Live workshop · Tuesday, November 10th · 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET
Hormones, Minus the Hype
One evening to finally understand hormone therapy: the real risks, the real benefits, and what the evidence says now. So you can walk into your next appointment knowing exactly what to ask.
You've Googled it at 2am. You've heard "hormones cause cancer" and "hormones are the fountain of youth" in the same week.
You don't need more noise. You need someone to lay out the facts, in plain English, and let you decide.
That's this workshop.
The details
When: Tuesday, November 10th, 5:00 PM Pacific / 8:00 PM Eastern
Where: Live on Zoom, so you can chat and ask questions in real time.
Can't make it live? The replay lives in the Vital Library.
How long: About an hour, including live Q&A.
Bonus: Walk In Ready, your printable hormone appointment guide.
Your investment: $79 for this workshop and a month inside the Vital Library (renews monthly, cancel anytime). Or $120 for the whole year (20% off, normally $150): this workshop, every workshop through next November, every replay, and every guide. The $120 price ends November 10th.
Taught by Tina Hergert, RN. More than 20 years in healthcare. Thousands of lab reports reviewed. Zero hype.
Walk away knowing what the 2002 study that scared a generation of women actually found.
Walk away knowing the full menu of options, hormone and non-hormone, and how they differ.
Walk away with the exact questions to bring to your provider, in a printable guide.
You know your body. And you know something shifted.
Maybe it's the 3am wake-ups. Wide awake, mind racing, for no good reason.
Maybe it's the heat that rolls up your chest in the middle of a meeting. Or the sheets you change at midnight.
Maybe it's the short fuse you don't recognize. The word that vanishes mid-sentence. The weight that settled around your middle like it pays rent.
And then there's the part nobody talks about. The fear.
Not just the fear of a diagnosis. The quieter one.
You catch your reflection and wonder who that is. The woman who used to be sharp, patient, funny, and sure of herself. Where did she go?
Is this just who you are now?
That's the fear that keeps you up at 3am. That you're losing yourself a little more each month, and nobody seems worried but you.
And every way out feels scary too. You've heard hormone therapy causes breast cancer. Your mom was told to stop hers, cold turkey. Your doctor shrugged and said "you're just getting older." Your best friend swears her patch gave her life back. And your feed says everything, all at once, with a discount code.
So you stay stuck. Not because you're not smart. Because the information has been a mess for more than 20 years.
That's not a you problem. That's a messaging problem. And it's fixable.
The symptoms nobody warned you about.
Hot flashes, cycle changes, and weight gain get all the press. But estrogen has receptors all over your body, including your joints, your ears, your skin, and your brain. So when it starts swinging, things can get weird.
The frozen shoulder. It's most common for women between 40 and 60.
The aches everywhere. In 2024, researchers gave it a name: the musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause. It's estimated to affect about 70% of women in the transition.
The room that spins. A type of vertigo called BPPV shows up more often in women around menopause, and early research links it to falling estrogen.
The ringing in your ears. Plenty of women notice it in midlife.
The phantom smells. Smoke, burning toast, something nobody else in the room can smell.
The burning mouth. Burning mouth syndrome is most common in postmenopausal women. Metallic taste can tag along too.
The racing heart. Palpitations out of nowhere, often at night.
The itchy, dry everything. Skin that crawls. Eyes that feel like sandpaper.
One important note: a new symptom always deserves a real workup, so nothing else gets missed. Hormones can be part of the story. They're not automatically the whole story.
Sources: Harvard Health on the musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause · Frontiers in Neurology review on estrogen and BPPV
And the ones that hit closer to home.
Maybe your desire packed up and left without a note. Maybe touch feels like one more person needing something from you.
Maybe you want to be alone. Like, a lot. You cancel plans, you hide in the car in the driveway, and your partner keeps asking what's wrong.
That's not a character flaw, and it doesn't mean your relationship is broken. Shifting hormones can change desire, comfort, mood, and how much "people" you have in you. We'll talk about it, openly, and without the awkwardness.
You're not late. You're loaded with information.
Let's clear something up right now.
The supplements you tried. The diet that worked for six weeks. The doctor who didn't listen, and the one after that. The articles, the podcasts, the late-night rabbit holes.
None of that was wasted.
Every one of those tells you something. What helped. What didn't. What you won't put up with again. That's not failure. That's data. And most women walking into this conversation have far less of it than you do.
You're not starting over. You're starting from experience.
Now picture this.
You sit down with your provider and you're not nervous. You know what the research actually says. You know which questions matter for your age, your history, and your goals. You can tell the difference between a careful answer and a brush-off.
You decide, with real information, what fits your body for the next 30 or 40 years. Yes or no, hormones or not. Either way, it's your call, and you make it with clear eyes.
That's what's possible. And it starts with one evening.
Hi, I'm Tina. I've been on both sides of the chart.
As a nurse, I watched it happen over and over. A woman comes in exhausted, dealing with brain fog, having trouble sleeping, and not feeling like herself. Her labs come back "normal." She leaves with a pat on the arm and a pamphlet about stress.
