Hormonal shifts affect fasting lengths and food choices based on different phases (fertility years, perimenopause, menopausal transition, post-menopause).
Nutrition adjustment, liver and gut health focus, and adding carbs can help perimenopausal women experiencing progesterone decline.
Post-menopausal women benefit from longer fasting, muscle building, reducing toxic load, and considering bioidentical hormones for severe symptoms.
Deep dives
Understanding the Nuances of Hormonal Phases
In this podcast episode, the speaker discusses the different hormonal phases women go through: fertility years, perimenopausal years, menopausal transition, and post-menopausal years. She emphasizes that hormonal shifts can affect fasting lengths and food choices. For women in their fertility years, following the fasting reset can help regulate hormones and ease PMS symptoms. Perimenopausal women experience progesterone decline, which can lead to anxiety and other symptoms. Adjusting nutrition, adding carbs, and focusing on liver and gut health can help. During the menopausal transition, longer fasting and ketones can support brain health and hormone balancing. Post-menopausal women benefit from longer fasting, muscle building, and reducing toxic load. Different fasting schedules, such as 5-1-1 or 4-2-1, can be effective depending on individual needs.
The Importance of Protein and Muscle Building
To address menopausal weight gain and promote hormonal balance, the speaker recommends focusing on protein intake and muscle building exercises. Consuming 30-40 grams of protein per meal can help build muscle, and incorporating weight lifting or bodyweight exercises a few times a week is essential. For post-menopausal women, longer fasting can help improve insulin sensitivity, while bioidentical hormones can be considered for those experiencing severe symptoms. It's important to prioritize brain health and manage toxic load during the menopausal transition. The speaker encourages women to share this knowledge and support each other in navigating hormonal changes.
Navigating Hormonal Changes at Different Life Stages
This podcast episode tackles the different hormonal phases women experience, starting from the fertility years to post-menopause. The speaker encourages women to recognize the specific needs of each phase and adjust fasting lengths and food choices accordingly. Hormonal imbalances, such as low progesterone and high estrogen, can lead to various symptoms, including anxiety and heavy bleeding. Nutrient depletion from birth control and lifestyle factors is highlighted, stressing the importance of nourishing the body with key nutrients. The speaker also suggests tracking the menstrual cycle, prioritizing sleep, and reducing toxic exposure to support overall health.
Managing Symptoms during the Menopausal Transition Year
During the menopausal transition year, the speaker advises focusing on brain health and hormone balance. This includes using ketones and longer fasting for mental clarity, managing stress, and supporting insulin sensitivity. Exploring options like bioidentical hormones or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be considered under professional guidance. Lifestyle plays a crucial role in managing symptoms, with attention to sleep, reducing alcohol intake, and increasing vegetable consumption. The speaker emphasizes the need for self-care and understanding the individual's hormonal journey to find the most effective strategies.
Strategies for Post-Menopausal Women
Post-menopausal women are encouraged to prioritize muscle building and insulin sensitivity. Incorporating weightlifting or bodyweight exercises helps maintain muscle mass, while higher protein intake supports muscle growth. To manage post-menopausal weight gain and symptoms like hot flashes, longer fasting is recommended. The importance of detoxification and minimizing toxic exposures is stressed, along with focusing on mental and brain health. Various fasting schedules, such as 5-1-1 or lunar cycle fasting, can be explored to suit individual needs. Overall, maintaining muscle and adapting nutrition and fasting strategies are key for empowering post-menopausal women.
Dr. Mindy fills in some gaps from her Fast Like a Girl book for those of you out there with complicated cycles. Specifically, you Postmenopausal, Menopausal Transition, Perimenopausal, and Fertility Years women out there.
To view full show notes, resources mentioned in the episode, discount codes, transcripts, and more, visit https://www.drmindypelz.com/ep176
