Best of 2025: Top Wellness Insights on Hormones, Strength, Healing & Purpose

Year-End Wellness Reflection 0:00

As 2025 comes to a close, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the conversations that truly moved me this year. On Energize and Revitalize, we explored what it really means to live well, from hormones and nutrition to muscle, movement, emotional healing, community, and purpose. This episode brings together some of the most powerful moments, insights, and voices from the past year, conversations that reminded us that wellness is personal, connected, and always evolving. whether you've been with us all year or you're just joining us now.

This is your invitation to pause, reflect, and carry the lessons of 2025 into the year ahead. So bioidentical hormones are plant-based, still created in a lab, but they look very similar to your natural molecular makeup of your natural estrogen, testosterone. So your body tends to absorb it better, you have less side effects, and so people tend to respond.

Hormones and Nutrition Basics 1:12

better with those plant-based hormones. Whereas synthetic is man-made also, but it is not a plant-based. It does not look anywhere near what your natural molecular makeup is. So people tend to have a little bit more side effects, but also some different risks with them. The testosterone for women we could start off with is really good for muscle mass. It's really good for the brain fog, sleep, Joint pain, testosterone's the most potent natural anti-inflammatory that we produce in our lifetime, so it's really good for that inflammation in the body.

Testosterone also is really good for bladder, so women will complain of urgency frequency, but your bladder is the large muscle, so the testosterone's gonna help with the tone. It's also really good for libido, which is a big complaint in menopausal women. lack of, and it's also really good for some night sweats. The biggest things that we preach all the time is decreasing sugar intake, staying away from those processed foods, avoiding offensive oils, you know, the inflammatory oils that cause us to have, I think they're probably becoming one of the more dangerous things that we consume on a regular basis.

And just eating lots of natural whole foods that our bodies were designed to consume. I think keeping it simple like that and if it looks like an apple, chances are it's good. But if it's in a little package and you have to read the ingredients and oh there's some apple in there, that might not be our best choice. I usually say if it comes in a package bag or box, make sure you're reading your labels so you know what's in it. And I know you mentioned the inflammatory oils. Inflammation is being discovered as a huge cause of obesity.

Historically, eating things high in simple sugar is, again, going to make your pancreas secrete insulin, which is going to lead to highs and lows of your sugar and ultimately fat storage. Sugar also can be inflammatory and increase hunger. So normally, before I give my opinion, I'll try a plan. My husband loved sugar and he did offer to test this for us, but in good conscience, I couldn't recommend it. But then I remembered that I actually inadvertently did this plan when I was in college in the 90s.

So during the 90s, it was a very popular time for low-fat. Everything was low-fat, fat-free, snack while cookies, reduced fat. So I ate cereal, rice, potatoes. I also ate fruits and vegetables. I ate very little protein and almost no fat. I thought I was being healthy. I couldn't understand why my weight was going up and I was really getting fat. It's called carb cycling. And this has been around for a while. It's very popular among bodybuilders.

Carb Cycling and Metabolism 4:18

What this strategy is, is you alternate between high carb days and low carb days. So it's made to support fat loss while you're still having enough energy for your training. The pros, it supports your athletic performance, which is really important. You have to have some carbs to do what you want to do in the gym. But it's still promoting fat loss. It's flexible. It allows for those higher carb days. And you can kind of plan them around your higher intensity workouts when you need them. It might be psychologically easier than the lower carb diets.

One of the biggest wellness myths I've heard this year is that health is just about one thing. One diet, one hormone, one workout, or one treatment. What I've seen again and again through conversations about hormones, nutrition, muscle health, and even aesthetic wellness is that everything is connected. You can't optimize hormones without fueling your body properly. You can't build muscle without movement. And you can't look or feel your best if your internal health is off. Wellness isn't a quick fix.

It's an ecosystem. And when you support the whole system, everything works better. Myokines are substances secreted by the muscle that tell different organs to do different things. In order to secrete myokines, we need to contract our muscle.

Wellness as a Connected Ecosystem 6:00

So, what is the best way for a person to do this to release myokines? So, a great question and it's important to know this because movement in general is medicine. All kinds of movement. But if we're looking to get the myokine released, then we have to do, I call it a purposeful, meaningful contraction. So things like weight lifting, resistance training, high intensity interval training. Basically, you're putting that muscle through a series of contractions, generating a stimulus strong enough to tell that muscle, to change.

