17: Dr. Mindy Pelz - Fast Like a Girl

In this episode, I’m chatting with the powerhouse Dr. Mindy Pelz. She’s a best-selling author, keynote speaker and nutrition and functional health expert who has spent over two decades helping thousands of people reclaim their health! Let’s dive in to learn more about reclaiming our health (and our hormones) through fasting from Dr. Mindy Pelz.

 

Note: This episode was recorded last year & Dr. Mindy Pelz’s most recent book Fast Like a Girl is now available for purchase wherever books are sold!

[3:41] How fasting unlocks our innate healing potential (& saves you money!)

[4:41] How Dr. Mindy Pelz got started in the world of fasting & alternative health

[5:34] Why between age 40 to 43 Dr. Pelz experienced a massive decline in her health when going through perimenopause

[6:45] The 5 things Dr. Pelz had to STOP doing after turning 40 (that were once healthy for her)

[8:24] How I experienced an innate need for an “eating window” since my illness in my teenage years

[9:33] The body is designed to heal itself & why fasting further enables this process

[10:28] Why everything is affected by the hormonal shift that happens after turning 40

[11:11] Fasting can balance your sex hormones & improve your life (especially after age 40)

[12:20] Dr. Pelz’s moment of change that happened at her child’s science fair with diving into figuring out this hormonal issue & the accompanying symptoms so many women experience

[14:25] Why it’s so important to fast to match your 28-day menstrual cycle

[16:20] How estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are affected by insulin & how this leads to PCOS and other conditions

[16:38] How cortisol and oxytocin play into this hierarchy of hormones & why fasting enables a better balance of all of these hormones

[18:18] Why women over 40 become more insulin resistant & why this can lead to unexpected weight gain

[20:01] Day 1-10 is pre-ovulation and estrogen is in a gradual building phase. This is the time to fast and eat more keto to keep insulin low to support your estrogen

[21:28] Day 11-15 ovulation and all 3 sex hormones are coming in strong - Dr. Pelz calls this “manifestation phase” & your tool is food during this phase. Eat more leafy green vegetables and probiotic foods. Intermittent fasting is an option, but fasting isn’t the main focus

[22:51] Day 16-19 all of your hormones go down for these 4 days-  go into deeper fasts during this phase to clean your body

[23:13] Day 20-28 progesterone is asking you to rest and chill out, use foods that are higher glycemic to nourish your body and raise your glucose a little bit

[24:05] How this feast-famine cycling helps women lose weight, improve mental health, eat more, enjoy their food more, and choose to fast when and how they want to

[27:04] How your worst symptoms can actually come during ovulation because you aren’t supporting your body in the way it needs during this time when your body is dumping toxins

[29:05] How fasting with your cycle creates more freedom and variety in your relationship with food

[33:30] Let’s change the discussion around shame with your menstrual cycle & relating to each other better during certain phases of your cycle

[35:39] How your menstrual cycle IS be a vital sign & how to enable BETTER overall health by watching the signs of your cycle

[38:15] How fasting can increase your libido & improve your romantic relationship

[40:02] Slowing down is NOT a sign of weakness for women, it’s a sign of STRENGTH

[44:25] How Dr. Pelz used fasting and listening to the signs of her cycle to support her body and NOT go into menopause before the optimal age range which is age 52-55

[47:49] When estrogen goes down, collagen goes down - which impacts your skin & makes you more prone to injury

[50:15] What we can do for women who are still struggling with menopausal symptoms even 10 years after going into menopause (& it’s worked for every single one of Dr. Pelz’s clients)

[53:35] Why you need to consider where you’re at in your cycle to determine how to work out during each phase, when to ice bath, when it’s okay to skimp on sleep, do red light therapy, or use hyperbaric oxygen

[56:45] You need to start with tracking your cycle!

[57:48] Dr. Pelz goes through her typical post-menopausal fasting program for women (& how some women actually start getting their cycle again)

[1:01:00] Why you WILL be more fertile when utilizi