Friday, April 3, 2026
Happy Friday 💚
We can hardly believe we are typing this… we are just 8 weeks away from The 7 Skills to Lasting Health landing on shelves across America. June 2 is release day, and that still feels a little wild to us.
And here is what is making this season even more fun… we have started a brand new 8-part series that will drop every Monday through April and May, each one walking you right into the heart of this new book. The first one is already out!!
Think of it like a front-row seat before the doors open. Each week, we will unwrap one of the skills with all our usual Poddy banter, rabbit trails, and fun along the way.
And yes… you can already pre-order the book through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christianbook, or wherever books are sold. Then, at the beginning of June, it will officially be waiting for you in bookstores.
We are also sending you a pre-recorded poddy epi this week because we girls are in Boston meeting with Christianbook to talk all things 7 Skills… and we are just so grateful for all that is unfolding around this message. It feels special. Big. A little surreal too.
But while we are away, we did not want to leave you without something extremely helpful for your journey. This week’s Poddy conversation matters deeply to us as women. It’s all about our brains. How best to protect them from inflammation, brain fog, and even dementia and diseases like Alzheimer’s as we age.
You know those moments when you walk into a room and wonder why you are there?. Many of us have had them; they can feel scary when they start to happen more often. So we wanted to gather up the most helpful parts of this conversation and put them in one place for you.
There is so much hope here.
Let’s talk about it…
But first, some quick updates:
- Our new book, 7 Skills to Lasting Health, is available for preorder »
- Big surprise: We’re adding an amazing speaker to The Gathering conference… Click here to see who it is »
- Find our Special 7 Skills Series here »
What a trip to Boston! 
We had the best time alongside our very own Trim Healthy Mama executives, Dan Sanchez and Nate Musson, for some truly exciting conversations about a brand new book partnership!
We were hosted by the incredible team at Christianbook — a retailer reaching millions of families nationwide with books and life-giving resources. They were such wonderful hosts and we left feeling so energized about what’s ahead.
A huge thank you to Harvest House Publishers for helping make this important relationship happen. We are so grateful!
—WELLNESS TRENDS, WORTH THE HYPE?—
Why women need to think about brain health sooner than we used to:
One of the biggest threads running through this whole brain conversation is this: women are carrying a unique brain health burden, especially as our estrogen declines or as we go through other seasons like pregnancy. Perimenopause years matter more than many of us realize, and we are more than twice as likely to experience Alzheimer’s than men.
When estrogen begins to drop, the brain can feel it. That can show up as brain fog, trouble finding words, poor focus, lower resilience, and a sense that something just feels off.
Practical takeaway:
Do not brush off those transition years as something to just “push through.” They are a season to support. If you are in perimenopause or beyond, this is a wise time to get serious about sleep, blood sugar, inflammation, muscle, and all the basics that help your brain stay fueled. Then there is bioidentical hormone therapy. It is not for everyone, but for many of us, considering it as part of our brain protection tool kit is wise.
Inflammation is not small… and neither are blood sugar swings:
We keep circling back to inflammation because so much points there. Processed foods, chaotic blood sugar, poor sleep, and unresolved gut issues all add to the inflammatory load. Ultra-processed oils and packaged foods create a very different brain picture than whole, simple foods.
Practical takeaway:
Do not underestimate the power of steady, protein-anchored meals, gentle carbs, and healthy fats. Your S, E, and XO meals contain the foods that blunt blood sugar spikes and ease inflammation.
Muscle is brain protection, too:
This part really lights us up. We’ll continue to talk about muscle because it is far more than appearance. Muscle helps with insulin sensitivity, glucose handling, strength, resilience, and brain signaling. This is fact: retaining and building your muscle (especially in your lower body) protects your brain. Your muscles release special myokines… these are signals that boost your thinking power and make your brain more resilient. One of them is called BDNF, and it helps you think more clearly, enhances memory, and protects you against brain diseases.
For us women, brain protection should look less like obsessing over losing “weight” and more about becoming strong… building muscle… building metabolic flexibility and building a long, sharp thinking future.
Practical takeaway:
Think strength training, even in simple ways. You can visit a gym, but you don’t have to. A few dumbbells at home can get the job done. Simple things like squats while dinner is in the oven. Resistance bands in the living room are the perfect way to start. Dig in further as you become ready by following our guided strength training sessions on our member site, or find some free online.
Sleep Matters:
Yes… we know. Sometimes talking about sleep can feel rude when hormones are all over the place and the night is already not cooperating. But we could not leave it out. Sleep affects inflammation, cortisol, blood sugar, and your brain’s ability to repair.
Practical takeaway:
If sleep has become hard, that is worth paying attention to. Work on your evening rhythm. Get morning light. Support hormones where appropriate. Protect bedtime more fiercely than you protect scrolling. And if you need a little extra help winding down, Beauty Sleep can be a gentle addition to your evening routine.
