http://rootedhealthandwell.com/

Rooted Health and Wellness-Indiana, Columbus, IN (2026)

02/20/2026

Many women are told they’re “just stressed.”
Or that anxiety is the new normal.

But often, what looks psychological… is hormonal.

Progesterone deficiency is extremely common, especially in:
• Perimenopause
• High-stress lifestyles
• Postpartum
• After long-term hormonal birth control
• Women with irregular or anovulatory cycles

Progesterone isn’t just a reproductive hormone. It plays a critical role in the brain.
Progesterone supports GABA- the primary calming neurotransmitter.
When progesterone drops, the nervous system can feel overstimulated.

And this is where symptoms get mislabeled.

02/19/2026

Every night, like clockwork, you’re wide awake at 3 am... Sound familiar?

Here are the most common root causes:

😵‍💫 Cortisol Spikes
Your cortisol should be lowest at night and rise gradually toward morning.
Chronic stress can disrupt this rhythm, causing a surge in the middle of the night

🍰 Blood Sugar Drops
If your blood sugar dips too low overnight, your body releases adrenaline and cortisol to bring it back up... which wakes you up.
Common signs:
• Waking anxious or with racing thoughts
• Night sweats
• Restlessness

📉 Progesterone Decline
Progesterone has a calming, GABA-supporting effect on the brain.
In perimenopause and menopause, declining progesterone can make it harder to stay asleep

😰 Thyroid Imbalance
An overactive or poorly regulated thyroid can increase nighttime alertness and heart rate.

This isn’t “just stress.”
It’s often a signal your hormones and metabolic health need attention.

We evaluate:
• Cortisol patterns
• Full thyroid panels
• S*x hormones (including progesterone)
• Fasting insulin & glucose
• Inflammation markers

If you’re waking up every night and not getting answers, we can help you identify what your body is trying to tell you. Through comprehensive lab work and personalized care, we help you find clarity - and back to a full night of rest.

02/16/2026

After workouts, you’re still sore, exhausted, inflamed… and not seeing results?
If your body isn’t bouncing back, something deeper may be to blame.

Here are some overlooked reasons you may not be recovering well:

1️⃣ You’re Under-Fueling
If you’re not eating enough protein or total calories, your body doesn’t have the raw materials to repair muscle.
Undereating = stalled progress + elevated stress hormones.

2️⃣ Your Cortisol Is Too High
Chronic stress + intense workouts can keep cortisol elevated, slowing muscle repair and increasing fat storage.

3️⃣ Poor Sleep Quality
Deep sleep is when growth hormone is released and tissues repair. If you’re waking up at 3am or not getting restorative sleep, recovery suffers.

4️⃣ Micronutrient Deficiencies
Low magnesium, iron, vitamin D, zinc, or B vitamins can impair muscle contraction, energy production, and tissue repair.

5️⃣ Inflammation Is Elevated
Chronic inflammation (often from gut imbalance, stress, or blood sugar swings) delays recovery and increases soreness.

6️⃣ Hormones Are Imbalanced
Low testosterone (yes, even in women), low estrogen, or thyroid dysfunction can significantly impact muscle repair and strength gains.

If you’re training hard but feeling stuck, it may not be your workout plan...

We can help with:
• Comprehensive lab testing (nutrients, thyroid, inflammation markers)
• Hormone testing & optimization
• IV therapy for recovery & micronutrient support
• Red light therapy for inflammation + tissue repair
• Metabolic & nutritional guidance

Your body should feel stronger with training, not more depleted.

02/14/2026

Valentine’s Day often focuses on romance.
But behind connection, bonding, and intimacy is a powerful hormone: oxytocin.

What Oxytocin Does in the Body:
❤️ Supports bonding & attachment
❤️ Reduces cortisol (stress hormone)
❤️ Lowers blood pressure
❤️ Supports parasympathetic (calming) nervous system activity
❤️ Enhances trust & emotional regulation
❤️ Plays a role in libido and s*xual response
❤️ Supports labor, breastfeeding, and maternal bonding

Oxytocin can be negitively impacted by chronic stress, burnout, isolation, trauma, and hormone imbalances.
Estrogen helps regulate oxytocin receptors. This means during perimenopause and menopause, women may experience changes in bonding, libido, and emotional sensitivity partly due to shifting hormone dynamics.
Connection is biological... not just emotional.

