Podcast Summary
Podcast: BETTER! Building bodies women can trust with Dr. Stephanie Estima
Episode: Stop Overthinking Your Workout: Your Brain Just Needs You to Move with Dr. Tommy Wood
Host: Dr. Stephanie Estima
Guest: Dr. Tommy Wood
Date: March 16, 2026
Episode Overview
Dr. Stephanie Estima welcomes neuroscientist Dr. Tommy Wood for an in-depth discussion about brain health, exercise, and aging—especially for women in perimenopause and menopause. The episode draws clear links between movement, nutrition, stress, and cognitive resilience, emphasizing actionable, sustainable strategies for boosting brain and body health. Dr. Wood demystifies the science, debunks common myths, and encourages listeners to focus on practical steps tailored to their lifestyle.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Brain-Body Parallel: Movement is Non-Negotiable
[07:23]–[13:47]
- Physical activity is a “physiological imperative” for brain and body health.
- Just as strength and cardiovascular fitness require active challenge, so does the brain.
- Biochemical processes like energy handling, autophagy, and DNA repair are stimulated in both muscles and the brain through use.
“The brain is essentially the same [as muscle]. If we want our brain to improve its function, we need to think about the ways that we use and challenge our brain in order for its function to be enhanced.”
—Dr. Tommy Wood, [07:33]
- Sedentary behavior is a major risk for cognitive decline.
- Even short breaks from sitting (“exercise snacks”) improve brain blood flow and function.
- “The more we move, the better our brains function.” —[07:59]
2. Types of Exercise & Brain Health
[13:47]–[22:04]
- Aerobic Activity:
- Especially beneficial for grey matter (cortex & hippocampus—memory, cognitive processing).
- Brisk walking (40 mins, 3x/week) increases hippocampal size and function. [13:42]
- Norwegian 4x4 Protocol: 4 minutes at 85-95% HRmax, 3 min rest, 4 rounds, 3x/week for 6 months in older adults led to hippocampal improvements retained for 5 years. [13:47–15:51]
“Those who did the six month training program still saw benefits to the hippocampus five years later...”
—Dr. Tommy Wood, [14:22]
-
Intensity Matters:
- Interval and more intense training release lactate and myokines, stimulating neurotrophic factors like BDNF for neuroplasticity. [15:56]
-
Resistance Training:
- Especially supports white matter (fast neural communication, executive function). A basic 1-2x/week program improves processing speed and cognition.
“Within six months, you see significant improvements in the structure and function of the white matter.”
—Dr. Tommy Wood, [18:41]
- Coordinative/“Open Skill” Exercise:
- Activities requiring real-time adaptation (e.g., tennis, dancing, martial arts) provide extra cognitive benefit—processing speed, executive function, and social engagement. [22:04–25:32]
“You’re not only performing the motor pattern, but...there’s a certain strategy or a real time response...”
—Dr. Stephanie Estima, [22:16]
3. The Anti-Inflammatory and Stress-Reducing Power of Movement
[29:14]–[35:28]
- Acute stress/inflammation from exercise is adaptive: it lowers baseline inflammation and raises stress tolerance over time.
- Chronic inflammation or stress is deleterious; acute, transient stress is restorative.
“We need to lean into the challenge and then make sure that we get enough time to recover and adapt to that challenge.”
—Dr. Tommy Wood, [34:47]
4. Muscle Mass as a Proxy for Brain Health
[35:28]–[41:53]
- Relative strength (e.g., leg press double your body weight) is a better marker than absolute muscle mass.
- Sufficient—not excessive—strength brings optimal functional (and cognitive) benefit; top third of your demographic is a practical target.
“You don’t need superhuman amounts of muscle or strength... Lifting once or twice a week...is probably going to get you enough muscle mass to kind of support brain health and overall physical health.”
—Dr. Tommy Wood, [39:47]
5. Avoiding Perfectionism & Overwhelm: The Power of Doing “Some”
[41:53]–[44:49]
- Majority of exercise/health benefits are gained with moderate effort.
- Avoid “all or nothing” thinking—something is always better than nothing.
“If you can train once a week, that is way better than what you’re doing now... Find something that you love that you can do consistently—that is the right way.”
—Dr. Stephanie Estima, [44:19]
6. Nutrition for Brain & Body
[45:50]–[55:29]
- Core nutrients: Vitamin D, B vitamins (especially B12, folate, B6), iron, magnesium, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids (EPA, DHA), and antioxidant polyphenols (from berries, colorful produce, coffee, tea).
- Protein intake: 1.2–1.6g/kg bodyweight—especially crucial as we age.
- Vegetarian/Vegan notes:
- Supplement B12, and consider algae-based omega-3s if no seafood.
