Episode 356: Perimenopause, Hormone Testing and HRT Myths Debunked with Jordan Potts

Did you know a normal lab result and an optimal one are not the same thing, and that gap might be why you still don't feel like yourself? In this episode, host Erin Kerry sits down with Jordan Potts, a nurse practitioner specializing in women's hormones, metabolism, and gut health, to unpack the most common perimenopause myths keeping women stuck and dismissed. Together, they discuss why "normal" labs don't rule out perimenopause, how early symptoms can start in your mid-to-late 30s, the outdated research still shaping hormone therapy conversations today, testosterone's role in women's health, vaginal estrogen safety after breast cancer, and why anxiety medication is often prescribed before anyone checks hormones at all. You'll also learn why the Women's Health Initiative study that shaped decades of HRT fear was more biased than most providers realize, how progesterone decline can show up as sudden anxiety or racing thoughts with no history of anxiety at all, and why birth control and bioidentical hormone therapy are not interchangeable, even when providers say they are. Whether you've been told your labs are fine and still don't feel right, you're in your late 30s or 40s wondering if this could really be perimenopause already, you've been prescribed an SSRI without anyone mentioning your hormones, or you're trying to figure out if HRT is worth exploring for you, this conversation offers real clarity and permission to ask better questions at your next appointment. Links Mentioned: * Jordan Potts / Graceful Health and Wellness — gracefulhealthandwellness.com * Graceful Health and Wellness on Facebook and Instagram * Join Erin's email list: https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/email-list * Nutrition for Perimenopause course (use code PERI20 for $20 off): https://erinbkerry.mykajabi.com/nutrition-for-perimenopause