Fasting & Health Expert: Tune Into Your Body's Natural Power To Heal

Rich Roll

Jul 31, 2025

Episode description

Dr. Mindy Pelz is a functional medicine expert, bestselling author of "Fast Like a Girl," and a specialist in women's hormonal health. We discuss the evolutionary mismatch of modern life for women, the hormonal hierarchy, metabolic switching, cyclical fasting, and more. READ MORE👉 http://bit.ly/richroll926
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CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:43 Mission of Women's Health Empowerment
00:02:23 Modern Life and the Evolutionary Mismatch for Women
00:04:28 Understanding Women’s Hormonal Complexity
00:06:12 Environmental and Lifestyle Impacts on Hormones
00:08:01 The Hormonal Hierarchy and Metabolic Health
00:11:20 Defining Insulin Resistance and Metabolic Health
00:15:22 Insulin Sensitivity Differences in Women
00:17:49 Fasting and the Menstrual Cycle
00:22:25 Sponsor Break
00:24:39 Types and Benefits of Fasting
00:30:11 Lasting Effects of Fasting and Metabolic Switching
00:34:45 Who Should and Shouldn’t Fast
00:38:05 Fasting for Athletes and Recovery
00:41:57 Timing of Eating and Its Impact
00:44:44 Ozempic, Fasting, and Weight Loss
00:48:46 What People Get Wrong About Weight Loss
00:51:49 Sponsor Break
00:53:50 Personal Story: Healing Chronic Fatigue
00:57:41 Lack of Research and One-Size-Fits-All Healthcare
00:59:13 Hormonal Phases: Puberty, Perimenopause, Menopause
01:02:43 Hormone Replacement Therapy and Lifestyle
01:08:11 Supporting Women Through Hormonal Changes
01:19:00 Menopause as a Time of Empowerment
01:23:14 Fasting, Control, and Women’s Rhythms
01:25:32 Adapting Work and Life to Female Rhythms
01:29:47 Toxins, Detox, and Environmental Health
01:38:53 Five Principles for Health Beyond Fasting
01:48:06 Health as a Verb and Adaptability
01:54:07 Women’s Self-Care and Societal Expectations
01:57:11 Loving Your Body and the Power of Perspective
02:01:32 Final Message: Take Your Power Back

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Hi I'm Rich Roll. I'm a vegan ultra-endurance athlete, author, podcaster, public speaker & wellness evangelist. But mainly I'm a dad of four. If you want to know more, visit my website or check out these two the NY Times articles:
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Mindsip insights from this episode:

Fast in sync with your menstrual cycle for optimal health

Women should utilize fasting in the first half of their cycle when estrogen is dominant, but avoid it the week before their period to support progesterone production.

#fasting

#menstrual-cycle

Limit exercise to manage cortisol and prevent weight gain

For women, over-exercising can raise cortisol levels, making the body more insulin resistant and signaling it to store more fat.

#cortisol

#exercise

Understand carb cravings before your period due to insulin resistance

A woman's body becomes more insulin resistant the week before her period because it needs more glucose to produce progesterone, which explains intense carb cravings.

#insulin

#menstrual-cycle

Balance hormones by managing oxytocin and cortisol levels

Oxytocin calms cortisol, which helps balance insulin, which in turn regulates the sex hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

#cortisol

#hormones

Experience fasting benefits as a natural alternative to Ozempic

The positive effects of Ozempic, like reduced hunger and fat burning, are very similar to what a fasting lifestyle achieves naturally by producing ketones.

#fasting

#weight-loss

Unlock unique benefits with longer fasting durations

Different fasting lengths trigger unique benefits, such as autophagy at 17 hours, stubborn fat burning at 36 hours, and a full immune system reset at 72 hours.

#fasting

#healing

Embrace menopause as a neurochemical upgrade for authenticity

Menopause is a neurochemical upgrade where the brain creates new neural pathways, leading women to become more authentic and less tolerant of things that don't serve them.

#menopause

#neurology

Recognize fat as your body's protective mechanism

Excess body fat is not a sign of being undisciplined, but rather your body's intelligent way of safely storing excess glucose and toxins to protect your vital organs.