Sleep Matters:
We can’t touch on brain health without bringing in gut health because when the gut is inflamed, the rest of the body often feels it too. The gut and brain have a special partnership, and they speak to each other. Diversity in the gut, digestive comfort, and lowering inflammation all matter here.
Practical takeaway:
Think simple and steady. More veggies (which boost diversity), whole grains, and try to include some Fermented foods. Consider kefir, Greek Yogurt, L. reuteri Yogurt, and condiments like live sauerkraut.
—IN OUR PANTRY—
ESSENTIAL Powder (Pure Amino Acid Formula)
If brain protection feels like one more thing on your plate… this is where we think simple support can help.
A lot of women are under-eating protein without even realizing it. And when protein is low, muscle support suffers. Consequently, brain health suffers. Blood sugar can get wobbly. That matters in a conversation like this.
Why It May Help:
- Helps you boost protein without a full meal
- Supports lean body mass goals
- Easy to pair with E or FP style snacks
- Helpful for busy days when real meals get delayed
- A simple way to keep protein anchored through the week
Keep it easy. Use it where your day has gaps.
—RECIPE HIGHLIGHTS—
We wanted to pull a few recipe ideas that fit the themes we kept coming back to: protein, steady fuel, and brain-supportive meals.
ESSENTIAL Berry Baby Frap
A frosty, refreshing little helper for warmer days or busy afternoons. This one uses THM ESSENTIAL Amino Acid Powder to add extra protein support in a simple and fun way.
Stuffed Sweetie Bowl
A gentle carb and protein kind of meal that feels grounding and nourishing. This is the sort of meal that fits the conversation around steady fuel and less chaos for your blood sugar. It is also in the Wisdom Recipe Collection.
Chicken, Rice & Cabbage Soup
A simple, grounding meal that fits beautifully with the whole theme of this newsletter. Nourishing, protein-forward, and the kind of meal that helps you feel cared for without a lot of fuss.
—THE BIG QUESTION—
Do women need to start thinking about brain protection before menopause?
We really believe the answer is yes.
So many women wait until things feel obvious… until the sleep is terrible, the fog is thick, the words are missing, the mood is off, and the body feels unfamiliar. This conversation keeps bringing us back to earlier support. Earlier awareness. Earlier action.
Pearl’s Take:
We do not think fear should drive this conversation… but wisdom should. If you have dementia in your family line, or if you have hit those years where your brain suddenly feels less sparkly, we would not just shrug and call it aging. There is so much you can do. Build muscle. Stabilize blood sugar. Eat protein. Lower the inflammatory load. Think ahead instead of waiting till you feel behind.
Serene’s Take:
We have lived enough life to know when something in the body shifts. And for many women, that shift really speeds up in perimenopause. We would take that seriously. We would support hormones wisely. We would protect sleep like treasure. We would stop thinking of the brain as separate from the rest of the body because it all connects… metabolism, inflammation, gut, hormones, muscle, all of it.
—Q&A—
If dementia or Alzheimer’s runs in my family, should I panic?
No. We hope you come away from this conversation feeling the opposite of panic. Family history matters, yes, but there is so much room for daily choices to shape your future. Your daily choices count as epigenetics, which are stronger than your actual genetics. The things you do (strength training) and the things you eat (protein, more veggies, gut health foods) have more power than the genes you were born with.
What are the most practical places to start?
Start with the things you can actually repeat. Protein at every meal (fish such as salmon is especially brain protective… perhaps even consider a clean fish oil supplement). Eat more veggies. Better sleep rhythms. Gentle carbs instead of processed junk. Move your body.
Do I have to do hormones to protect my brain?
This is a personal decision and one to think through carefully. Hormones can be a powerful support (they have been for our personal journeys), but they can’t replace basic, healthy habits; those matter even more deeply.
Why are we talking about muscle in a brain conversation?
Because muscle helps regulate blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, and overall metabolic health. It releases brain-protective compounds. It is one of the most practical tools many women have and often one of the most overlooked.
Should I get genetic testing?
That depends on your personality and what you would do with the information. Some women may want to know, and it may give them a greater reason to put better daily habits into practice, but the truth is: the same daily supports matter whether you test or not.
What if I already feel foggy?
Do not lose heart. Brain fog does not automatically mean decline. Many times it is just a sign that your body needs more support in this season.
—CLOSING—
We know these conversations can feel tender… especially if you have watched someone you love walk through cognitive decline or if your own brain has felt different in recent years.
But we hope what stays with you is not fear. We hope it is hope.
You do not have to overhaul your whole life by Monday morning. Just begin where you are. Add one support. Then another. A protein-anchored breakfast. A walk after lunch. A few strength moves in your bedroom. Earlier bedtime. Less processed food in the cart.
Little things add up… and God made our bodies with a lot more resilience than we sometimes remember.
With love,
