Dr. Amy Hawkins ND

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Dr. Amy Hawkins ND, Doctor, PO Box 1414, Wrightsville Beach, NC.

09/12/2025

If you’re doing intermittent fasting, when you eat might matter just as much as how long your eating window is.

New research shows that loading most of your calories earlier in the day — say, 8AM to 4PM — can improve metabolism, support hormone balance, and make weight loss easier compared to later eating windows.

Why?
✨ Your metabolism and insulin sensitivity are naturally higher earlier in the day.
✨ Eating earlier supports your circadian rhythm — the body’s internal clock that regulates sleep, digestion, and energy.
✨ You’re less likely to experience late-night cravings or blood sugar dips.

If you’ve been skipping breakfast and eating late into the evening but not seeing the results you want… it might be time to experiment with an earlier eating window.

📌 Save this post to reference before your next IF reset.

09/10/2025

If PMS has been hitting harder lately...mood dips,
bloating, breast tenderness, you’re not imagining it.

As you move into perimenopause, shifting hormone patterns (especially progesterone) can make PMS symptoms more intense.

One of my favorite supports for this phase? Vitex (Chaste Tree).

When taken in the second half of your cycle, it can:
✅ Support progesterone naturally
✅ Calm mood changes
✅ Ease breast tenderness and bloating

Every woman’s needs are different, so it’s important to make sure this is right for you and your unique hormone picture.

✨ You don’t have to dread half your month. Let’s get you feeling balanced again.

Comment “CALL” to book your free Alignment Call and get a plan that’s tailored to you.

09/08/2025

If the morning rush leaves you feeling tense or scattered, try this:

After drop-off, skip the extra coffee and take a walk outside instead.

Even 10 minutes in nature has been shown to calm the nervous system—reducing your “fight-or-flight” response and supporting steady energy, focus, and mood for the rest of the day.

You don’t need a hiking trail or an hour of free time. Just a little fresh air, some movement, and a moment to reconnect with yourself can change how the whole day feels.

✨ Share this with a friend who could use a morning reset.

09/05/2025

Have you been seeing everyone on Instagram wearing a weight vest for perimenopause and thought...is the hype worth it?

Research shows that weighted vests can make a difference for everyday movement and metabolic health.

When worn at about 11% of your body weight, they can:
✨ Reduce body fat percentage
✨ Shrink waist circumference
✨ Support metabolism by adding gentle resistance to walking or daily activity

They’re not for everyone (some people love them, others hate them), but if traditional strength training feels intimidating—or you want an easy way to add more to your movement—this could be worth exploring.

Your movement routine should work for you and your life stage. A weighted vest is simply another tool in the toolbox.

09/01/2025

If I had to pick one supplement I reach for most often in practice, it’s Ashwagandha.

This adaptogenic herb works on the HPA axis—your body’s stress response system—to help bring you back into balance.

✨ Why it’s a favorite:
• Calms a racing mind
• Supports mood, focus, and energy
• Helps ease the “wired and tired” feeling of burnout
• Supports early perimenopause by helping to boost progesterone

And here’s something most people don’t know:

💡 The best time to take Ashwagandha is at night—it helps your body settle into a restorative state so you wake up feeling more refreshed.

Your hormones, nervous system, and energy levels will thank you.

👉 Comment CALL to book your free Alignment Call and learn more about how I can help you thrive in midlife.

08/27/2025

Back-to-school season can feel like a whirlwind—packing lunches, shuttling kids, signing up for activities… and before you know it, there’s zero white space left for you.

Here’s your gentle reminder:
Time for you isn’t selfish. It’s essential.

Studies show that time spent in nature decreases your body’s stress response—lowering blood glucose, calming inflammation, and shifting your nervous system into a state where rest, digestion, and healing actually happen.

Whether it’s a solo walk, coffee with a friend, or a moment to read—add your name to that fall calendar. Your body, mind, and mood will thank you.

✨ Share this with a mom friend who needs this reminder today.

08/25/2025

If your morning starts with just coffee or a bagel, you might be setting yourself up for a blood sugar roller coaster—complete with energy crashes, irritability, and late-night cravings.

Here’s the thing: your first meal of the day sets the tone for your entire day.

When you give your body 25–30g of protein + healthy fats + fiber at breakfast, you’re creating steady energy, stable moods, and fewer “What’s in the pantry?” moments at 9 PM.

