The Pause

Issue #14 of 2025

Sponsored by the "Third Act " Optimizers

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OPTIMAL NUTRITION

"We are as optimal as our nutrition."

I'm nuts about nuts. I eat nuts nearly daily. Nuts are a true superfood, but they are not a weight-loss food.

In today's post, I will show you how to test nuts and use them within the Expansion Protocol, a system for testing for food sensitivities, discovering your permanent menu, and simultaneously setting your bottom healthy, happy ideal weight.

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INTRODUCTION

Here is a short list of the benefits of eating nuts.

• Nuts are a powerhouse of nutrition, packed with heart-healthy fats, plant-based protein, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals like magnesium, vitamin E, and selenium.
• Nuts help reduce inflammation, support brain health, and improve cholesterol levels—all in a tiny, crunchy package.
• Despite being caloric-dense, studies show they can aid in weight management thanks to their satiating fat, plant protein, and high-fiber content.

Here's my sharable quote about nuts.

—Doc Mac

HORMONES AND NUTS

The Godmade Fats found within nuts are essential to building hormones. These fats within nuts are two of the healthiest:

• Omega-3 fats
• Monounsaturated fats.

These super fats support the creation of all three ovarian/gonadal hormones, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, making nuts essential to having balanced hormones in our third act of life.

Nuts like almonds and walnuts are rich in magnesium and selenium, which help regulate cortisol (your stress hormone) and support thyroid function. We optimize these hormones in Phases Two and Three of The HOPE Protocol.

Here's my sharable quote about hormones and nuts.

—Doc Mac

WEIGHT LOSS AND NUTS

The key to weight loss after being paused is to eat foods that keep insulin low and glucagon high,

Nuts help keep insulin low and glucagon high by slowing digestion and stabilizing blood sugar levels, thanks to their combination of healthy fats, fiber, and protein.

When you eat carbs alone, blood sugar spikes, and insulin surges to bring it down, but when you toss in some nuts, the digestion process slows, reducing that sugar spike and the corresponding insulin response.

Think dark chocolate-covered almonds.

Low insulin means elevated glucagon (insulin’s metabolic opposite). Low insulin allows glucagon to shine.

Glucagon promotes fat-burning by opening the exit doors of your fat cells to allow fat to be released and used as fuel.

Nuts have a low glycemic index and glycemic load, the mother load of a weight maintenance food group.

Here's my sharable quote about hormones and nuts.

—Doc Mac

LIVER FUNCTION AND NUTS

Nuts improve liver function by reducing inflammation, supporting fat metabolism, and delivering a solid dose of antioxidants like vitamin E and polyphenols.

These nutrients help protect liver cells from oxidative stress and damage—it's like giving your liver a tiny security detail.

Nuts, especially walnuts, also support detox pathways and reduce fat buildup in the liver, lowering the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Plus, the healthy fats in nuts help regulate lipid levels, easing the liver’s workload.

Here's my sharable quote about liver health and nuts.

—Doc Mac

YOUR GUT ON NUTS

Nuts are rich in prebiotic fiber and polyphenols, which act as food for beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

These bacteria, in turn, produce short-chain fatty acids (like butyrate) that reduce inflammation, strengthen the gut lining, and support immune function.

Different nuts offer different perks: almonds boost microbiota diversity, walnuts increase anti-inflammatory strains, and pistachios help shift the gut toward a more favorable balance.

So yes, your microbiome loves nuts—it's mutual.

Here's my sharable quote about gut health and nuts.

—Doc Mac

YOUR BRAIN GOES NUTS FOR NUTS

Nuts are brain fuel in bite-sized form—loaded with omega-3s, antioxidants, vitamin E, and key minerals like magnesium and zinc that protect and power up your neurons.

Nuts help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, which are linked to cognitive decline and mood disorders.

Walnuts are the rockstars here, rich in DHA (a brain-loving omega-3) that support memory, learning, and even new brain cell growth.

Nuts also improve blood flow to the brain, which helps keep things sharp upstairs.

Here's my sharable quote about brain health and nuts.

—Doc Mac

SELF-DISCIPLINE AND NUTS

Nuts can improve self-discipline in sneaky, small-sized ways.

First, their healthy fats, protein, and fiber mix helps keep blood sugar stable—which means fewer energy crashes and impulsive "eat-everything-in-sight" moments.

A steady brain is a focused brain.

Plus, nuts support neurotransmitter production (thanks to magnesium and B vitamins), which boosts mood, focus, and impulse control.

Even just choosing a handful of almonds over a sleeve of cookies flexes that discipline muscle.

Here's my sharable quote about self-discipline and nuts.

—Doc Mac

THE BEST NUTS

What makes one nut better than another?

They are all different, but I will list the ones with the fewest carbs at the top and those with the most at the bottom.

Low-Carb

1. Pecans – 1.1g net carbs
2. Brazil Nuts – 1.3g net carbs
3. Macadamia Nuts – 1.5g net carbs
4. Walnuts – 2.0g net carbs
5. Hazelnuts – 2.3g net carbs

Moderate-Carb

1. Pine Nuts – 2.7g net carbs
2. Almonds – 2.9g net carbs

Higher-Carb

1. Pistachios – 5.8g net carbs
2. Cashews – 8.4g net carbs (yep, these little guys are sneaky sweet)

TESTING NUTS

Nuts are the third food group we test within the second group of foods. Recall the first food group, which comprises Godmade fat, proteins, and vegetables, called The Meso Menu. The food groups within the second food group are:

• Low Glycemic Fruit
• Seeds
• Nuts

FYI: Peanuts are not nuts. They are legumes and will be tested when we test legumes.

Test nuts as we did with the fruits and seeds.

Eat a tablespoon of one of the nuts above. Weigh yourself the following morning. If you gain weight, you must avoid that nut for now. if your weight is maintained after eating a nut, that nut is part of your permanent menu

Do not test nuts until you have discovered your bottom, healthy, happy ideal weight.

Once you've tested a nut, do not eat any nuts the next day. Forty-eight hours later, test another nut. Once you've tested a nut and it passes, you can increase the serving size, but a handful of nuts can be 600 Kcal. That is like eating a big T-bone steak.

Only test nuts you like.

Sharable quote!

Are You READY?

If menopause has you feeling like a stranger in your own body, I want you to know—you’re not crazy, and you’re definitely not alone.

If you’re struggling with things like:

• Weight gain or weight that just won’t budge
• Sleepless nights
• Anxiety or depression that showed up uninvited
• A missing spark—for intimacy, for social life, for anything
• And, of course, those sweat-soaked 3 AM hot flashes...

Then, let me officially invite you to something that might just change everything.

🎉 WELCOME TO YOUR FREE WEEK OF MENOPAUSE COACHING 🎉

Here’s what’s included:

✅ Daily statistical texting to keep you motivated and accountable
✅ 24-hour texting access for real-time questions and support
✅ A powerful course on hormone balance—so you finally understand what’s going on
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And YES—it’s 100% FREE. No gimmicks. Just real help.

Ready to reclaim your body, energy, and peace of mind?​
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This Week's Success Story

Let’s turn this menopause mess into a personal midlife power move.
I can’t wait to support you.

To feel better, faster—

THIS WEEK'S US-IE

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​Doc Mac 💛​
​Your Menopause & Weight Optimization Coach

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© 2025 | Doc Mac Coaching

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