High Performance Health

If you are eating well, exercising, and still gaining belly fat, losing mental sharpness, and waking up exhausted, your mitochondria are likely the missing piece. This is not a willpower problem. It is a cellular energy problem, and it starts earlier than most doctors will tell you.

In this episode, I sit down with Siobhan Mitchell, neuroscientist and mitochondrial health researcher, to explore how oestrogen loss disrupts mitochondrial function and why your gut microbiome plays a bigger role in oestrogen recycling than most women realise. We also cover S-Equol and why it is one of the most powerful compounds for perimenopause belly fat, brain fog, and night sweats. If you are looking for real answers on why your body feels different in your 40s and what you can actually do about it, this episode is for you.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• Why belly fat shifts to your middle during perimenopause

• How the estrobolome recycles estrogen through your gut microbiome

• What S-Equol is and how it reduces brain fog, belly fat, and night sweats

• The difference between estrogen alpha and beta receptors and why it matters

• Why estrogen loss causes joint pain and frozen shoulder in perimenopause

• How NAD+ decline affects your energy and mitochondrial function after 40

• How chromium helps with blood sugar spikes and food cravings in perimenopause

TIMESTAMPS:

VALUABLE RESOURCES

• Take the BioSyncing Quiz to help you understand what’s actually happening in your body — and how to fix it.

👉 https://biosyncing.scoreapp.com/

A BIG thank you to our sponsors who make the show possible:

• MitoQ - Support your cells at the source with MitoQ NAD Plus Dual Action, designed to boost NAD levels and help your cells actually use them for steady energy and sharper focus

👉 https://www.mitoq.com and use code ANGELA for 10% off your first order.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Dr. Siobhan Mitchell is Chief Scientific Officer at MitoQ and holds a PhD in neuroscience with a postdoctoral fellowship in brain ageing from the University of Washington. She specialises in mitochondrial health and healthy ageing, with a particular focus on how estrogen loss affects cellular energy, metabolism, and brain function in women during perimenopause and beyond. 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-s-mitchell

If you are eating well, exercising, and still gaining belly fat, losing mental sharpness, and waking up exhausted, your mitochondria are likely the missing piece. This is not a willpower problem. It is a cellular energy problem, and it starts earlier than most doctors will tell you.

In this episode, I sit down with Siobhan Mitchell, neuroscientist and mitochondrial health researcher, to explore how oestrogen loss disrupts mitochondrial function and why your gut microbiome plays a bigger role in oestrogen recycling than most women realise. We also cover S-Equol and why it is one of the most powerful compounds for perimenopause belly fat, brain fog, and night sweats. If you are looking for real answers on why your body feels different in your 40s and what you can actually do about it, this episode is for you.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• Why belly fat shifts to your middle during perimenopause

• How the estrobolome recycles estrogen through your gut microbiome

• What S-Equol is and how it reduces brain fog, belly fat, and night sweats

• The difference between estrogen alpha and beta receptors and why it matters

• Why estrogen loss causes joint pain and frozen shoulder in perimenopause

• How NAD+ decline affects your energy and mitochondrial function after 40

• How chromium helps with blood sugar spikes and food cravings in perimenopause

TIMESTAMPS:

VALUABLE RESOURCES

• Take the BioSyncing Quiz to help you understand what’s actually happening in your body — and how to fix it.

👉 https://biosyncing.scoreapp.com/

A BIG thank you to our sponsors who make the show possible:

• MitoQ - Support your cells at the source with MitoQ NAD Plus Dual Action, designed to boost NAD levels and help your cells actually use them for steady energy and sharper focus

👉 https://www.mitoq.com and use code ANGELA for 10% off your first order.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Dr. Siobhan Mitchell is Chief Scientific Officer at MitoQ and holds a PhD in neuroscience with a postdoctoral fellowship in brain ageing from the University of Washington. She specialises in mitochondrial health and healthy ageing, with a particular focus on how estrogen loss affects cellular energy, metabolism, and brain function in women during perimenopause and beyond. 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-s-mitchell

Most women doing everything right in perimenopause still feel exhausted, foggy, and frustrated by belly fat that won't shift. This is not a willpower problem. It is an estrogen problem, and most women are being told to wait when they should be acting now.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Robin Berzin, founder of Parsley Health, to explore why belly fat accumulates around the middle as estrogen shifts, why 43% of ADHD diagnoses in women hit between 41 and 50, and why estrogen loss drives brain fog and dopamine decline that most doctors are missing. Dr. Berzin also makes the case for starting hormone therapy early and shares what data from 120 million women tells us about HRT, dementia risk, and long-term protection for your brain, bones, and heart.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• Why brain fog gets worse in perimenopause

• The link between estrogen, dopamine, and focus after 40

• Why so many women are being diagnosed with ADHD in their 40s

• The early signs of perimenopause 

• How HRT reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's in women

• How low progesterone affects your sleep, skin, and mood

• How to track perimenopause symptoms and labs over time

• How magnesium helps with ADHD, anxiety, and sleep in perimenopause

• How zone two cardio and yoga improve focus and brain function after 40

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 What's Really Changing in Your Body After 40

06:33 Can You Skip HRT and Still Be Optimised After 40?

11:08 Does HRT Lower Your Dementia Risk?