💌 This Valentine’s Day, remember that supporting your hormones isn’t just about symptoms. It’s about how you experience relationships, stress, and joy.

02/13/2026

A recent health study found that postmenopausal women taking tirzepatide while also using menopausal hormone therapy lost significantly more weight compared with those taking tirzepatide alone.

As estrogen levels decline after menopause, changes in fat distribution, metabolism, appetite regulation, and energy expenditure can make weight loss more difficult. Hormone therapy appears to enhance the metabolic response to tirzepatide - potentially because estrogen influences appetite, glucose regulation, and how the body responds to incretin-based treatments like tirzepatide.

Source: The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Women's Health

02/05/2026

LDL cholesterol often gets all the attention when we talk about heart health, but it’s only one piece of a much bigger picture. 🧩

While LDL matters, research continues to show that the triglyceride-to-HDL ratio can be a stronger indicator of metabolic and cardiovascular risk. This ratio gives insight into how well your body handles fats, blood sugar, and inflammation (all key drivers of heart disease.)

High triglycerides paired with low HDL may signal insulin resistance, metabolic dysfunction, or chronic inflammation, even when LDL appears “acceptable.” On the flip side, balanced triglycerides and healthy HDL levels often reflect better cardiovascular resilience and metabolic health.

Heart health isn’t just about lowering one number, it’s about understanding how your body is functioning as a whole. That’s why we don’t focus on just one lab value, we look at trends, ratios, and the full picture, helping you understand your numbers and use them as tools for better long-term health.

❤️

02/04/2026

Estrogen plays a vital role in women’s health, because it supports brain function, bone density, cardiovascular health, skin elasticity, mood stability, sleep quality, and metabolic balance. When estrogen levels decline or fluctuate 📢 especially during perimenopause and menopause... many women feel the effects quickly.

When it comes to hormone therapy, how estrogen is delivered matters.

Oral estrogen must pass through the digestive system and liver before entering circulation. This process can alter hormone levels, impact liver enzymes, and increase variability in how much estrogen your body actually absorbs. For some women, this route works—but for many, it doesn’t provide consistent or optimal support.

Transdermal estrogen (applied through the skin) bypasses first-pass liver metabolism, allowing for more stable blood levels and individualized dosing. This method supports better absorption, fewer systemic effects, and easier dose adjustments based on symptoms, labs, and lifestyle factors.

Hormone therapy is far from one-size fits all. What works for one woman may be ineffective, or excessive, for another. Personalized dosing allows estrogen to support your body the way it’s meant to: restoring balance, not creating new imbalances.

02/03/2026

Energy isn’t just about how much sleep you got... or how much coffee you’ve had. Your daily energy patterns can offer valuable clues about what’s happening with your hormones behind the scenes.

⚠️You wake up tired, even after a full night’s sleep
This can point to cortisol being out of rhythm, low thyroid activity, or blood sugar instability overnight.

⚠️ You feel okay in the morning but crash hard in the afternoon
Often linked to blood sugar swings, insulin resistance, or adrenal stress (especially if energy depends on caffeine or sugar to rebound).

⚠️ You’re exhausted but wired at night
This is a classic sign of cortisol being elevated at the wrong time of day, making it harder to relax, fall asleep, or feel restored.

⚠️ Your energy drops right before your cycle (or fluctuates week to week)
Hormone shifts involving estrogen and progesterone can directly affect stamina, mood, and mental clarity, especially in perimenopause.

⚠️ You feel consistently low-energy, no matter what you do
This may reflect thyroid imbalance, low s*x hormones, nutrient depletion, or chronic inflammation.

This is a just another example of why annual lab testing matters - at any age. Whether you’re in your 20s, navigating perimenopause, postpartum, or well into midlife, knowing your baseline helps catch subtle shifts early and guide smarter decisions over time.

Energy is feedback. When you understand what your body is saying, you can respond in ways that actually move your health forward, instead of just masking the symptoms.

