Hormone Health Hub: Expert Insights on Testing, Balance & Better Living — night sweats

Hot flushes, night sweats, anxiety, insomnia and brain fog — menopause can feel overwhelming. But what is actually happening biochemically? In this case study, Dr. Kate Placzek and Dr. Allison Smith walk through the test results of Julia, a newly postmenopausal woman, showing exactly how hormone and neurotransmitter imbalances drive menopausal symptoms — and what can be done about it.

In perimenopause, falling estradiol doesn’t just trigger hot flashes — it disrupts serotonin production, driving mood swings, brain fog and sleepless nights. Discover the hormonal science behind “the change” and how testing can help.

The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trial cast a long shadow over hormone replacement therapy — but it enrolled women well over a decade past menopause. Two newer trials, ELITE and KEEPS, specifically studied HRT started early in the postmenopausal period. Their findings on cardiovascular health, sexual function, sleep, mood and cognition paint a more nuanced and encouraging picture. Here is what the latest research shows.

One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. But many risk factors are modifiable — including hormone imbalance and excess weight. Discover the two most important actions women can take to reduce breast cancer risk, and how hormone testing can help identify hidden imbalances before they become a problem.

In 1999, Tina Mattern was diagnosed with breast cancer and faced a terrifying choice of conventional treatments. Instead, she discovered the work of Dr. David Zava and ZRT Laboratory, and chose a path of natural hormone balancing, saliva testing and lifestyle change. This is her story — and her happy ending.