Tag: panic attacks in midlife

Keto for Your Brain? How the Medical Keto Diet May Support Mental Health in Menopause

By Lori Wesmiller, Mental Health Therapist & Founder of Balance & Bloom 50+

Healthy foods for the ketogenic diet

Let’s start with a surprising question…

What if your anxiety, brain fog, and emotional ups and downs in menopause weren’t just about hormones… but also about how your brain is being fueled?

The medical ketogenic diet—a therapeutic, doctor-supervised version of the popular keto trend—is gaining attention not just for weight loss, but for its powerful effects on brain health and mental well-being. Especially in midlife women.

In this post, we’ll explore what the medical keto diet actually is, how it works, and why it may help stabilize mood, reduce inflammation, and support cognitive health during menopause.

What If You’ve Been Fueling Your Brain the Wrong Way?

When I first heard that some doctors were prescribing fat as medicine for the brain, I did a double take.

As a therapist and a midlife woman going through the rollercoaster of menopause, I’ve spent years learning about how food affects mood. But what I discovered about the medical ketogenic diet went far beyond the usual clean eating advice. This isn’t about weight loss or counting macros—this is about how your brain gets its fuel.

And if you’re dealing with brain fog, mood swings, anxiety, or mental exhaustion in midlife, it’s a conversation worth having.

midlife woman discussing menopause options with her doctor

What Is the Medical Ketogenic Diet?

Let’s separate fact from fad.

The medical ketogenic diet is a therapeutic, high-fat, very low-carb diet originally developed in the 1920s to treat epilepsy. Unlike trendy versions of keto focused on weight loss, the medical approach is often clinically supervised, especially when used for neurological or psychiatric conditions.

Here’s how it works:

When you cut carbohydrates significantly, your body switches from burning glucose to burning fat. This metabolic shift produces ketones, an alternate fuel source—especially powerful for the brain.

Researchers are now exploring how ketones can impact serious conditions like:

Bipolar disorder Major depressive disorder PTSD Alzheimer’s disease Perimenopausal mood instability

And the results are promising.

The Brain on Ketones: Why It Matters

Your brain typically runs on glucose, but it can thrive on ketones—especially when its regular fuel system becomes less efficient (like in aging or menopause). Here’s what ketones may do:

🧠 Reduce neuroinflammation

🧠 Balance neurotransmitters like GABA and glutamate

🧠 Enhance mitochondrial function (energy production at the cellular level)

🧠 Protect neurons from oxidative stress and degeneration

🧠 Stabilize mood by smoothing out energy crashes

In a 2025 Stanford study, individuals with severe, treatment-resistant mental illness saw significant symptom improvement on a medically supervised keto protocol. Other research supports benefits in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression—especially when blood sugar, insulin resistance, and inflammation are involved.

Midlife, Menopause & Mental Health: The Connection

Midlife woman thinking about menopause

So where does menopause come in?

During perimenopause and menopause, estrogen levels decline, and with that drop comes a ripple effect across your brain. Estrogen helps regulate neurotransmitters, blood sugar, inflammation, and even how your brain metabolizes energy. That’s why many women report symptoms like:

Brain fog Forgetfulness Anxiety or panic Mood swings Depression Motivation loss

Add in poor sleep, cortisol spikes, and hormone chaos, and it’s no wonder your mental health takes a hit.

Medical keto may provide a steady, efficient energy source for the brain when estrogen is no longer buffering the system. It’s not a cure-all—but it’s a tool worth understanding.

But Is It Safe? And Is It for You?

This isn’t about going full bacon-and-butter overnight.

The medical ketogenic diet should be explored with a provider—especially if you have thyroid issues, adrenal concerns, or take medications for mood or blood pressure. Nutrient deficiencies, electrolyte imbalances, and fatigue can happen without guidance.

Questions to explore with your provider:

Do I have signs of insulin resistance or metabolic dysfunction? Have I experienced mood instability or anxiety since entering perimenopause? Do I respond poorly to blood sugar fluctuations or caffeine crashes? Am I already on a high-carb diet and noticing energy crashes or mental fog?

A skilled dietitian or integrative provider can help personalize the approach—because keto is not about extremes. It’s about fueling your brain in a way that supports mental resilience.

The Takeaway: It’s About Options

If you’re in midlife and feel like your brain is stuck in molasses… or like your mood isn’t matching your mindset, keto might be worth exploring—not as a diet, but as a metabolic therapy.

Want More Support?

If you’re in midlife and feeling overwhelmed by mental changes, hormonal chaos, or just off, you’re not alone. I’ve been there too.

🎥 Watch my YouTube video:

▶️ Keto Isn’t Just for Weight Loss—It’s for Your Mental Health Too!

Learn how the Ketogenic diet can alleviate mental health symptoms from anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and more!

💛 Free Therapist-Created Guides to Help You Feel Like Yourself Again

🧠 Feeling more anxious than usual in your 40s or 50s?
You’re not alone. Midlife anxiety is real—and manageable.
Download the free guide:
Midlife Anxiety—Understanding, Calming & Reclaiming Peace
👉 Download here

🌸 Want clarity around your hormones, HRT, and how to feel better in your body?
Get the free guide:
Hormone Harmony—What Every Woman Needs to Know
👉 Download here

You’re not too late. You’re just getting started.