And I've been that woman myself.
I was dismissed too. I knew something was off, and I was told it was just age. I refused to accept that. I dug into the research, followed the clues, and got my answers. 45 pounds gone, hormones back on track, energy back. More than anything, I got me back.
A little about me, since you should know who you're learning from. I'm a lifelong Sandy, Oregon girl. Before nursing, I drove a semi and answered 911 calls. I homeschooled my kids. I've worked a lot of jobs, and every one of them taught me to stay calm, look at the whole picture, and spot what doesn't add up.
Today I'm a registered nurse with more than 20 years in healthcare, a certified perimenopause and menopause coach, and the founder of Whole Health Simplified. I've reviewed thousands of lab reports. I read the research so I can explain it like a friend, not a textbook.
One thing to be clear on: I'm not here as your nurse, and I won't tell you whether to take hormones. I'm here to teach you what the evidence says, so you can have a more informed conversation with your provider.
Here's exactly what we'll walk through together.
The myths, and the 2002 study behind them. Why the Women's Health Initiative scared a generation, and what the headlines left out.
The real benefits and the real risks. Both sides, with actual numbers, not scare tactics or sales pitches.
Why age, timing, and type matter. How your age, your health history, and the kind of hormone change the whole risk picture.
The full menu. There are far more options than most women are ever offered. Why one that didn't work doesn't mean none will.
The symptoms nobody warned you about. Frozen shoulder, vertigo, phantom smells, a vanishing libido, and the sudden need to be alone.
If hormones aren't for you. The non-hormone options with real evidence, and the daily habits that support your body.
The questions to ask your provider. Plus the green flags that tell you someone is current on menopause care.
How to filter the noise. A simple way to tell solid information from fear-based messaging and influencer hype.
Plus live Q&A. Bring your questions. That's what this time is for.
Hormone therapy isn't one thing. It's a whole menu.
Most women get offered one option. Maybe two.
If it didn't work, or it made you feel worse, it's easy to decide hormones "don't work for you." Your doctor might have even said so.
But what if that one option just wasn't your option?
There are more ways to take hormone therapy than most women ever hear about. Different forms. Different routes into your body. Different versions of the same hormone that can make you feel completely different. And one word, "bioidentical," gets misunderstood almost every time it's said.
On November 10th, I'll walk you through the whole menu. What's on it, how the options differ, and why one that didn't work doesn't mean none will.
You'll never look at "I tried hormones and they didn't work" the same way again.
For the woman who wants to see the evidence.
In 2002, part of the Women's Health Initiative was stopped early. The news hit fast: hormone therapy causes breast cancer, heart attacks, and strokes. Prescriptions dropped, and a lot of women were told to just push through.
Here's what got lost in the headlines.
The science has moved a lot since then.
The Menopause Society's position statement says that for women under 60, or within 10 years of menopause, with no contraindications, the benefit-risk ratio is favorable for hot flashes and preventing bone loss. Start later, and the picture changes.
In November 2025, the FDA announced it is removing the boxed warnings about heart disease, breast cancer, and dementia from menopause hormone therapy labels.
Does that mean hormones are right for everyone? No. Some women shouldn't take them, and that decision belongs to you and a provider who knows your history.
But you deserve to make it with accurate information. That's what we'll do on November 10th.
Sources: WHI, JAMA 2002 · WHI long-term follow-up, JAMA 2020 · The Menopause Society 2022 Position Statement · FDA announcement, Nov 10, 2025
Can't take them? Don't want to? You still have options.
Maybe you've had breast cancer. Maybe you've had a clot. Or maybe you just don't want to, and that's a valid choice too.
You are not out of options. And you are not stuck white-knuckling it.
For hot flashes, there are non-hormone prescriptions. Options include certain antidepressants used at low doses, gabapentin, and two newer non-hormone medications: fezolinetant (Veozah), approved in 2023, and elinzanetant (Lynkuet), approved in 2025.
And your foundation matters more than you think. Nutrition, targeted supplements, and daily routines help support your whole system, including sleep and hot flashes. No single habit is a magic switch, and anyone promising one is selling something. Stacked together, they make a real difference for your bones, muscle, heart, blood sugar, sleep, and mood.
So where do you start?
It depends on you: your history, your symptoms, and what you're up against right now. That's exactly what we'll sort out together on November 10th.
Source: The Menopause Society 2023 Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement, via Breastcancer.org · FDA approval of elinzanetant, Oct 2025
One workshop. A whole year of answers.
There are two ways in. Both get you a seat on November 10th, the replay, and the Walk In Ready guide. One of them gets you the next eleven workshops too.
Upcoming workshops
Here's everything you get:
The live workshop, Hormones, Minus the Hype. Tuesday, November 10th, 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET. About an hour.
Live Q&A. On Zoom. Ask your questions in the chat and get straight answers.
