Podcast · 117 episodes
The Dr. Brighten Show, page 2
by Dr. Jolene Brighten · English
Dr. Jolene Brighten, a best-selling author, board certified naturopathic endocrinologist, and women’s health expert, hosts The Dr. Brighten Show—a podcast dedicated to igniting transformative conversations in women’s health. Through candid interviews with leading experts, innovators, and thought-leaders, this show brings you groundbreaking research, personal stories, and practical tools to help you confidently navigate your body and hormones. It’s a fun, engaging, and insightful journey designed to empower you with tangible, science-backed insights, so you can live your best, most vibrant life.
All episodes, page 2
Endometriosis Imaging: Why Your "Normal" Results Don't Rule Out EndometriosisEndometriosis diagnosis and imaging—why “normal” MRI/ultrasound doesn’t rule out endometriosis, and how to get better evaluation before surgery.28 May 2026 · 27 min · 12 chapters
Estrogen and Dopamine: Why Your Brain, Motivation, and ADHD Symptoms Can Change With Your HormonesEstrogen’s role as a neuroactive hormone in regulating dopamine pathways that affect focus, motivation, reward learning, and emotional regulation—especially across menstrual cycle shifts, postpartum,…26 May 2026 · 29 min · 15 chapters
PMDD vs PME: How to Tell the Difference and Why It Changes TreatmentExplains the clinical difference between PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) and PME (premenstrual exacerbation), why they’re often mislabeled, and how that changes treatment.21 May 2026 · 16 min · 6 chapters
Autoimmune Disease Management with Dr. Terry Wahls: Nutrition, Mitochondria, and Women's Hormone TransitionsHow mitochondrial dysfunction and modifiable lifestyle factors may drive autoimmune disease progression, especially in women during postpartum and perimenopause; includes Dr.19 May 2026 · 48 min · 34 chapters
PCOS Has a New Name: What PMOS Means and What Still Hasn’t ChangedThe episode argues that PCOS should be reframed as PMOS (polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome) to shift care away from “ovarian cysts” and weight-blame toward hormones, ovulation, and metabolic…14 May 2026 · 38 min · 20 chapters
Why Perimenopause Hormone Therapy Can Make Symptoms Worse: Gut, Liver, Thyroid, and Toxin Factors | Pamela LangenderferWhy perimenopause hormone therapy can worsen symptoms when gut, liver, thyroid, and environmental toxin burden aren’t addressed first; how to identify red flags and guide hormone dosing with testing.12 May 2026 · 51 min · 25 chapters
Why PMDD Treatment Fails: SSRIs for PMDD, Birth Control, and What Your Doctor May Be MissingDr. Jolene Brighton explains why PMDD treatment often fails, arguing PMDD is a complex neurohormonal/inflammatory sensitivity disorder rather than a simple estrogen excess or low-progesterone problem.7 May 2026 · 29 min · 15 chapters
PMDD Antihistamines: Why They May Help — and Why Histamine Isn't the Whole StoryPMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) and whether antihistamines (Allegra) and H2 blockers (Pepcid) can help, arguing histamine is involved but not the whole cause; also how to distinguish PMDD from…5 May 2026 · 29 min · 18 chapters
High Insulin, Severe PMS, Fibroids & Postpartum Anxiety: Your Hormone AMAHormone-focused “Ask Me Anything” covering elevated fasting insulin despite normal glucose/A1c, luteal-phase severe PMS/possible PMDD with endometriosis, progesterone use in fibroids, postpartum…30 Apr 2026 · 31 min · 15 chapters
Could GLP-1s Help Endometriosis? The Progesterone Resistance TheoryWhether GLP-1 drugs (e.g., semaglutide/Ozempic) could help endometriosis by improving progesterone receptor signaling in people with progesterone resistance; discusses inflammation, estrogen…28 Apr 2026 · 28 min · 12 chapters
ADHD, Motherhood, and Invisible OverloadADHD in women during perimenopause/luteal phase, plus PMDD and endometriosis overlap; how “invisible overload” and decision fatigue worsen symptoms, and what lifestyle/supplement strategies help.23 Apr 2026 · 34 min · 17 chapters
