Dr. Amy Hawkins ND, Wrightsville Beach, NC (2025)

07/25/2025

If you’re not sleeping, you’re not healing.
It’s one of the most foundational (and underrated) pillars of hormone health—especially during perimenopause.

Sleep helps regulate:
• Cortisol + stress response
• Blood sugar + metabolism
• Estrogen + progesterone balance
• Emotional resilience + nervous system repair

And when it’s disrupted? Everything feels harder.

Here are a few of my favorite sleep tools I use in practice (and life):
🌿 Passiflora – gently calms a racing mind
🧂 Magnesium glycinate or threonate – helps relax the body and quiet tension
🕶 Blue light blockers – protect melatonin production at night
🌙 Bioidentical progesterone – can be game-changing for sleep in perimenopause (if indicated)
🧘‍♀️ Meditation or breathwork – signals safety to the nervous system
📝 Journaling – to offload mental clutter before bed

✨ Better sleep isn’t about perfection—it’s about creating a routine that tells your body: “You’re safe now. You can rest.”

Save this post for your next sleepless night and follow for more evidence-based hormone support.

07/23/2025

If your period is stopping you from working…
From showing up for your life…
From feeling like yourself for a week (or more) every month—

That’s not normal.
It might be common.
But that doesn’t mean it’s okay.

Whether it’s PCOS, endometriosis, postpartum shifts, or the start of perimenopause—there’s always a reason your period is so disruptive.

✨ And no, you don’t just have to “wait it out.”
With the right support, your cycle doesn’t have to control your calendar—or your life.

Is this post resonating with you? Comment CALL to book your Alignment Call.

07/21/2025

If you’ve been beating yourself up for having no libido…

Take a deep breath.

There’s nothing wrong with you. You're having a normal response to stress.

When your nervous system is overwhelmed, low desire is one of the first things to go—and that’s not weakness, that’s evolution.

✨ You're overwhelmed and you're not "in the mood."

✨ You don’t need to try harder. You need more support.

House help. Kid help. Fewer things on your plate. Time to rest and restore.

And once your body feels safe again?

You can focus on more than just survival. That spark will come back.

Because for most women, libido is the icing on the cake—not the foundation.

Follow for more evidence-based hormone support.

07/17/2025

"Is HRT my only option?”

That’s what a lot of women ask when they bring up perimenopause symptoms.

And while HRT can be incredibly helpful—it’s not the only solution. In fact, it may not be the right fit for you, and that's ok.

✨ The truth?

There’s so much we can do to support your body in perimenopause—nutrition, botanicals, nervous system support, functional lab testing, and a stepwise plan that addresses your unique symptoms.

You deserve a plan that meets you where you are.

Not a one-size-fits-all prescription.

Save this post or share it with a friend who’s been told HRT is the only way.

✨ Follow for more evidence-based hormone support that feels like it was made for you.

07/16/2025

When it comes to perimenopause, there’s no one-size-fits-all herb.

But these are the herbal allies that I come back to again and again because they address different aspects of the hormonal shift so many women are navigating:

🌿 Black Cohosh – Often used for hot flashes and night sweats. It’s especially helpful when estrogen is dipping and symptoms are intense.

🌿 Vitex (Chaste Tree Berry) – Supports progesterone production and is great for PMS, irregular cycles, and that “hormonal roller coaster” feeling.

🌿 Motherwort – Calms the heart and nervous system. Helpful for anxiety, palpitations, and the emotional “edge” that can show up in midlife.

🌿 Maca – An adaptogen that supports energy, mood, and libido. Also wonderful for resilience and stamina (especially if you’re feeling depleted).

🌿 Shatavari – A nourishing, estrogen-balancing herb from Ayurvedic medicine. Great for vaginal dryness, fatigue, mood swings, and libido.

🌿 Rhodiola – Another adaptogen, this one’s known for supporting mood, cognition, and stress tolerance—without feeling overstimulating.

🌿 Ashwagandha – Supports the adrenals and nervous system. Calms anxiety, improves sleep, and helps you feel more grounded.

🌿 Passiflora (Passionflower) – Beautiful for sleep and anxious thoughts that keep you up at night. Gentle, relaxing, and safe for long-term use.

✨ Herbal medicine works best when personalized. Not every herb is right for every woman—but when matched well, botanicals can be incredibly effective and supportive.

Wanting to learn more? Comment CALL to book your Alignment Call.

07/11/2025

Feeling wired, overwhelmed, or like your nervous system is running the show?

Let’s start here:
✨ One breath at a time.

Box breathing is a simple, effective way to calm your stress response and signal safety to your body—especially during perimenopause, when your system is already doing a lot.

Here’s how to do it:
☐ Inhale for 4 seconds
☐ Hold for 4 seconds
☐ Exhale for 4 seconds
☐ Hold for 4 seconds
Repeat for 4 rounds (or more if it feels good).

This technique gently activates your parasympathetic nervous system (your “rest and repair” mode), helping with:
• Better sleep
• Less anxiety
• Improved mood + focus
• More hormonal resilience

✨ No supplements, apps, or fancy routines required. Just you, your breath, and a moment of reset.

Save this for when your day feels like too much. Or share with a friend who needs a calming tool that actually works.

07/07/2025

Feeling tired no matter how much you sleep?

Struggling to lose weight, dealing with fatigue, or noticing changes in your hair and mood?

Don’t brush it off.

These are classic signs of an underfunctioning thyroid—and the two most common times this happens to women?

✨ Pregnancy and postpartum

✨ Perimenopause and postmenopause

The frustrating part? Most women only get their TSH checked and are told they’re fine if it doesn't fall outside of the lab range.