Overall a good weekly strategy for exercise would be a good amount of resistance training. You can't get around that. And I will tell you, as you talk to your patients, I talk to my patients, this is what is usually missing. So the patient will say, I walk on the beach. Okay, that's nice. Walking's good. I stretch. That's a big one. I stretch. Yoga is very nice. You know, isometric contraction. We'll talk about different contractions. But then I say, There's no evidence of you doing anything to your muscle to keep it.

You're not stimulating. You're not challenging your muscle with a stimulation strong enough. to build more of that muscle. And resistance training does that, doesn't have to be weights, can be body weight, could be resistance bands, but that's resistance training. Sometimes we're told, you know, you're getting older and maybe you can't do those things anymore. So what do you think about that?

Movement, Muscle, and Myokines 7:54

Hi, welcome to Dr. Betsy's segment of Pet Peeves. I feel like Certain sports, especially CrossFit and aging with the eye rolls get such a bad rep. It's really not a death sentence to do things that you want to do, especially when it comes to exercise. It's just we run into trouble if we're doing something too much too soon too fast. If you've never done those movements before and you jump in, you start to eagle lift, then sure, any age you're going to run into trouble. Barring any specific medical conditions where you're not allowed to do that specific impact, we can train for anything and you're moving, you're staying healthy.

I don't see anything wrong with that. of completely resting and not identifying what our body is trying to tell us is not Addressing the root cause of why you're having pain. So yes, you feel better with absolute rest But then after that few days few weeks of doing nothing you start up that activity again without addressing why that happened and you're gonna go right into that cycle of it flaring up so With the rest, maybe letting those specific tissues recover, but working with a physical therapist, at least for me, that will make a treatment plan where we can continue to strengthen, to move, to get blood flow to that area in the presence of pain, so those specific structures recover, but we're still creating those movement patterns.

We're not losing muscle mass. We're not losing confidence. Certain structures actually like load, even if they're inflamed. So it's really identifying what our body's trying to tell us, what the injury is. And then we go from there and you can recover faster. After more than 30 episodes of energize and revitalize, what surprised me most wasn't a new biohack or therapy. It was how often emotional wellness came up. Whether we were talking about hormones, chronic pain, energy healing, or physical performance, the conversation always came back to stress, trauma, and feeling supported.

Healing doesn't happen in isolation. It happens in community, in safe relationships, and when people feel seen.

Exercise, Recovery, and Aging Well 10:18

That's been one of the biggest reminders for me this year. Connection is medicine. So with the emotion and code and body code, it's a technique devised by Dr. Bradley Nelson, he is a retired chiropractor. And his his theory is that anything anything can cause anything, especially when you when we're working with the mind and you know, there's so many more studies and everything that are evolving and things that are coming out. But our minds, you know, can really kind of seek out to validate that truth of anything.

So it's It's almost like an idea allergy as well, that's a thing, and emotion code and body code where your body can develop a physical allergy to anything. And it may even, you know, just because of that subconscious programming or whatever you may have taught yourself to think. And it's connected to like the meridian systems of the body, the endocrine systems, and the organs. And when they lay down, you want to hold their head first. You add the attunement. There's a specific way that you learn how to do that.

Once you feel the connection with that other person, then you move on to their head. So then you start with the crown chakra, the top of their head, which we call that crown chakra. And it's like a purple color and it just activates the mind. Then you go on their forehead, which is the indigo color. And that's the third eye. So then you move through all the chakra systems. IFS is based on this idea that we don't just have one singular mono-mind, like our personality isn't singular, it's actually multiple.

It's made up of many different parts or sub-personalities, each of which has its own set of thoughts and feelings and beliefs and perspectives and a set of priorities. So whether or not people are familiar with IFS or not, we use parts language just colloquially all the time when people talk about you know, a part of me feels this way, a part of me feels that way. Or, you know, someone might say like, I feel really torn about something, you know, meaning they've got sort of being pulled in two different directions or,

Emotional Healing and Internal Parts 12:24

you know, I've heard people say like, I'm, I'm of two minds about this issue, you know, so it's, it's something that we're all sort of aware of because everybody experiences internal conflict at some point or indecisiveness or, you know, just difficulty knowing how they want to handle a situation. And it's often because, you know, they, they have different Different perspectives going on in there. It's not just one singular thought or perspective. So those are your direct people there. You're sort of people like your CEOs.

