5 Things I Was Doing That Sabotaged My Hormone Balance
What follows is a personal account from a Godley Clinic team member navigating perimenopause. While her story is her own, it reflects what we hear from women every day — and why we do what we do.
I didn’t realize my hormones were out of balance at first. Things just gradually stopped making sense — my mood, my sleep, my body. I kept trying to “fix” it with better habits, but nothing worked.
Then I started working at The Godley Clinic.
That’s when I began to understand what was really going on. Dr. Godley explained what no one else had: hormones don’t just drop. They shift, stall, spike, and scramble, and those changes ripple through everything from metabolism to mood.
It turns out, I was unintentionally making things harder. Here are five things I was doing that were quietly sabotaging my hormones — and what Dr. Godley recommends instead.
1. I Got Used To Being Dismissed
Ah yes, the medical equivalent of “Have you tried turning it off and on again?”
If you’ve ever been told your symptoms are “just stress,” “just aging,” or “nothing to worry about,” you’re not alone. I was told everything looked normal. So I started to believe that maybe this is just how getting older feels like.
What Dr. Godley recommends: If you feel off, trust yourself. Perimenopause symptoms are real, even if your basic labs say otherwise. At our clinic, we use advanced hormone testing and symptom mapping to uncover what traditional workups often miss.
2. I Didn’t Take My Rest Seriously
I think everyone understands the importance of sleep. But during perimenopause, it becomes essential. Poor sleep ramps up cortisol, your stress hormone, which throws off your entire hormonal ecosystem. When cortisol stays high, estrogen, progesterone, and even thyroid hormones can be affected. This contributes to everything from belly fat to brain fog.
What Dr. Godley recommends: Treat sleep like a non-negotiable part of hormone health. If sleep issues persist despite lifestyle changes, it's time to look at the root, often cortisol or progesterone shifts, and address it with personalized support.
A graphic from one of my favourite artists @britchida
3. I Treated Weight Gain Like a Willpower Problem
When I started gaining weight, especially around my belly, my first response was to double down. More cardio, stricter eating, longer workouts. I thought I just needed to push harder.
But instead of feeling better, I felt more drained. What I didn’t realize is that too much high-intensity exercise without enough recovery was spiking my cortisol and putting even more stress on my already sensitive hormone system. I wasn’t lazy or lacking willpower, my body was trying to tell me it needed something different.
What Dr. Godley recommends: Perimenopause calls for smarter movement, not just more of it. Think walking, strength training, and restorative workouts like yoga or Pilates that support metabolism without overloading your system.
4. I Followed Advice Meant for Someone Else’s Body
At one point, I was in a perimenopause support group asking, “Has anyone tried wild yam cream?” I was tired, uncomfortable, and not getting answers, so I turned to other women who were going through the same thing.
And while those communities can be supportive, I started following advice that wasn’t grounded in my body’s needs. I was tempted by supplements and creams that were labeled “natural”. What I didn’t know was how unpredictable many of those products are, and how easily they can throw your hormones even further off track.
Why it matters:
Without proper testing, self-treatment is just trial and error. What helps one person might make things worse for another.
What Dr. Godley recommends:
Don’t base your care on someone else’s biology. Dr. Godley emphasizes advanced hormone testing to understand exactly what’s going on in your body, so treatment is precise, safe, and more effective.
5. I Tried to Manage It All Alone
Even working at a doctor’s office, and having access to Dr. Godley, I still felt like I didn’t need help. I didn’t want to seem dramatic or needy, so I did my own research, tried supplements, and even made some impressive progress with how much I could deadlift. But nothing truly worked until I stopped guessing.
Why it matters:
Perimenopause is a whole-body transition. Without expert guidance, it’s easy to focus on the wrong problem — or miss what’s really going on underneath.
What Dr. Godley recommends: You don’t have to do this alone. Dr. Godley takes a full-spectrum, whole-person approach to hormone health — connecting symptoms, lab results, and clinical patterns to create a plan that works for you.
Book your consult in Vancouver or Abbotsford
Learning how hormones actually work, and having the support of a doctor who listens, changed everything for me. If any of this sounds familiar, you might be in the same place I was. Want to learn more about Dr. Godley’s Longevity Program? Book your consultation today in Vancouver or Abbotsford.
