Dr Mindy Pelz, nutrition expert and pioneer on women's health & hormones, discusses the impact of hormonal changes during menopause. They cover topics like weight gain prevention through hormone harnessing, the role of estrogen decline in insulin resistance and weight gain, importance of light exposure and circadian rhythm for sleep, strategies to restore menstrual cycles and leverage them for productivity, optimizing exercise based on the menstrual cycle, the importance of exercise for brain health in post-menopausal women, considering product toxicity for better health, and exploring fasting as a healing strategy for women over 40.
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Quick takeaways
Understanding the impact of declining estrogen levels, insulin resistance, declining progesterone levels, and the relationship between stress, cortisol, and belly fat is crucial.
Implementing sleep hacks during perimenopause and menopause can positively impact hormonal health and support weight loss efforts.
By modifying exercise routines to sync with different phases of the menstrual cycle, women can optimize hormonal health and achieve better results.
By embracing the natural hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle and aligning lifestyle habits accordingly, women can optimize their physical and mental well-being.
By increasing awareness and understanding of the hormonal changes women undergo, we can empower women to make informed decisions and take control of their health.
Deep dives
Understanding the Impact of Hormones on Women's Health
Women spend 40% of their lives in menopause, a period without hormones. However, society lacks knowledge and open discussions about this topic. As a result, women often struggle with weight gain and other challenges related to hormonal changes. By shifting the perspective and looking at it through a hormonal lens, women can achieve better weight loss results and overall health. Understanding the impact of declining estrogen levels, insulin resistance, declining progesterone levels, and the relationship between stress, cortisol, and belly fat is crucial. Building hormone literacy and embracing lifestyle changes can lead to improved well-being and empowered women.
The Connection Between Sleep, Hormones, and Weight Loss
Sleep is essential for hormonal balance and weight loss. Hormonal changes during menopause can disrupt sleep patterns, leading to lower quality sleep and increased stress levels. Women can improve sleep by following strategies such as aligning with the circadian rhythm, getting sunlight exposure in the morning, minimizing exposure to blue light in the evening, and optimizing dinner timing. Implementing these sleep hacks during perimenopause and menopause can positively impact hormonal health and support weight loss efforts.
Understanding the Impact of Stress and Exercise on Hormones
Stress levels play a significant role in hormonal health, and chronic stress can have detrimental effects on women. Understanding the connection between stress, cortisol, and hormones is crucial for managing weight and overall well-being. Rest and recovery during the premenstrual phase are important to honor the natural hormonal changes in a woman's body. By modifying exercise routines to sync with different phases of the menstrual cycle, women can optimize hormonal health and achieve better results. Harnessing the powerful hormones during ovulation and embracing rest and nurturing during other phases can empower women to take control of their bodies.
The Importance of Harnessing Hormonal Power and Embracing Self-Care
Women's hormones are their superpower, and understanding how to harness them is key. By embracing the natural hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle and aligning lifestyle habits accordingly, women can optimize their physical and mental well-being. This includes recognizing the significance of phases like power, manifestation, and nurture, and adjusting exercise, communication styles, and self-care practices accordingly. By empowering women with hormone literacy and encouraging them to listen to their bodies, we can reshape the way women navigate their health and well-being.
Understanding the Impact of the Menstrual Cycle on Women's Health
The menstrual cycle and its impact on women's health is often overlooked. Many women experience hormonal symptoms during their period and tend to believe these symptoms are inevitable. However, these symptoms may be a consequence of a mismatch between lifestyle and biology. By nourishing and nurturing themselves during the week before their period, women can alleviate uncomfortable symptoms and work in harmony with their bodies.
The Importance of Hormonal Literacy
Many women, and society at large, lack hormonal literacy, which can lead to a misunderstanding of women's experiences and health issues. By increasing awareness and understanding of the hormonal changes women undergo, we can empower women to make informed decisions and take control of their health. This knowledge allows women to make lifestyle adjustments and prioritize self-care during each phase of their menstrual cycle.
Improving Communication and Relationships through Cycle Awareness
Understanding a woman's menstrual cycle can greatly improve communication and relationships. By acknowledging the different phases and their corresponding hormonal changes, partners can offer support and understanding. This can help women feel seen, heard, and validated, reducing conflicts and fostering a stronger bond.
Adapting Fitness and Exercise to the Menstrual Cycle
Women can optimize their fitness routine by considering their menstrual cycle. Certain phases of the cycle, such as the follicular phase, are ideal for cardio and high-intensity workouts, while other phases, like the luteal phase, may benefit from more gentle exercises, such as yoga or walking. Adapting workouts to align with the hormonal changes can enhance performance and overall well-being.
Benefits of Short Fasts
Short fasting periods, such as a 13-hour fast every day, have shown significant benefits. In a study on women with breast cancer who underwent chemotherapy and radiation, a daily 13-hour fast resulted in a 64% lower chance of cancer recurrence. This fasting period is achievable for everyone and involves an 8am breakfast followed by finishing dinner by 7pm. Short fasts of around 12-15 hours have also been associated with decreased inflammation markers and improvements in metabolic health.
Effectiveness of Fasting for Athletes
Contrary to the belief that fasting is not suitable for athletes, fasting can actually enhance athletic performance. By incorporating fasting into a personalized regimen, athletes can see improvements in their training and physical performance. For example, a schedule of fasting for a specific number of hours on certain days, along with protein-loading and targeted carb intake, has been found to boost athletic outcomes and even help improve endurance sport results. It is essential to tailor fasting protocols to individual needs and goals, using experimentation and self-awareness to find the optimal approach.
CAUTION: This podcast discusses fasting, and its advice may not be suitable for anyone with an eating disorder. If you have an existing health condition or are taking medication, always consult your healthcare practitioner before going for prolonged periods without eating.
I first spoke to today’s guest on Episode 342 - and that episode has become one of the most downloaded episodes of the year - it has transformed the lives of many women - and men and I think this conversation will do the same.
Mindy’s aim is to empower women by explaining the biological changes that take place each month and throughout a woman’s life. She believes that, armed with that knowledge, they can improve their health, happiness and relationships. But this conversation is just as relevant for men.
We discuss whether weight gain is inevitable as we age. Is it our fate – and particularly a woman’s fate – to gain weight once she hits 40? It can be, she tells me, but only if women don’t know how to harness their hormones to prevent it. She explains how declining oestrogen levels can make women insulin resistant which may be one the reasons why the diet and lifestyle that worked for them in their 20s and 30s, no longer does once they hit 40.
At the same time, declining levels of progesterone, the calming hormone, can result in lower-quality sleep, more perceived stress and increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol - which, in and of itself, will contribute to an increase in belly fat. It makes so much sense when Mindy explains it, but unfortunately, this information is still not widely known.
We cover so many different topics, including:
How to adjust when and what you eat during different phases of your cycle.
The importance of gut health when thinking about hormonal health.
Why women often handle stress in a different way to men.
The impact that hormonal changes can have on brain function.
The practical steps we can take to improve our sleep.
The importance of lifestyle changes irrespective of whether a woman chooses to have HRT or not.
The best times in a woman’s cycle to resolve conflict and deal with relationship issues.
This episode is jam-packed with insightful information and practical take-homes. I hope you enjoy listening.
DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
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