In this powerful conversation, Erin sits down with Laura Oakes to unpack what may be the most overlooked factor in women’s health:

Your nervous system.

For so many high-achieving, driven women — the missing piece isn’t another supplement, stricter macros, or pushing harder.

It’s regulation.

We dive into why nervous system regulation is often the foundational step that must come first — especially if you feel stuck despite “doing everything right.”

Inside this episode, we cover:

✨ What nervous system regulation actually means ✨ Why so many women are living in chronic fight-or-flight ✨ How chronic stress elevates cortisol and drives inflammation ✨ The cortisol → blood sugar → insulin → belly fat cascade ✨ Why stress keeps the body in a protective, survival-based state ✨ How a dysregulated nervous system disrupts sleep, energy, and mood ✨ Why stress suppresses libido and slows metabolism ✨ The connection between alcohol, inflammation, and stress signaling ✨ Why alcohol keeps the body in a heightened stress-response state ✨ Why your body cannot heal, lose weight, or truly recover when it doesn’t feel safe

We break down how a chronically activated nervous system impacts the entire body — altering stress patterns, impairing blood sugar regulation, increasing inflammatory signaling, disrupting sleep architecture, and keeping you locked in survival mode instead of repair mode.

If you feel like you're constantly pushing, wired-but-tired, inflamed, stuck with weight, or reaching for alcohol to unwind — this episode will likely hit home.

Because healing doesn’t start with doing more.

It starts with safety.

Follow erin on instagram @erinlynnewellness

To learn more about revive Wellness visit www.revivewellnesssc.com

Midline Weight Gain: What’s Really Happening as Hormones Shift

In this episode of Peri Chats, we’ll discuss why weight so often shifts to the midsection as hormones begin to change — even when your habits haven’t.

We’ll talk through what’s actually happening beneath the surface, including:

• How changes in estrogen, progesterone, insulin, cortisol, and thyroid influence fat storage

• Why belly weight can increase even without significant changes on the scale

• The difference between visceral and subcutaneous fat and why midline weight gain matters for long-term health

• How chronic stress, under-eating, poor sleep, and overtraining can worsen abdominal fat storage

• Why many women are told “it’s just aging” — and what’s being missed

In this episode, we’ll also discuss what women can do about it — from nutrition strategies and strength training to sleep, stress regulation, and hormone support — so you can work with your physiology instead of against it.

This conversation isn’t about quick fixes or shrinking your body. It’s about understanding your hormones, your metabolism, and your options — so you can make informed decisions for your health now and for years to come.

Visit www.revivewellnesssc.com to learn about our metabolic program or to become a new patient!

Perimenopause Symptoms Explained: Why It’s a Transition, Not a Diagnosis

Perimenopause is not a diagnosis — it’s a hormonal transition. And yet, millions of women in their 30s and early 40s are dismissed, misdiagnosed, or told their symptoms are “normal” or “just stress.”

In this episode of Peri Chats, we break down what perimenopause actually is, why it often begins earlier than expected, and how hormonal volatility — not hormone deficiency — drives many early symptoms. We discuss the early signs of perimenopause most women don’t connect to hormones, including anxiety, mood changes, weight gain, sleep disruption, fatigue, brain fog, and immune changes.

You’ll learn how shifting estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone impact metabolism, mental health, inflammation, and immune function, and why standard hormone labs frequently appear “normal” despite significant symptoms. We explain why symptoms matter more than labs, how perimenopause is commonly missed by conventional medicine, and what women actually need during this transition.

This episode is for women who feel unheard, overlooked, or confused by what their body is doing — and for anyone searching for real answers about perimenopause symptoms, hormone imbalance, and midlife health.

🎙️ Peri Chats — honest conversations about hormones, healing, and real life.

In this first episode of Peri Chats, Erin Gagné shares the personal journey that led her into functional medicine — and ultimately inspired this podcast.

What started in 2017 as chronic exhaustion and being told her labs were “normal” quickly turned into years of unanswered symptoms, autoimmune diagnoses, early perimenopause, burnout, and feeling deeply disconnected from her body. Through gut health challenges, hormone disruption, and the courage to leave a toxic work environment, Erin’s healing journey reshaped not only how she lives — but how she practices medicine.

In this episode, Erin reflects on the pivotal moments that changed everything and shares the five healing lessons that helped her find lasting wellness, including:

• Why feeling dismissed is never normal care

• The role of gut health in hormone and immune balance

• How hormones adapt to stress rather than “fail”

• Why lifestyle and environment matter as much as protocols

• What real healing looks like when it isn’t linear

This episode sets the foundation for Peri Chats — honest, science-backed conversations for women navigating perimenopause, burnout, and chronic symptoms who are ready for deeper understanding and real healing.

If you’ve ever felt like something was off but couldn’t get answers, this episode is for you.

check out Revive wellness

www.Revivewellnesssc.com

Welcome to Peri Chats a space where hormones and healing finally get an honest conversation, led by Erin Gagne, nurse practitioner and owner of Revive Wellness. Erin has a passion for all things wellness in full body healing after experiencing her own health struggles. In the space, we will share honest conversations so that you can find deep healing and empowerment to fill your best inside and out welcome in!