Yeah. Yes. And then you have influence. fun people people that like to party like to be the center of attention yes yes they're fun um steadiness absolutely the s personality likes to have a format they're all about family they like security they want to know everything um in that sense they need that they need that steady fast and security is very important to them and then the last one is conscientiousness Absolutely. That person is very numbers oriented, likes to have all the directions. They want to know everything about it.

They need to know everything all the time. And those are the people that sometimes you need in certain environments, especially in your business and relationships. And studies have shown that owning a pet can reduce your cortisol levels. That's the stress hormone. It also boosts oxytocin, which is the good hormone. So inside we're changing having absolutely being pet owners. So do you think owning pets actually helps people increase their physical activity as well? Yes, it's going to push you even on days that you don't feel like getting up to go walking or to go out.

You have to now. You have this little one or two, or if you're like me, four or five dogs at home that keep you very active and moving even when you don't feel like it. Honestly, and again, that physical goes right back to the mood, right? Because if you're feeling out, down, and just not feeling yourself or emotionally, physically in any way, that dog pushing you to get up and move can actually change not just the physical, but the mood as well. So I think definitely, you know, being active, going for walks, you know, you have to get up and feed them, so it's going to get you moving for sure.

So we first met during COVID. Everything was shut down and you came to hang out with us in Flagler and put on an outdoor concert. I did. And it was so amazing. I saw that and I said to my friends, we have to go. And it's so important. And we talked about wellness and music and how it helped us to be together and less isolated. And it's so good that you did that. And I feel like it helped me because all we were all scared during COVID and what's happening and we're alone.

Pets, Music, and Community 15:18

But that just allowed us to be with each other. I mean, it really did change my life. So this has now become part of my life is we call them now tiff takeovers. They're a thing. I haven't stopped and I really found a new passion, food and music. I saw how people lit up in COVID by just connecting again, having a wonderful meal provided by all these great restaurants around here, and Karen designing a wonderful evening. And then I was doing music and hosting, sharing stories, just being in the moment.

I love intimate concerts anyway. So it just worked. And I thought, I don't want to give this up. I think when people are empowered, there's a situation they don't like, and if they feel helpless, then that creates stress and other negative consequences. But if we can, you know, make them feel empowered, like, and it starts with a phone call, right? But then does it go to a letter writing campaign? Does it like, you know, I think it really a person can kind of take charge of their situation by becoming aware and becoming an advocate for something they believe in.

I think it's like everything you have to be personally affected. One of the strongest themes across this podcast has been that wellness has to be individualized. Hormones don't behave the same in every body. Muscle loss happens differently with age. Energy healing resonates differently for each person. And even aesthetic treatments should enhance, not change who you are. When wellness is personalized, it becomes empowering instead of overwhelming. A neurotoxin is going to temporarily relax and reduce wrinkles and help with youthful aging and prevention of new lines from forming.

It's one of our most popular treatments. Yes.

Personalized Aesthetic Wellness 17:36

How long do results last? Depending on the product, there's different products. It can last anywhere from three to six months. And is there a difference between let's say Botox just for Juvo? Yes, so Juvo's been deemed the new Botox and it potentially could kick in as early as 48 to 72 hours and last up to three to six months. Botox has medical and cosmetic things that we use it for. It was the original neurotoxin and We use that a lot. It'll last about three months. And then your dysport has slightly bit more spread in some people, so we tend to use it a little more often in foreheads.

But they do still do the same thing at the end of the day. So when you meet with your client, you pick a product based on the results they're looking for and maybe what they've had done in the past. PRP can be used for hair rejuvenation in addition to skin rejuvenation. And it's a really great treatment because it's appropriate for just about anybody and it has very little downtime. The best candidates are people, either men who are experiencing male pattern baldness or women who are experiencing female pattern baldness.

