April 18, 2025 • 17 mins
Click the link to get my free cookbook and 4 week menu plan and grocery lists –
https://www.bewellconsulting.com/opt-in-anti-inflammatory-eating-cookbook
Combating Brain Fog in Menopause: Nutrition and Lifestyle Tips
In this episode of Joyful Menopause, host Lynda Enright delves into the common issue of brain fog during perimenopause and menopause.
She explains how hormonal changes, particularly fluctuations in estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol, contribute to cognitive issues like memory lapses and difficulty concentrating.
Lynda provides practical, science-based advice on how to alleviate brain fog through dietary adjustments and lifestyle changes.
Key recommendations include consuming anti-inflammatory foods such as seafood, greens, nuts, and beans, maintaining a balanced gut microbiome with fermented foods, and incorporating colorful fruits and vegetables rich in phytonutrients.
Lynda also emphasizes the importance of sleep, stress management, physical activity, and social connections in supporting brain health.
She shares success stories of women who improved their cognitive function by making small, consistent changes.
00:00 Introduction to Brain Fog
00:53 Understanding Hormonal Impacts
02:43 The Role of Diet in Brain Health
05:55 Practical Dietary Tips
08:40 Lifestyle Changes for Mental Clarity
11:29 Emotional and Social Well-being
12:23 Real-life Success Stories
15:55 Conclusion and Resources
When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you to feel your best during perimenopause and menopause:
1. Want more science-backed health tips? Click here to sign up for my free weekly newsletter for practical advice on navigating menopause with confidence:
2. Click here to get the free guide: 5 Natural Ways To Reduce Menopause Symptoms.
2. For more information about Lynda and how she supports women on their health journey, click here to learn more.
3. Interested in seeing if nutrition coaching with Lynda is right for you? Click here to book a free discovery call with Lynda.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
If you have ever blanked on aword, mid-sentence, forgotten
why you walked into a room, orstruggled to focus on even the
simplest tasks, you are notimagining it.
Brain fog is incredibly commonduring perimenopause and
menopause, and today I wannatalk about why it happens and
what you can do to support yourbrain through this transition.
(00:21):
Welcome back to JoyfulMenopause, where we talk about
what matters most for women'shealth in midlife.
I'm your host, Lynda Enright.
And today we are diving intosomething that so many of you
have asked me about brain fog.
So let's get started.
Menopause doesn't have to feellike you are living in someone
else's body.
Your host, Lynda Enright, hasspent the last 25 years helping
(00:41):
women to thrive in midlife.
Here you'll find science-basedpractical advice that you can
start using today to get realresults for your health.
Welcome to Joyful Menopause.
Brain fog can feel like yourbrain has slowed down.
It might show up as memorylapses, trouble concentrating,
or that really frustratingfeeling that you just aren't as
(01:04):
sharp as you used to be.
You just can't pull things up asquickly.
And the truth is this isn't allin your head.
It's in your hormones, so Iwanna talk about a few different
hormones, estrogen,progesterone, and cortisol.
As estrogen levels decline, theyaffect the brain directly.
Estrogen plays a really big rolein memory, mood, and focus.
(01:27):
It supports communicationbetween your brain cells.
It helps to regulate blood flowto the brain, and it in even it
helps to influence the growth ofnew neurons in your brain.
So when those levels of estrogenshift, it can impact how well
your brain is functioning juston a day-to-day basis.
But it's not just estrogenshifting progesterone also can
(01:49):
affect sleep and anxiety levels,which in turn then messes with
your focus and your memory.
Cortisol.
The stress hormone also tends torun higher during midlife,
especially if you're juggling alot, which is the case with all
of the women I work with.
Busy career, taking care offamily involved in their
community.
It can be too much.
(02:10):
High cortisol over time canactually shrink parts of your
brain that are involved inmemory and learning.
In addition to the hormoneimpacts, there's also this issue
of low grade chronicinflammation, which I think is a
problem for so many of us,pretty much everyone in our
culture that's driven by a poordiet, by gut imbalances and
(02:31):
stress, which can all impairmental clarity.
