October 28, 2025

251. Feed Your Brain: How Disordered Eating Impacts Anxiety, Hormones, and Mood in Midlife

25 minutes

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Many women in midlife are silently battling anxiety, fatigue, and mood swings while doing all the “right” things—working hard, leading, caring for everyone else. But few realize how closely mental health and nutrition are connected.

In this episode, Tanya opens up about her decades-long struggle with anxiety and disordered eating and how undernourishment disrupted her body’s ability to make key neurotransmitters.

She unpacks how protein and amino acids become the building blocks for mood, energy, and hormones—and why digestion, gut health, and liver function all play a vital role in restoring balance.

Key Topics Covered:

Tanya’s personal journey with anxiety and bulimia

How amino acids become neurotransmitters and hormones

The gut-brain-liver connection in mood regulation

Protein needs for women in midlife

Nutrients essential for neurotransmitter synthesis

How stress and cortisol disrupt serotonin production

Faith-based mindset: nourishment as stewardship

Resources & References:

Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2019 – The Tryptophan Pathway and Serotonin

PubMed: Dietary Protein and Brain Serotonin Synthesis

ResearchGate: Gut-Brain Axis and Mood Regulation

Cleveland Clinic: Understanding Serotonin

I hope this episode blesses you!

Xoxo,

Tanya

Episode Resources:

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By Tanya Engesether | Functional Health Coach, Leadership Mentor, Christian Life Coach, Speaker

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