Bonza Health Blog
Gain the tools and understanding you need to help manage the challenges of perimenopause and beyond.
Women experiencing perimenopause or menopause can reclaim their health and vitality. At Bonza Health, we help women see hormone changes as a natural midlife transition and provide the doctor-backed information women need to navigate hormonal health conditions with confidence.
Check out our latest blog posts from our leading physician’s best tips and tools for easing hormonal symptoms, special announcements on our courses and services, and much more! Be a part of our ever-growing community of like-minded women who are thriving in health -- even with perimenopause or menopause conditions.
Why Your Body Is Saying 'No More': The Science of Overwhelm in Perimenopause
What feels like breakdown during perimenopause is actually your body's desperate attempt to protect you from a lifetime of chronic stress it can no longer sustain. Learn why your overwhelm has real physiological causes—and what you can do about it.
When Your Mind Feels Like a Stranger: The Neurobiology of Perimenopause and Mood
The anxiety, rage, and depression that arrive in perimenopause are not signs of a new psychiatric disorder—they are predictable neurobiological responses to hormonal change. Understanding the science is the first step toward effective treatment.
Beyond the Black Box: What the FDA's Historic Decision Really Means for Women's Health
On November 10, 2025, the FDA announced the removal of black box warnings from menopausal hormone therapy products—a decision that FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary called "one of the greatest mistakes in modern medicine" to finally correct[1]. As a physician who specializes in perimenopause and menopause care in Ohio, I've spent years watching qualified women be denied treatment because of outdated fears. This announcement should be cause for celebration. And it is, but with important caveats that every woman and clinician needs to understand.
When "The Pill" Isn't the Only Answer: Your Guide to Graduating from Birth Control to Menopause Hormone Therapy
On the surface, combined oral contraceptives (COCs) and menopause hormone therapy both contain estrogen and a progesterone-like hormone. Both can reduce hot flashes, heavy bleeding, and night sweats. Both support bone health in the short term. But beneath that surface similarity lies a crucial difference in design and purpose.
Perimenopause Unveiled: The Complete Guide to Recognizing Symptoms, Understanding Your Body, and Reclaiming Vitality
Perimenopause can be a significant transition in a woman’s life—one that is widely misunderstood and often neglected in conventional healthcare. If you’re experiencing shifts in mood, energy, cognition, or bodily comfort in your 30s, 40s, or early 50s, you are not alone. This comprehensive guide will empower you to understand perimenopause, recognize its earliest and most surprising signs, and know when to seek help. At Bonza Health, our holistic approach centers your unique experience—because perimenopause is not “one size fits all.”
Creatine Isn’t Just for Gym Bros Anymore: The First Study on Creatine in Perimenopausal Women Shows Surprising Brain and Mood Benefits
A groundbreaking 2025 randomized controlled trial, recently published in the Journal of the American Nutrition Association, looked specifically at the effects of creatine on brain metabolism, mood, reaction time, and lipid health in midlife women. The results were remarkable: even low doses of creatine hydrochloride led to measurable improvements in brain energy, focus, and emotional balance—with no identified adverse effects.
The Ethics of Hormone Therapy: When Guidelines Meet Individual Lives
The 2002 Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study didn’t just shift the prescribing of menopause hormone therapy: it reshaped the cultural and clinical landscape of menopause care. Fear replaced discussion, and caution became policy. An entire generation of women suffered—not because of data, but because of its misinterpretation.
The Untold Power of Testosterone for Women: What Every Perimenopausal and Menopausal Woman Should Know
Testosterone isn’t just a “male hormone.” It’s an essential part of every woman’s hormonal orchestra—powerfully influencing libido, mood, cognition, and energy. As a Menopause Society Certified Physician, I often see women who have optimized their estrogen and progesterone therapy yet still feel their spark is missing. That missing piece? Often testosterone.
The Perimenopause-Gut Connection: Why Your Digestive Health Matters During the Transition
As estrogen and progesterone fluctuate and ultimately decline during perimenopause, women often notice unexpected symptoms like bloating, irregular bowel habits, or even food intolerances. Behind these digestive issues is a crucial player: the gut microbiome, a complex ecosystem of trillions of microbes that deeply influences hormone regulation, immune function, and even mental health.
Perimenopause and Neurodivergence: Unmasking the Hormonal Connection
During perimenopause, many women experience fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels that can have profound effects—not only on physical health, but on the brain and mood. For neurodivergent women, including those with ADHD or autism spectrum conditions, these changes may be especially destabilizing.