And I was really surprised when I started learning about this treatment to learn that up to 40% of women will experience this in their lifetime. And it can show up as thinning hair or people notice that their part is getting a little bit wider. So this is a great way to help stop and reverse thinning hair. I think with our personal care items, it's something people don't think about, but our skin is our largest organ, and things are absorbed through the skin. So if I put a lotion on that has these chemicals in it, that's going right into my bloodstream, really.

Yeah.

Adventure and Appalachian Trail Prep 19:36

And the only way is to educate individuals what's happening. And it's hard. Are there certain chemicals, like I think earlier you mentioned parabens. Yes. So parabens, there's plafalates and BPA. Fragrances are usually synthetic. They're not from the flower like we like to envision they are. Another thing this year has really reinforced is that adventure is part of wellness. Training for the Appalachian Trail isn't just physical. It's mental, emotional, and deeply grounding. It reminds me that movement, nature, and challenge are essential to feeling alive.

Wellness isn't about staying comfortable. It's about building a body and a mindset that can carry you through whatever path you choose. When you day hike, you hike for the day, and then you come back to a hotel or an Airbnb every night. So you have a shower, you have maybe a kitchen if you're in an Airbnb, and then you go out again. So you only need a small amount of food and water for the day. That's a little extra in case you get lost. Well, how does that work? So, so wait, wait. So you're hiking, you hike.

I heard six miles, but now I just upped on the show to seven or eight miles. Okay. Put that aside for a later argument, but, um, you said we're going to go six miles. Yeah. And what are we going to do once we're at six miles? Some people will do what's called hiring a shuttle service. Oh. so these shuttles are actually that's what they do they take people on and off the trail at designated points so you need one car you leave it where you're going to finish for the day the shuttle driver takes you to your beginning then you just walk to your car and you drive home you're I'll tell you, not one person, and if there's anyone out there who can write in and tell us what to do, any of you hikers, you big shots out there, right?

What do you do with lightning? Nobody has told me what to do. That's not true. Remember, we asked our guide. Yeah, that wasn't a good answer. He said, find a rock. Put your head under it. No, he said just kind of, you know, make yourself as small as possible if you can't get to a shelter. No, I heard that there's actually a lightning position that you can get into where you're supposed to crouch down and you'll put, I'm sorry for that, in front of the microphone, and put your hands over your ears.

And to me, it's like the same thing. You know, it's because you're closer, that you can kiss you, you know what, goodbye. final thing is just preparing emotionally, um, for the journey. So one thing for me, it takes a long time. So even during our little practices, like we're going to be out there for a few hours and I'm just used to getting my record and getting out. So I just have, why are we doing this again? I forgot because we need goals. Oh, oh, goals are very important. Those things. So one thing I'm preparing myself for is to slow down, which is part of the purpose, right?

Looking Ahead to 2026 23:00

There's a lot of meditative qualities to walking in the woods. And I'm thinking it's going to be good for me to just chill out, unplug, get with nature. We found several wild ponies. There was another guy behind him, but I think he went somewhere. Um, super cute. And then we were almost done yesterday. That was yesterday. It was a little bit tough, but we were almost done and there was a wild horse standing right in the middle of the Appalachian trail. He wasn't moving. Okay. So there's actually a horse on the trail where we want to walk.

We didn't have that in New York. I'm not used to horses. He didn't do anything. I think he wanted to get fed or pet or something like that. But you're not supposed to pet them. You're not supposed to feed them. So the two things you're not supposed to. We're starting out 2026 with a 30 day wellness challenge inspired by our podcast episodes. Each day participants will be challenged to complete one wellness task. These aren't quick fix hacks. They're sustainable actions backed by science and real world experience.

To sign up, visit amethystwellness.com and click on the wellness challenge. As we move into the next season of Energize and Revitalized, I'm more excited than ever about what's ahead. We're bringing in guests from all over the world, in addition to our local wellness experts. You'll hear deeper conversations about hormones, adventure, aging well, emotional health, energy medicine, and what it really means to live a vibrant life especially in midlife and beyond. Jerry and I will also continue to explore the Appalachian Trail.

We'll continue blending science with real life experience and bringing you voices that challenge the status quo of healthcare. If you care about living well, not just longer, this next chapter is for you.