Imagine a woman in her 40s who wakes up tired despite eight hours of sleep. Her jeans don’t fit anymore, and her once-glowing skin now feels dull. 

She’s tried every diet. Every exercise program. Every trendy supplement the internet says will fix her. She’s logged endless hours on the treadmill, skipped meals, and ignored cravings.  Yet every time she steps on the scale, the numbers only rise.

She can’t focus and her cravings are out of control. Friends and doctors tell her to eat less and move more, but nothing works. Her frustration is unbearable. She’s confused and losing confidence in herself and her body.

Stacey Bean went through the same ups and downs. She’s a former physician and an expert in exercise physiology, personal training, and nutrition. For decades, she believed she had all the answers when it came to health. But when her body started changing in her mid-40s, her expertise failed her.

She experienced stubborn weight gain, brain fog, fatigue, thinning hair, and poor sleep. Traditional approaches like eating less and exercising more did nothing to help. Then, a doctor’s visit revealed that she has prediabetes and high cholesterol.

Through functional medicine and Gestalt therapy, she found the root causes of her challenges: hormonal imbalances, inflammation, and gut health. Over time, Stacey reversed her prediabetes, restored her energy, and shed 35 pounds.

“I had to learn how to work with my body, not against it. For so long, I was fighting it, restricting calories, over-exercising, and causing my cortisol levels to soar. I was depriving myself of the building blocks and substrates my body needed to produce the hormones that were necessary for my health.”

Stacey Bean

The Role of Stress in Weight Gain and Hormone Imbalances

Chronic stress is more than just feeling overwhelmed. When your stress levels stay high, your body floods with cortisol, leading to weight gain, disrupted sleep, and hormonal disorders.

Here’s how to bring calm back into your life:

• Breathe: Practice deep belly breathing for 5 minutes a day. It calms your nervous system and lowers cortisol.
• Move Mindfully: Swap high-intensity workouts for walks, yoga, or Pilates. Too much intensity can stress your body.
• Say No: Create boundaries and make time for your mental health. You can’t pour from an empty cup.
• Unplug: Set tech-free hours in your day. Your brain and hormones need a break from the constant action.  

Most of us can’t just get rid of stress. It’s part of life. But Stacey has pointed out that you can learn to become resilient. You can train yourself to respond to stress instead of reacting to it. This switch changes everything because when your body isn’t in “fight or flight” mode, it can start to heal.

Your Gut Health: The Control Center of Your Body

Your gut isn’t just for digesting food. It’s the command center for your hormones, immune system, and mood. If your gut is not working right, it makes it harder to lose weight, absorb essential nutrients, and stay healthy.

Here’s how to support your gut and heal from within:

Prioritize these foods:

• Probiotic-rich options: Sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and yogurt with live cultures.
• Fiber-rich foods: Lentils, beans, oats, and leafy greens to feed beneficial gut bacteria.
• Healthy fats: Avocado, olive oil, and nuts help reduce inflammation.
• Sardines: A powerhouse for brain health and reducing inflammation.

Avoid these gut disruptors:

• Processed foods, artificial sweeteners, and excessive sugar

When faced with something as life-changing as losing mobility, you realize that food fuels your body and heals it at the deepest level.

For me, sardines became a key component of my recovery. They’re loaded with healthy fats that are absolute brain food, they help fight inflammation, and they’re packed with the kind of protein my body needs to rebuild my muscles after my stroke.

Shifting Focus from Weight Loss to Health

For decades, women have been told to eat less, move more, and chase a certain size. But for women dealing with hormonal imbalances, this advice is both ineffective and damaging. Why? Hormones.

When estrogen, cortisol, and insulin are out of balance, calorie restriction only adds stress to your system. Your body holds on to fat because it’s in survival mode.

Instead, focus on nourishment:

• Prioritize protein: Aim for 20-30 grams per meal to support muscle, hormones, and metabolism.
• Balance your plate: Include healthy fats, fiber, and low-glycemic carbs like sweet potatoes or quinoa.
• Cut out the sugar: It increases insulin and worsens inflammation.
• Stay hydrated: Water is essential for energy, digestion, and detoxification.
• Eat whole, unprocessed foods: Let your meals come from the earth, not a factory.

Stacey believes that true weight loss comes when you focus on health first. This means paying attention to the body’s messages and working with the body, rather than trying to force it to fit a specific mold.

Bonus Tips

If you’re ready to take control of your health, Stacey offers a range of programs to guide you:

• Four-Month Functional Wellness Program: A personalized coaching program that uses advanced lab testing and DNA analysis to improve your gut, hormones, and energy.
• Weight Release Program: A six-week course co-created with Carey Weiss and me, combining health foundations with Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) to release emotional and physical weight.
• Wellness Retreats: Starting in 2025, Stacey will host intimate retreats that combine nutrition, Gestalt therapy, and emotional healing.
• Stacey Bean Wellness App: Access free & subscription-based content to support hormone health, gut health, and weight management anytime, anywhere.

Conclusion

Your health is your greatest gift, and you can make it better. You can let go of past practices and choose a new approach that truly works for your body. Pay attention to your gut health, manage stress, and focus on caring for yourself. 

Resource

Turn your home into a personal sanctuary with my Home Wellness Checklist. It’s a free, step-by-step guide, full of ways to promote peace and balance in your home.

Stacey Bean Bio:

Stacey holds an M.D. from the University of Vermont, a Master’s in Exercise Physiology from UC Berkeley, and certifications in Women’s Hormone and Gut Health. After a decade in Western Medicine and 30+ years in the health and wellness industry, her personal journey through perimenopause led her to explore a different approach. 

She became certified in Functional Medicine, Gestalt Coaching, and other root-cause healing methods. These tools helped her heal, and she is passionate about helping others do the same. 

Through her practice, Indigo & Sage Functional Wellness, she educates and empowers clients to take charge of their health and embrace the vibrant, fulfilling life they deserve.

Connect with Stacey Bean:

• Website: www.staceybeanwellness.com
• Instagram: @staceybeanmd
• Branded App: sbfunctionalwellness.com