It’s not about perfection, it’s about giving your body the fuel it needs to show up for your day. Start tomorrow with a breakfast that works for you, not against you.

✨Follow for more dietary tips that support happy hormones.

08/22/2025

If you feel like your PMS, perimenopause, or mood symptoms are getting worse every month...

✨ Look at your stress load.

Because stress isn’t just emotional.

It’s chemical. It’s hormonal. It’s physical.

And it throws everything off.

When your nervous system is constantly in survival mode, your hormones can get out of balance.

Here’s the truth:

You can’t eliminate stress in the modern world.

But you can reset and rebuild —so your body doesn’t break down under the weight of it.

✨ And that’s where functional support makes all the difference.

Follow for more evidence-based hormone tips—and let's keep you healthy amid the hustle.

08/18/2025

One of my new clients came in feeling completely off.

She was overwhelmed. Snapping at her kids.

Running on caffeine and fumes by midday.

So we looked closer—and found the real issue:

She was practicing intermittent fasting, and it was not working for her nervous system or hormones.

Her blood sugar was crashing.

Her mood was on a rollercoaster.

Her energy was tanked by noon.
Her sleep was a mess.

✨ The fix? A simple breakfast with 25-30 grams of protein.

That one change gave her sustained energy throughout the day, better mood regulation, and more capacity to handle daily life.

Intermittent fasting isn’t “bad.”

But it’s not right for everyone—or for every season of life. Especially not when your hormones, metabolism, or stress levels are already stretched thin.

Your meals should support you.

Not make you feel like you’re barely hanging on.

Save this post as a reminder that how you eat matters just as much as what you eat. And your plan should always match your physiology—not someone else’s trend.

08/15/2025

If you're wide awake at 2 AM, staring at the ceiling while the rest of the house snoozes (or climbs onto your pillow), you're not alone.

There’s usually a reason—especially in perimenopause.

🌙 Cortisol spikes (stress, late night scrolling)

🌙 Blood sugar crashes (too many carbs, not enough protein)

🌙 Low progesterone (your calming, sleep-supporting hormone )

🌙 …or yes, maybe your toddler (or bed hogging dog)

Here’s the deal:

✨ Sleep impacts everything—mood, cravings, energy, weight, inflammation, memory.

✨ And if you're not getting good sleep, then your hormones will be struggling.

Let’s stop brushing off poor sleep as normal. You need your rest.

Follow for more evidence-based hormone support—and start sleeping like someone who doesn’t have to run on caffeine and cortisol.

08/13/2025

Feeling more snappy, tearful, or overwhelmed than usual?

You’re not a bad mom.

You’re likely depleted, dysregulated, and a little anxious.

Your nervous system and hormones are handling a lot.

And while breathwork, yoga, and meditation definitely help, sometimes your biochemistry needs a little more support.

Here are some of my go-to tools to restore calm and emotional resilience:

🌿 Passionflower – eases racing thoughts, helps with sleep

🌿 L-Theanine – supports calm and focus, especially when you need relief in the moment (it works fast)

🌿 Saffron – one of the best evidence-based herbs, especially for low mood

🧂 Magnesium – great for calming your nervous system and reducing muscle tension

🌿 Ashwagandha – my favorite adaptogenic herb that helps with stress, anxiety, and insomnia

🌿 Lavender – another one of the best evidence-based herbs, especially if you're tending more toward anxiety

🌙 Progesterone (when indicated) – calming, grounding, and essential in early perimenopause

✨ You’re not failing. You just need a little help.

Save this post for the days you need extra support—and share it with a mom who’s in the thick of it.

08/11/2025

If you're suddenly struggling with anxiety, don't be afraid to discuss it with your healthcare provider.

Anxiety is a symptom and it deserves investigation the same as any other symptom.

Some of the most common conditions that are seen with new onset anxiety are thyroid conditions (hypo or hyperthyroidism), blood sugar issues (hyper or hypoglycemia), cardiac arrhythmias (usually supraventricular tachycardia), anemia or iron deficiency, hormonal shifts, and side effects of medications.

That's why anxiety as a standalone diagnosis should only be the answer when other conditions have been ruled out.

Ask for care that asks better questions, looks at the right labs, considers your story, and considers the "why" behind how you feel.

Like and share with a friend who could use some answers.

Address

PO Box 1414
Wrightsville Beach, NC
28480

Telephone

+19103675150

Website

http://www.drhawkinsnd.com/

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