14:00 Are You a Good HRT Candidate? How to Know and What to Track

23:19 What Your WHOOP Data Reveals About Perimenopause

28:16 Why ADHD Spikes in Your 40s: The Estrogen-Dopamine Link

33:46 Can't Focus After 40? The Exercise and Supplement Fix

40:17 How Weight Training Protects Your Brain After 40

45:02 Dr. Berzin's Daily Non-Negotiables for High Performance

VALUABLE RESOURCES

• Take the BioSyncing Quiz to help you understand what’s actually happening in your body — and how to fix it.

👉 https://biosyncing.scoreapp.com/

This episode is brought to you by Timeline.

Support your mitochondrial health: Timeline Mitopure delivers Urolithin A at the clinically studied dose to support cellular renewal and energy production, helping counter the natural decline in mitochondrial function that comes with age..* Get 10% off Mitopure when you visit http://timeline.com/ANGELA  and use code ANGELA.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Dr. Robin Berzin is a functional and longevity medicine physician and founder and CEO of Parsley Health. She specialises in helping women overcome chronic conditions through personalised, root-cause medicine that addresses the underlying cause rather than managing symptoms alone.

Website: https://robinberzinmd.com/Parsley Health: https://www.parsleyhealth.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robinberzinmd/?hl=en

Why does belly fat suddenly increase in perimenopause, even when you’re eating well and exercising? In this episode, Angela Foster speaks with Cynthia Thurlow about the real drivers behind midlife body composition changes, from hormones and muscle loss to stress, inflammation, and gut health.

They explore why cortisol and nervous system dysregulation play such a major role in abdominal fat storage, how the gut microbiome impacts oestrogen metabolism, and the simple strategies women can use to support metabolic health and feel more in control of their bodies again.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Muscle loss reduces insulin sensitivity in midlife

Chronic stress increases abdominal fat storage

The gut microbiome influences oestrogen metabolism

Fibre supports hormone detoxification and inflammation reduction

Declining oestrogen impacts digestion and bile production

Gut health plays a major role in body composition

Midlife body composition changes are reversible with the right strategy

VALUABLE RESOURCES

• Take the BioSyncing Quiz to help you understand what’s actually happening in your body — and how to fix it.

👉 https://biosyncing.scoreapp.com/

Most women doing everything right in perimenopause still feel exhausted, foggy, and frustrated by belly fat that won't shift. This is not a willpower problem. It is an estrogen problem, and most women are being told to wait when they should be acting now.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Robin Berzin, founder of Parsley Health, to explore why belly fat accumulates around the middle as estrogen shifts, why 43% of ADHD diagnoses in women hit between 41 and 50, and why estrogen loss drives brain fog and dopamine decline that most doctors are missing. Dr. Berzin also makes the case for starting hormone therapy early and shares what data from 120 million women tells us about HRT, dementia risk, and long-term protection for your brain, bones, and heart.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

• Why brain fog gets worse in perimenopause

• The link between estrogen, dopamine, and focus after 40

• Why so many women are being diagnosed with ADHD in their 40s

• The early signs of perimenopause 

• How HRT reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's in women

• How low progesterone affects your sleep, skin, and mood

• How to track perimenopause symptoms and labs over time

• How magnesium helps with ADHD, anxiety, and sleep in perimenopause

• How zone two cardio and yoga improve focus and brain function after 40

VALUABLE RESOURCES

• Take the BioSyncing Quiz to help you understand what’s actually happening in your body — and how to fix it.

👉 https://biosyncing.scoreapp.com/

This episode is brought to you by Timeline.

Support your mitochondrial health: Timeline Mitopure delivers Urolithin A at the clinically studied dose to support cellular renewal and energy production, helping counter the natural decline in mitochondrial function that comes with age..* Get 10% off Mitopure when you visit http://timeline.com/ANGELA  and use code ANGELA.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Dr. Robin Berzin is a functional and longevity medicine physician and founder and CEO of Parsley Health. She specialises in helping women overcome chronic conditions through personalised, root-cause medicine that addresses the underlying cause rather than managing symptoms alone.

Website: https://robinberzinmd.com/Parsley Health

https://www.parsleyhealth.com/Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/robinberzinmd/?hl=en

Dr. Mary Claire Haver, a board-certified obstetrician-gyneacologist, explores the physical and biological shifts women experience during perimenopause and menopause. She discusses the common issue of visceral belly fat and its health implications, emphasising the importance of an anti-inflammatory diet rich in fibre and whole foods over a weight-centric focus. 

Dr. Haver also addresses digestive changes like bloating, linked to a shifting gut microbiome, and offers guidance on essential supplements such as Vitamin D, fibre, and creatine to support long-term health and muscle maintenance.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN


The biological cause of belly fat: Understand how hormonal fluctuations during menopause lead to a natural shift in body composition and the accumulation of visceral fat.


How the gut microbiome changes: Discover the relationship between menopause and digestive symptoms like bloating as the gut's bacterial profile begins to shift.


Dietary strategies for hormonal health: Learn the benefits of an anti-inflammatory, plant-based diet and the specific role of fibre in managing menopausal symptoms.


The role of key supplements: Identify which supplements, like Vitamin D, magnesium, and creatine, can effectively support health goals when paired with a balanced lifestyle.

VALUABLE RESOURCES

• Take the BioSyncing Quiz to help you understand what’s actually happening in your body — and how to fix it.

👉 https://biosyncing.scoreapp.com/

A BIG thank you to our partner who makes the show possible:
• Timeline – Support your mitochondrial health and muscle strength with Mitopure®, the only clinically validated Urolithin A supplement backed by 15+ years of research. Use code ANGELA for 20% off 👉 https://www.timeline.com/promotions/exclusive-offer-for-angela-foster-s-community