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Summary
On episode 533 of 40+ Fitness, Coach Allan sits down with Dr. Anna Cabeca, a triple board certified physician in gynecology and obstetrics, integrative medicine, and anti-aging and regenerative medicine, and USA Today bestselling author of The Hormone Fix and Keto-Green 16. Her new book, MenuPause, lays out five distinct six-day eating plans built to break weight-loss plateaus and ease mood, sleep, and hot flash symptoms.
Anna’s core argument is that food is medicine, and that women (and men) hit plateaus because the body adapts to whatever eating style they’re using. Cycling through different six-day “pauses” (keto extreme, plant-based detox, carnivore, cleanse, and carb modification) keeps the body responsive and gives people real data on what’s actually driving their symptoms.
The conversation covers why excess fat worsens menopause symptoms through inflammation and insulin resistance, why six days is the right trial length, and how each of the five plans serves a different purpose in the cycle.
Links
- https://dranna.com
- Episode 381 – The hormone fix with Dr. Anna Cabeca
- Episode 433 – Keto-green 16 with Dr. Anna Cabeca
Key Takeaways
- Weight loss eases menopause symptoms because fat tissue drives inflammation and hormone imbalance. Anna explains fat holds inflammation and creates cytokine storms in the body, and as we age we naturally become more insulin resistant, so reducing fat stores directly improves hot flashes and mood.
- Six days is the trial window because the gut lining regenerates in 72-hour cycles. Two full three-day cycles give the body enough time to heal and respond before you check in on whether a plan is working for you.
- Keto Green Extreme removes nightshades and other inflammatory foods. It follows an autoimmune-protocol approach, aimed at people with autoimmune issues or sensitivities to peppers, mushrooms, and similar foods.
- The plant-based detox resets bowel regularity and gut diversity. Constipation is common among keto eaters, so this six-day grain-free plant-based phase adds fiber and microbial diversity, which lowers inflammatory disease risk.
- The carbohydrate pause (a healthy carnivore approach) drives deep ketosis and boosts protein intake. Anna says women in particular don’t get enough protein, and protein is essential for building the muscle that becomes especially important in menopause.
- The cleanse phase works because ketosis already has hunger under control. Starting the day with a lemon juice and olive oil shot, the six-day cleanse supports the liver and gallbladder with smoothies, teas, and bone broth while continuing to rest the GI tract.
- Intermittent fasting of at least 12.5 hours between dinner and breakfast lowers recurrent breast cancer risk. Anna cites this as a key reason her plans build in at least 13 hours of overnight fasting, alongside broader improvements in insulin sensitivity.
- The final carb-up plan reintroduces carbs deliberately to prevent over-restriction. Clients who add a sweet potato back in at dinner often sleep better and even lose more weight, since being too conservative with carbs long-term can backfire.
- Dr. Anna’s three strategies to get and stay well: live the keto-green lifestyle and nutrition approach, make oxytocin the most powerful hormone in your body through love, gratitude, and connection, and genuinely smile and feel good in your own skin regardless of circumstances.
“There’s magic in the pause.”
Dr. Anna Cabeca
Another Episode You May Enjoy
Episode 602 – Personalize your approach to menopause with Dr. Heather Hirsch