- Women are better at converting plant omega-3s (ALA) to EPA/DHA, related to reproductive needs.
“Protein requirements tend to increase as we age... Older adults [eating more protein] produce more glutathione, more antioxidants...”
—Dr. Tommy Wood, [47:55]
“Women may have slightly decreased risk [of omega-3 deficiency]...because they better convert shorter chain omega-3s to longer chain omega-3s.”
—Dr. Tommy Wood, [54:11]
7. The Female Brain & Menopause
[60:21]–[74:53]
- Neuroscience has historically under-studied women, leading to gaps in knowledge of female brain aging.
- Women have higher dementia (especially Alzheimer’s) risk—risk diverges from men during peri/menopause.
- Cognitive risk in menopause is amplified by vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats)—not just hormone shifts, but dynamic stress/blood vessel/metabolic impact.
- Addressing lifestyle, sleep, activity, and (when appropriate) hormone therapy supports short- and long-term brain health.
“We know that the best predictor of cognitive changes during that transition is not hormone changes, but is vasomotor symptoms...those rapid swings and activations...”
—Dr. Tommy Wood, [65:01]
“If you are able to engage in some of these lifestyle changes...there’ll be a knock-on effect of benefits on the brain both short term and long term.”
—Dr. Tommy Wood, [67:18]
8. Cognitive Training, Failure & Neuroplasticity
[77:13]–[86:36]
- Building brain capacity: Like muscles, the brain thrives on “challenging networks” with new skills and tasks.
- Failure and frustration spur neuroplasticity—learning new languages, music, dancing, or creative arts all qualify.
- Even action video games and formal cognitive training (e.g., BrainHQ) have shown measurable improvements in brain structure/function.
“It’s primarily the process of failing. And failure drives neuroplasticity because it tells the brain, hey, there’s something we’re not able to do yet that we need to be able to do.”
—Dr. Tommy Wood, [77:19]
- Language, processing, & executive function:
- Bilingualism and language learning improve attention, cognitive control, and dementia risk.
- Creative, variable, and social activities have the best cross-domain benefits.
“When it comes to cognitive training, the best evidence is again for cognitive training that really challenges processing speed, because that’s something that we particularly lose as we get older.”
—Dr. Tommy Wood, [81:34]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On physical activity as brain health:
“Physical activity is essentially a physiological imperative for humans...the more we move, the better our brains function.”
—Dr. Tommy Wood, [07:59] -
On exercise intensity & brain change:
“The difference wasn’t in level of fitness...[intense exercise] switches on the production of neurotrophic factors that support neuroplasticity.”
—Dr. Tommy Wood, [15:56] -
On exercise and anti-inflammatory effects:
“What it does overall then is it decreases the baseline level of stress and inflammation...People who exercise more frequently, they react less negatively when under significant stress.”
—Dr. Tommy Wood, [30:51] -
On cognitive training and ‘doing something’:
“One thing will start to change everything. So a little bit of movement—improves sleep, improves blood pressure...just like a small amount of change in one area shifts the whole network in your favor.”
—Dr. Tommy Wood, [87:34] -
On the failure process in learning:
“Just like leaning into that and practicing it and into the discomfort—that’s actually a good thing.”
—Dr. Tommy Wood, [85:55]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Exercise types and impact breakdown: [07:23]–[25:32]
- Norwegian 4x4 study details & lactate as brain messenger: [13:47]–[15:56]
- Muscle as a proxy for brain health: [35:28]–[41:53]
- Nutrition essentials for brain function: [45:50]–[55:29]
- Female brain aging, menopause, and dementia risk: [60:21]–[74:53]
- Cognitive training, bilingualism, and creative/art-based brain exercise: [77:13]–[86:36]
Actionable Takeaways
- Break up sedentary time—every movement counts.
- Mix steady-state aerobic activity, intervals, and resistance training for maximum brain benefit.
- Layer in “open skill” (complex, social) activities for cognitive advantage.
- Shoot for “sufficient” strength, not perfection or heroism—consistency over intensity.
- Meet protein and micronutrient needs with a varied, minimally processed diet.
- Lean into learning, frustration, and failure—new challenges foster neuroplasticity.
- For women in peri/menopause: Address vasomotor symptoms, prioritize metabolic health, and seek social/cognitive engagement.
Further Resources
- Dr. Tommy Wood’s book: The Stimulated Mind
DrTommyWood.com or TheStimulatedMind.com - Find Dr. Wood: @drtommywood on Instagram
- Better Brain Fitness Podcast: BetterBrainFitness on Substack
“Something is always better than nothing. Just start.” — Dr. Tommy Wood [87:34]