What The Peri? - With Kirsten Cooke Mon, 27 Jul 2026 00:24:21 -0400 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2629618 en-au © 2026 What The Peri? - With Kirsten Cooke yes a979877d-d9a5-5084-9f92-22b70342ec01 Kirsten Cooke episodic false You're not going crazy. You're not broken. And no — it's not "just stress."


Somewhere in your 40s or 50s, your body starts doing things nobody warned you about — the weight that won't shift, the broken sleep, the brain fog, the anxiety from nowhere, the feeling that you've lost yourself. And when you finally go looking for answers, too often you're dismissed, brushed off, or sent away still confused.


What the Peri? is the podcast for women navigating perimenopause and menopause who are done being dismissed and just need someone to make it all make sense. Each episode cuts through the noise, the myths and the medical gaslighting — with honest conversations, real science, and plain-English answers about your hormones, your symptoms, and what actually helps.


I'm Kirsten Cooke — a personal trainer, women's health coach, perimenopause and menopause coach, and mum of four. I'm not talking to you from the outside looking in; I'm walking this road myself. These are the conversations I wish someone had sat me down and had with me years ago.


You are not imagining it. It is not your fault. And you are not alone.


The change you didn't ask for. The conversations you need. 


Follow now so you don't miss an episode.

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Kirsten Cooke https://storage.buzzsprout.com/v76c4qtp1l246hqpu79dzaiw7med?.jpg What The Peri? - With Kirsten Cooke https://www.buzzsprout.com/2629618 HRT Debunked - What the Science Actually Says (and Why It Matters for You) (Ep 3) HRT Debunked - What the Science Actually Says (and Why It Matters for You) (Ep 3) If the words "hormone replacement therapy" make you nervous — you're not alone. For over twenty years, women have been quietly suffering, too frightened to even consider HRT because of something they half-remember hearing: that it's dangerous, that it causes cancer, that it's doing something artificial to the body.

I've lived that fear and confusion myself — told by one practitioner HRT was dangerous, by another that it was essential; put on it, taken off it, and put back on again.

So this week, we're setting the record straight. What HRT actually is (and what it absolutely is not), the truth about the 2002 study that scared a whole generation of women, and why so many of us are still being failed by information that's more than two decades out of date. Because the decision about HRT is yours to make — but it should never be made from a place of fear built on flawed science.

In this episode: 
→ What HRT actually is — and what it's not (hint: it's not artificial or dangerous) 
→ The 2002 WHI study: what it found, what was wrong with it, and why the fear persists 
→ Bioidentical vs synthetic hormones — and why the difference matters 
→ Why no two women metabolise hormones the same way — and why one size does not fit all 
→ Why HRT is one piece of the picture, not the whole answer 
→ The lifestyle foundations that matter whether or not you choose HRT — sleep, protein, strength, stress 
→ Understanding your unique biology through epigenetics — the most empowering step you can take 
→ Who should be cautious about HRT — the real contraindications 
→ How to find a qualified menopause practitioner

FOUR THINGS WORTH SCREENSHOTTING:
· Modern HRT uses body-identical hormones — not the synthetic types used in the 2002 study.
· The increased breast cancer risk in that study was smaller than the risk of one alcoholic drink a day.
· The timing hypothesis: starting HRT within 10 years of menopause is linked to reduced cardiovascular risk. 
· Transdermal oestrogen (patch, gel, cream) doesn't carry the same clotting risk as oral oestrogen.

You deserve to make this decision from a place of knowledge — not fear.

───────────

Ready to work with me? The Peri Protocol is my personalised coaching program for women in perimenopause and menopause. Apply here → www.kirstencookecoaching.com/apply

Grab your free guide — download your free What the Peri? guide → www.kirstencookecoaching.com/free-guide

Come say hi 🌸 Follow along on Instagram and Facebook @kirstencookecoaching — I'd love to hear what resonated with you.

───────────

Research referenced:

  • Manson JE et al. (2013). Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Health Outcomes — the WHI Randomized Trials. JAMA
  • Australasian Menopause Society — Position Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy (2023)
  • British Menopause Society — HRT and Breast Cancer Risk
  • International Menopause Society — White Paper on HRT (2021)

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before starting, changing or stopping any hormone therapy. If you're experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 (Australia).

]]> If the words "hormone replacement therapy" make you nervous — you're not alone. For over twenty years, women have been quietly suffering, too frightened to even consider HRT because of something they half-remember hearing: that it's dangerous, that it causes cancer, that it's doing something artificial to the body.

I've lived that fear and confusion myself — told by one practitioner HRT was dangerous, by another that it was essential; put on it, taken off it, and put back on again.

