2026 Issue #8

Copper, Hormones, and Mineral Testing: What Every Woman Should Know

Hi Reader,

For six years, I had a Mirena IUD.

At the time, I felt good about that decision. It was recommended as safe, low-maintenance, and non-hormonal.

What I didn’t understand back then was that it would take me years to clean up the mess it made to my body.

You see, when I tried to “get my body back” after baby #2, something felt different.

I had low energy — which I blamed on motherhood.
My mood felt less steady — which I blamed on lack of sleep (and, again… motherhood).
My body held onto weight in a way it never had before (guess what I blamed?)
Brain fog crept in. I couldn’t recall things like I used to.

What I didn't know to blame was one mineral that was out of balance and causing chaos inside my body -

Copper.

Copper is an essential mineral. You need it for energy production, connective tissue, immune function, and iron metabolism. It’s not the villain.

But copper is powerful and when it’s not balanced properly — especially with zinc — it can influence a lot:

• It interacts directly with estrogen
• It affects how you utilize iron
• It influences your nervous system
• It impacts mood and emotional resilience
• It plays a role in thyroid hormone activation impacting your metabolism

Copper doesn’t only come from an IUD.

We’re exposed to copper through drinking water (especially older plumbing), environmental pesticides, certain supplements, prenatal vitamins, and even high-estrogen states in the body.

And when copper accumulates or isn't balanced well, it can look like symptoms we usually blame on something else:

– anxiety that worsens right before your period
– racing thoughts at night
– feeling wired but exhausted
– worsening PMS or estrogen dominance
– stubborn weight that doesn’t match your effort
– iron issues that don’t improve
– irritability or emotional sensitivity that feels “not like you”

How would you even know if copper is an issue for you?

Copper is a mineral that sits in tissues, so you're not able to test it well in your blood.

A hair test can show copper levels — and just as importantly, how copper is interacting with zinc, iron, calcium, and other minerals that determine whether it’s functioning well or creating imbalance.

Because until you test…

you’re guessing.

And when it comes to women’s health, I don’t love guessing.

xo,

P.S. Want to calm your nervous system with something easy, like drinking tea? There's still time to join the Wellness Tea Club to get your February tea - grown right here on my Wisconsin farm! For just $29, you get 15 servings of a monthly tea and a guided meditation, designed to calm your nervous system and allow for healing. (Cause you can't heal when you don't stop moving!) Click here to learn more.​

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