Is it menopause, Lyme disease, chronic stress, or something else entirely?
For women navigating perimenopause and menopause, symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue, joint pain, anxiety, inflammation, and disrupted sleep can be confusing. But what happens when these symptoms may be connected to an underlying tick-borne infection?
In this episode of the Wise Divine Women Podcast, Dana Irvine welcomes Dr. Jaquel Patterson, ND, MBA, a nationally recognized leader in naturopathic and functional medicine, educator, and author of Women and Lyme.
Together, they explore the complex relationship between Lyme disease, hormonal changes, immune dysregulation, and women's brain health.
Dr. Patterson shares her clinical experience working with chronic illness, explaining why Lyme disease is sometimes called the great imitator, how testing challenges can delay appropriate care, and why a personalized, integrative approach matters.
This conversation also explores neuroinflammation, mental health, gut health, stress resilience, and the importance of being heard throughout your healthcare journey.
In This Episode, You'll Discover
- Why Lyme disease symptoms may overlap with menopause, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and autoimmune conditions.
- Why Lyme disease can be difficult to diagnose and how false-negative tests complicate the journey.
- How estrogen, progesterone, immune function, and inflammation interact.
- The role of antibiotics, herbal approaches, and individualized integrative care.
- How chronic inflammation and infections may influence mood, memory, and cognitive function.
- Why gut health, stress management, and foundational nutrition support overall wellness.
- How to advocate for comprehensive testing and meaningful healthcare conversations.
- Why small, consistent steps can make a difference in rebuilding health.
Episode Chapters
00:00 – Is It Lyme Disease or Menopause?
02:01 – Recognizing Lyme Symptoms and Testing Challenges
05:56 – Immune Regulation and Functional Medicine
14:11 – Herbal Remedies and Treatment Options
16:36 – Lyme Vaccines and Prevention Research
18:05 – Women's Hormones, Lyme Disease and Brain Health
21:52 – Rebuilding Health and Addressing Root Causes
25:32 – Integrative Healthcare and Being Heard
29:51 – Empowering Women to Advocate for Their Health
33:07 – Small Wins, Hope and Final Words of Wisdom
Connect With Dr. Jaquel Patterson
Book: Women and Lyme
Practice:Fairfield Family Health
Dr. Jaquel Patterson is a nationally recognized leader in naturopathic and functional medicine, an educator for integrative healthcare providers, a sought-after speaker, three-time Amazon bestselling author, and Forbes contributor.
Connect With Dana Irvine
Dana Irvine, FDNP
Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner | Breast Health Educator | Host of Wise Divine Women Podcast
Are you struggling with hormonal changes, brain fog, inflammation, fatigue, or unexplained symptoms?
Discover how a personalized functional nutrition approach can help you better understand your health and identify your next steps.
Visit: https://danairvine.com
Wise Divine Women: https://wisedivinewomen.com
Your body is not the enemy. It is communicating. Let's learn how to listen.
This episode is provided for education and is not a substitute for individualized medical evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment.