So this week, we're setting the record straight. What HRT actually is (and what it absolutely is not), the truth about the 2002 study that scared a whole generation of women, and why so many of us are still being failed by information that's more than two decades out of date. Because the decision about HRT is yours to make — but it should never be made from a place of fear built on flawed science.

In this episode: 
→ What HRT actually is — and what it's not (hint: it's not artificial or dangerous) 
→ The 2002 WHI study: what it found, what was wrong with it, and why the fear persists 
→ Bioidentical vs synthetic hormones — and why the difference matters 
→ Why no two women metabolise hormones the same way — and why one size does not fit all 
→ Why HRT is one piece of the picture, not the whole answer 
→ The lifestyle foundations that matter whether or not you choose HRT — sleep, protein, strength, stress 
→ Understanding your unique biology through epigenetics — the most empowering step you can take 
→ Who should be cautious about HRT — the real contraindications 
→ How to find a qualified menopause practitioner

FOUR THINGS WORTH SCREENSHOTTING:
· Modern HRT uses body-identical hormones — not the synthetic types used in the 2002 study.
· The increased breast cancer risk in that study was smaller than the risk of one alcoholic drink a day.
· The timing hypothesis: starting HRT within 10 years of menopause is linked to reduced cardiovascular risk. 
· Transdermal oestrogen (patch, gel, cream) doesn't carry the same clotting risk as oral oestrogen.

You deserve to make this decision from a place of knowledge — not fear.

───────────

Ready to work with me? The Peri Protocol is my personalised coaching program for women in perimenopause and menopause. Apply here → www.kirstencookecoaching.com/apply

Grab your free guide — download your free What the Peri? guide → www.kirstencookecoaching.com/free-guide

Come say hi 🌸 Follow along on Instagram and Facebook @kirstencookecoaching — I'd love to hear what resonated with you.

───────────

Research referenced:

  • Manson JE et al. (2013). Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Health Outcomes — the WHI Randomized Trials. JAMA
  • Australasian Menopause Society — Position Statement on Menopausal Hormone Therapy (2023)
  • British Menopause Society — HRT and Breast Cancer Risk
  • International Menopause Society — White Paper on HRT (2021)

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare practitioner before starting, changing or stopping any hormone therapy. If you're experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 (Australia).

]]> https://www.kirstencookecoaching.com Kirsten Cooke Buzzsprout-19507107 Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +1000 1652 perimenopause, menopause, hormones, womens hormones, womens health, HRT, MHT, Womens Health Coach 1 3 full false How Your Hormones Actually Work - Oestrogen, Progesterone & Testosterone in Plain English (Ep 2) How Your Hormones Actually Work - Oestrogen, Progesterone & Testosterone in Plain English (Ep 2) Have you ever felt like something has shifted — like you don't quite feel like yourself anymore — but you can't put your finger on why? So many women are living with anxiety that came from nowhere, bone-deep exhaustion, broken sleep, weight that won't budge and a fog they can't shake — without ever realising it could be perimenopause. I was one of them.

I saw five different doctors trying to get answers. Not one of them told me the same thing.

This week I'm taking you one level deeper — because when you understand how your three key hormones actually work, everything starts to make sense: your symptoms, your treatments, and why one doctor says one thing and the next says the complete opposite. And more than that — understanding these hormones is how you learn to recognise what your body is telling you, and how you advocate for yourself when something doesn't feel right. This is the episode I needed before I walked into any of those appointments — no jargon, no agenda, no medical degree required.

In this episode:
→ My experience with five different doctors — and what went wrong
→ Oestrogen: the three types, what it does, and why fluctuation matters more than decline 
→ Progesterone: the calming hormone nobody talks about — and why women without a uterus still need it 
→ The crucial difference between synthetic hormones and bioidentical — and why it matters 
→ Testosterone: the forgotten hormone, and the global testosterone crisis leaving women behind 
→ The hormonal hierarchy: cortisol, thyroid and insulin resistance 
→ The exact blood tests to ask your doctor for — and what to look for in the results → Why understanding your own hormones is the key to recognising your symptoms and advocating for yourself

BLOOD TEST CHECKLIST — take this to your appointment: Foundational: Full blood count · Iron studies (ferritin) · Thyroid panel (TSH, Free T3, Free T4) · Vitamin D · Vitamin B12 · Fasting glucose & insulin (or HbA1c) · Lipid panel Hormone panel: FSH · Oestradiol (E2, day 2–3) · Progesterone (day 21) · Total testosterone · Free testosterone · SHBG · AMH (optional)

If you've ever been made to feel like it's all in your head — it isn't. Understanding your body is how we take our power back.

