Hot Flashes, Belly Fat & Brain Fog — Could Keto Be the Answer?

Two topics. One episode. Zero fluff. Vanessa Gatelein joins Danna and Megan to dig into the intersection of the ketogenic diet and perimenopause. Vanessa came to keto the hard way: through carnivore, hair loss scares, Hashimoto's, and a broken ankle that made her realize she was, in fact, breakable. What she learned along the way is genuinely eye-opening — and probably not what you've heard before.

About Vanessa Gatelein: Vanessa is a certified health coach, IIN alumna, yoga teacher, and Dr. Mindy Pelz-certified "Fast Like a Girl" practitioner based in Switzerland. She works with women navigating the hormonal chaos of perimenopause and menopause through a whole-food, low-carb approach that weaves in nervous system resets, breathwork, and mindset. Her new group program, Back to Her, brings together keto exploration, blood sugar management, hormone support, and community accountability.

What You'll Learn:

1. How Vanessa went from carnivore to keto — and what that shift revealed about hormones, mood, and brain clarity
2. Why strict keto might not be the right move for perimenopausal women 24/7, and what cycling in and out actually means
3. The hair loss risk nobody warns you about — and the mineral deficiencies behind it
4. The fat-before-bed trick that may ease hot flashes (yes, really — butter is involved)
5. Why your belly fat isn't betraying you — it's your body desperately trying to make estrogen
6. The adrenal gland-stress-estrogen connection that explains everything about midlife weight gain
7. How to actually get into ketosis without making yourself miserable on day one
8. Why keto has a brain health angle that goes way beyond weight loss
9. Who needs to be careful with keto — and why "just Google it" is a terrible idea

Real Talk Moments: Danna arrives to the recording fresh out of the shower, developing what she describes as a Cruella DeVil mane in real time. Megan hasn't washed her hair in four days and is deep in dry shampoo powder. Vanessa brings the poise. There's a moment mid-episode where all three women land on a truth that hits hard: when we were teenagers going through hormonal chaos, everyone told us to rest. When we were pregnant, people made us sit down. In perimenopause — the same magnitude of hormonal transition — nobody is cutting us a break. Dishes still need doing. Kids still need feeding. And the economy is kicking everyone's ass.

Vanessa's Parting Wisdom: "Your body's doing that to protect you. The key is to give your adrenal glands the time and space to do their job — and that means managing your stress, not just your macros."

Connect with Vanessa Gatelein: Find her on Instagram for food videos and updates, and keep an eye out for Back to Her — her upcoming group program on keto, hormone health, blood sugar, and nervous system reset.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Keto Meets Menopause

02:46 Defining Keto and Early Wins

07:28 Risks Cycling and Women’s Hormones

23:58 Tracking Ketosis Data

27:41 Who Should Go Keto

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