There’s a quiet panic many midlife women carry — one they often don’t say out loud, even to their closest friends:
“Am I losing my mind?”
They forget words mid-sentence.
They walk into rooms and forget why.
They can’t remember names, appointments, or where they put the car keys — again.
It’s not just forgetfulness.
It’s a deep sense of mental disconnect — like your brain has a foggy film over it, and you’re watching your life instead of living it.
And it can feel terrifying.
Especially when no one talks about it.
“I Honestly Thought I Was Getting Early-Onset Dementia”
Let me share the story of Natalie, one of my gorgeous clients in her late 40s.
(Shared with permission, name changed.)
She came to me teary-eyed and whispered,
“I’m so scared. I’ve always been sharp. I could run meetings, juggle the kids’ schedules, and remember everything.
But now, sometimes, I can’t even recall why I walked into a room… I stand there in the room, wondering what I came in for. I have a feeling like a fraud in my own body.”
Natalie had been to the doctor. Blood tests were ‘normal’.
She was told, “You’re just getting older. Maybe you need more sleep.”
But she knew something deeper was going on.
She wasn’t just tired. She was disconnected — from her clarity, her focus, her spark.
The Real Reason Midlife Women Experience Brain Fog
Let me be very clear:
What Natalie (and thousands of women like her) was experiencing wasn’t dementia — it was hormone-related brain fog.
Here’s what happens during perimenopause:
1. Oestrogen and progesterone start to fluctuate — and both directly influence neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA.
2. As progesterone drops, it affects calm, sleep, and emotional balance — which are essential for memory consolidation.
3. As oestrogen fluctuates and ultimately declines, it affects verbal recall, word-finding, and brain glucose metabolism (yes, your brain uses sugar differently now!).
4. Add in stress, poor sleep, inflammation, gut imbalances, and a nutrient-depleted diet — and your brain chemistry feels like it’s been hit by a tidal wave.
Your brain isn’t broken.
It’s overloaded — and under-supported.
But Here’s the Good News: You Can Reset — From the Inside Out
What you’re feeling isn’t all in your head.
It’s not just stress. Not just “getting older.”
And it’s definitely not early-onset anything.
It’s your brain, belly, and hormones — all trying to cope after years of pushing through.
But the beautiful truth?
You can reset your midlife body — and it starts with understanding how everything is connected.
Your brain is constantly reshaping itself through neuroplasticity.
But to truly clear the fog and feel like yourself again, we have to go deeper.
Your hormones, digestive system, nervous system, and brain are all in constant conversation. When we begin to:
- Calm inflammation
- Support the stress response
- Restore gut integrity
- Balance hormones (especially oestrogen, progesterone, insulin and cortisol)
- And nourish the brain with key nutrients…
That’s when clarity returns.
That’s when you feel like you again.
That’s exactly what we did with my client Natalie. Her breakthrough came when we focused on the whole picture.
Within a few weeks, Natalie said to me:
“I feel like I’ve come home to myself again. I don’t feel broken anymore.”
And that’s exactly what I want for you, too.
Ready to Clear the Fog, Ditch the Belly Fat & Reclaim Your Spark?
Join me for the Reset Your Midlife Belly 5-Day Facebook Challenge.
- We’ll uncover what’s really causing the weight gain, the brain fog, the fatigue, and the feeling like you’ve lost yourself
- You’ll learn what your hormones are trying to tell you — and how to reset them naturally
- And you’ll walk away with simple daily steps to feel clearer, lighter, and more energised again
Because you’re not broken.
You’re just overdue for a gentle, powerful midlife reset — one that brings your body and your mind back online.
Teressa Todd
Naturopath | Biochemist
Ready to kick start Gut Health? Book a Call!
This is how gut microbes can influence weight!
Probiotics can help you gain weight or lose weight by interacting with our genetics, food and metabolism.
And yes, I did say lose or gain weight……..
Firstly, let me explain that the trillions of microbes in the gut need to be varied, meaning that there should be a large variety of species. There are many different species (or breeds) of microbes, and they all have their place in aiding health — the more variety and balance, the better health results.
Back to the weight loss or weight gain issue….
Do you eat yogurt and berries for breakfast? Thinking that it’s helping you lose weight?
Well, Lactobacillus acidophilus (like the species found in yoghurt) has been connected to weight gain.
I am not saying throw your yoghurt and berries in the bin. Instead, I am suggesting looking at the overall picture. If Lactobacillus acidophilus is the predominant micro-organism of the gut, then weight gain can result.
It is about the variety of species of gut microbes. Imagine if we only have trained german shepherd guard dogs in the world. It may be a safe world, but I am sure that other breeds may be more suitable as a family pet.
While Lactobacillus acidophilus is associated with weight gain, other Lactobacillus species correlate with weight loss.
Species like Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus gasseri, and Bifidobacteria animalis have been found to support weight loss.
Want to lose weight?
Look at your gut flora to support your goal.
Tests can be performed to identify the predominant species of the gut, and specific species can be utilised to support weight changes.
Want more information about your gut health?
Or want to look at all the factors contributing to weight gain, I’d love to be able to help.