So that's why if you want toclear that fog, you need to
reduce inflammation and nourishyour brain from the inside out.
One of the most powerful toolsyou have is the food you eat.
I have seen in so many women Iwork with that when they focus
on anti-inflammatory eating andcreating optimal gut health,
(02:54):
their brain actually changes andthey start seeing reduction in
these symptoms.
There is a direct connectionbetween your gut and your brain.
They talk to each other.
This is called the gut brainaxis, and the microbes, all
those bugs living in your gut tohelp produce important
neurotransmitters likeserotonin, dopamine, and gaba.
These are chemicals thatregulate mood focus and your
(03:17):
stress response.
So when your gut microbiome isthriving, there's lots of good
bugs there.
Those chemicals that help you tofeel good are then more
balanced.
But when it's out of balance,which can happen because of too
much sugar, stress, antibiotics,or ultra processed foods, which
I talked about in anotherepisode, this can trigger
inflammation that impacts brainfunction.
(03:40):
In other words, when your gutisn't happy, your brain isn't
happy either.
So what do we do about it?
Let's talk about foods that Irecommend that will help to
support brain and gut health, Ilike psychiatrist, Dr.
Drew Ramsey refers to thesecategories that I think are
really easy to remember.
I like this seafood, greens,nuts, and beans.
(04:01):
Great place to start.
So seafood, think about salmon,sardines, and tuna.
These are really rich in omegathrees, anti-inflammatory, also
B12 and zinc, which are criticalfor memory and mood.
Greens, leafy greens, kale,spinach, arugula, collared
greens.
These are packed with folate,with fiber and antioxidants that
(04:24):
help protect your brain.
Nuts and seeds.
Things like walnuts, pumpkin, orsunflower seeds, chia seeds,
flax seeds.
These are all great additions tomeals because they're rich in
healthy fats and magnesium,which supports cognitive
function.
And then beans, legumes, likeblack kidney, garbanzo beans.
These are some options andthey're good sources of folate,
(04:46):
iron, and B vitamins, which aregood for brain function and mood
regulation.
They're also a really goodsource of fiber that helps to
create a nourished microbiomethat then helps support a
healthy brain.
I also will add to this list.
Fermented foods, good qualityyogurt, kefir sauerkraut,
kimchi.
These are some good options andthey feed your good gut
(05:09):
bacteria, which in turn helpscalm inflammation and improve
mental clarity.
Also consider color when you'relooking for nutrient rich foods.
Nutrients we get from plants,they're called phytonutrients
show up in colorful foods,oranges, red, yellow, purple,
black and blue.
Look at your plate.
Take a look at your plate everytime you're eating and see if
(05:30):
you have a lot of color.
Color that comes from nature,not color that comes from a lab.
The more colorful vegetables andfruit you eat, the more of those
phytonutrients that you'regetting that help protect and
heal your brain.
So we're talking today aboutnutrients for brain health to
help to eliminate one of thesymptoms women often experience
(05:50):
during perimenopause andmenopause brain fog.
So let's go to some specifics.
Here are some ways that you canbring some of these brain
supporting nutrients into yourdiet without having to make huge
changes and overhaul your wholediet.
Just think about one small thinghere and there that you can do.
It all is going to add up tohelp you feel better and to
(06:12):
clear your head to lift thatfog.
First of all, start withbreakfast.
Instead of grabbing somethingsugary, try a protein rich
breakfast like eggs.
You could throw some spinach inthere for some good antioxidant
nutrients, or maybe make asmoothie with berries, greens,
and chia seeds.
Lots of those phytonutrients aswell as fiber that feed the good
(06:34):
bacteria in your gut.
Second thing you can do, focuson adding rather than
subtracting.
Where can you add nutrient densefoods in like leafy greens,
Omega-3 rich fish nuts andcolorful vegetables.
Maybe have a salad with dinner.
Swap out chicken or beef forsalmon once or twice a week and
sprinkle nuts on a salad.
(06:55):
Or maybe have them as a snack.
Little things that you can thinkabout adding into your diet.
Again, rather than alwaysthinking about what we have to
take away.
Eating the rainbow.
