Helen Stearns, DNP

03/17/2026

There is a lot of fear-based content circulating right now about oral progesterone... and I want to set the record straight. 🧬

Yes, oral micronized progesterone converts to allopregnanolone. That is actually a GOOD thing.

Allopregnanolone is neuroprotective. It supports your mood, your sleep, and your brain health. The research shows it may even help protect against Alzheimer's, not cause it.

The studies being cited to scare you? They used continuous IV infusions in mice for months at levels that never occur with normal oral dosing. That is not what happens when you take your progesterone at bedtime.

Here is what the evidence actually shows 👇
✅ Starting hormone therapy within 5 years of menopause may REDUCE Alzheimer's risk by 30 to 44%
✅ Micronized progesterone does NOT increase breast cancer risk (E3N cohort study)
✅ No increased blood clot risk
✅ No tolerance or receptor downregulation
✅ The dementia concerns you've seen? Those studies looked at synthetic progestins like Provera, not micronized progesterone

These are not the same thing. Formulation matters. Timing matters. Context matters.

Your hormone decisions deserve nuance, not fear. Save this post and share it with someone who needs it. 💛

womenshealth hormonetherapy brainhealth hrt helenstearnsdnp

03/16/2026

Monday Unfiltered 🎙️

Can we talk about something that really gets me fired up?

The number of women who come to me having been told that joint pain, mood changes, leaking, low libido, and dry skin are just… normal. That this is just what happens. That they need to accept it.

Here's what I want you to know: those symptoms are common - YES!

But COMMON doesn't mean inevitable, and it definitely doesn't mean UNTREATABLE!

Your body isn't betraying you. It's communicating with you. And you deserve a provider who speaks that language.

You do not have to live this way. There is another side to this, and women get there every single day with the right support.

👇 I'd love to hear from you — what's something you've been brushed off about at a doctor's visit? Share below. You're not alone.

And if you're ready to have a real conversation about what's going on with your body, my DMs are always open. 💛

You don't need to live the next 40 or 50 years feeling awful.

03/14/2026

So many exciting things to share with you!

Follow along for the ride, and join in 💜♀️💞

Today, 3/14: "Burnout Isn’t a Personal Failure: What Women’s Bodies Are Asking For Right Now"

If you can't make it in person , join the live IG at 2pm

Saturday 3/21: BALANCE documentary premiere screening

Last but not least, the best of all - soft launch of my new
THE MIDLIFE MEMBERSHIP concierge plan!! Women's Health and hormone care as it's meant to be. Collaborative, comprehensive, personalized, and ongoing. I am accepting a LIMITED number of new patients so I can take care of everyone WELL. Schedule a discovery call today to save your spot!

And don't forget - I'm licensed for ALL of CA, so if you have loved ones in OC, the Bay Area, or anywhere in our great state, I am happy to provide exceptional care to them too 💖

What are YOU excited about today? I'd love to hear 🙉!

03/14/2026

WE ARE NOT ANGRY ENOUGH.

For decades, PERI/menopause research has been ignored. Underfunded. Dismissed.

Which means millions of women (LIKELY YOU) have suffered unnecessarily with hot flashes, brain fog, insomnia, and mood swings... all while being told "it's just normal aging."

But these symptoms are highly treatable.

The research exists. The treatments work. But women have been left in the dark.

Until just recently.

I'm hosting a FREE screening of The Balance Documentary - on of the recently published films that's finally exposing the truth about Peri/menopause and why women's health has been ignored for so long.

📅 3/21, Saturday
🕐 1PM
📍 Mission Valley Library, San Diego
🎟️ FREE (but please RSVP)

After the screening, we'll have Q&A and conversation about what this means for YOU and how to get the care you actually deserve.

Swipe through to learn more. Then RSVP (link in bio) or comment "BALANCE" for details.

Bring a friend. Bring your mom. Bring anyone who's been dismissed or gaslit by the healthcare system.

It's time we all know the truth.
💚 Helen

Say good riddance to the patriarchy and misogyny.
Women deserve equal treatment.