───────────

Ready to work with me? The Peri Protocol is my personalised coaching program for women in perimenopause and menopause. Apply here → www.kirstencookecoaching.com/apply

Grab your free guide — download your free What the Peri? guide → www.kirstencookecoaching.com/free-guide

Come say hi 🌸 Follow along on Instagram and Facebook @kirstencookecoaching — I'd love to hear what resonated with you.

───────────

Research referenced:

  • Global Consensus Position Statement on the Use of Testosterone Therapy for Women (2019)
  • Davis SR et al. (2015). Testosterone in Women — The Clinical Significance. Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology
  • Australasian Menopause Society — testosterone position statement

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare practitioner for personal medical decisions. If you're experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 (Australia).


]]> Have you ever felt like something has shifted — like you don't quite feel like yourself anymore — but you can't put your finger on why? So many women are living with anxiety that came from nowhere, bone-deep exhaustion, broken sleep, weight that won't budge and a fog they can't shake — without ever realising it could be perimenopause. I was one of them.

I saw five different doctors trying to get answers. Not one of them told me the same thing.

This week I'm taking you one level deeper — because when you understand how your three key hormones actually work, everything starts to make sense: your symptoms, your treatments, and why one doctor says one thing and the next says the complete opposite. And more than that — understanding these hormones is how you learn to recognise what your body is telling you, and how you advocate for yourself when something doesn't feel right. This is the episode I needed before I walked into any of those appointments — no jargon, no agenda, no medical degree required.

In this episode:
→ My experience with five different doctors — and what went wrong
→ Oestrogen: the three types, what it does, and why fluctuation matters more than decline 
→ Progesterone: the calming hormone nobody talks about — and why women without a uterus still need it 
→ The crucial difference between synthetic hormones and bioidentical — and why it matters 
→ Testosterone: the forgotten hormone, and the global testosterone crisis leaving women behind 
→ The hormonal hierarchy: cortisol, thyroid and insulin resistance 
→ The exact blood tests to ask your doctor for — and what to look for in the results → Why understanding your own hormones is the key to recognising your symptoms and advocating for yourself

BLOOD TEST CHECKLIST — take this to your appointment: Foundational: Full blood count · Iron studies (ferritin) · Thyroid panel (TSH, Free T3, Free T4) · Vitamin D · Vitamin B12 · Fasting glucose & insulin (or HbA1c) · Lipid panel Hormone panel: FSH · Oestradiol (E2, day 2–3) · Progesterone (day 21) · Total testosterone · Free testosterone · SHBG · AMH (optional)

If you've ever been made to feel like it's all in your head — it isn't. Understanding your body is how we take our power back.

───────────

Ready to work with me? The Peri Protocol is my personalised coaching program for women in perimenopause and menopause. Apply here → www.kirstencookecoaching.com/apply

Grab your free guide — download your free What the Peri? guide → www.kirstencookecoaching.com/free-guide

Come say hi 🌸 Follow along on Instagram and Facebook @kirstencookecoaching — I'd love to hear what resonated with you.

───────────

Research referenced:

  • Global Consensus Position Statement on the Use of Testosterone Therapy for Women (2019)
  • Davis SR et al. (2015). Testosterone in Women — The Clinical Significance. Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology
  • Australasian Menopause Society — testosterone position statement

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare practitioner for personal medical decisions. If you're experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 (Australia).


]]> https://www.kirstencookecoaching.com Kirsten Cooke Buzzsprout-19506386 Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +1000 1906 perimenopause, menopause, oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone, hormones, womens health, womens health coach 1 2 full false Is This Perimenopause? The 34 Symptoms & Counting (Ep 1) Is This Perimenopause? The 34 Symptoms & Counting (Ep 1) You're not going crazy. You're not broken. And no — it's not "just stress."

Somewhere in your 40s or 50s your body starts doing things no one warned you about — the broken sleep, the rage out of nowhere, the anxiety, the brain fog, the aching joints — and none of it makes sense. So you ask for help. And too often you're turned away. Told you're too young. Too stressed. That your bloods are "normal." You leave more defeated than when you walked in, quietly wondering if you're imagining the whole thing.

You're not. And you're not alone.

What the Peri? is for the woman navigating perimenopause or menopause — or lying awake wondering if this is it — who's done being confused and just needs someone to make it all make sense. I'm Kirsten Cooke: 30 years in health and fitness, and I've lived every one of these symptoms myself. This isn't a lecture from someone who read the research. It's the conversation I wish someone had sat me down and had with me years ago.