I talked about color.
These rainbow of colors, thesephytonutrients.
Every time you eat, look and seehow much color you have.
Try to get at least threedifferent colors on your plate.
(07:15):
Then just keep your kitchenstocked.
When you have easy staples onhand, it makes it easier to put
nourishing meals together.
Things like canned salmon,pre-washed greens, hard boiled
eggs, plain Greek yogurt.
These are all good proteinsources, good fat sources, good
nutrients in the greens that aregoing to be some powerhouses for
(07:36):
your brain.
Pair protein and fiber.
This is kind of just in generalwhat I always think about.
Think about where is proteincoming from and where are fruits
and vegetables.
That's where you're getting alot of fiber.
So things like snacking onhummus with vegetables.
You got some protein in thehummus and a lot of fiber in the
vegetables.
Maybe apple slices with some nutbutter.
You get some protein and fat inthe uh, nut butter.
(07:59):
Pairing those things together.
Again, just simple things.
If you're having an apple,having it with some nuts or some
nut butter as a way to just bumpup that nutrition.
Fermented foods I talked about.
Keep fermented foods stocked inyour kitchen too.
Maybe just a spoonful ofsauerkraut to your lunch on a
sandwich, or on something, thatyou already have.
You can just toss a little bitof extra fermented food, maybe
(08:21):
some kefir with your breakfast,little things that you can do
that add up.
Lastly.
Kind of an easy one.
Drink enough water, even milddehydration can make brain fog
worse.
A good rule of thumb is abouthalf your body weight in ounces
of water every day.
So we're talking today aboutbrain fog.
(08:42):
We've covered things you can dowith your diet, but there's also
lifestyle choices that canreally help to clear the brain
fog too.
Moving anytime you move yourbody powerful for your brain,
even just walking for 20 minuteshelps to improve circulation to
the brain can help lift brainfog.
Also, going for a little walkafter you eat, even just a 10
(09:03):
minute walk after a meal canhelp to regulate blood sugars,
which is also good for yourbrain health.
Sleep.
Also huge.
Aiming for seven to nine hoursof good quality sleep.
If you struggle to create acalming evening routine, dim the
lights, turn off screens an hourbefore bed.
Try magnesium can be helpful forsome women.
(09:24):
Herbal teas can be nice keepingyour bedroom cool and dark.
I understand during the years ofperimenopause and menopause,
women often struggle to get goodquality sleep I tell them, you
need to get enough sleep.
And they're like, I know I'mtrying to get enough sleep in my
Joyful Menopause program this issomething we work on.
There are lots of toolsavailable to help improve your
(09:46):
sleep.
It is not your destiny to neversleep again.
There are solutions.
Stress is another factor.
Chronic stress can impairmemory, decision making, and
even shrink parts of your brainthat are involved in cognition.
I encourage simple ways to bringstress down, deep breathing.
(10:06):
Just think about all theopportunities throughout your
day when you sit down to a meal.
Can you just take a few deepbreaths when you're washing your
hands, when you're sitting at astoplight?
Those little opportunities tojust.
Uh, focus on breathing.
You know, we're breathing allthe time, but really to pay
attention to your breathing canhelp to bring that stress
hormone cortisol down.
(10:27):
Journaling can be helpful.
Gratitude journal is awesome.
Moving, just gentle movement,stretching, going for a walk
laughing.
Laughing is great for loweringyour stress.
Spending time outside being innature is really helpful too.
Another powerful lifestyle habitis connection.
The research from the Blue Zonestalks a lot about the importance
(10:49):
of connection.
Spending time with people wholift you up has been shown to
improve brain resilience andmood.
Social interaction helps toreduce stress hormones.
It increases those feel goodbrain chemicals like oxytocin
and serotonin.
This can happen in a lot ofdifferent ways.
It might be just meeting afriend for coffee, going for a
(11:10):
walk with someone that you liketo be with, joining a book club
or volunteering.
The feeling of being seen,valued and supported directly
supports thinking clearly andhaving balanced emotions.
Two things that I hear all thetime can be challenging during
this time of life.
And let's not ignore theemotional side of all of this.
