In this episode of the Brain Health Kitchen podcast, Dr. Annie Fenn is joined by Dr. Lauren Streicher, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a leading expert in menopause medicine. Together, they explore what happens to the brain during perimenopause and menopause, including brain fog, hot flashes, sleep disruption, and the role of hormone therapy.

They discuss why brain fog during perimenopause is usually not a sign of dementia, what the research does and does not show about estrogen and Alzheimer’s prevention, why hot flashes deserve real medical attention, and how to think about testosterone with more caution and less hype.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Lauren Streicher
07:21 Menopause and the brain
12:22 Brain fog, sleep, and hot flashes
19:45 Hormone therapy and timing
25:55 Starting hormone therapy after 60
34:45 Testosterone, libido, and side effects
45:03 Can hormone therapy prevent Alzheimer’s?

Links Mentioned

Brain Health Kitchen on Substack
https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com

Dr. Lauren Streicher’s Substack, Menopause Insider
https://drstreicher.substack.com

Dr. Lauren Streicher’s website
https://drstreicher.com

Come Again: Sexuality and Orgasm
https://drstreicher.com/comeagain

The Menopause Society
https://menopause.org

SWAN Study (Study of Women Across the Nation): 

https://www.swanstudy.org

NeuroReserve
https://neuroreserve.com

Better Brain
https://betterbrain.com/annie

Dr. Lauren Streicher on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/drstreich

What does your gut have to do with mood, anxiety, and long-term brain health? In this episode, Dr. Annie Fenn talks with Dr. Trisha Pasricha, a neurogastroenterologist and gut-brain researcher, about what the gut-brain connection really is, what science supports, and what your symptoms may be trying to tell you.

They cover why stress can trigger gut symptoms so quickly, how the gut’s own nervous system affects the brain, why travel constipation is so common, how the microbiome influences inflammation, and what emerging research suggests about Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and colorectal cancer risk.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the gut-brain connection
02:07 Trisha’s background in neurogastroenterology
05:34 What counts as “normal” bowel habits
08:56 Periods, hormones, and gut symptoms
13:44 Travel constipation and gut circadian rhythm
20:01 How stress affects the gut
26:09 The gut as a second brain
37:00 Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and the gut
44:20 The microbiome, fermented foods, and inflammation
55:57 Colorectal cancer risk in younger adults

Links
Host: Brain Health Kitchen / Annie Fenn
https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com/

Guest: Dr. Trisha Pasricha
https://research.bidmc.org/gut-brain/people/team-member-1

BIDMC Institute of Gut-Brain Research
https://research.bidmc.org/gut-brain/

Book: You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/776380/youve-been-pooping-all-wrong-by-trisha-pasricha-md-mph/ (PenguinRandomhouse.com)

Everyone wants a supplement for brain health—but most don’t do what they promise.

In this free preview of our first Ask Annie episode, Dr. Annie Fenn breaks down which supplements are actually backed by science, which ones are overhyped, and how to build a smarter, more personalized routine. The goal is not to take more. It’s to take the right things, in the right dose, for the right reason. If you'd like to listen to the full episode, come join our community as a paid subscriber at brainhealthkitchen.substack.com.

00:00 The problem with brain supplement hype

02:15 Food first—and why supplements come second

04:30 How to build a smarter supplement routine

06:00 The key labs to check before you start

09:30 Vitamin D: simple, but easy to get wrong

12:00 Omega-3s: the most important (and most messed up) supplement

14:00 B vitamins: the hidden deficiency that affects your brain

19:00 Magnesium: what actually works for sleep and the brain

30:30 Creatine: why everyone is suddenly talking about it

38:00 Flavonoids: the brain nutrients you should eat, not pill

41:30 What’s promising (but not proven yet)

49:30 Multivitamins: insurance policy or unnecessary?

51:50 NAD, peptides, and the longevity hype machine

56:00 When to take supplements (and what to take with food)

59:30 What Annie actually takes—and keeps simple

Brain Health Kitchen Substack
https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com

Annie’s 2026 Brain Supplement Guide: need to link these

Annie’s Food Pyramid

NeuroReserve
Maker of Relevate and Revanta, brain-focused formulations designed to support cognitive health. neuroreserve.com

Better Brain
A personalized brain health program with advanced lab testing, coaching, and tailored recommendations. betterbrain.com

In this episode of Brain Health Kitchen, Dr. Annie Fenn talks with neuroscientist Dr. Tommy Wood about what it really takes to build a healthier brain across the lifespan. They discuss Tommy’s new book, The Stimulated Mind, the concept of cognitive “headroom,” why exercise may be the most powerful tool we have for brain health, how muscle mass and metabolic health shape cognitive aging, and why small, consistent habits matter more than extreme wellness trends. They also get into nutrition, protein, memory, overstimulation, and Tommy’s rapid-fire rankings of popular brain health trends. Dr. Tommy Wood is an associate professor of pediatrics and neuroscience at the University of Washington, co-creator of Better Brain Fitness on Substack, and author of The Stimulated Mind.