Perimenopause Menopause FreeScreening MissionValleyLibrary KnowledgeIsPower

03/14/2026

WE ARE NOT ANGRY ENOUGH.

For decades, PERI/menopause research has been ignored. Underfunded. Dismissed.

Which means millions of women (LIKELY YOU) have suffered unnecessarily with hot flashes, brain fog, insomnia, and mood swings... all while being told "it's just normal aging."

But these symptoms are highly treatable.

The research exists. The treatments work. But women have been left in the dark.

Until just recently.

I'm hosting a FREE screening of The Balance Documentary - on of the recently published films that's finally exposing the truth about Peri/menopause and why women's health has been ignored for so long.

📅 3/21, Saturday
🕐 1PM
📍 Mission Valley Library, San Diego
🎟️ FREE (but please RSVP)

After the screening, we'll have Q&A and conversation about what this means for YOU and how to get the care you actually deserve.

Swipe through to learn more. Then RSVP (link in bio) or comment "BALANCE" for details.

Bring a friend. Bring your mom. Bring anyone who's been dismissed or gaslit by the healthcare system.

It's time we all know the truth.
💚 Helen

Say good riddance to the patriarchy and misogyny.
Women deserve equal treatment.

Perimenopause Menopause FreeScreening MissionValleyLibrary KnowledgeIsPower

03/13/2026

A patient THRIVING is THE BEST thing EVER!

My heart is so happy when my women are happy and seeing improvement in multiple areas of their lives.

What are some of YOUR midlife and Peri/menopause wins?!
Share in the comments below so we can celebrate with you!

03/12/2026

Nobody talks about THIS hormone — and it's costing you sleep, mood, and your mind.

Most women know estrogen. Some have heard of testosterone. But progesterone? It gets lumped in as "the uterus hormone" and promptly forgotten.

That's a problem. Because progesterone does so much more than protect your uterine lining; and the form you're prescribed matters enormously.

I see it in my practice every week. Women who come in exhausted, anxious, snapping at their families, lying awake at 3am wondering what happened to them.

Within weeks of starting bioidentical progesterone, the messages start coming in: I slept through the night for the first time in years. I feel like myself again. My husband is noticing the change too!

That's not a coincidence. That's biochemistry.
Here's what the research shows on PROGESTERONE:

🧠 It converts to allopregnanolone in the brain — the same calming pathway targeted by anti-anxiety medications. Better sleep. Less anxiety. No prescription sedative required.

💚 It's neuroprotective. It supports memory, cognition, and myelin repair. Synthetic progestins don't do this.

❤️ It preserves HDL cholesterol and doesn't carry the blood clot risk that synthetic progestins do.

🦴 It works alongside estrogen to protect your bones.

💊 Bio-identical micronized progesterone and synthetic progestins are not the same thing.

If you've been told your mood swings, poor sleep, and brain fog are "just menopause" or if you're on a synthetic progestin and feeling off, this article is for you.

It can be a total game changer to find a provider that understands hormone therapy. You deserve to understand your own hormones.

The full article is up on my website. I talk about progesterone's impact on every body system, the science behind it.

And if you want this kind of information delivered straight to your inbox, my newsletter goes out regularly with the things your doctor probably isn't telling you.

Comment below "INFO" and I'll make sure you're added to the list !

03/07/2026

Tinnitus Is Somehow Connected to a Crucial Bodily Function : ScienceAlert

Those who have never endured the relentless ringing of tinnitus can only dream of the torment.

03/06/2026

Want to see a glimpse of what it means to fight for women's equality, and health?

This is a moving and fascinating new documentary released TODAY on Paramount + in honor of International Women's Day ♀️

The Pink Pill is "Addyi" , a treatment for women suffering from HSDD or Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder. It's real. It's an imbalance of chemicals in your brain. And it's treatable.

I got the privilege of previewing this documentary at ISSWSH a few weeks ago - sitting with the very people and medical professionals that made this treatment possible. What an honor and humbling to see the passion and advocacy.

If you can, definitely watch it. Grab your popcorn and enjoy!