(11:32):
Mood swings, anxiety,irritability are very real
during this time, and they canfeel overwhelming.
You might find yourself maybereacting more strongly than
usual or feeling like you're onthis emotional rollercoaster
with no clear trigger.
It just doesn't always makesense.
These shifts are not your fault.
They're just a reflection of thebig hormonal changes that are
(11:55):
happening in your body.
But the good news, what you eatand how you care for yourself
can really make a difference.
When you eat anti-inflammatoryfoods, you manage your blood
sugar, you support your gut.
You're not just thinking moreclearly, you're also feeling
more emotionally stable andresilient.
You might find that you're justbetter able to cope with
(12:17):
stressors.
You can bounce back fromsetbacks more easily and feel
more like yourself again.
One woman that I worked withsome years ago.
Getting enough sleep was, and itwasn't that she wasn't able to
get sleep, she had not createdthe best environment for her
sleep.
And once we made that shift, shedescribed that she just was able
(12:37):
to handle the stressors in herwork life so much better.
She had previously foundherself, you know, being in
tears pretty regularly becauseshe just wasn't coping with it
very well.
And once we started creatingsome better balance and we
worked on her diet and a lot ofother things as well, but sleep
was the first thing that we did.
She just had so much moreresilience and stability in her
(12:58):
emotions.
And then also, again, don'tunderestimate the power of
connection.
Whether it's just a friend, awalking partner, or, a
healthcare practitioner, atrusted practitioner.
You don't have to do this alone.
You deserve support, and you'renot meant to carry it all by
yourself.
I've worked with so many womenwho told me that they thought
(13:20):
they were losing it.
They were maybe developingdementia.
They felt scattered,overwhelmed, and scared.
That's a scary thing.
But after making some small,consistent changes to what they
ate, how they moved, how theyrested.
They felt like themselves again.
That's the beauty of functionalhealth, functional nutrition.
It gives your body what it needsto bring it back to balance.
(13:44):
It wants to be in balance.
We just need to give it some ofthe tools.
So Julie is an example of a,client I worked with.
She's 52.
She works full time.
She had been dealing with reallyfrustrating brain fog for a long
time.
She kind of described it as shejust was walking around in a
haze.
She would misplace things, she'dkind of get zoned out in
meetings.
(14:05):
She was forgetting names and itwas really affecting her
confidence at work and atrelationships.
She just was really frustrated.
So she came to me, you know, shewas thinking something was
really wrong with her brain andshe was talking with her doctor
and things, but, she, wasputting a lot of things in place
to support her.
And we started talking, ofcourse, about nutrition.
(14:25):
And after digging a little bitdeeper, we realized that she was
skipping meals often she wasrunning on caffeine, and she was
just grabbing fast and easyfood, which, you know, what do
you think that usually is?
Sugar, carbs, not necessarily alot of protein and fiber.
So we started with some simplethings.
She started with a protein richbreakfast I talked about.
(14:46):
We added some more greens to herlunch.
She started bringing a bigsalad, which she really enjoyed.
She just wasn't taking the timeto make it.
And then we swapped out theevening wine for some herbal
tea, something that was calmingand helped to bring her,
cortisol down in the eveningrather than getting her revved
up.
And the wine, even though thatmakes you think that you're
calming down, it's actuallygoing to stimulate later in the
(15:09):
evening and wake you back up.
We also had some fermentedfoods.
She started trying to go for awalk in the evening.
Um, her and her husband would goafter dinner sometimes, and she
found those nights that reallyhelped her to sleep too.
Within just a few weeks, shesaid, I think my brain is back,
and she said the fog waslifting.
(15:30):
She was remembering things againand she finally was starting to
feel like herself again.
She felt sharp again.
What she was most surprisedabout, what struck her most was
not just that she was thinkingmore clearly, but she had
confidence now.
She felt that she knew what foodand lifestyle was making a
difference, and she felt likeshe could keep doing it.
(15:50):
She just didn't know there wasso much information out there
that she didn't know where tobegin.
So if brain fog is getting inyour way, remember this, your
brain is not broken.
