When Hormones Stop Playing Nice: The Autoimmune Connection

Once upon a time inside your body, four best friends ran the playground in perfect harmony:

• Estrogen – the natural leader. Confident, communicative, helps everyone feel energized and motivated.

• Progesterone – the peacemaker. Gentle, calming, keeps drama down and sleep steady.

• Cortisol – the protector. Always on the lookout, steps in when things get stressful.

• Blood Sugar – the steady Eddie. When balanced, everyone else is balanced too.

For years, they worked beautifully together.

Estrogen encouraged Blood Sugar to stay stable.
Progesterone kept Cortisol calm.
Cortisol protected the group without ever getting too worked up.
And Blood Sugar made sure everyone had enough fuel to play nicely.

Your body felt steady.
Your moods made sense.
Your energy was predictable.
Your immune system felt safe.

They were the perfect four-person girl gang.

Then One Day… Perimenopause Walked Onto the Playground

She didn’t come quietly.

At first, she just nudged Estrogen.
Then she shoved her.
Then she started yanking her up and down the slide with NO warning.

Some days Estrogen went way up — making you feel anxious, wired, or extra emotional.
Some days she crashed — leaving you tired, foggy, and not quite yourself.

This stressed Cortisol out.

“Everyone remain calm!” she shouted, running around with panic in her eyes.

Progesterone tried to soothe her… except…

Progesterone said "I'm out of this drama" and started leaving early.

She stopped showing up to the playground consistently.
Sometimes she disappeared for days or weeks.

Without her calming, steadying presence:

• sleep got choppier

• mood swings got bigger

• overwhelm hit faster

• recovery took longer

Now Estrogen and Cortisol were trying to run the playground alone. They missed their friend Progesterone.

And Blood Sugar?
Well… she was getting bounced around by EVERYONE’S drama.

Blood Sugar Took the Biggest Hit.

She's so sensitive.

When estrogen swings high → Blood Sugar gets unstable.
When estrogen drops low → Blood Sugar gets unstable.
When progesterone disappears → Blood Sugar gets unstable.
When cortisol panics → Blood Sugar spikes or crashes.

Suddenly, your once-happy friend is on the swings going FULL SPEED back and forth.

This is when women start to feel:

• afternoon crashes

• sudden sugar cravings

• irritability “out of nowhere”

• shaky hunger

• headaches

• fatigue they can’t explain

Blood Sugar no longer felt safe.
And when Blood Sugar is unstable, none of the hormones feel safe.

Then Autoimmunity Walked In…

Imagine the immune system watching this chaos from across the playground.

She’s the hall monitor.

When she sees imbalances, she assumes danger.
So she becomes overprotective… hypervigilant… easily triggered.

All those hormone swings look like threats.

So Autoimmunity tightens the rules:

• more inflammation

• more fatigue

• more sensitivity to stress

• more flare-ups

She’s not trying to hurt anyone.
She thinks she’s helping.

But the more the hormones fight…
…the more Autoimmunity steps in to “protect” the body…
…and the worse everything feels.

But Here’s the Good News: They Can Become Friends Again

Perimenopause isn’t the enemy.
She’s just… different.
A little unpredictable.
A little chaotic.
A little emotional.

The key is helping the original four best friends feel supported again.

When Blood Sugar is steady…

Cortisol relaxes.
Progesterone shows up more consistently.
Estrogen behaves herself.

When Cortisol is calm…

Autoimmunity stops overreacting.
Energy improves.
Sleep deepens.
Inflammation decreases.

When Estrogen and Progesterone are balanced…

Blood Sugar smooths out.
Mood stabilizes.
Your body feels safe.

And when Autoimmunity feels safe…

Symptoms settle.
Flares decrease.
Fatigue finally lifts.

So How Do You Restore Hormone Harmony?

Here’s what actually works:

1. Prioritize protein + fiber at every meal

Keeps Blood Sugar steady → everyone behaves better.

2. Focus on autoimmune-friendly foods

Calms the immune system → reduces inflammation and stops overreactions.

3. Support cortisol intentionally

Breathwork, prayer, boundaries, strength training, morning light.

4. Support progesterone naturally

Sleep, minerals, nutrient-dense foods, and stress reduction.

5. Support estrogen detox pathways

Cruciferous veggies, hydration, gut health.

6. Supplement Micronutrients

Even the healthiest eaters have micronutrient deficiencies. Vitamins and minerals are necessary for hormone production and communication.

7. Move daily - but don't overwork

Movement balances ALL hormones. Extreme workouts can cause cortisol to panic during perimenopause.

8. Heal the gut so hormones can communicate

Remember: 80% of immune regulation begins here. A simple, yet powerful detox, can get you back on track.

Final Encouragement

If you feel like your hormones are out of control…
If you feel like your body is suddenly unpredictable…
If you feel like your energy has been stolen from you…

You are not crazy.
You are not failing.
You are not broken.

Your best friends are just having a rough season.

With the right support, safety, nourishment, and rhythm - they absolutely CAN learn to play together again.

And when they do?
Your energy comes back.
Your clarity comes back.
Your metabolism wakes up.
Your autoimmune symptoms settle.
Your confidence grows.

You start thriving, not just surviving.

If you are ready to take the next step in your hormone balancing and/or autoimmune healing journey, I would love the opportunity to guide you through that process. Book a 1 hour Comprehensive Health Strategy Session with me and let's take a deep dive into your heath story. We will begin connecting the dots, uncover why your body is struggling, and create a clear path moving forward so you can overcome your symptoms.

I am here for you when you are ready!

Always Thriving,

Julie