Let’s rewrite the midlife story—one hormone, one habit, one healing moment at a time. 💚

💡RESOURCES & RESEARCH

Here are the studies and articles referenced in this blog post:

Stanford University (2025) – Keto diet therapy shows promise in serious mental illness https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/04/keto-diet-therapy-mental-illness-research Nature (2020) – Ketogenic diet effects on mood and brain function https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-80727-x.pdf Medical News Today (2023) – Keto diet improves mental health and metabolic symptoms https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/a-keto-diet-may-help-improve-severe-mental-health-metabolic-symptoms The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry – Keto diet for bipolar disorder https://www.psychiatrist.com/news/ketogenic-diet-shows-promise-for-bipolar-disorder/ The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry – Can keto help treat mental illness? https://www.psychiatrist.com/news/can-physical-changes-like-a-keto-diet-help-mental-illness/ NIH / PMC (2024) – Keto’s role in PTSD, anxiety, and neuroinflammation https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11182043/ Frontiers in Nutrition (2025) – Ketogenic diet as adjunctive therapy in psychiatry https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1506304/full

Panic Attacks in Midlife: What’s Going On and How to Find Relief

Midlife panic attack
Midlife woman having a panic attack at home

Ever had one of those moments where everything feels fine—until suddenly, it doesn’t?

You’re going about your day — maybe working, grocery shopping, or getting ready for bed — when suddenly your heart races, your chest tightens, and a wave of dread crashes over you. You feel like something is terribly wrong. Are you having a heart attack? Are you losing control?

It might actually be a panic attack — and if you’re in midlife, you’re not alone.

🌀 What Is a Panic Attack?

A panic attack is a sudden surge of intense fear or discomfort that comes on quickly — often with no clear trigger. It can cause physical symptoms like:

  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest pain
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Nausea
  • Sweating or chills
  • Numbness or tingling
  • A sense of detachment or feeling like you’re “going crazy”

These episodes can be terrifying, but they’re not life-threatening — even though they may feel like it in the moment.

Woman in her 40s having a midlife moment of panic and anxiety

Woman in her 40s having a midlife moment of panic and anxiety

🔍 Why Do Panic Attacks Happen?

Panic attacks are the body’s fight-or-flight system misfiring. Your brain perceives a threat — even if it’s not real — and floods your system with stress hormones like adrenaline. This causes the intense physical symptoms we associate with panic.

Triggers can include:

  • High levels of ongoing stress
  • Major life transitions
  • Trauma or unresolved anxiety
  • Hormonal shifts (yes, we’ll get to that!)
  • Sleep deprivation
  • Caffeine or certain medications

🌡️ Why Are Panic Attacks More Common in Midlife?

In midlife, your body and brain are navigating a lot behind the scenes:

  • Hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause can disrupt your nervous system and make you more sensitive to stress. Drops in estrogen and progesterone can increase anxiety, affect mood regulation, and throw off sleep — all of which raise the risk of panic attacks.
  • Life pressures — like aging parents, teens, career burnout, or relationship shifts — can pile on emotional stress.
  • Physical health changes, thyroid imbalances, or vitamin deficiencies can mimic or intensify panic symptoms.

So if you’re in your 40s or 50s and suddenly struggling with anxiety or panic, you’re not broken — your body is just asking for more support.

40 year old woman having anxiety on a bench

🧘‍♀️ How to Calm a Panic Attack Quickly

The good news? There are things you can do in the moment to help stop a panic attack in its tracks:

1. Ground yourself

Look around and name 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, and 1 you can taste. This 5-4-3-2-1 technique helps anchor you to the present.

2. Breathe with intention

Try this: Inhale slowly for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 6. Repeat a few rounds. Slowing your exhale tells your nervous system it’s safe to calm down.

3. Use a calming statement

Say to yourself: “This is just a panic attack. It will pass. I am safe.” Even if it doesn’t feel true right away, this affirmation disrupts fear loops in the brain.

4. Change your environment

If you can, step outside, splash cold water on your face, or hold something with texture (like an ice cube or smooth stone). Engaging the senses can interrupt the panic cycle.

🌿 Long-Term Support for Midlife Anxiety

Panic attacks are a signal — not a flaw. Supporting your nervous system consistently can help reduce their frequency:

  • Sleep is non-negotiable. Prioritize deep rest whenever possible.
  • Exercise (even gentle walks or stretching) burns off stress hormones.
  • Balanced nutrition stabilizes blood sugar and mood.
  • Therapy or support groups can help you process what’s beneath the surface.
  • Consider hormonal support — talk to your doctor about HRT or alternatives if you suspect your symptoms are connected to perimenopause or menopause.
Doctor offering hormonal support for midlife health

💛 Final Thoughts

If you’ve been struggling with panic attacks in midlife, please know: you’re not alone, and you’re not “too emotional,” “too sensitive,” or “too much.”

Your body is trying to keep you safe — it just needs a little help remembering that you already are.

You deserve peace, clarity, and support in this season of life. And you’re not crazy — you’re going through something very real.