It's just hormonal changes thatare happening and what you eat
matters.
In addition, so does your sleep,your movement, and how you care
for yourself overall.
And also, I want you to rememberthat you are not alone.
(16:13):
You do not have to figure thisout by yourself.
And if anyone tells you it'sjust menopause, there's nothing
you can do about it.
Know that there is a lot you cando to get back to feeling like
yourself.
And I have a resource for youthat I, I think you'll like and
can be really helpful.
It's my menu plan cookbook withanti-inflammatory foods.
(16:34):
So a great start on just someideas of foods that that can
help to build a healthy,nourished brain as well as a
healthy body.
So go to the show notes belowand you can click to get that
resource.
So I think that's a great placeto start and get some ideas and
some foods that'll work for you.
So thanks so much for listeningtoday and remember that clarity
(16:54):
is possible and you are so worththe care it takes to get there.
Thanks for joining me andwishing you a very joyful
menopause.
If you have ever blanked on aword, mid-sentence, forgotten
why you walked into a room, orstruggled to focus on even the
simplest tasks, you are notimagining it.
Brain fog is incredibly commonduring perimenopause and
menopause, and today I wannatalk about why it happens and
what you can do to support yourbrain through this transition.
(00:21):
Welcome back to JoyfulMenopause, where we talk about
what matters most for women'shealth in midlife.
I'm your host, Lynda Enright.
And today we are diving intosomething that so many of you
have asked me about brain fog.
So let's get started.
Menopause doesn't have to feellike you are living in someone
else's body.
Your host, Lynda Enright, hasspent the last 25 years helping
(00:41):
women to thrive in midlife.
Here you'll find science-basedpractical advice that you can
start using today to get realresults for your health.
Welcome to Joyful Menopause.
Brain fog can feel like yourbrain has slowed down.
It might show up as memorylapses, trouble concentrating,
or that really frustratingfeeling that you just aren't as
(01:04):
sharp as you used to be.
You just can't pull things up asquickly.
And the truth is this isn't allin your head.
It's in your hormones, so Iwanna talk about a few different
hormones, estrogen,progesterone, and cortisol.
As estrogen levels decline, theyaffect the brain directly.
Estrogen plays a really big rolein memory, mood, and focus.
(01:27):
It supports communicationbetween your brain cells.
It helps to regulate blood flowto the brain, and it in even it
helps to influence the growth ofnew neurons in your brain.
So when those levels of estrogenshift, it can impact how well
your brain is functioning juston a day-to-day basis.
But it's not just estrogenshifting progesterone also can
(01:49):
affect sleep and anxiety levels,which in turn then messes with
your focus and your memory.
Cortisol.
The stress hormone also tends torun higher during midlife,
especially if you're juggling alot, which is the case with all
of the women I work with.
Busy career, taking care offamily involved in their
community.
It can be too much.
(02:10):
High cortisol over time canactually shrink parts of your
brain that are involved inmemory and learning.
In addition to the hormoneimpacts, there's also this issue
of low grade chronicinflammation, which I think is a
problem for so many of us,pretty much everyone in our
culture that's driven by a poordiet, by gut imbalances and
(02:31):
stress, which can all impairmental clarity.
So that's why if you want toclear that fog, you need to
reduce inflammation and nourishyour brain from the inside out.
One of the most powerful toolsyou have is the food you eat.
I have seen in so many women Iwork with that when they focus
on anti-inflammatory eating andcreating optimal gut health,
(02:54):
their brain actually changes andthey start seeing reduction in
these symptoms.
There is a direct connectionbetween your gut and your brain.
They talk to each other.
This is called the gut brainaxis, and the microbes, all
those bugs living in your gut tohelp produce important
neurotransmitters likeserotonin, dopamine, and gaba.
These are chemicals thatregulate mood focus and your
(03:17):
stress response.
So when your gut microbiome isthriving, there's lots of good
bugs there.
Those chemicals that help you tofeel good are then more
balanced.
But when it's out of balance,which can happen because of too
much sugar, stress, antibiotics,or ultra processed foods, which
I talked about in anotherepisode, this can trigger
inflammation that impacts brainfunction.
