http://www.drstephaniecowie.com/

Dr. Stephanie Cowie, Yorkville, ON (2026)

02/26/2026

Midlife hormone shifts post 35 for women can alter how we regulate our blood sugar causing anxiety. Thus, we need make sure our hormones are well supported and that our nutrition is promoting our sense of calm, not fueling more anxiety.

When it comes to just how linked food is to anxiety…
skipping meals back fires every time.

The longer you underestimate the impact of this the longer you will be held back. Breakfast literally is the most importantly meal of the day- see one of my recent reels on worst breakfasts for perimenopause.

It slows down your metabolism leading to repressed metabolic syndrome where you hold onto weight. It causes irritability, mood swings, low mood, exhaustion, brain fog and worsens food choices later on.

We want to front load our days with 30g protein rich meals and put fasting close to bedtime. You nail this down -everything changes regarding your mood, energy, mental clarity and weight.

Way too often women are experiencing anxiety, mood swings and fatigue as a result of not eating the right foods, in the right amounts, at the right times.

We need to evaluate your diet & lifestyle (sleep, hydration, bowel elimination) and labs first to see if dysregulated blood sugar & insulin, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, hormone imbalances, & gut microbiome imbalances is the cause of your discomforts. Because without addressing these things anxiety will always be at the forefront and feeling calm out of reach.

Therapy (EMDR, hypnotherapy, talk therapy, somatic therapy), tapping, journaling, time in nature, taking breaks - are always helpful and they work really well when you are also addressing the diet, lifestyle and internal imbalances pieces.

If you’re a 35-65 yr old woman who’s ruled by hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, anxiety, irritability, fatigue, mood swings, brain fog, bloating & or vaginal dryness- and you crave feeling like your empowered self and love the way you feel - book a FREE clarity call (link in bio)

02/15/2026

Many women 35+ start to normalize lack of sleep bc:

1. Hormonal fluctuations (estrogen and progesterone) can affect sleep- causing trouble falling asleep and or night time waking (either to p*e, because of heat or for overthinking)

2. Hormonal fluctuations can also impact blood sugar and insulin regulation when if dysregulated cause night time waking and worsen night sweats.

3. Women try to take revenge on their lack of personal time in the day by recouping that time by staying up late (scrolling, watching tv, doing chores)

4. They drink more alcohol which worsens sleep.

But sleep troubles or less sleep should never be normalized. Sleep is the only time the body repairs. Lack of 8 hrs of sleep does the following:

1. Impairs glucose tolerance - means you have worsened ability to control your blood sugar the next day, it leads to lower energy and poor food choices the next day- all of which can further weight gain

2. We know that those that get less than 7hrs sleep have a tendency to a higher starting weight and put on weight faster

3. Messes up your circadian rhythm leading to worsened irritability, and anxiety

4. You get way less cellular repair leading to worsened joint pain and inflammation.

5. Leads to increases in depression and mood swings

6. Worsens cognitive function and brain fog causing the brain to work slower.

7. Increases risk for disease

Sleep is the universal health provider.🤩🤩 You need 8 hrs at every age! When you get optimal 8 hrs/night you age more slowly, have better mood, energy, mental clarity, skin, digestion and weight management.

And no melatonin isn’t the only solution. Hormones need to be optimized. Blood sugar and insulin needs to be regulated. Nervous system needs to be supported. Proper sleep hygiene and routine etc.

Lack of sleep isn’t the only thing behind weight, mood and mental clarity but it is a big piece.

If you’re in your late 30s or 40s and experiencing trouble sleeping, low mood, anxiousness, irritability, fatigue, brain fog, vaginal changes, night sweats and or new onset belly- and want to feel like your empowered self again- comment “training” below and I will reach out with my FREE hormone training

02/03/2026

Hormone therapy isn’t well understood by so many practitioners. And if they’re not up to date on research they end up relying on outdated information and misguiding you.

I prescribe a lot of hormones in my practice because they are a form of preventative medicine that boosts a woman’s quality of life and reduces her disease risk.

I believe when women get the health support they deserve they change the world.

