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Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Menopause, and Science for Women 35+

Ep. 565 We’re Wired to Lose Focus – The Best Tools to Reclaim Clarity & Conquer Overwhelm with Dr. Zelana Montminy | Menopause & Mental Health

Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Menopause, and Science for Women 35+

Cynthia Thurlow

Science, Life Sciences, Health & Fitness, Nutrition, Alternative Health

4.71.2K Ratings

🗓️ 11 March 2026

⏱️ 52 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today, I am thrilled to connect with Dr. Zelana Montminy, who holds a doctorate in clinical psychology. Dr. Montminy developed her career speaking for and advising Fortune 500 companies and academic institutions. She regularly appears on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and Access Hollywood.  In our conversation, we unpack the concept of novelty bias, exploring how it shapes our neuroanatomy and compromises our conscientiousness. We debunk the myths of multitasking and task switching, and dive into generational shifts and our disconnection from ourselves and the world around us. We also highlight the vital role of the gut-brain connection, share practical social tools such as the Pomodoro Technique, and examine the transformative power of curiosity and awe.  This discussion with Dr. Zelana Montminy is an exciting and forward-thinking exploration of how our brains and bodies are programmed for distraction. Her book, Finding Focus, also offers a compelling narrative to help us get back on track. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: What is novelty bias?  How technology impacts our mental health and ability to empathize in the long term  Why are we seeing a loss of conscientiousness in the younger generations, and why do older generations tend to feel and process things more intensely? How constant exposure to technology affects the ability of the brain to process information  Generational differences in information processing The detrimental effects of multitasking on productivity and focusing ability, and the benefits of single-tasking and staying in the present moment How being in a constant state of fight or flight dysregulates the nervous system  The importance of nutrition, sleep, and hydration for mental health Tools and strategies to boost your ability to focus  The value of curiosity for problem-solving, resilience, and health Connect with Cynthia Thurlow   Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia’s website Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow  Cynthia’s Menopause Gut Book is on presale now! Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book The Midlife Pause Supplement Line Connect with Dr. Zelana Montminy On her website Instagram Finding Focus: Own Your Attention in the Age of Distraction is available on her Website and on Amazon.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome to Everyday Wellness Podcast.

0:04.0

I'm your host, Nurse Practitioner Cynthia Thurlow.

0:07.0

This podcast is designed to educate, empower, and inspire you to achieve your health and wellness goals.

0:13.0

My goal and intent is to provide you with the best content and conversations from leaders in the health and wellness industry each week and impact over a million lives.

0:29.1

Today I had the honor of connecting with Dr. Zelena Montminmi.

0:33.7

She has a doctorate in clinical psychology and has built a career advising in speaking for Fortune 500 companies, academic institutions, and appears regularly on Good Morning America, the Today Show, and Access Hollywood.

0:48.0

We spoke about novelty bias and how it impacts our neuroanatomy and loss of conscientiousness, the myth of multitasking and

0:56.1

task switching, generational changes, disconnection from ourselves as well as our environment,

1:04.4

the importance of the gut brain connection, social tools, including the Pomodora technique,

1:10.4

as well as the value of curiosity and the role of awe.

1:13.8

This will be an exciting and innovative discussion on how our bodies and our brains are being

1:20.2

programmed to lack focus in our personal lives.

1:24.4

But she provides a really wonderful narrative in her book to help get us

1:28.8

back on track.

1:32.2

So good to have you on the podcast.

1:33.9

I've really been looking forward to this conversation.

1:36.0

Welcome to Everyday Wellness.

1:37.4

Thank you.

1:38.1

I'm so happy to be here.

1:39.7

When I was reading your book, there were definitely things that stood out to me.

1:42.8

And, you know, obviously I'm the parent of teenagers and novelty bias for my teenagers is probably a little bit

1:52.0

different than what my generation experienced because there's so much technology now.

...

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