03/05/2026

“It’s just a heavy period.” “You’ll feel better once you have kids.” “It’s just part of the transition to menopause.”

If you’ve heard these phrases while clutching a heating pad in tears, you haven't just been ignored,you’ve been medically gaslit.

For many of the women I talk with, the "scar tissue" of endometriosis isn't just physical; it's the emotional weight of spending a decade (or more) fighting to be believed.

Endometriosis is a systemic, inflammatory disease.
It doesn’t care if you’re 22 or 52.
It doesn’t "vanish" with pregnancy, and it doesn't always go quiet at menopause. In fact, for many perimenopausal patients, the hormonal rollercoaster can often trigger some of the most aggressive flares of their lives.

Whether you are navigating this for yourself or holding space for your daughter as she starts her menstrual journey, please hear me: Excruciating period pain is NOT NORMAL.

As a dual-board certified DNP and hormone specialist, I am here to help be your "detective" and your advocate.
We don't wait for surgery to validate your experience. We start with your story, look at the evidence based 2026 diagnostic data, and build a roadmap that includes specialized excision referrals, pelvic floor restoration, and metabolic support.

You aren't "difficult." You aren't "low-pain tolerant."
You need an endometriosis expert in your wheelhouse.

👇 Comment "ENDO" below and I will send you 4 exact questions you need to ask a surgeon to ensure you get the gold-standard care you need.

Research & Resources
ACOG Practice Advisory (2026): Confirms clinical diagnosis is valid; pregnancy is NOT a treatment.

WHO Fact Sheet (Oct 2025): 1 in 10 global prevalence; 7–10 year average diagnosis delay.

The Lancet (2026): Persistence of symptoms into the post-menopausal transition.

Journal of Women’s Health Physical Therapy (2025): Efficacy of PFPT "down-training" for Stage III/IV Endometriosis.

International Pelvic Pain Society (2026): PFPT as first-line "Gold Standard" care.

Journal of Endometriosis and Uterine Disorders (2025): The "Estrobolome" and gut-hormone axis in Endo progression.

03/05/2026

Advocating for yourself can be really difficult in a healthcare system not designed for personalized care and where providers are forced into a time management model that puts patients on a fast moving assembly line of productivity RVU's.

Take a moment to BREATHE. Gather your thoughts and questions prior to your medical appointments - and WRITE THEM DOWN. Prioritize the things you want to discuss.

Comment "MORE" below for a few effective sentences you can say to your provider if you're not getting the help you need (and deserve)!

As always, here for YOU and for all women 💜🧡💙
Helen

02/27/2026

To the business woman who feels like she’s "glitching"... Wondering if she's "losing it"...THIS IS FOR YOU. 🔥

You’ve built a business. You’ve raised a family. You’ve managed the chaos for years with a "fire" and a focus that everyone admired.

But lately, the fire feels like it’s being dampened by a persistent, heavy fog and fatigue.

Maybe it’s the 3:00 AM ceiling stare, where your brain solves "problems" and the anxiety heightens.

Maybe it’s the word-finding lag in a meeting or a simple conversation. That inexplicable moment where your "CEO brain" simply goes offline.

Or maybe it’s the "Rage Flash" over a minor email that leaves you feeling guilty, overwhelmed, irritable, and like a stranger to your own leadership style.

You TRULY are navigating through utter internal hormone chaos. When your hormones begin to fluctuate and drop, your brain’s energy metabolism can dip by up to 25%. It’s not a lack of ambition; it’s a neurotransmitter deficit.

But there is a "Second Act" waiting for you on the other side of the fog, - and this is TRUE. It’s clearer, fiercer, and more focused than ever.

Monday night, I'm diving deep into the science of the "Executive Upgrade" at the upcoming Women in Business event. We aren't just talking about "getting through" perimenopause; we’re talking about how to optimize your biology to make this next chapter of your business your best yet. DON'T MISS! YOUR BUSINESS WILL THANK YOU.

If you’re ready to reclaim your clarity, your energy, and your drive—I’ll see you there.

🔗 Link on last slide or comment "WIB" to Register!