767. The Truth About Fatigue, Cortisol, and Adrenal Health

If you are exhausted all the time and can't figure out why, this episode is for you. Today I'm breaking down the real truth about adrenal health, cortisol, and fatigue, and why so many women feel stuck, dismissed, or confused when it comes to their energy.

Fatigue is not one thing. It is not always just stress, and it is definitely not something you should be told to "just push through."

One of the most frustrating things about fatigue is that so many symptoms overlap. Low energy can come from nutrient deficiencies, blood sugar instability, thyroid dysfunction, estrogen or progesterone imbalance, adrenal dysfunction, or cortisol issues. This is why guessing rarely works.

When women ask me:

• Why do I feel like this?

• Are my adrenals burned out?

• Is my cortisol too high or too low?

• Why does nothing I try actually fix this?

The answer is not a guess. The answer is data.

This is one of the reasons I love the DUTCH test so much. It shows us what your body is actually doing with cortisol, not just a single snapshot in time.

I recently reviewed a DUTCH test for a woman whose main concern was low libido. She had tried every testosterone supplement out there and even changed her workouts to boost hormones. Her testosterone looked great. The real issue was her cortisol and adrenal function.

This is incredibly common. Cortisol issues can shut down libido, energy, motivation, sleep, and even weight regulation, especially in women.

High Cortisol vs Poor Cortisol Clearance

Sometimes fatigue comes from producing too much cortisol. Other times, it comes from the body being unable to clear cortisol effectively. The DUTCH test shows us both.

• Elevated cortisol production can look like feeling wired but tired, anxious, inflamed, unable to sleep, or constantly on edge.

• Poor cortisol clearance can lead to puffiness, brain fog, inflammation, weight gain, hair loss, and a sense that stress just keeps piling up.

These require different strategies, and this is where personalized care matters.

Why Lifestyle Has to Be Part of Healing

If someone is helping you with hormones but never asks about your sleep, stress, digestion, or daily life, you are not getting full care.

Sometimes healing looks like:

• Supporting cortisol regulation with adaptogens and targeted herbs

• Improving protein and mineral intake

• Fixing sleep timing and consistency

• Supporting liver, gut, lymphatic, and kidney clearance

• Learning how to stop living in constant survival mode

And sometimes the most powerful changes are surprisingly simple, but only once you know exactly what your body needs.

How We Actually Fix This

Once we know what's going on, the next question is always: "Okay, what do I do about it?"

This is exactly what we do inside The Hormone Foundations Program.

This is a six-month, one-on-one program where we:

• Run a DUTCH test at the beginning

• Create a fully personalized plan based on your results

• Adjust support as your body changes

• Address adrenal function, cortisol production, and clearance

• Re-test at the end so we can compare and confirm progress

There is no cookie-cutter timeline. We focus on what your body needs, not what a generic schedule says you should work on.

This is our most popular program for a reason. It gives you answers, a plan, and support every step of the way.

Join the Hormone Foundations Program: https://drbethwestie.com/hormone-foundations-program/

Not sure? Book a Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/dr-beth-westie/program-discovery-call