Keep in mind, what your friend or mom or colleague did or didn’t do with regard to their hormone health doesn’t apply to you. You all have different health histories, risk factors, genetics & need differing prevention strategies. It’s worth having a personalized hormone discussion with a practitioner well versed in hormones to know your options.

We have receptors throughout our body and on just about every tissue for estrogen. It’s vital to optimal health. And when it declines we see discomforts and disease soar!

Hormones are also not the holy grail to all symptoms. While they are incredibly helpful there are lots of other pieces to women’s health that need to be addressed. We also have to manage and support gut health, liver health, nutrition, lifestyle habits, movement/exercise, hydration, mitochondrial & immune supports as well as working on her nervous system and stress response.

I do a thorough health history, lab work, risk calculation, risk and benefit analysis and review the most up to date research with each patient to ensure they are a suitable candidate for hormone therapy.

If you’re a women between 35-65 who feels lost and craves a supportive approach to address your night sweats, trouble sleeping, low mood, anxiousness, fatigue and persistent bloat - so you can feel empowered and like yourself again- book a clarity call (link in bio)

01/27/2026

Feeling tired is common. And yes a big part of that is the isolated society we lived in. Isolation and lack of a village to help raise a family puts a huge demand on parents. So outsourcing becomes paramount to recoup energy- be it daycare, hiring a cleaner, food delivery services, ordering groceries, carpooling, having grandparents/babysitter/nanny help etc.

Your energy is also a reflection of the level of peace in your life. Peace comes from choosing your partner wisely (someone who loves, respects, supports and helps you) not someone you’re resenting, doubting, dragging, mothering, or doing everything for. Peace also comes from going to bed early and not unnecessarily staying up late. Peace moreover comes from carving out time for things that bring you joy.

But parenting, aging, being busy don’t explain the fatigue that most women are feeling. They may be contributors. But they are rarely the only source. Exhaustion persists because many of the 12 reasons listed in the post above aren’t tested or treated for properly. This is why this is a big part of my practice.

We test for all of the above, with optimal ranges in mind and then create a step by step plan for patients to target all of the above so that they can connect with more energy and more mental clarity. Know the more burnt out you are the longer it takes to restore your energy.

Most of my patients are so consistent with their plans and they reap the energy benefits. But if I create a treatment plan and you can’t care enough for yourself to put yourself to bed earlier, avoid filling every free minute with scrolling, follow your nutrition recommendations, consistently take your supplements you will sabotage all of our efforts to increase your energy. Because you’re failing to put proper gas in the tank. You’re depleting more than you’re filling.

If you’re in your late 30s or 40s and experiencing trouble sleeping, low mood, anxiousness, irritability, fatigue, brain fog, vaginal changes, night sweats and or new onset belly- and want to feel like your empowered self again- comment “training” below and I will reach out with my FREE hormone training

01/16/2026

Unequal division of labor in the home = one of the biggest contributors to female burnout.

If you want to spike a woman’s cortisol or incite perimenopausal rage, show her a husband that comes home to nap/ watch tv/game while she comes home to start her second shift (aka managing the home and children) after working as a stay-at-home-mom or at her job all day.

And it’s not just blaming men. She has to ask herself “How did I participate in the creation of this unequal dynamic?”- did you marry someone you wanted to “caretake or fix”, did you absorb all of the tasks out of your need for control or “things done your way” or did you both have unequal expectations of timelines for things causing you to complete everything. Either way both parties have to take accountability.

Most men will say they want some version of a family. But do they actually want to participate as a husband and furthermore as a father. That’s important to know before creating families.

Women are often wearing all of the hats whether this was because they thought this was expected, they saw it as a way to earn love, they saw themselves as a failure or undesirable otherwise, they taught ppl to put them last, and bc society has continually put their needs and wants last. Either way wearing all the hats is unsustainable.

You couple this with her tendency to overthink, catastrophize, worry, be an overachiever/perfectionist- you will just watch the light drain out of her. She will become so depleted and burnt out.

Women wonder why they have no libido or energy. Part of it can be related to many health conditions (deficient hormones or nutrients, dysregulated blood sugar, poor sleep, poor diet, high inflammation) but the bigger part is doing it all and thinking of s3x as an added chore, instead of added pleasure & source of connection.

