How is a woman’s brain different from a man’s brain? How can women optimize and support their brain health? Neuroscientist Dr. Sarah McKay specializes in translating brain science research into simple, actionable strategies for peak performance, creativity, health, and wellbeing. In this episode, she shares her insights into the neuroscience of women’s health, hormones, and happiness.

You can find all the info and links about this episode at https://holisticwellness.ca/episode98.

Topics Discussed in this Episode:

• The neuroscience of women’s health, hormones, and happiness
• The difference between the male and the female brain
• How the brain impacts our emotions and behaviors
• The different life stages in a woman’s life and what happens to the brain in each of those stages
• Simple day-to-day things that you can do to optimize and support the health of your brain

Key Takeaways:

• The social experiences we have throughout our teenage years and early 20s are really important in shaping our brains. The more positive life experiences we can have at that point in time are definitely the ones that we want to have.
• One of the most significant changes we see in terms of the structure of the woman’s brain changing is during her first pregnancy.
• Men and women are very different hormonally and those hormones will impact the brain. So there is definitely a difference in emotional behavior between men and women.
• Our brains learn to predict our emotional status based on the context, based on our experiences, and based on what is happening in our bodies. Hormones are not the sole provider of our emotional state.

 

Action Steps:

• Optimize your brain health:
• Eat more vegetables.
• Get enough sleep when it’s dark and do things outdoors under natural sunlight.
• Don’t consume too much artificial light.

 

Sarah said:

“I think it’s a massive misunderstanding that male brains and female brains are entirely different species… if we were to scan two brains, we would never be able to know whether it’s a male or a female.” 

“Hormones have absolutely no bearing on cognitive capacity or ability -- all those thinking tasks that we can do.”

 

Thanks for listening!

Important Announcements:

Connect with me over on Instagram, @holisticwellnessfoodie. It would also mean so much if you would leave us a rating or a review at any podcast platform that you’re listening to us on. 

 

Links to things I talk about in the show:

• Save 15% off North American Herb & Spice Products with coupon code HOLISTIC15
• Check out LIVALATTE and  HEMPANOL PM 
• The Women's Brain Book: The neuroscience of health, hormones and happiness by Dr. Sarah McKay

 

Where you can find Dr. Sarah McKay:

Sarah’s Instagram (@sarahmareemckay)

The Neuroscience Academy (www.theneuroacademy.com)

Your Brain Health (www.yourbrainhealth.com.au)

 

Where you can find me:

Samantha’s Facebook

Samantha’s Instagram

Samantha’s Website

Samantha’s Twitter

Healthy Hormones for Women Podcast Private Community on Facebook

 

How you can work with me:

• 6-Week Healthy Hormones for Women Intensive - Get 60% when you enroll today!
• Healing & Dealing with Hashi’s

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