Where Did I Put My… Wait, What Was I Saying?

If you've ever walked into a room and completely forgotten why you're there—or stared at your phone trying to remember why you picked it up—you’re not alone. And you’re definitely not losing it. (Well, probably not. I write this as I am just realizing I got my dogs' food but forgot to actually set their bowls down and feed them, so...)

This mental cloudiness? It has a name. Brain fog. And while it feels like a memory problem, it’s often a metabolic and hormonal issue in disguise. As estrogen levels begin to shift (or nosedive) in perimenopause and menopause, many women notice things feel a little… fuzzier upstairs. The good news? You’re not imagining it. The better news? There’s a reason—and something you can do about it.

🧪 Estrogen: Your Brain’s Forgotten Superpower

Estrogen is often seen as the "reproductive hormone,” but it's actually a neuroprotective MVP. It helps:

• Support communication between brain cells

• Protect neurons from inflammation

• Regulate mood and focus

• Keep blood sugar stable (more on that in a second)

When estrogen levels fluctuate (as they do in perimenopause), the brain starts scrambling to adapt. It’s like trying to drive through fog with a headlight out and no GPS.

🍬 Blood Sugar, Brain Fog, and the Estrogen Link

Here’s the sneaky part: estrogen helps with blood sugar control. So when estrogen dips, blood sugar often swings.And when blood sugar swings, the brain gets hangry. Or confused. Or both.

Your brain runs mostly on glucose, but it needs a steady supply—not a rollercoaster. And during menopause, that steady supply becomes harder to maintain. To make matters more interesting, many women in midlife also develop some degree of insulin resistance—where your cells stop responding to insulin the way they used to. This includes your brain cells.

So now the brain is foggy, frustrated, and trying to fuel itself with glucose it can’t effectively use. Awesome.

🔥 Enter: Ketones (Your Brain’s Backup Fuel)

Thankfully, your brain has a plan B: ketones. Ketones are produced when your body burns fat for fuel—especially during longer periods without food. And unlike glucose, ketones don’t need insulin to get into the brain.They can just waltz right in and get to work.

In fact, some research shows that ketones may protect brain cells, support memory, and reduce inflammation in the brain. They’re like a backup generator when the power goes out.

And here’s the kicker: your brain actually prefers ketones in times of stress or dysfunction. It’s like switching from glitchy Wi-Fi to a direct fiber connection.

🔁 How to Gently Support Ketone Production

You don’t need to go all in on a keto diet or live on coconut oil to benefit from ketones.You just need to become more metabolically flexible—the ability to switch between burning sugar and burning fat, depending on your body’s needs.

This is where the rhythm of a fasting lifestyle comes in. Not extreme. Not restrictive. Just enough space between meals and overnight to give your body time to:

• Burn through glucose

• Shift into fat-burning

• Produce some powerful, brain-nourishing ketones

  
  

And you might just find that the fog starts to lift.

🧠 Bottom Line:

If you’re feeling foggy, forgetful, or like your brain is buffering—it’s not all in your head. Okay, technically it is in your head, but you know what I mean. The hormonal shifts of midlife are real. They affect your memory, mood, and mental sharpness. But they don’t have to define you. When you give your brain a break from sugar swings and offer it the clean-burning fuel it’s been quietly craving, amazing things can happen.

So next time you misplace your keys while holding them, remember this: Your brain’s not broken. It just needs better gas.