The Resetter Podcast with Dr. Mindy What's the Purpose of Menopause? (Why Your Brain Is Rewiring in Midlife) with Dr. Mindy Pelz
Jan 26, 2026
A deep look at why menopause may be a programmed brain redesign rather than a disorder. Short chapters explore hormone-driven changes that cause anxiety, brain fog, and mood shifts. Evolutionary ideas like the grandmother role and neuronal pruning are discussed. The conversation reframes midlife as a transition toward reclaimed clarity, authentic voice, and wise leadership.
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Personal Menopausal Brain Crisis
- Mindy Pelz describes a sudden decline in cognitive energy, mood, and stamina in her early 40s that upended her life and work routine.
- She recounts trying lifestyle changes and HRT, but still experiencing severe mood shifts and suicidal thoughts that prompted deeper investigation.
Use Lifestyle Tools First
- When perimenopausal symptoms appear, Mindy Pelz recommends using targeted lifestyle interventions like fasting, carb cycling, microbiome repair, and detox to course-correct.
- She emphasizes implementing practical habits that restored her baseline functioning during early perimenopause.
HRT Wasn't A Silver Bullet
- Mindy recounts that HRT eased hot flashes and sleep but often failed to resolve mood instability and sometimes worsened agitation.
- A severe episode of suicidal ideation convinced her that simple hormonal replacement wasn't the whole answer.