The replay. It lives in the Vital Library. Watch it again, or for the first time if life gets in the way.
Walk In Ready: Your Hormone Appointment Guide. A printable PDF with the questions to bring to your appointment, the menu of options at a glance, and a simple symptom tracker.
Instant access: the Perimenopause Pattern Workshop replay. It sits in the Vital Library as a past workshop, with the Discover Your Perimenopause Pattern quiz. Start watching the day you join.
A full year of the Vital Library (annual only). Every workshop through next November, every replay, every guide, and the Make It Make Sense podcast, including:
December 1: Deck the Halls, Not Your Family: Holiday Survival for Midlife Hormones
January 5: The Midlife Middle: Weight, Insulin, and What Actually Works Now
February 9: Desire, Distance, and Your Hormones
March: Is It Me or My Hormones? Your Brain in Midlife
And more through the year, plus Make It Make Sense, my subscriber-only podcast
Workshop titles and dates may shift. Every one is included in your year.
BEST VALUE: ANNUAL, 20% OFF
$150 $120 for the year
That's 20% off when you join before November 10th. This workshop plus every workshop and resource for the next 12 months. Just $10 a month. You pay for two workshops and get the other ten free.
MONTHLY: $79
This workshop, the replay, Walk In Ready, and 30 days inside the Vital Library. Think of it as a workshop ticket. It renews at $79 a month, and you can cancel anytime.
The $120 price is 20% off your first year. It renews at $150, and you can cancel anytime before it renews.
Already in the Vital Library? You're in. Your Zoom registration is waiting in Workshop Replays.
Started monthly and want the year? The $120 annual price works for upgrades too, through November 10th.
This is for you if:
You're in perimenopause or menopause and want to understand your options before your next appointment.
You've been told "hormones are dangerous" and nothing else.
You're already on hormone therapy and want to know you're asking the right questions.
You'd rather understand the evidence than be told what to think.
You tried hormones once, it didn't go well, and you're wondering if that's the end of the road.
You can't take hormones, or don't want to, and you want to know what else actually helps.
This is not for you if:
You want someone to tell you to take hormones, or to never take them. I won't do either.
You're looking for a prescription or personal medical advice. That's your provider's job.
You want hype, miracle claims, or a supplement pitch. You won't get one here.
I can't make it live. Should I still sign up?
Yes. The replay goes into the Vital Library, and it's yours. Live is more fun, because you can ask questions, but you won't miss the content.
How do I get in after I pay?
Click the button, finish checkout on Substack (that's where the Vital Library lives), and you're in. Your welcome email points you to Workshop Replays inside the Vital Library, where the Zoom registration button and your Walk In Ready guide are waiting. You'll also get a follow-up email from me with the same link. Register once on Zoom, and Zoom sends your personal join link.
How do I watch live?
On Zoom, from your phone or computer. You can chat and ask questions live, and the replay goes into the Vital Library afterward.
I'm 42. Or 63. Is this for me?
Yes. Age and timing are a big part of the conversation, and we'll cover how the picture changes at different stages. Perimenopause, menopause, and beyond.
I'm already on hormone therapy. Will this help?
Yes. You'll understand why your provider chose what they did, and you'll leave with better questions for your next check-in.
I've been told I can't take hormones. Is there anything here for me?
Yes. There's a whole section on the non-hormone options with real evidence behind them, plus the daily habits that support your body. Your own care team still makes the call for your situation.
I tried hormones and felt worse. Why would this help?
Because hormone therapy is a menu, not a single dish. The type, dose, and route all matter. You'll leave knowing what else is out there and what to ask about.
How long is it?
About an hour, including live Q&A.
Is this medical advice?
No. This is education. I'm teaching as a health strategist, not as your nurse. Nothing here replaces care from your own provider.
What happens after the year?
Monthly renews each month at $79 until you cancel. Annual renews at $150 after your first year, so you keep every new workshop and resource. Cancel anytime in your Substack settings before it renews.
Monthly or annual?
Monthly is a workshop ticket: $79 for this one and a month inside. Annual is $120 for this one and the next eleven, plus every replay and guide. If you'll want more than one workshop this year, annual is the obvious pick. The $120 price ends November 10th, and if you start monthly you can still upgrade to annual at $120 before then.
You've done the research. Now let's make it make sense.
You didn't get here by accident. Every symptom you tracked, every question you asked, and every answer that didn't sit right brought you to this point.
You're not behind. You're ready.
And that woman you've been missing? She's not gone. She's still in there.
One evening. Real evidence. Plain English. And a clear head for whatever you decide next.
I'll see you on the 10th.
Tina
Tina Hergert, RN
Women's Health Strategist
Whole Health Simplified
P.S. Skimmed to the bottom? Here's the short version. Hormones, Minus the Hype is live on Tuesday, November 10th at 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET. $79 gets you this workshop, the replay, and Walk In Ready. $120 gets you all of that plus every workshop and resource for a full year (20% off, through November 10th only, normally $150). Can't make it live? The replay is yours.