"Doctors Are CLUELESS About Women's Bodies" - How To Take Your Power Back & HEAL

Mindy Pelz discusses the distinctions between male and female bodies, particularly in terms of hormonal systems and the implications for body fat and reproductive health.

Men have a simpler hormonal system focused mainly on [restricted term], while women have a more complex hormonal system with multiple sex hormones that fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle.

Women's hormones serve the dual purpose of survival and reproduction, requiring them to maintain a healthy body fat percentage.

Pelz explains that the female body is designed to maintain a certain amount of body fat because it serves two main purposes: survival and reproduction. She underlines the importance of a healthy body fat percentage for reproductive health, pointing out that when women become too lean and their caloric intake is too low, their menstrual cycles can be disrupted or even halted, which is an indication that the body is not in an optimal state for reproduction.

Men do not have the same need to regulate body fat and ovulatio ...

Mindy Pelz provides insights into how the menstrual cycle, a roughly 28 to 32-day hormonal cycle, affects various aspects of a woman's life, from physical abilities to mental and emotional states.

The menstrual cycle follows a predictable pattern of hormonal changes over 28-32 days, with distinct phases that have different implications for a woman's physical and mental state.

Women's cycles are variable yet fall within a broader spectrum, typically between 28 and 32 days. These cycles can fluctuate due to external factors such as stress, diet, and exercise routines. Mindy Pelz emphasizes the importance of understanding these cycles for better physical and mental health, suggesting that extreme stress or excessive activity may disrupt a woman's menstrual cycle and reproductive capabilities.

From day 1-10, estrogen builds, making women more focused, social, and able to handle stress, which is an optimal time for fasting and exercise.

Pelz describes the first phase of the menstrual cycle, starting on the first day of menstruation, as a time when hormone levels plummet. Over the ensuing 10 days, estrogen begins to build. This hormonal rise makes women more [restricted term] sensitive, which is conducive to adopting a lower carb diet, engaging in longer periods of fasting, and undertaking more vigorous exercise routines. With the increase in estrogen, women become more capable of handling cortisol, the stress hormone. As estrogen builds, [restricted term]—a form of estrogen—stimulates the production of [restricted term], serotonin, [restricted term], BDNF, acetylcholine, and glutamate, resulting in elevated mood, improved focus, increased sociability, and enhanced ability to manage stress.

From day 11-15, women experience a surge in [restricted term], boosting their libido and ability to build muscle, which can impact their relationships and sexual needs.

The next phase, from day 11 to day 15, is marked by a significant rise in [restricted term] levels that coincides with ovulation. This period is optimal for muscle building, and it’s also when women’s libido usually increases, affecting their sexual desires and potentially their personal relationships. Estrogen levels also remain high during this phase, making a woman more communicative and interested in verbal processing. Pelz calls this the "Manifestation Phase," where women can exert their "hormonal s ...

Mindy Pelz and Mary Claire Haver delve into the complex nature of menopause, a natural phase that affects 100% of women who live to reach it, yet often remains shrouded in silence and misconception.

Menopause is marked by the permanent cessation of the menstrual cycle and ovarian function, leading to a dramatic decline in sex hormones.

The transition into menopause, or perimenopause, is a tumultuous period of hormonal fluctuations causing a range of physical and cognitive symptoms. The decrease in estrogen increases the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and dementia, significantly impacting the quality of life.

The transition into menopause, known as perimenopause, is characterized by erratic hormone fluctuations that can cause a variety of disruptive physical and cognitive symptoms.

Pelz and Haver discuss the reluctance to discuss menopause openly and the dismissive societal and medical attitudes toward menopausal symptoms. By listening and validating these experiences along with comprehensive health assessments, Haver offers therapeutic benefits while addressing acute symptoms like hot flashes, muscle pain, and cognitive issues. The preparation for the next 30 years involves considering family history and risk factors for diseases linked to estrogen loss.

Mary Claire Haver candidly shares her menopausal experience at 48, which she initially misattributed to grief. She emphasizes the profound effects of this transition on fertility and overall health, occurring typically around age 51 but ranging from 45 to 55.

Haver speaks to the risks of chronic diseases during menopause due to the protective role of estrogen. She notes the often overlooked cognitive function loss, which leads to waning confidence, and the significant mental health fluctuations, including increased depression risk and alarming suicide rates among perimenopausal women. The doubling of antidepressant use is another concerning trend in menopausal mental health.

Moreover, Haver brings attention to sleep issues during menopause, which exacerbate other symptoms like weight gain and joint pain. These symptoms, including substantial body composition changes, signal the beginning of perimenopause that can start seven to ten years before the cessation of menstrual periods. Estrogen levels during this time are highly unpredictable due to the brain's regulation efforts, causing hormonal patterns that lead to various degrees of discomfort.

The loss of estrogen during a ...

To navigate the changes of menopause effectively, women can adopt certain lifestyle strategies that directly impact their well-being. Mindy Pelz and Dr. Mary Claire Haver share insights for minimizing the negative effects associated with this phase.

Prioritizing fiber, limiting added sugars, and improving sleep quality can help mitigate many of the negative effects of menopause on the body and mind.

Dr. Haver recommends focusing on nutrition during menopause, particularly emphasizing the need for a minimum of 25 grams of fiber daily to support the gut microbiome and regulate blood glucose levels. High-fiber foods are dense with necessary vitamins and minerals, assisting with erratic hunger cues common during menopause. She also advises limiting added sugars to no more than 25 grams per day as most people consume roughly four times that amount. This reduction is vital, as added sugars can disrupt many physiological processes.

Improving sleep quality is another cornerstone strategy Haver suggests, as poor sleep can significantly impair overall health and stymie efforts in diet and exercise. Hormone Replacement Therapy helped Dr. Haver sleep better, and she underscores that better sleep is foundational for succeeding in other health dimensions during menopause.

Engaging in strength training and other forms of exercise is crucial for maintaining muscle mass, bone density, and metabolic health as women age.

Dr. Haver transitions to discuss the crucial role of physical exercise, specifically strength training, in optimizing health during menopause. She highlights a shift from primarily cardio workouts to lifting heavier weights to maintain muscle mass, which is central in maintaining a good basal metabolic rate and contributing to [restricted term] resistance resilience. Dr. Haver advises women to incorporate strength training early, starting in their 30s, to establish strong muscles and bones, ensuring good dietary calcium intake and sufficient vitamin D levels.

Implementing stress reduction techniques like meditation, journaling, or spending time w ...