01/30/2026

With Valentine’s Day approaching, intimacy and connection tend to be on the mind, but for many men, stress may be quietly influencing libido more than they realize.

Ongoing stress increases cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. When cortisol remains elevated, it can interfere with testosterone production, blood flow, sleep quality, and overall energy. Over time, this can show up as reduced desire, lower stamina, or changes in performance (often without a clear explanation).

Libido isn’t just driven by hormones alone. Blood sugar balance, nutrient levels, thyroid function, nervous system health, and recovery all play a role. When the body is under constant strain, it prioritizes survival over reproduction, making intimacy harder to access.

❤️ Valentine’s Day can be a helpful reminder to check in with your health - not just for relationships, but for energy, confidence, and overall well-being. Supporting stress regulation and hormone balance can have a meaningful impact both physically and mentally.

If libido changes have been subtle but persistent, deeper lab testing and personalized guidance can help identify what’s happening beneath the surface and how to support it effectively.

01/29/2026

If your energy feels inconsistent throughout the day, the answer may not be more coffee... it may be better fuel. 🪫 Certain foods help stabilize blood sugar, support mitochondria (your energy producers), and prevent the crashes that leave you reaching for quick fixes.

Energy-boosting foods that actually help:
🥚 Eggs – Rich in B vitamins and protein to support sustained energy
🥑 Avocado – Healthy fats that stabilize blood sugar and prevent crashes
🥣 Steel-cut oats – Slow-digesting carbs that provide steady fuel
🍓 Berries – Antioxidants that support cellular energy and reduce inflammation
🥜 Nuts & seeds – Magnesium, zinc, and healthy fats for stamina and focus
🥬 Leafy greens – Iron, folate, and chlorophyll for oxygen delivery
🐟 Fatty fish – Omega-3s support brain energy and reduce fatigue
🍠 Sweet potatoes – Complex carbs + potassium for endurance
🧄 Garlic – Supports circulation and immune-driven energy

Pro tip: Pair protein + healthy fats with carbs to avoid the mid-day crash.

The goal with food isn't just to fill you up, it tells your body how to produce energy. Consistent nourishment throughout the day creates momentum your nervous system and metabolism can rely on.
Energy isn’t one-size-fits-all. If you’re still feeling fatigued despite “eating well,” personalized nutrition coaching can help identify what your body actually needs, whether that’s blood sugar support, nutrient repletion, or better meal timing. A guided plan can turn food into a consistent energy source, not a guessing game.
📞 812-297-8400

01/28/2026

Weight loss in the winter can feel harder and it’s not just about willpower. Shorter days, colder temperatures, hormonal shifts, and disrupted routines all impact metabolism, appetite, and energy levels. Understanding what your body needs during this season can help you work with it instead of against it.

Why winter weight loss can stall:
• Less sunlight can affect vitamin D, mood, and insulin sensitivity
• Colder temps increase comfort-food cravings
• Cortisol rises with holiday stress and poor sleep
• Movement often decreases without intentional planning

Winter isn’t the time for extremes, it’s the time for strategy. Small, consistent shifts now can make spring progress feel easier and more sustainable.

01/26/2026

In your 20s, your body is often resilient enough to “bounce back.”
In your 30s, 40s, and beyond? Subtle changes start happening quietly... long before symptoms feel obvious.

Annual lab work is so beneficial with tracking patterns over time: hormone shifts, nutrient depletion, blood sugar trends, inflammation markers, and metabolic changes that influence energy, weight, mood, sleep, and long-term health.

As we age, hormone production naturally declines, stress has a greater impact on the body, and nutrient needs change. Without consistent testing, these shifts can go unnoticed for years - until fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, or chronic symptoms start showing up.

Running the right labs annually allows you to:
• Catch imbalances early
• Adjust nutrition, lifestyle, or supplements proactively
• Support metabolism and hormones before symptoms escalate
• Make informed health decisions instead of guessing

The earlier you track your labs, the more control you have over how you feel ☀️ not just now, but years down the road as well!

Rooted Health and Wellness-Indiana

02/20/2026

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