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What if many of the symptoms women are told to “just accept” as part of aging are actually signals that the body needs more support?

In this episode of The BeingBrigid Show, Brigid sits down with regenerative medicine physician and longevity expert Dr. Amy Killen to discuss the science-backed strategies women can use to support hormone health, metabolic health, skin health, energy, and healthy aging. Together, they unpack the role of functional medicine, personalized nutrition coaching, hormones, blood sugar regulation, and regenerative therapies in helping women thrive through perimenopause, menopause, and beyond.

From peptides and GLP-1 medications to red light therapy, stem cells, osteoporosis prevention, and nervous system regulation, this conversation explores what women should actually be paying attention to if they want to improve energy, reduce chronic inflammation, and support long-term health outcomes.

What You’ll Learn In This Episode:

• Why women should establish baseline hormone and metabolic labs in their 30s
• The connection between blood sugar, inflammation, and accelerated aging
• Why osteoporosis prevention should begin earlier than most women realize
• How stress and sleep deprivation impact progesterone and hormone balance
• The importance of vaginal estrogen for pelvic floor and microbiome health
• What regenerative medicine includes beyond traditional functional medicine
• How peptides and GLP-1 medications are being used in longevity medicine
• The role of red light therapy for mitochondria, skin health, and recovery
• How stem cells and regenerative therapies are used for skin and sexual health
• Lifestyle and nutrition strategies that support healthy aging and body composition

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Introduction to Functional Nutrition and Longevity
• 02:58 Proactive Health Measures for Women in Their 30s
• 06:12 The Shift from ER to Regenerative Medicine
• 09:12 The Importance of Hormones in Women’s Health
• 12:04 Vaginal Estrogen and Its Role in Women’s Health
• 14:47 The Connection Between Estrogen and Gut Health
• 18:00 Addressing Low Progesterone in Women
• 20:48 Biohacking and Central Nervous System Health
• 24:03 Red Light Therapy for Skin Health
• 25:58 Exploring Red Light Therapy
• 27:20 Understanding Peptides and Their Benefits
• 28:34 Peptides for Weight Loss: Insights and Opinions
• 30:59 The Role of GLP-1s in Metabolic Health
• 34:27 Stem Cells: A New Frontier in Regenerative Medicine
• 40:29 Skincare Strategies for Longevity
• 44:02 The Future of Longevity Clinics and Hormone Therapy

Why Women Should Start Thinking About Longevity Earlier

One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is that women don’t need to wait until menopause to begin supporting their hormone health and longevity.

Dr. Amy Killen explains why getting proactive lab work in your 30s—including thyroid markers, inflammatory markers, lipids, fasting glucose, and hormone testing—can provide valuable baseline information long before symptoms appear. Many women assume they don’t need to think about bone density, blood sugar, or hormone shifts until later in life, but subtle changes often begin years before symptoms become obvious.

This is especially important for women navigating chronic inflammation, fatigue, thyroid dysfunction, or blood sugar instability, as these patterns can quietly impact long-term health outcomes over time.

Blood Sugar, Aging & Inflammation

Dr. Killen explains that elevated blood sugar exists on a spectrum—and that women don’t need a diagnosis of pre-diabetes or diabetes for blood sugar dysregulation to negatively impact their health. Even mild elevations in fasting glucose can contribute to inflammation, skin aging, vascular damage, and metabolic dysfunction.

This conversation reinforces why functional nutrition and an anti-inflammatory diet play such an important role in women’s health and longevity. Nutrition habits that stabilize blood sugar can help support hormones, energy levels, body composition, and long-term metabolic health.

Perimenopause, Progesterone & Stress

Brigid and Dr. Killen also discuss one of the most common issues many high-achieving women experience: low progesterone. Stress, overtraining, under-fueling, sleep deprivation, and nervous system dysregulation can all impact ovulation and progesterone production—even in women in their 30s. Symptoms can show up as PMS, anxiety, migraines, infertility, irregular cycles, or worsening perimenopause symptoms.

They highlight the importance of looking at root cause healing through both lifestyle medicine and hormone support when needed. Sleep, stress management, proper fueling, resistance training, and personalized nutrition coaching all play a role in restoring hormone balance.

Why Vaginal Estrogen Deserves More Attention

Dr. Killen shares how low estrogen states—including breastfeeding, postpartum recovery, perimenopause, and post-menopause—can contribute to pelvic floor dysfunction, recurrent UTIs, vaginal dryness, and microbiome imbalances. She explains how estrogen supports immune function, the vaginal microbiome, and overall tissue integrity, making it a critical but often overlooked tool in women’s health care.

Red Light Therapy, Skin Health & Mitochondrial Support

The conversation also explores the growing interest in red light therapy and whether it truly lives up to the hype. Dr. Killen explains that red light therapy may support mitochondrial health, skin regeneration, recovery, blood sugar regulation, and nervous system regulation. While it’s not a replacement for foundational health habits like sleep, hydration, anti-inflammatory nutrition, and stress management, it can be a valuable addition to a longevity-focused lifestyle.

Peptides, GLP-1s & Regenerative Medicine

For listeners curious about peptides and regenerative medicine, Dr. Killen provides a beginner-friendly overview of how these therapies work. She explains that peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as signaling molecules in the body and discusses commonly used peptides like BPC-157 for gut health and tissue healing.

The conversation also covers GLP-1 medications and how they may support weight loss, body composition, blood sugar regulation, inflammation reduction, and metabolic health when paired with proper nutrition, muscle-building, and lifestyle support. Dr. Killen emphasizes that while these therapies can be powerful tools, they work best alongside foundational habits like nutrition accountability, resistance training, sleep, stress reduction, and functional medicine approaches that address root causes.

Stem Cells & The Future of Longevity Medicine

Dr. Killen explains how stem cell-based therapies are being used to support skin health, hair restoration, injury recovery, and sexual wellness by encouraging the body’s own repair and regeneration processes. While regenerative medicine continues to evolve, this conversation highlights the exciting future of personalized, proactive healthcare focused on prevention, resilience, and longevity rather than simply symptom management.

Resources & Links:

+ Dr. Amy’s Substack

+ Dr. Amy’s Website 

+ Dr. Amy’s Instagram

+ Join The Being Collective

+ Brigid’s Website

+ Brigid’s Instagram

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend and be sure to subscribe to The BeingBrigid Show for more conversations on women’s nutrition, functional medicine, hormone health, gut health, anti-inflammatory living, and science-backed strategies for thriving at every age.