If you’re a 35-65 yr old woman who’s ruled by exhaustion, brain fog, anxiety, mood swings, trouble falling/staying asleep, bloating, digestive issues, high stress, hot flashes, night sweats, bloating and or vaginal dryness- and you crave feeling like your empowered self and love the way you feel - book a FREE clarity call (link in bio)

12/24/2025

Most of these items were around in the 1980s-early 90s so to have been old enough to use them back then would be women who are now in their late 30s onwards.
Perimenopause occurs as ovulatory function declines leading to inconsistent ovulation and eventual anovulation (no ovulation). So while perimenopause is not defined by having been old enough to use the items above in their hayday 😂😉 or by age it usually affects women between their late 30s and early 50s and lasts for 10+ years.

Not knowing what the symptoms of perimenopause are or when to expect it leaves you open to being hormonally hijacked. Meaning all these changes start happening and you don’t why or how to resolve them. Unfortunately, most medical providers have minimal training in perimenopause and menopause and thus your symptoms get further downplayed or ignored.

Most commonly reported symptoms:
▫️Exhaustion and lack of motivation
▫️Night sweats
▫️Hot flashes
▫️shorter or longer menstrual cycles w lighter/heavier bleeding
▫️Trouble falling and or staying asleep (night time waking, waking long before alarm)
▫️less tolerance for things, snapping, rage
▫️low mood
▫️anxiousness with racing heart
▫️Vaginal burning, dryness, irritation, pain with s*x
▫️Brain fog, forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating
▫️new belly w no change to diet or exercise
▫️ Muscle/joint pain
▫️headaches

lab testing can show inconsistent patterns during perimenopause.
However usually we see:
▫️FSH -elevated
▫️Progesterone -low or suboptimal
▫️Estradiol- can be elevated (as cycles start to stack on each other), fluctuating all over the place or plummeting
▫️cholesterol changes
▫️blood sugar & insulin changes
▫️possible increase in antibodies associated with new onset auto-immune conditions related to hormone changes

If you’re a women between 35-65 who feels lost and craves a supportive approach to address your night sweats, trouble sleeping, low mood, anxiousness, fatigue and persistent bloat - so you can feel empowered and like yourself again- book a clarity call (link in bio)

12/18/2025

Period cramps are due to an increase in prostaglandins (inflammatory compounds) but usually this is mild. Different conditions cause more intense menstrual pain and or ovarian pain such as fibroids, endometriosis, adenomyosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome. Thus if you have pain that warrants deeper investigation and treatment.

But if you have menstrual pain that warrants pain meds, heating pads, and or missing work/events then you need much deeper investigation and support. It is especially important for your comfort in the present but also for ensuring other hormonal states are not harder on you like perimenopause, and menopause. Many of the causes of menstrual pain are signs that you could experience greater hormone fluctuations in perimenopause meaning more pain, heavier bleeding, greater mood swings, more insulin resistance & weight gain, heightened exhaustion, greater headaches etc. So knowing your diagnosis, helps us know that you’ll need more perimenopausal support and helps us support you better in this hormonal roller coaster period. It ensures you don’t have struggle twice as much.

Many evidence based solutions exist. Don’t suffer when you don’t have to! DM me to become a patient.

If you’re a women who also feels lost in perimenopause/menopause and craves a supportive approach to address your trouble sleeping, exhaustion, brain fog, bloating, headaches, irritability, new onset anxiousness & low mood, joint pain hot flashes, night sweats, and or vaginal health - so you can feel empowered and like yourself again- book a clarity call (link in bio)

12/11/2025

Supporting one’s liver consistently in perimenopause and beyond is imperative if you want to;
* manage your weight with ease
* have healthy skin
* feel energized & not exhausted
* feel more calm, not the snappy, irritated version of yourself
* feel mentally clear
* lower inflammation & pain
* feel more uplifted
* be able to sleep better

the keys to optimal liver health:
* avoiding alcohol
* avoiding inflammatory foods- industrial seed oils, artificial dyes, gluten, dairy, sugar
* sleeping 8hrs/night
* drinking half your weight in ounces of water per day
* having 2-3 fully formed daily bowel movements
* moving your body daily- steps, weights, sweating
* hot and cold therapy
* reducing stress & building resilience
* liver loving foods- protein, herbs, vegetables, fruits
* high fibre to bind and eliminate toxins
* liver supportive supplements- necessary but varies depending on patient health history, symptoms, labs & needs

