Have you hit your mid-30s and suddenly felt like your body just is not responding the way it used to? Maybe the weight won’t budge no matter how healthy you eat, your energy feels permanently drained, your anxiety is through the roof, or you are dealing with constant bloating and inflammation that seems to come out of nowhere? For many women, it can feel confusing, frustrating, and deeply personal — especially when the routines that once worked suddenly don’t anymore. But according to Dr Isstelle Jonker, a medical practitioner at RxME Group, these changes are far more common than most women realise. In this article, she explains that many women over 35 end up blaming themselves for shifts in their bodies and emotions that may actually be connected to hormonal changes, stress, and metabolic changes that naturally become more noticeable during this stage of life. Dr Isstelle Jonker, medical practitioner at Dr Smook and Partners, managed by RxME Group. Picture: Supplied Dr Jonker on hormonal and stress-related changes women often misunderstand Reflecting on the experiences of many of her patients, this is what Dr Isstelle Jonker had to share: “Many women come to us convinced they have become lazy or weak. But in reality, they are navigating significant hormonal, metabolic, and stress-related changes that no one properly prepared them for. These patients are functioning in survival mode, building careers, raising families, managing households, and carrying emotional loads their bodies were never designed to sustain long-term,” said Dr Jonker. Why the body changes after 35 and how stress drives it Dr Jonker explains that after the age of 35, many women begin to experience noticeable changes in the way their bodies function — from hormone balance and cortisol levels to insulin sensitivity, sleep patterns, muscle tone, and inflammation. She says chronic stress is one of the biggest contributing factors, often affecting the body in ways many women do not immediately realise. “The modern woman rarely truly rests. Even when sitting still, her nervous system is often in overdrive. When the body feels chronically stressed, it prioritises survival over balance, which is why so many patients feel trapped in cycles of fatigue, stubborn weight gain, poor sleep, anxiety, and emotional eating,” said Dr Jonker. When physical changes after 35 start to affect identity and emotional wellbeing For many women, these changes go far beyond the physical, often leaving them feeling emotionally overwhelmed and disconnected from the person they once recognised in the mirror. “Women tell me, ‘I don’t feel like me anymore.’ And that’s heartbreaking. It’s not just about appearance. It’s about confidence, energy, identity, and feeling comfortable in your own body again,” said Dr Jonker. A holistic approach as women ask deeper health questions Dr Smook and Partners, managed by RxME Group has become known for its compassionate and science-backed approach to women’s hormonal and metabolic health. Instead of placing all the focus on strict dieting or self-discipline, the practice looks at the bigger picture — including preventative care, hormone health, stress and nervous system support, inflammation management, and creating wellness plans that feel realistic and sustainable long term. Dr Jonker says more women are also starting to ask deeper questions about their health, wanting to better understand symptoms they may have previously dismissed, ignored, or simply accepted as “normal.” “Women are no longer only asking how to lose weight. They are asking why they feel exhausted, why their bodies feel inflamed, why their energy has changed and why they no longer feel like themselves. Those are important questions, and they deserve proper medical attention,” said Dr Jonker. Why more women are choosing personalised, long-term health support As conversations around women’s hormonal and metabolic health continue to gain momentum worldwide, Dr Smook and Partners, managed by RxME Group is seeing more and more women turn to personalised, medically guided wellness solutions that focus on long-term health rather than quick fixes. “Most women are not looking for perfection. They simply want to feel healthy, energised and comfortable in their own bodies again,” said Dr Jonker. HAVE YOU READ THIS ONE?: Demi Lovato Celebrates One Year of Marriage With Husband Jordan “Jutes” Lutes Post navigation Nal’ibali Leads Push to Bring Back the Culture of Reading in South African Homes