In this episode: 
→ My personal perimenopause journey — and why this podcast exists 
→ The statistics that prove this is a systemic failure, not a personal one 
→ What perimenopause actually is — and why it's different from menopause 
→ All 34 recognised symptoms — plus the extras that don't always make the list 
→ Why these symptoms happen, at a hormonal level 
→ What to do this week: starting your symptom diary

DOES ANY OF THIS SOUND FAMILIAR? Hot flushes & night sweats · broken sleep · brain fog & memory lapses · anxiety, low mood & unfamiliar rage · joint pain & stiffness · weight that won't shift · low libido · thinning hair · heart palpitations · burning mouth · a changed sense of smell · easy bruising… and many more. If you're nodding along — this episode is for you.

Not sure if this is you? → Download your FREE Guide: www.kirstencookecoaching.com/free-guide

Ready for real support? → Work with me: kirstencookecoaching.com/apply

RESOURCES
Track your symptoms with the free Balance app by Dr Louise Newson: drlouisenewson.co.uk

REFERENCES
– Australian female suicide rates by age group: AIHW / ABS Causes of Death 2023 — aihw.gov.au
– UK divorce & menopause: Office for National Statistics; Stowe Family Law Survey 2022
– USA divorce rates over 50: Bowling Green State University, 2022
– 39% of menopausal women offered antidepressants first-line: Newson Health Survey — drlouisenewson.co.uk
– Newson Health survey of 5,744 women: drlouisenewson.co.uk
– Menopause research underfunding: Nature, 2023
– Female-specific conditions receive ~1% of biopharma R&D: McKinsey Health Institute
– Santoro N et al. (2021), The menopausal transition — Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism

If anything in this episode hit close to home, please reach out for support. In Australia, Lifeline is available 24/7 on 13 11 14.

The change you didn't ask for. The conversations you need.

Work with Kirsten: https://www.kirstencookecoaching.com
Say hi: @kirstencookecoaching on Instagram and Facebook

]]> You're not going crazy. You're not broken. And no — it's not "just stress."

Somewhere in your 40s or 50s your body starts doing things no one warned you about — the broken sleep, the rage out of nowhere, the anxiety, the brain fog, the aching joints — and none of it makes sense. So you ask for help. And too often you're turned away. Told you're too young. Too stressed. That your bloods are "normal." You leave more defeated than when you walked in, quietly wondering if you're imagining the whole thing.

You're not. And you're not alone.

What the Peri? is for the woman navigating perimenopause or menopause — or lying awake wondering if this is it — who's done being confused and just needs someone to make it all make sense. I'm Kirsten Cooke: 30 years in health and fitness, and I've lived every one of these symptoms myself. This isn't a lecture from someone who read the research. It's the conversation I wish someone had sat me down and had with me years ago.

In this episode: 
→ My personal perimenopause journey — and why this podcast exists 
→ The statistics that prove this is a systemic failure, not a personal one 
→ What perimenopause actually is — and why it's different from menopause 
→ All 34 recognised symptoms — plus the extras that don't always make the list 
→ Why these symptoms happen, at a hormonal level 
→ What to do this week: starting your symptom diary

DOES ANY OF THIS SOUND FAMILIAR? Hot flushes & night sweats · broken sleep · brain fog & memory lapses · anxiety, low mood & unfamiliar rage · joint pain & stiffness · weight that won't shift · low libido · thinning hair · heart palpitations · burning mouth · a changed sense of smell · easy bruising… and many more. If you're nodding along — this episode is for you.

Not sure if this is you? → Download your FREE Guide: www.kirstencookecoaching.com/free-guide

Ready for real support? → Work with me: kirstencookecoaching.com/apply

RESOURCES
Track your symptoms with the free Balance app by Dr Louise Newson: drlouisenewson.co.uk

REFERENCES
– Australian female suicide rates by age group: AIHW / ABS Causes of Death 2023 — aihw.gov.au
– UK divorce & menopause: Office for National Statistics; Stowe Family Law Survey 2022
– USA divorce rates over 50: Bowling Green State University, 2022
– 39% of menopausal women offered antidepressants first-line: Newson Health Survey — drlouisenewson.co.uk
– Newson Health survey of 5,744 women: drlouisenewson.co.uk
– Menopause research underfunding: Nature, 2023
– Female-specific conditions receive ~1% of biopharma R&D: McKinsey Health Institute
– Santoro N et al. (2021), The menopausal transition — Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism

If anything in this episode hit close to home, please reach out for support. In Australia, Lifeline is available 24/7 on 13 11 14.

The change you didn't ask for. The conversations you need.

Work with Kirsten: https://www.kirstencookecoaching.com
Say hi: @kirstencookecoaching on Instagram and Facebook

]]> https://www.kirstencookecoaching.com Kirsten Cooke Buzzsprout-19477348 Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +1000 1792 perimenopause, menopause, womens health, personal trainer, health coach, perimenopause coach, menopause coach. 1 1 full false