Host: Dr. Annie Fenn

Co-host: Jenny Shilling

Guest: Dr. Tommy Wood

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Tommy Wood
04:06 Why dementia prevention became the focus of his work
06:47 The idea of cognitive “headroom”
11:35 Alzheimer’s, amyloid, and the bigger picture
15:17 Exercise, muscle, and the brain
19:33 Protein, muscle mass, and aging well
25:03 Exercise snacks and breaking up sedentary time
41:47 Tommy’s 3S model: stimulus, supply, support
48:32 Memory, attention, and overstimulation
54:44 Tommy rates popular brain health wellness trends

Links Mentioned

Dr. Tommy Wood
https://www.drtommywood.com/

The Stimulated Mind
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/751292/the-stimulated-mind-by-dr-tommy-wood/

Better Brain Fitness Substack
https://hdrmdocs.substack.com/

Brain Health Kitchen Substack
https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com/

Better Brain
https://www.betterbrain.com/

NeuroReserve
https://neuroreserve.com/

Sponsor Links

Better Brain with Annie’s link
https://www.betterbrain.com/annie

NeuroReserve
https://neuroreserve.com/

Code: BHKPodcast

In this episode of the Brain Health Kitchen Podcast, Dr. Annie Fenn sits down with neurologist and public health advocate Dr. Ray Dorsey to explore the growing global burden of Parkinson’s disease—and what we can do to prevent it.

Drawing on decades of research, Dr. Dorsey explains how Parkinson’s is increasingly understood as a largely preventable disease driven by environmental exposures, including pesticides, industrial chemicals, air pollution, and contaminated water. The conversation explores how the disease may begin outside the brain and what individuals, communities, and policymakers can do to reduce risk.

Dr. Dorsey also shares practical steps from his new book The Parkinson’s Plan, offering actionable strategies to protect brain health across the lifespan.

• Why Parkinson’s disease is rising dramatically worldwide
• The environmental and man-made causes of Parkinson’s
• Early warning signs and the gut–brain connection
• How pesticides, air pollution, food, and water exposures increase risk
• The Parkinson’s 25: practical lifestyle steps to reduce risk
• The role of exercise in prevention and slowing disease progression
• Why early childhood exposures matter for lifelong brain health
• Policy and public health solutions to reduce toxic exposures

Books

• The Parkinson’s Plan: A New Path to Prevention and Treatment
  https://pdplan.org/ (The Parkinson's Plan)

Brain Health Kitchen

• Brain Health Kitchen website
  https://brainhealthkitchen.com
• Brain Health Kitchen Substack
  https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com

Sponsors

Neuroreserve https://neuroreserve.com/

BetterBrain https://www.betterbrain.com/

Instagram

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ray-dorsey-md-mba/

Twitter / X
https://twitter.com/RayDorseyMD

Website
https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniefennmd/

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/brainhealthkitchen/

Discover the science-backed top foods that can support and protect your brain over decades. Join Dr. Annie Fenn and producer Jenny Shilling as they explore dietary strategies to enhance cognitive longevity and prevent neurodegenerative diseases.

• What does "neuroprotective" really mean?
• Berries support cognitive function through anthocyanins
• The role of inflammation
• The significance of leafy greens
• Diversity of vegetables and plant foods for microbiome health
• How fish and seafood provide crucial omega-3 fatty acids
• The benefits of healthy fats, particularly extra virgin olive oil
• Beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds
• Impact of coffee, tea
• Practical tips to start or improve your brain-healthy eating habits

• Book: The Brain Health Kitchen: Preventing Alzheimer’s Through Food by Annie Fenn, MD; Artisan Books 2023. 
• Brain Health Kitchen Website and Newsletter
• Brain Health Kitchen Pyramid
• Consumption of Olive Oil and Risk of Total and Cause-Specific Mortality Among U.S. Adults
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids
• Eating Fish May Protect the Brain From Air Pollution
• How to Grow Microgreens
• Brain Health Kitchen Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• The American Gut Project
• Is Your Coffee Habit Good For Your Brain?
• Coffee Brewing Dos and Don’ts
• Gut Microbiota & Diversity

• Website
• Instagram
• LinkedIn

Annie Fenn introduces her new podcast, The Brain Health Kitchen, which focuses on brain-healthy diet and practical tools for brain health.

Takeaways

• Brain-healthy diet
• Practical tools for brain health

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Brain Health Kitchen Podcast