Here’s what I check (at minimum):

→ TSH, free T3, free T4

→ Thyroid antibodies (TPOAb & TgAb)

→ Reverse T3

→ Selenium, iodine, and 25OH vitamin D

✨ You don’t have to settle for just TSH.

✨ You deserve a look at the full picture and consideration of how you actually feel.

Comment LABS and I'll send you my "Know Your Labs Guide," so you can stop guessing.

07/04/2025

We've just returned from a two-week California adventure that included eight days of camping, hiking, swimming, and soaking up the magic of Yosemite National Park.

This trip was literally a dream come true for me. I've been planning it for almost a year and dreaming of it for much longer. We were fully immersed in nature...no showers, no cell or internet service, no distractions...only the river, walls of granite, waterfalls, wildflower meadows, and family to fill our days.

I learned a few things over these two weeks...

I actually CAN go eight straight days without a shower and still feel amazing (cold river plunges are essential).

Nature heals. I already knew this, but this messy middle part of life is a lot and the distraction is real. I knew this trip would bring adventure and escape. I didn't expect the moments of pure joy that would fill my heart when the sun hit the meadow just right and the waterfall mist created rainbows above the wildflowers.

We all need to take some serious time away from the day-to-day. Like completely away. No phone. No internet. It's essential to have a digital detox and reset in today's fast-paced world.

Kids grow up so very fast and these experiences are essential if we want to instill in them a deep and meaningful connection to nature. The day-to-day lessons and normal life lay the foundation for that connection, but these awe-inspiring places really teach them how important it is to protect the wild places.

I need to up my gym game so I can keep doing things like this. I love hiking, outrigger canoeing, biking, and all sorts of outdoor movement...those are my preferred ways to get moving. But the last quarter mile of that uphill granite step climb to Nevada Falls inspired me to recommit to lifting heavy $h!t and working my a$$ in the gym because I want to do these things with my grandkids someday.

I hope everyone has an incredible summer. Whether your plans are big or small, we can all take a little time for deep connection to nature (even if it's just watching the waves roll in), a digital detox (even a single day), rest and recovery (hello nap time), and sharing it all with the ones we love the most. xoxo Dr. H

07/02/2025

Nutritional support and herbal protocols are powerful - but you know what really changes everything?

✨ Feeling seen.

✨ Being surrounded by women who get it.

✨ Having space to rest, laugh, cry, learn, and heal—together.

Isolation in midlife is real. And it's linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and burnout.

That’s why I co-created the (Peri)Menopause in Paradise Women's Retreat, coming up in November 2025.

It’s not just about getting away to Costa Rica—it’s about coming home to yourself, with a community of women who are walking through the same season.

We'll learn what’s really happening in your body, clarify what you need (no more guessing), and leave with a plan for nutrition, movement, herbal support, HRT, and deep nervous system restoration .

Want the scoop? Comment "RETREAT" and I'll pass along all the details. Healing happens faster when we do it together.

06/30/2025

You know what I always pack before a trip?

My naturopathic first aid kit.

Because when you're traveling with kids (or just your own immune system), there's no time for "I wish I had brought something."

Whether it's bug bites, belly aches, sore throats, or that mysterious rash that shows up at the worst time, this kit has saved me more times than I can count.

Here’s what I never leave home without:

✔️ Arnica cream or pellets (for bumps + bruises)
✔️ Wise Woman salve (for cuts, bites, rashes)
✔️ Bug bite stick (to stop the itch)
✔️ High-dose probiotics (no thank you traveler's diarrhea)
✔️ A throat gargle with echinacea + goldenseal (to stop a virus in its tracks)
✔️ A tummy tonic (to calm indigestion when you're eating on-the-go)
✔️ Ginger tea, chews, or capsules (for motion sickness)
✔️Sleep support (an herbal formula or melatonin to help with jet lag or less comfy sleep situations)
✔️ Genexa acetaminophen (my favorite "clean" dye-free pain reliever and fever reducer)

✨ This kit is easy to prep, fits in your carry-on, and makes you feel so much more at ease.

Comment "KIT" and I’ll send you a link to my full travel kit. Because naturopathic care doesn’t stop at the airport gate.

06/27/2025

If you’re in perimenopause and struggling with:

• Mood swings
• Feeling hangry before meals
• Brain fog + energy crashes
• Craving all the things after dinner
• Gaining weight around your belly

…it might not just be hormones.

It might be blood sugar.

Fasting insulin and HbA1c are two of the most important tests for women in midlife—and they’re rarely run in conventional care. But they give insight into early glucose dysregulation and metabolic shifts that can make your symptoms harder to manage.

Here’s what helps:
✨ Balanced meals with protein, fat & fiber
✨ A nervous system that doesn’t feel like it’s in survival mode
✨ Support that looks at the whole picture—not just a cycle chart

You deserve answers that make sense. And care that connects the dots.

👉Comment "LABS" and I'll send you a copy of my "Know Your Labs" guide so you can truly understand what your bloodwork is telling you.

06/23/2025

Your iron might be “normal”—but you still feel off.

Exhausted. Foggy. Short of breath walking up stairs.
Losing more hair in the shower than usual.

If your ferritin (your iron storage) isn’t above 60–80 ng/ml, your body might be running on empty—even if your doctor told you everything looks fine.

This is where deeper, functional care matters.

We don’t just ask “Is it in range?”
We ask “Is it optimal for how you want to feel?”

✨ You deserve to feel clear, calm, and strong in your body. And that starts with understanding what your labs are really telling you.

Save this post for your next lab review. Or share it with a friend who’s tired of being told she’s just tired.

📌Want answers that actually make sense? Comment "LABS" and I'll send you a free copy of my "Know Your Labs" guide.

Dr. Amy Hawkins ND

07/25/2025

07/23/2025

07/21/2025

07/17/2025

07/16/2025

07/11/2025

07/07/2025

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06/23/2025

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