Science-Backed Guide to the Four Stages of Perimenopause
Perimenopause is a complex and widely misunderstood transition period in a woman's life, yet it represents a critical window for preventive health and symptom management. Despite affecting millions globally, many women do not recognize their symptoms as perimenopausal, and physicians often lack adequate training to diagnose and support this stage. Women frequently experience perplexing symptoms—irregular periods, mood shifts, fatigue, sleep disruptions—long before the final menstrual period.
Musculoskeletal Syndrome of Menopause: Why Arthritis & Joint Pain Surge in Midlife Women
Perimenopause and menopause are profound physiological transitions for women: periods where unpredictable hormone shifts can impact every tissue, especially the musculoskeletal system. Many women, including those seen daily at Bonza Health, struggle with new-onset joint pain, stiffness, and even disabling arthritis.
The Hidden Hormone: How Elevated Cortisol Fuels Perimenopause Symptoms—And What You Can Do About It
Cortisol is the hidden hormone that often gets overlooked in perimenopause, yet it has the power to disrupt sleep, mood, cognition, and metabolism—while also offering opportunities for holistic, personalized wellness strategies. This comprehensive blog explores the science, symptom patterns, and action plans for navigating cortisol challenges during perimenopause, featuring visuals and practical protocols.
Rethinking Depression in Perimenopause: Why Menopause Hormone Therapy Should Come Before Antidepressants
A recent wave of studies and updated guidelines now recommend considering menopausal hormone therapy (MHT)—rather than antidepressants—as the preferred initial treatment for psychological symptoms in perimenopausal women who do not have a diagnosis of major depressive disorder.
Why You’re Exhausted, Foggy, and Stuck in Midlife — And How to Reclaim Your Vitality
If you’ve found yourself dragging through your day, wondering why you’re exhausted even after a full night’s sleep, or if you’ve noticed brain fog, sudden weight gain, or hot flashes that feel like your body is on fire, you’re not alone. With the right tools — evidence-based hormone therapy, functional medicine support, and lifestyle strategies — you can feel like yourself again.
How Perimenopause Impacts the Parasympathetic Nervous System, Sleep, and Mental Health
Perimenopause often arrives as a storm of unpredictability—restless nights, a rollercoaster of emotions, exhaustion with a mind that won’t quit. Fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone, two pivotal hormones for women’s mental and physical wellbeing, are responsible for these changes. These hormones help regulate cycles, modulate the nervous system, shape sleep and mood, and buffer stress.
10 Ways Your Hormones Can Impact Intimate Relationships in Midlife – and How to Navigate Them
If you’ve noticed changes in your partnership during the menopausal transition, you’re not alone. Hormonal fluctuations can ripple through every layer of connection: physical intimacy, emotional closeness, and day-to-day communication. Fortunately, it’s possible to navigate these changes with awareness, grace, and compassion.
Methylated B12: The Key to Vitality in Perimenopausal and Menopausal Women
During menopause, declining estrogen impacts neurotransmitter production, mitochondrial function, and the nervous system. B vitamins, especially B12, are critical for mood regulation, nervous system health, and adrenal support. Vitamin B12 exists in several forms, but methylcobalamin is the active, methylated form that your body can use immediately. Unlike the synthetic form, cyanocobalamin, methylcobalamin does not require conversion in the body, making it especially important for individuals with genetic variations (such as MTHFR mutations) or age-related declines in nutrient absorption.
Hysterectomy in Perimenopause: Beyond the Physical
Research shows that changes in sexual desire and sensation after hysterectomy are highly individual. Some women experience improved sexual satisfaction, especially if pain or bleeding was a problem before. Others notice a decrease in desire or sensation, particularly if the cervix is removed or if hormonal changes occur following removal of the ovaries. What matters most is that your experience is honored and that you have space to process the changes—physical, emotional, and spiritual.
Microdosing GLP-1 Receptor Agonists During Perimenopause: A Clinical Approach to Hormonal Weight Gain
The emergence of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, particularly through microdosing protocols, offers a promising therapeutic approach to address the unique metabolic challenges of perimenopause. Microdosing represents an innovative approach to GLP-1 therapy that involves using smaller, more flexible doses than standard protocols. This strategy allows for precise dose adjustments to optimize treatment outcomes while minimizing gastrointestinal side effects.