Perimenopause Sleep Hormones: Cynthia Thurlow on Why Rest Changes FirstPerimenopause and menopause sleep problems, hormone timing (especially progesterone/estradiol), cancer-risk misconceptions, and a “domino effect” linking low estrogen to gut/microbiome changes,…21 Apr 2026 · 1 h 15 min · 35 chapters
Fertility Protocol for Conception: Labs, Nutrition & Proven StrategiesScience-backed fertility support focused on separating egg quantity vs egg quality, addressing inflammation, and managing conditions like PCOS and endometriosis.16 Apr 2026 · 36 min · 13 chapters
Dry Eye Relief: What’s Causing Your Dry, Gritty Eyes (and the Simple Routine That Helps) | Dr. Carly RoseDry eye disease and eye-surface health, focusing on how cosmetics, screen habits, eyelid function, hormones, and systemic conditions contribute to symptoms and what routines can help.14 Apr 2026 · 1 h 43 min · 53 chapters
What Is ADHD Masking? The Perimenopause ADHD ConnectionADHD masking/camouflaging in women, and how perimenopause hormone changes can make the “mask” stop working, worsening executive function, emotional regulation, sleep, and burnout; includes health…9 Apr 2026 · 31 min · 12 chapters
Skin Aging Treatment and Skin Microbiome: What “Leaky Skin” Could Be Telling You About Inflammation, Hormones, and Healthy Aging | Kiran KrishnanSkin barrier dysfunction (“leaky skin”) and the skin microbiome as drivers of inflammation, hormone-related aging, acne/eczema/psoriasis, and even cognitive decline/dementia risk.7 Apr 2026 · 47 min · 22 chapters
Can Ozempic and GLP-1’s Help Treat EndometriosisWhether GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs (used for diabetes/weight loss) could help manage endometriosis by reducing inflammation, fibrosis/adhesions, and possibly endometriosis-related brain fog and…2 Apr 2026 · 30 min · 16 chapters
Birth Control for Endometriosis? Hormones, Progesterone Resistance, and What Doctors Aren’t Telling YouEndometriosis hormone management—myths about birth control, progesterone resistance, menopause/HRT, and how hormones interact with surgery, adenomyosis, gut inflammation, and comorbidities…31 Mar 2026 · 1 h 22 min · 22 chapters
The 10 Most Unusual Symptoms of Perimenopause (and What They Really Mean)Perimenopause can cause “unusual” symptoms beyond hot flashes and irregular periods, often starting in the 30s/early 40s; the episode explains likely hormone-driven mechanisms and what to do early…26 Mar 2026 · 30 min · 16 chapters
Endometriosis Surgery: What Most Doctors Won’t Tell YouEndometriosis surgery quality, surgeon skill, and pre-op planning; why common procedures (ablation, nerve “burning,” uterine-only surgery) may fail; how to choose a surgeon and prepare (imaging, PT,…24 Mar 2026 · 1 h 10 min · 26 chapters
Natural Ways to Manage Endometriosis Beyond SurgeryNatural, non-surgical strategies to manage endometriosis symptoms, emphasizing that surgery isn’t a complete solution and that endometriosis is a whole-body inflammatory condition.19 Mar 2026 · 35 min · 13 chapters
Endometriosis Relief of Pain: Experts Explain Laparoscopy, Chronic Pelvic Pain, and Why So Many Women Are Still SufferingEndometriosis and chronic pelvic pain—why diagnosis is delayed, which surgical approaches matter (especially laparoscopy/excision), and why many women still suffer due to dismissed pain, incomplete…17 Mar 2026 · 1 h 8 min · 40 chapters
The Hidden Connection Between Estrogen and Histamine: Why Your Hormones Cause InflammationHow estrogen and histamine amplify each other to drive inflammation and cyclical symptoms (anxiety, insomnia, migraines, allergies, endometriosis pain), plus a “three-step” management plan.12 Mar 2026 · 21 min · 13 chapters
What Is Endometriosis? 4 Surgeons Explain the Symptoms, Misdiagnosis, and Whole-Body ImpactEndometriosis is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease; the episode argues that women face 7–10 years to diagnosis due to normalized period pain, limited medical education, and reliance on…10 Mar 2026 · 1 h 27 min · 32 chapters