When looking at labs related to liver health the following are important and often missed:
* insulin glucose challenge
* hba1c
* liver enzymes
* CRP
* ESR
* Urate
* Free fatty acids
* B12
* Iron panel
* Ferritin
* Full thyroid panel
* Auto immune panel

I requisition extensive labs for every patient. And then I create a custom gut and hormone strategy for them to feel like themselves. Each treatment plan is varied in terms of liver support but each one has it as a critical component. Patients who aren’t’ consistent w their liver support don’t see nearly the seem results as those that are consistent.

If you’re in your late 30s or 40s and experiencing trouble sleeping, low mood, anxiousness, irritability, fatigue, brain fog, vaginal changes, night sweats and or new onset belly- and want to feel like your empowered self again- comment “training” below and I will reach out with my FREE hormone training

11/22/2025

Hormonal changes in women during their late 30s, 40s, and 50s, known as perimenopause, can lead to discomfort from fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels. Perimenopause is a neurological transition state that can mirror the symptoms of ADHD, making it crucial to identify their source. High levels of estrogen can increase insulin & low levels of estrogen can cause insulin resistance. Insulin resistance reduces dopamine receptor availability and dopamine transport mirroring ADHD symptoms. Thus if you notice cognitive changes in your 40s you need to get blood sugar & insulin, nutrient & mitochondrial, sleep and hormonal support. Many women are being falsely put on ADHD medications in their 40s instead of addressing their hormones.

The overlap:

1. Cognitive Difficulties:
- Low Estrogen: Memory issues, concentration problems.
- ADHD: Attention deficits, organizational challenges.

2. Emotional Dysregulation:
- Low Estrogen: Mood swings, heightened stress sensitivity.
- ADHD: Emotional instability, frustration.

3. Inattention:
- Low Estrogen: Reduced focus, task engagement difficulties.
- ADHD: Persistent inattention, careless mistakes.

4. Sleep Issues:
- Low Estrogen: Insomnia, disrupted sleep.
- ADHD: Sleep problems that exacerbate attention issues.

5. Stress and Anxiety:
- Low Estrogen: Increased anxiety from hormonal shifts.
- ADHD: Anxiety stemming from organizational struggles.

6. Low Self-Esteem:
- Low Estrogen: Feelings of inadequacy.
- ADHD: Low self-esteem from attention difficulties.

7. Relationship Challenges:
- Low Estrogen: Emotional fluctuations strain bonds.
- ADHD: Impulsivity and inattention cause misunderstandings.

Understanding whether your symptoms stem from low estrogen or ADHD is essential for effective treatment—estrogen therapy can mitigate cognitive decline, while ADHD medication targets dopamine pathways.

If you’re in your late 30s or 40s and experiencing trouble sleeping, low mood, anxiousness, irritability, fatigue, brain fog, vaginal changes, night sweats and or new onset belly- and want to feel like your empowered self again- comment “training” below and I will reach out with my FREE hormone training

11/08/2025

Taking a patient’s thorough history, combined with the extensive lab tests I order in my practice, allows me to develop highly effective strategies for helping patients feel their best.

Between the ages of 35-55 for women so many changes happen based on hormone fluctuations (since they affect every system in the body) that it’s important to do extensive lab work often during this time. Otherwise changes happen and you don’t know why you’re suddenly struggling. Once in menopause we don’t need to measure s*x hormones.

When we review their lab results, 99% of my patients find themselves overwhelmed with joy, often moved to happy tears. Many have never experienced such comprehensive lab work or received a detailed, line-by-line explanation that connects all aspects of their health as I do. This process empowers them to finally understand what has been holding them back and outlines a clear, step-by-step plan for improvement.