(03:40):
In other words, when your gutisn't happy, your brain isn't
happy either.
So what do we do about it?
Let's talk about foods that Irecommend that will help to
support brain and gut health, Ilike psychiatrist, Dr.
Drew Ramsey refers to thesecategories that I think are
really easy to remember.
I like this seafood, greens,nuts, and beans.
(04:01):
Great place to start.
So seafood, think about salmon,sardines, and tuna.
These are really rich in omegathrees, anti-inflammatory, also
B12 and zinc, which are criticalfor memory and mood.
Greens, leafy greens, kale,spinach, arugula, collared
greens.
These are packed with folate,with fiber and antioxidants that
(04:24):
help protect your brain.
Nuts and seeds.
Things like walnuts, pumpkin, orsunflower seeds, chia seeds,
flax seeds.
These are all great additions tomeals because they're rich in
healthy fats and magnesium,which supports cognitive
function.
And then beans, legumes, likeblack kidney, garbanzo beans.
These are some options andthey're good sources of folate,
(04:46):
iron, and B vitamins, which aregood for brain function and mood
regulation.
They're also a really goodsource of fiber that helps to
create a nourished microbiomethat then helps support a
healthy brain.
I also will add to this list.
Fermented foods, good qualityyogurt, kefir sauerkraut,
kimchi.
These are some good options andthey feed your good gut
(05:09):
bacteria, which in turn helpscalm inflammation and improve
mental clarity.
Also consider color when you'relooking for nutrient rich foods.
Nutrients we get from plants,they're called phytonutrients
show up in colorful foods,oranges, red, yellow, purple,
black and blue.
Look at your plate.
Take a look at your plate everytime you're eating and see if
(05:30):
you have a lot of color.
Color that comes from nature,not color that comes from a lab.
The more colorful vegetables andfruit you eat, the more of those
phytonutrients that you'regetting that help protect and
heal your brain.
So we're talking today aboutnutrients for brain health to
help to eliminate one of thesymptoms women often experience
(05:50):
during perimenopause andmenopause brain fog.
So let's go to some specifics.
Here are some ways that you canbring some of these brain
supporting nutrients into yourdiet without having to make huge
changes and overhaul your wholediet.
Just think about one small thinghere and there that you can do.
It all is going to add up tohelp you feel better and to
(06:12):
clear your head to lift thatfog.
First of all, start withbreakfast.
Instead of grabbing somethingsugary, try a protein rich
breakfast like eggs.
You could throw some spinach inthere for some good antioxidant
nutrients, or maybe make asmoothie with berries, greens,
and chia seeds.
Lots of those phytonutrients aswell as fiber that feed the good
(06:34):
bacteria in your gut.
Second thing you can do, focuson adding rather than
subtracting.
Where can you add nutrient densefoods in like leafy greens,
Omega-3 rich fish nuts andcolorful vegetables.
Maybe have a salad with dinner.
Swap out chicken or beef forsalmon once or twice a week and
sprinkle nuts on a salad.
(06:55):
Or maybe have them as a snack.
Little things that you can thinkabout adding into your diet.
Again, rather than alwaysthinking about what we have to
take away.
Eating the rainbow.
I talked about color.
These rainbow of colors, thesephytonutrients.
Every time you eat, look and seehow much color you have.
Try to get at least threedifferent colors on your plate.
(07:15):
Then just keep your kitchenstocked.
When you have easy staples onhand, it makes it easier to put
nourishing meals together.
Things like canned salmon,pre-washed greens, hard boiled
eggs, plain Greek yogurt.
These are all good proteinsources, good fat sources, good
nutrients in the greens that aregoing to be some powerhouses for
(07:36):
your brain.
Pair protein and fiber.
This is kind of just in generalwhat I always think about.
Think about where is proteincoming from and where are fruits
and vegetables.
That's where you're getting alot of fiber.
So things like snacking onhummus with vegetables.
You got some protein in thehummus and a lot of fiber in the
vegetables.
Maybe apple slices with some nutbutter.
You get some protein and fat inthe uh, nut butter.
(07:59):
Pairing those things together.
