Today JJ speaks with Dr. Anna Cabeca, a triple board-certified menopause and hormone expert, acclaimed for her work in gynecology and obstetrics, integrative medicine, anti-aging and regenerative medicine. JJ and Dr. Cabeca discuss the effects that menopause can have on women’s bodies and their brains, including symptoms like anxiety, depression, mood swings, and trouble sleeping. Dr. Cabeca also explains how hormonal shifts during menopause can make it difficult for your brain to use glucose for fuel, as well as how a Keto-Green dietary approach and managing stress levels can help you feel better again. Dr. Cabeca’s empowering tips and transformation programs help women of all ages become their very best selves!   Freebies From Today’s Episode Get  Dr. Anna Cabeca’s free Breeze Through Menopause Masterclass by going to jjvirgin.com/breezemenopause.   Main Points From Today’s Episode As we mature, hormone production decreases. These hormones are what allow the brain to absorb fuel. What can we do about menopause symptoms? Even if your diet is perfect, there are other factors in being healthy and fit. Stress plays a big role in how our bodies function. Make sure the stress-relief tools you’re using are right for you; yoga and meditation are not everyone’s answer.   Episode Play-By-Play [4:50] Today’s hot topic is menopause and keto diets. [5:30] Dr. Anna Cabeca’s reasons for getting interested in improving her health [7:48] Menopause is hard enough to live thru once; twice is even harder. [8:45] Dr. Cabeca’s life experiences have helped motivate her. [9:26] “If you only want your husband 2 weeks out of the month, it’s your hormones, not your husband.” [9:53] How progesterone affects women [10:30] Menopause symptoms are starting almost 10 years earlier than they traditionally have in the past. [11:17] Reduction in progesterone and estrogen also affect brain health. Your brain needs these neurochemicals to function well. At the same time, our brain’s ability to use glucose decreases. [12:05] Men produce 6 times more estrogen in their brain than women. [12:37] We need to switch our brain’s use of fuel from glucose to something different. [13:36] The medications commonly used to help women deal with symptoms of decreasing hormones increase the risk for Alzheimer’s. [13:49] So what the heck do we do? It takes more than hormones to fix hormones. [18:20] Menopause is mandatory; suffering is optional. [18:47] How the Keto-Green Diet helps [20:04] We need to be in an alkaline state versus acidic, which comes from low-carb greens. [21:16] Activities like meditation that decrease cortisol and increase oxytocin are important. [22:30] Even if you have a perfect diet, you can still have high blood sugar issues caused by stress. [24:04] Make sure to find the stress relief practice that works best for you; yoga or meditation isn’t everyone’s thing. [26:30] Listener Diana questioned what to do when stress sabotages what would otherwise be a really good diet. JJ discusses some ideas to help handle these nasty surprises.   Past podcasts with Dr. Anna Cabeca: Managing Menopause #93 Restoring Women’s Hormonal Health #211   Mentioned in this episode:  Dr. Anna Keto-pH Test Strips Nick Ortner’s Tapping Solution Ziva Meditation by Emily Fletcher Xiser Subscribe to the JJ Virgin Lifestyle Show Become part of JJ’s community JJ Virgin Official Facebook page JJ Virgin on Instagram JJ Virgin on YouTube