strength training, earlier bedtimes and prioritising community and relationships all come up as core pillars of health during this stage.
Treatment options run from simple supplements like cruciferous veg or certain gummies, through non-hormonal medicines, to carefully chosen hormone therapies such as progesterone at night or skin-based oestrogen. Throughout, Dr Lunsford stresses that “you are not broken” and you’re not supposed to white-knuckle your way through feeling miserable.
If you or someone you care about has wondered, “Is it stress, age, or something else?” this conversation might be the nudge to ask new questions and book that overdue chat with a trusted clinician.
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