Again, just simple things.
If you're having an apple,having it with some nuts or some
nut butter as a way to just bumpup that nutrition.
Fermented foods I talked about.
Keep fermented foods stocked inyour kitchen too.
Maybe just a spoonful ofsauerkraut to your lunch on a
sandwich, or on something, thatyou already have.
You can just toss a little bitof extra fermented food, maybe
(08:21):
some kefir with your breakfast,little things that you can do
that add up.
Lastly.
Kind of an easy one.
Drink enough water, even milddehydration can make brain fog
worse.
A good rule of thumb is abouthalf your body weight in ounces
of water every day.
So we're talking today aboutbrain fog.
(08:42):
We've covered things you can dowith your diet, but there's also
lifestyle choices that canreally help to clear the brain
fog too.
Moving anytime you move yourbody powerful for your brain,
even just walking for 20 minuteshelps to improve circulation to
the brain can help lift brainfog.
Also, going for a little walkafter you eat, even just a 10
(09:03):
minute walk after a meal canhelp to regulate blood sugars,
which is also good for yourbrain health.
Sleep.
Also huge.
Aiming for seven to nine hoursof good quality sleep.
If you struggle to create acalming evening routine, dim the
lights, turn off screens an hourbefore bed.
Try magnesium can be helpful forsome women.
(09:24):
Herbal teas can be nice keepingyour bedroom cool and dark.
I understand during the years ofperimenopause and menopause,
women often struggle to get goodquality sleep I tell them, you
need to get enough sleep.
And they're like, I know I'mtrying to get enough sleep in my
Joyful Menopause program this issomething we work on.
There are lots of toolsavailable to help improve your
(09:46):
sleep.
It is not your destiny to neversleep again.
There are solutions.
Stress is another factor.
Chronic stress can impairmemory, decision making, and
even shrink parts of your brainthat are involved in cognition.
I encourage simple ways to bringstress down, deep breathing.
(10:06):
Just think about all theopportunities throughout your
day when you sit down to a meal.
Can you just take a few deepbreaths when you're washing your
hands, when you're sitting at astoplight?
Those little opportunities tojust.
Uh, focus on breathing.
You know, we're breathing allthe time, but really to pay
attention to your breathing canhelp to bring that stress
hormone cortisol down.
(10:27):
Journaling can be helpful.
Gratitude journal is awesome.
Moving, just gentle movement,stretching, going for a walk
laughing.
Laughing is great for loweringyour stress.
Spending time outside being innature is really helpful too.
Another powerful lifestyle habitis connection.
The research from the Blue Zonestalks a lot about the importance
(10:49):
of connection.
Spending time with people wholift you up has been shown to
improve brain resilience andmood.
Social interaction helps toreduce stress hormones.
It increases those feel goodbrain chemicals like oxytocin
and serotonin.
This can happen in a lot ofdifferent ways.
It might be just meeting afriend for coffee, going for a
(11:10):
walk with someone that you liketo be with, joining a book club
or volunteering.
The feeling of being seen,valued and supported directly
supports thinking clearly andhaving balanced emotions.
Two things that I hear all thetime can be challenging during
this time of life.
And let's not ignore theemotional side of all of this.
(11:32):
Mood swings, anxiety,irritability are very real
during this time, and they canfeel overwhelming.
You might find yourself maybereacting more strongly than
usual or feeling like you're onthis emotional rollercoaster
with no clear trigger.
It just doesn't always makesense.
These shifts are not your fault.
They're just a reflection of thebig hormonal changes that are
(11:55):
happening in your body.
But the good news, what you eatand how you care for yourself
can really make a difference.
When you eat anti-inflammatoryfoods, you manage your blood
sugar, you support your gut.
You're not just thinking moreclearly, you're also feeling
more emotionally stable andresilient.
You might find that you're justbetter able to cope with
(12:17):
stressors.
You can bounce back fromsetbacks more easily and feel
more like yourself again.
One woman that I worked withsome years ago.
Getting enough sleep was, and itwasn't that she wasn't able to
get sleep, she had not createdthe best environment for her
sleep.
