Ultra-Processed Foods: Why You Can’t Stop Eating Them

If you're a woman in your late 30s, 40s, or 50s and you feel swollen, inflamed, stuck, exhausted, or like your body has completely turned against you — this series is for you. Let’s be clear: This is NOT a diet episode. This is NOT food shaming. This is NOT about willpower. This is upstream endocrinology. In this episode, Dr. McCarthy explains: Why weight gain in perimenopause is not a discipline problem How estrogen dominance and low progesterone shift insulin sensitivity Why stress hormones (like cortisol) amplify fat storage How ultra-processed, hyper-palatable foods hijack your brain Why traditional diets (keto, low-fat, carnivore) often fail women The real role of insulin as a routing hormone — not just a blood sugar hormone Why GLP-1 medications can help — but shouldn’t become “handcuffs” Most nutrition research was built on male physiology. You are not a small man. And it was never a fair fight.   Dr. Brendan McCarthy is the founder and Chief Medical Officer of Protea Medical Center in Arizona. With over two decades of experience, he’s helped thousands of patients navigate hormonal imbalances using bioidentical HRT, nutrition, and root-cause medicine. He’s also taught and mentored other physicians on integrative approaches to hormone therapy, weight loss, fertility, and more. If you’re ready to take your health seriously, this podcast is a great place to start.   👇 Tap Subscribe to learn more about what’s actually happening in your body, and what to do about it.   📘 Read Dr. McCarthy’s Book: Jump Off the Mood Swing – A Sane Woman’s Guide to Her Crazy Hormones https://www.amazon.com/Jump-Off-Mood-Swing-Hormones/dp/0999649604   📲 Follow Dr. McCarthy: Instagram: @drbrendanmccarthy TikTok: @drbrendanmccarthy Website: www.protealife.com   💬 Got a question or topic for a future episode? Let us know in the comments!