Numerous factors can influence lab test results, including the time of day the test is conducted, the stage of the menstrual cycle, and whether the patient is fasting. I ensure my patients receive clear instructions on all these variables. Additionally, I focus on reviewing lab results with optimal ranges in mind, rather than just the standard ‘normal’ ranges.

During perimenopause, it’s common to feel as though your body is betraying you. By identifying the specific changes taking place, we can better support you in regaining a sense of normalcy and well-being.

I utilize lab results to guide the selection of appropriate supplements and hormone prescriptions, as well as to recommend dietary and lifestyle changes tailored to each individual’s needs.

If you haven’t been properly assessed or given a customized strategy and you’re just trying to DIY your health w random online products you’ll end up wasting more time, energy and money.

If you’re a women between 30-65 who feels lost and craves a supportive approach to address your persistent bloat, trouble sleeping, low mood, anxiousness, burnout, mental fog, hot flashes/night sweats and vaginal dryness- so you can feel empowered and like yourself again- book a clarity call (link in bio)

10/18/2025

Hormone therapy isn’t well understood by so many practitioners. And if they’re not up to date on research they end up relying on outdated information.

Other areas where bio-identical hormone therapy can provide benefit:

- Lower cardiovascular disease risk when taken within 10 years of menopause onset(cardiovascular disease being the number one killer of women). Early menopause is associated with greater cardiovascular disease risk, premature atherosclerosis and increased cholesterol.

- preventing bone loss and osteoporosis- which carry a high risk of early mortality

-reduce brain fog, memory troubles, improve decision making and prevent cognitive decline when initiated early but has neutral effects on cognition when initiated post menopause.

-reduce joint pain and headaches- estrogen modulates pain and inflammation

-improve skin elasticity and firmness

-improve vaginal comfort reducing itching, dryness, pain with in*******se, improved blood flow and lubrication

-prevent UTIs and help with urinary incontinence

-reduce certain type of cancer risk, eg colon cancer

Hormone therapy requires a well trained practitioner that understands hormones.

Hormones are also not the holy grail to all symptoms. While they are incredibly helpful there are lots of other pieces to women’s health that need to be addressed. We also have to manage and support gut health, liver health, nutrition, lifestyle habits, movement/exercise, hydration, mitochondrial & immune supports as well as working on her nervous system and stress response.

I do a thorough health history, lab work, risk calculation, risk and benefit analysis and review the most up to date research with each patient to ensure they are a suitable candidate for hormone therapy.

If you’re a 35-65 yr old woman who’s ruled by exhaustion, brain fog, anxiety, mood swings, trouble falling/staying asleep, bloating, digestive issues, high stress, hot flashes, night sweats, bloating and or vaginal dryness- and you crave feeling like your empowered self and love the way you feel - book a FREE clarity call (link in bio)

10/05/2025

All of the following really apply to all women. They become even more critical when hormones start to become erratic during perimenopause (not defined by age but can affect women between 35-55) and when they plummet in menopause.

Food can exacerbate or reduce hormonal symptoms by influencing gut health, blood sugar and insulin, cortisol levels, nutrient status etc. That being said even the healthiest of diets can’t bring up low hormones those need extra support on top of diet and lifestyle shifts.

I help patients navigate the necessary changes to their nutrition, lifestyle habits, stress response, hormone and gut health to make their lives so much easier. Life is a lot harder when up against hormone imbalances, gut inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, high nervous system stress, sleep troubles etc.

With the right support we can make 35+ your best years yet. Tired of all the guessing? Want extensive lab testing? Crave a customized strategy where you aren’t wasting time and money on things that don’t apply to you- then book a free clarity call to see if my approach is right for you.

If you’re a women between 30-65 who feels lost and craves a supportive approach to address your persistent bloat, trouble sleeping, low mood, anxiousness, burnout, mental fog, hot flashes/night sweats and vaginal dryness- so you can feel empowered and like yourself again- book a clarity call (link in bio)

Dr. Stephanie Cowie

02/26/2026

02/15/2026

02/03/2026

01/27/2026

01/16/2026

12/24/2025

12/18/2025

12/11/2025

11/22/2025

11/08/2025

10/18/2025

10/05/2025

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share

Category