And once we made that shift, shedescribed that she just was able
(12:37):
to handle the stressors in herwork life so much better.
She had previously foundherself, you know, being in
tears pretty regularly becauseshe just wasn't coping with it
very well.
And once we started creatingsome better balance and we
worked on her diet and a lot ofother things as well, but sleep
was the first thing that we did.
She just had so much moreresilience and stability in her
(12:58):
emotions.
And then also, again, don'tunderestimate the power of
connection.
Whether it's just a friend, awalking partner, or, a
healthcare practitioner, atrusted practitioner.
You don't have to do this alone.
You deserve support, and you'renot meant to carry it all by
yourself.
I've worked with so many womenwho told me that they thought
(13:20):
they were losing it.
They were maybe developingdementia.
They felt scattered,overwhelmed, and scared.
That's a scary thing.
But after making some small,consistent changes to what they
ate, how they moved, how theyrested.
They felt like themselves again.
That's the beauty of functionalhealth, functional nutrition.
It gives your body what it needsto bring it back to balance.
(13:44):
It wants to be in balance.
We just need to give it some ofthe tools.
So Julie is an example of a,client I worked with.
She's 52.
She works full time.
She had been dealing with reallyfrustrating brain fog for a long
time.
She kind of described it as shejust was walking around in a
haze.
She would misplace things, she'dkind of get zoned out in
meetings.
(14:05):
She was forgetting names and itwas really affecting her
confidence at work and atrelationships.
She just was really frustrated.
So she came to me, you know, shewas thinking something was
really wrong with her brain andshe was talking with her doctor
and things, but, she, wasputting a lot of things in place
to support her.
And we started talking, ofcourse, about nutrition.
(14:25):
And after digging a little bitdeeper, we realized that she was
skipping meals often she wasrunning on caffeine, and she was
just grabbing fast and easyfood, which, you know, what do
you think that usually is?
Sugar, carbs, not necessarily alot of protein and fiber.
So we started with some simplethings.
She started with a protein richbreakfast I talked about.
(14:46):
We added some more greens to herlunch.
She started bringing a bigsalad, which she really enjoyed.
She just wasn't taking the timeto make it.
And then we swapped out theevening wine for some herbal
tea, something that was calmingand helped to bring her,
cortisol down in the eveningrather than getting her revved
up.
And the wine, even though thatmakes you think that you're
calming down, it's actuallygoing to stimulate later in the
(15:09):
evening and wake you back up.
We also had some fermentedfoods.
She started trying to go for awalk in the evening.
Um, her and her husband would goafter dinner sometimes, and she
found those nights that reallyhelped her to sleep too.
Within just a few weeks, shesaid, I think my brain is back,
and she said the fog waslifting.
(15:30):
She was remembering things againand she finally was starting to
feel like herself again.
She felt sharp again.
What she was most surprisedabout, what struck her most was
not just that she was thinkingmore clearly, but she had
confidence now.
She felt that she knew what foodand lifestyle was making a
difference, and she felt likeshe could keep doing it.
(15:50):
She just didn't know there wasso much information out there
that she didn't know where tobegin.
So if brain fog is getting inyour way, remember this, your
brain is not broken.
It's just hormonal changes thatare happening and what you eat
matters.
In addition, so does your sleep,your movement, and how you care
for yourself overall.
And also, I want you to rememberthat you are not alone.
(16:13):
You do not have to figure thisout by yourself.
And if anyone tells you it'sjust menopause, there's nothing
you can do about it.
Know that there is a lot you cando to get back to feeling like
yourself.
And I have a resource for youthat I, I think you'll like and
can be really helpful.
It's my menu plan cookbook withanti-inflammatory foods.
(16:34):
So a great start on just someideas of foods that that can
help to build a healthy,nourished brain as well as a
healthy body.
So go to the show notes belowand you can click to get that
resource.
So I think that's a great placeto start and get some ideas and
some foods that'll work for you.
So thanks so much for listeningtoday and remember that clarity
(16:54):
is possible and you are so worththe care it takes to get there.
Thanks for joining me andwishing you a very joyful
menopause.
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