Is It Perimenopause, Stress, or Your Thyroid? Here’s How to Tell

Hot flashes. Brain fog. Fatigue. Mood swings. Weight gain. Sound familiar?

In today’s episode of the Millennial Body Image Project, we’re unpacking a major question so many millennial women are asking: Is it perimenopause, or is it stress… or is something else going on entirely, like thyroid dysfunction? With so many overlapping symptoms and increasingly aggressive marketing aimed at women in their 30s and 40s, it’s no wonder we’re all confused.

Cristina and Dana dive into:

• The real differences—and sneaky similarities—between perimenopause, stress, and thyroid issues

• Why targeted content can make you believe you’re broken (when you’re just burned out)

• What lab tests to ask for, and why most doctors only run part of the picture

• The myth of the “hormone balancing” supplement fix

• How to advocate for symptom management, not just diagnosis

We also explore how the system often fails women by underfunding research, minimizing symptoms, and pushing wellness solutions that are rooted in fear, weight stigma, and perfectionism.

Whether you’re navigating irregular cycles, low energy, weird joint pain, or just the emotional weight of maybe something’s off, this episode is packed with the validation and clarity you’ve been looking for.

🎧 Tune in to hear how to gather useful data, spot red flags in hormone marketing, and figure out what your body is actually asking for—without falling into restrictive rabbit holes.

Bonus for Patreon subscribers: Don’t miss the extended cut of this episode with personal stories about the mental load and ADHD.